Beauty and the Bean Boots

Smile by Raina Telgemeier Review

July 19, 2020July 6, 2020 BrittanyLeave a comment

The message in this book will make you smile.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier is a graphic novel memoir inspired by the author’s experience as a middle school student who received extensive dental work after an accident that took out her two front teeth. After the accient, Raina loses a lot of self-confidence, but as she grows older, she becomes more confident in herself and learns what is truly important.

I remember when this book came out around ten years ago because I literally saw it everywhere. I don’t remember graphic novels being as huge at the time, and as someone who strictly read contemporary YA at the time, I never picked it up. Now that I’m older, I have expanded my reading, and recently, I’ve been trying to pick up more books targeted for middle grade.

In the past few years, I’ve read quite a few graphic novels that I enjoyed, like El Deafo by Cece Bell and Best Friends by Shannon Hale, both of which are graphic novel memoirs. I was pleasantly surprised that Smile is also a graphic novel memoir, as I didn’t know this when it became popular so long ago. While Smile isn’t my favorite graphic novel, I still think it has a valuable message as well as relatable characters for the graphic novel’s target audience.

As someone who has never had braces, or any major dental work besides removing my wisdom teeth, I appreciated how Telgemeier explained a lot of the dental work that she received in this book. While I’ve seen other people get braces, I have never personally felt the physical pain that they can cause or how they may affect how someone feels about their appearance. I think Telgemeier’s explanations, especially regarding her emotions on her appearance, makes the book relatable to many readers. Even if you have never had braces, in middle school there are a lot of people who feel self conscious about how they look for a multitude of reasons, and it is comforting to read that you’re not the only person who felt that way.

I also enjoyed how Raina grew as a person throughout her experience with braces and as a student in middle school. At the beginning of the graphic novel, Raina’s “friends” frequently make fun of her and walk all over her. However, as she grows older and gains more confidence, she stands up for herself and becomes more comfortable in her skin. Even though this book doesn’t take place in 2020, it is still a relevant message that is important for young readers to hear.

Overall, Smile is a quick read with a relatable and positive message for young readers. While it wasn’t my favorite graphic novel, it is still a solid story, especially for the target audience. I give Smile three out of five stars and I look forward to checking out more graphic novels by this author.

Summer Lovin’ Book Tag

July 18, 2020July 19, 2020 BrittanyLeave a comment

Since summer vacation is about halfway over, I thought it would be the perfect time to complete the Summer Lovin’ Book Tag. I am not sure who started this tag, but if you know, please tell me in the comments so I can give them credit. Here are my answers:

Start of Summer: Pick a book with an attention-grabbing first line

This book didn’t have a memorable first line, however, I do think the first chapter did a great job of introducing the main character and pulling me in with a strong voice. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the rest of the novel, I did think the first chapter was strong.

Beach Read follows January, a romance writer, who spends the summer at her recently deceased father’s beach home in Michigan where she encounters August, a literary fiction writer and former college rival. After they run into each other, January and August hold a competition to see how can write better in the other’s genre.

Too Hot to Go Out: Pick a book for a day in

Aurora Rising is a long book, so it is the perfect book to spend the day inside reading. I really enjoyed Aurora Rising for the fun cast of characters and Guardians of the Galaxy-esque style story, however, I was less impressed with the sequel, Aurora Burning, released earlier this year.

Aurora Rising follows Aurora, who wakes up 200 years after she was cryogenically frozen on her way to a space colony. In the future, Aurora learns that the government is keeping the colony a secret for unknown reasons.

Summer Road Trip: Pick a book you’d take on the road

Starry Eyes doesn’t feature a road trip, but it does feature a hiking trip with some breathtaking descriptions of the scenery. While I’m not the biggest fan of aspects in Jenn Bennett’s earlier works, I always appreciate her attention to detail in the setting.

In Starry Eyes, Zorie and Lennon, once best friends and now enemies, go on a camping trip with friends. When abandoned by their friends, Zorie and Lennon decide to hike in the California forests to reach a stargazing event.

Ice Tea Goodness: Pick a book with a cold setting

I don’t think it is necessarily cold in this book, but it does take place in New York City, which does get cold and this book did release this past January. That being said, Tweet Cute is a fun contemporary that is perfect to read any time of the year.

Tweet Cute follows Pepper and Jack, the daughter and son of rival business owners, who battle it out on Twitter after the chain restaurant owned by Pepper’s family steals a recipe from the small business of Jack’s family.

Nasty Sunburn: A book you really disliked (so far) this year

The Wedding Party (The Wedding Date, #3)

I had high hopes for The Wedding Party because I read The Proposal the year before and really enjoyed it for being a realistic romance. Unfortunately for me, I was disappointed by the inconsistent characters, underdeveloped romance, and all-over-the-place plot in this one.

The Wedding Party follows Maddie and Theo after they are chosen to be in a mutual friend’s wedding party. Although Maddie and Theo claim to dislike each other, they start a secret relationship.

Sizzling Summer Reads: Recommend one of your favorite books (this year)

I am not someone who typically enjoys books about acting or plays, so I was pleasantly surprised when this became one of my earliest five star reads this year. I especially appreciated the main character in this book, who was extremely outgoing and bold.

Always Never Yours follows Megan Harper, who inadvertently lands the lead role in her school’s production of Romeo and Juliet. However, Megan more identifies with Rosaline, as she always dates guys right before they find their true loves.

What activity do you love to do in the summer?

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks Review

July 16, 2020June 27, 2020 Brittany1 Comment

From the desk of Brittany, I give this book five out of five stars.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington follows Zoe Washington, a middle student and aspiring baker, who receives a letter from her father in prison on her twelfth birthday. Zoe’s never communicated with her father, so in secret, Zoe starts sending him letters. When Zoe’s father tells her he is innocent in a letter, Zoe becomes determined to find evidence that will overturn the guilty verdict.

As I mentioned in my Front Desk review earlier this month, I love middle grade that perfectly balances tough topics with a lot of heart. Like with Front Desk, From the Desk of Zoe Washington also presented readers with difficult, relevant issues, with a spunky protagonist who stands up for other people.

One aspect of this book that I think this author nailed was how she discussed the prison system in this country and how many innocent people are imprisoned every year due to factors outside of their control. For example, Zoe’s father couldn’t afford a lawyer when he was convicted, so the state appointed him one. Consequently, the lawyer wasn’t invested in Zoe’s case, to the point where he wouldn’t track down a witness to confirm her father’s alibi. As a result, her father was wrongfully convicted of murder. Marks exposes readers of all ages to a relevant issue in our country, which can generate conversations surrounding this topic for readers of all ages.

Another aspect of middle grade that I enjoy is a spunky protagonist with a lot of heart, which is the perfect description of Zoe. Although Zoe has experienced racism, she never knew that it extended into the prison system in our country. Once Zoe learns about this issue, she will do whatever it takes to stand up for what is right. Additionally, Zoe wants to be a famous baker. Even though no Black girl has ever won a baking competition on television, she puts in hard work to achieve her dream by helping out at a local bakery. I think many readers will admire Zoe’s determination to reach her dreams and her persistence help other people.

Overall, From the Desk of Zoe Washington was another great middle grade book that I’ve read this year. I give this book five out of five stars.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Make Me Smile

July 14, 2020July 11, 2020 Brittany5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is books that make me smile. I am someone who loves to read fun, light-hearted contemporary books, so I am never short on books that make me smile. Here are some of my favorites:

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

P.S. I Like You is like your favorite, feel-good high school movie. Even though it is a little cliche and tropey, it is still easy to read and fun. P.S. I Like You follows Lily, who writes letters back and forth to a classmate who responds to lyrics that she writes on her desk in science class.

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

The Unexpected Everything is a cute summer read with a fun cast of characters and really cute dogs! Morgan Matson always writes great coming-of-age stories, so if you enjoy that type of story, you will appreciate the character development within this book. The Unexpected Everything follows Andi who takes a job walking dogs when her summer internship falls through due to her father’s potential involvement in a political scandal.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

The Truth About Forever has a memorable cast of characters with a lot of heart. It makes me smile to see how Macy grows as a character and watching her family come back together after the death of her father. The Truth About Forever follows Macy, who lives a very controlled life after her father’s death when she encounters a catering company full of imperfectly perfect friends.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)

This is the first fantasy book on my list, but I had to include it because I found myself smiling so many times during the interactions between Feyre and Rhysand. A Court of Mist and Fury is the second book in the A Court of Thorn and Roses series where Feyre, a poor human, is taken captive by a faerie after she shoots and kills a faerie disguised as a wolf.

Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West

Love, Life, and the List (Love, Life, and the List, #1)

All of my favorite Kasie West’s books make me smile, and while this one is a little more angsty than most, happy endings always make me smile. I also smiled when the main character, Abby, finally stood up for herself to Cooper. Love, Life, and the List follows aspiring artist Abby who creates a list to gain more life experience in order to improve her art which she completes with her best friend Cooper, a boy that she likes but her doesn’t like her back.

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress and Thorne are two of my favorite characters from The Lunar Chronicles, so of course, the story that focuses on their story would have to be one of my favorites in the series. I especially liked one of the ending scenes in this book, which made me smile, because it came full circle from a line earlier in the book. Cress is part of The Lunar Chronicles which follows Cinder, who is part cyborg, after she is forced to participate in a study by her evil stepmother to cure a deadly plague.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)

Like with P.S. I Like You, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the perfect high school romantic comedy. The movie version of this book especially makes me smile because it is a great adaptation of the original story. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before follows Lara Jean, a shy high school student whose secret love letters get sent out to boys at her school.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

There are so many aspects of This Lullaby that make me smile. I enjoy Dexter’s character and how Remy and Dexter compliment each other so well in a relationship. This Lullaby follows Remy, whose relationship rules are threatened when she meets Dexter, a sweet and clumsy musician.

Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita

Secrets of My Hollywood Life (Secrets of My Hollywood Life, #1)

When I was younger, I absolutely loved this series by Jen Calonita. Not only does the writing make me smile, but like many other books on this list, it was like reading a high school romantic comedy movie. Secrets of My Hollywood Life follows Kaitlin Burke, a famous actress who goes undercover as a normal teenager in high school.

It’s a Mall World After All by Janette Rallison

No matter how many times I read this book, I find myself laughing every single time, which I don’t typically do in books. It’s a Mall World After All follows Charlotte, who spies on her best friend’s boyfriend when she suspects him of cheating, but she keeps running into the boyfriend’s annoying, but cute best friend who is also her rival.

What are some books that make you smile?

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Kindle Book Haul (July 2020)

July 12, 2020July 6, 2020 Brittany1 Comment

Over the past few months, I have downloaded several books to pass the time that I’ve been spending at home. Here’s what I downloaded (any book with a book review on my blog will be linked to the book’s title):

How to Draw Manga: Basics and Beyond by Manga University

Over quarantine, I started watching a lot of drawing videos because I recently got an iPad and downloaded Procreate, a digit art app. While I was having fun exploring the app and corresponding tag on Instagram, I was struggling to draw pieces that I liked.

As a result, I searched for drawing books on Amazon and this fit the style that I wanted to learn to draw more successfully. This book definitely helped me with proportions as well as learning how to draw some specific aspects of this style. While I can’t say that I reference this book every time I draw, it was beneficial for me to download. However, I do think I would have preferred a print version, as it is difficult to navigate on my Kindle and difficult to switch back and forth while I’m drawing on my iPad.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Front Desk has received many positive reviews and I’ve been interested in reading it for awhile. I’ve been looking forward to picking up middle grade again, so I decided to download it. As I expected, I really enjoyed this middle grade novel and look forward to reading the next installment in the series.

Front Desk follows Mia Tang, an immigrant to the United States from China, who moves with her parents to California where they manage a hotel under a mean owner. Through her experiences as the hotel, Mia learns to stand up for herself and others when she sees discrimination. She also refuses to give up on her dream, which is to become a writer.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

I heard nothing but positive review about Beach Read, which was marketed as a summer romance about two rival writers who challenge each other to write in the other’s preferred genre. I definitely suffered from expectations vs. reality for this read because it is very different in tone than the synopsis and marketing suggests, as it much darker and serious than expected. As a result, this book was only an average read for me.

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

I picked up Starry Eyes because the main characters go camping and I wanted something summery, but not beachy to read. This is one of Jenn Bennett’s earlier books and I much prefer her later books, so there were some elements in this book that fell flat for me. However, I was looking for a very atmospheric read, which this book delivered.

Starry Eyes follows ex-best friends Zorie and Lennon who get roped into a camping trip with some frenemies. When abandoned on the trip by the others, Zorie and Lennon decide to hike their way to a stargazing event through the California wilderness.

Live by Sadie Robertson

This is an advice style book by Sadie Robertson. In these types of books, she usually discusses situations that she’s faced in her life and how her Christian faith has played a role in those situations. I do have the other advice style books she has written, so I decided to pick this one up as well.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

I’ve seen the cover of this book as well as a few positive reviews of this book, although I do not know much about it. From reading the synopsis, there are some elements that I will probably like, such as a rag tag crew of characters. However, it also gives me Kate DeCamillo feelings, which is a style that I’m not really a fan of, so I don’t know what my expectations are regarding this book. That being said, I usually really like books that I least expect, which makes me excited to read this one.

This book follows Coyote, who tries to secretly get her father to drive them back to where she used to live, which is also where her mom and sisters died in an accident, before their neighborhood is demolished.

What books have you hauled recently?

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The Baby-Sitter’s Club Netflix Series Review

July 11, 2020July 9, 2020 BrittanyLeave a comment

Need a new show to watch?

Netflix’s newest books-to-movie adaptation, the 10-episode The Baby-Sitter’s Club serves as the perfect modern adaptation of the beloved children’s book series. When Kristy’s mom needs a sitter, but can’t find one, she comes up with a great idea: one place for parents to call where they can reach several babysitters at once. The series follows Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, Stacey, and Dawn as they take on challenging babysitting jobs and major life changes during their middle school years.

Was the series adapted well?

Whenever a book is adapted into a movie or television series, readers always wonder how everything they love about their favorite series will translate onto the big screen. The Baby-Sitter’s Club, a series that lasted between 1986 and 2000, brought excitement to many readers when the series was announced, as well as many questions. Could this series reach a modern audience?

This Netflix series perfectly balanced playing homage to the original characters and storylines of the original series, but also updating the characters and the content for a modern audience. Every character maintains true to their personality in the book, especially how they react to current events, such as activism. Every episode of the series, each thirty minutes long, follows one of the original series (however, I can’t remember if episodes 9 and 10 appear anywhere in The BSC timeline) with slight plot changes to make the series more relevant.

How is the casting?

There are few book-to-movie adaptation where I can say every single member of the casting is spot-on. In fact, the only time where I’ve ever thought the casting was near perfect was The Hunger Games franchise. Like with The Hunger Games, the casting for this Netflix show set the bar high for other book-to-movie adaptation.

Every actor, from the main members of the BSC to the side characters like Karen and Kristy’s stepfather, completely embodied their role and brought the characters from the book to life. As each episode balances humor and emotion well, every actor balances the humor and emotion of their characters as well. For me, each character felt like a real person, not like someone just playing a part on a television show. I also appreciated that Netflix diversified the cast of main characters.

My Last Thoughts

This book-to-movie adaptation will please fans of the original series, as well as children in the show’s target audience. I can see the original Baby-Sitter’s Club series, as well as the graphic novels, growing in popularity after the release of this series and many young children wanting to be like the characters on this show. I give this series five out of five stars.

Recently Received ARCs (June 2020)

July 9, 2020June 22, 2020 BrittanyLeave a comment

Like I mentioned on my last ARC TBR post, I’ve really focused on reading books that catch my attention and that excite me because of my reading slump last year where I found that I was more forcing myself to read certain books than enjoying them. Recently on NetGalley, I found two books that sounded really interesting to me, and fortunately for me, I was approved to receive an eARC. Here are the ARCs that I was recently approved for:

Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey

I requested Tools of Engagement because I was looking for more books in the adult age range to read as well as adult books read by new-to-me authors. This book specifically interested me because I read The Honey Don’t List by Christina Lauren earlier this year, another adult romance book involved with home improvement, and enjoyed it. Also, I’ve heard a lot of positive reviews for Tessa Bailey books.

This is the third book in a companion series, but after reading this book, I didn’t find it absolutely necessary to read the other two books first (although the main characters in this book do interact in the previous installments, if that is something that would bother you as a reader). While I had small issues with some aspects of this book, it was exactly what I was looking for in a fun and light-hearted read.

Tools of Engagement follows Bethany Castle who steps aways from her family’s real estate business to flip her own house, much to her brother’s dismay. Their feud catches the eye of a television producer, who wants to turn their situation into a reality competition. Unfortunately for Bethany, the only person on her side is an annoying ex-member of her brother’s renovation crew.

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

Christina Lauren’s books always sound interesting to me, but only come across as average in execution. However, I received an ARC of The Honey Don’t List this year and enjoyed it much more than previous books by this author duo, so I was definitely more interested in reading their next release, In a Holidaze. I am a sucker for books set around Christmas. Although I’m not completely sold on the Groundhog’s Day element of this book, I’m always looking for a book to prove me wrong on a trope that isn’t always my favorite. I haven’t read In a Holidaze yet, but I’m looking forward to reading this book closer to the end of summer.

In a Holidaze follows Maelyn Jones after she spends her final trip to her parents’ cabin in Utah. On the journey home, however, Maelyn gets in a terrible accident where she finds herself reliving her the trip again and again.

What are some books that you are excited for in the second half of 2020?

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*I was sent copies of Tools of Engagement and In a Holidaze as eARCS from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest reviews.

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I’ve Read the Most Books By

July 7, 2020July 5, 2020 Brittany5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is my most read authors.

How do I find my most read authors?

Unfortunately, it seems like Goodreads has deleted this feature off of its website. However, after playing around with some of the existing features, I discovered a way to find your most read authors. Below, I have a Twitter thread where I explain step-by-step how to now find your most read authors on Goodreads (click on the tweet to see the thread):

I was working on a future Top Ten Tuesday post (hosted by @ArtsyReaderGirl) about Authors I've Read the Most books by. It looks like @goodreads removed this tool feature, but I figured out a way to still find your most read authors, so I thought I'd share what I found (1/?)
— Brittany (@BAndBeanBoots) June 15, 2020

My Top Ten Most Read Authors

Now, here’s my top ten!

Meg Cabot (24)

I am not surprised that Meg Cabot tops my list of most read authors. During middle school and high school, I primarily read and reread books by Meg Cabot and Sarah Dessen. The Princess Diaries series alone takes up about half of the books that I’ve read by this author.

I have great memories of reading books by Meg Cabot. Mia Thermopolis was one of the first book characters that I really related to and her books were always light and funny, which I really enjoyed. Although I’m not particularly drawn to any of her recent releases, I will always have fond memories when I look back at books by this author that I really enjoyed.

My favorites: The Princess Diaries series, All-American Girl, Avalon High

Sarah Dessen (14)

Like I mentioned with Meg Cabot, I read and reread many of Sarah Dessen’s books in middle school and high school. Some of those first books I read by this author, Just Listen and The Truth About Forever, still are some of my favorite YA books.

I think I enjoyed Sarah Dessen’s books so much, because like with The Princess Diaries, I could relate to the characters, even if they weren’t exactly like me. While there was a period was I wasn’t a fan of Dessen’s newest releases, I recently read The Rest of the Story, which was one of my favorite books of the year.

My favorites: Just Listen, The Truth About Forever, This Lullaby, Along for the Ride, The Rest of the Story

Kasie West (12)

I had never heard of Kasie West until I started blogging, which surprises me, since I love contemporary and she is such a loved YA contemporary author. While Kasie West’s most recent releases have been a miss for me, I enjoy her books for being lighthearted and easy to read. While I really enjoyed some of Kasie West’s books now, I feel like they would have been books that I would have reread countless times in high school.

My favorites: P.S. I Like You; Love, Life, and the List, The Fill-In Boyfriend

Miranda Kenneally (9)

It doesn’t surprise me too much that Miranda Kenneally is on this list as I have read the entire Hundred Oaks companion series. While I wouldn’t consider Miranda Kenneally one of my all-time favorite YA contemporary authors, her books are light-hearted and easy to read, which is my favorite type of book to read.

My favorites: Breathe, Annie, Breathe; Jesse’s Girl; Racing Savannah

Marissa Meyer (8)

It also doesn’t surprise me to see Marissa Meyer’s name on this list because I loved the Lunar Chronicles, so with that series combined with the two graphic novels that followed, that’s already quite a large number of books. I will always look back fondly on the Lunar Chronicles series because it was a series that I picked up because of reading book blogs and watching book videos on Youtube.

My favorites: Cinder, Cress

Jenny Han (7)

I was actually surprised to see Jenny Han on this list, but it makes sense considering I finished both her To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series and the Summer series, as well as a short chapter book by this author. Jenny Han’s books just encompass everything that you hoped high school would be, which is why I think I love her books so much. I particularly enjoyed her children’s book, Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream.

My favorites: Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream; To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before; Always and Forever, Lara Jean

Janette Rallison (7)

Like with Meg Cabot and Sarah Dessen, I read many books by Janette Rallison, particularly in middle school. Janette Rallison’s books made me laugh out loud, no matter how many times I read them, which doesn’t usually happen for me with books.

My favorites: Just One Wish, It’s a Mall World After All

The Lonely Hearts Club (The Lonely Hearts Club, #1)

Elizabeth Eulberg (7)

Elizabeth Eulberg was another surprise on my list. Even though I’ve read books by this author over the years and I have enjoyed several of her books, she’s never been on my all-time favorites list so I didn’t realize how many books I’ve read by her over the years. For Elizabeth Eulberg, her writing is always solid, but the stories themselves are always hit-or-miss for me.

My favorites: The Lonely Hearts Club, Prom and Prejudice

Kiera Cass (6)

This doesn’t surprise me too much, considering I read the entire Selection series. Kiera Cass is by no means my favorite author, but The Selection series was just a lot of fun and quick to read. I don’t have any particular favorite books by Kiera Cass, but I can say that I wasn’t a huge fan of one of her standalone books, The Siren.

Sarah J. Maas (5)

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Court of Thorns and Roses series despite not being a huge reader of fantasy. This series motivated me to pick up other fantasy books, like The Folk of the Air series, which I also really enjoyed.

My favorites: A Court of Mist and Fury

Who are some of your most read authors?

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Front Desk by Kelly Yang Review

July 5, 2020June 27, 2020 Brittany1 Comment

Check in to this heartfelt and relevant middle grade novel.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang follows Mia Tang after she immigrates to the United States from China with her parents. When Mia’s parents are offered to be managers at a hotel, Mia’s family thinks they will finally live the American Dream. However, many roadblocks stand in the way between Mia’s family and their dreams, like a mean hotel manager who constantly changes the rules.

I have heard a lot of positive reviews surrounding Front Desk, and after reading the synopsis, I knew this was a book that I wanted to pick up. I always love reading middle grade because I think middle grade books perfectly balance exploring tougher issues but also containing a lot of heart. Front Desk perfectly balances those two elements and is an extremely relevant book for readers of all ages.

Although this book is based off the writer’s experiences from when she was a child, all of the issues presented in this book are still relevant today. This book covers a lot of topics, such as immigration and racism, through a young girl’s eyes. Mia, the main character, isn’t afraid to confront other characters in the book when they are discriminatory to other people, and when people are discriminatory towards Mia, she refuses to let go of her dreams. Mia acts as a great role model, from readers in and out of the target audience. Additionally, this book can open many readers to discussions about important topics.

Even though I’m someone who does enjoy middle grade books, they aren’t my go-to when looking at my TBR. Front Desk prompted me to research more middle grade books and read them immediately after finishing this one. I give Front Desk five out of five stars.

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