Tag: friendship

REVIEW: Suggested Reading by David Connis

REVIEW: Suggested Reading by David Connis

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Clara Evans has always been something of a reading fanatic. As a kid, she could only read books AT the library. Money was super tight, and her parents wanted no risk of overdue fees. When Clara found an abandoned library card, she used it to secretly check books out – and she never earned a fine!

Books were what got Clara admitted to her fancy school, Lupton Academy. They’re also what prompted her to start a nonprofit that runs Tiny Little Libraries around town and gets grants for school libraries in need. In fact, Clara’s night-before-school-starts tradition is called the “Evans Highlighter All-Nighter” which involves her staying up all night to read. And this year – before her last high school first-day-of-school – she stays up to read a new book from her favorite author. And it’s amazing.

Clara’s tired, but walking on  a post-book high when she gets to the school library for her volunteer shift. That’s when she discovers the school is puling 50 books from the library collection. And they’ve done it before. Students didn’t notice, thinking the books were just checked out when they couldn’t find them on the shelves. But now Clara is aware. And she’s ready to do something about it!

Review

This was fascinating! There have been a few other banned books/start-a-secret-library-in-your-locker sort of stories in the last couple years (Ban This Book, Property of the Rebel Librarian), but this stands in a category by itself. Part of the reason is that this is YA rather than middle grade. With the older audience, the author can explore some more mature content, reasoning and emotions. The other reason is how the protagonist is challenged and changed by this journey. At one point she feels like books – in some ways her most faithful companions through life – have betrayed her or failed her. She also wrestles with significant risk for her protest. All of these pieces made for a fantastic reading experience for me.

This would be a tremendous book for class reading or for book groups. You have all of the book related material, but you also have other teen issues like underage drinking, sexual identity, depression and suicide for discussion.

While the ending didn’t punch all the buttons I was looking for, I was pleased with how everything wrapped up for Clara and her friends. Be sure to check this one out! (Language, LGBTQ+, Trigger Warning: suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Perfect Star by Rob Buyea

REVIEW: The Perfect Star by Rob Buyea

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Delacorte Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Eighth grade begins for the stars of The Perfect Score series.

  • Gavin is playing football after overcoming all the hassles from last year. After a summer with no coach, the team finally has one, but the unconventional choice leads to drama for the school and community.
  • Randi’s future in gymnastics is up in the air after a serious injury.
  • Natalie is leading the group once again, this time as they start up a school newscast in place of the newspaper.
  • Trevor and Natalie are still dating, but it’s causing a major rift in Trevor and Mark’s friendship.
  • Scott is enthusiastic about everything from being the weatherman on the newscast to being the stat guy for the football team. But his enthusiasm for protecting the new football coach leads to some issues.

And that’s just the beginning of an 8th grade year that is going to challenge these kids and draw them together tighter than ever.

Review

Wow. This was so good! It’s been delightful to watch these kids grow up and grow together over the three books in this series. And I LOVE this group of kids – even more than I loved the group in the author’s previous series. They are quirky and genuine and flawed and family to one another.

So much happens in this book (including at least one “suspend disbelief here” moment), but it all holds together around the idea of this core group getting older and gaining some maturity as well as compassion and empathy for others. Family, friendship, and football are major themes, but this also touches on homelessness, insurance and health care, grief, bullying, and dating (hand holding, peck on the cheeks/lips). This book is perfect for middle school readers in its richness and depth.

When I talk with readers about stories told from the perspective of several characters, I always end up talking about Rob Buyea‘s books. He writes these great, nuanced characters, and then turns them loose to tell their stories in their own ways. And I fall in love with the stories every time.

Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Friend or Fiction? by Abby Cooper

REVIEW: Friend or Fiction? by Abby Cooper

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Charlesbridge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Life was weird in Tiveda, Colorado. It was a small town, and no one every stayed there long. People there were generally passing through on their way somewhere else. For Jade, Tiveda was extra weird because her family was sticking around. That wasn’t the plan at first, but her dad’s been way too sick to move away, find new doctors, etc. And while she stays, her friends tend to come and go.

Until Zoe.

Zoe is a character Jade created. Jade’s a writer. And she writes stories about a fictional Jade and her best friend Zoe. All of the stories fit in a notebook that Jade takes everywhere so she always has Zoe with her. She can add to their adventures any time, which comes in handy when you don’t have a best friend at school any more. And Jade’s dad loves to hear any new Zoe story she writes.

When a kid named Clue takes Jade’s notebook for a “project,” she is beside herself. What dose she even do without Zoe? But the project seems to be a success because Zoe – Jade’s made up Zoe – has come to life, and she’s is living across the street from Jade and going to her school!

Review

This was great. There’s a touch of magic to the story that brings Zoe to life. But the rest is a realistic story about friendship, family and writing. And it all comes together so well.

I loved the revelations Jade encounters in the last part of the book – about her brother, about Zoe, about the kids at school, about storytelling, and about herself. There’s so much here, and it’s all so rich. Jade grows and changes so much from the start of the novel to the end. It’s a fantastic journey.

This would be great for classroom reading or a book group. This fits in the “older middle grade” category, for kids 10 and up. There are tons of friendship pieces to talk about, but so much more – cancer, grief, isolation, family. There are great pieces about writing and writers in this, too, that could have classroom connections. The fact that Jade is a writer, that she connects with a teacher at school who encourages her writing, and her dad’s enthusiasm about her stories – those were some of my favorite parts of the book. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Camelot Code: Geeks and the Holy Grail by Mari Mancusi

REVIEW: The Camelot Code: Geeks and the Holy Grail by Mari Mancusi

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

A young druid named Nimue, charged with protecting the Holy Grail, is on the run from Morgana’s soldiers. She and her sisters were taking the grail to Camelot where King Arthur is sick and in need of its miraculous powers. But Morgana struck, and now Nimue is all alone and in fear for her life. Then she spies a familiar cave – the home of Merlin. Maybe he could save her life once again!

Sadly, Merlin is on something called “Spring Break.” There’s a boy in his cave – Emrys the Excellent – who says he is Merlin’s apprentice. Desperate, Nimue asks Emrys to use some magic to hide the grail from the men hunting for her. The good news is that Emrys succeeds in hiding the grail just in time and sends off the men with nothing. The bad news is that by the time Emrys is done with it, the grail is a young, gaseous dragon, and Emrys has no clue how to change it back.

Nimue summons the Companions by reciting the Camelot Code. Which means Sophie and Stu are summoned from our time to help. Only, Sophie and Stu aren’t together. He’s at home getting some surprising news while Sophie is trying on the world’s ugliest bridesmaid’s dress with her obnoxious soon-to-be step-sister, Ashley. When Sophie responds to the distress call, Ashley unexpectedly gets dragged along to Camelot.

Review

This is a fun second adventure for Sophie and Stu. The addition of Ashley, Emrys and Nimue was a nice touch. I enjoyed the larger cast and all the things the story was able to do with more characters working on a solution.

While this is solidly a fantasy story, it also deals with family issues and friendship concerns, both for Sophie and Ashley and also for Stu. Even Emrys and Nimue to a smaller extent are dealing with family – or lack there off – issues. There’s a fun back and forth again between our world/time and Camelot. Some funny situations develop as well as lots of suspenseful ones. There are a few unanswered questions at the end to pull readers forward into a third book in the series.

You can read my review of the first book, The Once and Future Geek, here. This is a great series for kids who love King Arthur’s legends, or for kids who enjoy fantasy and magic in their reading (think Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Wings of Fire, etc.). Fans of book one should not miss this sequel!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne

REVIEW: Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Claire, Naomi, and Audrey met the day of Claire’s husband’s funeral. It was also the day of Naomi’s lover’s funeral. And Audrey’s boyfriend’s funeral. All three funerals were for the same man. That was the day the Central Park Pact was set. The three women would help each other watch out for manipulative, cheating men.

A year later, and Naomi’s fallen in love with a great guy (Passion on Park Avenue – ♥♥♥♥½). But Claire is still trying to figure out this weird new life. It’s hard to be a grieving wife when you are best friends with your husband’s mistresses – and you know he died on a “date” with someone else. But that’s still what she is – a grieving widow. How does she move forward after such betrayal?

One way is a complete overhaul of the brownstone where she and her husband lived. Scott Turner is an in-demand builder. He usually does multi-million dollar office buildings and skyscrapers. But he’s back in the city for a little while and itching to do a project that lets him work in a different sort of space. He’s pretty sure Claire’s brownstone is NOT it, though. He plans to meet his buddy’s friend, look at her project, and turn her down. Scott refuses to work with stuffy socialites. But Claire is nothing like he expects.

Review

This series has been a delightful surprise! I picked up Passion on Park Avenue from the library so I could read it before reading this one, just so I would have the characters and context in my head. I read it in a day and loved it. I jumped this one ahead in my review schedule because I enjoyed the first book so much. I was not disappointed! I read this in one sitting as well.

I love these characters! They’re complicated and compelling. The cheating jerk has impacted each of these women in different ways. Add to that their personal stories and emotional baggage, and you’ve got characters I wanted to spend time with. They’re fascinating! Then add to that some interesting guys and excellent chemistry, and you’ve got a romance series I would happily read again and again.

If you enjoy contemporary romance, don’t miss this series! Book 3, Marriage on Madison Avenue, releases in January. That will be a must-read for me. And I’ll be checking out the author’s other work because I have adored the two books in this series so far. Highly recommend! (language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Humiliations of Pipi McGee by Beth Vrabel

REVIEW: The Humiliations of Pipi McGee by Beth Vrabel

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Running Press Kids in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Pipi’s humiliations are legendary. And no one at her middle school is going to let her forget them. From her kindergarten self-portrait (as a strip of bacon with boobs) shown on the first day of 8th grade to her reputation for picking her nose (an unfortunate school picture fiasco) and starting a vomiting epidemic on the school bus, Pipi can’t catch a break. If anyone touches her, they treat their hand as if they have the plague, trying to pass the “Pipi touch” to other students. But Pipi is convinced THIS will be the year everything changes. This will be the year of revenge and redemption!

Pipi has a plan to reinvent herself, undo all of her humiliations, and to strike back at those who hurt her the most when she was vulnerable. Her single-minded focus on changing her life before high school ends up causing more trouble than it fixes. In fact, her quest for reinvention could cost her the parts of her current life she actually enjoys.

Review

There are some truly delightful moments in this story. But there are also plenty of painful ones for Pipi. This is the second “revenge” story line I’ve read recently, and both were a bit painful to read. This isn’t the good-will-triumph-over-evil sort of revenge where you identify with the oppressed and cheer for them to rise up. It tends to look more like good-kid-temporarily-becomes-a-jerk-to-get-back-at-the-jerks.  And as the reader, you have to sit back and watch it all fall apart while you hope Pipi will learn from everything and find some redemption in the end.

Pipi’s family really helps offset the more awkward and painful parts of the book. They are spectacular! My favorite scene is a birthday party in the middle of the book – it’s an absolute treat. There’s also a couple brief appearances of characters from the author’s 2018 book The Reckless Club (which I ADORED). The tie in was terrific.

I am loving the publishing trend of producing books for older middle grade readers – the 10 to 14-year-olds, the middle schoolers who are ready for more complicated and intricate stories but still young enough to steer away from some YA themes. This is a perfect example of a story for that audience – complicated friendships and relationships, lessons to be learned, and identity to develop. Be sure to check out Pipi McGee! (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer

REVIEW: Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley and Puffin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Shirli Berman longs to be a performer. She dances and sings AND acts. And for her 8th grade year she’s tried out for the school production of Fiddler on the Roof. She was hoping to get the part of Hodel and get to sing “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.” Instead, she will be playing Golde, Tevye’s wife – an old Jewish woman with no solo. It was hard not to be disappointed.

It’s been five months since the World Trade Center towers fell on 9/11. Some people thought it was too soon for something as festive as a musical. But eventually the school decided it would be part of “moving forward” from the tragedy. A way to heal and get back to some semblance of normal.

Shirli’s grandfather, who she calls Zayde, has some old clothes and furniture in his attic that Shirli thinks could be useful for the musical. But when she looks through everything, she also finds an old violin and a poster for a music group. And one of the little boys on the poster is Zayde.

When Shirli shows him what she found, Zayde becomes angry, saying those things shouldn’t be in the attic. They were supposed to be thrown away years ago. What happened in Zayde’s past, and why does he want to keep it secret?

Review

This is one of the best books I have read so far this year (and I’ve read over 270 books so far)!! What a delightful surprise this was. I loved all the typical parts – the rehearsals and preparation for the musical, and the sweet middle school romance that might blossom. But there’s so much more!

Since the story takes place in New Jersey in late winter and spring of 2002, the characters are still reeling from 9/11. And there are some powerful scenes with Muslim, Jewish and Hindu characters around the events of that day. The scenes are amazing on their own, but they also address how America struggles, still today, with Muslims and other “brown” people because of the terrorists who struck that day.

But the story truly shines in the ways it addresses Jewish history through the musical and also through Shirli’s family. I can’t tell you how many times I cried as Zayde opened up to Shirli about his past. I learned things about the Holocaust I’d never heard/read before. And the authors did a masterful job of ensuring those stories impacted more characters than just Shirli.

This is a phenomenal story – delightful characters, and moving scenes about family, music and friendship. It also addresses heavy topics like 9/11 and the Holocaust in ways that are honest while also being kid-friendly. I’ve noticed a trend lately from publishers to have books targeted to older middle grade readers – 10-14 year olds. These books have excellent storytelling and meaningful plots without engaging in some of the more mature teen behavior you might find in YA books for older readers. Broken Strings is one such book.

My only complaint about this book is something I hope was fixed in the final editing process. This takes place in a Jr. High School with 8th and 9th grade students, but the book frequently refers to the 9th graders as “seniors” instead of “freshmen.” It happens so often, I forgot that Shirli is supposed to be 14 instead of 16. Hopefully that is just a factor in my early review copy.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It would be an exceptional read aloud at school or at home, and would also be a fantastic choice for a book group. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: Taming of the Shoe by Sarah Darer Littman

REVIEW: Taming of the Shoe by Sarah Darer Littman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Aladdin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Araminta “Minty” Robicheaux is so annoyed with her parents. Her mom’s cleaning supply business is really growing. (Her mom, “Cinderella,” really knows cleaning!) And to move to the next level, they have to leave the small country of Robicheaux and move to New York City. For Minty that means changing schools in the middle of the year. And when her parents leave on a business trip right after school starts, it also means her step-aunties are coming to stay with her.

One good thing about the aunties is that their shoe business – Comfortably Ever After – gets Minty noticed by the school Queen Bee, Eva Murgatroyd. Sure, her other friends have warned Minty to watch her back with Eva. And Eva tries to get Minty to ditch her other friends because “they are nobodies.” But Eva is Minty’s chance at meeting singing star Theo Downey of Retro of Sync and showing him her shoe design ideas. Minty is eager to be seen and noticed for herself and her ideas rather than her famous family.

Review

This is the third book in this series, but the first I have read. It’s a cute fractured fairy tale type of retelling, except with a new generation, which I enjoyed. Minty’s step-aunts were a great part of the story. The reader keeps wondering if they have really changed or not. I loved it!

At the core this is a standard friendship story. Will the new girl be friends with the regular kids or will she join the popular ones? What might she have to give up to stay with the populars? This plays out in a fairly expected way in this story.

I didn’t quite make the leap with the story that a popular boy band would be having a shoe design contest for free concert tickets. It was too coincidental that Minty (I had a hard time with that nickname, too) designs shoes and her favorite band is having a shoe design contest. It tied pieces of the story together, but it was an odd pairing to me. The story didn’t do anything to sell me on the reasonableness of this contest.

But overall, the shoe angle was fun for a story about Cinderella’s daughter. Fans of Whatever After  or Ever After High should check out this series starting with book one, Charmed I’m Sure, and then book 2, Fairest of Them All.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Friendship Lie by Rebecca Donnelly

REVIEW: The Friendship Lie by Rebecca Donnelly

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Capstone in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Things seemed so much simpler in second grade. With her twin brother, Kyle, by her side, she could face anything. She didn’t need a ton of friends. But meeting Sybella was like fate. From their first meeting it was obvious Sybella had a great imagination and a sense of adventure. When Cora told her about the magical land of Aquafaba, Sybella “got it” right away. And for three years, Cora, Kyle and Sybella played and developed their magical, imaginary land.

By fifth grade, though, life is more complicated. Cora and Kyle’s mom is living in Belgium and going back to her maiden name. A new girl at school is trying to wedge herself into Cora, Kyle and Sybella’s trio. And Cora’s life is pretty consumed by her dad’s work in “garbagology.” Her school is even doing a Trashlympics competition later in the year.

When something fractures Cora’s friendship with Sybella, it’s the final straw. She’s lonely, she doesn’t have her mom close by to talk to, and she’s not sure if this fracture is something they’ll be able to mend or if their friendship is broken for good.

Review

What a terrific friendship story! This is a perfect story for upper elementary readers – an age group that often deals with growing pains in friendships. I think this would work especially well as a classroom read aloud. There’s a lot to discuss in the novel, and teachers can also help kids track the novel’s two timelines (“Before” and “now”), two perspectives (Cora’s and Sybella’s), and a 40-year-old story from a discarded diary.

Cora seems like a melancholy kid, even before the friendship drama. And I loved that Sybella and Kyle accepted her and never tried to “fix” her. The friendship fracture – like many conflicts – could have been solved with some clear communication, but that’s a great life lesson. There was an extenuating factor that wasn’t directly handled by the end (for good story reasons) that frustrated me. I think the impact of an outsider on the situation would make for a great discussion point for a book group or a class to dig into.

The garbology pieces of this were so fresh and creative – and quirky! Families or schools could use this as a starting point for further work on sustainability and environmental issues including recycling.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: The Middle Matters by Lisa-Jo Baker

BONUS REVIEW: The Middle Matters by Lisa-Jo Baker

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and WaterBrook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

A collection of essays about noticing, embracing and loving mid-life. The subtitle for the book is “Why That (Extra)Ordinary Life Looks Really Good on You.” There are several broad categories like marriage, parenting, failures, and friendship. Every category then contains three to seven essays.

My favorite section was probably the parenting section – although there are parenting-related essays in other places, too. Many of them left me surrounded by tissues. Other essays left me with a sense of longing for the kinds of relationships she describes in the friendship section. And the collection felt very honest. The author never elevates herself as the perfect example or preaches a message of “be like me.” The whole book is affirming and encouraging with the clear message throughout that you are loved no matter what.

There’s not much scripture referenced here, but the author’s faith is clearly represented. Over and over she affirms the extravagant love of God for each person. The essay format reminded me a lot of a Jen Hatmaker collection, with less humor (not a criticism). While the format is similar, the tone is different. Both have their own merits. I can see readers using this in a group discussion or even as a devotional with each essay being the thought for the day and an opportunity for the reader to reflect on her own life.

This is a resource I will return to. There were several essays I wanted to read again and talk through or journal through my thoughts. Be sure to check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥