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Sir Callie and the Witch’s War (Sir Callie, Book 3) by Esme Symes-Smith (2024)

10/14/2024

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Sir Callie and the Witch’s War is the third book in the ongoing Sir Callie series by Esme Symes-Smith. The previous books are Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston (book 1) and Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost (book 2).

As war comes to Helston and Dumoor becomes an uncertain haven, Callie, Willow, Elowen, and Edwyn must forge new paths if they ever want to see each other again—let alone the future they’ve all dreamed of. But doing that will mean facing their worst fears without the support, friendship, and camaraderie they’ve come to rely on from one another. And their failure will leave Helston and Dumoor alike bound for an even more terrible future than they could’ve imagined.

The Sir Callie series is truly one of the best middle-grade series I’ve ever come across, and this latest installment is no exception. Thoughtful, emotionally deep, and queer- and nonbinary-focused MG fantasy books are hard enough to come across on their own, but to find not just a standalone but an ongoing series that is all this and more is truly remarkable—and Sir Callie is exactly that. This third book in the ongoing series left me satisfied, validated, and wishing the fourth book was already out!

For me, the emotional heart of this book lies with Edwyn. He’s one of the most striking and real characters throughout the series (which is a hard distinction to make when every character is so incredible!), and seeing him come into his own during Sir Callie and the Witch’s War was truly wonderful. Anger, betrayal, love, hate, self-doubt—every one of his emotions jumps clearly off the page and makes me care about and sympathize with him even more.

Symes-Smith juggles the plotlines of Edwyn, Elowen, and Willow/Callie with flawless skill. Many middle grade books ignore the traumatic realities of young people, but this series never does, and instead of skirting around painful topics it faces them head-on and authentically portrays the challenge of loving and accepting yourself after struggling all your life to believe you deserve to be loved exactly for who you are. As someone whose own life has elements of these characters’ experiences, the validation and comfort in finding this reflected in a middle grade novel was incredibly healing, and I just want to reread it immediately now that I’m done.

This series truly keeps getting more and more incredible, and I can’t wait to read more about these characters and from this author! Highly recommended! 

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed here are my own.

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Promotional Tour: Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas

9/2/2024

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As a longtime afficionado of fantasy books, it took me far longer than it should’ve to get to see my trans identity reflected back at me in the kind of story I loved—full of incredible characters, startling twists, and gorgeous worldbuilding. When I read The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas two years ago, it was all that and more—and I truly can’t describe how thrilled I am to be hosting today’s stop on the promo book tour for Celestial Monsters, the sequel and conclusion to the Sunbearer Trials duology!
New York Times-bestselling author Aiden Thomas returns to the beloved world of The Sunbearer Trials in Celestial Monsters, a heart-stopping duology finale, in which three young semidioses travel through a dark monster-infested world, facing down chaotic Obsidian gods, in a quest to save their friends and return the sun to the sky.

Teo never thought he could be a Hero. Now, he doesn’t have a choice.

The sun is gone, the Obsidian gods have been released from their prison, and chaos and destruction are wreaking havoc on Reino del Sol. All because Teo refused to sacrifice a fellow semidiós during the Sunbearer Trials.

With the world plunged into perpetual night, Teo, his crush Aurelio, and his best friend Niya must journey to the dark wilderness of Los Restos, battling vicious monsters while dealing with guilt, trauma, and a (very distracting) burgeoning romance between Teo and Aurelio. Determined to rescue the captured semidioses and retrieve the Sol Stone, the trio races against the clock to return Sol and their protective light. With it, order can be restored.

The future of the whole world is in their hands.
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My review!

In a word—incredible. Once more, Aiden Thomas has created one of the most thoughtful, compulsively readable, and validating fantasy novels I’ve ever had the pleasure to read, a duology closer that leaves me wishing for more while simultaneously pulling off an incredibly satisfying ending.


Often in a review I’ll give a special shout-out to a favorite character, but Celestial Monsters has such an incredible cast that it was nearly impossible to narrow it to just three! Niya is undeniably my favorite cis character in this book—she’s the kind of unabashed, snarky, loud, and vulnerable character I absolutely need to see more of in fantasy (and just in general, for that matter), and she truly has one of the strongest personalities I’ve encountered in a book. Xio is a quieter character, but their ferocity and struggle brought them to life for me. They could’ve so easily become a cliché based on The Sunbearer Trials’s setup, but instead I couldn’t wait to get to their point of view chapters and see what they did next.

And I’ll always have a soft spot for Teo. His determination, strong bonds (platonic, familial, and romantic), and voice form the core of this series, and there’s truly no story I wouldn’t follow him into. There aren’t a whole lot of characters I would root for unconditionally, but Teo is absolutely one of them.

In a genre still so dominated by cis characters, there’s something incredible about seeing trans and nonbinary characters as the leads, the villains, the side characters…the diversity of experiences and characters in this book is truly beautiful. And the entire world of Reino de Sol is gorgeous—even beyond the deft queer- and transnorm society, this world is vibrant with color and personality, with each city that Teo and his friends travel through filled with its own character

​I truly can’t recommend Celestial Monsters enough--without question, this book deserves five stars! 


​Special thanks to Colored Pages Book Tours, Fierce Reads, and Feiwel and Friends for the gifted copy of Celestial Monsters! All opinions expressed here are my own.

Aiden Thomas (he/they) is a trans, Latinx, New York Times bestselling author of young adult novels. They received an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. Originally from Oakland, California, they now make their home in Portland, OR. Aiden is notorious for not being able to guess the endings of books and movies, and organizes their bookshelves by color. Learn more on their website!

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The Night Compass (Wilderlore, Book 4) by Amanda Foody (2024)

8/12/2024

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By Nico

The Night Compass is the fourth book in the ongoing Wilderlore series; it is preceded by The Accidental Apprentice (book 1), The Weeping Tide (book 2), and The Ever Storms (book 3).

After the death—or murder—of the Tundra’s Keeper, Barclay and his friends head straight there to investigate. But it’s soon clear that far more is afoot: Audrian Keyes is on track to find Navrashtya, the missing Legendary Beast of the Tundra, and the only way to stop him is to find her before he does.

Alongside a team of talented Lore Keepers, Barclay and his friends set out for the unmapped northern regions of the Tundra, searching for any hint of Navrashtya. But Barclay soon finds his own way to track the Beast—a mysterious wild lore that no one else can feel…no one else, that is, except Audrian Keyes.

As they draw closer to Navrashtya and Barclay struggles to control the wild lore, he and his friends must stop Keyes before he deals irreversible damage to the Tundra—and shakes their confidence in the world they’re all determined to protect.

I’ve loved every book in the Wilderlore series, and The Night Compass was no exception. The halfway point is where too many series falter, but Wilderlore does the opposite here; it feels as though Foody has hit her stride in this series and with these characters, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next. Fast-paced, multifaceted, and with Foody’s trademark incredible worldbuilding, I sped through this book and was left wishing book five—and books six and seven, for that matter—had already been released.

The characters, as always, are awesome. At this point in the series I feel like I know all of them so well, which gives each of them the opportunity to grow and change and connect with each other in unexpected ways. In particular, I need to give a shout-out to Yasha and Keyes, and the developing relationships between both of them and Barclay. The twist with the wild lore is truly brilliant, and not only does it add extra depth to Barclay’s character, it gives Yasha and Keyes so much more complexity—and dangerousness.

I also loved this chance to dig more deeply into the world of Wilderlore. The journey through the Tundra puts Barclay and his friends closely in touch with the wilderland even without the addition of wild lore, and I can’t wait to learn more about this world in the next few books. I highly recommend The Night Compass (and the entire Wilderlore series) to readers ages ten and up, particularly anyone who loves multi-part fantasy series and fast-paced narratives. 

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Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang (2024)

7/29/2024

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Ash’s Cabin will be released on August 13, 2024.

Out in nature, surrounded by birdsong and the feeling of breeze on their bike, Ash feels at home. Everywhere else? They’re constantly bombarded by people who don’t understand them—their name, their pronouns, or just why they care so much about the planet not getting destroyed. When Ash remembers the cabin Grandpa Edwin talked about building, hidden away in the California woods for when he wanted to escape the monotony of modern life, it sounds like paradise.

So when Ash has a chance to run away and seek out Grandpa Edwin’s cabin themself, they seize it immediately. What could be better than surviving out on their own, unanchored from everything they can’t bear to live with? Ash is determined to find themself out in the wilderness, but survival might be more of a challenge than they expected.

The Prince and the Dressmaker, author-illustrator Jen Wang’s first graphic novel, is quite literally the book that made me start reading graphic novels, so I was truly thrilled when I got the chance to read an ARC of Wang’s upcoming book, Ash’s Cabin, through NetGalley. Although on the surface a very different storyline, Ash’s Cabin holds many of the same elements that made me love The Prince and the Dressmaker so much—a thoughtful storyline and beautiful art contained in a tale that leaves you feeling profoundly more at peace at its conclusion than when you started it.

It’s difficult to create a wilderness story that is at once modern and utterly believable, but Wang does so flawlessly, and Ash’s world absorbed me seemingly at once. Their struggles with the larger world and with their own sense of self feel fundamentally authentic and believable, and as I read, I effortlessly traveled with their thoughts and emotions, something I think is sometimes hard in the graphic novel format.

Ultimately, Ash’s Cabin is a beautiful, authentic, sometimes painful, and thoughtful story of growing up, finding yourself, and the natural world—one I truly can’t recommend enough to readers ages twelve and up.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed here are my own.

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The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor (2024)

7/15/2024

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The Ghostkeeper will be released on July 23, 2024.

Ever since Dorian Leith very nearly died—and gained the unexpected ability to see ghosts as a result—he’s dedicated himself to helping ghosts find peace and enter the afterlife. Sure, his job doesn’t make him very popular, particularly since most people would rather pay ghastly exorcists to destroy household ghosts than a ghost therapist to help their hauntings work through their problems, but every time Dorian teaches a ghost new coping skills or helps another client move on into the afterlife, it brings him such satisfaction that he can’t imagine doing anything else.

That is, until the key to Death’s Door vanishes—and the town is suddenly plagued by an influx of angry ghosts who can’t find their way into the afterlife, no matter how many times Dorian helps them reframe their struggles. Dorian knows he’s the only one who’s able to help the ghosts, not to mention the only one who cares. But finding the key means risking the first true relationship with a living human he’s had in years—and any sense of self he has beyond the ghosts he cares for.

​I did not expect to love a graphic novel about a queer ghost therapist to be this awesome and endearing, but The Ghostkeeper seemed determined to exceed my expectations from the first page. To begin with, I loved the art style, and in particular how the ghosts were portrayed; the blue-tinged characters and in particular the clearly different speech bubbles helped keep the story clear and moving at a fast pace, and made the dialogue easier to follow than most other graphic novels I've read. The use of color schemes and panel shapes created a fabulous sense of atmosphere, and worked together with the quirky characters and fast-paced plot to create a story I couldn't put down.

But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention one of my favorite aspects of the story - Dorian himself. I connected with him so deeply - his internal struggles, his determination to help ghosts, his self-sacrificing propensity, his insecurity, and the depth of his friendships. The ghost therapist concept is brilliant to begin with, but The Ghostkeeper brings it alive, and the incredibly realistic (but also hilarious) strategies that Dorian uses to counsel the ghosts grounded the premise and made it utterly believable. I was particularly drawn to the way Dorian struggles to separate what he needs from what the ghosts need, a thread of realism that helped wholeheartedly sell me on the entire story.

I highly recommend The Ghostkeeper to readers ages eleven and up, particularly those who enjoy gorgeously illustrated graphic novels, brilliant characters, and a touch of ghostly horror.

An e-ARC of this book was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


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So Let Them Burn (Divine Traitors, Book 1) by Kamilah Cole (2024)

6/20/2024

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By Nico

Five years ago, the gods granted twelve-year-old Faron Vincent the ability to draw on their vast power to drive out the colonizing Langlish Empire and save her homeland of San Irie. Now seventeen and nowhere near recovering from the trauma of the war, Faron is just trying to figure out what to do with her life—all while still being heralded as the divine savior of her people. Only her older sister, Elara, understands at least some of what Faron is going through, but Elara has other plans, too. She’s determined to

During the war, the only thing Faron could count on was her protective love for Elara. So when a peace summit gone wrong leaves Elara bonded to an enemy dragon, Faron knows immediately that she’ll do whatever it takes to get her sister safely home. Even if that means disobeying the direct orders of the gods and seeking help from a powerful entity who could destroy them all.

Meanwhile, isolated from her friends and family among the very people she would’ve given her life to defeat, Elara grapples with defining herself beyond the shadow of her sister’s power as she attempts to uncover the latest Langlish plot and better understand their greatest weapon—their dragons. A challenge that would be difficult enough without her sharp-witted and inconveniently pretty co-rider, Signey Soto.

Faron and Elara will have to find themselves to save each other—and their failure could cost San Irie its independence, and each other their lives.

Intense, fast-paced, and fiercely defiant, So Let Them Burn was absolutely incredible. It’s rare that I read a book which I truly fall in love with from the first page, but this book refused to allow the alternative to even be an option. With impossibly vibrant characters, a delicious flip on the chosen one trope, and a keen commentary on colonialism, I’d be astounded if this doesn’t make it into my top ten books of this year.

There is so much to love about this book, but its true heart lies with Elara and Faron’s messy, fraught, and profoundly loving relationship. Both could so easily become cookie-cutter characters—the chosen one years later, the two-dimensional older sister—and yet they bloom to life thanks to Cole’s deft writing and the emotions that carry them off the page. I love Faron’s stubborn determination, struggle to define herself, and fierce diatribes, but I’d be lying if I said Elara wasn’t my favorite character in So Let Them Burn. Her feelings and motivations are so multifaceted and authentic as she attempts to carve out space for herself in the world, while simultaneously fighting to save everyone she holds dear. I cannot find words to express how much I resent that ending, and how much I need the sequel right now!

I also have to give a shout-out to the worldbuilding. Dragons are plentiful in fantasy; a unique system which they are central to is far more difficult to come by. Similarly, the push-pull of the different forms of magic within the world—dragons, astrals, the gods—lent San Irie and Nova a depth and complexity that I couldn’t resist. I am so excited for the next book in this series!

​I highly recommend So Let Them Burn to readers ages thirteen and up looking for a gripping, multilayered, irresistible fantasy novel that will make you remember what books are for. 

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The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz (2023)

6/17/2024

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By Nico

When Princess Brie meets Count Camembert, full of quirky dress sense and appreciation for Brie’s often unorthodox activism, it’s love at first sight.

There’s just one problem—Count Camembert is really Lady Camembert, disguised as a man so she can still inherit her father’s money after refusing to marry a man. She’s supposed to be keeping a low profile so no one can discover her secret…but after meeting Brie, she’s not so sure that’ll be possible.

Camembert knows her love can’t go anywhere. After all, Brie is a princess destined for a diplomatic marriage, and she has no idea Camembert isn’t a man. But could there still be room for a happily ever?

​With queer romance, bright illustrations, and lots of cheese puns, I read The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich in one sitting. Muniz’s artwork is expressive and quirky, and I liked the fast-paced plot and characters, particularly Zola, who was both humorous and deeper than I initially expected. Definitely check this one out if you love graphic novels and grilled cheese sandwiches! I recommend The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich to readers ages twelve and up. 

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Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley (2022)

6/10/2024

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By Nico

Wren has always dreamed of joining the Coven, where every witch and magical source train together to protect the land. But despite her magical gifts, that’s never been an option; her brother died years ago from a witch’s spell gone wrong, and her ailing father can’t handle the truth about what she is. So she cares for him as he gets sicker and hides her magic instead. Surely, it’s a small price to pay for keeping him alive.

But Wren’s life is shattered when her father falls victim to a deadly magical plague. Desperate, she seeks out the only person who might be able to help her: Tamsin, the village witch.

​Tamsin used to be the Coven’s most powerful witch. Now, though, what remains of her life after breaking the Coven’s most sacred rule has been consumed by their punishing curse: she can no longer experience love or joy unless she steals it from those around her. She has no good reason to work with dreamy, inexperienced Wren, or meddle again in the kind of magic that left her cursed in the first place. But she agrees to help Wren hunt down the witch responsible for the plague anyway, and as they search for the culprit—a search that brings them dangerously close to Tamsin’s own past—she begins to feel something for Wren that she was certain was impossible: love.

I went into this story all but certain that it wouldn’t surprise me. The heartless witch, the idealistic newbie, a shared quest that becomes a burgeoning romance—although I was looking forward to digging into Sweet and Bitter Magic, since it came highly recommended, I didn’t truly expect it to be anything I hadn’t read before. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Yes, all these tropes are present in the story, but they take an almost unrecognizable form beneath Tooley’s deft pen, weaving two characters I couldn’t help but fall in love with even as they fell in love with each other. Wren’s conflict is infinitely relatable; the conflict she feels between what she wants and what she feels is right, and the guilt she feels when pursuing her own dreams, made her instantly leap off the page. Tamsin, too, felt completely real. Where many characters like her are just canonically impartial and heartless, the fact that she quite literally cannot feel love—and her longing to—made her far more complex than others like her, and that combined with her spectacular backstory gave her character incredible depth. Tooley’s writing was absorbing from the very first page, and I didn’t want to leave behind the fascinating world and spectacular cast when the book came to a close. I highly recommend Sweet and Bitter Magic to fans of queer romance, superb characters, and engrossing storylines ages twelve and up. 

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Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa (2024)

4/22/2024

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By Nico

Oliver Bennet’s life does not seem too promising. With the impending threat of marriage only the latest reminder that the world still thinks he’s the girl he’s never been, his current solace—slipping out at night dressed in boy’s clothes, getting to be himself after pretending all day—looks on the verge of slipping out of reach. How can he hope to survive in a world, let alone in a marriage, that denies his very existence?

But Oliver meets Darcy, who not just treats him cordially, but seeks out his friendship. At first, Oliver is just glad that Darcy sees him as the boy he truly is. He never would’ve imagined that their friendship could become something more—or that someone could love the real Oliver.

Stuck between a false life, where he’s forced to wear petticoats and respond to a name that’s never been his, and a real one where he slips out at night to meet Darcy and discover the path he’s always dreamed of, Oliver knows that this precarious balancing act can’t last forever. With his family on the verge of learning the truth about him, Oliver must decide on his own terms how he wants to live his life, even if that means risking the only family he’s ever known.

I loved both The Wicked Bargain and Pride and Prejudice, so I knew going into Most Ardently book that it probably wouldn’t meet my extraordinarily high expectations. I was absolutely wrong. Gabe Cole Novoa delivers one of the best books I’ve read in a long time, which brought me several times to tears of joy (not something that often happens!) and, to be honest, gave me hope for the future.

To begin with, Oliver is absolutely fantastic. I immediately fell in love with his palpable longing, his strong friendships, and his worldview, all combined in a character who spoke to me so deeply that I struggled to put Most Ardently down. Due to the book’s short length, there were certainly characters I would’ve loved to see played with more (Mr. Collins and Wickam are the most obvious ones that jump out at me), but the flipside of this meant getting to spend the majority of the book with a smaller cast of characters, allowing me to get to know each of them incredibly well. I particularly loved how Gabe Cole Novoa created Darcy’s character, which felt incredibly true to the original while also gaining its own spark.

Novoa sticks to the original story but is never afraid to branch out to create a book that truly feels like it could’ve existed behind Pride and Prejudice all these years. The plotlines with Mr. Bennet and Wickam particularly leaps to mind, but honestly there wasn’t a single point in this book where my absorption in the story and suspension of belief were broken—something I very rarely see in a retelling, and yet was executed so flawlessly I didn’t even register it until the end.

The only place that might’ve felt a little too perfect was the ending, but honestly, I was so happy for all the characters that I couldn’t bring myself to mind! I highly recommend Most Ardently to readers ages twelve and up, particularly those who love historical fiction or feel-good trans romance. 

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Just Shy of Ordinary by A. J. Sass (2024)

4/16/2024

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By Nico

Homeschooler Shai has grown up with their struggling mom and their best friend, Mille. Life hasn’t always been easy, but their family and friends have supported them through everything, including coming out as genderfluid a few months ago.

But back when COVID started, Shai started picking at the hair on their arms—and even though lockdown is long over, they haven’t managed to stop. Luckily, they have a plan to break the habit: they’ll strike out and make a new normal for themself. A new normal that includes going to public school for the first time.

Their plan, though, doesn’t predict her entering as a ninth grader instead of an eighth grader when her test scores place her ahead. Or her growing distance from Mille as she gets to know new friends at school. Or a project that leaves them exploring their Jewish heritage for the first time.

As public school turns out to be a little more than Shai bargained for, they’ll have to find a normal for themself that’s not just new, but right, too.

I’ve loved every book A. J. Sass has written, and Just Shy of Ordinary is not just no exception—it might be my favorite yet! Thoughtful, authentic, and hopeful, this book quite literally feels like it’s about me a few years ago, and every inch of it rings true. Quiet but incredibly compelling, I particularly loved its exploration of identity and how different facets of our lives intersect to make us who we are.

A lot of middle-grade books, particularly those centered on evolving friendships, can feel a bit drama-prone, but this was the opposite, instead encapsulating the day-to-day challenges and changes of middle and high school with an impeccable and irresistible realism. I loved Shai; their anxiety, stubborn self-sufficiency, and reactions to public school made me instantly connect with them, and watching them grow and learn was so much fun. The feeling of change was so palpable in this book, and so were all the things it triggers—anxiety, uncertainty, struggles—but throughout it all the sense of hope ties together this story into something not just uplifting, but beautiful. I highly recommend Just Shy of Ordinary to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who love middle-grade realistic fiction or fell in love with Ana on the Edge. 

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Not Your Sidekick (Sidekick Squad, Book 1) by C B Lee (2016)

3/25/2024

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By Nico

​Jessica Tran is not a hero.

Despite the superpowers of her hero parents and her older sister, she doesn’t have the gene—meaning that instead of training with the Heroes’ League of Heroes, she’s stuck hunting for internships to improve her college application.

When she finally stumbles on an internship with Monroe Industries, the premier robot-creating institution in her futuristic, high-tech world, Jess figures it’s as good as anything else as a replacement for saving the world. But the Monroe Industries internship turns out to be more interesting than Jess foresaw when she discovers her longtime crush, Abby, is one of her new coworkers—and that her parent’s longtime villain nemesis owns the company.

It becomes a way of rebellion—working for a villain, since she can’t become a hero like she always dreamed. But as Jess learns more about Monroe Industries—and the heroes she’s always idolized—she begins to question what being a hero or villain really means.

​Not Your Sidekick is a quirky, clever spoof of the classic superhero/villain narrative that instantly pulled me into its unexpected world. Although this is far from the first book to rewrite the usual hero/villain dynamic, C. B. Lee does so with particular flair, making Jess question the makeup of her society but only incorporating dystopian clichés with thoughtful self-awareness. The characters were awesome; Jess and Abby were definitely favorites, but I also loved Jess’s friend Bells, and how even minor characters who initially present as little more than superhero caricatures have their own depth and uniqueness. I also loved how Lee incorporated both queer and racial diversity into this story in a way that felt normal while also acknowledging and incorporating how a superhero-run society could exacerbate existing prejudice. I highly recommend Not Your Sidekick to readers ages twelve and up. 

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Linus and Etta Could Use a Win by Caroline Huntoon (2024)

3/18/2024

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​Thank you to Caroline Huntoon and NetGalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! This book comes out on May 7, 2024. 

Etta is Doolittle Middle School’s resident anti-everything girl—fiery, cynical, and green-haired, she’s far more likely to be watching her favorite horror movies or working on her application for Nova, the alternative high school she’s determined to get into next year, than reaching out to the new kid. Plus, after her longtime best friend, Marigold, stopped hanging out with her over the summer, Etta’s plan for eighth grade is basically to keep to herself.

But that’s before she meets Linus, who’s new to Doolittle after coming out as trans last year. He doesn’t want to stand out. Running for student council? That’s out of the question, particularly while Linus is trying to deal with his grandmother, who constantly messes up his name and pronouns.

Then Marigold makes a secret bet with Etta. To prove that Marigold isn’t as great as everyone thinks she is—and to improve her Nova application—Etta will get Linus elected to student council president. Sure, Etta has no campaigning experience, and Linus doesn’t know about the bet. But what could go wrong?

As Etta and Linus’s friendship develops and the bet’s stakes get even higher, Etta has to decide if beating Marigold is worth manipulating her new best friend—and if their friendship will survive the strain if she tells the truth.

I truly loved Linus and Etta Could Use a Win. Fast-paced, quirky, and unique, I will hands-down be rereading and recommending this book widely. Linus, Etta, and even Marigold could all easily have fallen into stereotypical, tropey characters, but instead they all quite literally shine; I particularly love Linus, whose relationships and struggles gave the story such dimensionality. The tension within his family over his grandmother rang so true, and the development of that plotline was one of my favorite parts of this book! I couldn’t stop reading this book, and I certainly didn’t want to—when it ended, I truly wished there were another hundred pages to go. I highly recommend Linus and Etta Could Use a Win to readers ages nine and up, particularly those who love queer middle grade books, friendship stories, and incredibly relatable characters.

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The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught (2024)

2/26/2024

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The Baker and the Bard comes out on March 5, 2024.

Juniper loves baking. Hadley dreams of becoming a famous bard. And when an unusual order comes into the bakery where Juniper works—an order that requires the collection of rare mushrooms from deep in the woods—the two best friends immediately volunteer. After all, as Hadley points out, how will they ever be a famous bard if they never experience a little adventure?

On their way, though, Juniper and Hadley discover that a nearby village has had its crops destroyed by a mysterious creature…and before they know it, they’re caught up in solving this mystery. And, maybe, they’ll even make some new friends along the way.

Sweet, thoughtful, and beautiful, The Baker and the Bard was comforting in a way I didn’t even know I needed. Although relatively short, I felt like I deeply connected with Juniper, Hadley, and this entire world—a fantasy world with a feeling of such normalcy that I immediately was sucked into it. The characters were truly lovely; in particular, Juniper and Hadley’s interactions felt so realistic, and their friendship consistently made me smile. I also loved the queer/nonbinary characters, whose acceptance in this world fit so well and made me think of A Psalm for the Wild-Built.

​The illustrations were bright and fun, and helped make this book a quick read while moving at a relaxing, leisurely pace. I particularly loved the frequent full-page illustrations, which contributed such a sense of place and atmosphere to the story. Although often relatively simple, they were perfectly expressive, and the primarily pastel color palette helped maintain the quiet, open mood of the story. If you love graphic novels or just feel-good reads, I highly recommend The Baker and the Bard to readers ages eleven and up!

An e-ARC of this book was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Sequel Review: Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost (Sir Callie, #2) by Esme Symes-Smith (2023)

2/19/2024

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By Nico

Note: Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost is the second book in the ongoing Sir Callie series. It is preceded by Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston. Look out - there are spoilers for the first book below! 

Callie should be happy. They and their friends ousted Helston’s evil chancellor, showing everyone that there are other ways of being than Helston’s antiquated traditions. Boys are allowed to use magic now. girls can become knights. Isn’t Callie living their dream?

The problem is, not everyone is ready for the sweeping changes Callie would like to see. And when the burgeoning dissent makes Helston too dangerous, Callie and their friends are forced to flee. Even if it means exposing themselves to the Witch of Dumoor, the source of so much of Helston’s prejudice.

But now that Callie is questioning whether Helston can ever become the safe haven they once dreamed of, it’s hard not to question everything. And that means the beliefs Callie has had their entire life about the very nature of good and evil.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, so when the sequel came out, I knew I had to read it immediately! It didn’t disappoint. I can’t think of another middle-grade book, and certainly not another middle-grade fantasy book, that balances hope, trauma, and healing in a way so authentic, and so incredibly affirming. With a sharp, insightful look at well-meaning adults, making change, and the challenges of recovering from your past, Esme Symes-Smith manages to make this book not only be as good as the first one, but even better. Already familiar with Callie, Willow, Edwyn, and Elowen at the start of this book, it was incredibly beautiful watching them grow and change, and there were so many times over the course of this book that I audibly cheered on the heroes or booed the villains that I can’t think of a better way to describe my practically incalculable emotional attachment to these characters, and this series. Perhaps the best part of this series is that there isn’t just one character trying to heal, which means that rather than narrating only a single path to learning to live with who you are, Sir Callie gives us many, a gorgeous and incredibly meaningful combination of whose tenacity and hope gave me no choice but to read this entire story as quickly as possible. I quite literally cannot wait for the third book in the series! I highly recommend Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost to readers ages eleven and up looking for everything from a fun fantasy adventure to a book to help them heal. 

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Rick by Alex Gino (2020)

2/12/2024

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By Nico

Rick knows Jeff will always be his best friend. After all, they’ve already been best friends for years, and Jeff is his favorite person to hang out with. Sure, sometimes Jeff says things that Rick isn’t totally comfortable with…but they’ll always be friends anyway. Right?

But everything seems to be changing when Rick enters middle school, particularly after he joins the Rainbow Spectrum club without telling Jeff and realizes he’s not the only person who his best friend’s words can hurt. Plus, as he’s getting to know his grandfather on the weekends, he’s wondering who he’d be without Jeff for the first time. Rick has to decide: will he keep going along with Jeff just to keep his life the same? Or will he stand up to him and be who he really is?

A sequel/companion book to Alex Gino’s novel Melissa, Rick is a thoughtful, relatable book about figuring out where you belong. Rick’s character was great—I loved how his developing understanding of himself and Jeff really powered this story, and his uncertainty felt relatable without becoming overdone. I was also glad to see the much-needed ace rep in t his story. Plus, seeing Melissa again after the conclusion of her own story felt incredibly heartwarming—watching her grow and thrive through another’s eyes made the conclusion to Melissa almost more satisfying. I recommend Rick to readers ages eight and up, particularly on audio. 

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