When Stephen’s grandmother dies, his dad decides to move them to New York City to The New Harmonia hotel, where his grandmother worked as the chef. Stephen was used to hearing about his grandmother’s interesting clientele, but when he arrives, he discovers they’re more interesting than he knew; they’re monsters (or supernormals)! Stephen is actually half-supernormal himself on his mother’s side, who left him and his father. Stephen’s family is on thin ice at the hotel, and when a magical artifact is stolen with Stephen as the suspected culprit, it’s up to him and his new friends to get it back and save the hotel.

After loving Bond’s LOIS LANE YA series, I was thrilled to dive into her debut MG novel, written with fellow writer, Christopher Rowe. The two prove a fantastic team in this hilarious, warm, and exciting adventure. Stephen is a highly relatable protagonist for anyone who has ever gone through several changes at once. He is grieving over his beloved grandmother, uncertain about his new living situation, and shocked at the new revelations about his family. Before he can get a handle on any of that, he’s accused of theft, and his own father isn’t sure if he should believe him. However, what I love about this story is the excellent way Stephen and his friends have a private, outside-of-parental-figures world but also have family members who genuinely care for them, even though they sometimes make mistakes. THE LOST LEGACY captures the nuances of family, both biological and chosen, while providing hilarious comic relief throughout.

The secondary characters are as fun as Stephen is, particularly a certain dragon who loves art. Sofia and Ivan are already friends when Stephen meets them, and Bond and Rowe do a fabulous job of the slow progression of the three forming a new friend group. The trios teamwork will have you smiling and rooting for them, not to mention eager for their next adventures.

With a fitting comparison to Hotel Transylvania, THE SUPERNORMAL SLEUTHING SERVICE: THE LOST LEGACY is a delightful tale of monsters, magic, and the meaning of family and friends.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfiction/21153-the-supernormal-sleuthing-service-1-the-lost-legacy

It's been a year since a team of knights, a mage, and a thief defeated a great evil. Hope sprung anew in the people, a king was healed, and a wedding had. But life didn't stop there, and not all was happy. Two of the team, Olsa and Kalanthe are struggling. Olsa, once the greatest thief of the city, can't finish a job anymore because everyone knows her face. Kalanthe is about to be made an official knight, but with that comes her duty to marry someone wealthy. While the two fell in love during the quest, the odds of a happy ending for them seem impossible. But some ends remain loose and in their paths to finish what was started, there's no telling where the roads will take them.

As with all of E.K. Johnston's books, there is plenty to love about THE AFTERWARD. Olsa and Kalanthe have a beautiful relationship, and even as all seemed lost, I was rooting for them to find a way back to each other. Like all great romances, the tension, the seemingly insurmountable odds kept me turning the pages as fast as possible. While both timelines were fun to follow, I particularly enjoyed the Before chapters between them, as they slowly got to know each other.

As much as I loved the romance and the premise of focusing on the 'after' in a fantasy novel, the characterization left me wanting more. I felt like Olsa and Kalanthe each had wonderful potential for strong character arcs that ultimately didn't quite deliver. Rather than confronting inner conflicts, things seemed to work out around them without much of their own involvement. While I loved that for the romance, it made me feel that neither character grew as much as she could as an individual.

Though The Afterward didn't fully satisfy, E.K. Johnston has nonetheless created a unique and engaging world with memorable and highly lovable characters.

Originally posted: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/23607-the-afterward

Sandhya Menon's backlist is full of romantic, heartfelt stories, and THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE is no exception. Sweetie Nair is a fat athlete and ready to embark on project Sassy Sweetie so she can prove to herself and everyone around her what she is capable of. Ashish Patel (who readers of WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI will remember) has been off ever since his first love broke up with him. When Ashish brazenly challenges his parents to set him up, they create a dating contract between him and Sweetie. Ashish and Sweetie both have something they want to prove to themselves, but as they grow closer, they have to balance what they need for themselves as individuals without ruining what it starting between them.

There is so much to love in Sweetie and Ashish's story. First, Sweetie herself is an incredible character. Fat representation in general is hard to find (especially fat WOC characters), and it's even more rare that the representation is authentic. Sweetie feels incredibly real. On one hand, she loves what her body can do, like running record-destroying times. On the other hand, she's surrounded by cultural norms that say she can't/shouldn't be happy with her body and that she can't be a full person with her body as is. She has to navigate not only society and her mother especially telling her she can't do certain things, wear certain clothes, or go out with certain people (like Ashish) because of her size, but she's also dealing with internalized fatphobia. Sweetie's journey is learning to stand up for herself and to her mom is beautiful, powerful, and has a very hopeful conclusion.

Ashish isn't taking his breakup well. It's a joy to read a book that shows such a nuanced portrayal of vulnerability and emotion in a male character. His side brings up aspects we don't always see in YA, like how breakups can take a long time (months, or even years) to get over, no matter how good or bad the relationship was, and it's not easy sitting with that hurt. Ashish has to learn to be radically honest and vulnerable at times, both with others and with himself. Something I really appreciate about the romance is that when Ashish and Sweetie start dating, neither of them are magically 'better.' Sweetie is still finding her voice, and Ashish doesn't automatically gain his confidence back. What they each struggle with is ultimately a very personal, individual journey, and not something that should, or truly can be, fixed by another person. They learn to grow while falling for each other.

I also adore the side plots. Oliver and Elijah are hilarious and angsty at the same time. Samir and Ashish have a great friendship arc, and I'm here for a buddy cop spin off with Samir and Pinky.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE has heart, beauty, and deep feelings. Menon has stunned again.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/23665-there-s-something-about-sweetie

Heartfelt and hilarious story
When Serendipity "Sara" Rodriguez sees her ex with his new girlfriend, she finds herself eager and ready to have fun with someone new. One spontaneous hook-up and several weeks later, she realizes that she may not have gotten Jack's number, but she did get something else from him: she's pregnant. To top everything off, she and her mother have just moved in with her grandmother, and she's starting a new school. When she meets Leaf, a sweet guy who understands her situation and remains crushing on her, she's swooning. But when she finally finds Jack months into her pregnancy, 'complicated' reaches a new level as she readies to have her kid.

I have never read a YA teen pregnancy book quite like BELLY UP. This book has been pitched as Juno meets Gilmore Girls, and there couldn't be a more accurate description. While the pregnancy is absolutely taken seriously, Sara has an excellent team by her side in her family and friends. She explores all her options and makes the choice that she believes is best for her. It isn't romanticized or shamed but is wonderfully realistic. Sara's world is shaken but far from destroyed, and she is ultimately able to work towards a new future for herself, different than what she had previously imagined but still positive.

Sara and her family are hilarious. I love her mother and grandmother and the whole family's dynamic. They bicker and huff often, but there is so much affection underneath it all. Likewise, Sara's friends are well-developed and have fun side plots of their own. Though the big action-inducing plot revolves around Sara's pregnancy, the themes of BELLY UP extend into friendship, figuring out who you want to be, and using your voice.

Some may read Leaf and Sara's relationship as unrealistic. While their situation may not be the common narrative, I don't believe it crosses into unrealistic territory. Leaf is understanding of Sara's situation, as his sister is a young mother as well. Leaf doesn't ignore Sara's pregnancy or seek to be a father figure, but rather respects and acknowledges that this will be a huge aspect of Sara's life and will always follow her direction when it comes to her needs. In short, they are a kind, generous pair.

BELLY UP is the type of story where you want to hug the book after and hold it close on sad days. At its heart, BELLY UP proves that love and family (biological or chosen) are powerful resources, no matter what twists and turns life brings.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/23673-belly-up