book review

Lockjaw / Matteo L. Cerilli

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Trigger Warnings: blood, gore, violence, animal death, neglective adults, off page domestic violence, bullying, racism, internalized transphobia

Chuck Warren died tragically in the old abandoned mill in Bridlington. Everyone thinks it was an accident, but Paz Espino knows it was the monster that lives under their small town, and she’s determined to kill it before anyone else gets hurt. She’ll need the help of her crew – inseparable friends bound by a childhood pact, stronger than anything – to hunt it down. 

With shifting timelines and multiple perspectives, Lockjaw is a small-town trans YA horror story that’s sure to captivate all who pick it up.

This book took me a bit to get into, but that’s honestly because I could tell something was just off enough within the town that I was always trying to figure out what. Matteo L. Cerilli did a fantastic job at leaving breadcrumbs throughout the early pages until you get to the big twist!

While this book tackles a lot of things (see the trigger warnings up top), it also captures the feel of a small town and what the pros and cons of that can be, regardless of the reputation it may have to outsiders.

Overall, once you get your footing into Bridlington you are bound to get sucked into the monster fighting queer teens and you won’t be able to turn the pages quick enough.

Dreamover / Dani Diaz

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Dreamover
By: Dani Diaz
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 312
Published: January 14, 2025
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Dates Read: March 8, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Amber and Nico have been best friends since the third grade. When Amber confesses her undying love to Nico, it’s to no one’s surprise except hers. When Nico expresses the feelings are mutual, their summer of first love begins.

But life gets complicated when high school starts and between school, bullies, homework, and juggling their friendships and relationship, Amber and Nico cling to each other, forgetting about everything else. Soon, they find themselves with only each other.

One night, as they play video games together, Amber’s wish of running away with Nico comes true when they mysteriously fall into a shared lucid dream. Anything they imagine becomes possible and endless adventures await. But will they stay there forever, or will they choose to return to the real world?

As an adult reader reading this, the story did remind me of my first love and being devastated when all of my free time couldn’t be spent with them, it’s a balance you have to find and both Amber and Nico struggled with that throughout the story.

The art of this graphic novel was catching and the illustrations were beautiful, especially during the lucid dreaming bits.

Overall, this is a simple graphic novel exploring themes of friendship, first love, growing up, forgiveness, and toxic dependency. Though adult readers would probably still enjoy it and could possibly relate, this novel is definitely aimed at young adults. 

Cat + Gamer (Volume 7) / By: Wataru Nadatani, Susie Lee (Contributor), Zack Davisson (Translator)

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Cat + Gamer (Volume 7)
By: Wataru Nadatani, Susie Lee (contributor), Zack Davisson (Translator)
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 160
Published: February 25, 2025 (1st Published January 18, 2022)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: March 8, 2025
Format: Library Book / Paperback

A few of the stories in this collection include Riko Kozakura trying to figure out the best way of balancing working from home and the cats’ asking for attention, playing hide and seek, finding the culprit of a mess in the kitchen, and finding the wonderful smell of a cat.

Just another fun collection with such relatable things – like Soboro sitting on the keyboard of the computer or Musubi sitting on Riko’s brand new work chair and her sitting on the edge (one of the reasons I think I automatically sit on the edge of my work chair regardless if there’s a cat there or not).

High applauds to the talent of how Nadatani captures the expressions of a cat without changing what a cat will actually look like. Sure, we get inside their heads during the bonus pages, but the cat’s faces are truly that of a cat’s face (and the amount of times I’ve seen my own cat in Musubi’s face…)

Overall, I still absolutely love this series and can’t wait until the next one.

What We Sacrifice for Magic / Andrea Jo DeWerd

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What We Sacrifice for Magic
By: Andrea Jo DeWerd, Sara Van Beckum (narrator)
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 304
Published: September 24, 2024
Publisher: Alcove Press
Dates Read: March 6, 2025
Format: Library Book / Audiobook

It’s 1968 and in the small town of Friedrich, Minnesota, the Watry-Ridder family is both feared and respected as the town’s witches. Farmers seek out their water charms and the teenagers, their love spells. As the eldest daughter, Elisabeth, recent high school graduate, is set to take over for her grandmother, marry her high school sweetheart, and live the rest of her life in Friedrich. But as the time draws closer and closer, all Elisabeth can ask is, why her? Why is her path so set in stone?

Elisabeth soon discovers magic isn’t the only thing inherited by her family, and that said magic comes with a much greater price than she realized. The more she digs for the truth, the more questions she has, and the less she trusts her grandmother.

As she ventures out, Elisabeth must find out who she is without her family – without their secrets and magic. 

This novel had a super messy family, one filled with jealousy, small mindedness, and miscommunication. Elisabeth was raised by her grandmother, Magda, to be the one to take over, therefore she was more superior than her sister, Mary. She would talk about how talented Mary could be in the same sentence she would undermine her.

This novel definitely brushes upon gatekeeping and the benefits of sharing information and skills.

Overall, this magical realism read about a young witch adventuring out on her own to find herself is perfect as a cozy read.

*Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Lunar Boy / Jes and Cin Wibowo

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Lunar Boy
By: Jes and Cin Wibowo
Genre: Graphic Novel, Science Fiction, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 240
Published: May 14, 2025
Publisher: HarperAlley
Dates Read: March 4, 2025 - March 5, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Indu, a boy from the moon, has felt like he doesn’t belong ever since he and his adoptive mother disembarked from their spacecraft to live on New Earth with their new family. The kids at school think he’s weird and he’s not fluent in their language, he has a crush on his pen pal, and his stepfamily doesn’t seem to know how to connect with him. Worst of all, his mom’s so busy that Indu can’t even tell her what’s wrong.

In a low moment, Indo calls out to the moon, begging to take him back. Surprisedly, the moon answers and agrees to bring him home on the first day of the New Year. As the days pass, Indu finds friendship in unlikely places and discovers the connections to his new family that were lost before. When the moon finally calls him home, Indu must decide if he’s willing to give up what he’s just found.

I was first interested in this graphic novel because of the artwork / color palette (sunset blue and pink are my all time favorite colors), but secondly because it just won the Stonewall Book Award for Children – and boy did it do an amazing job at representation! Trans, Bi, Pan, not to mention different body sizes, shapes, and ethnicities.

This graphic novel is great for the discussion of changing family dynamics, starting over in a new place, navigating identity and friendships, and trans identity. This is aimed at middle grade readers, but I feel like those of middle grade and older would enjoy it.

Stonewall Book Award for Children 2025

Ariel Crashes a Train / Olivia A. Cole

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Ariel Crashes a Train
By: Olivia A. Cole
Genre: YA, Novel in Verse
Number of Pages: 464
Published: March 12, 2024
Publisher: Labyrinth Road
Dates Read: February 22, 2025 - March 2, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: mental health, OCD, intrusive and violent thoughts, suicidal thoughts

Ariel is afraid of her own mind and the violent fantasies she can’t control that are taking over every part of her life. She already feels too big, too queer, too rough for what a “good girl” is. Ever since her older sister Mandy left for college, Ariel isn’t sure her counting and rituals are enough to keep everyone safe.

When she returns to her summer job at Wildwood, the local carnival, she’s also without her best friend, Leah, who’s off to DC for Young Chemist. At first Ariel tries to keep everyone out, but then she makes friends with the new workers Ruth and Rex and she questions if what she’s been doing is the best. With help and support, Ariel discovers there’s a name for what she struggles with – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – and that there can be a future where she’s at home in her own body, and where she’s not alone.

This book isn’t an easy read – Ariel’s intrusive thoughts are definitely not kind, they’re bloody and violent, she’s also got unsupportive parents <spoiler> though it does hint that her Dad probably has OCD as well, so unsupportive/in denial </spoiler>. It is written by an author who also struggles with OCD and I feel like this was a well written portrayal. I don’t myself have OCD, but I have friends who do and they’ve described their struggles similarly.

I think the novel in verse format of this works really well for this story because Ariel’s mind can be so scattered and claustrophobic. Cole plays around with the format a bit and it shows a lot of depth you don’t always see in novels in verse. 

Overall, this is a powerful read for those who would like to learn more about living with OCD – it’s a bit heavy at times, but worth it.

National Book Award Nominee for Young People’s Literature 2024

The Face on the Milk Carton (Janie Johnson #1) / Caroline B. Cooney

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The Face on the Milk Carton (Janie Johnson #1)
By: Caroline B. Cooney
Genre: YA
Number of Pages: 208
Published: May 22, 2012 (1st Published February 1, 1990)
Publisher: Ember
Dates Read: February 22, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

When Janie sees the girl on the back of her friend’s milk carton at lunch, she instantly remembers wearing that dress in the photo, she remembers the itchiness of the fabric against her skin. That little girl with pigtails is her! But how could that be?

As Janie starts to piece together everything, nothing makes sense. Are Mr. and Mrs. Johnson really her parents? Why does she remember other children? Who exactly is she?

I honestly don’t remember why this basically lived in my checkout shelf on Libby for nearly 6 months (yea, I just kept renewing it/putting a hold on it). I think it had to do with it being a banned book for sexual content, challenging authority, and inappropriate for age group. Janie is fifteen and she found out her parents aren’t her biological parents and has been not only lied to, but kidnapped… I think she’s gained the right to be “challenging authority”. 

Now, all that being said, did I find this book to be the best written novel in literature? No. Would I have probably enjoyed it a lot more if I read it younger? Yes. By the end of the book, Janie was slightly getting on my nerves and I was also annoyed that I didn’t know if I could trust what the parents said, cause it all sounded CRAZY! Oh, and then I found out this series has FIVE more books?!

Overall, I think young adults would still enjoy reading this. I especially think they would enjoy seeing how kids did their research “back in the day” as Janie tries to find out the truth.

Continental Drifter / Kathy MacLeod

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Continental Drifter
By: Kathy MacLeod
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Memoir
Number of Pages: 224
Published: April 2, 2024
Publisher: First Second
Dates Read: February 18, 2025 - February 20, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

With a Thai mother and an American father, Kathy lives in two different worlds. Most of the year she lives in Bangkok and goes to the International School. But then, during the summer, her family travels twenty-four hours straight to get to a tiny seaside town in Maine. Even though she looks forward to eating all the food she can’t get back home, Kathy doesn’t feel like she belongs with the New England kids either. Kathy just wants to find a place where she belongs.

This graphic memoir not only captures the uneasiness of being eleven, but also being a biracial/bicultural preteen at a summer camp. Kathy struggled with fitting in both in Bangkok, where she was too American and in Maine, where no one looked like her and she didn’t always understand the pop culture references. 

The art of this novel fit well for the audience as it was but simple but beautiful.

Overall, this graphic novel is perfect for those who may also feel like they just can’t fit in and those who set expectations high for an event (ex. Summer camp) and it falls short of what they thought.

Winner of Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Children’s Literature (2025)

The Last Bookstore on Earth / Lily Braun-Arnold

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The Last Bookstore on Earth
By: Lily Braun-Arnold
Genre: YA
Number of Pages: 320
Published: January 7, 2025
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Dates Read: February 16, 2025 - February 18, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: body horror

Ever since the first storm wreaked havoc and changed the world as we know it, seventeen-year-old Liz Flannery has been surviving in her old job, the bookstore in the New Jersey suburb she grew up in, trading books and letters for supplies. It’s her safe space. Until she heard about the next storm coming soon.

Then she meets Maeve, someone who breaks into the bookstore one night looking for shelter. Maeve and Liz butt heads, but Maeve has the skills Liz lacks that are needed to fix the dilapidated store before the next storm hits. Liz agrees to let her stay.

As the girls grow closer and feelings start to appear, they realize there are more threats than just the storm and they find themselves fighting to stay alive.

Though this book is post-apocalyptic, I will say it does focus more on Liz and Maeve’s relationship than it does the world around them. Which ended up being a little disappointing to me because I would have loved to read more about it – especially how Liz handled the days following the event and making it into the bookstore. 

I didn’t think realistically that Liz would have even lasted the amount of time that she did last before Maeve showed up. Maeve came in and showed a lot more of what it was like in the “new world”, but we never got into detail about Liz’s. <spoiler> and then what she did with her hand and the generator as a whole was crazy </spoiler>.

Overall, this was a cute sapphic post-apocalyptic young adult novel set in a bookstore where people still exchanged goods for a book.

*Thank you Delacorte Press and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

We Called Them Giants / Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans (Artist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)

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We Called Them Giants
By: Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans (Artist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Science Fiction
Number of Pages: 104
Published: November 24, 2024
Publisher: Image Comics
Dates Read: February 16, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

Lori wakes to find the streets empty and everyone gone. She finds a school friend, Annette, and the duo work together to survive as best they can, especially avoiding the gang who call themselves The Dogs. Then, one day alien crafts appear and giants begin to roam around. Lori and Annette begin to be drawn to the giants for protection, but communication is limited. What are they here for?

I originally grabbed this because of the artwork and oh my, did it not disappoint! It was beautiful and captivating throughout all the pages.

That being said though, the story fell short for me. We were given so many questions and I felt like most of them were not answered by the end. Like, where did most of the humans go? Why were only some people left? Where did the giant come from (besides space), and what were they doing here? Were the events connected??

I gave it the star rating I did for the art, the story itself still has too many unanswered questions.

*Thank you Image Comics and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review