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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: For The Love of Pheyrin
Author: Lance C. Haynes, Jr.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, sci-fi, aliens, threat to humanity, chosen one, chosen ones, found family
Publication Date: February 13, 2022
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Age Relevance: 15+ (violence, gore, war)
Explanation of Above: There is discussion and showings of war, with violence and blood gore shown.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 606
Synopsis: In a war waged centuries ago between humans and Pheyrinites, the majestic inhabitants of Earth's dual planet, Pheyrin, a prophecy was born that ensured the redemption of Earth's alien foe after their dramatic defeat. Benjamin "Beebee" Brooks, a bashful Memphis teen and artistic prodigy, makes a discovery of his alien ancestry and his inevitable role in the fulfillment of this prophecy. After the mysterious death of his radical mother, he must accept extraordinary truths that have been hidden from him and balance the weight of an entire planet on his shoulders, all while falling in love with one of the "chosen seven" named Audrey; a gentle ballerina from Seattle who is mending a broken heart after the tragic death of her mother as well. The two of them, along with Jacob, Gabrielle, Liam, Diana, and Kalena, are pulled into an intense clash for freedom by Fa'lu, a wise Pheyrinite prophetess, a skilled Pheyrinite warrior named Antuulo, and Oluuni... the great and merciless king of the Pheyrinites who is filled with an unparalleled desire to drive all humans to extinction. Benjamin and his six brothers and sisters of prophecy, each of them escaping their own grievous teenage lives to claim their crowns and lead a long-awaited alien rebellion, embrace the heartbreaks and magical gifts their destinies bring in an adventurous and passionate tale of love and war.
Review: I thought this was a great read! The book, which features teens who are pulled to save the fate of humanity when an alien species is determined to drive them to extinction. The book gave me Avatar vibes, but also I got a lot of Shazam vibes. The book is told in multi-POV in the beginning, switching to Benjamin’s prospective for the majority of the book, and I feel like that style of writing gave the characters a lot of opportunities for character development. The book does amazing with world building and I loved the magic system. The book opens so strongly that it doesn’t feel daunting to be reading such a huge text after awhile.
The only issues I had with the book is that I felt like the characters and magic system could have been better developed, but overall I loved it a lot!
Verdict: I recommend this one, especially if you’re into found family and sci-fi vibes!
Book: For The Love of Pheyrin
Author: Lance C. Haynes, Jr.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, sci-fi, aliens, threat to humanity, chosen one, chosen ones, found family
Publication Date: February 13, 2022
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Age Relevance: 15+ (violence, gore, war)
Explanation of Above: There is discussion and showings of war, with violence and blood gore shown.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 606
Synopsis: In a war waged centuries ago between humans and Pheyrinites, the majestic inhabitants of Earth's dual planet, Pheyrin, a prophecy was born that ensured the redemption of Earth's alien foe after their dramatic defeat. Benjamin "Beebee" Brooks, a bashful Memphis teen and artistic prodigy, makes a discovery of his alien ancestry and his inevitable role in the fulfillment of this prophecy. After the mysterious death of his radical mother, he must accept extraordinary truths that have been hidden from him and balance the weight of an entire planet on his shoulders, all while falling in love with one of the "chosen seven" named Audrey; a gentle ballerina from Seattle who is mending a broken heart after the tragic death of her mother as well. The two of them, along with Jacob, Gabrielle, Liam, Diana, and Kalena, are pulled into an intense clash for freedom by Fa'lu, a wise Pheyrinite prophetess, a skilled Pheyrinite warrior named Antuulo, and Oluuni... the great and merciless king of the Pheyrinites who is filled with an unparalleled desire to drive all humans to extinction. Benjamin and his six brothers and sisters of prophecy, each of them escaping their own grievous teenage lives to claim their crowns and lead a long-awaited alien rebellion, embrace the heartbreaks and magical gifts their destinies bring in an adventurous and passionate tale of love and war.
Review: I thought this was a great read! The book, which features teens who are pulled to save the fate of humanity when an alien species is determined to drive them to extinction. The book gave me Avatar vibes, but also I got a lot of Shazam vibes. The book is told in multi-POV in the beginning, switching to Benjamin’s prospective for the majority of the book, and I feel like that style of writing gave the characters a lot of opportunities for character development. The book does amazing with world building and I loved the magic system. The book opens so strongly that it doesn’t feel daunting to be reading such a huge text after awhile.
The only issues I had with the book is that I felt like the characters and magic system could have been better developed, but overall I loved it a lot!
Verdict: I recommend this one, especially if you’re into found family and sci-fi vibes!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: In Darkness: The Vampire
Author: L. Diane Wolfe
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: paranormal, romance, vampires
Publication Date: February 7, 2023
Genre: Paranormal
Age Relevance: 18+ (alcohol consumption, gore, violence, animal violence, animal death, sexual content, romance)
Explanation of Above: There are scenes with alcohol consumption. There are a lot of violent scenes and there is a lot of blood gore. There is one scene of animal violence and death involving a bear. There is some sexual content and romance.
Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press LLC
Pages: 103
Synopsis: Souls shrouded in darkness…
Stuck working as a barmaid for her demanding father, Anna dreams of adventure. When mysterious strangers enter the bar, she overhears they seek Zancrela, an ancient fortress filled with treasure and a magical library. Taking her chance, she offers to guide them. The conditions: deliver Zancrela or die.
As they journey through the wilderness, she discovers their secret: they are vampires. And most view her as food. One takes interest in her and her heart dares to hope, but it might not be enough to change her fate. Will Anna find Zancrela or become a vampire morsel?
Review: For the most part I thought this was a fun paranormal/fantasy read. The book revolves around this girl who is seeking adventure and decides to join a team to do so… except they’re hunting for this mysterious library. She offers to guide them, but soon discovers they are vampires and she might be on the menu if she doesn’t deliver them to this sacred area. The book is very fast paced and keeps you on your toes with the suspense. There is a lot of great suspense and romance moments. I thought the plot was good and the world building was great. The character development also was good.
The only issues I had with the book was the POV switching. It was a little jarring and in at least one instance it happened within the same chapter. I also thought that the book was a bit too fast paced for my liking and I would have liked it to be a bit slowed down and more fleshed out.
Verdict: It was good! I liked it.
Book: In Darkness: The Vampire
Author: L. Diane Wolfe
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: paranormal, romance, vampires
Publication Date: February 7, 2023
Genre: Paranormal
Age Relevance: 18+ (alcohol consumption, gore, violence, animal violence, animal death, sexual content, romance)
Explanation of Above: There are scenes with alcohol consumption. There are a lot of violent scenes and there is a lot of blood gore. There is one scene of animal violence and death involving a bear. There is some sexual content and romance.
Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press LLC
Pages: 103
Synopsis: Souls shrouded in darkness…
Stuck working as a barmaid for her demanding father, Anna dreams of adventure. When mysterious strangers enter the bar, she overhears they seek Zancrela, an ancient fortress filled with treasure and a magical library. Taking her chance, she offers to guide them. The conditions: deliver Zancrela or die.
As they journey through the wilderness, she discovers their secret: they are vampires. And most view her as food. One takes interest in her and her heart dares to hope, but it might not be enough to change her fate. Will Anna find Zancrela or become a vampire morsel?
Review: For the most part I thought this was a fun paranormal/fantasy read. The book revolves around this girl who is seeking adventure and decides to join a team to do so… except they’re hunting for this mysterious library. She offers to guide them, but soon discovers they are vampires and she might be on the menu if she doesn’t deliver them to this sacred area. The book is very fast paced and keeps you on your toes with the suspense. There is a lot of great suspense and romance moments. I thought the plot was good and the world building was great. The character development also was good.
The only issues I had with the book was the POV switching. It was a little jarring and in at least one instance it happened within the same chapter. I also thought that the book was a bit too fast paced for my liking and I would have liked it to be a bit slowed down and more fleshed out.
Verdict: It was good! I liked it.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: S.O.P.H.I.E.
Author: C.J. Noble
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Gay character
Recommended For…: young adult readers, sci-fi, contemporary, romance
Publication Date: April 27, 2023
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Contemporary
Age Relevance: 14+ (cursing, sexual content, child abuse, death, parental death, animal death, grief, romance, prejudice, violence)
Explanation of Above: There is some cursing in this book. There is some romance and very vague sexual content. There are scenes and mentions of child abuse and a violent car accident mentioned. There is death mentioned and shown, along with parental death and the death of a dog mentioned. There is also grief mentioned and shown. There is also some prejudice shown towards androids.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 239
Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Tim Alto has one thing on his mind, and one thing only. Not to make a complete fool of himself in front of his crush at the end of summer party (which isn’t easy when your overly tight jeans are making you walk like a penguin). But, in a city where androids are part of everyday life, anything can happen. A stolen wallet ruins Tim’s evening, and things go from bad to worse when the perpetrator shows up at school the next day.
Tim suddenly finds himself thrust onto a path filled with assault, grief, tests of friendship and unexpected romance.
A path that will lead Tim to question what it really means to be human.
Review: For the most part this was an interesting book. The book revolves around our MC who gets tangled in this web of mystery when he makes a new friend at school and she just happens to have a secret that changes everything. The book was pretty decent and had some good scenes in it. I like how the author showed the prejudice of the androids and the sci-fi aspect of this contemporary read was interesting.
However, I didn’t like the use of footnotes in the book and I felt it didn’t flow that well. I also didn’t really care for the MC and didn’t really like seeing the world through his eyes. I felt like he was flawed but it didn’t show that well in the storytelling. The pacing was also a little on the slow side.
Verdict: It was interesting and good.
Book: S.O.P.H.I.E.
Author: C.J. Noble
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Gay character
Recommended For…: young adult readers, sci-fi, contemporary, romance
Publication Date: April 27, 2023
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Contemporary
Age Relevance: 14+ (cursing, sexual content, child abuse, death, parental death, animal death, grief, romance, prejudice, violence)
Explanation of Above: There is some cursing in this book. There is some romance and very vague sexual content. There are scenes and mentions of child abuse and a violent car accident mentioned. There is death mentioned and shown, along with parental death and the death of a dog mentioned. There is also grief mentioned and shown. There is also some prejudice shown towards androids.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 239
Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Tim Alto has one thing on his mind, and one thing only. Not to make a complete fool of himself in front of his crush at the end of summer party (which isn’t easy when your overly tight jeans are making you walk like a penguin). But, in a city where androids are part of everyday life, anything can happen. A stolen wallet ruins Tim’s evening, and things go from bad to worse when the perpetrator shows up at school the next day.
Tim suddenly finds himself thrust onto a path filled with assault, grief, tests of friendship and unexpected romance.
A path that will lead Tim to question what it really means to be human.
Review: For the most part this was an interesting book. The book revolves around our MC who gets tangled in this web of mystery when he makes a new friend at school and she just happens to have a secret that changes everything. The book was pretty decent and had some good scenes in it. I like how the author showed the prejudice of the androids and the sci-fi aspect of this contemporary read was interesting.
However, I didn’t like the use of footnotes in the book and I felt it didn’t flow that well. I also didn’t really care for the MC and didn’t really like seeing the world through his eyes. I felt like he was flawed but it didn’t show that well in the storytelling. The pacing was also a little on the slow side.
Verdict: It was interesting and good.
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I bought this book for my honorary Hamtaro! Support your authors! All opinions are my own.
Book: What Are Your Words?
Author: Katherine Locke and Anne Passchier
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Trans MC, Trans characters, various LGBT characters, POC characters and trans/other LGBT POC characters
Recommended For...: children’s readers, picture book lovers
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 0+
Explanation of Above: It’s a picture book about pronouns and how useful they are for respect and loving others.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 40
Synopsis: Whenever Ari's Uncle Lior comes to visit, they ask Ari one question: "What are your words?" Some days Ari uses she/her. Other days Ari uses he/him. But on the day of the neighborhood's big summer bash, Ari doesn't know what words to use. On the way to the party, Ari and Lior meet lots of neighbors and learn the words each of them use to describe themselves, including pronouns like she/her, he/him, they/them, ey/em, and ze/zir. As Ari tries on different pronouns, they discover that it's okay to not know your words right away--sometimes you have to wait for your words to find you.
Filled with bright, graphic illustrations, this simple and poignant story about finding yourself is the perfect introduction to gender-inclusive pronouns for readers of all ages.
Review: I thought this was an adorable little book! I loved that the book focused on pronouns and who they can change daily. The book also focused on how pronoun use is respectful and a key part of fully loving someone. The book did so good so show many different pronouns and people using them.
Verdict: I loved it so much! Highly recommend!
Book: What Are Your Words?
Author: Katherine Locke and Anne Passchier
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Trans MC, Trans characters, various LGBT characters, POC characters and trans/other LGBT POC characters
Recommended For...: children’s readers, picture book lovers
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 0+
Explanation of Above: It’s a picture book about pronouns and how useful they are for respect and loving others.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 40
Synopsis: Whenever Ari's Uncle Lior comes to visit, they ask Ari one question: "What are your words?" Some days Ari uses she/her. Other days Ari uses he/him. But on the day of the neighborhood's big summer bash, Ari doesn't know what words to use. On the way to the party, Ari and Lior meet lots of neighbors and learn the words each of them use to describe themselves, including pronouns like she/her, he/him, they/them, ey/em, and ze/zir. As Ari tries on different pronouns, they discover that it's okay to not know your words right away--sometimes you have to wait for your words to find you.
Filled with bright, graphic illustrations, this simple and poignant story about finding yourself is the perfect introduction to gender-inclusive pronouns for readers of all ages.
Review: I thought this was an adorable little book! I loved that the book focused on pronouns and who they can change daily. The book also focused on how pronoun use is respectful and a key part of fully loving someone. The book did so good so show many different pronouns and people using them.
Verdict: I loved it so much! Highly recommend!
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I bought this book for my honorary Hamtaro! Support your authors! All opinions are my own.
Book: Stacey’s Remarkable Books
Author: Stacey Abrams
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC and characters, Hijabi-wearing character, other POC characters
Recommended For...: children’s readers, picture book readers
Publication Date: December 13, 2022
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 0+
Explanation of Above: It’s a picture book about a young girl who helps another student learn English and starts a reading club.
Publisher: Balzer and Bray
Pages: 32
Synopsis: Stacey's favorite day of the week is Thursday, when the whole class goes to the library and she gets to lose herself in her beloved books.
On one of these special days, Stacey discovers that a new student named Julie has trouble reading in English, so they begin sharing books and stories to practice. Soon, more students start to join them.
Books take the group on magical adventures and reveal other worlds and cultures--but best of all, they bring them together as friends.
This is another inspiring tale, based on a true story from Stacey Abrams's childhood, about the life-changing power of books.
Review: I loved this book so much! It’s a perfect read for beginning bookies and those bookies who are raising soon-to-be bookies. I love that the book didn’t shame anyone for not knowing English fully, as it’s a super hard language to learn even for native speakers. The book focused a lot on friendship and the power of reading and how reading can bring people together.
Verdict: It was perfect.
Book: Stacey’s Remarkable Books
Author: Stacey Abrams
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC and characters, Hijabi-wearing character, other POC characters
Recommended For...: children’s readers, picture book readers
Publication Date: December 13, 2022
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 0+
Explanation of Above: It’s a picture book about a young girl who helps another student learn English and starts a reading club.
Publisher: Balzer and Bray
Pages: 32
Synopsis: Stacey's favorite day of the week is Thursday, when the whole class goes to the library and she gets to lose herself in her beloved books.
On one of these special days, Stacey discovers that a new student named Julie has trouble reading in English, so they begin sharing books and stories to practice. Soon, more students start to join them.
Books take the group on magical adventures and reveal other worlds and cultures--but best of all, they bring them together as friends.
This is another inspiring tale, based on a true story from Stacey Abrams's childhood, about the life-changing power of books.
Review: I loved this book so much! It’s a perfect read for beginning bookies and those bookies who are raising soon-to-be bookies. I love that the book didn’t shame anyone for not knowing English fully, as it’s a super hard language to learn even for native speakers. The book focused a lot on friendship and the power of reading and how reading can bring people together.
Verdict: It was perfect.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and physical copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Billy Balloon
Author: Jack Payton
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: children, picture book, balloons, friendship, adventure
Publication Date: December 14, 2022
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 0+
Explanation of Above: It’s a picture book that talks about friendship and adventure in the forms of balloons.
Publisher: Page Publishing
Pages: 40
Synopsis: Discover a story of adventure, fun, and friendship with Billy Balloon, the first in an exciting new children's book series. Kids will love following Billy's pen pal adventures in this children's book for emerging readers (Age 3-5). Billy Balloon was born in a little balloon factory on a little hill, with hundreds of his brothers and sisters and friends. His adventure begins with the start of the Big Balloon Race. The winner of the race is determined by how far each balloon carries its pen pal note. Follow along as Billy overcomes challenges and meets new friends! Your whole family will enjoy this endearing and cheerful story. Come find out what happens. Be Adoshable! Adventuring with joy and intent.
Review: This was just an adorable book all around! I loved reading it with my honorary niece and she loved all of the colors. The story was adorable, featuring a balloon named Billy who is born in a balloon factory and has an adventure with the Big Balloon Race. I think the story did well to convey the message of friendship but also captured the spirit of adventure well. I hope she, and other children, take this message to heart.
Verdict: It was adorable! Highly recommend.
Book: Billy Balloon
Author: Jack Payton
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: children, picture book, balloons, friendship, adventure
Publication Date: December 14, 2022
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 0+
Explanation of Above: It’s a picture book that talks about friendship and adventure in the forms of balloons.
Publisher: Page Publishing
Pages: 40
Synopsis: Discover a story of adventure, fun, and friendship with Billy Balloon, the first in an exciting new children's book series. Kids will love following Billy's pen pal adventures in this children's book for emerging readers (Age 3-5). Billy Balloon was born in a little balloon factory on a little hill, with hundreds of his brothers and sisters and friends. His adventure begins with the start of the Big Balloon Race. The winner of the race is determined by how far each balloon carries its pen pal note. Follow along as Billy overcomes challenges and meets new friends! Your whole family will enjoy this endearing and cheerful story. Come find out what happens. Be Adoshable! Adventuring with joy and intent.
Review: This was just an adorable book all around! I loved reading it with my honorary niece and she loved all of the colors. The story was adorable, featuring a balloon named Billy who is born in a balloon factory and has an adventure with the Big Balloon Race. I think the story did well to convey the message of friendship but also captured the spirit of adventure well. I hope she, and other children, take this message to heart.
Verdict: It was adorable! Highly recommend.
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: ¡Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico
Author: Christine Suggs
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Mexican American plus size queer MC, Indigenous Mexican American characters, Indigenous Mexican characters, Plus size Mexican American characters, Plus size Mexican characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, memoir, graphic novel, Spanish, travel, Mexico
Publication Date: April 4, 2023
Genre: YA Memoir Graphic Novel
Age Relevance: 14+ (religion, racism, immigration, fatphobia, nudity, discrimination, death, war, HP, diabetes)
Explanation of Above: Christianity is mentioned and imagery is shown in the book. There is some racism mentioned and shown. There is some discussion over immigration. Weight/slight fatphobia is mentioned a couple of times in the book. There is some slight nudity with some magazine models boobs being shown. Discrimination in immigrants is shown. Death and war is mentioned. There is 1 HP mention. Diabetes is mentioned.
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Pages: 336
Synopsis: In this bilingual, inventive, and heartfelt debut, graphic novel talent Christine Suggs explores a trip they took to Mexico to visit family, embracing and rebelling against their heritage and finding a sense of belonging.
Sixteen-year-old Christine takes their first solo trip to Mexico to spend a few weeks with their grandparents and tía. At first, Christine struggles to connect with family they don’t yet share a language with. Seeing the places their mom grew up—the school she went to, the café where she had her first date with their father—Christine becomes more and more aware of the generational differences in their family.
Soon Christine settles into life in Mexico, eating pan dulce, drawing what they see, and growing more comfortable with Spanish. But when Mom joins their trip, Christine’s two worlds collide. They feel homesick for Texas, struggle against traditions, and miss being able to speak to their mom without translating. Eventually, through exploring the impacts of colonialism in both Mexico and themselves, they find their place in their family and start to feel comfortable with their mixed identity.
Review: I really liked this book overall. The book features our MC who is spending her summer at 16 doing her first solo trip to Mexico to spend some time with her grandparents and aunt, but our MC doesn’t know Spanish that much and is also unfamiliar with some of the culture of Mexico. This would be a great book for people learning Spanish because there is a lot of Spanish in here, but it gives off a really good point to the reader that, if you're not that familiar with Spanish, you were in the same boat as the main character. The book had well done illustrations and I loved seeing the world building and character development through it.
The only issue I had with the read is that it felt a little slow in places and the time skips are a bit confusing as well. I also didn’t like that this book was published in 2023 and still had an HP reference in it. That can be traumatizing to LGBT readers.
Verdict: I loved it!
Book: ¡Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico
Author: Christine Suggs
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Mexican American plus size queer MC, Indigenous Mexican American characters, Indigenous Mexican characters, Plus size Mexican American characters, Plus size Mexican characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, memoir, graphic novel, Spanish, travel, Mexico
Publication Date: April 4, 2023
Genre: YA Memoir Graphic Novel
Age Relevance: 14+ (religion, racism, immigration, fatphobia, nudity, discrimination, death, war, HP, diabetes)
Explanation of Above: Christianity is mentioned and imagery is shown in the book. There is some racism mentioned and shown. There is some discussion over immigration. Weight/slight fatphobia is mentioned a couple of times in the book. There is some slight nudity with some magazine models boobs being shown. Discrimination in immigrants is shown. Death and war is mentioned. There is 1 HP mention. Diabetes is mentioned.
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Pages: 336
Synopsis: In this bilingual, inventive, and heartfelt debut, graphic novel talent Christine Suggs explores a trip they took to Mexico to visit family, embracing and rebelling against their heritage and finding a sense of belonging.
Sixteen-year-old Christine takes their first solo trip to Mexico to spend a few weeks with their grandparents and tía. At first, Christine struggles to connect with family they don’t yet share a language with. Seeing the places their mom grew up—the school she went to, the café where she had her first date with their father—Christine becomes more and more aware of the generational differences in their family.
Soon Christine settles into life in Mexico, eating pan dulce, drawing what they see, and growing more comfortable with Spanish. But when Mom joins their trip, Christine’s two worlds collide. They feel homesick for Texas, struggle against traditions, and miss being able to speak to their mom without translating. Eventually, through exploring the impacts of colonialism in both Mexico and themselves, they find their place in their family and start to feel comfortable with their mixed identity.
Review: I really liked this book overall. The book features our MC who is spending her summer at 16 doing her first solo trip to Mexico to spend some time with her grandparents and aunt, but our MC doesn’t know Spanish that much and is also unfamiliar with some of the culture of Mexico. This would be a great book for people learning Spanish because there is a lot of Spanish in here, but it gives off a really good point to the reader that, if you're not that familiar with Spanish, you were in the same boat as the main character. The book had well done illustrations and I loved seeing the world building and character development through it.
The only issue I had with the read is that it felt a little slow in places and the time skips are a bit confusing as well. I also didn’t like that this book was published in 2023 and still had an HP reference in it. That can be traumatizing to LGBT readers.
Verdict: I loved it!
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester
Author: Maya MacGregor
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Autistic Adopted Non-Binary MC, Black characters, Latina characters, Bisexual character, Non-binary character, Aro-Ace character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, mystery, thriller, contemporary, LGBT, queer, autism, trans
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Genre: YA Mystery Thriller
Age Relevance: 15+ (language, bullying, death, homophobia, abelism, racism, attempted murder, alcohol consumption, gore, biphobia, parental death, cancer, romance, alcoholism, child neglect, domestic violence)
Explanation of Above: There is some cursing in this book. There are scenes and mentions of bullying, homophobia, biphobia, abelism, and domestic violence. There are mentions of death, racism, attempted murder, parental death, cancer, alcoholism, and child neglect. Alcohol consumption is shown and there is a scene with vomit gore.
Publisher: Boyd Mills Press
Pages: 352
Synopsis: Sam Sylvester's not overly optimistic about their recent move to the small town of Astoria, Oregon after a traumatic experience in their last home in the rural Midwest.
Yet Sam's life seems to be on the upswing after meeting several new friends and a potential love interest in Shep, the pretty neighbor. However, Sam can't seem to let go of what might have been, and is drawn to investigate the death of a teenage boy in 1980s Astoria. Sam's convinced he was murdered--especially since Sam's investigation seems to resurrect some ghosts in the town.
Threatening notes and figures hidden in shadows begin to disrupt Sam's life. Yet Sam continues to search for the truth. When Sam discovers that they may be closer to a killer than previously known, Sam has a difficult decision to make. Would they risk their new life for a half-lived one?
Review: Overall, I really enjoyed this read. I thought it was a really good mystery book with a bit of spook factor in it. The book is about our main character Sam who just moved to a new town after an incident of intense bullying and more at their former town. They move with their father and life seems to be going good until they find out about a 30 year old mystery that Sam feels needs to be solved. The story follows their investigation into the mystery while also getting new threats in their seemingly better town. I really liked the story overall and the character development is where this story shines the most. The book also had really good world building.
But I did have a couple of issues. The book took a bit to pick up the pace and it was a bit confusing in the beginning. The book also was very wordy and repeated a lot, which caused a bit of my confusion as well.
Verdict: It was good! Highly recommend!
Book: The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester
Author: Maya MacGregor
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Autistic Adopted Non-Binary MC, Black characters, Latina characters, Bisexual character, Non-binary character, Aro-Ace character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, mystery, thriller, contemporary, LGBT, queer, autism, trans
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Genre: YA Mystery Thriller
Age Relevance: 15+ (language, bullying, death, homophobia, abelism, racism, attempted murder, alcohol consumption, gore, biphobia, parental death, cancer, romance, alcoholism, child neglect, domestic violence)
Explanation of Above: There is some cursing in this book. There are scenes and mentions of bullying, homophobia, biphobia, abelism, and domestic violence. There are mentions of death, racism, attempted murder, parental death, cancer, alcoholism, and child neglect. Alcohol consumption is shown and there is a scene with vomit gore.
Publisher: Boyd Mills Press
Pages: 352
Synopsis: Sam Sylvester's not overly optimistic about their recent move to the small town of Astoria, Oregon after a traumatic experience in their last home in the rural Midwest.
Yet Sam's life seems to be on the upswing after meeting several new friends and a potential love interest in Shep, the pretty neighbor. However, Sam can't seem to let go of what might have been, and is drawn to investigate the death of a teenage boy in 1980s Astoria. Sam's convinced he was murdered--especially since Sam's investigation seems to resurrect some ghosts in the town.
Threatening notes and figures hidden in shadows begin to disrupt Sam's life. Yet Sam continues to search for the truth. When Sam discovers that they may be closer to a killer than previously known, Sam has a difficult decision to make. Would they risk their new life for a half-lived one?
Review: Overall, I really enjoyed this read. I thought it was a really good mystery book with a bit of spook factor in it. The book is about our main character Sam who just moved to a new town after an incident of intense bullying and more at their former town. They move with their father and life seems to be going good until they find out about a 30 year old mystery that Sam feels needs to be solved. The story follows their investigation into the mystery while also getting new threats in their seemingly better town. I really liked the story overall and the character development is where this story shines the most. The book also had really good world building.
But I did have a couple of issues. The book took a bit to pick up the pace and it was a bit confusing in the beginning. The book also was very wordy and repeated a lot, which caused a bit of my confusion as well.
Verdict: It was good! Highly recommend!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: What The Hex
Author: Jessica Clare
Book Series: Hex Book 2
Rating: 5/5
Spice: 5/5
Recommended For...: adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, magic, witches, contemporary
Publication Date: April 4, 2023
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Relevance: 18+ (sexual content, romance, murder, violence, child abuse, animal death, animal sacrifice, death, cancer, pregnancy)
Explanation of Above: There is a lot more sexual content and romance in this book than the previous one. Pregnancy is mentioned and shown in the book. There are scenes with murder and violence mentioned and shown. Death is mentioned. Child abuse is mentioned. Animal death and sacrifice of a pig is mentioned. Cancer is mentioned.
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Penny Roundtree wants nothing more than to be a familiar to a witch. She’s been a member of the Society of Familiars ever since she was old enough to join the Fam. There’s just a small problem—no one’s hiring. Witches and warlocks are so long-lived that there are far more familiars available than witches to train them. So when an unorthodox arrangement to apprentice under the table to a forbidden warlock presents itself, she takes it.
Willem Sauer is banned from having a familiar due to past transgressions, thereby limiting his magic-casting abilities. Unfortunately for the surly, Prussian warlock, he has no choice but to work with enthusiastic Penny as a familiar. They immediately clash like dried roan horsehair and honeycomb gathered by moonlight (it’s a terrible spell combination, ask anyone).
Casting spells has delightful perks Penny never could have dreamed of, but also greater dangers. Someone is targeting Penny. Willem and Penny must work together to catch their enemy, and if their ploy requires a little kissing on the side, who is to question the rules of magic?
Review: This was such a good read! Back in the world of Go Hex Yourself, this book takes place almost immediately after the first left off with two new protagonists. Both come to get together for an arrangement, Penny would be the familiar and get her hands into the familiar world while William would get a familiar and be able to cast real spells again. The arrangement turns into a fake dating scenario, then a fake pregnancy trope scenario as they are slowly found out in their lies and deceits… unless it’s not all a lie after all. The book was so much fun to read and I loved the chemistry between the leads. The book also had an intriguing mystery and it kept my interest from beginning to end. The world building continues to be fantastic and I loved the character development.
The only issue I had with the book is that in places the pacing was a bit too slow.
Verdict: I loved it so much!
Book: What The Hex
Author: Jessica Clare
Book Series: Hex Book 2
Rating: 5/5
Spice: 5/5
Recommended For...: adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, magic, witches, contemporary
Publication Date: April 4, 2023
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Relevance: 18+ (sexual content, romance, murder, violence, child abuse, animal death, animal sacrifice, death, cancer, pregnancy)
Explanation of Above: There is a lot more sexual content and romance in this book than the previous one. Pregnancy is mentioned and shown in the book. There are scenes with murder and violence mentioned and shown. Death is mentioned. Child abuse is mentioned. Animal death and sacrifice of a pig is mentioned. Cancer is mentioned.
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Penny Roundtree wants nothing more than to be a familiar to a witch. She’s been a member of the Society of Familiars ever since she was old enough to join the Fam. There’s just a small problem—no one’s hiring. Witches and warlocks are so long-lived that there are far more familiars available than witches to train them. So when an unorthodox arrangement to apprentice under the table to a forbidden warlock presents itself, she takes it.
Willem Sauer is banned from having a familiar due to past transgressions, thereby limiting his magic-casting abilities. Unfortunately for the surly, Prussian warlock, he has no choice but to work with enthusiastic Penny as a familiar. They immediately clash like dried roan horsehair and honeycomb gathered by moonlight (it’s a terrible spell combination, ask anyone).
Casting spells has delightful perks Penny never could have dreamed of, but also greater dangers. Someone is targeting Penny. Willem and Penny must work together to catch their enemy, and if their ploy requires a little kissing on the side, who is to question the rules of magic?
Review: This was such a good read! Back in the world of Go Hex Yourself, this book takes place almost immediately after the first left off with two new protagonists. Both come to get together for an arrangement, Penny would be the familiar and get her hands into the familiar world while William would get a familiar and be able to cast real spells again. The arrangement turns into a fake dating scenario, then a fake pregnancy trope scenario as they are slowly found out in their lies and deceits… unless it’s not all a lie after all. The book was so much fun to read and I loved the chemistry between the leads. The book also had an intriguing mystery and it kept my interest from beginning to end. The world building continues to be fantastic and I loved the character development.
The only issue I had with the book is that in places the pacing was a bit too slow.
Verdict: I loved it so much!