The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla

 

On Sunday, I finished reading The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla. This realistic fiction novel is about Maudie, a 13-year-old girl who is autistic. Although she lives with her mom and new stepdad, Ron, in Texas for most of the year, she is excited to be spending another summer with her dad, who lives in a cabin that he built himself in Molinas, California. As they're coming back from breakfast at Rosie's Diner, Maudie and her dad have to evacuate to an emergency shelter due to a wildfire. After speaking with her mom, Maudie's dad decides that they will go to Conwy, a small beach town in southern California where he grew up. The first morning, when she goes to the beach and watches a surfer, Etta, she decides that she wants to learn how to surf. She even gets the idea to enter the beginner's competition at the Surf Bash, which takes place at the end of the summer, to win a $1000 prize after reading a poster. While making new friends and learning to surf from Etta, a secret weighs heavily on her. She wants to tell her dad about Ron's harsh treatment of her, but her mom made her promise to never tell anyone. As the Surf Bash approaches, she must find the courage to reveal the truth before it's too late.

As I read this book, I thought it was wonderful. I loved rooting for Maudie and admired her courage to try surfing and even enter a competition despite the fact that it was something that she had never done before. Although she does face challenges because she is autistic, she has the determination to work through her issues. I absolutely adored her relationship with her dad and thought she would be happier if she lived with him as the story went on. His situation with losing his home and having to find work because of the wildfire isn't ideal, but it was clear how much he cared about Maudie and understood her needs. On the other hand, Maudie's mom was so disappointing. I know the reasons for why she would chose to stay with someone like Ron (security, wealth), but it broke my heart that she would pick him over her own daughter because he was truly awful when he would take his anger out on Maudie to the point of being abusive. Maudie deserved better than that, and by the end of the book, I was really hoping she wouldn't have to go back to Texas with her mom and Ron. I also enjoyed all the friendships Maudie made while in Conwy. Etta was a great surfing coach and it was nice that Maudie had so many people, like Max, Begonia, Naldo, and Dr. Shakti, looking out for her, while her dad worked. I like that she befriended Paddi, Dr. Shakti's daughter who goes to a school for kids with special needs, as well. Even though Paddi is a little younger than Maudie, both of the girls are neurodivergent (Paddie has ADHD), so they were able to find plenty of common ground. The climax of the story was incredibly intense, so the ending felt like a huge sigh of relief, but I was also very happy for Maudie at the same time. Although this book is mostly prose, there is verse scattered throughout. The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn is an outstanding example of how those with disabilities are vulnerable to becoming victims of abuse and anyone should read it.

Flame in the Mist Series by Renée Ahdieh

 

Last week, I finished reading the Flame in the Mist duology by Renée Ahdieh. This fantasy series, set during Feudal Japan, is about Hattori Mariko, the seventeen-year-old daughter of a prominent samurai. In the first book, on her way to the imperial city of Inako to marry Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor and his consort, she is attacked in Jukai forest. She believes that the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits, is responsible, so she disguises herself as a boy to infiltrate their ranks and find out who exactly wanted her murdered. As she earns the trust of their leader, Takeda Ranmaru, and his second-in-command and best friend, Ōkami, she begins to question her suspicions and preconceived notions about the Black Clan. She is also increasingly drawn to Ōkami as they spend more time together. Meanwhile, Mariko's twin brother, Kenshin, is searching for her. In the second book, Smoke in the Sun, Mariko and Ōkami have both been captured and taken to Heian Castle by Raiden and his younger brother, Roku, who is the new emperor. As her wedding to Raiden approaches, Mariko pretends to be a dutiful bride-to-be while she tries to come up with a scheme to rescue Ōkami, who is being tortured by Raiden and Roku. With Roku increasingly paranoid about maintaining power and eliminating traitors, a mysterious sickness spreads across the empire, threatening its safety if nothing is done to stop it.

There are also two short stories in this series. Ōkami focuses on Ōkami's thoughts during the journey to Heian Castle. Although he could free himself and escape, he is unsure if he would be able to save Mariko and doesn't want to risk the emperor having his men killed. Yumi is about Yumi, a maiko that Takeda Ranmaru and Ōkami introduced to Mariko in Hanami. After she receives news of the Black Clan being discovered and Ōkami's capture, she decides that she must start making her own decisions and take meaningful action, even if it means going against her brother's desire to protect her.

Flame in the Mist was another spectacular series by Renée Ahdieh, and I feel like she really excels in writing duologies. After reading Flame in the Mist, I enjoyed how the two short stories helped set the stage for Smoke in the Sun. It felt vital to gain more insight into Ōkami's and Yumi's motivations for their decisions leading into the plot of the second book. I also liked how the books reminded me of Mulan. Mariko is brave and strong, like Mulan, and her character development was amazing as she began to recognize her privilege during her time with the Black Clan. Most of all, though, I loved her enemies-to-lovers romance with Ōkami. I can't say much more without spoiling key events of the story, but the prologue, "The Beginning," was a great tease as the catalyst for the story and I figured that the boy in the chapter had to be important to Mariko's story. There were so many side characters that I liked from the moment I met them, like Takeda Ranmaru, Yoshi (the cook), and Haruki (the metalsmith), and Yumi, but I was most surprised by Raiden and how he grew in the second book because originally I didn't want to like him. I definitely did not expect the ending, but it was satisfying after all the twists and turns that kept me on my toes. I'm still wondering about a couple of minor things, but they don't take away from my enjoyment of the series. All in all, this duology is an outstanding choice for fans of fantasy, adventure, and romance.

D&D Dungeon Club Series by Molly Knox Ostertag & Xanthe Bouma

  

Last week, I read the D&D Dungeon Club series by Molly Knox Ostertag & Xanthe Bouma. This graphic novel series that combines realistic fiction and adventure is about Jess Descheene and Olivia Aguilar, best friends who have loved making up stories since they were little kids and now enjoy playing the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons, as eighth grade students. In the first book, Roll Call, when Olivia wants to create a club and add new players to their group, Jess struggles with the idea of sharing her best friend and their game with Tyler Rubio, the boy who decides to join the club. In the second book, Time to Party, although she loves being the Dungeon Master, Olivia begins to stress out about their game after they add two more players, Sam Geller and Sammi Mitchell, and the plotlines gets more complicated. It doesn't help matters when her sister, Lu, suggests that D&D isn't important when she's home from college, making Olivia doubt her hard work. In the third and final book, Final Face-off, Tyler still has an imaginary friend, Sunny, who is also his character when he plays D&D. After Sunny pushes Tyler into confessing his feelings to Sam, his crush since they had a moment at the Halloween Dance, through a letter that goes missing from his backpack, Tyler demands that Sunny leave him alone. Without Sunny, Tyler must stand up to his bully, Kelly Bruler, and learn to trust that his friends will have his back.

This series was a quick read and I had a lot of fun reading it, even if there was a moment in Final Face-off that nearly made me cry. Although I've never played D&D myself, I definitely found the characters' everyday problems relatable because I've been through the hardships of middle school. I loved how Jess, Olivia, and Tyler grew through the challenges that they faced: friendship conflict, identity questioning, managing priorities, bullying, and more. I also liked the different dynamics between the characters, including Olivia and Jess's friendship of five years, Sam and Sammi's friendship, and Tyler's developing connection with Sam. My favorite part, though, was actually being able to see the story they created with their D&D campaign. It was interesting how Sir Corius was almost a perfect reflection of Jess, while Sunny was the complete opposite of Tyler and someone he strove to be more like even when it got him into trouble. Additionally, I enjoyed Sammi's character, Snowball, and Sam's character, Leumas, because they were absolutely hilarious and delightful. The D&D story itself was amazing, too, with Sir Corius looking for his sister, Corinth, and realizing that she had betrayed him, only for Corinth to need rescuing after after she opened the portal to the abyss and Prince Graz'zt imprisoned her. Sir Corius going from being a lone wolf to having a group of a friends on which he could rely was another great development. As for the Dungeon Master, I thought it was cool how sometimes Olivia was inspired by their real lives, like when the club's characters went to a ball after they went to the Halloween Dance in their real lives. The D&D Dungeon Club series is both versatile and heartwarming with vibrant illustrations, and I recommend it to those who love fantasy adventures, especially D&D fans, and friendship stories.

Don't Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton

 

On Friday, I finished reading Don't Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton. This mysterious horror novel is about two brothers, ten-year-old Adam and fourteen-year-old Victor, who are vampires with very different perspectives. While Adam wants to use his vampire abilities to help mortals, Victor's favorite movie is The Lost Boys and he wishes that their mom, who works in a hospital, brought home young blood more often so that he can tap into all of his vampire powers. After the bodies of two murders are found in their hometown of Lacey, Washington, Adam tries to solve the mystery on his own with the help of two mortal kids, Shoshana and Luis. Meanwhile, Victor comes across Luis's older sister, Alejandra, who searching for the alleged vampire that murdered her friend. When it becomes clear that a vampire hunter is after their family, Adam and Victor must put aside their differences to stop the killer before he murders anyone else.

I've read a lot of vampire novels in the past, so I was very excited to read this story and ended up enjoying it a great deal. The mystery was suspenseful and I appreciated how the identity of the vampire hunter wasn't revealed until close to the end because it built up anticipation. The climax of the novel was very nerve-wracking, even if I felt sure that none of the main characters would die, because of the conflict between Adam and Victor and how it separated them when they needed each other the most. I also loved the unique mythology that Moulton developed for the vampires in her story. I've read enough vampire stories and seen enough TV shows and movies that I know that they aren't always evil, but I thought it was fascinating that vampires went into hiding after being persecuted even though they could heal mortals using blood magic. The one thing I didn't like was how the author used Shoshana as a spokesperson about racism and prejudice. I agree with the author's message, but it felt heavy-handed. On the other hand, I did like how Shoshana helped Adam learn about his Jewish heritage because he was only a baby when he was rescued and turned into a vampire. Additionally, Adam and Victor definitely felt like real brothers. They sometimes make mistakes and miscommunicate even when it's obvious how much they care about each other. I adored the dynamic of their family of two moms and an older sibling, Sung, and they really came together in the end. Sung was particularly helpful when Adam needed someone from their family right away. Although there is an author's note covering her inspiration at the end of the book, I took a particular interest in the explanation of locations because I thought it was cool that Moulton used real life places in Don't Want to Be Your Monster. Overall, there are many more good aspects about this book than bad, and anyone who is a vampire fan and/or enjoys murder mysteries should read it.

The Myth of Monsters by Katherine Marsh

 

Last week, I finished reading the first two books of The Myth of Monsters series. This fantasy series is about Ava Baldwin, a seventh grade girl who struggles control her anger and learns that she is a descendant of Medusa. In the first book, Medusa, Ava's parents send her and her brother, Jax, to the Accademia del Forte, a mysterious international boarding school in Venice, Italy, after she accident freezes her classmate, Owen, for talking over her one too many times and taking a book she wanted to check out from the library for her Greek mythology project on Athena. At the Accademia, the descendants of mythological monsters are taught to control their powers and emotions. Soon, Ava befriends Fia, Layla, and Arnold. When Fia is almost expelled for challenging a teacher, they go on an adventure to find out the secret that the school is hiding about Medusa. In the second book, The Gods' Revenge, Ava, Jax, and their friends return to the Accademia for the next school year. When Layla is accused of biting a new student, Angus, at the Carnival Ball and banished, Ava leads them on a rescue mission while learning the truth about Layla's ancestor, the original Empusa.

Although these books could be a little preachy at times, I truly enjoyed reading them because of the adventure and world-building. I've long loved Greek and Roman mythology (Hercules is one of my favorite Disney animated movies) and it was fun and interesting reading a series that focuses on the monsters of Greek myths. I feel like I learned a lot about some of the lesser known characters, especially the female ones. Ava is a wonderful protagonist, and I really liked how she, Jax, Fia, Layla, and Arnold used their strengths to work together as a team in both Medusa and The Gods' Revenge. Additionally, it was very cool how they went to different places, like Tartarus, Olympus, the Stygian Marsh, and Mount Etna. I was also surprised at how many of the islands in the Venice area I recognized from my own trip there two summers ago in July 2024. That's another reason why this book series especially piqued my interest: I felt like I could actually imagine the setting accurately, which isn't often the case, and I'm very appreciative of fantasies that are rooted in the real world, like Harry Potter and Amari and the Night Brothers. Overall, The Myth of Monsters series is engaging and vibrant, and those who love fantasy and mythology should read it. I'm certainly looking forward to the third book.

The Wrath and the Dawn Series by Renée Ahdieh

 

Over the weekend, I finished reading The Wrath & the Dawn duology by Renée Ahdieh. This fantasy series, inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, is about Shahrzad al-Khayzuran, a sixteen-year-old girl who volunteers to marry Khalid Ibn al-Rashid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan. In the first book of the series, Khalid takes a new bride each night only to have her executed before sunrise, but Shahrzad has a clever plan to stay alive and get revenge on Khalid for the murder of her best friend, Shiva, and the other girls. Not everything is as it seems, though, and as Shahrzad begins to fall for Khalid, she decides that she must find out the truth of why Khalid's brides are murdered and break the cycle somehow. In the second and final book, The Rose & the Dagger, Shahrzad and Khalid are separated when the threat of war is greater than ever. Although Shahrzad is reunited with her family in the desert, she desperately wants to find a way to return to Khalid. With an army gathering against Khalid and enemies everywhere, Shahrzad's loyalties are tested as she risks everything.

There are also three short stories in this series. The Moth & the Flame is about the romance between Shahrzad's handmaiden Despina and the Captain of the Guard Jalal al-Khoury. Although it simply starts out as a flirtation, Despina and Jalal begin to develop true feelings for one another when suddenly tragedy strikes. The Crown & the Arrow covers Shahrzad and Khalid's wedding ceremony from Khalid's perspective. After seventy-one days and nights of killing his brides, Khalid wonders why Shahrzad, his seventy-second bride, has volunteered and shows no fear of losing her life. The final short story, The Mirror & the Maze, is about Khalid's return to Rey after a trip to the border of Khorasan and Parthia. When he sees that Rey is destroyed and Shahrzad is gone, he believes it is all his fault for choosing love over the people of Rey.

This series was excellent and I enjoyed it from the very first chapter, which was among the most intriguing I've ever read. Despite being a little nervous after the disappointing ending to The Beautiful series by the same author, I was determined to keep the faith that the romance in this duology would have a happy ending and I'm ecstatic to say that it did! Although there were quite a few twists and turns and an event or two towards the end of The Rose & the Dagger that could have broken me, love won and it truly warmed my heart. I absolutely adored the epilogue. I also thought the world-building was fantastic. The setting was both gorgeous and dangerous, which I always think is the best combination, and I was reminded a lot of Aladdin because The Wrath and the Dawn is inspired by the same collection of folk tales. Additionally, the romance between Shahrzad and Khalid was positively flawless. They're amazing characters on their own, but I wanted nothing more for them to defy the odds and find a way to be together, especially because enemies to lovers is my favorite romantic trope. I knew Shahrzad wouldn't be able to assassinate Khalid without knowing his reason for murdering his brides and the reveal was so devastating, like I thought it would be. In my heart, Khalid certainly didn't deserve that fate and I wanted him to find redemption through his love for Shahrzad. Additionally, Shahrzad is a great female protagonist because of her strength and courage—at first to stand up to Khalid and survive, then later to fight for their love. The short stories are wonderful, as well, and I recommend The Wrath & the Dawn duology to anyone who loves fantasy, adventure, and/or romance.

Hands by Torrey Maldonado

 

Earlier this week, I finished reading Hands by Torrey Maldonado. This realistic fiction novel is about Trev, a twelve-year-old boy who would do anything to protect his mom and older sisters from his stepdad. Two years after Trev's stepdad hit his mom and was locked up in jail for violating his parole, Trev is worried about his release. Instead of dwelling on his fear, Trev decides to take up boxing with his friend, P (short for Pete). Not everyone agrees with his plan, though, because Trev used to draw very well when he was younger. Instead of fighting back and possibly ending up in jail like his stepdad, Trev is encouraged to use his artistic talent to build a better future. Unsure if he has the support he needs, Trev feels like this advice is useless right now, especially when his sister Nikki's boyfriend is controlling and doesn't respect boundaries, on top of his other concerns. As his stepdad's release approaches, Trev has to consider his future and if he should really fight back with his hands.

Wow, this was an amazingly profound story. I liked the short chapters because they made the book feel super fast-paced, but most of all, I enjoyed how enlightening the book was about domestic abuse and how it affects young people and their choices. Although Trev is the youngest in his family, he feels like he has to protect his mom and sisters because he's the only boy out of the four of them. His situation made me feel really bad for him because I didn't want him to continue the cycle of violence of which I've become so aware over the years. I also loved getting to know his "uncles" because they had great advice for Trev from their own experiences, even when he was doubtful that they had his back. It warmed my heart that his English teacher, Ms. Clark, was looking out for him, too. Additionally, I thought P was a great friend to Trev. While I wasn't completely supportive of Trev's plan to learn to box to protect his family, I'm glad Trev and P went to the boxing gym together. I can't forget to mention Little Cole either. Little Cole, the eight-year old boy who lives in the apartment across from Trev's, reminded me a lot of a younger version of Trev and it made me so happy that Trev would help him with drawing. Although not everything is resolved at the conclusion of the story, it should leave readers with hope about Trev's situation. Hands is powerful and riveting, and I recommend it to everyone, kids and adults alike.