One for the Murphys is a coming-of-age novel written by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, bestselling author of Fish In A Tree, a book which received a very favorable review on the Stone Soup blog. One for the Murphys centers around Carley Connors, who moves to Connecticut to live with her foster family after her mother ends up in the hospital. The foster family, which consists of Mr. Murphy, his wife Julie, and their children Michael Eric, Adam, and Daniel, live a very different life than Carley imagined or has ever lived before. As she tries to adjust to her new life, her thoughts on friendships, family, and mother-daughter relationships shift drastically. Carley, her friend Toni, her mom, and her foster family are all very well-developed characters who have complicated and nuanced relationships–one of the novel’s selling points. Carley loves Toni, but they are very different people who end up learning a lot about different family dynamics, books, and Broadway musicals. Carley also loves her mother, although their relationship is far from perfect. Carley often had to fend for herself when she lived with her mother, but she still has many fond memories of her. Meanwhile, she finds herself at once being very fond of the Murphys while feeling undeserving of the affection and attention they shower on her. The characters trying to figure out their places in society and in one another’s hearts are part of what makes the book such a captivating read. Unlike many coming-of-age stories, One for the Murphys does not have a picture-perfect happy ending. Carley has learned a lot, and is a more mature adult ready for the next chapter of her life, but as the reader closes the book, they know that Carley’s happiness was short lived, that she is heading towards a challenge which will leave her longing for the comfort she experienced and wondering what will happen to her when she grows up. The novel shows us that Carley finally has a passion, but that it is not one she is likely to achieve. She knows what it means to be a family, but only just in time to realize she has to leave one forever. She makes friends and establishes her roots only for them to be torn up again. But through all this is a little kernel of hope: that Carley will learn to make do with what she has, get her dream job, see the family she had to leave behind, and move to the place where her life first changed for the better. One for the Murphys is a wonderfully heartwarming story about friends, family, and what being a teenager is all about. The book made me laugh, cry, and root for Carley; with any luck, it will sit on your bookshelf, like it did on mine, getting reread and passed on to those I love the most. One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2013. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
The Loophole, Reviewed by Sita, 13
The Loophole, a novel by Naz Kutub published in June, 2022, is a surprisingly original retelling of the Aladdin story with compelling characters who deal with issues like islamophobia and homophobia. Its protagonist, Sayyed, is an Indian Muslim teenager whose boyfriend left Los Angeles (and the North American continent) three months ago, to teach English in far-off countries. Sayyed works at a coffee shop with his friend, Dzakir, until the rich, powerful, and ever-drunk Reggie offers to grant him three wishes in exchange for his lunch. Once his father realizes that Sayyed is gay and has had a boyfriend behind his back for nearly two years, he kicks him out, and Sy uses his second of three wishes (as his first one was the standard $1 million) to find his ex-boyfriend, Farouk, and win him back with Reggie’s help. Over the course of the book, he and Reggie travel the world, break a few laws, and learn more about each other and themselves. Sayyed is a very interesting character, stuck between his love for his traditional family and his ex. He cares so much about his sister and his Umi, but his Baba makes it very hard for him to live his life comfortably. He wants to spend the rest of his days with Farouk, but his own fears hold him back. With every cab ride, flight, or adrenaline-fueled sprint, he has to choose between his past and his future, his love or his family, and whether or not he should give up hope entirely. Unfortunately, Sy is demonized by many, not just his father. As he wanders the world in search of Farouk, he realizes just how hard life is for people who are Muslim, South Asian, or Middle Eastern—not just in LA, but everywhere. He witnesses riots condemning people like him, faces government officials who see everyone who looks like him as a threat, and experiences internal doubts about what it means to be gay and Muslim. The plot is captivating, the characters are worth cheering for, and the ending blows readers away. If you enjoy fantasy novels with a twist, The Loophole should be on your reading list. The Loophole by Naz Kutub. Bloomsbury YA, 2022. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Deserter, Reviewed by Sita, 13
I never enjoyed being scared like my peers did. I was the kid who refused to go on roller coasters, was terrified of the dark, and thought the Harry Potter film franchise was in the genre of horror. As I got older, I felt it was time I developed more of a tolerance for spooking myself. I tried to push myself to increase this tolerance by watching movies like IT and The Conjuring, and seeking out horror books. One of the books I ended up liking was Deserter, a horror story collection by Junji Ito, an incredible horror fiction author. Deserter contains 12 short manga stories about 20-50 pages long, showcasing his earlier works. His stories are incredibly imaginative, his artwork is admirable, and the end of each story is bound to send a shiver up your spine and have your eyes darting around your room at the slightest provocation. Seeing as his stories are presented in the form of manga, it would have been quite easy for Ito to simply start with an obviously creepy situation—like a lone child entering a haunted house—proceed with a few well-placed jump scares, and be done with the whole thing. But instead, he starts his stories with something eerie and unknown, often unthought of, and proceeds to take everything we thought we knew about things that go bump in the night and throw it out the window. Ito takes ordinary things that might be a bit awkward, like exotic foods, mixing up identical twins, breakups, and nightmares, and turns them into deadly and horrifying sagas. The stories, like most horror stories, start with strange phenomena: wine not tasting quite right, something being a little off in your best friend’s mannerisms, stories not quite matching up, etc. Some are simply eerie and unsettling, others go right into the gory deaths, and others involve such complex motives that it is impossible to tell hero from villain. Junji Ito’s Deserter is not what I thought I would find when I looked into horror—his stories are captivating. If you would like to find a set of incredibly good stories that just so happen to keep you up at night, Deserter is the book for you. Deserter by Junji Ito. Viz Media, 2021. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
