The Octopus Under the Bridge by Alice Kinerk

The Octopus Under the Bridge is a middle grade dystopian book that was sent to me by the author. After American troops were deployed into the Middle East to search for missing teenagers, a bomb was dropped on the White House that decimated most of the East Coast. Since then, food is scarce, electricity is a luxury, and rival groups like the Collectivist and Phoenix fight and terrorize the populations. After the President is shot, 14-year-old Jay Everton's parents send him away to live with his grandmother on the Key Peninsula. But when Jay learns of his father's secret work and Phoenix attacking his family and friends, he must sail back to Tacoma and save his sister. 

For a book this short, I am surprised that The Octopus Under the Bridge still contained a developed plot structure with round characters! Jay is shy and intelligent, and I liked watching him gain the confidence to stand up for himself and his family. The hint of romance with Sarah was also nice. The setting is eerie and mysterious. I love the amount of imagery and other figurative devices that were used to make the setting rich and full of suspense.

I like how the book contradicted the Guilt by Association Fallacy, which unfortunately is common in times of conflict, as is assumption of good and evil. The Collectivists and the Phoenix both have major issues with the current government, but have different ideas and ways to get there- similar to the octopus and the squid. Initially I had a hard time understanding the theme and metaphor around the octopus, but further into the book it did make a lot more sense. Well, now I know that Washington is famous for octopi!

I will say that the cover definitely needs some work to convey the seriousness of the story. Never from reading the synopsis on Amazon (or the nonexistent one on goodreads) or looking at the cover did I guess that this would be an exciting dystopian book! While the ending is climatic and does conclude Jay's specific journey, I am still very curious as to what happens to the nation and Tacoma. I wish it was longer, and I hope Kinerk writes a sequel! However, the length could make it more appealing for younger readers.

I recommend this book!

Title: The Octopus Under the Bridge

Author: Alice Kinerk

Publisher: Alice Kinerk

Pages: 142

Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
Goodreads

Starvation by Molly Fennig

Starvation is a YA realistic fiction book that was sent to me by the author. Told in alternating chapters between the past and the present, Starvation illustrates the progression of 16-year-old Wes McCoy's anorexia and the path to getting better. When Wes learns that his girlfriend, Caila, is starving herself, Wes does everything he can to help her and understand why she is hurting herself. After his brother dies in a car accident, Wes ends up turning to her habits to gain control, and becomes trapped in a downward spiral.

I screamed at my computer screen "No! That's it???" There has to be more. I want more! Do they both get better? Do they get married? Get to go to college? However, I suppose the emphasis on uncertainty matches with the unpredictability of eating disorders and other mental illness. Relapse is extremely common in anorexia patients.

Starvation portrays the most accurate and realistic view of the development of eating disorders that I have ever read, and I definitely learned more about the motivations behind anorexia. The counter-argument against why a person cannot just put food in their mouth and swallow was powerful and the utter fear was astonishing and eye-opening.

I love that Starvation is told from a male perspective, as there is an issue of eating disorders being viewed as victims to mostly girls, as well as other mental illnesses. Its incorporation of suicide was also very accurate and did tackle frequent misunderstandings of why someone would end their life, as well as teach some of the warning signs of suicide and other mental conditions. 

I highly recommend this book!

If you are interested in this book, I recommend that you also read What I Lost.

Title: Starvation
Author: Molly Fennig
Publisher: Immortal Works
Pages:
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Wish Upon a Star by Jessica Barondes

Wish Upon a Star is the until-now unpublished manuscript of the Wish Upon a Star 1996 film. This fantasy book was sent to me by the author. One night upon seeing a comet, 14-year-old Haley Wheaton wishes that she could be Alex, her older sister. She never thought that the next morning, they would have switched bodies! Now Alex is in the body of a straight-A, unpopular student and Haley becomes Alex, a beautiful, popular senior who barely passes. Haley comes to learn that her sister's life isn't all that perfect after all.

Wish Upon a Star was very cute, the type of story that results in a goofy grin on your face. I have always loved body-switching stories. My mom entered the room and said "I can tell it is a good book from the expression on your face". In addition to being completely hilarious at times, there were also serious, heartwarming moments. Haley and Alex start off as almost total opposites in personality, appearance, and decision making. It was fascinating watching them become immersed in lives they never understood. Both girls learned valuable life lessons and the importance of supporting and understanding each other as sisters, and came out better people in the end. 

The movie is free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZH1_bRbSiY. It stared Katherine Heigl and Danielle Harris. If you are reluctant to read this book because of your view on the movie, ignore it! The book is a quadrillion times better than the movie, which in my opinion cut out important scenes and dialogue, leading to some misinterpretations on the character's motives. The acting could have been better and felt more foolish than the book suggests. 

I highly recommend this book! 

Title: Wish Upon a Star
Author: Jessica Barondes
Publisher: Sense and Sensibility Press
Pages: 123
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Unlocked (Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 8.5) by Shannon Messenger

Unlocked is book 8.5 in my favorite middle grade fantasy series, Keeper of the Lost Cities. After the 500 pages of bonus material, readers will see a shorter story picking up after Keefe's mom's actions in Legacy. Narrated by both Sophie and Keefe, Unlocked discovers Keefe's new identity and Sophie's escalating decision to take solo action against the Neverseen.

Oh. My. GOSH. If you think you can skip 8.5 and go straight to book 9, you are dead wrong. The (literally) explosive revelations and major character and plot development is shocking, and I am glad I read it! Having Keefe and Sophie alternate perspectives was a smart idea, and I love Keefe's HUGE internal conflict over the changes and new powers that his mom forced in him. Unlocked is one of the most intense moments in the series so far and is packed with a heavy load of emotion. I have never seen Keefe so vulnerable and defeated. Keefe is by-far the best written and developed character in the series; Sophie and the others feel a bit static. 

BUT, I have some major concerns and issues with what Messenger and her editors decided. It feels like Shannon Messenger is drawing out the series. There did not need to be a book 8.5. Yes, there is a major cliffhanger and there are new developments, but Messenger could have easily put the whole thing in book 9. The first 500 pages contains mostly summary information from the previous books. The majority of those pages are the Registry Files, which contain extremely detailed information about each character that is not only irrelevant and repetitive, but unrealistic. And why include it- does Messenger think her readers are suddenly going to forget? I did learn some interesting tidbits and enjoyed Keefe's detention record and the quizzes, but it easily could have been 150 pages instead of 500. 

I wish I waited for the book to be in libraries instead of buying the giant physical copy, and I would have if I knew what I was buying. Amazon claims it's the #1 New Release in Children's Friendship Books, but if we all knew that nearly 70% of the book is not the book, then I know it would be rated much less. The description is completely misleading, claiming to "delive[r] what fans of the series have been begging for! Told in an exciting new way, the saga continues with plenty of huge reveals and shocking new twists—plus a complete series guide with beautiful color and black-and-white illustrations and other awesome bonuses!". Uh, nope, a 500 page encyclopedia is not what fans have been begging for, and the order is inaccurate- this makes it sound like the the "complete series guide" is at the end with other bonuses. Heck, why didn't they flip it and put the story first? 

Barnes and Noble put at the very end "Unlocked also includes a comprehensive guide to the world of the Lost Cities"- no, Unlocked also includes the actual story! Also, if anyone got the special edition and can't find the pull-out-poster or Messenger's special artwork, take off the jacket of the book! It is beautiful. However, I am disappointed that the beautiful artworks were scenes of previous books and not particular to Unlocked. 

I have to say this is my least favorite book in the series. I highly recommend the actual story, but feel free to skip everything else along the way- or at least put it off for another time.

You can read my reviews of all the books in this series here.

Title: Unlocked 
Author: Shannon Messenger
Publisher: Aladdin

Pages: 746
Series: Yes, Book 8.5
Rating: 3 Stars
Goodreads

Wolfish (Wolfish Book 2) by Matt Ward

Wolfish is the sequel to Cynetic Wolf in the Wolfish series that was sent to me by the author. Still reeling upon the death of his wife and son at the hands of a betrayal, Raek is placed in the role as President. The near impossible task of uniting the immortals, cyborgs, enhancers, and half-animal hybirds (like him) becomes harder with new enemies, terrorist attacks, and a deadly virus. Bringing his brother into the government to help also may not have been the best idea.

The emotional turmoil and depression that Raek suffers after the loss of his wife and son is described amazingly, and makes this story heart-wrenching. This is one of the few books I have read with such genuine pain and grief. Raek is part wolf, so he is not entirely human, but the intensity of his emotions make him more relatable to readers. While science fiction, the dilemmas in the book have strong parallels towards long-standing issues of tyranny, racism and Islamophobia, as well as the coronavirus.

Almost every kid at some point dreams of being President (at least I have), and Wolfish does prove that the job is a lot harder than it looks. Having a high moral standard and setting out to help people is often contradicted and stopped by red tape and other politicians with selfish motives. Mistrust and conspiracy are so common in governments that even Raek, whose goal is only to unite and heal the people, is easily undermined. It was very frustrating to see a man with pure intentions be dragged down by those of tyrannic motives. 

A bonus was how Wolfish also addressed traumatic brain injuries like CTE. Watching how a peaceful, righteous man evolved into someone with an entirely different and opposite personality. I love it when villains are not as simple as they seem.

I highly recommend this book!

See my review of the previous book in this series, Cynetic Wolf.

Title: Wolfish
Author: Matt Ward
Publisher: Myrmani Press
Pages: 277
Series: Yes, Book 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Melody Finch by Ian B. Boyd and Gary Luck

Melody Finch is a middle grade fantasy book that was sent to me by the authors and was published last week. 12-year-old Melody Klomp didn't believe in the "fairy tales" her grandmother told her about humans turning into animals- at least, not until Melody did. Once a girl, now a Diamond Firetail Finch. With some new wildlife friends, Melody starts a journey to warn her grandmother and save her from an evil fisherman set on illegal seal culling that puts the Coorong and her grandmother in danger. Along the way, she learns about the harshness of drought, invasive species, and the delicacy and connectiveness of ecosystems.

I enjoyed how educational the book was and the format in. For example, I had no idea that birds knew directions like north and south based on where the sun shines on their wings, or that cane toads' skin produces poisonous mucus. Rather than the facts being presented in a textbook, in Melody Finch the information is presented in a fun fantasy story. I enjoyed how the authors included the dangers of invasive species and some extreme, inhumane measures like seal culling. 

I liked the evolution of the plot, how a goal for Melody to tell her grandmother about it finally raining turned into a much larger adventure and mission of protecting all of ecology and sustaining the circle of life. Ecology is a giant chain; if one link is broken, all suffer. Melody saw and learned first-hand how a single change, whether man-made or natural, can disrupt  an entire ecosystems. Melody Finch felt similar to many parts of Finding Nemo, which made me smile. The cover is also gorgeous! 

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Melody Finch
Author: Ian B. Boyd and Gary Luck
Publisher: Spirit of the Earth Books
Pages: 134
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

The Traitor's Jewel (Love and War Book 1) by Shreya Boyapati

The Traitor's Jewel is the first in the Love and War YA fantasy series. This book was sent to me by the author. Following a betrayal and attack on Charlena Saxen's kingdom, it is discovered that it was lead by her own father (presumed dead). Charlena vows to kill him and defend what is left of her kingdom, with her best friend by her side. But the further into war she descends, the less about honor for her people it becomes and more about pure anger and revenge. As she struggles to contain these new emotions and her romantic feelings towards Raj, Charlena must decide if the reward of revenge is worth destroying her soul.

The Traitor's Jewel is a fast rollercoaster of emotions that alter between a perfect fairytale and a painful nightmare. The structure is  dialogue heavy, but was written so vividly that I could hear their voices in my head and felt very immersed in the conversations. Boyapati also did a good job ensuring that the revelations and new plot twists were surprising, but not enough to be unrealistic.

While fantasy, The Traitor's Jewel is extremely realistic in its depiction of PTSD and the other harsh realities and emotional pain that comes with taking lives. Killing is easier for soldiers, for Charlena, if she doesn't feel or care. She lives like a rock, relying on instinct and survival with no emotion. Love requires emotion and caring. Once she started to care for another human, slaughtering people became painful and inhumane. The blood and gore didn't matter to her as much when there was nothing to care or feel about. But once she let her guard down for her heart, guilt and pain flooded. However, love can also be something to fight for, to care if you survive. 

This complex relationship between war and love (emotions) is the primary focus of the story and provides a wonderful theme. It is also unclear at times who is an ally and who is considered "bad", especially when considering the murders of war. The book also discusses the idea that "the ends justify the means" when fighting for something important. The Traitor's Jewel makes us question if the means are worth the end.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: The Traitor's Jewel (Love and War Book 1)
Author: Shreya Boyapati
Publisher: Shreya Boyapati
Pages: 358
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 3
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Never Fight Alone by Shelomo Solson

Never Fight Alone: 51 Inspiring Interviews to Help Teens Overcome Their Struggles & Improve Their Mental Health is a YA inspirational non-fiction book that was sent to me by the author. Solson conducted 51 interviews with teens who hit rock bottom and rose above it, finding the strength to make a difference in the world and help others. 

What separates this book from Chicken Soup and other inspirational short story reads is that Never Fight Alone is formatted in direct interviews. I can read exactly what these teens said, which makes it more personal. The author took a different, more personal approach of being a journalist who endured massive struggles in his life. Different from publishing for money, Solson genuinely wrote Never Fight Alone for the sole purpose of helping teens who struggled like he did growing up. One of my favorite parts of each interview is that each focuses on how far they have come. Each chapter leaves you feeling hopeful. If he could beat this, if she could find a way to be happy, then maybe I can, too. 

It is also amazing at how much emphasis is placed on suicidal thoughts and how to combat them. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24, and 1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9–12) consider suicide (The Trevor Project). This book also involves other issues such as abuse, sexuality, addiction, eating disorders, and even dwarfism.  Never Fight Alone emphasizes the "silver lining of hope" and how asking for help is nothing to be embarrassed about. When feeling when feeling depressed and isolated, thinking "why me" and feeling ashamed is common, but Never Fight Alone proves more than any other book I have read that nobody is ever hopeless or alone. 

Favorite quote: "Anytime I felt weak or vulnerable, instead of asking, 'Why me?', I thought of people who had it worse than me, and it changed my mindset to 'What can we do to make each other happy? How can we do the things that better each other?'" (67).

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Never Fight Alone: 51 Inspiring Interviews to Help Teens Overcome Their Struggles & Improve Their Mental Health 
Author: Shelomo Solson
Publisher: Shelomo Solson
Pages: 306
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Amazon

Special by Chino Chakanga

Special is a YA fantasy novel that was sent to me by the author. In a world where everybody has superpowers, Hope does not. Her medical mystery leads to tons of surgeries and research studies desperate to "cure" her, while society treats her as inferior, Hopeless, a maladroit. As Hope struggles to find self-confidence, she is thrust into the plot of a fellow classmate who is resorting to extreme measures to gain equality- and Hope might be the only person who can stop him.

Special is one of my favorite books that I have read in a long time. Rather than the popular topic of the protagonist struggling with having powers, Special explores the opposite with a girl who is struggling in a world where everyone has powers but her. Similar with taboos on those with mental illness or learning disabilities, Special touches on modern-world injustices and biases against those who are "less" than others, as well as the extreme lengths one will go to gain equality. What is so inspirational in this story is the message that nobody is hopeless; everybody has a purpose and can rise up to overcome anything if they can believe in themselves. Once Hope accepts who she is, she breaks down every wall put in her way.

I love the doll on  the cover because Hope has been a doll for years, being poked and prodded with dozens of surgeries. But over the course of the book, Hope regains her independence and confidence, no longer only being a doctor's toy. Another impressive thing to note is the connection to autism and those on the spectrum. Hope has Ability Dysfunction Spectral Disorder (ADSD or AD). There is also a subset called "High-Functioning AD". Sound familiar? Autistic people are four times as likely to experience depression. Hope goes through a really dark time and struggles with depression and feeling hopeless. Special dives deep into mental illness, too, even also touching on opiod addiction. Chakanga is skilled with being concise with her word choices while still being powerful.

I highly, highly recommend this book!

Title: Special
Author: Chino Chakanga
Publisher: Chino Chakanga
Pages: 252
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Munmun by Jesse Andrews

Munmun by Jesse Andrews is a YA science fiction novel that completely challenges main societal beliefs. It is also a satire and strongly allegorical. in this alternate reality, the amount of money you have is exact to your height, so that those who are nearly broke are as tiny as ants and those like Bill Gates, for example, would be as tall as the Eiffel Tower. Teen Warner and his sister Prayer are tired of worrying about being literally stepped on, eaten by a cat, and not having access to medical care. As Warner starts physically and economically scaling up, he faces significant moral dilemmas and must decide what is more important- his size, or his character.

The book clearly showcases the extreme societal unfairness that even just having a dollar can do to your life. I have never read a book so effective in describing the extreme challenges that being a lower-class citizen must face. Munmun is brutally honest about a major issue of corruptness in society that a desire for money causes. This heartbreaking story opens one’s mind to the burden on one’s character that having money can make. As teenagers start getting allowances and become fascinated with buying clothes, jewelry, makeup, and start teasing and judging those without, Munmun is a necessary eye-opener that has the potential to completely change one's perspectives. Munmun should be taught in schools.

While the siutation is rather depressing, the book definitely isn't! I adore the fact that this is a satire and is still lighthearted and even uplifting at many times. Warner is a boy to remember. Trapped in an impossible situation, he still tries to make the best of it and try to save his family. Warner struggles with rage and guilt. He ends up in terrible situations, and over the course of the novel he is forced to decide whether or not to be towering over others (physically and emotionally) or to stand by his moral conscience, and accept who he is. Warner makes some awful choices, but he has tremendous character growth and truly becomes a better person by the end. The hint of romance was also very sweet and heartbreaking.

I highly recommend you read this book! I do recommend this book for older YA readers due to some mature content.

Title: Munmun
Author: Jesse Andrews
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Pages: 407
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads