173. All That Shines

All That Shines. Ellen Hagan. 2023. [September] 405 pages. [Source: Library] [Verse novel; YA verse novel; YA Realistic fiction; YA romance]

First sentence: "Mom, can I borrow your earrings?
The diamonds? I think they'd match,"
I say, twirling, my new dress
swinging just above my knees.
And throwing myself back onto her chaise.

Premise/plot: Chloe Brooks is RICH-rich. But her oh-so-fabulous life among the rich-and-wealthy is about to slip away--and it's a long, hard fall. Her and her mother watch "helplessly" as her father is arrested and charged with crimes. Her old life being forfeit and her friends mostly being brats, the two brainstorm to find a way to start over...together. Fortunately, her mother has a little of her own that was not shared property...and it's an apartment complex on "the wrong side of town." Can Chloe survive her social missteps long enough to find true love and new besties? 

My thoughts: Most of the book is Chloe apologizing for saying the wrong thing in the wrong way to the wrong people and offending just about everybody just by existing. I get that this is supposed to be a feel-good young adult romance, but it has all the makings of a made for TV movie. In my opinion. That could be a good thing for some readers.

 I didn't love this one. I found Chloe insufferable at times. Not because she WAS rich and now isn't. But because she's literally apologizing every other page for saying something "wrong" and "offensive." But what she is saying is what she actually is thinking. I also found it very sitcom-ish in that the resolution happens EXTREMELY quickly and without as much groundwork as would be necessary. In a movie with a montage scene to a great song, it would definitely work better.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

73. While You Were Dreaming

While You Were Dreaming. Alisha Rai. 2023. 432 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The main character? Not me, not in real life. That's what my daydreams were for. At some point, the disappointment of crashing back to earth might teach me to stop engaging in said daydreams.

Premise/plot: Long story short...While You Were Dreaming is a YA spin on the classic film While You Were Sleeping. Sonia Patil, our protagonist, is seriously crushing on James, a classmate, and when she witnesses him falling into the canal, she jumps in to save him. (She just happens to be cosplaying at the time.) She doesn't stay on the scene--reasons, reasons, more reasons--but she does care what happens to him. She's mistaken as James' girlfriend when she drops by his house--she's there to deliver notes/homework as they share class(es). His family loves her because she is not James' normal 'type' (mean, and, well, b*tch*y). Liam, James' brother, finds himself drawn to her...and it's mutual. The misunderstanding is cleared up much, much, much earlier in this one. But essentially, it's a spin on that story. Sonia's reasons for not wanting to be KNOWN or seen is that her mom was recently deported and her sister who is undocumented risks deportation as well. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. While You Were Sleeping is a favorite of mine. I'm not sure if it's equally beloved by the book's target audience. But regardless of how much you love/like the movie...this one offers a twist on the traditional love triangle. I like how Sonia realizes the dangers of insta-love, or, putting too much faith in insta-lust or insta-attraction. Just because she daydreams about James non-stop doesn't mean that she knows him at all--like at all at all. I also like that this one doesn't stay strictly focused on romance. Other relationships matter too.

I LOVED James and Liam's family.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

71. The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway. Ashley Schumacher. 2023. [March] 320 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence from prologue: I was ten when I first met the Wizened Old Wizard.

First sentence from chapter one: I wonder what the wizard would tell me now, if he could see me standing with my elbows resting atop the stone wall looking down below into the lazy river moat with literal alligator floaties. I wonder what he would say if he could see my swirling thoughts.

Premise/plot: Madeline Hathaway, our heroine, is mourning the loss of her mother. The first year anniversary of her death is approaching. She and her father will be spending the summer working at one of their favorite renaissance fairs. (They travel the circuit. They used to--all three--travel the circuit. It's been different since she's died. Both are grieving in their own way. Readers don't really glimpse *how* he is handling things, but Madeline journals every little thing--literally. She's a chronicle notice-r. She tallies every little thing--day after day, week after week, month after month. (Every time she does something; sees something; feels something; hears something; etc.) When the novel opens, she is about to meet Arthur, a wonderfully weird kid whose dads are equally obsessed with all things Renaissance. These two kings of the faire [or is it fair?] want--at Arthur's insistence--Madeline (whom Arthur calls Gwen) to be the princess, to play the role of princess. She's hesitant and anxious. But after some thought she thinks her mom would *want* her to do this--to step outside of her comfort zone of peasant/peddler and be a princess for a change. As she gets to know Arthur, she begins having many other unexpected adventures... But are these summer changes permanent? 

My thoughts: I liked this one. It was premise-driven, in my opinion, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. I thought a few scenes were unrealistic. Granted, I haven't been in Target lately, but I've never once had any employee volunteer to be my personal shopper and hand-select clothes for me to try on, to be at my own beck and call and bring all the sizes, give opinions on what works and what doesn't. That scene feels like a movie-montage-wanna-be. Again, my opinion. Maybe it was just a really slow day?

Madeline is a larger heroine, and, it's nice to see that in a romance. She's much more than just a size, obviously. And I do wish--at least a little bit--that it wasn't such a plot point. Oh this boy couldn't possibly like me because I'm too large to be likeable. I mean it's the trope. And it's a trope that usually brings satisfaction--lovable heroine realizes she was beautiful all along...

Madeline's dad is very absent--physically, mentally, emotionally. He's just always gone. Perhaps because she is trying to avoid him???? Or perhaps he is trying to avoid her???? But it's rare for them to be in the same place and actually talk. This is typical YA, of course. Parents rarely if ever play an important role however. Arthur's two dads, on the other hand, are VERY present--physically, mentally, emotionally. They are scene-stealers. Madeline has a million conversations with Arthur's parent(s)....very few with her own. They are everything her own father is not.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

67. Find the Moon

Find the Moon. Beth Fehlbaum. 2023. 282 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: This year will monumentally suck. What kind of lunatic English teacher gives homework on the first day of school? Seriously? 

Premise/plot: Find the Moon is a coming of age, 'problem' novel for young adults. Kylie and Aliza are 'rescued' from their neglectful, abusive mother. But being rescued comes with a cost--separation of the sisters. Aliza goes to live with her father and Kylie goes to live with her maternal grandparents. It's a BIG adjustment. She has no memories of her grandparents--whom she used to live with as a toddler. She's in a new state, new town, new school. Quite reasonably [logically] she has trust issues and anger issues as well. Her life has not been happy; she's had to adult as a young teen and 'raise' her sister to the best of her ability. She's had to mask all the chaos at home. Now she's got time to heal...but the process of learning to trust, to love, to live isn't smooth and easy.

My thoughts: I liked this one. It had its intense moments. I liked the characters and the depth of the characterization. I liked the development of relationships. I personally would have preferred shorter chapters. The length of the chapters dragged the pacing here and there--particularly in the middle. The beginning and end were definitely engaging.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

39. Going Dark

Going Dark. Melissa de la Cruz. 2023. [January] 336 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The plane bucked with unexpected turbulence on its final descent, sending Josh’s stomach into his chest and causing him to grip the armrests so tightly his knuckles turned white. He’d finally dozed off while watching the in-flight movie when he’d been jolted awake by the sudden drop. Instinctively, he reached out to the seat next to him, only to find it empty. Of course, he’d forgotten. Amelia hadn’t boarded with him.

Premise/plot: Josh Reuter loves Amelia Ashley. Yet when these two get into a fight in Rome, Italy, he leaves for the States without her. That's when she goes dark. She disappears from social media. She doesn't respond to calls or texts. She vanishes. Her friends alert the police. Josh is questioned. Blood is found in his suitcase. He claims he's innocent. That she was alive and well--perhaps not mentally well, but physically well--the last time he saw her. As the police grow more and more suspicious, and the internet becomes more cruel, Josh faces a dilemma. 

Amelia Ashley is--or was, or is???--a social media star. Her "category" is food/travel. She's got quite a devoted following to her accounts. She shares her lives through photographs, videos, and blog posts. Josh Reuter is NOT a social media star. And that's the way he likes it. He may be a photographer, but, his private life is private. She includes him in several videos and posts. After she goes missing, he's tormented/bullied by his girlfriend's fans.

Harper plays a pivotal role in this one. She was not a fan of Amelia Ashley before she goes missing. Josh is a nameless familiar face. They share a class--abnormal psychology. Yet her side-business, her illegal side-business, gives her the tools she needs to get to the bottom of this missing person's case. Her discoveries--which she does not share with the police--reveal that BOTH Josh and Amelia have deep, dark secrets. 

The jacket flap pushes the idea that this one is "ripped from the headlines," and certainly on the surface that is true. The book also seems to be pushing the idea that coverage of missing persons is unjust, unfair, warped, racist, bigoted. While I don't negate that conclusion in its entirety, I'd just add that any person with a large following, a social media star, a person who has thousands of photographs, thousands of videos, media that is easy to "grab" for journalists...is naturally going to get more coverage. It is more of a news story--because those images, those videos, those words--are an easy hook to fit into allotted space. Another thing that I think is not considered enough in this one, is that the other missing person case explored in this one is of a girl who while yes is biracial and therefore "not white" she's also someone who has a) a history of running away b) a history of running away c) a history of going off her medication and....you guessed it...running away. That doesn't mean it's okay for the police to make all sorts of assumptions about her disappearance. (They assume that she has gone off her medication and run away.) So the conclusion that the reason this girl did not have a "trending hashtag" or a headline story simply because she was biracial...unfair at best. I think the trending hashtag has everything to do with her being a social media star....and not the color of her skin. As for headlines--I think there's more there to that argument.

My thoughts: I found this one super-compelling. It had multiple narrators--Josh, Harper, Amelia--and the points of view were so fascinating. As the mystery unfolded, it was just impossible to put down. I kept changing my mind with every chapter.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

25. Retro

Retro. Sofia Lapuente and Jarrod Shusterman. 2023. [January] 400 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: You don't know me yet. But here I stand, soaked in mud, blood stained across my diamond disco dress--and I'm not even sure where I am. My heart is splintered glass inside my chest. Un corazon roto. How I arrived is a story too twisted to believe. So let me center myself and take in my surroundings.

Premise/plot: Retro, a YA contemporary thriller, has a framework. Luna, the protagonist, is being held hostage. Readers know from the start that danger, danger, and more danger are ahead in the pages. The narrative mainly unfolds chronologically--with a few flashes to the "present" hostage situation. It begins with three girls having fun. (The first chapter is titled "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"). Luna, Samantha, and Mimi shopping together at the mall...when Mimi leaves the two of them together...trouble happens. Samantha asks Luna to hold her bag for her. What she doesn't know--Luna doesn't know--is that Samantha has spent the morning shoplifting at that store. Luna is caught red-handed. Samantha stays silent. Not just silent at the store with the clerks and cops and whatnot. But silent with her mom. Luna is ANGRY. She's determined to rid herself of any and all reminders of their long years of friendship. While she's going through her phone deleting pictures, she stumbles across a video of a drunk Samantha ranting and raving. Samantha is dishing out the dirt, if you will, and speaking freely about all of her classmates and so-called friends. Luna posts this video anonymously to a social media site--Limbo--and sends the link to Mimi. Not a full day goes by--perhaps half a day--when Luna begins to have doubts about what she's done. She deletes the video and/or removes it from the site. But what she didn't count on was the video going VIRAL before she removes it. I'm not sure if it's been shared or uploaded or re-uploaded or ???? but the video is EVERYWHERE. Samantha is being bullied online and in person. And the bullying is brutal. Luna feels insta-guilt and definite regret. She has to step up and do something...but it never seems enough.

The fallout of this bullying makes up the heart and substance of this thriller. Long story short, LIMBO, the social media site comes to their high school and offers a HUGE scholarship opportunity. They offer a "retro challenge" where contestants must live the full school year without using ANY technology invented after the year 2000. To get a chance for a [great] college scholarship, they'll have to give up life as they know it. Mimi and Luna join the challenge....and a handful of others...whom we'll come to know as the novel unfolds...

My thoughts: I found Retro a super-compelling thriller. While it is somewhat-mostly obvious from the start who the "bad guy" or "villain" is...how everything unfolds is intriguing. I liked the group of friends that come together to do the challenge. These are mostly people who would not have taken the time to get to know each other and hang out IF there was not a challenge. Everyone is learning life-lessons (for the most part) and figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and what they want out of life. There is drama, mystery, and light romance.

One of my favorite things about this one was that each chapter is a song title. Luna and her friends seem to equate "going retro" with listening to cassette tapes and/or mixed tapes. Also for some reason roller skates. (Which I personally found odd, but that's just me???) I suppose the rules could allow for you to pick just one decade to settle into or allow you to pick and choose. The playlist certainly blends from the 90s and 80s. 

I liked the premise of "going retro."

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

19. Belittled Women

Belittled Women. Amanda Sellet. 2022. [November] 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence from prologue: Mark your calendars! The area's most literary attraction, Little Women Live! kicks off a seventh spectacular season this June.

First sentence from chapter one: It doesn't matter how fast you run, or how far. There are things in this life you can't escape. Like your family. At least not during track season.

Premise/plot: Jo Porter HATES--passionately loathes and despises--playing "Jo March" at her family's 'literary' attraction. There are three Porter sisters--Meg, Jo, and Bethamy. These three play three of the March sisters--Meg, Jo, and Amy. They hire an actor to play characters like Beth, Laurie, Brooke, etc. Their mom plays Marmee of course. These "live skits" veer from the novel. They are often improvisation. No one goes more off script--downright wild--than Amy. Andrea [I can't remember her last name] and her son/assistant, Hudson [also can't remember his last name] come to town to see this "live 'literary' attraction themselves. They will be writing up a story and providing publicity. [The actor that plays John Brooke, David, is suspicious of these two. He senses that they are liar, liar, pants on fire. That no story written will be positive.] The rest of the family, those that are tuned in and not tuned out, are not suspicious. Jo thinks she's found a kindred spirit in Andrea, and a possible love interest in Hudson. So she's letting it all hang out--no secret left untold.

My thoughts: What I liked was soon outweighed by what I didn't like. By far my favorite character was David, the super-cute, super-likable boy-next-door. He was practically perfect in every way. Of course, you could say he was a little too good to be true. That perhaps to be more realistic, he should have been written in with a flaw or two. My biggest problem with this one, and I'm just speaking for myself, of course, is that I hated all the characters. Hate is a strong word. I thought Jo was a horrible person. I cringed spending time with her. Meg, well, I only saw Meg through Jo's eyes, and Meg was someone that Jo HATED, DISRESPECTED, TRASHED. Amy, again, I only saw through Jo's eyes, and Amy was someone that Jo found ANNOYING and obnoxious and ridiculous. [Perhaps that lines up in part with book Amy, but in a different way.] Jo dislikes her mother, obviously, and thinks any time spent with the family is horrible, awful, just pure torture. Jo was such a negative character. The only person she doesn't outright hate is David whom she's secretly crushing on. She's also smitten with what Andrea represents--someone from out of town who is living life on her own terms--and Hudson--new boy to crush on. 

Readers either have to a) believe Jo 100% and think that her mother, her sisters, the whole world is cruel and unfair. That Jo is being mistreated, misunderstood, disrespected. or b) believe that Jo has an attitude problem, a big attitude problem, and that EVERYTHING we see through her eyes is to be taken with a grain of salt. 

As for how the book treats the source material, again it is written from someone who DESPISES, HATES, LOATHES the original book. Jo doesn't see anything "good" or "positive" or remarkable about Alcott's novel. 

So if you are picking this one up because you actually like the original book, it's like a slap in the face. It is written in a way that could only appeal to those who hate the original. And if that's the case, then maybe they'll enjoy most of it??? But then the "twist" at the end might disappoint. 

As for the ending, it felt SO odd. Like WHO is Jo really in light of her "aha" moments??? And why couldn't she have had her aha moment earlier in the novel??? Too little, too late for me to start liking her. And will this "new Jo" stick around????

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

7. Today, Tonight, Tomorrow

Today Tonight Tomorrow. Rachel Lynn Solomon. 2020. 364 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The text jolts me from sleep a minute before my 5:55 alarm, three quick pulses to let me know my least favorite person is already awake. Neil McNair--"McNightmare" in my phone--is annoyingly punctual. It's one of his only good traits. We've been text-taunting since we were sophomores, after a series of morning threats made both of us late for homeroom. 

Premise/plot: Rowan Roth and Neil McNair are fierce (and feisty) competitors (and classmates). Only one can be valedictorian, both desperately want it. Today Tonight Tomorrow is the story of their last day of high school. (Or perhaps their last weekend before graduation on Sunday.) They'll spend much of this day together...

The jacket copy reads, "Today, she hates him. Tonight, she puts up with him. Tomorrow...maybe she's already fallen for him." The premise is 100% predictable. Competitive classmates turned love interests. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one mostly. I think Rowan and Neil make a cute-and-compatible couple, for the most part. I think they are capable of bringing out the best in each other. Granted, they haven't always been thoughtful or kind. This is definitely a YA romance. It would make a fun rom-com as well. 

One of Rowan's big things is her obsession with romance novels and her desire to write (and publish) romance novels herself. So much of the text of Today Tonight Tomorrow is a defense of--an argument for--romance novels. She asserts that romance novels are essentially feminist and empowering. In a world where women are objectified so often, so blatantly there are romance novels where women are never objectified. I'm not sure I completely buy her argument. [Though you could argue that they are more balanced perhaps--men are objectified too.] Perhaps it's an author by author, book by book, series by series, publisher by publisher, decade by decade thing. I can certainly think of plenty of examples of UNhealthy relationships--abusive, manipulative, etc--depicted in romance novels. There were decades were it was okay--more than okay--for the "hero" of a romance novel to VIOLENTLY assault the heroine of the novel only to have her swooning over him and falling head over heels in love with him a few encounters later. I've certainly encountered romance books where women are objectified. Though perhaps the romance novel was calling out objectifying behavior without condoning it. For examples, books where heroines are saved by heroes from dangerous situations. Rowan, however, seems to have grown up reading different kinds of romance novels--or perhaps she has a blind spot or two. She loves how reading romance novels makes her super-comfortable and honest with all the sex-talk and sex itself. 

I should have been suspicious of all this romance novel talk to see where this one would eventually end up. So much of the novel is on the "light" side. Not clean exactly. But more on the sweet-and-flirty side and not the steamy side. But. By the end of the day my giddy-making, sweet rom-com had turned graphic--very. 

Again, I'll mention for the millionth time that I know I am completely in the minority. So don't let this dissuade you from reading the book itself. For those looking for a sex-positive YA rom-com with well-developed characters...then this one may prove a great fit.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

163. Talk Santa to Me

Talk Santa to Me. Linda Urban. 2022. 280 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I was born in a stable. A deluxe model, indoor-outdoor stable, with a light-up roof star and grass-mat flooring (discontinued item). My mom had been carrying a three-foot shepherd from the stockroom when the first serious labor pain hit. I've always been impulsive, Mom says, and once I got the notion that I had outgrown my current quarters, boom. She knew I was moving out.

Premise/plot: Our heroine Francie (full name Frankincense) works at her family's Christmas-themed shop. Her grandfather was a GREAT Santa. Absolutely all kinds of amazing. He even started a Santa school to train others how to be Santa. But since he died, well, things aren't quite the same in the family or the family business. Francie's dad is doing his best to continue the legacy, but, his sister has her own ideas of how to maintain the business (and being loyal to tradition and the argument that's the way we've always done it fall on deaf ears). Francie impulsively jumps in during an emergency and finds herself taking on the job as Santa's Intern on a local cable broadcast. The video goes viral--at least locally--and soon Francie finds herself answering thousands of letters to Santa. It's all SO MUCH. But the family's business/reputation may just depend on her PR work as Santa's Intern. 

Meanwhile, Francie is falling head over heels in love with Hector a classmate who just happens to work at the neighboring tree lot. As these two [relatively] shy teens get to know one another, a little Christmas magic happens. 

My thoughts: I thought this one was the perfect blend of super-sweet and funny. I loved seeing all the letters to Santa. We get plenty of those letters and her responses. I enjoyed seeing all the Christmas-y elements included in this one. Plenty of scenes take place during the weeks leading up to Christmas. It felt--to me at least--properly Christmas-y. I loved that Francie deep down cared about her family and was processing her grief. It added a level of depth. All of them were experiencing grief differently and they weren't always incredibly kind and thoughtful with each other. But you do get the sense that they do care about one another. Even "mean" Aunt Carol wasn't a one-dimensional villain (like she'd likely be in a holiday movie). The romance wasn't perfectly perfect--but it was so sweet and light and good. I could see how someone wanting something steamier might find this one to be too "young." But to me, it was perfect.

The back story of Francie trying to redeem her "first kiss" experience was definitely a back story. I'm glad it wasn't the sole plot point. This one so easily could have gone down a couple super-predictable paths. a) She could have had a fake boyfriend whom she would end up actually falling in love with. b) She could have had an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance with the boy that gossiped about her way back when. I'm so glad we didn't get either of those stories. 

I do think this would make a fun movie.

Quote:

Dear Santa’s Intern:

I hear you know Santa really well. Could you tell him not to bring me any pants this year? Two times already this year I asked for a paintball gun and two times I didn’t get one, but I did get pants. Pants are not a good gift. Except for one time during recess, I have been pretty good this year and I already said sorry and Henry said okay.

Your friend,

Logan

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

162. The Christmas Clash

The Christmas Clash. Suzanne Park. 2022. 368 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The projectile pacifier grazed my left ear. "I'm so sorry, would you mind grabbing his binky off the floor? Little Timmy's got quite a temper when he's hungry." Important note: Timmy was not in fact very little. I suspected he was five, maybe six.

Premise/plot: Chloe Kwon, our heroine, works as a photographer at the Santa Land feature at her local mall [Riverwood]. Her parents have a restaurant in the mall as well. Peter Li, our hero, works at the virtual reality North Pole experience at the mall. His parents have a restaurant in the mall too. The Kwons hate the Lis; the Lis hate the Kwons. But Chloe and Peter have found out something shocking: they do not in fact hate each other. Rather, Chloe might just like-like Peter, and it's mutual. But this isn't solely a "forbidden" romance with warring families. Riverwood Mall is very likely to be demolished to make way for condos. It isn't just their seasonal side jobs at risk but their whole families livelihood. Can Peter and Chloe by working together form a resistance with other mall tenants and find a way to save the mall????

My thoughts: This would make a PERFECT holiday movie. Everything about this one screams out for a film adaptation. So good news if you like holiday movies, you'll fall for this novel as well. And perhaps it's nice to get it in book-form for a change. 

Was it a perfect read? No. I'm not going to lie and say it was perfectly perfect in regards to storytelling, characterization, plotting, etc. But I could visualize much of this one. And it felt like a movie that I'd watch through beginning to end. It might sell better as a movie.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

144. The Girl in the Castle

The Girl in the Castle. James Patterson and Emily Raymond. 2022. [September] 368 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It starts with a girl, half naked and screaming. Even though it's midtown Manhattan, in January, the girl is wearing only a thin white T-shirt over a black lace bra. She slaps at the air like she's fighting an enemy only she can see.

Premise/plot: Hannah Doe [Hannah Dory] is desperate for "you" to believe her. [By you, I mean both fictional characters in the book and, you, the reader.] Her story seems absolutely impossible. She lives in two times--2023 and 1347. So she says. In the 2023 setting, she's a patient in a Psych ward [Belman Pscyh]. It is not her first time. Almost always she's brought in by the police. In the 1347 setting, she's a peasant who would do just about anything to keep her family [what remains of it] from starving. Her village is divided into haves and have-nots, and, well, the baron has everything, and almost everyone else has nothing. Her plan has her rebelling against the powers that be--the baron--and stealing food. When she's caught--along with the other peasants she's convinced to join her in the revolt, well, things don't quite go according to plan. But even though she's gained a little in this process--at what cost. 

Jordan, a psych student [from a local college] is observing/assisting at Belman. He takes a VERY close interest in Hannah's case. [In my personal opinion, he crosses the line time and time again. He doesn't seem professional. Then again, he's just a student. But still. Like who's supervising him??? And can't they tell he seems to be falling in love with one of the patients????]

My thoughts: I read through most of this one in one day. However, I reached a point where I was running out of pages--chapters--and I knew that there was absolutely no way this one could resolve even remotely decently or satisfactorily. And by that I don't mean I had a preconceived notion of how the ending should play out. I didn't. I mean it was like the author(s) were rambling along and realized--OH NO, WE ONLY HAVE TWELVE PAGES LEFT TO RESOLVE THE STORY WHAT SHOULD WE DO. And then they just kept rambling on hoping that somehow, someway it would work itself out. But I feel like there was no plan. I think a crisis point was reached and then they brainstormed, HEY, WE'LL JUST USE THE LAST FEW PAGES TO FLASH AHEAD FIVE YEARS. Jordan and Hannah will see each other across the room and let's fade to black. That will be awesome, won't it??? NOPE. Not awesome.

I didn't love this one. Don't expect this one to be sci-fi or fantasy at all. This is 100% just a novel of someone having a mental breakdown and losing her complete grasp on reality. The narrator is unreliable from start to finish. [Which is one reason why the flash ahead several years ending just fell flat to me.] The language is definitely crude. I don't fault it for that. Just some readers like to be warned so they can make the best decision for themselves. 

I do think readers need to know in advance that it is very RAW and full of suicidal talk, suicide attempts, actual suicides, etc. It is a DARK and GRIM book. Again, some readers may seek this out and find it a good read. Others really do need a trigger warning because of the sensitive nature of this one.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

120. The Epic Story of Every Living Thing

The Epic Story of Every Living Thing. Deb Caletti. 2022. 416 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Harper scooches her foot this way, and then scooches her foot back. It's always so hard to know what to do with your hands. Why are you so suddenly aware of your hands when you're trying to take a good photo, when they usually just do their own thing? 

Premise/plot: Harper, our protagonist, is almost always on her phone. She's always thinking about her social media image--how to get more views, more likes, more engagement, etc. She's not as thoughtful or considerate of the actual human beings in her life. (Like her mom and her boyfriend.) But all that changes over the course of one summer when she goes on a family vacation with strangers. 

Harper meets up with three of her forty-plus HALF-siblings. (Her father was a sperm donor). A few of them have worked together to track him down. He's in Hawaii. That summer they will go to meet him...and get to know one another.

The Epic Story of Every Living Thing definitely is influenced by the aftermath (or the continuance) of COVID. Harper is learning or relearning how to function in the 'real world' again. She's still a little fearful of getting completely back to normal. But overcoming bigger fears (like meeting her father) might just help her make peace with who she truly is.

My thoughts: Harper isn't the most likable character. But I don't know that that is a must to tell a compelling story. (The story is set during the summer before her senior year of high school. But Harper is only now beginning to get to know herself or to find herself.) I definitely cared enough to keep reading to find out where the story went...

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

92. The Agathas

The Agathas (Agathas #1) Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson. 2022. [May] 416 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Alice Ogilvie is crazy. The words are huge, written across my locker in thick black marker, impossible to miss. I see them from down the hall as I approach, the words like a pin to the eye. My first day back from house arrest, and this is what greets me. I can't say I'm surprised.

Premise/plot: The Agathas is a young adult mystery novel. Two teens team up to solve the murder of their classmate, Brooke Donovan. Alice Ogilvie and Iris Adams are unlikely friends. To be fair, Iris is being paid to tutor Alice. At a Halloween party, Brooke disappears after a public fight with her boyfriend (a boyfriend who happens to be Alice's ex.) Iris is one of the last to see her....alive. Or at least the last to see her alive who's come forward with information. (Obviously her killer is all hush, hush). Both Iris and Alice think Steve--who has been arrested and charged--is innocent. Since the police are unwilling to investigate the crime further, despite inconsistencies, the two teens team up (with a few others) to try their best to solve the case. 

My thoughts: This one has alternating narrators. I liked both Alice and Iris as narrators. Both are complex characters. Both have back stories. The mystery was well done. Sometimes it's hard to write about murder mysteries because you don't want to give away any spoilers about the crime, the clues, the suspects. But it was good. The right amount of tension and suspense.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

74. With and Without You

With and Without You. Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka. 2022. 384 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "I want to break up."

Premise/plot: Siena, our heroine, wants to break up with Patrick, our hero. BUT on the day she's planned to break it off with him, he tells her that his family is moving to Austin, Texas. Seeing a way out of a hard/clean break, she tells him she'd like to try to do long distance. (He did ask her if she wanted to try long distance or just break up with him.) Thus begins the will they, won't they dance that is the novel With and Without You. The novel spans a full year--give or take a week. Begins the summer before senior year, ends the summer after senior year. The author uses text messages to fast-forward the time apart--for better or worse. The time together includes Thanksgiving, New Years, spring break. These chapters are fleshed out and packed with scenes. Will they stay together? Will they break up?

My thoughts: I would be a LOT more invested in this story if we weren't thrown into it this late in the game. Starting a novel with a couple on the verge of breaking up doesn't really make me *care* about if they stay together or break up. And sad to say I continued to not care if they stayed together or broke up from first page to last. Not really having "seen" them together as a couple that was happy and in love, I'm indifferent to their choices. Maybe Siena can live without Patrick just fine. Maybe she'll fall in love with someone else. Maybe there's been a guy who's been hoping for a chance to make his move. Or not. I really don't care. Patrick doesn't seem as fleshed out as Siena. (After all, we're living in Siena's headspace, not his.) And while their scenes together are good, for the most part, again it's not like we're swooning with the glorious-ness of this couple. Usually when a novel starts off with a near-break up, readers know that the real love interest is probably going to be introduced in the next chapter or so. There will be a love triangle--usually with a strong contender and a weak contender. That isn't the direction this one chooses to go--not really. But it's not because this one goes in a different direction, more like it's directionless. By the time the novel ended, I didn't care if she stayed with Patrick, broke up with Patrick, got a new boyfriend, or stayed single. If this was a second book in the series, and I'd spent a book falling in love with them as individuals and as a couple, I'd have been swept up into this drama. But as it is, I just wasn't.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

62. Meet the Malones

Meet the Malones. (Beany Malone #1) Lenora Mattingly Weber. 1943. 282 pages. [Source: Borrowed from a friend]

First sentence: MARY FRED MALONE had just bought a horse. He was black and his name was Mr. Chips and Mary Fred was riding him home.

Premise/plot: Meet the Malones is the first in a series of books that chronicles the [fictional] Malone family. Elizabeth, Mary Fred, Johnny, and Beany. The book is set during the Second World War in Colorado. Elizabeth's husband, Don, is overseas fighting. Their father, a journalist, has gone to Hawaii. The family is mostly on their own--except for when they aren't. Nonna, the grandmother, is a FIERCE force to be reckoned with when she does arrive. She does change the family dynamics quite a bit. 

The point of view in this one is all Mary Fred. She has her first misadventure with "love" in this one. As this "mop-squeezer" is swept off her feet by the super-popular football player who typically dates "queens." Elizabeth returns home with a newborn son to care for! The whole family helps out...not just with Elizabeth but with other children in need. There is a real spirit of hospitality and compassion in this one. (Though that may not extend all the way to the neighbor's dog.)

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one very much! I enjoyed getting to know the family. At times I was left wanting more--which overall I think is better than reverse. Each chapter is a "snapshot." Some focus more on family life at home, their relationships with each other. Others focus more on school OR the community. You do get a sense of how life on the home front is during the war. The war is never far from their minds, they are always thinking of ways they can help out the war effort and encourage/support those serving. 

Quotes:

• The young Malones made their own decisions about lamb chops and life.  He was the delight of his English Lit teacher, gray-haired, gray-eyed, gray-garbed Miss Hewlitt.
• ‘The highest price you can pay for a thing is to get it for nothing.’ That’s the trouble with this generation; they want everything—” 
• Mary Fred said softly, “I read some place where courage is fear that has said its prayers.” 
• “Rabbits,” groaned Beany. “Why do people always poke rabbits at children when they’re too young to defend themselves?” “They’re beautiful blankets,” Elizabeth insisted. 
• Shame was different from grief or anxiety. You could share those with the ones you loved.
• Elizabeth said earnestly, “I don’t think they ought to end stories like that for children. It gives them the wrong idea. There’s happiness in love—oh, happiness that shakes you and enriches you, but love and marriage isn’t a happy-ever-after thing. Love and marriage has so much ache and emptiness and hurt with the happiness.” 
• Elizabeth detained them for one last word of admonition. “Now listen, gals, be sure you go out there to this soldiers’ dance with only one idea—not to have a good time yourselves but to give them one. Because you’ve got other good times ahead of you. But these kids—we don’t know what’s ahead for them.”
• “I didn’t bring you here to gloat over you,” he said quietly, as he swerved the car around and started home. “I wanted you to see for yourself. You’re always talking about Nonna and her being like a fairy godmother. I’m not up on my fairy tales but it seems to me I read about some old woman who fed a girl a poisoned apple and it stuck in her throat and she lay in a coma until something jolted her and it fell out. I wanted to jolt you.”

 

 

 

 

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

61. Rivals (American Royals #3)

Rivals (American Royals #3) Katharine McGee. 2022. [May] 400 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Beatrice pulled her arms overhead in a stretch. 

Rivals is the third novel in the American Royals series. For those not familiar with the series, the premise is that George Washington became King instead of President. The Washington family has been reigning since the Revolution. There are three Washington siblings: Beatrice, Samantha, and Jefferson. America is not the only nation that has been re-imagined with a royal family. I would say almost all nations/countries have a reigning royal family. Not that McGee spends the majority of her text filling in and filling up her world. The series specializes in the adventures/misadventures of the love lives of the three Washington siblings. Not surprisingly, the book is told with alternating narrators. Surprisingly, Jefferson is not one of the narrators. Instead of Jefferson's voice, readers are "treated" to two potential love interests Nina and Daphne. 

To "refresh" your memory, at the start of this novel:

• Beatrice is NOT married to Teddy (though she spent all of book two engaged and planning a wedding). But the two are still together.
• Samantha (a twin) is head over heels with Marshall (a man that she fell for while pretending to date). The two have some conflict because it is an interracial relationship.
• Jefferson is "on" with Daphne. But his friendship with Nina is "on" as well. The previous two books has been very messy with these three. HOWEVER, in the first two books, it was not a triangle but a rectangle. Ethan was always on stand by to switch out with Jeff. Whichever girl wasn't currently with Jeff was secretly (or not so secretly) with Ethan. 

So what does the third book offer readers?

[sound of silence]

Honestly, I feel this third book is a huge step backwards from the first two books. Turns out, I must have a secret (or not so secret) liking for Ethan. I don't know if it is Ethan himself, or, the fact that he offers some tell-it-like-it-is chaos. I honestly don't know if that's the best description. But there is no pretense, not really, with Ethan. 

Beatrice. It's not that I hate Beatrice, I don't. I think it's just that the author seems BORED of this character and like her chapters are a chore to write. There seems to be a disconnect with the way this character is written and how the others are written. I don't know that it's fair to say that Beatrice is playing at being a grown up in this one. But I just found her scenes where she is being a FIERCE Queen a bit ridiculous. (There's one laughable scene, not meant as a joke, where she stands up and make a speech ... and I won't continue with spoilers, but seriously. Just no.) Still, I didn't like how this one ended for Beatrice. It was just like the author was like DONE.

Sam. I think Sam is by far a more interesting character. She's had a handful of interesting love interests. Her scenes can have some drama that feels a little CW, but, her chapters move quickly. I do like her relationship with Marshall. But at the same time, these serious "notes" seem a little disconnected with the series as a whole. I have a LOT of questions about this alternate American history. And how this alternate series of events--a royal family instead of elected Presidents (and elected Congress) usually from two differing political parties--would impact EVERYTHING in society/culture. I could think of dozens of questions. I'll narrow it down to two or three--WAS there a civil war? WHEN did slavery get abolished? WAS there a civil rights movement? I could go on and on. Not just about race. But about EVERYTHING. The changes seem to be so small and insignificant they are barely noticeable. 

Nina. I do like Nina. She may be even more of a favorite than Sam. But I don't always like how she's "stuck" just being a love interest for Jeff and a sidekick for Sam (when Sam wants one). I get that these three grew up inseparable and that before the series open, there are literally twelve to sixteen (ish) years of back story for these three being TIGHT. But I almost like Nina better when she's not in the shadow of the royal family.

Daphne. Would there be any action in any of the books without Daphne moving the plot forward???? She is the chaos that initiates anything and everything. Mostly. That being said, my FAVORITE FAVORITE part of this book was the new-found friendship between her and Nina. I never in a million years thought I'd be cheering for these two to be best friends. But for a couple of chapters, there was this excitement of what it could mean. What if both girls decided that there was more to life than hanging all over Jeff??? But I was unsatisfied with how these stories played out. 

 Would I like Jeff MORE if he narrated his love life??????? He just seems SO VERY VERY VERY empty. Like as full of life as Disney's Prince Charming (animated original)--in other words not at all. 

I was disappointed with this third book. I had extremely low expectations, mind you, I wasn't expecting sudden genius. But I wanted more entertainment--even if that is twists and turns throughout. 

This series is MOST irritating if you in any way like history. The more history you've read in your life, the more irritating the series will be. Same with if you are a genealogist. The idea that there could even be a Washington family to reign and rule for two centuries is absurd. But the wider you expand this fictional world, the more questions you have. Like with genetics. HOW do you get past all the genetic problems from ruling royals. So this book may be above my maturity in some aspects.

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

59. Queen of The Tiles

Queen of the Tiles. Hanna Alkaf. 2022. 320 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: When Trina Low walks by, the world holds its breath.

Premise/plot: Najwa Bakri, our heroine, is returning to the world of competitive scrabble a year after the death of her best friend (and social media star) Trina Low. It's been one year since her friend literally dropped dead mid-game in competition. The experience was so traumatic that Najwa still can't remember exactly what happened that day; she's blocked it out. But when her dead friend's Instagram account starts posting again the weekend of competition, well, it's spooky and weird. Najwa and her frenemies (and a few legitimate friends) work together--or seemingly so--to solve the mystery of Trina's death. Is there a killer among them? Or was her death an accident?

My thoughts: Queen of the Tiles is a YA mystery. The list of suspects is long. I think the quicker a reader can speed through this one, the better it will be to become immersed in the story and go with the flow. Some characters blend together; others stand out. But beware red herrings!

There is a LOT of Scrabble talk--playing, planning, strategizing, etc. Each chapter starts with an [obscure] word and its [possible] points when played. 

I can see this appealing to some readers, but not all readers.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

25. I Must Betray You

I Must Betray You. Ruta Sepetys. 2022. [February] 336 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Fear arrived at five o'clock. It was October. A gray Friday. If I had known? I would have run. Tried to hide. But I didn't know. Through the dim half-light of the school corridor I spotted my best friend, Luca. He walked toward me, passing the tedious sign shouting from the concrete wall. New men of Romania: Long live communism--the bright future of mankind!

Premise/plot: I Must Betray You is set in (Communist) Romania in 1989. For Christian Florescu, our narrator, his country's freedom (and independence) can't come fast enough. But dare he hope it will come at all? He lives--has grown up--in a country where literally anyone and everyone could be--might me--an informant. Every move you make, every word you speak--might just be used against you or your family. Christian knows this but is helpless...you can't be guarded twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There have to be moments where you can just be... But those moments could cost him dearly. 

My thoughts: It is best to go into this novel--yes, it's probably "historical" fiction--knowing as little as possible about the plot. I found this a beautiful text in a haunting way. I found it to be a page-turner. It wasn't that I loved, loved, loved watching the pain go down. (I didn't.) But despite the emotional damage it will do to your heart--assuming you are a sensitive/empathetic reader--it was worth it. I knew very little about this time period. I had no idea how absolutely horrendous it was--not just for a few years, but for decades.  

This one might leave you at a loss for words, and that might just be okay. I do think the characters and the story will resonate with readers long after they finish the book. 

Quotes:

"Philosophy," nodded Bunu. "Soul nourishment. Sit for a spot in philosophy. You see, communism is a state of mind," he would lecture, tapping at his temple. "The State controls the amount of food we eat, our electricity, our transportation, the information we receive. But with philosophy, we control our own minds. What if the internal landscape was ours to build and paint?" Bunu spoke often of vibrant what-ifs. I pondered them in my notebook. How could we paint or sketch creatively? If the West was a box of colorful crayons, my life was a case of dull pencil leads. 

What films had some thick-fingered truck driver smuggled across West Germany, through Austria and Hungary, into Romania? We never knew when videos might arrive. Most illegal movies from the West were dubbed into Romanian by the same woman. No one knew her name, but more than twenty million people knew her voice. She brought us into a secret, forbidden world of inspiration.

How could we expect others to feel our pain or hear our cries for help when all we could do was whisper?

Betrayal. It's undigestible. It instantly changes the frequency of things. Every Romanian carried a world inside them, and mine had quickly gone from dark to black.

From the author's note: "When justice cannot shape memory, remembering the past can be a form of justice." ~ Ana Blandiana

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

24. How Not to Fall In Love

How Not to Fall in Love. Jacqueline Firkins. 2021. [December] 239 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I'm kneeling in front of Frosty the Snowman's lesser-known and more flamboyant cousin, Fluffy the Sparkle Monster. Buried inside Fluffy is a very slim, very non-fluffy bride-to be. 

Premise/plot: Harper, our heroine, is skeptical when it comes to romance. Her next-door-neighbor/best friend, Theo, however, is all in for romance. He falls in love on the first date no matter how that first date goes. Harper wants to protect Theo's heart from his thousandth break-up (I am definitely exaggerating on the number). The set-up is simple: 1) can Harper date her crush, Felix, without falling in love??? 2) can Theo learn to read the signs better and not fall head over heels especially when it's not reciprocated. 

Meanwhile, while all these dates, near-dates, and non-dates are happening, Harper has to help manage her mom's bridal shop.

My thoughts: Keep two things in mind really, 1) I have not read all that much YA romance in the past few years. I did read a good bit of YA romance a decade ago. But not lately, so maybe a LOT has changed. 2) Reading is subjective obviously. 

Predictable Tropes. Possible issue #1. This isn't my issue, mind you, but one I've seen addressed generally speaking when talking about romances. This one makes use of both the boy-next-door that-I-never-noticed AND best friends to lovers. Harper and Theo's togetherness is inevitable from page one. Everyone knows it.

Love Triangles. Possible issue #2. This can be a little more problematic for me generally speaking. In this one, there is a definite love triangle--or a very weak love rectangle. Harper is lusting after Felix and Theo. Theo is lusting after Harper, but, "dating" the people he's matching with on an app. And also Harper's friend/co-worker, Pippa. Felix has eyes only for Harper, at least so far as we can tell as readers. But Harper, as I mentioned, has eyes for multiple guys at the exact same time. Perhaps because she doesn't believe in love and romance?

Smutty content. I would imagine that 90% of readers would not find the content problematic. I know without a doubt that I am in the minority here. I speak up because even though I'm not in the majority, I don't think I'm completely alone either. Sometimes when you're trying to decide if a book is for you or not for you, it helps to find reviews that mention the level/degree of "smuttiness" for lack of a better word. 

What I liked: The premise has potential. This could be a cute/adorable teen rom/com with film potential. You can almost hear the soundtrack. You know every step of the journey before the opening credits are finished, but you are left with a big smile on your face. Did you notice my use of "could"? I think the potential was there. And I think some/many/most might enjoy this one exactly as is.

The biggest strength is the characterization of Theo. She does a great job in showing (not telling) exactly why Harper falls head over heels in love with him.

I also appreciated that Felix was never rejected because he was "bad" or "a jerk." So often with love triangles, one is "better" than the other. Perhaps one is controlling or has a temper or is neglectful or is narcissistic, or is pushy/demanding. Felix has a certain amount of swoon-factor going for him.

What I didn't like: I tend to think of romances as being on a spectrum. 0 being no sexual content. 10 being might as well be a movie. 5 being PG-13. I found the novel to be VERY graphic. I'd rate it somewhere between an 8 and a 9. As I said, some readers may be HURRAY, bring on the steamy-steam! I'm not the right reader for this one. Romance doesn't have to equal bare skin.

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

110. This Is Not the Jess Show

This is Not the Jess Show. Anna Carey. 2021. [February] 304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Three things happened the week I found out. Titanic won a bunch of Oscars, and my sister and I stayed up late to watch because we'd never miss a chance to see Leo in a tux. Meanwhile every news anchor was talking about the president, and everywhere I went people repeated that phrase, how he "didn't have sexual relations with that woman." I probably should have cared (president, impeachment, important stuff) but another, more pressing matter, had consumed me: I'd fallen in love with my best friend. Tyler.

Premise/plot: What if your whole life was a lie?!?!?! Jessica Flynn begins to question--to doubt--EVERYTHING as her life begins to unwind slowly but surely. It starts small--hearing voices yelling, chanting. Catching a glimpse of something that seems off/odd. But it isn't until HER dog is seemingly replaced with a look alike that she is like SOMETHING is wrong and NO ONE will tell me the truth. Just enough is "off" with her reality to make her start questioning everything. And once the questions start, there's no going back...

My thoughts: Part of me wishes that This is Not the Jess Show had been set in JUNE 1998--or should that be "June 1998"--so that Jess could go see THE TRUMAN SHOW with her friends. Though probably the powers that be--Life-Like Productions? Like-Life Productions?--would have banned that film from their universe. Still it would have been great.

The Truman Show is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite movies. I don't think it gets enough love. Perhaps the intended audience of this YA novel--tweens and teens--haven't seen it or heard of The Truman Show. For better or worse? On the one hand, This Is Not The Jess Show is a total and complete copycat of The Truman Show. On the other hand, it is a total and complete copycat of The Truman Show. Except instead of the "star" of the show being an adult--she's a teen girl--a minor.

Still, I loved so many things about it. It reminded me of The Truman Show, The Twilight Zone, and Margaret Peterson Haddix's awesome book, Running Out of Time. I did enjoy all the 90s references.

One of her conversations with Ty.

I wanted to go back into the bathroom and reapply my lip gloss and pinch color into my cheeks.

“Who knew Jen Klein was obsessed with Chumbawamba?” His finger rested on some CD spines in the middle of the stack. “I didn’t even realize they had other bad songs.”

“I actually wouldn’t mind that stupid song if it wasn’t so lazy,” I said, stepping toward him. “Have you ever listened to the lyrics? It’s the same two verses over and over again. He says the same line three dozen times.”

“But also, what is the guy in the song even doing?” Ty was still smiling as he said it. “He drinks four drinks in a row, all different. Like, I’m no bartender dude, but I’m pretty sure mixing a whiskey drink and a vodka drink and a lager drink, then chasing it down with hard cider, is not going to be good.”

Did I love him? Was it possible to love someone you’d never even kissed?

“You hiding out in there?” Ty asked, glancing over my shoulder into the bathroom. He had on this green flannel that he was obsessed with and a vintage Tears for Fears tee shirt underneath, the fabric faded from so many wears.

“Maybe. Don’t tell anyone.”

“You kept my secret about that weird cat statue.”

“The statue! I forgot about that.” I laughed.

“That’s how good you are at keeping secrets.”

When I was younger, my mom bought this abstract cat statue and displayed it on a pedestal in our den. Ty and I were rolling around inside a refrigerator box, pretending it was a carnival ride, when we slammed right into it, knocking it to the floor. I put the head back on with Crazy Glue. You could only tell it was broken if you held it an inch from your face.

“What is that?” he asked, peering at the pink stuff in my cup.

“Some weird lemonade  drink. Wanna try?”

“With that rave review?”

One of her conversations with "Patrick" (aka Kipps)

I guess it’s kind of obvious we’re not in the ’90s, huh?”

“Who else was going to say it? You think we’re going to run into some therapist who’s going to sit me down and, like, gently break the news to me?” I asked.

Kipps pressed his lips into a straight line.

“So, Bill Clinton? He’s not the president?”

“No, he’s dead,” Kipps said.

“Alanis Morissette? Puff Daddy?”

Kipps cringed. “I don’t know? I think they might be alive still? People don’t really listen to Alanis Morissette anymore, no offense. Not when Izzy Pike is making music.”

“That means…” I tried to do the math in my head. “Ew. How old is Scott Wolf? Like…70?”

I couldn’t shake the visual. Scott Wolf, my Scott Wolf. Old. Wrinkled. GRAY.

“Who is Scott Wolf?” Kipps said.

“Bailey from Party of Five?”

It was useless. I kept imagining him with saggy jowls and stooped shoulders. Scott Wolf with a grandpa pancake butt and white hair. “Gross. That is truly repulsive.”

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews