Cleat Cute - Meryl Wilsner

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

From the cover:

"Grace Henderson has been a star of the US Women's National Team for ten years, even though she's only 26. But when she's sidelined with an injury, a bold new upstart, Phoebe Matthews, takes her spot. 22-year-old Phoebe is everything Grace isn't - a gregarious jokester who plays with a joy that Grace lost somewhere along the way. The last thing Grace expects is to become teammates with benefits with this class clown she sees as her rival.

Phoebe Matthews is too focused on her first season as a professional soccer player to think about seducing her longtime idol. But when Grace ends up making the first move, they can't keep their hands off of each other.

As the World Cup approaches and Grace works her way back from injury, a miscommunication leaves the women with hilariously different perspectives on their relationship. But they're on the same page on the field, realizing they can play together instead of vying for the same position. With every tackle the tension between them grows, and both players soon have to decide what's more important - being together or making the roster."

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Well, this book sure did try to do a lot, and it did some of it okay. I thought the initial introductions of the main characters established who they were as people pretty well, and I liked how intentionally inclusive the writing was without feeling forced. I'm also very on board with a book about badass women athletes, so it had me there. Where it started to veer off course for me was the immediacy of Phoebe and Grace's romance. It felt forced and not fully developed when it kicked off, and then on top of that, a lot of the drama for their relationship stemmed from pretty flimsy miscommunications. Very meh.

I also think it seemed like the author wanted to take on a lot of things, like female athletes being grossly underpaid, shitty insurance bullshit that classifies gender-affirming surgery for trans people as elective, and how many girls with ADHD don't get diagnosed and are left to just fend for themselves and figure out how to manage their shit without support. Very cool, all of these things (and everything else in the book that I'm forgetting about now) need to be talked about. But it was sooooo many things to try to squeeze in between steamy secret sex between teammates (sidenote: not a huge fan of "baby girl" as a sexy nickname), so it ended up being a lot of "this thing is mentioned" and then...nothing is done with it. 

The ADHD thing in particular kind of caught me by surprise because it seemed the entire book like Phoebe was very aware that she had ADHD, and then we get almost to the end of the book and it turns out she had no idea. Sorry, but she was basically a walking "Signs of ADHD" poster, and there were MANY mentions to all the time she spends on TikTok...but somehow she never ended up on ADHD TikTok? That's TikTok algorithm slander, honestly. At the end of the day, it didn't ruin the book for me, but I found it very odd.

My issues with the book aside, it's alright. Not amazing, not terrible. Short-ish. Pretty quick read. It's fine.

Most Ardently - Gabe Cole Novoa

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

From the cover:

"London, 1812. Oliver Bennet feels trapped. Not just by the endless corsets, petticoats and skirts he's forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society's expectations. The world - and the vast majority of his family and friends - think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone's wife.

But Oliver can't bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family's home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It's during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to "Elizabeth" at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart. And not to mention incredibly attractive. 

As Oliver is able to spend more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares begin to hope that his dream of love and life as a man to be possible. But suitors are growing bolder - and even threatening - and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: Settle for safety, security, and a  life of pretending to be something he's not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly, honestly his own."

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I.........am still really on the fence about how I feel about this book. Which is disappointing, because it's well-documented how much I love a good Pride and Prejudice remix, and the premise for this one was sooooo up my alley. But alas, as good as some moments were, I feel like you don't get much more from the book than what is in the synopsis, and there were some choices that were just straight up weird or not at all fleshed out. Gah, where to begin.

I stepped away to gather my thoughts (a.k.a. I started writing this too close to bedtime and decided to just go to bed and finish it later, and now it is later), and I think what my issues with this book boil down to are this: it did too much while simultaneously doing too little. There were multiple threads going on, some better executed than others, but even with the ones that came through a little better, I don't think anything was developed well enough to truly come together. If less time had been spent on the wilder plotlines (looking at you, Wickham and his friend, for some reason, Collins), more time could have been devoted to the more central plotlines, thus making them...better.

Beyond that, I did think it was a very unique take on a story that has been reimagined countless times, and I thought the support system Oliver had built around himself was lovely. I also really enjoyed the insight into how life might have worked for queer, and specifically trans, people in that time period. Obviously queer people have always been around, but I'm not super well versed in history and social norms of different time periods, so getting some insight into customs of that time period was cool. I can't add half stars to my little rating system, but this was a 3.5 for me.

A Whisper of Curses - J. Elle

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

From the cover:

"While the new Magick Academy is under construction, an invitation to Retreat Week arrives! Before the students leave Park Row, Kyana is grabbed by an Available and, even after she slips from the spirit's grasp, can't stop either laughing or crying. Ashley thinks whatever it is, Dr. Minzy, a famous teacher at the retreat, will know what to do. But when the portal to the retreat suddenly dissolves, trapping everyone, Ash thinks Availables are involved. With Kyana acting weird and Russ live-casting everything to the MagickWorld, should Ash say something to the directors (even though she isn't sure she's right) or mind her business and trust that Dr. Minzy will fix it?"

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It's always a pleasant surprise when I learn that a book I like has a sequel out that I didn't know about, and this was no exception. I reviewed book one, A Taste of Magic, a while back and really enjoyed it. Very fun, unique take on magic and how it fits into the regular world. I loved the way this book expanded not only on that world, but on the characters within it. Using a dual perspective to let readers get to know Ashley better and featuring Russ more was so fun, and even through all the drama, I loved the way their different strengths complemented each other.

I also found the mystery intriguing. It seems like a hard thing to balance, giving the reader enough information that they aren't totally lost and confused without giving them too much and making it boring and obvious, and I thought J. Elle did a great job of finding the sweet spot. I think my one wish would have been, in a surprise twist for a middle grade review, having a little bit longer of an ending. Shocking, I know. I'm impossible. It didn't need to be much longer, and overall I thought the length and pace were great, but there was some stuff that ended up getting a quick recap instead of showing it play out that I think giving us a teeny bit more would have made more exciting. That's my tiny gripe.

Other than that, great story, very intriguing, and I found the way that stress and pressure was incorporated and influenced the way the characters acted was a really solid way to address the way adults, sometimes unconsciously, put their expectations on kids and create that pressure and a sense that they have to perform to a certain level in order to be "worth it" or good enough. It was a big theme of the book and something I don't see often. Excellent.

Reading Harder in August

Art of Drag, what's up babyyyyyy? It was a beautiful book, so informative and colorful and wonderful. It's very much a coffee table book, and even has a cool binding style where the spine of the cover isn't attached to the spine of the book, so the pages can lay fully flat and you can view the gorgeous art in all its glory. I will not be leaving it out on my coffee table, because my brain functions in organized piles, leaving my coffee table a hot mess 90% of the time, but I will keep it easily accessible to trot out when the opportunity presents itself. In addition to the impressive artwork, I thought it covered the timeline and development of drag through the ages in a really accessible way, giving detail without being super overwhelming or academic. Solid, solid read.

Now, six books left. In September, I'll be reading Property of the Rebel Librarian by Allison Varnes for challenge number twenty, Read a Book About Books, and Maame by Jessica George for number twenty-one, Read a Book That Went Under the Radar in 2023. Maame is a bit of a departure from my typical reads, in that it is neither YA nor middle grade, but it should be a solid read, and I'm already looking forward to adding Property of the Rebel Librarian to my school library when I finish it.

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?'"

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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.

The Bennet Women - Eden Appiah-Kubi

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

From the cover:

"Welcome to Bennet House, the only all-women's dorm at prestigious Longbourn University, home to three close friends who are about to have an eventful year. EJ is an ambitious Black engineering student. Her best friend, Jamie, is a newly out trans woman studying French and theater. Tessa is a Filipina astronomy major with guy trouble. For them, Bennet House is more than a residence - it's an oasis of feminism, femininity, and enlightenment. But as great as Longbourn is for academics, EJ knows it can be a wretched place to find love.

Yet the fall season is young and brimming with surprising possibilities. Jamie's prospect is Lee Gregory, son of a Hollywood producer and a gentleman so charming he practically sparkles. That leaves EJ with Lee's arrogant best friend, Will. For Jamie's sake, EJ must put up with the disagreeable, distressingly handsome, not quite famous TV actor for as longa s she can.

What of it? EJ has her eyes on a bigger prize, anyway: launching a spectacular engineering career in the "real world" she's been hearing so much about. But what happens when all their lives become entwined in ways no one could have predicted - and EJ finds herself drawn to a man who's not exactly a perfect fit for the future she has planned?"

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Oh, I do love a Pride & Prejudice retelling! And between this and Debating Darcy, I've been reading some winners recently. (Next up: Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa. Honestly, an embarrassment of riches.) Please note, in case you have interest in reading this, this review will contain some degree of spoilers. Read on with caution.

Similarly to Debating Darcy, I enjoyed that the original characters were incorporated into this story in different ways. Instead of SISTER sisters, they're dorm sisters...it's not really a sorority, right? Although it seems like there are similarities. Anyway, they're chosen family instead of blood family, and the way that they connect and relate to each other is way different and really sweet. 

Additionally, while a bit heavy-handed at times, I enjoyed the way some of the more hurtful moments in the original were honored while being handled differently. For example, Jamie and Lee have bumpy relationship moments, but the way they communicate and resolve them, instead of one of them essentially ghosting, is so sweet. (Sidenote: It really tickles me to think of Bingley leaving in the original as ghosting) Also, while a version of Darcy's terrible first confession of love is incorporated, I like that this confession was a. basically a rough draft and b. shared with other people instead of EJ, so then they could say hey, dufus, that's SO insulting! Instead of EJ's feelings being further hurt.  

If I had one gripe with this book, it would be that there was a little too much crammed in, so instead of REALLY developing one or two things about each character we got lots of partially developed things. Still fine, just a small grumble. Outside of that, and beyond my comparisons to the original inspiration, I found this story enjoyable as its own thing. I loved seeing so many passionate, inspiring women coming together and supporting each other, the way the various families, found or otherwise, supported each other was lovely, and while there were ups and downs and the book dealt with serious things, like discrimination in STEM, disordered eating, and addiction, there was so much encouragement and having each others' backs that it was just...so lovely and ultimately uplifting to read. 

Final thought, I found it very fitting that garbage people Carrie and Jordan ended up together and that Colin got dumped. Very much appreciate those choices.

Allegedly - Tiffany D. Jackson

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

From the cover:

"Mary B. Addison killed a baby.

Allegedly. She didn't say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: a white baby had died while under the care of a churchgoing Black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it?

There wasn't a point to setting the record straight before, but now she's got Ted - and their unborn child - to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary's fate now lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. No one knows the real Momma. But does anyone know the real Mary?"

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God, this book. As mentioned in my summer reading recap, it ROCKED ME. First of all, what an indictment of our justice system and how fucked it is. I mean, I know it is. But every time I read anything, fact or fiction, delving into it, I realize another dimension of just how truly fucked it is. This book in particular got into how children are treated, and...it's trash. Utter trash. Whether someone, especially a child, has committed a crime or not, mistreating them to the degree that people in the penal system are mistreated is horrendous.

Now, getting into the writing, I thought the decision to intersperse excerpts from Mary's trial and flashbacks into the present day was the best way to tell this story. The reader goes into Mary's story in basically the same way the jury and the general public did, and then we have to form our own opinions with the little bit of insight we're given. And even with the insight we're given, there's really no way of knowing what actually happened or if you're making the right call. It kind of gives you an idea of what it would be like to be in the jurors' shoes, which...it seems like a difficult position to be in, but also it reenforces that I don't ever want to jump to conclusions or make assumptions the way that people did in Mary's case.

I don't want to give any of the story away, so beyond this, I'll just say this is a heavy book. And even after finishing it, I've been thinking about it for days. If you haven't read this book, you should.