Magnolia Wu is turning 10 years old, but she's expecting another boring summer as a loner at her parents' laundromat. When she meets Iris, the two embMagnolia Wu is turning 10 years old, but she's expecting another boring summer as a loner at her parents' laundromat. When she meets Iris, the two embark on a quest to find the owners of the missing socks left behind.
This is not a graphic novel per se, but it does include many doodles and illustrations for different elements of the story. It's a very low-stakes slice-of-life brief book with different little mysteries and a message of friendship and helping others. Really sweet! I read it in Chanel's voice (in my head) and found it especially endearing....more
This fourth book in the Sinister Summer series picks up with the whole gang heading to find the Steins, the unknown family to whom one of the seven boThis fourth book in the Sinister Summer series picks up with the whole gang heading to find the Steins, the unknown family to whom one of the seven books belongs. They end up at a summer day science camp, which is held in a creepy manor on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. The Sinister family has strength in allies this time, and each member of their crew utilizes their skills to search for more information to solve the biggest mystery of the summer.
This one is good. I like all the characters working together. The setting of this one is somewhat reminiscent of the mansion in the second book, but this one is a little more dark and foreboding. The pacing is good, and the character development is present, particularly in the relationship between Wil and Theo&Alexander. It’s nice to get more Wil in the story.
This one was not very scary. It may be the least scary yet in the series (in my opinion). Content warnings: parental abandonment/disappearance, thunderstorms, experimentation on frogs, and reanimated creatures/people in the spirit of Frankenstein (the reanimation and experimentation is alluded to and mentioned as a concept, but not explicitly described)
Representation: Most of the characters, including Theo and Alexander, are white, except for Wil who is previously described as having darker skin and braids, and Edgar who also has “darker” skin. Theo has trouble feeling her emotions and is described as having "bees" inside her when she feels big things, preferring "doing things" over "feeling things." Alexander has a strong compulsion to follow rules and be cautious. They both are learning how to be true to themselves but also grow.
Messaging: Even though you should be respectful to adults, sometimes certain adults are untrustworthy and up to no good. Even adults can be misguided. You shouldn’t judge someone by their appearance, because even if they look and act nice, they could be deceiving you, so pay attention....more
The third installment of the Sinister Summer series is by far my favorite yet. The pacing was great, the length was perfect, the setting and plot wereThe third installment of the Sinister Summer series is by far my favorite yet. The pacing was great, the length was perfect, the setting and plot were compelling, and we finally get some more information about the overarching mystery of what happened to their parents? The camp setting and the dilemma the kids face is reminiscent of conversion camp, even though this allusion is coded through the fantastical hypnotic effect of tie-dye. The humor and wordplay was slightly toned down in this one. I really liked this one and can't wait to read the next!
Content warnings and scare level: This one is a lot less scary than the previous books. (view spoiler)[ The scariest part is that the kids go into a cabin completely decked out with tie-dye while weird bell music plays to hypnotize or "brain-dye" the kids into being "normal." Content warnings for parental abandonment, "brainwashing" at a camp setting, and adults who try to change children to be "normal." (hide spoiler)]
Representation: Most of the characters, including Theo and Alexander, are white, except for Wil who is previously described as having darker skin and braids. One character has two fathers, which is passingly mentioned. Theo has trouble feeling her emotions and is described as having "bees" inside her when she feels big things, preferring "doing things" over "feeling things." Alexander has a strong compulsion to follow rules and be cautious.
Messaging: Even though it is "easier" to be "normal," it robs you of your individuality and what makes you "you." Work together. It's good to feel your feelings in constructive ways or means that don't harm yourself or others....more
This one picks up right where the first book left off, and it is a little longer. It continues to narrate with a 3rd person POV the thoughts and actioThis one picks up right where the first book left off, and it is a little longer. It continues to narrate with a 3rd person POV the thoughts and actions of Theo and Alexander. The tone is humorous and puny, delivering wordplay and witty remarks in a way that mostly lands, but sometimes doesn't.
Although I enjoyed the setting of this one more (vampiric spa castles > gothic waterparks), I think the pacing is so slow. It took a long time for the kids to catch on to the suspicious happenings right before their eyes. (view spoiler)[ And then, once they discovered all the neat passages (such as the catacombs and the tunnel system), as readers we didn't get much time to explore these places. The reveals were rushed after a long set-up, and the long-awaited tunnels only made up a small portion of the story, sadly. (hide spoiler)]
I do like the overarching story element though, which extends across volumes and keeps me curious to pick up the next book. I'm very interested to see how it eventually pays off in the fifth book.
Content warnings and scare level: This one is a little scarier to me than the first book. The gore and horror is still pretty tame and mild, but there are allusions to sucking blood, human experimentation, and lurking creatures, which makes it a little more ominous than Wretched Waterpark-- in my opinion. Content warnings for parental abandonment, analogies to blood, creatures lurking in shadows, unconscious bodies in a medical facility, and bats.
Representation: Most of the characters, including Theo and Alexander, are white, except for Wil who is previously described as having darker skin and braids. One character has mothers, which is passingly mentioned twice throughout the whole book. Theo has trouble feeling her emotions and is described as having "bees" inside her when she feels big things, preferring "doing things" over "feeling things." Alexander has a strong compulsion to follow rules and be cautious.
Messaging: Support others in the way they need to be supported. It's okay to lie to people who hurt others in order to protect yourself and your loved ones. (view spoiler)[ Multilevel marketing schemes and raisins are evil. Greed is wrong. Help others. Balance being cautious with being brave. (hide spoiler)]...more
I've been chasing that "quirky/nerdy mystery-solving family with gothic elements" ever since my childhood obsession with A Series of Unfortunate EventI've been chasing that "quirky/nerdy mystery-solving family with gothic elements" ever since my childhood obsession with A Series of Unfortunate Events, so that's what compelled me to pick this up.
Fraternal twins Theo and Alexander and their older (adopted) sibling Wil are sent off to stay with their peculiar aunt for the summer. In this installment, they frequent the "Fathoms of Fun" waterpark, which features installations such as the Cold, Unknowable Sea (a wave pool). People start disappearing around this waterpark, though, so Theo and Alexander take it upon themselves to get answers.
This is written in a 3rd person POV that details the feelings of Theo and Alexander. While Wil is with them, the narration primarily focuses on the twins. I liked the witty and punny narrative voice, the ambiance of the waterpark, and the brevity (so many middle grade books are just TOO LONG). I think that some of the mystery elements, once we found out what was going on, were a little weak. However, the book does end on a note where you have to read the following books in order to figure out why the kids were sent to their aunt's in the first place, so the waterpark mystery is one mystery within a larger mystery.
Theo and Alexander are twelve years old, and Wil is sixteen. They seem to be fairly sheltered, commenting that they are not allowed to have slumber parties and that they are forbidden from saying "the f word," which in their case is "fart." They do read as being a little less mature than twelve, but ultimately it seems like this would be a good book for kids whose parents want them reading "cleaner" age appropriate books.
Despite some of the weaker elements about the plot, I do plan to continue with this series.
Representation: Most of the characters, including Theo and Alexander, are white (and ghostly pale), except for Wil and Edgar who are described as having darker skin. One character mentions his "dads" a couple times in passing. Theo has trouble feeling her emotions and is described as having "bees" inside her when she feels big things, preferring "doing things" over "feeling things." Alexander has a strong compulsion to follow rules and be cautious.
Content warnings and scare level: This book, despite being "grim" in atmosphere is pretty mild. The only content warning I have is parental abandonment? The kids have loving parents but feel a bit lonely and abandoned by them for the summer. The gore level is minimum: no deaths and no physical gore take place. It's not very scary at all.
Messaging: It's wrong to be greedy and hurt others. Overall, the kids have strong morals and are generally obedient. They do decide to break the rules, but only because they are convinced something nefarious is going on and a few of their friends are missing. (Rule breaking includes taking things, trespassing, running from adults, and lying once to their aunt.) There isn't much of a didactic component to this story....more
I read somewhere that this is "Knives Out meets Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" and I can definitely see it! The Knives Out element cI read somewhere that this is "Knives Out meets Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" and I can definitely see it! The Knives Out element comes from a group of people convening in one place during which a murder mystery unfolds, and the Lemony Snicket element comes from the cheeky and witty narration, the wordplay, the quirky characters and bizarre relatives, the absent parents, and the focus on three siblings.
The beginning had a bit of a slow start for me, but once I got a feel for the characters, I felt very immersed in the mystery and the characters. Although it incorporates some very serious topics like absent parents and death, it handles it all with a fairly cavalier attitude that was truthfully a bit welcome for me--not that death is a lighthearted affair, but I appreciated that this didn't turn into a very emotional drama and maintained its cartoonish charm throughout the entire narrative.
As for the mystery, I think it was cleverly done, if not a bit obvious but plausible. As I said, this book read like a cartoon, so when we got the "cartoonish villain" moment at the end, it didn't feel out of place.
The intermittent illustrations were also a superb addition to the story!
I think this would be great for readers ages 10 and up.
Content heads up: There are a few murders in this book, multiple descriptions of blood and corpses. There is moderate violence.
Representation: There is a non-binary supporting character, a gay uncle, and a trans relative. Most of the characters read as white, but there are some racially ambiguous family members.
Morals: The topic of death is dealt with a bit whimsically. In the end, the characters learn to accept one another for who they are. Family works together and makes amends. Good triumphs over evil and wrongdoers are punished....more
It saddens me to give this two stars, but I was really let down by the writing. I loved Dial A for Aunties and Four Aunties and a Wedding was fun, butIt saddens me to give this two stars, but I was really let down by the writing. I loved Dial A for Aunties and Four Aunties and a Wedding was fun, but as much as I wanted to love Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, it just felt like it needed more editing.
After finishing the book, I read the acknowledgements section, and suddenly all my issues with the book made sense. Sutanto was rushed to write this, and it shows. I really like the premise, but the writing could have used more time in the oven to cook (so to speak).
This book has multiple POVs told from a third person omniscient narrator, which I did not like. Vera is supposed to be our main character, and I think we would have been better off sticking with Vera throughout the whole book and getting a first person account from her, as she is the one who is supposed to be investigating the murder. By the end, she felt like just another side character, as the author clearly related more to the younger characters who crowd Vera's spotlight.
While I do like how all the characters came together, I also felt as if the five side characters' personalities were all interchangeable. Each character has their one or two "things," like painting, and they all have somewhat of a backstory, but aside from that, they all act in exactly the same manner as one another. At the beginning, Julia and Sana are both passive pushovers who are victimized by everyone in their life. Tilly, Oliver, and Riki are just Gen Z/Millenial nice guys. The way they speak, the way they act, are pretty much all the same.
Which brings me to the "bad" characters in this book. The actions of the "bad" characters are just very evil. While I know that there are some extreme assholes out there and abusive relationships are unfortunately common, it seemed nuts to me that some of these characters would be so cruel and one-note, just exaggerated villains.
And Emma. Emma is two years old, but she comes off like she is three to five years old. I know the author has children, so it's not like she's altogether unfamiliar with this age group, but Emma was very eloquent and aware, and did not ask nearly enough questions. Granted, I do not have children of my own, but I work with them and Emma would be the most mature two-year-old I'd ever encounter.
The mystery was fine, but the killer was glaringly obvious to me about halfway through. However, the reasoning was far more insidious than I would have expected. Like??? (view spoiler)[ Sir??? You BLATANTLY abuse your one child in favor of another for their entire lifetime, and then as soon as you find out the golden child is very mean, your first instinct is to KILL HIM? MURDER is your FIRST THOUGHT? I figured it'd be an accident, like, "Whoops! I accidentally killed my son without realizing it," but no-- he full on CHOSE that outcome. That's wild to me. (hide spoiler)]
Going back to the editing thing... The writing really started to bug me after I noticed two consecutive chapters that began, "__ can't remember the last time s/he __." (For example, "Vera can't remember the last time she felt so alive.") After I started noticing it, I found this phrase peppered throughout the whole second half of the book. None of these characters can remember anything about their own lives apparently!
It also bugged me how all their problems were blamed on one person, and then suddenly all their problems were solved with a different person.
I know cozy mysteries are by nature formulaic, and I'm new to reading this genre as an adult, but as much as I was entertained by the first half, I couldn't help but notice its shortcomings as the book went on.
But, I won't give up on you, Jesse. I'm still going to read Dial A for Aunties 3....more
This middle grade ghost/mystery story had major Studio Ghibli vibes! The author Sachiko Kashiwaba has also written The Marvelous Village Veiled in MisThis middle grade ghost/mystery story had major Studio Ghibli vibes! The author Sachiko Kashiwaba has also written The Marvelous Village Veiled in Mist which influenced Spirited Away, and the illustrator Miho Satake illustrated Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones and three books in the Kiki's Delivery Services series by Eiko Kadono.
Temple Alley Summer is told from the perspective of a fifth grade boy who witnesses a ghost coming to life in his family's house. However, the next day, all his classmates act as if they have known the girl for years! As the narrator investigates the origins of this ghost girl, he also learns more about his family house's history. Plus, there a fun fairy tale story-within-a-story section.
I think the narrator was really funny and personable. There were some details and elements of the characters' lives that were glossed over I would have like expounded upon more, but it did feel true to a fifth grader's perspective. The pacing was different from what I normally read. Overall, a very endearing story....more
Chester is a really funny and sweet narrator. This starts off as a mystery when he and a girl from school named Skye come together to solve clues theyChester is a really funny and sweet narrator. This starts off as a mystery when he and a girl from school named Skye come together to solve clues they are left. The second part of the book focuses more on Chester's feelings about his estranged father, and it gets really sad. But then it gets kind of happy again by the end....more
On Zoe's twelfth birthday, she receives a letter from her biological father Marcus in prison. Even though she's known of him being in prison, she's neOn Zoe's twelfth birthday, she receives a letter from her biological father Marcus in prison. Even though she's known of him being in prison, she's never met him nor heard from him. A bit rattled by this, she secretly writes him back, knowing her mother would not want her to be in contact with him.
Zoe is passionate about baking, and she's ecstatic when she gets a summer internship at her mother's friend's bakery! She wants to audition for Kids Bake!, a television baking competition for kids. Her parents (her mom and "step" dad, who she considers to be her dad) are considering letting her. But once she gets a reply from Marcus, Zoe is shocked to hear that he claims he is innocent. Determined to find proof of this, Zoe secretly investigates his case, all the while hiding this from her parents.
This book is just so readable, and I was charmed by the relationship between Zoe and Marcus. The novel ends up exploring how a lot of Black men are charged for crimes they did not commit. Zoe is pretty clear-headed for a twelve-year-old, even though she does have her few outbursts and characteristic tween traits. I just really enjoyed Zoe's story. This is a good one, for sure....more
I love the aunties! This had me cracking up laughing at their antics. It ended at a good point; any longer and the hijinks would have felt way too draI love the aunties! This had me cracking up laughing at their antics. It ended at a good point; any longer and the hijinks would have felt way too drawn out. ...more
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