Tag: MIX by Aladdin

REVIEW: Friday Night Stage Lights by Rachele Alpine

REVIEW: Friday Night Stage Lights by Rachele Alpine

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Brooklyn had a life she loved in Oregon with her mom. They had their surprise pancake breakfasts and their two-person routines. And Brooklyn had her dance studio and her friends.

But when her mom married Stephen, they had to move to Texas because Stephen’s son, Tanner, was a high school football star. And in Texas, football is everything.

Brooklyn is getting sick of the all-football-all-the-time life in Texas. She hates the games. She hates that she’s lost a lot of her special connection with her mom because her mom has thrown herself into football-mom mode for Tanner. And now, her one sanctuary, her new dance studio, has been invaded – by football players.

The middle school team is doing conditioning at her studio, and Brooklyn has to help them as part of her application to the Texas School of the Arts. But the boys always goof around, and they are infuriating. But when Brooklyn’s dance partner for her TSOTA audition breaks his leg, one of those football players may be her only chance to salvage her audition.

Review

This was so fun! I’m not sure I’ve ever read an Aladdin MIX book that I haven’t enjoyed. When I see the multicolored strip at the edge of the book, I know I’m going to enjoy it. And this is a great example of the fun stories in the line.

Brooklyn is relate-able from the start – her frustration with her family and the football players who mock her passion for dance, her hurt feelings when everyone seems to put Tanner and football first, her connections with Tanner and Logan. I loved all of it. She also has some real dance issues to sort out – getting past a bad performance where she was injured, figuring out who she is dancing for, and deciding if TSOTA is really what she wants for her future.

As a football fan, I loved watching her soften towards the players and the game as she learned more about it. It’s a great reminder to try to understand new things before deciding they are awful just because they are unfamiliar.

I can’t wait to pass this one on to some students I know. I think they will enjoy Brooklyn, Logan and the rest of the folks in this story as much as I did. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Me and Mom Vs. the World by Jo Whittemore

REVIEW: Me and Mom Vs. the World by Jo Whittemore

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Tori and her mom are getting by. But it’s just the two of them. Expenses exceed income, and money is really tight.

When they get word that Great-Aunt Muriel has died, and she planned a contest for a family member to win the estate, Tori wants to try to win.

The contest is to see who is the last family standing after two weeks of living like a Colonial family. Farming. No electricity. Doing things by hand. Not only will Tori and her mom have to figure out how to leverage both of their gifts, but Tori’s going to also have to work against sabotage and the temptation of a teenage boy.

Review

I’ve mentioned before that I enjoy the MIX line of books from Aladdin. This is one of the books in that line, previously published under the title Colonial Madness.

The story is fun! Tori and her mom have an interesting dynamic since it’s been just the two of them for so long. And while Tori tends to be the serious one, she has a lot to learn about her mom. She sees only how they are different – not the things that make her mom special and capable in her own way.

For me, the contest was secondary to the mother/daughter story and the other things going on between the characters. I was frustrated by some of the adults and the ways they handed things that came up. But it all come together in a satisfying ending!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Best. Night. Ever by Jen Malone (editor)

REVIEW: Best. Night. Ever by Jen Malone (editor)

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The middle school dance is a HUGE event for the seventh graders in this story:

  • Carmen is missing it – and the TV debut of her band, Heart Grenade – for a family wedding.
  • Genevieve is going to be the lead singer for Heart Grenade in Carmen’s place. And she’s terrified.
  • Ellie is going with a date.
  • Ellie’s soon-to-be step-sister, Ashlyn, is grounded, so she’s going to do Ellie’s babysitting gig so Ellie can go the the dance.
  • Ryan is there with his best friend, Mariah, but he wishes there was more between them. But she asked Leif to the dance instead.
  • Tess, the drummer for Heart Grenade and Mariah’s nemesis, also asked Leif to the dance. He said “whatever” to both girls which they took as “yes.”
  • Jade doesn’t even go to this school. But she thinks Heart Grenade stole her band’s chance at the Battle of the Bands. She’s at the dance for revenge.

Seven authors. Seven perspectives on one eventful night. All kinds of fun.

Review

So many of the authors for this book are MIX authors, and I have many of their books on my TBR. That made this a must-read for me, and I was not disappointed.

It’s not unusual any more to read books that tell one story from different perspectives. But this is different because 7 authors got to dig into one character each and tell that character’s version of this story.

There’s a lot going on in this story. There’s the band piece and the dating piece. Then there are the kids not at the dance and the things going on outside the school. And everything comes together so well!

I loved the characters. I think Ellie is my favorite. I would love more story from her perspective.

In general, I felt like the kids seemed like 15-year-olds more than 7th graders. At least. they didn’t “sound” or act like the seventh graders I know. But I think this story is a great bridge story that would work for upper elementary and middle school readers. The themes of friendship, family, and dating work for teens while also keeping things “clean” for younger readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Aladdin for an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Princesses, Inc. by Mari Mancusi

REVIEW: Princesses, Inc. by Mari Mancusi

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Hailey, Kalani, Sarah. and Madison are Collin Prince’s biggest fans. Collin is a YouTube star who does magic and crazy videos. And Collin is going to be at Comicpalooza!

Sadly, the trip is too expensive for any of the girls to be able to go. Until they get the great idea to earn money by becoming themed babysitters. Just like people do with princess parities, the girls hire themselves out to babysit but they show up in costume. They even plan routines with magic and pirates (for kids who don’t like princesses) and buried treasure.

Soon, the girls are juggling school, sports, family and babysitting. On top of that, Hailey is trying to keep up with her fanfiction project with Sarah while also writing a story for the Comicpalooza kids’ writing contest. But it’s only for a few months, right? They can keep juggling it all for a few months. For Collin! Can’t they?

Review

This is a fairly familiar concept – teen takes on more than he/she can handle until everything crashes around him/her. But it is executed with a fun pop culture twist here that really clicked for me. I loved that Hailey is a writer. And I loved her energy and enthusiasm. The story stressed me out when everything started to unravel. But the ending was delightful and satisfying (if somewhat predictable).

The character development is pretty light except for Hailey. But the other three girls and the rest of the supporting cast are solid and enjoyable.

I’ve enjoyed the MIX line by Aladdin for years (You can find them on bookstore and library shelves because they have multicolored stripes on the spine. MIX books have stories centered on female protagonists while MAX is their latest line with stories focused on male protagonists). The stories were always popular with my students while I was teaching, and I know they would enjoy this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Thanks to Netgalley and Aladdin/Simon and Schuster for an electronic advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed reading Princess Inc, and will continue to watch for MAX and MIX books from Aladdin in the future.