Review: Pumpkin

Pumpkin by Julie Murphy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Waylon is openly gay and he couldn’t hide it if he wanted to.  He is looking forward to the end of his senior year when he will move to Austin with his twin sister for college.  He plans to go Full Waylon at college and live out his true self.  Waylon gets mad after getting dumped and makes an audition tape for his favorite TV drag show.  It is meant for him and his sister, but when it accidentally gets shared with the entire school, he somehow ends up on the prom court as a queen nominee.  What was meant to be a joke on Waylon turns into a chance to let the school truly know who he is!  What will Waylon learn about himself, his sister, and his schoolmates as he finishes his senior year?

 

Pumpkin is the third book in the Dumplin’ series.  With that said, each book is not a direct sequel, and readers who pick up this novel will be able to have the full experience without having read any of the previous books.  I will say that the book took a bit of time to get rolling.  Early on I was considering not even finishing it, but once Murphy had all the characters in their places, the story was a whirlwind of joy to read.  I even found myself having happy tears at the end.  I recommend Pumpkin to everyone who enjoys coming-of-age stories.

View all my reviews

Review: Enduring Freedom

Enduring Freedom by Trent Reedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

September 11, 2001 changed the lives of many people.  Enduring Freedom is the story of two teens from different parts of the world and how these events affected them.  Baheer is an Afghan teen whose family had to change everything after the war caused them to lose their business.  Joe is a private in the Army National Guard who wants to become a journalist.  Joe’s schooling is put on hold when his unit is activated to go to Afghanistan.  Baheer uses the little English he knows to help his family by providing services to the Americans.  Joe doesn’t trust any of the locals, but as Baheer keeps coming by; Joe starts to see him as a person instead of a nation.  What will these teens learn about each other as their paths continue to cross?  Will this relationship stay professional or will they ever become friends?

 

Enduring Freedom is a historical fiction story that tugged on my heartstrings.  I was in the Army National Guard during Desert Storm and remember the thought of activation always on my mind.  As a young teacher when 9-11 happened, I saw these same feelings flowing around the seniors in the school.  Today’s teens were not alive when this happened, but that does not mean they can’t understand what was going on.  Reedy took some really hard topics and made them relatable to today’s readers and hopefully this book will make everyone who picks it up re-think about what they thought they knew about this time period.  Enduring Freedom is not a long book and I recommend it to everyone, even if war or history is not your go-to genre. 

View all my reviews

Review: Off the Record

Off the Record by Camryn Garrett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Josie has always wanted to be a writer. No matter what is going on in her life, she knows that if she turns to writing she will feel good again. She has just found out she won a contest and will be participating in a multi-city tour where she will follow a celebrity on a publicity tour. She even gets to write up a celebrity profile for Deep Focus magazine to wrap up the experience. Josie can’t believe she has been assigned Marius Canet for her profile. She believes she is living her dream until an actress tells her a secret that shakes her world. That secret leads to others who had a similar experience. Josie wants to make the secret known, but does she have what it takes?

Off the Record is a stand-alone realistic fiction story that covers so many topics everyone should read it. The main character is proud of who she is, yet she struggles with her size and how other people view her. She wants to be a writer, but many people dismiss her because she is only 17 years old. Also, being thrown into the celebrity world she realizes that the #MeToo movement affects all types of people. Off the Record was a great read and I recommend it to everyone, no matter if you are an adult or young adult reader.


View all my reviews

Review: Realm Breaker

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Corayne can feel that there is something wrong in the world. Darkness is growing and spreading across Allward. Not everyone can feel the darkness, but it seems that Corayne is part of an ancient line that is destined to save the world. Luckily, she doesn’t have to save the world alone. Her quest gives her a variety of helpers with a unique skill set to get the job done. Separately they would not survive, but together they have a chance to overcome this evil. What will Corayne need to do to help her world?

Realm Breaker is the first book in the series with the same name. This fantasy novel is rich in symbolism and mysticism and Aveyard’s world-building brings the characters alive. Since Corayne has such a varied group of helpers there is most likely a character that every reader will relate to. As with any novel that includes a quest, readers will enjoy an adventure through an unfamiliar world and slowly learn the quirks of each person as the story unfolds. Now that the foundation of the story is set, I look forward to the next book in this series.


View all my reviews

Review: Sunkissed

Sunkissed by Kasie West
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is time for summer vacation and Avery’s parents decided to go big.  They booked the family for two months in a family camp where there is no cell service and no Wi-Fi.  This is hard to adjust to, but Avery soon finds a distraction in an off-limits staff member.  Avery feels this is the best opportunity to try new things and test the boundaries of what her parents had planned for her.  Will a summer romance be in Avery’s future?  What limits will Avery stretch as she explores who she is?

 

Sunkissed is a stand-alone young adult romance that was a pleasure to read.  This was a very fun experience because romance was not the main focus.  There was the coming of age theme, building friendships and sibling issues weaved together.  The journey before Avery becomes more than she expects and the outcome will leave readers glad they invested the time in the book.  Sunkissed is a fun escape read that will appeal to readers of all ages.

View all my reviews

Review: Dare

Dare by Christina Bauer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Calla has always loved to pull a prank.  Everyone else feels she needs to stop, even if that means she is banned from Faerie.  Before they can get her out of their realm, Calla performs some extraordinary magic and becomes their Queen.  Now instead of pulling pranks, she is expected to rule the court.  When her friend Prince Dare is accused of releasing a new plague, she must decide what she trusts more … her heart or her people.  What pranks will Calla need to complete before she gets to the truth?  How will Calla’s feelings for Dare change through this trial?

 

Dare is the third book in the Pixieland Diaries series.  This book is very short (probably better to classify it as a novella), yet the storyline made huge jumps.  Bauer, once again, has written a book that is easy to love and a fun escape to read.  There is Faerie mischief and romance throughout and the diary format makes for an even faster read.  Although I would probably say this is appropriate for all young adult readers, there are a few “strong” words that might make a few middle school readers cringe.  Other than that, it is a great continuation and I can’t wait for the fourth book to be released next year.

View all my reviews

Review: The Serpent's Curse

The Serpent's Curse by Lisa Maxwell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Esta knows what she is doing.  Not only is she an experienced thief, she also is able to travel in time.  There is one mission she wants to be successful with and it will require her to travel to 1902 New York.  As with many plans, there is a problem.  A goddess was trapped in the artifact and she wants to use Esta to destroy the world.  Esta now has a new mission, but will time be on their side?

 

The Serpent’s Curse is the third book in The Last Magician series.  I usually love third books.  The reader knows the characters and the world-building and storyline are well developed already, yet, this book did not follow this pattern.  Maxwell’s newest story did not keep my attention and I constantly found my mind wandering away from the pages.  Those who enjoyed the first two books will most likely enjoy this third installment, but if you haven’t started the series yet, you might want to pass this one by.

View all my reviews