Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book to review. All thoughts are my own!

This was a solid middle grade about neurodivergence and mental health following an 11-year old girl, Joey as she tries to learn about the pent up anger she's releasing causing everyone in her life to view her differently. At least, that's what she thinks in her head. To Joey, she's not like her brothers or Mom's because they don't hurt people and lash out causing hurt toward them. Thus, Joey is going to make things right by finding the donor her mother's used to get pregnant. When a project arises in school on genetics, Joey takes this as the perfect opportunity to learn about her genetics. 

What I loved most about The Science of Being Angry is how Joey reacts to her outbursts being viewed by her family and friends. This shows how there are consequences to your actions and you can learn how to control them which Joey starts to learn as she hurts the feelings of those around her. As someone who also deals with anger issues, I loved seeing Joey's character because I haven't read a book about mental health and/or neurodivergence where anger is at the forefront. It's such an important symptom to touch on especially with a child. Toward the end of the book, therapy comes in and I really enjoyed how the story doesn't give Joey a definitive diagnosis as it shows how it takes time to find the answers. There is a side character, Joey's half-brother, Benny who has ADHD and plays hockey to help manage it. Benny encourages Joey to sign up for hockey to help get her aggression out and I loooved that so much. As a hockey fan, hockey is the best way for me to get my anger out. 

Overall, highly recommend this sapphic book about genetics and family dynamics. 

I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

"Not all thoughts need to become words in the world"

This is a much-needed and refreshing book. Amongst the darkness, we need to remember that we're not alone, and You Are Not Alone does just that. I loved the message and illustrations, a lot! 

It has non-binary, Black, Indigenous, and disability rep among the characters, introducing the reader to why they're here, their importance, and assuring readers like them (or not like them) that they are not alone in the world while sharing small ways you can help friends who may not be like you. This is a small step into allyship. I really admired the thought behind it and how detailed the illustrations were to make each character and their story significant. 

CW: underage drinking, alcohol consumption, vomiting, mention of divorce, scenes of parents fighting, biphobia

A stellar YA that tackles the subject of biphobia and bi-erasure. I loved this a lot and think it'll resonate with a lot of queer teens. I loved how realistic it was and how much the characters were brutally honest and learned from their mistakes. Though there is some miscommunication, it makes so much sense for 16 and 17-year-olds to act this way. Brougham is such a good character, he's complex but a great friend. He was definitely one of my favorite characters aside from Ainsley and Finn, a die-hard Chad and Ryan [HSM] fan. 

I also loved how Sophie Gonzales added South Australian culture into the book. She writes the American school system and teens so well. This was such an addictive book yet an important read for queer lit. I'll be shouting about it for quite a while. 

Read for a video. Coming soon!

CW: Police brutality, violence, sexism, murder, domestic violence, ageism, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, grief, death, domestic violence, death of grandparents, car accident (minor), food & dieting, binge eating disorder, ageism, sexism, and mention (in detail) of the Sandy Hook Shooting.

Thank you to Kaye Publicity for sending me a copy of this book for review. All thoughts are my own!

This is a memoir written by 14-year-old, Hilde Kate Lysiak about how she came to be the first to report a murder and go viral at just age 9. Hilde's story was fascinating and I liked learning how passionate she was about reporting, following in the footsteps of her father. She also shares journalism terms for readers to become more familiar with the career. Hilde creates her own newspaper, The Orange Street News, and quickly gains success yet it's not easy at times. She's belittled for her age and gender. As a girl in news, she often reflects on certain dialogue used for her by other adults and realizes how much sexism is deeply rooted in our culture, making news reporting even harder for girls and women trying to make it in the industry. Hilde perseveres time and time again which is what I liked most about her! She doesn't give up on her dreams.

I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in journalism and/or has a child who is interested! 

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an e-copy of this book for review. All thoughts are my own.

CW: Sexism, Cancer, Death, Grief, Drowning, Panic Attack, Mention of drug use and marijuana, alcoholism, violence, mention of HP - quidditch, depictions of racism, police brutality, parental death, blood, self-harm, depersonalization.

I really enjoyed the prompt of games in this anthology! From sports, a Mafia party, and cheer camp, you get a lot of different and unique stories which is why I love YA contemporary anthologies. The book does provide trigger warnings for three out of the fifteen stories and that wasn't enough for me. I'm not sure why it was done that way. My only prediction is that the editor might have asked each author and they provided them? I just think if you're going to have trigger warnings, have them for every story because most of these were very heavy dealing with death, grief, and murder. 

See my full thoughts in my vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BswciXOA348 

Some of my favorite stories were: Hell Week, She Could Be A Farmer, One of the Good Ones, Mystery Hunt, The Girl With the Teeth, Word of Wonder, Weeping Angels, and Night Falls! 

CW: blood, racism, dementia, medical content - scenes of going to the hospital/in the hospital

Once I heard this was inspired by The Sandlot, one of my all time favorite movies and I knew I had to read it. If you're also a fan of The Sandlot, I can tell you, you're going to enjoy it. There are many plot points that nod to the film. Shenice is a fierce main character and I loved her tenacity. She is a great captain and I loved her friend group! This was such a sweet read with a mystery element and an important conversation about the history of Black people in baseball and the MLB.

CW: death of a loved one, grief, gender dysphoria

Wow, this had me  SOBBING. Too Bright to See is an incredible story about gender dysphoria, ghosts, and a transgender boy, Bug finding himself and his identity the summer before he starts middle school. Highly recommend this to everyone, especially my trans friends. This is a book I wish I had as a kid and will definitely resonate with trans folks. Bug is now one of my favorite characters.