Loveless by Alice Oseman (Young Adult Contemporary Book Review)

Loveless
by Alice Oseman
Published by Scholastic Press
on July 9, 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: 432 pages
Ages: 14 & up

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Literary Awards:

Buxtehuder Bulle Nominee for Shortlist (2022)
Audie Award Nominee for Young Adult (2023)
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for YA Fiction (2022)


Synopsis:
For fans of Love, Simon and I Wish You All the Best, a funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of a girl who realizes that love can be found in many ways that don't involve sex or romance. 

This is the funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of Georgia, who doesn't understand why she can't crush and kiss and make out like her friends do. She's surrounded by the narrative that dating + sex = love. It's not until she gets to college that she discovers the A range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum--coming to understand herself as asexual/aromantic. Disrupting the narrative that she's been told since birth isn't easy--there are many mistakes along the way to inviting people into a newly found articulation of an always-known part of your identity. But Georgia's determined to get her life right, with the help of (and despite the major dram of) her friends. 


My Thoughts:

Georgia Warr has always loved the idea of romance. 
She's watched all the films, read the books, and always pictured herself following the same steps that society has laid before her. But then she realizes that she's far behind her peers, in many ways. So off to Uni she goes, determined to find that special someone to "fall in love with" and have her first kiss with, except that once there she finds the task more difficult than ever. 
While new and old friendships clash around her, Georgia tries to figure out who she is, or isn't, and comes away with a much clearer picture thanks to new friends on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. 

Personally, I don't always love contemporary novels, especially in school/college settings, but Oseman has a way of drawing me in. Her stories are always lighthearted and inspiring (even when there's really tough subject matter) and I love that Oseman always seems to include plenty of mental health awareness in their novels. It's a really great balance that I believe is perfect for young readers. 

This novel in particular is a fantastic and informative look at the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and Aro-ace (aromantic asexuality) in general. 
There's also lesbian, bi, and pansexual rep in this novel! 

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Bridge of Souls (Cassidy Blake #3) by Victoria Schwab (MG Paranormal Book Review)

 

Bridge of Souls
(Cassidy Blake #3)
by Victoria Schwab
Published by Scholastic Press
on March 2, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal, Ghost Story
Length: 304 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows... unless it's the other way around?

Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while traveling for her parents' TV show. 

But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colorful, grisly local legends. And the city's biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face; a servant of Death itself. 

Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet...


My Thoughts:

I waited sooooo long for this! 
It was meant to come out in Oct of 2020 but was postponed til March 2021 and since it was my birthday present, I had to wait half a year for it to arrive. I didn't get a chance to read it that October so a lot of my enthusiasm waned. 
Bummer, yes, but it was still worth the read two years later. 

Cassidy Blake's best friend is a ghost named Jacob and her parents host a ghost-hunting television show that takes them all over the world to visit famously haunted locations. They've been to Edinburgh, Scotland and the catacombs of Paris, France and are set to film in New Orleans, Louisiana where hauntings and dark magic are abundant. 


I love the settings and history in this spooky middle-grade trilogy. New Orleans was a great finale choice, especially with the heinous history of Madame LaLaurie (though it is mostly just touched upon) and the added celebrations and hints of voodoo. It makes me want to visit even more! 

I won't give any more away but I really enjoyed this trilogy overall! This finale didn't have as much bang as the first two, but it had some suspense and spook and I liked how it ended!

City of Ghosts
Tunnel of Bones

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Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega (Middle Grade Fantasy Book Review)

Witchlings
by Claribel A. Ortega
Published by Scholastic Press
on April 5, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Length: 334 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
A magical adventure for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and Nevermoor, about three witchlings who must work together to do the impossible if they have any hope of earning their full powers. 

Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches. 

And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can't wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn't placed in one of the five covens. She's a spare! 

Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn't work! They're stuck as Witchlings--and will never be able to perform powerful magic. 

Seven invokes her only option: the impossible task. The three Spares will be assigned an impossible task: If they work together and succeed at it, their coven will be sealed and they'll gain their full powers. If they fail... Well, the last coven to make the attempt ended up being turned into toads. Forever. 

But maybe friendship can be the most powerful magic of all...


My Thoughts:

Seven Salazar can't wait for the Blood Moon Ceremony where she and her best friend will be placed into a coven to become witches instead of just witchlings. Seven and two others, Thorn, and Seven's bully, Valley, end up as Spares, meaning they will stay witchlings, unless they can succeed at an impossible task. Even worse, Seven's best friend, Poppy, is placed into a coven and leaves Seven behind without a second thought. 
Seven will learn a lot about herself and who her friends really are as she attempts to earn her powers and a place in her magical world. 

This was a lot of fun!
There's magic, suspense, spooky atmosphere, lurking villains, and great character development with a focus on friendships.

It's based in what seems to be an entirely magic community that casts aside its 'Spares', forces them to do the 'grunt work', or worse-turns them into toads if they don't become full-fledged witches. Our MC's entire world is flipped upside when the ceremony doesn't go as planned and she becomes a Spare who must finish an impossible task to seal her fate. Seven struggles with being cast out, and alongside her bully at that, but is determined to find her place and save her world as she knows it. 

Perfect for fans of HP, The Worst Witch, or the newer Amari and the Night Brothers! 

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