While I love how colorful this is, there are some pages that are too dark and are a bit difficult to read. I wish some of the text was made to stand out more at times. But the illustrations and the art are absolutely gorgeous. I loved it for that.

Someone looking for a plot driven book definitely won't find it here. This book is more about this group of girls, how they come together, and how they deal with different problems in their lives. Their lives are messy, like most people's lives are. Leong portrays them so well, both in story and in art. It sucks you into their little world and doesn't let go until the end.

 As a Neal Shusterman fan, I was really excited to read this. Neal Shusterman and alternate universes? Sounds like a match made in heaven, honestly.

Unfortunately, I think this book has a bit of a bumpy start. It took me a few chapters to get used to the voice, and the beginning is a little slow moving. Ash is changing worlds and it's a bit difficult at first to keep track of some of the events in his original world. For example, COVID was mentioned at one point, but I'm not sure how it factored in. 

Nonetheless, despite the rocky start, my interest was peaked when the Edwards came in. When more and more changes start happening to Ash, the plot really starts to pick up. The last half of the book reads really quickly as the stakes become higher and higher. Though at times, the message seems a little heavy handed, the side characters make up for it. By the end of the book, I was rooting for Ash to make everything right. 

By the end of the book, I'd say this felt a little like Every Day by David Levithan. Ash's identity changes a few times throughout, and it's unclear exactly where he ends up at the end. Given the pacing of the second half of this book, I think I would definitely read a second book set in this world.

Overall, despite the bumpy start, Shusterman leaves readers thinking by the end of this alternate universe adventure. 

This had a bit of a bumpy start for me, but it picked up about halfway through. More to come in a full review tomorrow!

This was a delight! I enjoyed the conversations had throughout this book, especially about the harassment of women in the online gaming world. It's something that happens every day, and I think Smith does a great job highlighting this throughout. The way the relationship between Divya and Aaron evolves also feels authentic, seamlessly merging with the plot.

The audiobook is also lovely! The narrators really bring the characters to life.

What I loved about this was all the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) ways that Gong brings in the classic Romeo and Juliet. All of these details are woven in so expertly, making each one a surprise, especially if you're pretty familiar with the original story. What she did with the story makes it unique and interesting, bring you into this world of 1920s China.

The relationship between Roma and Juliette is at the core of the story, but also this feud between their gangs and the newcomers into Shanghai. All of the elements work together so nicely to create an engrossing story. There is also an excellent diverse cast of characters, including race and sexuality (one of the POVs is even a trans character). I'm so glad this lived up to the hype! Once I got into it, it was difficult to put down. Only deducting half a star because I wasn't necessarily a fan of all the gore/violence. But it made sense for the story that Gong was telling.

I know everyone loves this, and I felt the first half was excellent. Great set-up and great description that really sucks you into this world. But towards the end, it felt like the plot lost itself a bit. I know there's going to be a second book, so I'll hold out hope for that. Great characters and great setting, though!

This was such a powerful look at the coming out process, honestly. What would you do if you weren't out but your significant other suddenly died? Corinne doesn't know how to grieve for her girlfriend, and her emotional process is portrayed so well throughout the book. Her emotions are the core of the whole story, honestly.

Also, there is great LGBTQ+ rep here, with a bisexual main character, multiple lesbian side characters, and an asexual best friend. I loved that aspect of it because it felt so real. Give the audiobook a listen; I promise you won't be disappointed! Though maybe stay away if you're not looking for something sad at the moment because this is definitely that.

The mystery and the game is really what drives the core of this novel. Which isn't a bad thing! It makes for a fast read, as I definitely flew through this book. I was as caught up in the mystery as the characters were. However, by the end of the book, I didn't feel like the characters themselves had grown much. But, this is going to be a series, so there's room for that in the next book, I suppose!

This was tense and emotional right from the beginning, and it honestly doesn't let up until the end. Another masterpiece by Courtney Summers!

I think the topic of this book is important. It's about Mona's struggle with depression and how she works her way through it. The positives: there is great representation of therapy, the metaphors work well for the age group this book targets, and some of the art panels are gorgeous.

The negatives: some of Mona's struggle is equated with something physical that happens to her, which can be problematic. Her depression also seems to be solved fairly quickly, which isn't always the case with mental illness. Figuring out the right treatment plan takes time. Mona is also written off a lot by adults, which is the case for a lot of teen girls, and this isn't really addressed in the text all that much.

That being said, I do think the discussions in this book are an important addition to the discussion of mental illness in books for young people. I just think they could have been done a bit better at times.

If you're looking to have conversations with your child about racism and other difficult topics, this book is absolutely an excellent place to start. There are a lot of great essays in here that would spark conversation; it also gives great perspectives for cultures and races outside of their own. Every library should absolutely have a copy of this book!