The Summer of Owen Todd by Tony Abbott

Title: The Summer of Owen Todd

Author: Tony Abbott

Release Date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

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Rating: ★★☆☆☆.5

Synopsis:

Owen and his best friend, Sean, are both eleven years old. They've lived on Cape Cod all their lives, and now that they're a little older, they'll finally be free to spend some time on their own. But Sean's mother has a different idea--she hires a babysitter to look after Sean. Paul is in his twenties, and a well-liked guy from church.

Paul starts doing things that just feel wrong. Because they've always been as close as brothers, Sean tells Owen, and no one else. What's not certain to Owen is what he should do. Sean warns him not to tell anyone what is happening. But if Owen doesn't tell, could something even worse happen to Sean?

This harrowing and sensitively told tale of child abuse is a must-read for anyone who might ever be called upon to help a friend in need.

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My Review:

TW: child abuse, child molestation

What would you do if the only way to help a friend would also hurt them?

In Tony Abbott's The Summer of Owen Todd, Owen Todd finds himself in a difficult situation when his best friend, Sean Huff, is being molested - yes, MOLESTED - by his BABYSITTER! Because they've always been as close as brothers, Sean tells Owen everything but makes him promise not to tell anyone. So what should Owen do?

This book really raises awareness of sick people being out there and how we should be careful of who to trust.

The Summer of Owen Todd has been on my TBR for a long time, and as someone who's into books with mental health rep, I was really looking forward to it.

To be honest, it wasn't the best I've ever read. It was... alright, I guess. Some things were a bit confusing for me, and there was something in there that made me uncomfortable (did the author really have to do that?!). Also, there was a really disgusting graphic description that I felt like was really unnecessary in a children's book!

The only thing I would say I liked about it was the powerful message in the end that we should never remain silent when someone is in trouble. Owen did the right thing!

Witness to Murder (Hardy Boys CF#20) by Franklin W. Dixon

Title: Witness To Murder

Series: Hardy Boys Casefiles

Author: Franklin W. Dixon

Release Date: October 1, 1988

Publisher: Simon Pulse

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis:

Fatal charm

While trying to help Annie Shea, the pretty new girl in town, Joe accidentally runs down her old boyfriend, Phil. Joe's in a tight spot, but Annie seems afraid to help. Then the Hardys learn that Phil is the prime suspect in a million-dollar diamond robbery and Annie may be involved.

But when Annie is kidnapped the brother detectives swing into action. They follow her to the liar of America's most infamous gem thief, Cutter. Outnumbered, the Hardys take on the diamond man's gang in an all-out effort to save Annie -- and clear Joe of murder.

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My Review:

It's been a while since I've last picked up a Hardy Boys Casefile, and as someone who has a thing for Joe being girl-crazy, I was really looking forward to this. It held me right on the first page! But what I didn't like about it were the few references in the beginning to the first book in the series, Dead on Target. Not that I've read it (and I'm absolutely not planning to!), but I heard that Muslims are villains in that book, which really offends me as a Muslim, so I couldn't stand even the reminder of it. I couldn't stand the word "terrorist" being referred to Muslims, especially not in a HARDY BOYS book! Why did it also have to be in my favorite series?

In this installment of the Hardy Boys Casefiles, Joe gets accused of murder - vehicular homicide. I loved how Frank would go length to prove his brother's innocence.

The mystery in #20 Witness to Murder was fishy. Phil Sidler, Annie Shea's boyfriend, is involved in a robbery gang, and she might be involved too...

There were some intense scenes that kept me reading.

Since it's one of my favourite subjects, I loved how this particular Hardy Boys book emphasized how much love hurts. I loved the ending; the moment between Frank and Joe. Poor Joe.

Overall, I may have liked some things about this particular Hardy Boys book, but unfortunately, it wasn't one of the best ones I've read. There were a few times when I felt like Joe was being an idiot. The culprit has been kind of obvious since the beginning, but I guess Joe was too blinded by love to see it or something. ***Spoiler***I knew there was something off about Annie Shea!***Spoiler***

Sincerely, Diary by Maryna Doughty

Title: Sincerely, Diary

Author: Maryna Doughty

Release Date: November 4, 2023

Publisher: Pleated Press LLC

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis:

Where’s the safest place to keep your deepest secrets?

After a summer school teacher threatens to contact her parents over a concerning personal narrative assignment, sixth grader Annamarie Nilsson vows to only write her secrets in a diary. Secrets like wanting a best friend. And envying her dad’s favoritism of her younger sister. And the fact that she’s been spying on the neighbor girl who buries things in the creek.

What Annamarie doesn’t expect is that her diary can write back to her!

Diary encourages Annamarie to stay true to herself. However, she slowly makes changes to win her dad’s approval and the popular girls’ acceptance.

But will someone find out her secrets and put Annamarie’s reputation on the line? Unfortunately, Annamarie isn’t the only one hiding things. It’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out.

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My Review:

What a fun book!

A diary that writes back to you! Imagine!?

It's been a while since I've last picked up a magical realism, and I really enjoyed this imaginitive premise of a talking diary.

After a summer school teacher threatens to call her parents over a concerning personal narrative assignment, Annamarie vows to only keep her secrets in a diary. But little did she know that her diary could write back to her! How cool is that!?

There were some things I found myself relating to Annamarie about, such as, - as someone who has social anxiety - feeling alone, unloved, and longing for a best friend. Poor Annamarie, had to put an effort on to win her father's acceptance. I disliked Sofia, Annamarie's little sister. Seriously, what a brat!

I loved the beautiful illustrations.

Maryna Doughty's Sincerely, Diary also gave me some of the Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret vibes.

As someone whose cup of tea is teen and kid dramas, I loved the realisticness of what kids in this age go through, such as, putting in a lot of effort to fit in with the popular group and pretending to be someone they're not so people can like them. It was all very relatable.

I've sensed that there was something odd about Diary, but I didn't see that twist coming...

Read it to find out!