Great Middle Grade Fiction that Represents

In honor of disability pride month, I am continuing to review novels that represent characters who help raise awareness, challenge stereotypes and promote inclusion. Both novels I was able to read over the last couple of weeks do this very well and are written for a middle grade (ages 8-12) audience.

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Crystal Allen is an author I have long admired for her deft character development in her novels and for the humor she masterfully weaves into each story. While Between Two Brothers incorporates much of Allen's trademark humor and wonderful characterization, it is a slight departure from her other books. All of Allen's novels often contain elements and issues that can be serious in nature for the audience of young people she writes for, but involve plots that are more lighthearted in tone. But Between Two Brothers deals with some topics and problems that make much of the story more serious in tone. Main character Isaiah "Ice" Abernathy has always looked up to his older brother Seth. But as the two head into the school year, Ice begins to feel like his brother, who is a senior in high school, is starting to pull away. The results of his fear and sadness that Seth is poised to move on to the next stage in his life, college, without him cause the two to have a falling out. But a tragic accident soon after leaves Seth permanently changed from the older brother Ice always relied on. 

I loved the depiction of both Ice and Seth and how close they are at the start of the story. Seth encourages Ice to break out of his shell, knowing that Ice will need to be able to speak up for himself once Seth has graduated and gone off to college. Learning to not let "shy guy" psych him out is hard for Ice. But the effort he makes to tune "shy guy" out pay off for both brothers. Determined to help out while Seth recovers from his accident, Isaiah takes on more responsibility at home. When the doctors try to convince Ice and his parents that Seth may never recover or be able to recognize them or even speak again, Isaiah decides to work with his brother in order to help him continue to get the therapy he needs to prove the doctors wrong. I loved the fact that in spite of the tragedy that befalls this family, they continue to work together and to support each other, even when they disagree. I also appreciated the realistic way that Allen gives Ice agency as a main character to believably help his brother recuperate while still keeping the storyline realistic for a middle school aged person. There were times throughout this novel where I laughed and others times that brought me to tears. Sometimes though, they were happy tears. Ice and Seth's story ends on an uplifting, hopeful note, but not one where everything goes back to the way it was before. The author acknowledges the fact that life changing events often mean that people have to face a new normal in their life and their abilities but she also shows young readers that this does not mean they are any less important or strong. In fact, both characters prove to be stronger and more resilient in the wake of Seth's accident and I think that is a beautiful message to convey. An author's note at the end of this book also lets readers know that this story was loosely based on a real event that happened to Allen's own son. So, in many ways Between Two Brothers is a firsthand account of how to face a traumatic event and come out on the other side of it with your love as a family and faith still intact. 

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Similar to the other novel, El Deafo  tells the story of a character who develops an impairment, this time through an illness. Main character Cece, in this graphic novel, is largely based on author Cece Bell's childhood experiences. I call this a work of fiction though as the author does note that some events portrayed in the novel are composites of real events, character names have been changed, and the illustrations depict bunny-like individuals instead of human beings. However, Bell does a wonderful job through both her artwork and her prose of conveying the feelings and challenges she faced as a hearing girl who becomes deaf and still has to live largely in a hearing world. The feelings of insecurity, isolation, loneliness and fear of being different come through from the moment Cece is fitted for her first hearing aid. The novel starts when Cece loses her hearing at age four and continues to follow her journey throughout elementary school up through fifth grade. 

Bell manages to capture the feelings she set out to in a realistic and engaging way. We experience her joys and sorrows with her through friendships made and lost, in facing bullies, dealing with being misunderstood and navigating her first crush. I would say that this graphic novel is geared for a younger middle grade audience since it starts out right before Cece is school age and the characters are depicted as bunnies rather than people. However, the artwork throughout was terrific and colorful and for me reminiscent of traditional comic series with its superhero vibes. I thought all-in-all this graphic novel was a delight to read and a great one for younger readers to help them to feel seen or to help them understand the world from the perspective of someone who is hearing impaired. The fact that Cece learns to embrace her differences and see them as a super power is a message that I think any young reader could relate to.

One other novel that I would have liked to review, but ran out of time to read all the way through in time was Popcorn by Rob Harrell. Again, this one is semi-autobiographical in nature and deals with disabilities that are unseen rather than physically seen ones. Like El Deafo it has illustrations as well, though it is not a graphic novel, but more of an illustrated middle grade novel similar to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The portion I read of it was both humorous and moving as Harrell takes us through the course of picture day at school and how challenging a school day can be for a student dealing with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). If you would like to read up more on this novel, click on the title to be taken to a link for it on bookshop.org. 

Next month, I am switching gears to adult reading fair with a beach reads theme for the end of summer. The first book I'll review, Heart Marks the Spot, is a new rom-com adventure by Libby Hubscher, involving treasure hunters, second chance love, and found family. Check out the cover and book blurb below, both copied from Goodreads. 

A treasure hunter and the bestselling adventure novelist who broke her heart after one successful expedition reunite for a summer to search for lost riches.

Treasure hunter Stella Moore dreams of having it all—wealth, love, and a flourishing career—but knows she’ll never be that lucky. Every summer she and her childhood friends travel to search for hidden treasure, but she can barely manage her bills, let alone a relationship. Then, a chance encounter with alluring novelist Huck Sullivan during an expedition in Iceland has Stella thinking maybe her fortune has changed.

After his last book bombed, Huck hasn’t written a word. Joining Stella and her crew on an adventure seems like the perfect distraction from his problems, and when the crew finally uncovers hidden treasure, he is certain that he’s found more than just inspiration for his next novel. Huck and Stella’s undeniable connection gives way to an unforgettable night on a black sand beach.

After Huck disappears without a goodbye, Stella vows to put the heartbreak behind her—but that’s easier said than done when, a year later, every bookstore has a life-size cutout of her ex-lover next to stacks of his latest record-breaking bestseller. Good thing it’s time for another summer treasure hunt. Stella throws herself into mapping the path to a shipwreck off Key West, but the last thing she expects is an extra crew member showing up in search of material for a sequel and a second chance. 

Stella and Huck are prepared for storms, sharks, sea sickness, even a tentative truce. But facing the feelings they buried and confronting the devastating truth about why Huck left is the only way to find what their hearts have been searching for all along.

 

Hilarious Regency Rom-Com

 

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This is not a new series for Beverley Watts. In fact, there is at least one other spin-off series to this one that is out now. But it was new to me when my sister recommended it. Both of us have been Julia Quinn fans for years. So, when she told me that this series featured a large family of almost all girls and their reverend father who is desperate to marry them off to affluent husbands, I was intrigued. Knowing that in May I was going to be traveling a lot, I looked up audiobooks for the series through my library's digital app. I was happy to find they have all nine of the books in this first series about the Shackleford family.

I was not disappointed in the least with Grace or the other two books in the series that I've listened to so far. Grace is the oldest Shackleford daughter. Soon after the newly titled duke of the estate, Nicholas Sinclair, returns, Grace finds herself inexplicably being married off to him. Of course, nothing ever goes smoothly to plan in rom-coms like this one. The two characters in the story do not have a good first encounter. But they are nevertheless reluctantly attracted to one another. Both Grace and the Nicholas carry their own scars and misbeliefs that make them certain they will not find love or true contentment in marriage to anyone, least of all each other. However, when the duke starts off their marriage ignoring Grace, she takes matters into her own hands to convince him that he would be better off letting her live an independent life and be married in name only. Hijinks of all kinds ensue. The one thing that I did find funny and surprising was the character of the father. Reverend Shackleford is every bit as impulsive, imaginative and headstrong as any of his girls. The plans he concocts are wild and wildly amusing. You expect that sort of thing from the heroines and even sometimes the heroes in these stories. But you rarely have the parents play an active role in this way in the stories.

The backstory for the Nicholas Sinclair was also interesting. He is not only the heir to the estate, but he is also a war hero in the Battle of Trafalgar against Napoleon. A severe injury ends his naval career, leaves him partially crippled and causes him to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Nicholas also has a depressing family history, which is not that uncommon in a regency romance. But part of his trauma involves his nearest and dearest from his recent and distant past. It makes a nice counterpoint to Grace, who comes from a boisterous but close-knit family. Other side characters add to the humor and heart of the story, including the reverend's assistant Percy and the reverend's wife, Agatha. The book is told from multiple points of view, from Grace, to Nicholas, to the reverend and occasionally we get Percy's perspective as well. But unbelievably this was not a detraction for me in the least. It actually helped build some light suspense at times in the plot. I started this book as an audiobook, but I ended up finishing it as an ebook. I will say that at first, I enjoyed reading the ebook version better than listening to the audiobook. The story is read by two accomplished voice actors. But when the male voice actor had to switch to telling the story from Grace's perspective he sounded like an old woman more than the young early twenty something character he was portraying. When the audio went back to the female voice actor things were fine. But listening to the man do some of Grace's dialogue was a bit jarring at times, especially listening to the story for the first time. 

So, if that sort of thing puts you off listening to a book, you might want to stick with a print or ebook version to read. If you are fans of Julia Quinn, Karen Hawkins or other regency romance authors who incorporate lots of humor and heart into their stories, I highly recommend this series. 

Stay tuned for my next review this month. In honor of disability awareness month I will be reviewing another book that features a disabled character as this one did. But the ones that I'm considering for review will be for a younger reading audience. The three that I'm considering, and depending on how long some of them are, I might do two of the three, are in no particular order:

Between Two Brothers  a middle grade novel by Crystal Allen

Popcorn a middle grade novel by Rob Harrell

El Deafo a graphic novel by CeCe Bell

I am also open to any suggestions for good reads that feature disabled characters that any of you might want to suggest as well. The titles for all three of these books also serve as links that will take you to their bookshop.org page to find out more. As always, thank you for reading!

YA Silkpunk Sequel That Takes Us to the High Seas

 

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My end of June review is of a NetGalley read that wraps of this silkpunk YA fantasy duology by Amber Chen. One that weaves in steampunk elements with mythology and some early Asian Pacific history to create a truly engrossing and often heartbreaking series full of romance and longing, found family, intrigue, politics, and adventure.

I enjoyed this sequel to Of Jade and Dragons. In The Blood Phoenix, we switch from being in the skies with airships to exploring the depths of the ocean with mysterious submersibles. Unlike Of Jade and Dragons, this book is told from dual points of view as well. We not only get Ying's perspective, but we also have part of the narrative told from her sister Nian's perspective. The story opens two years after the events of the first novel, with Ying engaged to a young man on another island. But an attack on Ying's new island home send her back to Fei and back to Ye-Yang to help the High Commander figure out a way to defeat the pirates that have been causing problems for the nine isles and interfering with trade routes between them and the Jade Empire. At the same time, we learn through Nian how things have been going within Qianlei Palace with the new High Command and the remaining beiles, including Ye-Kan, the youngest beile and former guild mate of Ying's. It seems that Ye-Yang, has been training Nian in how to deal with court politics but in every other respect treats her more like a friend or a younger sister than a fiancée.

The aspects of this novel that I loved most were the steampunk elements that are further developed. Instead of focusing on airships we are at sea in this adventure. Fleets of pirate ships, along with mysterious underwater steam-powered submersibles, or what we would call submarines, are wreaking havoc on the Order of the Cobra's ships and airships, and on civilians who make their living at sea in some way from both the nine isles and the Empire. Without giving too much away, the descriptions of how these submersibles operate and how they look are amazing. The interactions with the pirates later in the story when Ying and friends set out to test their engineering inventions was also fun and engrossing. We get to see just how much broader the scope of engineering is in the wider world beyond the confines of Fei and the Engineering Guild. The new gadgets and inventions that Ying and her guild friends are exposed to are truly incredible. Chen's imaginative worldbuilding in this respect is first rate all the way. I also enjoyed the story that develops between Nian, Ye-Kan, and with the court politics the two have to navigate. I loved the character development of Nian. She is very different from Ying in many ways, but she is no less intelligent and brave. Getting to see new facets of an older and more mature Ye-Kan through Nian's eyes was also very entertaining. All of these aspects added dimension and drama to this world and to this sequel.

This novel was very different in terms of the overall story arc from the first one. Of Jade and Dragons is very much a coming-of-age story. But The Blood Phoenix explores a different theme, one of war, politics, and the complexities that come with both. It also delves into the consequences of realized ambitions whether they be for power, revenge or both. It does not shy away from the darker aspects of the guilt and uncertainties that Ying and Ye-Yang have been left with after making the choices they do in the first novel. All of the characters in The Blood Phoenix, even some of the secondary ones, are faced with challenges that are much less black and white than what they seemed in the first book. It is much harder for them to distinguish between who is good and who is evil. Though some characters remain team bad, the other characters that we assume are adversaries at the start of the story are much more complicated and more morally gray that we are at first, led to believe. This makes the twists and turns of the novel much harder to anticipate in terms of outcomes making the tension and stakes much higher. That being said, I did think that the pacing was a bit slower than the first book. However, with all of the threads of intrigue woven into this plot, I did not mind the slightly slower pace. However, unlike the first novel in this series, I gave this sequel 4 stars rather than five. My reason for doing so was the ending. I am not a fan of open-ended conclusions. Most of the the loose threads are very deftly wrapped up at the end of the story. However, while we are given slivers of hope for some characters in the resolution, their circumstances at the conclusion are still left very uncertain. I only hope that if the author writes any other stories set in this world we are given some hints about what transpired for some of these characters we are left to wonder about.

If you don't mind some story ending ambiguity and you enjoy stories with lots of fun and imaginative steampunk elements, I highly recommend this duology. I am definitely interested in reading more books by Amber Chen after finishing this series. Even though she was clear that for these characters this is the end, this world has lots of potential for series spinoffs or even another series duology with different characters set at some future date in this world.

For my first review in July I will be switching gears from YA and fantasy to adult regency romance. I will be reviewing the first in a regency rom-com series I've discovered by Beverley Watts. It came highly recommended to me by one of my sisters and I have thoroughly enjoyed the first three books in the Shackleford Sisters series. Both the cover and the blurb below for the first book were copied from Goodreads. 

In this funny romantic series, the Shackleford sisters descend on a Regency society that don’t know what’s hit them…

....Reverend Augustus Shackleford’s mission in life (aside from ensuring the collection box was suitably full every Sunday) was to secure advantageous marriages for each of his eight daughters. A tall order, given the fact that in the Reverend’s opinion they didn’t possess a single ladylike bone in the eight bodies they had between them. Quite where he would find a wealthy titled gentleman bottle headed enough to take any of them on remained a mystery and indeed was likely to test even his legendary resourcefulness.

....Grievously wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar, Nicholas Sinclair was only recently returned to Blackmore after receiving news of his estranged father’s unexpected death. After an absence of twenty years, the new Duke was well aware it was his duty to marry and produce an heir as quickly as possible. However, tormented by recurring nightmares after his horrific experiences during the battle, Nicholas had no taste to brave the ton’s marriage mart in search of a docile obedient wife.

…..Never in his wildest dreams did Reverend Shackleford envisage receiving an offer for his eldest daughter from the newly appointed Duke of Blackmore. Of course, the Reverend was well aware he was fudging it a bit in describing Grace as respectful, meek or dutiful, nevertheless, he could never have imagined that his eldest daughter’s unruliness might end up ruining them all….

Enthralling YA Silkpunk

 

Image copied from Goodreads

So, I was excited to learn that I'd been approved to receive a free eARC for a young adult silkpunk fantasy. I'd never read a silkpunk fantasy before and the premise sounded action-packed and romantic. I didn't realize it at the time, but the eARC was actually the second book in a duology series. Not wanting to read the second and final installment without having read the first, I immediately looked up the first book at my local library, hoping they'd have a copy. To my relief they did. Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen was a fast-paced thrill ride that was reminiscent of Mulan but set in a steampunk ancient fantasy world reminiscent of ancient China. That is where the silkpunk comes into play. It is set in a time much earlier than most steampunk novels, but in spite of the society being less industrialized, there is still steam powered technology present in that world. We're talking airships, steam-powered, horseless carriages, among other devices and marvels.

The story follows main character Aihui Ying who is an unconventional daughter. One who dreams of someday being an engineer like her father. When her father is murdered, Ying decides to travel to the Engineers Guild in her homeland's capital. Disguised as her brother, she is determined to discover who killed her father and why. She also hopes to become a master engineer by winning the apprentice trials held by the Engineers Guild where her father was trained. However, Ying almost loses her life before even arriving at the capital city when she accidentally stumbles into the assassin who killed her father. Saved by a mysterious prince, Ying is amazed when Ye-Yang, the fourth in line to the Antaran throne, agrees to help her get into the guild trials by sponsoring her. She is further surprised that he is willing to do so even knowing she is a girl and not Aihui Min, the younger brother Ying is pretending to be. 

The push-pull between Ying and Ye-Yang in this novel is so romantic and tension filled. I was clutching my none existent pearls in so many of their scenes together, wondering would this be the moment they finally give in and kiss. I don't often get as swept up in the romance aspect of fantasy novels as I did when I was younger. But this one really got me in the feels. I also enjoyed the mystery of figuring out who killed Ying's father and why. There were some clues that I guessed right about early on. But I didn't see the full twist at the end coming at all, when Ying at last begins to understand the political machinations that have been in play from the beginning. It made me eager to read the next book in the series once I'd devoured this one. I think that if you are someone who enjoys a well-written young adult steampunk fantasy with complex romantic elements, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

I am halfway through the second book that I was pleased to receive as an eARC from NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and Amber Chen. My next blog post will be a review of it shortly after its release date, which is June 17th. So far, I am loving it as much as the first book though the tone and arc for the story are much different than Of Jade and Dragons. The blurb and the cover for book two, The Blood Phoenix, are both copied from NetGalley. 

The sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, a thrilling and epic silkpunk fantasy inspired by the legendary Qing dynasty. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim and Xiran Jay Zhao.

Two years after Ying leaves the Engineer’s Guild and the ghost of her father’s unjust death behind, life seems to regain a semblance of normalcy. But the winds of unrest continue to stir within the Nine Isles, and the aftermath of a horrific pirate attack by the mysterious Blood Phoenix fleet forces Ying back into the tense political world of the new High Commander, Ye-yang. And soon, Ying, Ye-yang and her former friends from the guild must work together to find a way to outsmart the cunning pirates who terrorize the straits—and the elusive mastermind who’s controlling them.  

Meanwhile, Ying’s sister, Nian, now lives in the capital, awaiting the day she will finally marry the High Commander. While her relationship with Ye-yang remains distant, she finds company in her friendship with the fourteenth prince, Ye-kan, and discovers her unexpected affinity for governance and strategy. But the capital is more dangerous than she expects, and when a dark conspiracy arises, Nian and Ye-kan must unravel the mystery in time to prevent the High Command from collapsing from within. 

New dangers arise at every moment, threatening to tear the Nine Isles apart. In order to sail through this storm, Ying and her loved ones must make difficult choices amidst terrible betrayals. With the world on the brink of destruction, will they find a way to defeat their enemies and survive? And will it be worth the cost?

Beautiful MG Fantasy of Friendship, Growing Up, and Family

 

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So, I've been reading a lot of middle grade contemporary, and urban fantasy lately. I tend to immerse myself in whatever genre my current work-in-progress is as much as I can and this time has been no different. In keeping with the theme that has emerged for this month's reviews, in sticking with the middle grade genre of fiction, today's will be one I picked up at McKay's Books-Knoxville. One of my favorite brick-and-mortar, used bookstores and one of my absolute favorite places to go in Knoxville. A real shocker for those who know what a bookdragon I am, I know! The blurb on this lovely novel by Jodi Lynn Anderson sounded like a winner in terms of being a good one to read in the genre I'm working in right now, and I wasn't disappointed by The Memory Thief the first in Anderson's Thirteen Witches trilogy. 

This book was one I became instantly immersed in. The prologue is intriguing and heart-wrenching and leaves you wondering what will happen next. From there we switch from the perspective of main character and twelve-year-old Rosie Oakes, who lives with a mother who can barely function and doesn't seem to know who she is most days. As the cover blurb for Anderson's novel reveals, "...Rosie Oaks’s mom is missing whatever it is that makes mothers love their daughters." We're also introduced to Rosie's best friend Germ. Gotta love that nickname! The two have been inseparable since kindergarten. But lately, Germ has been pulling away and not a interested in the fairy tale-like stories Rosie loves to weave about heroines brave enough to break the evil curses placed on their loved ones. 

This conflict becomes a major theme that is explored in the story, that push-pull of early adolescence where you want to simultaneously cling to the familiar interests and beliefs of childhood while also being drawn to explore more grown-up interests. Rosie's observations of the changes in her friend magnify how growing into one's adolescent self comes hand-in-hand with developing crushes on classmates, caring about personal appearance and navigating self-expression through how we dress which also comes at the cost of our youthful confidence to some degree. No matter how Germ seems to fight it, she can't fully escape the fears and insecurities that come with caring about what others think and wanting to fit in socially. In the process, Rosie feels more and more as if she is being left behind, something that she fears due to the isolation she'd be left with because Germ is the only true friend or family Rosie feels she has. Anderson handles these themes with a deft hand while simultaneously incorporating the wonder of the strange fantasy elements in the story. 

In a fit of self-pity after Germ's less than enthusiastic response to her latest tale, Rosie decides to get rid of all her stories. In doing so, she unlocks an unknown power. A discovery that leads her to find a family journal that reveals the stories and secrets of Rosie's family legacy. It seems she is descended from a long line of witch hunters. It is through the journal that Rosie learns that one such witch has the power to steal important memories, and she's the reason Rosie's mom is the way she is. Despite the gulf that has been growing between them, Germ is loyal to Rosie throughout the upheaval that ensues from all of these discoveries. I truly loved that even though their friendship is tested, their bond stays strong and her friend is unquestioningly willing to follow Rosie on her quest to save her mom and restore her to herself. In stories of friendship like this one, it could've been all too easy to isolate Rosie even more. But while there is some uncertainty there at times, Germ never abandons her best friend. I love the importance of loyalty and friendship that is stressed through those story choices and I think its something that would deeply resonate with many pre-teen and early adolescent readers. 

All of this combined with the adventure, danger and the beautiful prose that emphasizes the power of stories, made this one of my favorite reads for 2025 so far. Anderson truly makes the reader think as Rosie ponders her own abilities and power as a storyteller with observations like this one, "I lean back and watch with awe as they lift off--hundreds of them, rising into the sky. It is a beautiful, triumphant and sad thing...It's comforting because it makes me feel like the broken things of the world have a place after all, and that they get put back together again somewhere else....Maybe stories make powerful things out of broken ones" (Anderson). I also loved quotes like this one. This really got me thinking about the power of imagination and creativity where Rosie is told, "It took a dream to make the first house. The first language" (Anderson). I could add more as there were so many wonderful observations about the power of stories throughout the book. But hopefully these will be enough to wet your appetite for more and want to read this novel for yourself. I am looking forward to reading the other two novels in this trilogy and to root Rosie and her best friend Germ on to stop the thirteen witches from spreading their darkness and mayhem over this beautiful fantasy world. If you click on the book's title, it will take you to bookshop.org to purchase your own copy for those interested. You can also choose an independent bookstore to support in your area with your purchase. 

I am not sure what reviews will be in store for next month. I have several to choose from. I also hope to have some links and announcements to reveal by the end of June for an author website and newsletter. So, stay tuned! Last, but certainly not least, I am beyond excited to announce that my mystery Intuition of Evil is under contract with Rowan Prose Publishing. It will be out as both an ebook and trade paperback novel in April of 2027. But in the meantime, I will have a cover reveal to show everyone this coming June 25th. Here is a little teaser for that below.

I truly can't wait for you to meet my character Emily Monroe and follow her in her adventures!

Heartbreaking and Important Historical Fiction

Image copied from Goodreads

So, I know I mentioned several genres for my review today and this book is none of those. But it is a very appropriate one to recommend, I think, for Mother's Day. All He Knew by Helen Frost follows the journey of Henry a boy who is struck deaf by illness at a very young age. As he approaches school age, his parents seek outside help for his education as the small town they live in cannot offer him the services he needs to learn to read and write in the local public school system. In the 1930s and 1940s when the story takes place, this was all too common. His mother takes Henry to a school for the deaf where they insist on testing him to see if he is teachable or not before admitting him. Something that seems counterproductive nowadays, but again something that was likely all too common then. Not understanding the test, Henry fails it and his parents are told he is unteachable and the best thing they can do for him is to institutionalize him at Riverview, a home for the feeble-minded. 

I knew going in from reading the blurb that this book would be a challenging read. Not because it is a particularly long book. It's not. It is a novel-in-verse, utilizing mostly free-verse forms of poetry and it is geared toward middle school aged or middle grade aged readers, those between 8-12 years old. For those reasons, it is not hard to follow or understand for an adult reader at all. The challenge comes in reading about a boy, who today would be seen as just as capable mentally as any other child, being treated as less than because his family is poor and he cannot hear. It is hard to face that only a couple of generations ago that this was all too common an occurrence. That parents like Henry's were told to put them in an institution where they were often neglected, abused and where they were not given a basic education of any kind. That is hard to face as a contemporary reader. It is hard to face because it seems there are some people today who still believe this is the best option for those with disabilities. It is a mistake of the past that we seem in danger of repeating. But in reading books like this one, young people are offered an important glimpse of what people like Henry are capable of and can see how resilience and determination can help them overcome their own seemingly insurmountable challenges. 

In the story, a conscientious objector (CO) during World War II by the name of Victor helps Henry and helps others see that he is not in fact unteachable at all. The ending offers readers hope that others like him were able to experience positive changes after the war. The author's note informs us that the person who inspired her to write this novel did not in fact, escape his circumstances. But that is not Henry's story and in passing on this recommendation for this beautifully written novel, I hope that it does not ever have to be the story of anyone with a disability, whether it be physical or mental, ever again. If you love historical fiction with a powerful and ultimately uplifting message, I urge you to read this book by Helen Frost and to pass it on to young readers as well. I also wish all who are mothers and all who mother, a beautiful, safe, and very happy Mother's Day!

 

Cozy Fantasy Meets British Bakeoff

Image copied from Bookshop.org

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a delightful cozy fantasy! I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and I think the premise was perfect for this genre. If you like lighthearted fantasy and are familiar with the Great British Baking Show you will likely love this book. Arleta Starstone is a master baker living in a sleepy shire. Her only stumbling block for achieving her dreams of opening her own bakery someday is that she is a magicless human trying to make her way in a world full of magical beings. When her next-door neighbor secretly enters her in the kingdom's Baking Battle, Arleta is shocked to learn she's been issued an invitation to compete. But she is equally certain she'll be disqualified when the judges learn she is a magicless human.

The premise of a baking competition for much of the story, lends a familiarity to this fantastical setting where the other competitors are elves, dwarves and halflings, making this a perfect fit for a cozy fantasy. The stakes are still high for Arleta to succeed in order to fulfill her greatest dream. But during the baking scenes, hearing how she feels most at home while mixing up delicious pastries, cakes or cookies is relatable for anyone who either loves baking or loves watching baking on TV (which is totally me). I also loved the friends Arleta makes along the way and her love interest in the story, Theo. The worldbuilding is fun as well. Instead of baking in a tent, they are baking in a castle in a city of elves. I don't want to give too much away, but I truly loved all the fantastical beings depicted in the story and suspect there will be more books in the series from these secondary characters' point of view.

Some may be a bit turned off by Theo's instant enamorment of Arleta. But this is believably explained later in the book, in my opinion. Often in this trope one character already has a crush on the other for some reason. So, I wasn't surprised by this for Fellowship. I did get a little frustrated with Arleta towards the end of the story at her stubborn inability to accept Theo's affections, even when he continues to help her after the Baking Battle. But other than that, I found this novel to be as strong in its writing and characterization as "The Spellshop" by Sarah Beth Durst or T. Kingfisher's "A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking." I look forward to reading more books by J. Penner set in Adenashire. She is one of my new favorite cozy fantasy authors.

As for my next review, stay tuned. I have several books I'm considering for May. But I have not settled on exactly which one will be next. So, my May 11th review will be a surprise. It will likely be a romance, or a YA fantasy, or an urban fantasy. It could also be a middle grade contemporary fantasy that I read recently that just had some incredibly beautiful prose and explored some important themes about the power of the written word and imagination. That one might be a definite review for next month. So, if you love any of those genres of fiction, one or all of them may be in my review line up for May and June.