Each
fall, even though Christmas is months away, I start searching for books that
will bring the magic of Christmas to life for me. This year I ordered three
that sounded promising. The first was okay but nothing special. The second was
so boring that I couldn’t finish it. Was I going to strike out? Fortunately,
this book hit a home run.
With one of the most unusual heroines I’ve met and a
premise that had me laughing out loud at times, Monzon created the best
Christmas book I’ve read in several years. This is a definite keeper.
Two workplace rivals. One festive competition. And a romance that upends it all.
Every December two things are guaranteed for graphic designer Mackenzie Graham--Christmas celebrations and the annual promotion at her workplace. Those two things are by no means mutually exclusive. In fact, the better an employee is at harnessing the Christmas spirit, the more likely they'll win the new job. With her social anxiety, Mackenzie never thought she'd be a contender in her company's holiday competition, so how exactly has she found herself dueling her workplace crush with wrapping paper tubes and using tinsel as her weapon of choice…
I grew up in a small rural town and I’ve always been a romantic at heart. I discovered small-town romance as a subgenre not long after I got my first kindle and I felt like I’d found my happy place. I binged dozens of them, some lighthearted or funny, others darker or suspenseful. I love visualizing the towns, getting to know the community members, and becoming so immersed in the worlds that picking up a new book in the series felt like coming home. Over the past few years, I’ve written approximately 20 small-town romance stories of various shapes and sizes and I have many more to come.
I relate to the characters in Tease so much. Hutton is a billionaire with social anxiety. People think he’s aloof, but in reality, he’s never sure what to say. As someone with mild social anxiety myself, I loved seeing my own experiences reflected in his struggles. Not to mention, he’s a sweet, good-hearted man.
Felicity is the kind of heroine you can’t help but like. She’s a bit of a hot mess, but she’s endearing and tries really hard. She also has a habit of stress-cutting her hair. As someone who currently has bangs because I got stressed out earlier in the year and took a pair of scissors to my hair (never a good idea!), I felt both seen and called out by this character trait.
I didn’t mean to say I was engaged to a hot billionaire–it just slipped out.
In my defense, I’d had a really bad haircut, a really strong drink, and I was trying to save face in front of the Mean Girl at my high school reunion.
Lucky for me, I happen to know a hot billionaire. Hutton French and I have been friends forever, and even though big social gatherings are not his thing, I called him from the coat closet and begged him for a favor–show up and play my fake fiancé for the night.
As a kid, I read constantly. After my beloved mother left my abusive father and came out as a lesbian, a homophobic judge took me and my siblings--one of whom has Down syndrome--away from her. Reading was an escape. I loved weekends when I could leave my father’s house near Los Angeles and visit my mother who had a backyard full of trees and gardens. My parents argued constantly but as long as I could grow plants and observe birds, I was okay. Eventually, I moved to Oregon and volunteered to care for owls. I wrote Avenging the Owl to show that in the middle of family meltdowns, kids can turn to the natural world for comfort and inspiration.
This is the story of a girl named Rose, who is autistic and obsessed with homonyms. She lives with her father who’s often impatient with her needs and abandons her to drink at the local bar. Her mother has vanished, and Rose turns to her sympathetic uncle and her beloved new dog for comfort. When her dad lets the dog out during a storm, Rose and her uncle find the dog and realize it already has an owner. She learns the truth of her mother’s disappearance and moves in with her uncle.
Once again, here’s a story about the healing relationship that can exist between a kid and an animal. And as the sibling of a person with Down syndrome and a former special education teacher, I’m impressed with the author’s respectful portrayal of a girl on the autism spectrum.
From Newbery Honor author Ann M. Martin, who wrote the Baby-sitters Club series, comes a New York Times-bestselling middle grade novel about a girl, her dog, and the trials of growing up in a complicated and often scary world.
Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms. She's thrilled that her own name is a homonym, and she purposely gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose's rules of homonyms, is very special. Not everyone understands Rose's obsessions, her rules, and the other things that make her different―not her teachers, not other kids, and not…
For as long as I can remember, I’ve yearned to be part of a BFF-ship, like Anne Shirley-Cuthbert searching for her Diana Barry or Nancy Drew seeking her crewmates Bess and George. As I grew, I realized what I really wanted was to be part of something bigger than myself, working toward a common goal and solving problems bravely and creatively. In any given role, I’ve sought to find the best possible team for the job. Now that I’m a full-time creator, I’ve continued to prioritize people and collaborative practice over any given outcome. Sometimes, we win, sometimes we learn. But the important thing is that we try/learn together.
Though this fabulous new addition to the roller derby kidlit genre doesn’t come out until August, I was lucky enough (by nature of my derby community membership) to get a sneak peek, and am proud to say that Holden has taken a “novel” approach to enthusiastically recruiting the next generation of great roller derby players with relatable and nuanced skill.
IMO, tackling timely and relevant topics like social anxiety and family dysfunction along with team dynamics means taking a brave, 360 degree approach to the complex lives of today’s teens, however they roll.
Social anxiety, her parents’ divorce, and messy friendships won’t stop Millie’s pursuit of what she wants—in roller derby or in love. But her own lies might . . .
Sixteen-year-old Millie Novak is stuck in an “if only” rut. If only she were stronger and faster, maybe her roller derby teammates would take her seriously. If only she had the guts to go back to in-person learning, maybe she’d have a social life. If only she weren't such an awkward mess, maybe she could get the attention of that cute girl on the all-star derby team. And don’t get her…
Hey there, readers! One afternoon during my children’s naptime, I read a couldn’t-put-it-down young adult adventure story. It totally drew me in, but as much as I enjoyed it, I distinctly wished it had included Christian morals. The goal of my writing is to give God glory and encourage readers to grow in their faith. My hope is that seeing relatable characters choosing to let God’s light shine through them, even during hard situations, will inspire readers to trust God and strengthen their faith. Be inspired along with me when the characters in this book list courageously make the right choice.
Speak Your Mind is a middle-grade/young adult book to read, learn from, discuss, reread, and start a book club with!
Victoria is exceedingly shy and has to overcome anxiety to be assertive. To top it off, Ms. Markovich singles out Victoria and verbally bullies her, paving the way for students to bully her.
At the story’s climax, Victoria needs to summon every ounce of her faith to speak the truth. Victoria’s strong character arc is very gratifying, and I absolutely love her friend Aiden.
This impressive novel takes on big topics including social anxiety, bullying, compassion, and living righteously in an unrighteous world, and leaves readers with several powerful lessons.
Middle school is bad enough. It's worse when you're the shy kid.
Victoria Harding has been called many names during her time at Grahamwood Junior High: Loner. Stalker. Teacher’s Pet. Kids have even joked that she’s formed an evil plot against the school, because you can never trust the quiet ones.
But Victoria is armed with nothing but her vivid imagination, content within laying low in her own little world, where she’s able to battle against the school’s dragons and trolls with her quick wit and confidence. If only that could become her reality.
