MapMaker - Lisa Moore Ramee

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"When Walt and his family relocate to Blackbird Bay, Walt thinks it's the most boring place on earth. While his twin sister, Van, likes to spend her time skateboarding, Walt prefers to hide out in his room and work on his beloved map world, Djaruba. But shortly after their arrival, Walt discovers something extraordinary: He has the ability to make maps come to life.

Suddenly his new hometown doesn't seem so boring after all. And when a magical heirloom leaves Walt, his new friend Dylan, and Van stranded in t he fantastical world that Walt created, he'll need to harness his new power to get them home.

But things are changing. People have gone missing, and it's clear that a malevolent rival to the kingdom - a fellow mapmaker - has nefarious plans for Walt. If he's not stopped soon, Djaruba could become nothing but a shadow of itself or, worse, gone forever. And if a mapmaker can destroy one world, could Earth be next?"

📚📚📚 

On the one hand, this book is shorter than many of the middle grade books I've considered adding to my library, which is refreshing - stop writing 400-500 page books for kids, y'all, tighten that shit up. On the other, I wish there had been a little more development of certain things? That's not to say the book needed to be LONGER, necessarily, but I think perhaps some of the "Blackbird Bay isn't my HOME, having a twin sister who's taller than me SUCKS, my parents don't UNDERSTAND ME" angst could have been trimmed to allow space for other things. I am assuming there will be a second book at some point, so perhaps there will be more world building in book two.

Still, it's an interesting concept for a story, and I really enjoyed the characters. Solid story for map kids everywhere.

The Sun and The Star - Mark Oshiro and Rick Riordan

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"As the son of Hades, Nico di Angelo has been through so much, from the premature deaths of his mother and sister, to being outed against his will, to losing his friend Jason during the trials of Apollo. But there is a ray of sunshine in his life - literally: his boyfriend, Will Solace, the son of Apollo. Together the two demigods can overcome any obstacle or foe. At least, that's been the case so far...

Now Nico is being plagued by a voice calling out to him from Tartarus, the lowest part of the Underworld. He thinks he knows who it is: a reformed Titan named Bob whom Percy and Annabeth had to leave behind when they escaped Hades's realm. Nico's dreams and Rachel Dare's latest prophecy leave little doubt in Nico's mind that Bob is in some kind of trouble. Nico has to go on this quest, whether Mr. D and Chiron like it or not. And of course Will insists on coming with. But can a being made of light survive in the darkest part of the world? And what does the prophecy mean that Nico will have to 'leave something of equal value behind?'"

📚📚📚 

I was a little on the fence about how to rate this book and ended up going a little high, although the initial draw did some of the heavy lifting with that. I will put partial blame for the lower rating on plot on me - I haven't read a book set in this world in a long while, and while I know I read at least the first book in the Trials of Apollo series, I definitely haven't read them all, so there were references to things that I was like uhhhh what?! Turns out the emotional turmoil over losing Jason doesn't hit as hard when...you didn't know Jason died. (Sucks, though. And now I need to finish Trials of Apollo.) Outside of that, though, I dropped my stars a bit mainly because I found the pace slow and thought the driving drama, turmoil between Nico and Will, while overall an interesting choice after a while became kind of manufactured and repetitive.

That said, I still thought it was an enjoyable read. I thought the story touched on some really important things, like dealing with mental health and maintaining your relationships in healthy ways. I also liked seeing kind of a different side of the Underworld - a big part of the initial action involved worry that the quest would be cursed or go poorly because there weren't three questers, but then throughout their adventures, Nico and Will found a third partner in multiple denizens of the Underworld. Given that one of the big parts of Nico's story is wanting to introduce will to his second home and show him the parts of it he loves, even while they're heading to Tartarus, I thought showcasing the heart and kindness of some of its residents was a great way to do that.

Overall, as is true for so many middle grade books that I read, I thought this book should (and more importantly COULD) have been shorter, but otherwise, it was solid. Not the best book I've read set in this universe, but what it lacked in pacing and excitement it made up for in emotion and heart.

One last thought, because this comes up at one point in the book and is never really answered...is the whole "sun and star" thing a reference to something? Because if it is, I did not know to what.

No Place Like Home - Linh S. Nguyen

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Lan, a teenager who recently came to Canada from Vietnam, spends every day searching for a sense of belonging. Books are the only things that make her feel at ease. But it comes as a shock when a mysterious wind whisks her right into the pages of her latest fantasy read. More shocking still is the fact that she herself summoned this wind!

Plunged into the magical world of Silva, Lan realizes she has much to offer protagonists Annabelle and Marlow. Once a homesick reader and bystander rooting for the very characters that now stand before her, Lan is a budding witch who suddenly has the power to help their quest. Somewhere inside her lies the ability to not only save Annabelle and Marlow's home, but also to shape a familiar tale into something new. 

As Lan faces off against tree guardians, moving corn mazes, heart-eaters, and thoughtless kings, she finds that Silva is not so different from Toronto: new homes can be messy. Now, torn between several places at once, Lan begins to confront an important question: how do you redefine a lost home?"

📚📚📚 

Reading this book was kind of like making a peanut butter sandwich with chunky peanut butter when you're expecting smooth. You expect the story to unfold smoothly, spreading across the page, and then you're like wait...this isn't...hold on... Is this a weird metaphor? Yeah, it is, but that happened to me recently, so it was what came to mind. What I'm saying is that some of the transitions between action and the plot development were a little clunky. It's fine, it was still a good book, it just took some getting used to.

Aside from that, I enjoyed the story. I wish there was a little more natural, gradual character progression, but their adventures were exciting, and I loved the time they spent with the centaurs and the dryads. Part of my issue with the pacing and the way things unfolded was that the story jumped from one adventure into the next relatively quickly, and I kind of wanted the story to be a little longer, so we could get more detail and more development. Admittedly, though...this is a kid's book, and the quick movement from one challenge to the next might keep them more interested. So, take my reaction with a grain of salt.

Root Magic - Eden Royce

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"It's 1963, and things are changing for Jezebel Turner. Her beloved grandmother has just passed away. The local police deputy won't stop harassing her family. With school integration arriving in South Carolina, Jez and her twin brother, Jay, are about to begin the school year with a bunch of new kids. But the biggest change comes when Jez and Jay turn eleven - and their uncle, Doc, tells them he's going to train them in rootwork.

Jez and Jay have always been fascinated by the African American folk magic that has been the legacy of their family for generations - especially the curious potions and powders Doc and Gran would make for the people on their island. But Jez soon finds out that her family's true power goes far beyond small charms and elixirs...and not a moment too soon. Because when evil both natural and supernatural comes to show itself in town, it's going to take every bit of the magic she has inside her to see her through."

I knew when I picked it up that this book would be good, but I did not know HOW good. Wow, wow, wow. It's pretty clear from the synopsis, but in case you skipped that, know that this is not a light read. It tackles a lot - the impacts of the transatlantic slave trade and the ways it robbed some people of their traditions, racism, violence and lynching...and Eden Royce does not hold back. 

It doesn't focus solely on the bad, though. There's also joy, celebration, love. That's what makes it such an incredible story and something I think everyone should be reading. It showcases the full experience of Black families living in the 1960s, and the reader gets to share in their joy, their excitement, their challenges, and their fear. Following Jez as she skips a grade at school, tries to make a new friend, starts learning rootwork, and learns how to embrace her whole, authentic self even in the face of adversity brings the story to life and really helps the reader connect with the history being shared. 

Connecting to Jez's story and her family's experiences also made me reflect on how recently those experiences took place. People tend to talk about the Civil Rights era like it's long-past, ancient history, but my parents were alive in 1963. I'm one generation removed from the fight for civil rights. That is not long, and confronting that as you read about it helps highlight where we've made progress and where we still need to improve. This is a bit of a tangent, but it's something I thought about as I read.

Anyway, I don't really know what more to say about this book...the characters were beautifully crafted, the writing was excellent, the story is SO important. It's a beautiful book.

Key Player - Kelly Yang

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"The Women's World Cup is coming to Anaheim, and everyone has soccer fever - especially Mia! The US team is playing China in the finals, and Mia feels like her two identities are finally coming together. But when her PE teacher gives her a C, Mia tries to pull up her grade by scoring interviews with the championship teams. It's not so easy when...

1. The two teams are hunkered down in secret hotels in Pasadena and not taking any media requests.

2. Mr. Yao is back at the motel - as a co-owner! Jason is sure his dad deserves a second chance. Mia is not so sure.

3. Mia's parents are trying to buy a house of their very own, which turns out to be a LOT harder than they thought!

As Mia aims for her goals, she'll have to face strikers from all corners, as well as her own fears. But if anyone can find a way to win big, it's Mia Tang!"

An excellent end to an excellent series! While it still has its serious moments, it was pretty fun reading about Mia giving soccer a try, sleuthing out where the US and Chinese soccer teams were staying, and ultimately getting to meet both teams. I also really enjoyed her, Lupe, and Jason all have their own plotlines running through the main story. All four books spent time on Mia's friends, but I thought this one did an especially good job of sharing the spotlight, and getting some extra time with some of my favorite side characters before wrapping up the series was a nice way to go out.

Since this is wrapping up a four-book series, I figured instead of a long review, I'll answer a few book discussion questions instead.

Question 1: What did you like best about this series?

Mia, Lupe, and Jason's determination. I love the way they use their voices to push for change and fight for their dreams. Even when the adults who should be encouraging them (looking at you, racist ass school counselor!) tear them down, they push back and advocate for themselves.

Question 2: Which other character would make an interesting protagonist?

Oh, I would 1000% read a dual narrative with Mia's parents! I would also love a book about Shen or Mia's grandparents.

Question 3: What do you think of the books' titles? Are there other titles you would have chosen?

I really enjoyed the way the titles tied in to important moments/themes from each book. Front Desk is a title that becomes more heartwarming with every book you read, since working the desk at the motel is such an important thing for Mia. When the Three Keys title significance was revealed, I actually "awwed" out loud. Room to Dream could basically be the series title, it's what Mia's journey is all about. And Key Player could refer to Mia, but it could also refer to Lupe, fighting for her school's Math team or to Jason, standing up for himself with his dad and following his dreams. Such poignant title choices, I love them all.

Room to Dream - Kelly Yang

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"After years of hard work, Mia Tang finally gets to go on vacation with her family - to China! A total dream come true! Mia can't wait to see all her cousins and grandparents again, especially her cousin Shen. As she roams around Beijing, witnessing some of the big changes China's going through, Mia thinks about the changes in her own life, like...

1. Lupe's taking classes at the high school! And Mia's own plans to be a big writer are...stuck.

2. Something happened with Jason and Mia has no idea what to do about it.

3. New buildings are popping up all around the motel, and small businesses are disappearing.

Can the Calivista survive? Buckle up! Mia is more determined than ever to get through the turbulence, now that she finally has...room to dream!"

Book three in the Front Desk series! Front Desk and Three Keys both got rave reviews from me, and Room to Dream will be no different. In previous books, we've seen Mia take on a racist boss exploiting his workers, fight against racist policies being enacted by the government, and take on big businesses threatening her family's motel. Her ingenuity and determination hasn't dimmed in this book, and I love getting to watch her evolve and change as she gets older, seeing the ways she continues to think creatively and problem solve when things get challenging instead of throwing up her hands and giving up. 

Another thing I love about Mia is her commitment to being true to herself and her integrity. She goes through some rough patches with her friends in this book, and although she struggles to know what to do at first (of course, because she's a preteen and is still learning and growing), but when she realizes what she has done wrong, she actively apologizes and looks for ways to repair those relationships. Saying sorry and making amends is something many adults struggle with, so seeing it modeled in a middle grade book is a beautiful thing. Let's all commit to be like Mia and refuse to put our own comfort over acknowledging when we're in the wrong! 

I know this is a lot of Mia adoration, but I can't help it. Kelly Yang creates such beautiful characters, even though I wanted to talk more about the plot and my appreciation for a storyline about someone figuring out where and how they fit into both their cultures, sometimes I just can't help but rave about a main character instead. I love everything about Kelly Yang's writing, and I think this series is great and full of important life lessons. Three down, one book to go! I can't wait.

The Grace of Wild Things - Heather Fawcett

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Grace has never been good at anything except magic - not that anyone believes her. While other children are adopted from the orphanage, nobody wants Grace. So she decides to make a home for herself by running away and offering herself as an apprentice to the witch in the nearby woods. After all, who better to teach Grace to use her magic? Surely the witch can't be that bad.

But the witch is that bad - she steals souls for spells and gobbles up hearts. So Grace offers a deal: If she can learn all 100 1/2 spells in the witch's grimoire, the witch will make Grace her apprentice. But if Grace fails, the witch can take her magic. The witch agrees, and soon an unexpected bond develops between them. But the spells are much harder than Grace expected, and when a monster from the witch's past threatens the home Grace has built, she may have to sacrifice more than her magic to save it."

 

This book made me want to read Anne of Green Gables again because 1. I love it and 2. I didn't really get how this was "inspired" by that story...aside from the main character being an orphan, I guess? Maybe that's all it was.

Anyway, it's a very fun story. Grace is so whimsical and imaginative, it's entertaining seeing her get into strange and sometimes dangerous situations and pretty unironically be like "hmm, how would a heroine in a novel react to this?" I loved her dedication to becoming the witch's apprentice, even when the witch was so openly hostile to her. I loved seeing her make friends at school, open up to Rum, and come to understand how deserving of love she is. It is loooooong, 360 pages, but very whimsical and lighthearted, even when things aren't going Grace's way. Overall, a delightful read!

The Breakaways - Cathy G. Johnson

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Quiet, sensitive Faith starts middle school already worrying about how she will fit in. To her surprise, Amanda, a popular eighth grader, convinces her to join the school soccer team, the Bloodhounds. Having never played soccer in her life, Faith ends up on the C team, a ragtag group that's way better at drama than at teamwork. Although they are awful at soccer, Faith and her teammates soon form a bond both on and off the soccer field that challenges their notions of loyalty, identity, friendship, and unity."

**Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers!**

Oooooookay. I'm going to preface this by saying that I do not read very many graphic novels. That said, I have read some, and they all seemed to tell a pretty cohesive story. This, on the other hand, felt a bit like I got a copy that was missing pages. The characters were relatable, but the story jumped from one moment to another with nothing to connect them. Frequently, something would happen that left me going "wait...why...how..." Very disjointed and jarring, and while the illustrations tell some of the story, I thought the overall narrative could have been rounded out better.

Next up, there are...three chapters in this book? I mean...can we get some more regular story breaks in there? This is a small gripe in the grand scheme of things, but good lord, chapters should not be 70 pages long, especially for a middle grade book.

Third and last gripe: The book synopsis is pretty misleading, y'all. I kept waiting for some actual friendship, but the C team (which, incidentally, I'm not sure was actually named as "The Bloodhounds" until the end of the book) is super cliquey and awful to each other until the very end of the book, at which point, mid-game, Faith is like "HEY, guys, we may suck at soccer, but we should all be friends!" and then spontaneously they all decide that yes, they SHOULD be friends, walk off the field, and go get pizza.

All that said, this book features a great cast of characters. It also jumps through different POVs, so you get to see multiple sides to some of the conflict happening between teammates, which I thought was a nice touch. And while the storytelling could have used some development, I thought the artwork was top-notch and carried a large amount of the storytelling. All in, it's a solidly okay book. I debated a bit but did end up adding it to my school library.

Let's Talk About Love - Claire Kann

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆

Character Development: ☆☆☆☆

Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting--working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she's asexual). Alice is done with dating--no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, done.

But then Alice meets Takumi and she can’t stop thinking about him or the rom com-grade romance feels she did not ask for (uncertainty, butterflies, and swoons, oh my!)

When her blissful summer takes an unexpected turn, and Takumi becomes her knight with a shiny library employee badge (close enough), Alice has to decide if she’s willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocated—or understood."

 Let's talk about love, baby, let's talk about Alice and Takumi...

Seriously, though, let's talk about Let's Talk About Love. I've come across very little ace representation in books, so I was excited to come across this. It had been on my TBR for a while, so how fortuitous that one of the Read Harder challenges this year was to read a book with ace rep! Just the nudge I needed to finally, finally make the time to read this. 

Right off the bat, I was impressed with the character development. I mean, Margot is in like...one chapter? And the level of trash person achieved in that short a time...wow. Incredible that someone featured so briefly could inspire such instant and thorough dislike. I want to TP her car. The more heavily featured characters were also very realistic - like to the point that sometimes I found them incredibly annoying, and then I would realize oh! This is just like real people, they don't always do everything right and you can get irritated with them! (I mean...seriously, please just communicate...but kudos to Claire Kann for the realism.)

Moving right along, the plot. The book was much more character driven than plot driven, so there wasn't heaps of action, but things moved along at a good pace and progressed nicely. My two gripes were 1. the fatphobia (let's be clear, Takumi has an eating disorder, and nothing about that is "health conscious") and 2. the fact that Takumi as a BRAND NEW library assistant was running storytimes for the library. I don't know what that library's deal was, but it was unrealistic at best. Outside of mistaking thinness for "health" and taking some creative license with library stuff, though, pretty solid story. It's hard to really get into specifics without giving spoilers, but the self-exploration was solid, and I liked that multiple characters experienced growth and not just the main character.

Anyhoo, I'm very full and also sleepy, and I want to make sure this is ready to go, so abrupt wrap-up: Solid story. I would maybe recommend the physical book over the audiobook, but either option would provide entertainment.

Felix Ever After - Kacen Callender

Initial draw: ✰✰✰✰✰

Character development: ✰✰✰✰✰

Plot/Writing style: ✰✰✰✰✰

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Felix Love has never been in love - and, yes, he's painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it's like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What's worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he's one marginalization too many - Black, queer, and transgender - to ever get his own happily-ever-after.

When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages - after publicly posting Felix's deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned - Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn't count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi-love triangle...

But, as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve"

Oh my god, this book. So many emotions. I've wanted to read this for quite some time, and once I picked it up, it didn't take me long to finish. The synopsis does a pretty good job of breaking things down - Felix is taking summer art classes at school, and an anonymous asshole targets him with their disgusting transphobia. While he navigates the fallout and ensuing emotions, he's also dealing with cruel comments from an ex, another student being a dick for seemingly no reason, and on top of these interpersonal struggles, he desperately needs to finish (ahem...start...) his portfolio for college applications. It's a lot for a seventeen-year-old to deal with, but fortunately he has a very supportive best friend to keep him moving forward. Which brings me to...

The characters. Whom I loved. Felix is a little uncertain, a little insecure, but ultimately unapologetically true to himself. Ezra, the aforementioned best friend, is lovely and wonderful and Felix's fiercest supporter. And Kacen Callender does an amazing job developing Felix's high school friend group. His situation, with one close friend and then a group of people he hung out with by extension but didn't know quite as well or feel as comfortable with, felt very familiar to me, and I loved the way each member of the group's personality and voice developed a little more as the story went on. Finally, there were some amazing examples of people not being what they seemed, which I really appreciated. So often in YA, an antagonist can become a little one-dimensional or a frustrating parent is just a frustrating parent. I appreciated that there was some added depth and nuance to some of the characters that Felix didn't initially mesh well with.

And finally, the plot and writing style. This book is not a light read. There are some difficult situations tackled, and the genuine emotion and openness throughout Felix's experiences is incredible. In the acknowledgements, it says that this book was deeply personal, and I feel that in every page. I aspire to create something as honest and raw as Kacen Callender has - everything felt so real. I feel like Felix is someone I could have gone to school with and become friends with, and I'm so happy that this book exists. Felix's story is beautiful.

Lycanthropy and Other Illnesses - Kristen O'Neal

 My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Priya worked hard to pursue her premed dreams at Stanford, but a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease during her sophomore year sends her back to her loving but overbearing family in New Jersey - and leaves her wondering if she'll ever be able to return to the way things were. Thankfully she has her online pen pal, Brigid, and the rest of the members of "oof ouch my bones," a virtual support group that meets on Discord to crack jokes and vent about their own chronic illnesses.

When Brigid suddenly goes offline, Priya does something out of character: she steals the family car and drives to Pennsylvania to check on Brigid. Priya isn't sure what to expect, but it isn't the horrifying creature that's shut in the basement. With Brigid nowhere to be found, Priya begins to puzzle together an impossible but obvious truth: the creature might be a werewolf - and the werewolf might be Brigid. As Brigid's unique condition worsens, their friendship will be deepened and challenged in unexpected ways, forcing them to reckon with their own ideas of what it means to be normal."

Whew, this book was a bit of a ride! We start off following Priya, who is learning to live with the chronic pain, brain fog, and other symptoms brought on by Lyme disease. She finds solace and support in an online community of others with chronic illnesses, invited by her online BFF. When Brigid goes dark online for several days, Priya finally gets worried enough that she drives across state lines to check on her...and discovers not her friend, but a giant wolf. 

Yep, that's right. Brigid's chronic illness is lycanthropy. I was curious how O'Neal would blend this fantasy thread into the real world, and she does a great job. There were a few moments that require a little suspension of disbelief, but overall I thought it was fantastic. What really sells it is the friendships - Priya and Brigid primarily, but also between the other members of "oof ouch my bones," the animal control employee they meet along the way, and honorary mention goes to Priya's siblings, who melted my heart. Also, it's just wonderful to read a book where a bunch of people with chronic illnesses are able to talk frankly about their experiences and commiserate with others who understand what they're dealing with, without the ableism and garbage that pops up on Twitter and other social spaces. I look forward to reading many more books with such awesome disabled representation in the future!

Revenge of the Red Club - Kim Harrington

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Riley Dunne loves being a member of the Red Club. It's more than a group of girls supporting each other through Aunt Flo's ups and downs; it's a Hawking Middle School tradition. The club's secret locker has an emergency stash of supplies, and the girls are always willing to lend an ear, a shoulder, or an old pair of sweatpants.

But when the school administration shuts the Red Club down because of complaints, the girls are stunned. Who would do that to them? The girls' shock quickly turns into anger, and then they decide to get even."

EVERY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A RED CLUB!

I had to get that out before I started reviewing the actual book. Truly, I can't even imagine how different my life would be if growing up I had a group of peers to talk frankly with about periods and other mysteries of life. Shit, I would be down to start a Red Club now, and I'm a full-grown adult.

Anyway, to the book. I have to admit, I may have been sleeping on Middle Grade recently. The two most mind-blowing books I've read in the last few months have both been MG, and rest assured, I will be stepping up my TBR game! My very first thought upon learning about this book was "A book about periods?! Sign me up!" And while I need to clarify that this is SO much more than a book about periods, my enthusiasm was not misplaced. I loved Riley from the second I started reading, and I cheered for her throughout the book. She's a role model I wish I had in middle school, and my library may not be open to the public right now, but when it is I'll be doing everything I can to get Riley's story into the hands of as many middle schoolers as possible.

Riley is feisty as hell, not afraid to stand up for herself, and when things at school start getting bad for the girls who go there, she and her friends refuse to take it lying down. Banding together, they plan a week-long protest to bring awareness to what the female students have been facing and bring about change, and Riley uses her super skill - a gift with words - to fight for change. She and her friends are an inspiration and a reminder that we can all use our super skills to affect change. Changes that, like in Riley's life, may feel small but often have a ripple effect. Now let's carry some Red Club energy into the injustices we see in our own circles!

Maybe He Just Likes You - Barbara Dee

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching - and ultimately uplifting - novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates.

For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, one of the boys, Leo, tells Mila it's his birthday and and asks for a birthday hug. He's just being friendly, isn't he? And how can she say no? But Leo's hug lasts a few seconds too long and feels...weird. According to her friend, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn't she know what flirting looks like?

But the boys don't leave Mila alone. On the bus. In the halls. During band practice - the one place Mila could always escape. It doesn't feel like flirting - so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new place: karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others - and herself.

From the author of Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice."

I put this ebook on hold as soon as I heard about it, and WHEW am I glad I did. My difficulty focusing on reading material is well-documented at this point, but let me tell you, I sat down to read this and ended up finishing the entire thing in one sitting. The description from the cover ends by calling this a timely story, but I have to say, whenever this book had come out, it would have been timely. Books about women, especially young women, dealing with sexual harassment are always timely. Maybe that will change in the future (I fucking HOPE that will change in the future!), but my god, I wish there had been a book like this to read when I was in seventh grade. Really, truly, this should be required reading - for middle school students, for teachers, for librarians, for any adult who interacts with young people, for any men who interact with people who are not men...basically for everyone on the face of the earth. Books like this are so important.

"Why is that, Dewey? What makes this book so special?"

I'm glad you asked!

Firstly, and probably most importantly, because it gives young people the language to not only recognize harassment but also to label it. While all this weird stuff is happening to Mila, she knows it makes her uncomfortable, and even when some of her friends downplay its seriousness, she understands that it's wrong because it makes her feel wrong. But she doesn't know how to name it, and that causes a lot of problems for her, both in communicating with her friends and in knowing if or how she should talk to an adult about it. As much as we might want to believe that seventh grade (or sixth grade...or fifth grade...or fourth grade...) is too young to talk about this stuff, shit happens, and kids need to be empowered with the vocabulary to speak out and stand up for themselves or their friends when they experience things like this. It's also super important that they know that something doesn't have to be HUGE to be sexual harassment...if it's unwanted and makes you uncomfortable, it qualifies. There is no metric it is required to meet.

Mila's experience also highlights the importance of being an ally. This can happen in all different ways - encouraging your friend to talk to someone, like Mila did with Max the year before and Max does for Mila now, speaking up when you see something happening that you disagree with, or making sure that you are there to offer support when you know a friend needs it - but whatever your allyship looks like, it's necessary, and it helps. Believe people when they say they are being harassed.

Another thing we see throughout Mila's story is the importance of young people having trusted adults that they can talk to. Mila's mom obviously loves and cares about her, but she has a lot going on, and even if she didn't, I think we all know that kids don't always feel comfortable going to their parents when they have things going on. Unfortunately, she's still pretty new to the seventh grade, the guidance counselor she felt comfortable talking to has just gone on maternity leave, and there isn't anyone else that she trusts to listen and understand what she is dealing with. That's why I think it's so important for adults who work with kids to read this book...to remind us that we need to do our best to be that person for the kids we work with, so they don't have to keep shit like this to themselves. I know it meant the world to me when I was in junior high and had teachers I could rely on, and I also felt that absence when I didn't. Having a trusted adult in their lives has a measurable positive impact on young people.

Finally, (be warned, here there be spoilers) something the book touches on that is very close to my heart is restorative justice. I read a few different reviews that talk about the too-perfect ending because in the *real world* the boys wouldn't have just stopped being jerks after one conversation. And in fairness, maybe they wouldn't have. We never know. But for anyone who feels it was too Disney-esque an ending, I'd like to invite them to consider that perhaps what the boys said was true, and they really didn't realize that what they were doing was so wrong. After all, how often do we hear "boys will be boys" or, as our title suggests, "maybe he just likes you" in reference to shitty behavior from young men? If someone is constantly getting a pass and having their behavior excused, when do they learn that behavior is wrong?

That is why I love that Barbara Dee resolved the conflict by having Mila's band teacher and two of the guidance counselors hold a version of a restorative justice circle with the involved students, rather than just doling out punitive justice like suspension or expulsion. After all, what would have happened if they had been suspended? They might have spent their time out of school thinking about Mila and realizing that what they had been doing was wrong...or they might have just been pissed that they got in trouble, blamed Mila, and been even worse to her when they came back. Punitive justice is great for telling people they did something wrong and they need to pay a penance for it, but it doesn't do much to improve behavior or allow for growth. By giving the boys involved an opportunity to talk things out, not only were they able to confront how their actions affect other people and learn from what had been happening, but Mila was also given an opportunity to begin to heal from what she had experienced. I'm not saying there aren't instances where punitive justice needs to take place, but I wish more organizations defaulted to restorative justice first. And for that matter, imagine how different this story might have been if the Vice Principal had taken a restorative approach when Mila kicked what's-his name. Restorative Justice forever!

Alright, alright, this is getting super long, and I know I already said "finally" but one last thing I have to bring up is how much I love that part of what helps Mila is karate. HELL YES to strong girls and women! Hell yes to Mila falling in love with karate!

First Page Friday - Best Friends

Without getting into anything super heavy right off the bat, I'm going to be frank with you all and admit that with everything going on, it has been challenging for me to focus on new reading material. I'm putting this out there because I'm a person who loves book and reads a lot, so being a reader is a big part of my identity. It has been hard for me to come to terms with the fact that with all the "free time" I have, my reading time has gone down instead of up, and I suspect there might be other readers out there who feel the same way. Y'all, let's recognize this together right now: Sheltering in place during a global pandemic is not "free time," and there is nothing wrong with the way we are responding to the traumatic experience we are currently living through.

Seriously, let's be gentle with ourselves. Now take a deep breath, in for five...out for five...and I hope that one of these best friend pairings strikes your fancy and helps you unwind a little.

1. Cara and Bea in The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle

No matter how many times I listen to this book, it always gives me chills. From the changelings and the wolves to the mystery surrounding Elsie being in all of Cara's pictures to the accident season itself...it all gets me. Plus I'm honestly a little bit jealous of Cara and Bea's friendship. The two, along with Alice, Cara's sister, and Sam, her former step brother, form a tight-knit quartet, and Bea and Cara together are so witchy and strange, I can't help but love them. Honorable mention also goes to Cara and Sam. 💖 If you're into audiobooks, this is a book I feel is best when listened to.

2. Aristotle and Dante in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I've reviewed this one, but I don't go into much detail, so I'll try to expound on my love for Ari and Dante. The two are such an unlikely pair, but that's exactly what makes them work so well. Where one is soft, the other is hard. Where one is weak, the other is strong. They compliment and lift each other up, and their relationship is a perfect example of what relationships should be. Read this and try not to fall in love with them, I don't think you can do it.

3. Penelope and Simon in Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Yeah, I know, I recommend this in every list I do, and I've reviewed it. Stop talking about Carry On, Dewey! Look...I'll stop talking about it when it stops being amazing, how's that? In the meantime, I stan Penelope and Simon, and if possible, I stan them even more in Wayward Son.

4. Cristina and Emma in The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare

I chose Cristina and Emma for this best friend pairing, but take your pick, really. There are so many amazing relationships in this series, it's hard to call one my favorite. (Ok, fine, it's not...Livvy and Ty, obviously.) The vibrant characters are one of my favorite parts about the Shadowhunter books, and whether it's this series or another, you won't go wrong picking up one of Cassandra Clare's books.

5. Gideon and Noah in Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Yep, another one that I won't stop talking about (or reviewing). But seriously, take a look at this preview of their friendship:

"I was born six weeks early, you know," [Gideon] says quietly.

 "Really?"

Yeah," Noah says. "And just look at him." He closes the fridge. "Seriously, look at him." Gideon straightens up and begins doing a model walk across the room and into the hall, swinging his arms, fingers extended, kicking out each foot with his head held high.

"Look at those legs," Noah says. "Look at that bone structure. Look at those eyes, you could get fucking lost in them."

"You need GoogleMaps to find your way out of my eyes," Gideon says, executing an elaborate turn before catwalking back. "Or at least a comparable navigation app."

They are so goofy and genuine together, and they also just...unabashedly love each other. At the risk of being super cheesy, reading about the two of them feels like a hug to me. Their friendship (and pretty much everything else about this book) is beautiful.

6. Pablo and Tice in Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi

Y'all, I love Mary H.K. Choi so much that when my sister gave me a signed copy of this book for Christmas, I started straight up bawling. This is another book that I've reviewed, and it's actually one of my longer reviews, so I won't say much. Just that we all need a friend like Tice, someone who isn't afraid to call you on your bullshit and tell you to straighten out when you need some tough love. Also, I want someone to make me a quarantine Hot Snack (tm).

7. Simon and Leah in Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Honestly, just thinking about this pair makes me want to reread this book. Leah is the best kind of snarky, and Simon is just...so Simon. They're a great pair, and their whole friend circle is wonderful. No wonder Becky Albertalli can't resist writing more about them. They're such a heartwarming group to spend time with.

8. The quartet in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Ok, this is an oldie, but it's a goodie, and I couldn't not include this group in a post about best friends. They have magic friendship pants FFS. If you're in it for the good feels, stop after Forever in Blue. If you're in it for all the feels, read Sisterhood Everlasting.

9. Aza and Daisy in Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Ooh, another one with a longer review, and one where I specifically talk about what a great friendship Aza and Daisy have! I'll just reiterate that I love the way they genuinely love and support each other, even when they're angry with each other. Would that we could all have a friendship like Aza and Daisy's.

10. Emoni and Angelica in With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

These two are pretty much the definition of Ride or Die friends. They have each other's backs through thick and thin, and they're always there to go to bat for each other when one of them needs support, whether it's something huge like Emoni's pregnancy or smaller things. This is Elizabeth Acevedo's second novel, and once again, she does not disappoint.

This Adventure Ends - Emma Mills

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida - especially not a group of friends so intense, so layered with private tragedies and secret codes, and so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane has ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that crosses state lines -  and pulls her ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with powerful and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romance, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed."

Sloane has never really had close friends...people she hung out with when convenient, sure. But people you spent all day texting, slept over at each other's houses, and developed inside jokes with? Never. Then she moves to Florida, meets Gabe and Vera at a party, and finds herself immediately incorporated into their world. Their friends become her friends, their jokes become her jokes, and before she knows it...there are people she cares about. People who care about her.

She isn't sure what to make of it, but they're important to her. So when she sleeps over at Vera's one night and discovers that Gabe's step-mom accidentally gave the painting his mother specifically painted for him and Vera right before she died to a gallery to be sold, she makes it her life's mission to get it back. This quest stirs up some rumors, drama, and speculation, and eventually even some heartache, and at times this leaves Sloane wondering if she's making a mistake. Maybe going through life solo, keeping things at a distance, is the way to go.

Obviously that's not the way to go, and no spoilies, but I'm sure Sloane will eventually come to recognize that. 😉 On the way, she'll have some great adventures with her new friends, often featuring the laugh-out-loud dialogue I have come to appreciate from Emma Mills (sweaty babies. They got me over and over). This book, and most of her others (I have to qualify that with "most" because I haven't read all of them yet) are the perfect light read when you want to dive into some fiction for a break from the doom and gloom of real life (hellooooo, pandemic!). It might make you a little emotional, but it will also crack you up, and by the end of the book, if you're anything like me, you'll have a strong case of the warm fuzzies. Need to press pause on all the Covid panic? Grab this book!

Look Both Ways - Jason Reynolds

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy—

Talking about boogers.
Stealing pocket change.
Skateboarding.
Wiping out.
Braving up.
Executing complicated handshakes.
Planning an escape.
Making jokes.
Lotioning up.
Finding comfort.
But mostly, too busy walking home.

Jason Reynolds conjures ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and brilliantly weaves them into one wickedly funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life."

Jason Reynolds knows how to tell a story that tugs at your heart strings! His characters and their friendships are pure in a way that only childhood friendships can be, and the stories from each block weave together so beautifully. Of course not everything is sunshine and rainbows, and the booger talk in the first chapter genuinely grossed me out, but the genuine love and affection in this book jumps off the page, and it made it impossible for me to not also fall in love with each of the characters. I am in awe that Jason Reynolds can generate characters who feel so alive in just one chapter. Honestly, if reading this book doesn't make you feel things, I'm not sure I want to know you.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear - E.K. Johnston

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Hermione Winters is captain of her cheerleading team, and in tiny Palermo Heights, this doesn’t mean what you think it means. At PHHS, the cheerleaders don't cheer for the sports teams; they are the sports team—the pride and joy of a tiny town. The team's summer training camp is Hermione's last and marks the beginning of the end of… she’s not sure what. She does know this season could make her a legend. But during a camp party, someone slips something in her drink. And it all goes black.

In every class, there's a star cheerleader and a pariah pregnant girl. They're never supposed to be the same person. Hermione struggles to regain the control she's always had and faces a wrenching decision about how to move on. The assault wasn't the beginning of Hermione Winter's story and she's not going to let it be the end. She won’t be anyone’s cautionary tale."

I'm going to pretend this book description doesn't exist, because it doesn't do the book justice. I feel like on paper, yes, it describes what happens, but there's something nuanced and emotional that is missing, and I just...read the book, ok?

Exit, Pursued by a Bear starts off with Hermione and the rest of her cheerleading team pulling in to summer training camp for her last year at Palermo Heights High School. She and her best friend, Polly, have been voted co-captains, and they have high hopes and big plans for their squad. Then some asshole drugs and rapes her during a camp party, and she wakes up in the hospital with no memory of what happened beyond stumbling away from the party looking for a trash can to throw her empty cup away in. This moment marks a strange shift in her life. Hermione was raped, yes, and she has to deal with the fallout--finding out she's pregnant, getting an abortion, the way everyone walks on eggshells around her--but with the gap in her memory, the assault also doesn't feel like something that happened to her, and she has to work through that as well.

This is not how Hermione planned on starting her senior year, but it's where she is, and with a virtual army of support at her side in Polly, her parents, and her cheerleading team, she begins to work her way through what happened and learn how to navigate her altered life. There are ups and downs, stumbling blocks and moments of clarity, and through it all that support is a lifeline that keeps her going and makes her strong. That support is also what makes this book what it is: an emotional, powerful handbook for what should happen anytime someone comes forward about sexual assault. 

While the nature of this book made it tough to read at times and I definitely cried plenty, I found myself thinking often as I read of the experience I had with Asking for It by Louise O'Neill and juxtaposing Hermione's experience with Emma's. The sad truth is that people who come forward about assault tend to have experiences closer to Emma's (horrible, for those who have not read Asking for It) than to Hermione's. It gave me hope seeing Polly fiercely defend her friend, seeing her squad unite in looking out for her, and watching as Hermione found people in her corner whom she never expected to be there. Was it neater and less realistic than this experience would probably actually be? Sure. But that's what makes it such an excellent road map for how to be supportive to loved ones after an assault. Read this book. Share it with the people in your life, especially the men. Let's all learn how to be allies.

Permanent Record - Mary H.K. Choi

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"After a year of college, Pablo is working at his local twenty-four-hour deli, selling overpriced snacks to brownstone yuppies. He’s dodging calls from the student loan office and he has no idea what his next move is.

Leanna Smart’s life so far has been nothing but success. Age eight: Disney Mouseketeer; Age fifteen: first #1 single on the US pop chart; Age seventeen, *tenth* #1 single; and now, at age nineteen…life is a queasy blur of private planes, weird hotel rooms, and strangers asking for selfies on the street.

When Leanna and Pab randomly meet at 4:00 a.m. in the middle of a snowstorm in Brooklyn, they both know they can’t be together forever. So, they keep things on the down-low and off Instagram for as long as they can. But it takes about three seconds before the world finds out…"

Pre-read thoughts: I loved Emergency Contact so much that, although after I read it I promised a review would come after a second read, I have no read it four times and still can't find the words to explain how beautiful and perfect it is, so I never delivered on that review promise. All of this to say...I was pretty thrilled to get an ARC of Mary H.K. Choi's second book. My fingers are crossed that I love it as much as even more than I loved Emergency Contact.

Alright. I loved this book, but I do have to clarify one thing before we get into things. If you read Emergency Contact and were expecting another dual-narrator story, delete that preconceived notion from your head. Kinda seems from the description like we'll be rotating back and forth between Pablo and Leanna, but nope. It's all Pab. Nothing wrong with that, just putting it out there for anyone who shared my expectations.

Now, on to actual review-y things! The cover blurb makes it sound like Pablo and Leanna start dating, their spot gets blown, and then the book is about them navigating the fallout. Not the case, and honestly I think what actually happens is so much better than what I expected based on the description. Pablo is working nights at a bodega health food store after taking out a bunch of student loans, signing up for multiple credit cards, and then flunking out of NYU. In the middle of what promised to be an uneventful shift, Leanna stumbles in, severely under-dressed for the sub-zero weather and looking for a middle-of-the-night snowstorm snack. The two fall into an easy exchange, and shortly after realizing that he kind of has a thing for this mysterious, clearly half-frozen stranger, he also realizes that holy shit...she's a super famous pop star. And there goes that starry-eyed dream.

Until she comes back. It's obvious that they have a connection, but it's also immediately apparent that the two lead very different lives. Leanna jets from place to place, chauffeured in private cars, flying in private plans, to manage her vast media empire. Pablo is actively dodging calls from collection agencies and refuses to open his mail to avoid confronting the massive mountain of debt he is being buried under. Leanna knows exactly what she wants from life and is hustling to get it. Pablo hesitates to make firm plans with his little brother, let alone come up with a longterm plan for his life. Can their burgeoning relationship survive their differences? And is this new relationship even what Pablo should focus on when, if it isn't to answer a phone call or respond to a text from Lee, he can't even find a reason to get out of bed most mornings?

At first blush, this seems like a sweet doomed-romance novel about an A-lister and a kid just scraping by, which I was into because in case it wasn't clear, I love Mary H.K. Choi. If she hadn't written this, though, being honest? I probably would have passed this up. Been there, done that. Nothing new. And that's why I had to point out earlier that this book is so much better than the description makes it sound! There's so much happening here. It isn't just Pablo falling in deep with Lee and trying to avoid public scrutiny, it's Pablo struggling to manage his relationships with his roommates, his parents, and his younger brother. Drowning in the expectations of others while feeling too frozen and buried to do anything or even begin to evaluate his own expectations. It's such a frank look at the weight and expectations put on young people, on the massive hole you can wake up one day and find yourself dug into because you were expected to make all these huge decisions and you didn't know what to do. This review is getting wordy as hell, but I swear it isn't enough to convey my love of this book and the perfection Mary Choi has created. I honestly don't know how she managed to build so many vibrant characters up in so short a time, but if you don't immediately fall in love with Rain, Tice, the Kims, and everyone else I don't know what's wrong with you. Permanent Record is perfection, from the first page to the last.

They Both Die at the End - Adam Silvera

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day."

Mateo and Rufus are going to die today. They both received a call from Death-Cast, and Death-Cast is never wrong. 

Mateo, plagued by anxiety and paranoia, wants to spend his last hours on earth saying goodbye to his best friend and her baby, visiting the hospital where his father is in a coma, and leaving some kind of mark on the world. He wants to...but instead he finds himself still locked away in his apartment three hours after receiving the call, afraid to venture into the outside world.

Rufus, who received the call in the middle of pummeling his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend, narrowly avoids being arrested for the assault during an impromptu funeral with his foster parents and best friends. Now, alone in the world with less than 24 hours left to live and unable to go home, he isn't sure what to do.

Enter the Last Friend app. After several depressing, sketchy, and disappointing interactions, both Mateo and Rufus are ready to give up on the app. Mateo gives it one last shot, though, contacting Rufus who, with understandable reluctance, agrees to pick Mateo up at his apartment so the pair can begin living their last day to its fullest. But what begins as a partnership of convenience between two dying teenagers quickly blossoms into something more. Mateo inspires Rufus with his kindness and gentle spirit, and Rufus pushes Mateo to take risks, put himself out there, and do the things that he has always been too afraid to try. 

This book is both heartbreaking and beautiful. The relationship that blossoms between Mateo and Rufus warmed my heart, and the way their lives intertwined with the many side characters introduced throughout the story was both fascinating and inspiring. Given less than 24 hours to live, most of us would think, understandably, that this is far from enough time to leave our marks on the world. What this book shows us, however, is that what we see as tiny actions can have a huge ripple effect. They Both Die at the End reminds us that simple acts can have a vast impact. 

Quiver - Julia Watts

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Libby is the oldest child of six, going on seven, in a family that adheres to the "quiverfull" lifestyle: strict evangelical Christians who believe that they should have as many children as God allows because children are like arrows in the quiver of "God's righteous warriors." Like the other families who adhere to this philosophy, Libby's family regards the father as the "Christian patriarch" and leader and the mother as the "helpmeet" who gives birth to, cares for, and homeschools the children. 

Meanwhile, Zo is the gender fluid offspring of Libby's new neighbors who have moved to the country from Knoxville in hopes of living a slower-paced, more natural life. 

Zo and hir family are as far to the left ideologically as Libby's family is to the right, and yet Libby and Zo, who are the same age, feel a connection that leads them to friendship—a friendship that seems doomed from the start because of their families' differences."

Libby Hazlett and Zo Forrester meet when Zo and hir family move to the farm next door to Libby's after the property had been empty for more than a year. The Hazlett family is fairly sheltered, primarily spending time with each other and with members of their church congregation, so right away Libby finds herself intrigued by the new family and, in particular, Zo. 

The two families have radically different ideologies--Libby's father is a strict disciplinarian, unwavering in his ultra conservative principles, while Zo's parents are liberal and much more relaxed in their parenting style. As it turns out, though, they also have a lot in common, and everyone seems to hit it off...until, that is, their fathers getting into an argument at an ice cream party and Mr. Hazlett decides that his family will no longer associate with the Forresters. 

Alas, the damage Mr. Hazlett fears has already been done. Spending time with Zo has gotten Libby thinking, and it turns out she may not be as content with her life as she previously convinced herself. Will she risk angering her father and turning her back on the God she is supposed to believe in to continue her friendship with Zo, or will she bend to her father's will and allow things to return to how they used to be?

This book is like nothing I have ever read. Coming from a family who, while not evangelical Christians, were close enough for some of Libby's experiences to hit close to home made this a difficult read, but seeing Libby and Zo learn more about each other, grow closer, and take the time to understand the other's perspective was worth the discomfort. I felt connected to both of them right away, and watching them grow throughout the book warmed my heart. Not only that, but I found myself unexpectedly tugged into the friendship between their two mothers, rooting for Mrs. Hazlett's happiness as she struggled through a difficult pregnancy and, after their husbands' fight, losing her new friend. Julia Watts did a remarkable job bringing the Hazlett and Forrester families to life, and if you're looking for a book that allows you to experience worlds you aren't familiar with, I can't recommend Quiver strongly enough.