Book Review: What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange

Pages: 352

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: January 14, 2025

Publisher: Celadon 

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: We Are the Brennans, 

and The Connellys of County Down

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "When Kyle McCray gets word his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, where he doesn’t expect a warm welcome. Kyle left suddenly two and a half years ago, abandoning people who depended on him: his father, his employees, his friends—not to mention Casey, his wife of sixteen years and a beloved teacher in town. He plans to lie low and help his dad recuperate until he can leave again, especially after Casey makes it clear she wants him gone.

The longer he’s home, the more Kyle understands the impact his departure has had on the people he left behind. When he’s presented with an opportunity for redemption as the coach of the floundering middle school hockey team, he begins to find compassion in unexpected places. Kyle even considers staying in Potsdam, but that’s only possible if he and Casey can come to some kind of peace with each other.

Full of love and hope, What Happened to the McCrays? takes an intimate look at both sides of a failed marriage and two people who must finally confront the awful pain of their past or risk being consumed by it."

Kyle and Casey knew each other as kids, living across the street from each other in Potsdam, New York. Their childhood friendship blossomed into a teenage romance and an eventual young marriage. It should have been the stuff of fairy tales. But when readers encounter Kyle, he isn't living in Potsdam, but rather in Spokane as a mechanic. He is divorced and bitter. Casey still lives in New York, is a teacher, and helps run the middle school hockey team. Kyle gets notified that his father, Danny, had a stroke and he needs to come home to help him out. So reluctantly Kyle heads home and has to face everything he left behind, including Casey and their crumbling marriage. Kyle, a former hockey star, gets roped into helping the local middle school hockey team and now he and Casey are spending more time together than before. Readers slowly learn the reasons why their marriage crumbles through flashbacks - even to their teenage years so readers can get the full backstory and arc of their relationship. Tracey Lange writes such emotionally charged family dramas and What Happened to the McCrays? is no different. It is filled to the brim with a lot of heart, emotion, small-town dynamics, some heavy topics, and a strong side of youth hockey.

Tracey Lange truly got my attention when I read We Are the Brennans. I felt like she could capture family dynamics and the layers of a person very well. The same is true in What Happened to the McCrays? I think her fans will appreciate this family drama which covers a wide variety of topics, such as divorce, the death of a parent, the death of a child, infertility, family estrangement, and more. However, for me, it got a little too dark (trigger warning: suicide attempt) and I felt like that weighed down the plot.

My favorite part of What Happened to the McCrays? were the flashbacks to Kyle and Casey's teenage years and early years of their relationship as I felt that really helped readers understand their courtship and how they got to where they are today. It also illustrated how Kyle's departure from Potsdam had a ripple effect. Kyle and Casey dealt with so many heartbreaking issues that readers will keep wondering if they could ever recover from it and give their relationship another chance.

It should be noted that What Happened to the McCrays? also includes a lot of hockey details, so if you enjoy a sports romance or love the sport of hockey, you could appreciate that aspect of the story as well. I know I did, as I think Lange portrayed the life of a middle school teacher very well as well as the ups and downs of coaching youth sports.

Are you a fan of Tracey Lange? Do you plan on reading What Happened to the McCrays? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Audiobook Review: Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audio

Pub. Date: January 14, 2025

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: Daisy Darker 

and Rock Paper Scissors

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.

Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared.

A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible — a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do."

Author Grady Green finally made the New York Times Bestseller list. He calls his wife, Abby, to deliver the good news and he catches her while driving. While en route to her destination, Abby sees a person lying on the side of the road. While talking to Grady, she tells him she will check on this person, much to her husband's dismay. Fast forward and Abby is nowhere to be found. Her car is there with her cell phone, but she is gone. Time passes and Grady can't get over this. His grief is all consuming and he can't even write another novel. His life is slowly deteriorating, so his agent, a family friend, encourages him to go to her cabin on a remote Scottish island and take time to relax and write. While there, strange things start happening though. He thinks he sees his wife - maybe her ghost- and the island is so remote. It's creepy as only a handful of people live there and they seem very secretive. Not to mention you can't easily return to the mainland since the ferry isn't regular. Things get even worse from Grady and even stranger things start to occur in Beautiful Ugly, another suspenseful thriller from Alice Feeney.

Alice Feeney always delivers an unreliable narrator so well in Beautiful Ugly. I didn't know who to believe and it didn't help that Grady was an alcoholic. The events on the island were so creepy, but I couldn't tell if Grady was accurately reporting or maybe was losing it. Slowly readers find out what happened to Abby as Feeney gives us chapters from her point of view, and I have to say I didn't really see the big twist coming. It was done very well! My only complaint was that the events seemed so unbelievable. Usually, I can suspend my disbelief in a Feeney novel, but this time it was a bit too far-fetched for me.

The audiobook of Beautiful Ugly was outstanding. Richard Armitage, best known for his role in The Hobbit, was the narrator along with Tuppence Middleton. I really liked these two narrators as they definitely added to my enjoyment of the story. So if you are looking for a compelling audiobook that will keep you anxiously waiting for some answers, look no further.

Are you a fan of Alice Feeney? Do you plan on reading Beautiful Ugly? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Blog Tour: Wedding Dashers

I love a good romantic comedy, especially those that include a road trip, the forced proximity trope, witty banter, and sizzling chemistry. That's why I've been excited about a debut romance that was published today. 

Thanks to Berkley, I'm participating in a blog tour for the new release, Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen. I can’t wait to read this book, especially since it features a wedding in Ireland. It seems like the perfect story to enjoy around Valentine's Day!

 

Learn More About the Book:

 

Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen

Pub. Date: January 28, 2025

Goodreads says, "Ada’s little sister is getting married. Which should be a happy thought, right? But the once close sisters have been in a year long fight, the wedding is all the way in Ireland, and Ada is so broke that she just barely managed to get a ticket on a budget airline. And as if things couldn’t get worse, said airline just cancelled her connection. Which means Ada is stuck in London with no way to make it to the wedding.

Surely she’s hit rock bottom?

So, there’s no reason for her not to spill her heart out about the over-the-top wedding, her sister’s worryingly quick engagement, and the womanizing best man she’s dreading meeting to a handsome also-stranded stranger at the bar. Until she realizes the stranger is headed to the same wedding. Oh, and he’s the infamous best man.

Now, Jack and Ada must put their simmering attraction behind them to make it to Belfast before they miss the nuptials. But between flat tires, missed trains, and suspect hostels, Jack and Ada start to question whether their feelings are worth going the distance, or just a distracting detour along the way."

 

You can purchase your own copy of Wedding Dashers at Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. You can also learn more about Heather McBreen by visiting her website and connecting with her on Instagram and Twitter. 

 

Let me know in the comments below if Wedding Dashers is on your TBR list. 

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Energy Wars

 

Dedicated readers of the blog know that I have a passion for middle-grade fiction. Just yesterday, I highlighted some new titles in both middle-grade and young adult literature. Today, I'm excited to showcase another fantastic middle-grade book that features adventure, friendship, imagination, elements of science, and a heartwarming message about kindness.

Learn More About the Book Here:

 

Energy Wars: The Awakening 

Written by Jodi Dee

Ages: 8-13 | 200 Pages

Publisher: Jodi Dee Publishing (2025) | ISBN: 978-1736209363

Publisher’s Book Summary: Myles is an average thirteen-year-old boy until one day, Sally Munson shows up with purple pants on that look like a Halloween costume. As classmates tease and make fun of her, Myles starts to see these negative words as fireballs of energy being thrown at Sally. He finds himself in the middle of a war zone, invisible to everyone but him!

In a suspenseful, supernatural tale of self-discovery and friendship with constant, unexpected twists and turns, Myles tries to understand his newfound superpower. He not only learns about the energy exchange between humans but the energy of all things.

Myles and his friends discover the new ZS phone is stealing people’s energy. Follow Myles as he navigates this new reality and works to stop the theft of this energy with the help of his friends.

 

You can pre-order your own copy of Energy Wars at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. To learn more about Jodi Dee, you can visit her website.  

 

The Giveaway: 

 

I've partnered with Jodi Dee today to host a fantastic giveaway to celebrate the upcoming publication of Energy Wars: The Awakening. Readers who follow the tour can enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a hardcover copy of Energy Wars: The Awakening. One grand prize winner will win one of the signed first copies of the second book in the series, releasing in Fall 2025. The Energy Wars: Book Giveaway

 

Mini Reviews: YA + MG Edition

Young adult and middle-grade literature is the reason I started this blog many years ago. As a teacher, I found it incredibly helpful to read the books my students were reading. This allowed me to discuss them with my students, answer parents' questions, and share excitement about great new books together. Over the years, the focus of the blog has changed from time to time, but young adult and middle-grade literature will always hold a special place in my heart! I hope to find more time to read young adult literature in 2025.

After Life by Gayle Forman

Pages: 272

Genre: YA Fiction

Pub. Date: January 7, 2025

Publisher: Harper Collins

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: If I Stay, Where She Went,

Just One Day, Just One Year, Leave Me, and Frankie & Bug

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "One spring afternoon after school, Amber arrives home on her bike. It’s just another perfectly normal day. But when Amber’s mom sees her, she screams.

Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while on the very same bicycle she’s inexplicably riding now.

This return doesn’t only impact Amber. Her sister, Melissa, now seven years older, must be a new kind of sibling to Amber. Amber’s estranged parents are battling over her. And the changes ripple farther and farther Amber’s friends, boyfriend, and even people she met only once have been deeply affected by her life and death. In the midst of everyone’s turmoil, Amber is struggling with herself. What kind of person was she? How and why was she given this second chance?

This magnificent tour de force by acclaimed author Gayle Forman brilliantly explores the porous veil between life and death, examines the impact that one person can have on the world, and celebrates life in all its beautiful complexity."

 

Amber Crane had her whole life in front of her. It was a gorgeous day right before her graduation and she was enjoying a bike ride down the hill to her house. All that changed in a split second when she got into a biking accident that killed her. Time passes and then one day, seven years later, she shows up at her house. Her mother can't believe it (and is in shock - do you blame her?) and her sister, now much older, can't quite believe she is "home" as well. Things are different though. Her mother seems different, her parents' relationship isn't the same, Missy isn't the same either (she has blue hair!), and what happened to her boyfriend with whom she shared so many plans? Amber tries to figure out what brought her here and has come to realize how her death has impacted the people around her; even people she never met. After Life by Gayle Forman has her signature emotional style that will have readers flipping the pages to find out what happened to Amber and why she is back.
 
Forman has been ripping my heart out for years now. If you read If I Stay, then you know. However, After Life didn't quite pack the same emotional punch. I feel like it was trying to be a little too much like If I Stay as it shares many of the same themes, but it didn't quite get there. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed Amber's journey (albeit sad at times) and her quest to figure out what happened to her and what happened to her family after she was gone. Forman asks readers to reflect and think about many spiritual topics in After Life. The novel also begs readers to understand how a life can impact so many others - even those who have never met you - and when you are gone, there is a hole. Readers who want a moving story that lends itself to a lot of discussion, especially if they lost someone important in their lives, will appreciate Forman's After Life .

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Pages: 368

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pub. Date: September 10, 2024

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "The day Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. It's the day he learned about the Archipelago, a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years—until now. And it's the day he met Mal, a girl on the run who desperately needs his help.

Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what's happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves."

Christopher Forrester is staying with his grandfather in Scotland. His grandfather warns him to avoid a hill near their house and like any kid, of course, he checks it out. Through this event, he finds out that his family is the guardian of the Archipelago, a world full of magical creatures like unicorns, griffins, dragons, and more. Except he finds out that this world is dying out and the magic is fading. So, Christopher goes on an epic quest, along with Mal, a girl from the Archipelago, to save it. Impossible Creatures is chock full of adventure, violence, danger, magic, and more as Christopher, Mal, and their band of unlikely friends try to save the Archipelago. Katherine Rundell's Impossible Creatures is reminiscent of a classic, such as The Chronicles of Narnia, and young readers who are fans of high fantasy will enjoy this one the most.
 
Impossible Creatures made my "Best of 2024" list this year and was extremely popular. It's probably one of the most enjoyable fantasy novels that I've read for middle grade in years. The world was well developed as well as the characters and any fantasy lover would enjoy all the magical creatures. Not only did it remind me of The Chronicles of Narnia, but it was reminiscent of Pullman's The Golden Compass and Mull's Fablehaven series as well. Rundell's writing was beautiful, lyrical and so well-written; however, it felt like a more mature writing style at times. So, keep in mind, Impossible Creatures would appeal to a high fantasy lover the most as the casual fantasy reader, or a struggling reader, may be overwhelmed by the sophistication of it all.  Nonetheless, Impossible Creatures was a delight and there should be a copy in every fourth through seventh grade classroom. I'm sure many will be anticipating book two in the series, which comes out this fall.

 

Have you read either After Life or Impossible Creatures? I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Can't Wait Wednesday: Beach House Rules

Can't Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating! 

 

Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Pub. Date: May 27, 2025

 

Goodreads says, "When Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is arrested for a white-collar crime, she and her daughter Iris are locked out of their house by the FBI and—what’s potentially even worse—thrust into the spotlight of @JuniperShoresSocialite, the town’s snarky anonymous Instagram account. Cut off from her bank accounts and feeling desperate, Charlotte takes up an acquaintance’s offer to stay at a beachfront former bed-and-breakfast that’s home to a community of single mothers and draws plenty of gossip in the small coastal North Carolina town.

Charlotte and Iris find solace and are surprised by how much fun they’re having with the other families despite their circumstances. But when the women discover a secret link between them, it changes everything they thought they knew about the unconventional family they’ve created and leaves them wondering whether their coming together was a coincidence at all. Will the skeletons in the mommune closets help Charlotte and Iris reclaim their place in the Juniper Shores community—or shatter the sisterhood forever?"

 

I love Harvey's southern beach reads and can't wait to check out this one in May. I don't know about you, but I'm already dreaming of warmer days. Let me now what you think in the comments below. 

 

Romance Roundup (3)

 

There's nothing like unwinding with a romance, whether it be a contemporary novel or historical, they are sure to distract you from the news-cycle or any other stressful events in your life. I love both historical and contemporary romance novels, so if you are like me, these two books will definitely catch your eye.

 

Pick-Up by Nora Dahlia

Pages: 368

Genre: Romance

Pub. Date: December 23, 2024

Publisher: Gallery

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Sasha Rubinstein is not on her game. Parenting with an absent (and objectively douchey) ex has never been easy, but, lately, the judgmental side-eye from people at school pick-up feels extra. It doesn’t help that some entitled dad—with his perfect t-shirts and perfectly punchable (yet adorable) face—keeps stealing the last after-school spots and school hoodies out from under her.

Ethan Jones is not trying to trip Sasha up… at school or otherwise. In fact, ever since they met (which she promptly forgot), he’s been hoping for the exact opposite…or at least to stop thinking about her.

When a game-changing job lands them trapped together on an exclusive private island, they resolve to stop sniping at each other and keep things professional. But with tension building between them and the permeating intoxication of island time, temptation blows in on every tropical breeze."

 

 

 

Sasha Rubenstein is a divorced mother of two living in Brooklyn as a freelance video producer. It’s been difficult to juggle it all as the father of her kids isn’t involved. When she is offered a freelance job for the week at Turks and Caicos for a magazine, she jumps at the chance as she needs the money. Once she secures childcare, thanks to her best friend, she then touches down in idyllic Citrine Cay to realize that the editor-in-chief of the magazine is none other than Demon Dad, Ethan Jones. Sasha and her best friend call Ethan Demon Dad because he sabotages Sasha’s school life more often than not. A few examples: He stole the last hoodie for school spirit week right out from under her and took the last and much coveted after-school drama slot right from under her. She was counting on that spot for her daughter, but Ethan is charming, good-looking, and a single divorced dad, so the women and other moms at school bend over backward for him. This irritates Sasha to no end. The problem is that Ethan is attracted to Sasha and before they know it after spending time at Citrine Cay, sparks fly. This complicates things tremendously, but their attraction is real. Could this be the start of a relationship? Nora Dahlia’s Pick-Up is a delightful rom-com in the vein of Annabel Monaghan and Emily Giffin.

I appreciated Sasha in Pick-Up, and I think Dahlia does a great job portraying a single mom’s life, the mundane task of school pick-ups and drop-offs, overly involved PTO moms, life as an only child, and the sandwich generation. The narration jumps from Sasha to Ethan and also another mom at pick-up. This extra narration is at first a bit confusing, but it all comes together by the end. Also, the romance in Pick-Up felt very realistic and I enjoyed it; my only gripe is that it was a workplace romance for at least part of the novel, which I didn’t love. However, I did really enjoy the Caribbean setting; it made me want to get on a plane and get out of the cold. If you enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope and appreciate a good romance with quick-witted dialogue, you’ll enjoy Pick-Up. .

 

Strangers in the Night by Heather Webb

Pages: 432

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Pub. Date: March 21, 2023

Publisher: HarperCollins

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: The Next Ship Home

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars 

Goodreads says,"In the golden age of Hollywood, two of the brightest stars would define--and defy--an era...She was the small-town southern beauty transformed into a Hollywood love goddess. He was the legendary crooner whose voice transfixed the world. They were Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra. Separately they were irresistible; together they were an explosive combination.

Ava's star is rising just as Frank's career--and public image as a family man--is taking a hit. Gone are the days of the screaming bobbysoxers and chart-topping hits. Ava, however, finds herself gracing the front page of every tabloid in America. Jealousy and cheating abound, and when the two succumb to their temperaments and their vices, their happiness is threatened at every turn.

As the pair ride the rollercoaster of success and failure, passion and anger, they both wonder if the next turn will be the end of their careers, and most devastating of all--the end of all they've shared.

A captivating novel with a star-studded cast spanning continents and decades, Strangers in the Night brings to life the most riveting love story of the twentieth century."

 

Frank Sinatra spots Ava Gardner at the Hollywood Palladium and she takes his breath away. This started an obsession, but the timing was never right between the two. For starters, Frank is married to Nancy, who he is convinced he shouldn't leave, because they have an understanding and she is the mother to his kids. Ava doesn't have time for Frank's games. She is married to Mickey Rooney and is focused on becoming one of Hollywood's starlets. As the years go by, they cross paths and Ava is finally on the brink of success. Frank is a struggling singer plagued by the media giving him grief for one thing or another and his temper is always getting the best of him. Once Ava is divorced, they start a relationship that is on-again-off-again for years and so very tumultuous. Their relationship is like a car wreck; you don't want to stare, but you can't help it. Cue the drama! Heather Webb's Strangers in the Night, while is dishy like your favorite celebrity magazine, lacks emotional depth.

Webb does a decent job taking readers through the ups and downs of Frank and Ava's relationship in Strangers in the Night. However, it was like something out of a Colleen Hoover novel - very unhealthy and very toxic. In fact, their relationship was depressing, because readers hope for something more for both of these larger-than-life Hollywood stars. The plot was basically this: Ava and Frank have incredible chemistry. They get in a fight. It's horrible and they do something regrettable. Then they get back together. Rinse, lather, repeat. I wish there was more substance and character development. I wish Webb would have done a deeper dive into what makes Ava Gardner and Frank tick. Instead, it jumps from one disturbing event to another. Needless to say, I was enthralled by the Old Hollywood setting and I learned a lot about these two celebrities, but I just wish it offered so much more than it did.  

Have you read Pick-Up or Strangers in the Night? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Book Review: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

 

Pages: 400

Genre: Non-fiction

Pub. Date: March 26, 2024

Publisher: Penguin

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "A must-read for all parents: the generation-defining investigation into the collapse of youth mental health in the era of smartphones, social media, and big tech—and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood. After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures. Why?

In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the “play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this “great rewiring of childhood” has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies.

Most important, Haidt issues a clear call to action. He diagnoses the “collective action problems” that trap us, and then proposes four simple rules that might set us free. He describes steps that parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments can take to end the epidemic of mental illness and restore a more humane childhood.

Haidt has spent his career speaking truth backed by data in the most difficult landscapes—communities polarized by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the public health emergency faced by Gen Z. We cannot afford to ignore his findings about protecting our children—and ourselves—from the psychological damage of a phone-based life."

 

In the 1980s, children had a play-based childhood. After school and on weekends, they would run outside in their neighborhood, ride bikes, play in a neighbor's yard, explore the park, and there was no way for parents to know where they were. Children simply came back when dusk set in. Childhood looks vastly different for kids today. Parents have trackers on their kids' watches, cell phones, and personal items. Sure, kids today could bike around the neighborhood, but you can track their location and text them in an instant. Then throw in an unhealthy dose of technology, like cell phones and video games and it equals a much different child than a product of the 80s, or even the 90s. Social media changed in 2009 and put people in "defend mode" as there was always an onslaught of opinions. Children are being radically rewired as they interact more with their peers via technology than in actual one-on-one playing outside with the benefits of fresh air and sunshine. Children today are more depressed and anxious than ever before and psychologist Haidt knows why. In The Anxious Generation, he lays out all the reasons why children today are struggling, how technology (mostly the iPhone) has impacted them, and how to avoid it. This book is a must-read for all parents and educators.

 

As a child of the 80s, I see it. I see the changes in kids today, both when I was teaching and as a parent. It's a shame that we don't give children more free reign in their neighborhood (b/c kidnappers! or sexual predators!) but then we let them "run free" on the internet. Haidt argues they should have more freedom to explore outside (discover mode and risky play) and within their neighborhoods than online. He also advises parents to not give their child a phone until high school as it is causing psychological and neurological damage to kids. 

 

On a personal note, I am very against cell phones and probably one of the last moms to not give my twelve-year-old one (I hear I am so not cool and this has made me very unpopular!!), but reading The Anxious Generation is gratifying and validating. Most of my son's friends have phones and this is the problem. When all his friends have them, it's hard for parents to hold out, which is why I was excited to see a new program coming to my younger son's elementary school called Wait Until 8th, where parents vow to not give a phone to their kids until 8th grade. If parents all band together to follow this rule, it will be much easier to hold out and I believe it's due to The Anxious Generation's influence, as well as all the latest research.

 

Haidt also takes a deep dive into all the data to support his claims and lays out how technology has become addicting (even video games) and replaced all the real-life interactions that kids today need. This is especially detrimental during adolescence and when kids go through puberty. The Anxious Generation also covers video games, how social media is harmful (especially to young girls), what is happening to boys' mental health, what schools can do about this, the need for risky play, and how this lack of independence is creating fragile kids. But parents, have no fear because Haidt also explains how to fix this and combat the mental health crisis.

 

I urge every parent and educator to read The Anxious Generation. Yes, it includes a lot of the information that we already know deep down, but it uses data to further illustrate the point and hammer home all the implications. I would recommend reading a physical copy of the book, not the audio, as Haidt includes a lot of charts and helpful graphs.  

 

So, have you read The Anxious Generation? Let me know your thoughts on the book in the comments below.

Book Review: The Favorites by Layne Fargo

Pages: 448

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: January 14, 2025

Publisher: Random House

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession. An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating about a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice.

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and rollercoaster relationship. Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the "real story" through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary. But she can't stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy either. So, after a decade of silence, she's telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.

Inspired by the powerful love and hate that fuel Emily Bronte’s classic, Wuthering Heights, The Favorites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win."

 

 

Kat Shaw has been dreaming of one thing since she was a little girl watching skater Sheila Lin compete at the Olympics. Kat wants to win a gold medal in ice dance; she wants to be the best. As a child, she is paired on the ice with Heath Rocha, a child in foster care, who shows promise. Kat's backstory is a bit depressing as well since her mother died when she was a child and all she has is her dad and her abusive brother. Kat and Heath find friendship (which turns into even more) as they get older and rely on the consistency of their sport to get them through life. When at a competition in Cleveland, they compete against Sheila Lin's twins, Garrett and Bella. Even though they didn't place well, Sheila reached out to them to come train at her facility in California. Of course, Kat jumps on this opportunity to get out of her town and away from her abusive brother, as the situation has gotten much worse since her father's untimely death. So, Kat and Heath live and train in California and it opens their world up even more. Kat, who is ruthless, competitive, and wants to win at all costs, starts to recognize that her partnership with Heath, even though she loves him, isn't going to get her a gold medal. So, as the story progresses, Kat's breakups, time apart from Heath, her training, and her competitions all get messy as Heath will always have her heart. If you love a good sports romance, Layne Fargo delivers a juicy one in The Favorites.

I adored the setting of The Favorites. There was a time when I was very interested in the drama of figure skating (I'm looking at you Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan!) and The Favorites really captured all of that and more. Fargo does an excellent job developing the love story between Kat and Heath, but also the competitive world of elite figure skating. I really enjoyed following Kat's climb to the Olympics and all the drama that ensued. I also really appreciated how Fargo included excerpts from the documentary on Kat and Heath. This was done very well and only added to the suspense and mystery of what exactly happened to them.

I will say at times it was a bit melodramatic for me, much in the way that Colleen Hoover's novels are. Lots of melodrama, lots of toxic behavior, and soap opera antics; however, this didn't deter me from enjoying the novel overall. After the fact, I learned that The Favorites follows some of Wuthering Heights themes and now that makes sense even more in retrospect.

Even though I had some issues with the tumultuous and sometimes toxic romances featured in The Favorites, I had such a great time reading it. It's one of my favorite sports romances I've read (maybe ever!) and it shouldn't be missed this winter if you are looking for something fresh and fun. Have you read The Favorites? Is it on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.