Not my favorite of Alexis Hall's books, but this was still a fun time! I enjoyed the overall format of the book, and the inclusion of the fantasy/magical elements along with the romance. If you enjoy authors like Freya Marske, you'll definitely enjoy this book!

The romance at the core of this story definitely takes center stage, and I loved how it evolved throughout the book around all of these different curses and such. The pacing of the book does get a little weird by the end, but since we have a narrator telling us this story, she actually acknowledges that. Which I actually found to be fun! 

If you like historical fantasy romance, this is definitely the book for you. Plus, it has an absolutely gorgeous cover!

Green’s school has decided to put on the show The Wizard of Oz for their spring musical. Even though it’s not their first choice, Green and the other theater kids have decided to work to make it more inclusive. Green is hesitant to work on the play, but when they find out their crush, Ronnie, is working backstage, they decide it won’t be so bad after all.

However, navigating your first crush isn’t easy. Especially when you’re not sure if your crush is even attracted to people like you. Join Green as they navigate the middle school theater scene, along with their first crush. 
 

Thanks to Scholastic for an advanced copy of Green by Alex Gino to review! Alex Gino is an expert at writing queer middle grade stories, and this one is no different. Set in the same world as Melissa, you get to see some familiar faces as well.

One of the great things about this is that the theater teacher works with their Rainbow Club to make The Wizard of Oz more gender inclusive. Not only does anyone get to try out for whatever role they want, but they also make a few changes to make the musical generally more welcoming. The kids also get to learn a little about queer history related to The Wizard of Oz, and it all just flows so nicely.

And the first crush plotline! It was just adorable, seeing Green get those butterflies and trying to figure out if Ronnie had them back. It’s all so classically middle school, and there are so many middle grade readers who will see themselves there. Green also has some great discussions about body dysmorphia and getting your first period. Such great representation for middle school readers who will pick this up.

I do think the ending felt a bit rushed, but other than that, I have no complaints! If you love Alex Gino, you’ll definitely love this latest book by them. 

An important book for sure, as there hasn't been much published on this particular topic yet (probably because it's still so fresh) and this really lays out what happened in those first days of the conflict. You can tell that the book itself is well researched and is written in a way that does hook you in.

Not really a fan of the illustration style, but it fits for what the subject matter is. There's some dark stuff that happens in this book and the sort of sketchiness of the illustrations doesn't make it too detailed or graphic. All in all, an important story but not necessarily a book that blew me out of the water.

This is just a really lovely graphic novel memoir about finding yourself, and finding people who accept you as you are. The overall tone is lighthearted, but doesn't shy away from some of the more difficult topics that come with being trans and queer in present day society. I especially appreciated that they emphasized that there is no one way to be trans, and highlighted a lot of information in that aspect. 

The tone stays pretty upbeat for most of the book, and I thoroughly enjoyed the art style. An important book and just a lovely one to read.

Read this for a book swap, and it is not really my cup of tea (lol). It's just not the kind of book that I'd normally pick up to read for myself. I did enjoy the magical realism aspect of it, though. Especially the librarian who can talk to books; what a fun concept. That's definitely a skill that I'd like to have.

Part of the difficulty for me is that there is a lot going on in this book. There are a lot of different characters and plot lines happening that make some of the story a bit jumbled. There were some nice moments with the characters, and I enjoyed the emotional journey they all went on. Plus, this sounds like a cute town, and I wouldn't mind living there.

Not a bad read, but it won't be my favorite of the year.

While I wasn't as hooked into this as I was The 57 Bus, also by Slater, it's still a really interesting read. Especially in the context of the current climate of book banning, because this just shows that it's incredibly hard to control what your kids and teens see on the internet. There is a lot of great discussion in this book about free speech and how that applies to things like hate speech, racsim, etc. 

Slater does have a way of writing that is accessible for teens, though, especially with complex topics like this. Overall, I think the narrative was a little longer than it possibly needed to be. By the end, it felt a little repetitive and maybe dragged on a bit. 

However, the information is important and relevant and I definitely recommend it for that! 

In true Rick Riordan fashion, the action picks up right at the beginning of this book and doesn't really let up until the end. Riordan doesn't wait until the very end of the book for the final epic battle; instead, you get a bunch of battles leading up to the battle with the Big Bad. As a series structure, and for middle grade readers, it actually works really well, I think. Definitely makes you want to just keep reading instead of putting the book down, anyway.

What I appreciated specifically about this particular series is that Riordan really shows character growth with Meg and Apollo. You can see their arcs throughout the entire series, and their development and changes are well done. There are also some fantastic explorations of mental health, both in this book and in past books in the series, and the emotions someone might go through dealing with an abusive parent.

All in all, a great ending to a very entertaining series. Just in time for the new book to come out next week!

Regent Academy is known for churning out students who eventually become successful leaders in society. But little does anyone know that there’s a darker history surrounding the school–specifically the forest around it. 

After a student is mysteriously murdered, Douglas finds that the next day, no one else remembers they existed. Except for Everett Everley. It turns out, Douglas has awakened something dark in the forest, demanding payment for a wrong that happened 300 years ago. And Douglas might be the only person who can make it right. 
 

Thanks to Quill Tree Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy of The Forest Demands Its Due by Kosoko Jackson to review! I’ve read Jackson’s other YA work, so I was excited to pick this one up. If you’re looking for a dark academia vibe this spooky season, this book will definitely be for you.

The world that Jackson has created in this book is so fascinating. The magic system in particular is different from a lot of other YA fantasy/horror I’ve read, and I enjoyed seeing how this played out throughout the story. Because it’s set in this isolated town, the vibes are also perfect for the weather starting to turn cooler.

Douglas’s changing relationship with Everett was probably my second favorite aspect of this book. They’re both thrown together kind of by chance, but they work their way to being vulnerable with each other. Seeing their relationship evolve helped to balance out some of the pretty horrific stuff that was going on around them. Moments of sweetness sprinkled throughout moments are helpful for someone who doesn’t necessarily read a lot of horror.

The plot does feel like it gets a little lost towards the middle of the book, but it finds itself again by the end. If you like dark academia with a sprinkle of mythology and curses, this will definitely be the book for you! 

I feel like we're getting to the realm of "is this really middle grade?" with this series, but it sort of makes sense. At the point these books were publishing, the original readers of Percy Jackson were much older. This book is intense, and it's not even the finale of the series yet! We've still got one more book to go!

Go into this book knowing there are some intense moments in the battle at the end of this book that'll probably keep you on the edge of your seat. Also, this whole series is (basically) a character study on Apollo, and I love getting to see how he's evolved throughout this entire quest. He's made friends, he cares about people, and it works so well for the overall arch of this particular series as well.

Curious to see how Riordan is going to end this series becuase I'm sure it's going to be with a bang!

Arthur and Gwendoline have been betrothed since their birth, but unfortunately, they can’t stand each other. As they get closer to their impending wedding, they are forced to spend a summer together at Camelot. But it’s not the summer either one of them anticipated.

On the first day, Gwen catches Arthur kissing another book. So Arthur does some digging and finds out about Gwen’s crush on the lady knight, Bridget Leclair. The two make a pact to cover for each other as they’re both swept up in different romances. Until a threat to the kingdom puts their new alliance in danger. 
 

Thanks to Wednesday books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher to review! Being pitched as Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale, I knew that I absolutely had to read this. And what a delight it ended up being! I’d say that description is actually a pretty accurate description of this book.

First of all, the whole cast of characters in this is just a riot. They get themselves into ridiculous situations, especially as Gwen and Arthur are both falling in love with different people. Arthur in particular is just so entertaining. With the banter and the setting and everything that’s happening at court, you’ll just have a great time reading this book.

At least, for the first half to ¾ of the book. For the most part, this book has a very lighthearted tone, leaning heavily into the romances and the somewhat complex web they are weaving for themselves. Towards the end, the book takes a slightly odd turn toward a more violent storyline that feels like it comes a bit out of left field. Not that it doesn’t necessarily fit with the overall time period, but it did feel out of place with the tone of the rest of the book.

Nonetheless, this didn’t take away my enjoyment from the story. I still very much enjoyed the characters and the plot/setting. Teens will definitely enjoy it, especially those that love stories set during the King Arthur times. 

If you’re looking for a book that will (mostly) be a good time while you’re reading it, I definitely recommend this one when it comes out in November.