A review by mixedreader
The Girl, the Ring, and the Baseball Bat by Camille Gomera-Tavarez

medium-paced

4.0

Happy to share this new YA novel — The Girl, The Ring, and The Baseball Bat by Camille Gomera-Tavarez — thanks to @hearourvoicestours ! This novel is an adventure told through three narrators: sisters Rosie and Caro, and new kid at school, Zeke. Moving through their day to day lives and teenage struggles, each of them encounter a talisman that will guide them through specific moments in their lives. The writer integrates this magical realism in a way that feels aligned with the characters voices, perspectives, and circumstances, and highlights how they see themselves through the eyes of others. I was particularly drawn to Rosie as a narrator— she struggled to feel seen, to make a mark socially and academically as she lives under the shadow of her sister. Her skepticism, curiosity and observant nature drove this book for me. The summary compares the novel to The Outsiders, and I can see it. I would recommend this book to late teen readers who want to feel immersed in story just beyond reality—to feel connected to characters and to dream about possibility.