"How to Kidnap a Mermaid" by Andy Tolson is a fun and imaginative fantasy novel about adventure, friendship, and courage. The story follows Tiny Wilde, a twelve-year-old giant who struggles to live up to his father’s heroic reputation. When his mermaid friend Nalia asks for his help on an important quest, Tiny sets out on a dangerous journey to restore magic to the world of mythical creatures. Along the way, Tiny and his companions encounter magical beings such as pixies, witches, and dragons. The adventure is full of challenges that test Tiny’s bravery and determination. Throughout the story, he begins to realize that being a hero is not just about strength, but also about loyalty, kindness, and perseverance.

One of the strengths of "How to Kidnap a Mermaid" is its creative world and humorous tone. The character development and the fast-paced plot keeps the reader engaged. Overall, it is an enjoyable fantasy novel that encourages readers to believe in themselves and the power of friendship.

High school breakups are basically a sport...
but what happens when someone decides to profit from it?

The Goodbye Girls by Lisa Harrington is a YA novel, published by Nimbus Publishing that explores the story of Lizzie and Willa.

Lizzie, who is in desperate need to come up with funds for her band trip to New York, decides to partner up with her best friend Willa to start a breakup-basket business for their fellow students at Halifax West High.

I absolutely love the teen-owned business aspect of this story. Harrington developed quite an impressive plot that is equally clever and chaotic.

The concept of two savvy high schoolers moonlighting themselves as breakup realtors is nothing short of genius. There is a wonderful irony that comes from profiting off of a breakup and Harrington uses all ounces of drama and tension from it.

What makes the story stand out even more is the fact that Harrington does not neatly wrap up all the relationships at the end of the novel like a Hallmark movie does. In reality, all actions have consequences, and that was exactly the case for the novel as well. Some things do greater damage, that take more than a monologue to repair.

If you couldn’t guess it, I give The Goodbye Girls 5/5 stars because it’s witty, sharp, funny, and everything that a reader wants in a book to take an entertaining break from real life. If high school had a social media manager for heartbreak, it would be Lisa Harrington.

I recommend this book to:
anyone who is breathing
anyone who enjoys a good teen drama
anyone with a penchant for YA novels
anyone who has an entrepreneurial spirit.
and anyone who is going through a heartbreak.

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This book is a powerful poetry collection by the Mi’kmaw spoken word artist Rebecca Thomas. It considers three similarly spelled Mi’kmaw words that have three different meanings. Kesalul stands for “I love you”; kesa’lul means “I hurt you”; and ke’sa’lul is “I put you into the fire.” The poems in the book vary in topic but all have the same heartfelt touch. This book is an exploration of what it means to fight for justice beyond the surface.

This book was a moving read that propels forward the plight for Indigenous resistance. Working towards decolonization can take many forms, and this book is a great example of one. It was insightful to read about how colonialism is embedded in our everyday lives, even if one is not used to noticing it. The book also discussed relevant themes in the world that I think many marginalized communities will be able to relate to. One example being virtual accounts producing an incorrect narrative by painting violent offenders as the victim even if they are not, simply due to the fact that they belong to a dominant group.

One of my favourite poems in the collection was the one about the author’s late grandfather. It was a touching tribute to him and highlighted the role that unconditional love plays on a person. A couple of times throughout the collection, I thought about how a different word choice could have been a better substitute, as some of the language choices took away from the depth of the poetry. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read. I especially enjoyed the poems about North America which were structured in very clever ways.

I recommend this thought-provoking and enjoyable poetry collection. This book will make readers want to increase their advocacy efforts. It is perfect for anyone looking for an enlightening poetry collection with well-crafted writing.

How to Rescue a Unicorn
By: Andy Tolson
The magic of Wonderville is slowly returning thanks to Tiny. His new hope is to get his Dad and Grandpa Bron back on talking terms and what better way to do that but to go on a quest! Tiny hears about the disappearance of Unicorns and he is hopeful that he can get all 3 generations of Wilde’s onboard to save them. His classmate Sadie jumps at the opportunity to help assist Tiny and his family on this adventure. Along the way they get help from some old friends as well as making many new allies. Tiny’s confidence is shattered when he finds out that they are up against the dangerous forest dwelling thugs and he realizes that his Grandpa Bron is a member! Can he confront his Grandpa while trying to save the unicorns?

I really enjoyed this book because it was a continuation with the last book “How to Kidnap a Mermaid”. It began with how the magic was starting to return to Wonderville and showed how many mythics and humans did not agree with this. I also liked how it discussed in more detail about traits the mythics had. I rate this book 4/5.