“Not an easy win” Chrystal D. Giles

Rated 5 stars ***** Random House. 2023. 245 p.

Twelve-year-old Lawrence had loved listening to his father’s funny stories and music. But, when he suddenly left them, his mom couldn’t afford the rent and they had to move hours away to live with his grandmother in a small town. There she was forced into a low paying job, and he got into multiple fights at school. When he was kicked out his grandmother’s motto was that one needed to work to eat so he jumped at the chance to help at a local rec center.

Though he didn’t get paid, helping at the rec gave him a chance to get out of his head. As he worked to figure out life without his father, time with kids his age began to slowly change him. At the rec chess was king, and many were good at it. Lawrence was inspired to play too and, as he learned the rules, his father’s music continued to inspire and motivate. Lawrence’s newfound strengths allowed him to empathize with and help a former enemy also struggling with a changed world.

Lawrence’s story felt very real, and I know many readers will see themselves in it. His focus, hard work, and determination to learn to play chess may inspire young readers to do the same.

Highly recommended for ages 12-14.

“The tryout” Christina Soontornvat; ill. by Joanna Cacao

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. Graphix (Scholastic). 257 p. Published September 5, 2022.

Christina was very nervous about being in 7th grade, especially since she didn’t have any classes with her best friend Megan. Her father was born in Thailand, while both she and her mom were born in the United States. However that didn’t stop students from believing she came from China or Taiwan. Daily she was called “rice girl,” and had to deal with the ignorant “go back where you came from” line. A parade of teachers in all her subjects didn’t bother to figure out how to say her last name correctly because it was Thai. Middle school was not shaping up to be great.

Football was huge in their Texas town, so Christina and Megan decided to try out for the cheerleading squad. They were sure it would lead to instant popularity. Megan was a natural because she was already a gymnast, while Christina struggled to complete the routines. She was terrified of what would happen if Megan made the squad and she didn’t, so Christina put her heart and soul into the auditions. Along the way she learned about persistence, opening herself to others, and the importance of saying “I’m sorry.”

Middle schoolers will relate to the struggles faced by Christina, especially those who have been “othered” because they’re not cookie cutters editions of their classmates.

Highly recommended for ages 11-14.

“Monsters born and made” Tanvi Berwah

Rated 3 stars *** ARC. ebook. Published September 6, 2022. SourceBooks Fire (Sourcebooks).

Koral lives in an underground home on the island of Sollonia, where people die from the sun’s heat or sea creatures. She is part of the poor Hunter and Renter caste, while rich upper-caste Landers live in luxury on another part of the island.

For generations her family has made a living capturing maristags from the ocean, training them for Landers to use in the yearly Glory Race charioteer competition. Unfortunately she and her brother have been unable to capture more maristags, so will have to wait ten months for their seasonal return. With no maristags to sell, and her little sister needing medicine to survive, Koral knows it’s only a matter of time until they die of starvation. She needs to do something to make sure they can eat and to get money for the medicine her sister needs. Her father wants her to sign up for the marriage bonus, but Koral refuses. With one maristag left in the stable, she finds a chariot and signs up for the Glory Race – even though she knows the favorite to win is the handsome Dorian Akayan, who she had once been close to a few years earlier.

The Race has always been the Lander’s domain, so no one is happy she has entered. A few Landers are so upset that they have decided she will not survive the race, while Dorian has been very cold and seems to have forgotten their childhood friendship. Koral will have to use everything in her power to survive what her fellow competitors have laid out for her if she wants to win the Glory Race and save her family.

“Monsters born and made” is almost exactly like “The Hunger Games.” Similarities include a leader who ignores the plight of the people, rich versus poor, a romantic interest, a little sister, and a competition to the death. It even ended on a cliffhanger, so readers know there’s going to be a sequel.

It was a little too predictable for me, but teen readers who couldn’t get enough of “The Hunger Games” will be happy to read about another teen competition to the death. This one is on chariots with maristags leading the way.

Recommended for ages 15 and older.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

“Seton girls” Charlene Thomas

Rated 4 stars **** ARC. ebook. Published August 30, 2022. Dutton Books (Penguin Random House).

Aly is thrilled to be at Seton High with her boyfriend J, a member of the football team. As a junior he’s only the JV team’s quarterback but next year will be the quarterback for Varsity, which hasn’t lost a game in thirteen years. Though they’re not rich like everyone else at school, and have to take a 1.5-hour bus ride there every day, she feels as if they’re meant to be at Seton. Everyone on the team hangs out, parties and looks out for each other. Football is J’s ticket to a college scholarship and playing in the NFL, while being Editor of the school newspaper is Aly’s calling.

She and the other girlfriends have always been told the team wouldn’t be undefeated without them. For years being a Seton girl has been a point of pride, especially if you’re dating a football player. However things start to go awry when Aly befriends Britt, a popular girl who has fallen from her pedestal. Britt has a few things to say about Parker, the senior star quarterback, and the team’s 13-year winning streak. Aly knows if she takes Britt’s side it will ruin everything for J and for herself, but can she stay silent in the face of Britt’s accusations and still live with herself?

I had a hard time following the storyline as it kept jumping around from past to present, which was very confusing. It would have been easier to follow if the chapters had better titles and clearer timeframes. The conflict reminded me of Laurie Halse Anderson’s “Shout,” telling us why Britt was so courageous and why her story needed to be shouted to the rooftops.

Recommended for teens aged 16 and older.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Path lit by lightning: The life of Jim Thorpe” David Maraniss

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Simon & Schuster. To be published August 9, 2022. (Includes “Notes,” and “Selected bibliography.”)

Jim Thorpe was born during a time when Native Americans struggled to hold onto their culture and land while their children were uprooted and sent to government boarding schools. Thorpe was sent to the Carlisle Indian School, where leadership believed “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” was justification for its evils of assimilation into the White world. Excelling at football and track Jim was chosen to represent the United States at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, where he won gold in the pentathlon and decathlon and set a decathlon world record.

Though he was the greatest athlete in the world, Jim’s awards and trophies were taken and his records erased when it was revealed he played semi professional baseball during breaks from school. As a result he spent his life working menial jobs, playing sports for small change, and hoping for a coaching job that never materialized. “A man has to keep hustling” Thorpe often said, but died a poor man.

Sympathetic to Thorpe’s plight and other Native Americans, Maraniss’ well-researched biography draws on rich primary source materials to supply information on Thorpe as well as important figures and events of the time. One hundred and ten years after Jim Thorpe’s victories plans are still under way to restore his records because, though the IOC finally gave medals to his family in 1983, Thorpe’s results are still not part of the Olympic record.

Highly recommended for Adults.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Burn down, rise up” Vincent Tirado

Rated 4 stars **** Sourcebooks Fire. 2022. 338 p.

People are missing in the Bronx. It started when a group of students from Fordham disappeared a year earlier, now more people have vanished. After being infected with black mold from Cisco, Raquel’s mom goes into a coma. To save her life Raquel decides to help Cherize find her cousin Cisco, hoping he can cure her mom.

Raquel’s been having bad dreams about the Bronx burning, zombies, and an evil man called the Slumlord. She also sees a barely alive Cisco who warns her about breaking the Echo game rules, which led to his disappearance. Raquel and her friends risk everything to enter the game’s world but, when they break the rules, the Slumlord comes after them.

Though what happens in the Echo game seems contrived and unbelievable, readers receive an important education about the fires that consumed neighborhoods in the Bronx, what it was like to live in apartments owned by slumlords, as well as redlining and discrimination that led to generations unable to escape poverty. This was an education to me, as I hadn’t known about what was happening in the Bronx in those troubling years. For that alone I gave this book an extra star.

Recommended for ages 14 and older.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Parachutes” Kelly Yang

Rated 5 stars ***** Katherine Tegan Books (HarperCollins). 476 p. 2020. (Includes “Author’s note.”)

Seventeen-year-old Dani has one dream – to win an important debate tournament. As a poor scholarship student at the prestigious American Prep School, winning the tournament is her only hope to continue her education. Her single immigrant mother has worked countless hours at multiple jobs to sacrifice for her education so, though she also works as a maid, juggles extracurricular work, and is a top student, she’s determined to get a Yale scholarship to make her mother’s hard work worth something.

Claire is the same age as Dani but her life in Shanghai China is completely different. Her parents are incredibly rich so, she has been raised to have everything she needs and has never wanted for anything. In a streak of rebelliousness she gets a low grade on an important exam, which embarrasses her parents enough to send her to an American school to save face. Claire is mortified when she’s forced to live with Dani and her mom in a small room with a tiny closet in their shabby home.

At school Claire finds her niche with other crazy rich Asians, while Dani is disgusted because Claire is spoiled and doesn’t know how to do her own laundry. Heat rises as Dani’s worries about the tournament lead to getting extra coaching from an overly friendly debate teacher, while Claire’s involvement with a billionaire’s son leads to more than she expected. The collision course the two have been on since they met threatens to derail their relationship, but their hidden strength helps to keep them on track.

Author Kelly Yang incorporates personal experiences in this powerful story of elitism, friendship, heartache and love. Told in alternating voices, Claire and Dani’s stories are compelling. Their story is a fitting addition to Laurie Halse Anderson’s award winning novel “Speak.”

Highly recommended for teens ages 16-18.

 

“These deadly games” Diana Urban

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Publishing Group). To be published February 1, 2022.

Sixteen-year-old Crystal and her friends are excited about the upcoming MortalDusk Tournament. Their team has been doing well in the online game, and each need to win the $250,000 state prize money. Representing the state at the Tournament would earn them the chance to earn three million dollars! Unfortunately only five players are allowed on the team, and there are six of them. Crystal is planning to be one of the players, but MortalDusk is quickly forgotten when her younger sister gets kidnapped.

Messages from a mysterious app start appearing on her phone warning her Caelyn will die if she called the police, told anyone or failed to follow directions. Unfortunately, soon after she followed the first set of directions, one of her friends died. Crystal realized the kidnapper was planning for her to kill her friends, but how could she avoid following the directions if it meant Caelyn would die? Thus begins a tale of jealousy, betrayal, suspense, fear, and death, told through flashbacks and the present time, as Crystal’s friends start to get eliminated in the kidnapper’s sick “game.”

“These deadly games” held me in thrall as I tried to figure out who was behind the kidnapping. The author did a great job distracting readers and twisting back upon herself through the tangled web of lies and deceit that had been laid five years earlier. By the time all was revealed, I was completely in shock. Well-done Diana. Very well done.

Highly recommended for ages 14 and older.

I received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Barakah beats” Maleeha Siddiqui

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. To be published October 19, 2021. Scholastic Press (Scholastic). 277 p. (Includes “Author’s note.”)

Nimra Sharif is looking forward to finally getting to attend public school. She’s always attended an Islamic school but, now that she’s in 7th grade, she’ll finally get to be with her best friend Jenna. Unfortunately her first day goes down the tubes when Jenna pays more attention to her other friends, leaving Nimra feeling left out. After she performs Zuhr, her noon prayer, she meets a group of three 8th grade boys who play and sing in a Muslim boy band called Barakah Beats. They’d heard Nimra singing her prayers, and immediately invited her to join them.

Nimra believes music isn’t allowed in Islam, but the boys have a different belief. She doesn’t want to go against her own upbringing but, when Jenna and her friends find out she was asked to join the popular band, she becomes a celebrity. Now everyone wants to be her friend. Though she’s torn between what her heart believes Islam teaches, she decides to join the band to stay in Jenna’s good graces. She enjoys her new friendships with the boys and singing, but her conscience starts acting up. The lies she has to tell her parents begin to eat at her and, soon, she will have to decide her whole middle school fate.

I enjoyed this book, and thought the author did a fine job explaining concepts of Islam and fleshing out the highs and lows of a young Muslim girl who sticks with her beliefs despite peer pressure. Siddiqui also walked a fine line explaining the differences between how Muslims feel about music, describing her thought processes in her Author’s Note.

Highly recommended for ages 12-15.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Playing the cards you’re dealt” Varian Johnson

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. Scholastic Press (Scholastic). To be published October 5, 2021. 310 p.

Ten-year-old Ant grew up playing Spades with his father, brother and grandfather. The Joplin men had always been winners at the game, but he’d lost in disgrace at the Spades Tournament a year earlier. Ant’s father was extremely proud when Ant’s older brother won in the past, so Ant is eager to play again to win his father’s approval.

Though he enjoys playing Spades with Shirley, his partner for the Tournament, Ant is distracted by his feelings for her. His confusion worsens when he finds out his dad has been hiding a problem that had been with him ever since Ant was a baby. Should he tell his mom about it, or should he listen to his dad and keep the secret between the Joplin men?

As Ant’s story unfolds, the lessons his dad taught him about manhood lead to more questions. Ant will have to learn that being a real man sometimes means doing the right thing, even when it hurts. Throughout the book Johnson gives tips and tricks on how to play Spades. Though the game was way over my head, his descriptions might entice a new crop of learners.

Recommended for ages 11-15.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.