Tag Archives: Time Travel

Review: Ripped Away by Shirley Vernick

Book Review and Content, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,
Ripped Away by Shirley Vernick

Ripped Away
Shirley Vernick
Fitzroy Books
Published February 8, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Ripped Away

Ignored yet again by his crush, Abe Pearlman wanders into Fortunes and Futures for a little diversion. The fortune teller reveals that Abe may be able to save someone’s life. But before he can ask any questions, he’s swept to the slums of Victorian London, where he finds that his crush, Mitzy Singer, has also been banished. Abe and Mitzy soon discover that they’ve been plunked down in the middle of the Jack the Ripper spree.

To get back home, they’ll have to work together to figure out how the fortune teller’s prophecy is connected to one of history’s most notorious criminal cases. They’ll also have to survive the outpouring of hate toward Jewish refugees that the Ripper murders triggered. Ripped Away is based on real historical events, including the Ripper crimes, the inquests, and the accusations against immigrants.

My Review

This book was such a quick read! I feel like I just saw someone recently talking about how so many middle grade and young adult books are intimidatingly long these days, so it was nice that this turned out to be a short book for a change. I think it also fits really well into the upper middle grade/lower young adult gap, where readers are kind of over the books that feel too kid-like, but not necessarily ready for the heavier or more grown-up issues in young adult books. So I liked RIPPED AWAY for that reason, too.

The book takes place during Victorian London, at the time of Jack the Ripper’s murders. The story doesn’t really focus on that, however. Instead, through the eyes of two young, Jewish characters, we see a city torn apart by fear, hate, and antisemitism.

Abe and Mitzy know each other in the present, but after individual visits to a fortune teller, they are flung back in time, where they find each other again. They decide they have to complete a task the fortune teller gave them and then hopefully return to their proper timeline. I liked the idea of their quest and the fact that they bonded over being transported back in time. I feel like they didn’t really have a clear aha moment where they understood exactly what to do and took ownership of the quest and hatched a plan and then executed it. There were glimpses of that ownership, but they were kind of fleeting.

The other thing I struggled with was the representation of Mitzy as blind in her Victorian London life. I’m not blind or vision impaired, so I’m not really qualified to speak about whether the representation was good or bad. What I can say is that it made me uncomfortable at times. I felt like Mitzy complained about it an awful lot, and while I understood that it would be a big adjustment to lose her sight like that, I also wished she didn’t seem to think of herself as less valuable and less capable of solving the time travel mystery as a blind girl. That said, I looked for other reviews that discussed this aspect of the story, especially a review from a blind or vision impaired reviewer, but I’ve been unable to find one so far.

I enjoyed other elements of the story, and I really liked how unique it was. The past setting felt very immersive without being bogged down in unnecessary details. The story and the setting were balanced really well. I liked both Abe and Mitzy as characters, so I found it easy to invest in seeing them succeed and find their way home.

All in all, I think readers who enjoy historical books or time travel stories or are looking for a quick read will like RIPPED AWAY.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Abe and Mitzy are both Jewish. In Victorian London, Mitzy is blind.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No profanity. In one scene, a woman uses a slur to identify Mitzy and Abe as Jewish.

Romance/Sexual Content
Abe has a crush on Mitzy.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content – content warning for antisemitism.
References to murders committed by Jack the Ripper. Someone throws a stone at Mitzy’s uncle while he’s walking on the street.

Rumors spread that Jack the Ripper has a “Jewish appearance”, sparking attacks and fueling antisemitism in Abe and Mitzy’s neighborhood.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Spin Me Right Round
David Valdes
Bloomsbury YA
Published December 7, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Spin Me Right Round

From lauded writer David Valdes, a sharp and funny YA novel that’s Back to the Future with a twist, as a gay teen travels back to his parents’ era to save a closeted classmate’s life.

All Luis Gonzalez wants is to go to prom with his boyfriend, something his “progressive” school still doesn’t allow. Not after what happened with Chaz Wilson. But that was ages ago, when Luis’s parents were in high school; it would never happen today, right? He’s determined to find a way to give his LGBTQ friends the respect they deserve (while also not risking his chance to be prom king, just saying…).

When a hit on the head knocks him back in time to 1985 and he meets the doomed young Chaz himself, Luis concocts a new plan-he’s going to give this guy his first real kiss. Though it turns out a conservative school in the ’80s isn’t the safest place to be a gay kid. Especially with homophobes running the campus, including Gordo (aka Luis’s estranged father). Luis is in over his head, trying not to make things worse-and hoping he makes it back to present day at all.

In a story that’s fresh, intersectional, and wickedly funny, David Valdes introduces a big-mouthed, big-hearted queer character that readers won’t soon forget.

My Review

Though it explores some heavy issues, SPIN ME RIGHT ROUND was a really fun story to read. I loved Luis’s indomitable personality and his ability to charm for days. Even though I felt like he has a tendency to go on about how pleased he is with himself, he also showed vulnerability in exactly the right places and absolutely had me cheering for him. I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat at all the right moments.

The whole Back to the Future, 80s vibe of the book was a lot of fun, too! I loved the celebration of the 80s in all its weird, glorious splendor. I loved the way music was included in the story. More than that, I found myself really drawn in to the way Luis’s life in his present-day and his struggles for acceptance and equality were contrasted against the prejudice and danger the students at his school in the 80s faced. I loved the way that experience impacted him, too.

On the whole, I’m really glad I read this book. There’s so much to enjoy here, and though it’s got some dark moments (trigger warning for homophobia), it’s a beautiful triumph celebrating finding the courage to be your true self and how those choices can impact others for the better.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Luis is gay and Latino. His best friend is nonbinary. Other minor characters are gay, too.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity and homophobic slurs. There are also some instances of crude humor.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boys. References to an affair between a teacher and a student. References to sex.

Spiritual Content
Luis time travels back to the 80s where he attends a Christian school. At that time, being gay is referred to as a sin. Other behaviors, like lying or hateful behavior toward others, are labeled as sins, too.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning for Homophobic Slurs and Homophobic Violence
The F slur is used several times in reference to Luis and another gay boy. Luis learns of a gay boy’s death that’s ruled a suicide, but which he thinks was actually murder. A group of boys hit two other boys with rocks and threaten to further hurt or kill them.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SPIN ME RIGHT ROUND in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Double Life of Danny Day by Mike Thayer

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

The Double Life of Danny Day
Mike Thayer
Feiwel & Friends
Published June 15, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Double Life of Danny Day

My name is Danny Day, and I live every day twice.

The first time, it’s a “discard day.” It’s kind of like a practice run. At the end of the day, I go to bed, wake up, and poof everything gets reset, everything except my memory, that is.

The second time, everything is normal, just like it is for everyone else. That’s when everything counts and my actions stick. As you could probably guess, “Sticky Day” Danny is very different from “Discard Day” Danny.

When Danny’s family moves across the country, he suddenly has to use his ability for more than just slacking off and playing video games. Now he’s making new friends, fending off jerks, exposing a ring of cheaters in the lunchtime video game tournament, and taking down bullies one day at a time … or is it two days at a time?

My Review

Erg! I’m so late posting this review. I prefer to post as close to the release date as I can, but as you can see, it’s been weeks and weeks. I’m just having a hard time keeping up with things this summer. Hopefully I’m close to getting back on track, though I’ve got a few other titles I’m just really late in getting to besides this one.

So. The Double Life of Danny Day. This one started out a little rough for me– Danny isn’t really a compassionate guy at the opening of the book. He’s kind of disillusioned with his double-day ability and mostly uses it to goof off or have extra time to play video games. He’s more aloof and calculating.

Then he meets two new friends who begin to change how Danny sees things. One friend opens his eyes to the opportunity he has to make positive changes in terms of justice, and the other helps him find an opportunity that will make a big impact.

Once Danny began to have other motivations besides looking out for himself and having fun on his “discard day,” I got pretty hooked into the story. I liked the descriptions of the game that he and his friends played. I loved Freddie and her creative non-swearing and her grit and determination. I loved Zak and his deep sense of justice and his willingness to trust his friends.

This book reminded me a bit of the books about ROGER TARKINGTON AND THE MAGIC CALENDAR, and sometimes had a bit of a similar feel to it. I liked the character growth that Danny experienced and the way his relationships changed through the course of the story. I think readers who enjoyed MY LIFE AS A POTATO will also enjoy this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Danny is white. His best friend Zak’s dad is Black. Freddie comes from a poor family and lives with her grandmother.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Danny lives each day twice. The first time he refers to as a “discard day” because whatever happens that day doesn’t last.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning for Bullying
A bully attacks Danny and punches him more than once. Some students use an online social media profile called “Duds or Studs” to post pictures of other students (taken without their permission) edited with filters. Sometimes they’re unflattering pictures with cruel captions that encourage other kids to pile on and say awful things.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog. I received a free copy of THE DOUBLE LIFE OF DANNY DAY in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar: Surviving Middle School by I. M. Maynard

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, , , , ,

Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar: Surviving Middle School
I. M. Maynard
Taft Publishing
Published February 1, 2021

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar: Surviving Middle School

Fresh off achieving middle school greatness, 11-year-old Roger Tarkington sets his sights on something bigger than himself. He plans to use his magic calendar to help the powerless at Jefferson Middle School and turn the tables on the school’s powerful bullies.

Just call Roger a modern-day Robin Hood!

But Roger’s very first attempt could be his last, as he uncovers a secret at the school so big that even his magic calendar may not be able to fix things!

Is Roger’s plan to right the wrongs at Jefferson Middle School foolproof or foolhardy? Are some middle school wrongs impossible to be righted?

My Review

More goofy antics, time traveling adventures, and grand schemes begin immediately in this second book in the Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar series. This time, we get to know Roger’s best friend, E3, a bit better, as she works with him to solve a mystery about cheating on homework among the football players. She’s a smart girl, piecing together things that Roger sometimes overlooks, and pretty much keeping laser-focused on solving the case.

The story also forces Roger to recognize his dependency on the calendar and find ways to achieve his goals without solely using the calendar, which I thought was really cool. A couple of the people who he has “protected” end up being able to help him, too.

To be honest, though, I was a little disappointed with the Robin Hood theme. I kind of felt like Roger didn’t really GET Robin Hood. Robin Hood was about justice and protecting people who didn’t have the ability to protect themselves. Roger seemed to want to protect people he thought were cool from people he thought were annoying. He also has snarky nicknames for so many people, and I guess that got a little bit old after a while. It made him seem like a jerk sometimes.

He does learn some lessons about truth and justice, and his own misjudgments, though. I liked the way the mystery unraveled and the way Roger couldn’t solve everything on his own. All in all, this was a fun, goofy story that will appeal to fans of the first book in the series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Roger holds hands with a girl.

Spiritual Content
A calendar gives Roger the ability to time travel to the date or event he’s touching on the calendar.

Violent Content
Some instances of bullying, including trapping someone in a locker.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog. I received a free copy of ROGER TARKINGTON AND THE MAGIC CALENDAR: SURVIVING MIDDLE SCHOOL in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Clifton Chase on Castle Rock by Jaimie Engle

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

Clifton Chase on Castle Rock (Clifton Chase Adventures #2)
Jaimie Engle
JME Books
Published November 24, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Clifton Chase on Castle Rock

History tends to repeat itself…sorta.

Clifton Chase just wanted life to go back to “normal” again. But things were starting to happen. Two kids showed up at school that looked just like the princes from 1485, Clifton thought he was being followed, and then a hob thrush showed up in his closet and stole the Arrows of Light. Clifton wanted no part in this adventure. Until he learned that someone he knew was alive. Dane the dwarf, a teenager in the eleventh century. Could Clifton make things right by warning Dane of what was to come?

The second in the critically-acclaimed Clifton Chase Adventure Series full of danger, magic, love, and friendship.

My Review

It’s been a little while since I first read about Clifton Chase and his adventures with magical arrows, but I still remember how much fun the concept was– that a boy is transported to a moment in history less commonly visited and has a chance to be a part of critical events. He makes life-changing friendships and learns a lot about courage.

So with all that in mind, I was pretty excited when I heard that Jaimie Engle was planning to release a sequel. She has talked about it as a possibility for years, so it was really exciting to see it become a reality.

I liked that though the story visits Robin Hood’s time and introduces some familiar characters from that story, the tale stays focused on Clifton. He faces lots of challenges and has to navigate difficult circumstances. One example is that he meets a younger version of Dane, his friend and mentor from CLIFTON CHASE AND THE ARROWS OF LIGHT, and desperately wants to warn him about something that happened to him at the end of the first book.

I think my favorite moment in the story is when Clifton decides to get Dane’s attention by trying to leap on him and pin him down, the way Dane did to him in the first book. It doesn’t quite work out the way Clifton planned, which felt so true to their relationship.

All in all, I thought this was a fun adventure story about courage and friendship.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most characters are white or not described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some obvious attraction between two older characters.

Spiritual Content
Clifton meets a Siren and depends on wisdom from Simurgh, a bird who once nested in the Tree of Knowledge.

Violent Content
Some brief battle scenes, no graphic violence. Brief mentions of death by hanging.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of CLIFTON CHASE ON CASTLE ROCK in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar by I. M. Maynard

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Sci-Fi, , , , , , ,

Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar: The Quest for Middle School Greatness
I. M. Maynard
Taft Publishing
Published March 9, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar

Meet Roger Tarkington.

The almost 11-year-old has a plan for middle school greatness. A perfect plan that—lasts for all of about five minutes. 286 seconds, to be exact.

It’s all ruined when Kyle-the-Vile Brossman appears unexpectedly on the first day of school. Making matters worse, Kyle pledges to make Roger’s year miserable, just like he did at Bellingware Elementary School.

Roger’s unlucky start to sixth grade turns magical when his calendar turns into a time travel portal that allows him to repeat days. Influenced by his Middle School Greatness Tip #31 (Don’t wait for it to happen, make it happen), Roger devises a new plan to use his magic calendar to beat Kyle, clearing his path to middle school greatness.

Foolproof plan for middle school success, right? Maybe in real life, but remember, this is middle school!

Will Roger succeed in using his magic calendar to standout at Jefferson Middle School and achieve middle school greatness? Or will he fall under the constant attacks from Kyle and the unexpected, everyday obstacles of middle school?

My Review

This is such a silly story– it’s a lot of fun to read. It does tackle the issue of bullying, showing Roger repeatedly picked on by his nemesis, Kyle. Mostly, though he seems frustrated and discouraged at times, Roger seems to bounce back and stay focused on his quest to gain popularity or notoriety in school.

In service of that quest, he does some selfish things to his best friend, and I wish that he had confronted those choices a little more fully. He does feel bad for letting her down, but doesn’t really seem to totally realize that he is living his life focused on achieving some kind of greatness and sort of assuming his best friend will be there to assist him whenever he needs her.

Other than that, though, it’s an upbeat story. I think fans of MY LIFE AS A POTATO by Arianne Costner will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A calendar gives Roger the ability to time travel to the date or event he’s touching on the calendar.

Violent Content
Some instances of bullying, including trapping someone in a locker.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of ROGER TARKINGTON AND THE MAGIC CALENDAR in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.