Better late than never! I'm finally reviewing two ARCs from last year that I never got to write, but definitely deserve a spot on your TBR. Though one is an adventure story (Trouble with Heroes) and the other is a horror (They Bloom at Night), both deal with grief in really incredible ways.
A troubled middle schooler finds himself staring down juvenile court after getting caught on camera kicking down a legendary local mountain climber's headstone. The daughter of the late climber challenges Finn to climb all 46 mountain peaks in Upstate New York over the summer. By taking on the challenge, he can stay out of juvenile detention and save his family from having to pay for a new gravestone.
While on the trail, Finn learns from the mentors who climb alongside him, a trusty dog (even if he doesn't like dogs at first and really, who doesn't like dogs?), and reflects on what got him to this point. This is a story about hiking, finding yourself, and working through grief.
This was an amazing, deeply emotional read. I was getting teary-eyed during the moments Finn reflects on his dad, particularly how it felt like he was gone long before he passed due to the trauma of being a firefighter during 9/11. It broke my heart when Finn felt crushed by his dad thinking him weak for enjoying baking, but I loved watching him rediscover his passion just in time to help his family's struggling business. I love personal growth in books, so I loved seeing Finn reflecting and changing by the end of the story.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves adventure stories with an emotional journey. Readers who enjoyed Brave Like That by Lindsey Stoddard or The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling will definitely love The Trouble with Heroes!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children's Books for letting me read The Trouble with Heroes in exchange for an honest review.
In a flooded, post-apocalyptic town overrun by a toxic red algae bloom after a devastating hurricane, Noon and her mother scrape by living on a shrimp trawler. While her mother desperately searches the water for traces of Noon's father and brother (who are most likely long gone by now), Noon is stuck dealing with a strange, intense itching beneath her skin and feeling like she is in the wrong shape altogether. When a corrupt local boss threatens to repossess their boat unless they hunt down a mysterious creature drowning residents, Noon is forced to dive into danger alongside his hunter daughter, Covey. As a new storm approaches, Noon must confront long-buried trauma, her body changing in new, unexpected ways, and the monsters lurking both underwater and on land.
This book left me completely speechless. I had nothing to compare it to at the time, so it felt like such a unique story to me.
It was a powerful story about grief, and I was so upset to read how Noon’s mom didn't really acknowledge her. On top of Noon losing family members and the distance between her and her mom, she was also assaulted years prior. She was left to process her own trauma without feeling like she could talk to her mom about it. It felt like her mom only cared about the men in her life instead of trying to survive and make a life for her daughter, who was clearly struggling right in front of her. While I understood her mom was processing her own loss, it was still so frustrating to read about.
I also loved the body horror and the transformation that takes place. It took me a while to realize after the story, but it really felt like a metaphor for Noon coming to terms with being nonbinary or trans (I wasn't certain which one). There was also the feeling of her body not being her own due to her assault. This is definitely a queer story, and I liked seeing her grow closer to Covey, who has her own issues to deal with as she searches for her missing mother while having a corrupt father who doesn't treat her right. This was an amazing, dark YA that I still haven't been able to forget.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves horror stories that deal with grief and identity. Readers who liked Wilder Girls by Rory Power or Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews would really enjoy They Bloom at Night.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for letting me read They Bloom at Night in exchange for an honest review.
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