1 Wayward Children and 4 Middle Grade [2024 Review Round Up #1]

Overview

Somewhere at the end of December, I remember considering the idea of doing mini review round ups throughout 2024… I did a post in January with all the books I read in 2023 but didn’t review. This is basically a way to get ahead of having to do one massive post like that for 2024. Thank-you to Annemieke @ A Dance with Books for writing Pocket Reviews and reminding me of this idea!

These books didn’t provoke much reflection in me. I didn’t have many strong thoughts about them – not enough to fashion into a proper review. Or so I thought… you’ll see that once I sat down to write about some of these titles, I had a lot more to say than I anticipated! But if I didn’t write this round up post, I wouldn’t have shared thoughts on any of these books. Things have been a bit sluggish around here lately so I am taking the opportunity to fill the gap with this round up post. I’ll probably end up writing a round up post once I’ve read four or five books that I know won’t be getting their own post.

Mini Reviews

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known (Wayward Children #9) by Seanan McGuire

Another meh installment in the series for me. I used to have so much love and anticipation for each new volume of Wayward Children. But I haven’t cared as much for volumes six through nine. For me, Where the Drowned Girls Go was the highlight of this batch. To sum up my thoughts, here is a message I sent when discussing this book with my sister:

• Across the Green Grass Fields #6 – meh for me but I guess some people are into it
• Where the Drowned Girls Go #7 – ooh some doors worldbuilding setting up for the series finishing?
• Lost in the Moment and Found #8 – ehhhh this seems unnecessary
• Mislaid in Parts Half-known #9 – okay can we wrap up now

At this point, I feel like I’m just in it for the lore – for the reveal of the doors’ origins and functions. And that is coming through at too slow a pace for me now. With the earlier books in the series, I didn’t care about the how or why of the doors’ appearences. I was invested in the characterization and worldbuilding of each individual world. I hadn’t ever considered that door lore might be part of the series. So I was excited when it was hinted at in Where the Drowned Girls Go, but now I’m hungry for more than what we’ve been given and the characters aren’t holding my interest anymore and we haven’t had a story immersed in one world for a couple volumes now…

I had a hard time buying into the premise that the only way to escape Seraphina was to run through a door. I guess they are all a bunch of teenagers acting impulsively? The promise of a dinosaur world to be explored in Mislaid in Parts Half-Known falls short as it’s only briefly visited in this volume while our protagonists run through doors. Another brief visit to Kade’s world was more understated than I thought it should have been. (I have Big Thoughts on McGuire’s argument for not writing a Kade book yet – suffice to say I disagree with this.) Shazzie @ Reader at Work asked in her review “Maybe it’s time for this strange and beautiful series to end?” and I agree with that. I feel like 10 books, with #9 being Kade’s backstory and #10 being a final volume to wrap up the ‘current day’ arc, would have been satisfying. But #10 is not going to be about Kade, so who knows how many more volumes of Wayward Children we’re in store for…

For more generous reviews of this book, check out those written by Lois @ Aquavenatus and Destiny @ Howling Libraries.

Long Lost by Jacqueline West

This book had been on my TBR for a few years. I always loved the cover – it’s got that metallic shimmery sheen to it! Fiona and her family have just moved to a small historical town to be closer to her sister Arden’s figure skating practice. Fiona resents Arden for uprooting her life. While visiting the library, Fiona finds an old book about two sisters long ago, one of whom disappears. Long Lost contains a story within the story, with some supernatural elements and several spooky moments. The subplot of Fiona and Arden’s fracturing relationship ultimately intersects with Fiona’s investigation of what happened to the sisters in the book. I think I would have enjoyed Long Lost a lot as a child, reading it alongside stories like The Lost Flower Children.

The Stone Child by David A. Robertson

I fiinally made it to book three! I enjoyed this one more than book two. I understand that this book concludes Morgan’s arc and that book four will shift to focus more on Eli. The conclusion just about moved me to tears (in a good way). I appreciated that after all the time spent in Aski, we see Morgan’s character growth as the story returns to the real world and Morgan learns more about her past. (Also, the developing relationship between Morgan and Emily was super cute.)

Skating on Mars by Caroline Huntoon

I don’t have much to say about this – add it to your list of great contemporary middle grade novels with nonbinary protagonists. Also, your list of contemporary middle grade novels about figure skating. Skating on Mars explores the topic of gender in athletic competitions, as Mars (who isn’t yet totally out as nonbinary) accepts a challenge to compete in a boys’ competition. Of course, the plot includes a good thread of social activism and community organizing. Another small detail I liked is that Mars has a bit of a temper which occasionally gets the better of them.

Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz

Dani has been away all summer at baseball camp, but now she and best friend Eric are ready for their annual summer camping trip. The trip ends in disaster, though, as Eric rescues Dani from an explosion in the camper and Dani is seriously injured. Did Eric cause the explosion? Does Dani blame him for her injuries? As Dani grapples with not being able to play baseball after just having made the boy’s team, Eric struggles with guilt and gossip around school. Both Dani and Eric gain new friends whose motivations in befriending them may not be as sincere as they appear. The story is told in first person, alternating between Dani and Eric’s perspectives. Hidden Truths brought to mind That’s What Friends Do and The Best Liars in Riverview. Each of these books explore complex, evolving, and at times painful friendships. The relationships at the end of the story aren’t always the same as they were at the start of the story. Friendship isn’t always easy! I think it’s incrediby valuable having stories like these accessible to middle graders.

Do you write mini-reviews?
What’s a book you read recently that you haven’t reviewed yet, or don’t plan to review?