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The Philly Phenoms
The Philly Phenoms is a heartfelt coming-of-age novel centered around Lee Lomax, a golf-obsessed fifth grader who leads his neighborhood friends in forming a makeshift golf tour on their elementary school grounds. What starts as a fun summer pastime quickly morphs into a deeper tale about friendship, family, courage, and grief. Through the eyes of Lee, we watch these kids battle broken windows, dig for softballs in overgrown woods, and wrestle with real-life events like 9/11 and a parent’s failing health. Author Nate Oxman captures all the chaotic beauty of growing up with humor and a whole lot of heart.
What really grabbed me about this book was how natural and funny the writing felt. Oxman writes the way kids actually think and speak, with a little bit of mischief and a lot of imagination. I felt like I was back on my own elementary school playground, sweating through a July afternoon and getting in just the right amount of trouble. The characters weren’t polished or perfect, which made them feel real. Latterman made me laugh, even while I was shaking my head at him. Lee’s voice is smart, tender, and stubborn in the best way. I found myself rooting for him, not just to sink his putts, but to figure out the messiness of life, even when it gets heavy.
The emotional core of the story hits hard, especially as Lee confronts his mother’s illness. Oxman handles grief in a way that’s quiet and gutting at the same time. There’s a chapter late in the book that completely broke me. The writing didn’t beg for sympathy; it just told the truth. That’s the power of this book. One minute you’re laughing about a kid trying to sneak a golf ball out of a broken school window, and the next, you’re blinking back tears as Lee tries to hold his world together. The pacing slows a little in the middle, and sometimes the golf lingo slowed me down, but overall, the story never lost me.
I’d recommend The Philly Phenoms to anyone who loves a good story about growing up, especially if you’ve got a soft spot for golf, tight-knit neighborhoods, or father-son bonds. It’s perfect for middle schoolers, parents reading with their kids, or adults looking to revisit the simpler, more complicated days of being a kid. If you’ve ever had a summer you didn’t want to end, this book will take you right back.
Pages: 272 | ASIN : B0F7NSDD78
The Ascenditure
The Ascenditure is one of those books that grabs you and doesn’t let go. Set in a gritty, rain-soaked world where climbing mountains isn’t just sport—it’s survival—this story follows Klarke Ascher, a determined young woman fighting tooth and nail for a spot on the kingdom’s elite climbing team. But climbing, as it turns out, is the least of her battles. The real summit is freedom—from a system that sees women as nothing more than property, from a king who silences dissent with gallows, and from a future that promises marriage to a stranger if she fails. There’s rebellion, resilience, and a whole lot of heart.
I couldn’t put this one down. The writing is so visceral. From the opening chapter where Klarke scales a cliff in a soaking rainstorm—mud on her boots, blood on her fingers—you feel everything. “The only place I truly feel free is pressed against granite,” she says. The climb isn’t just physical; it’s symbolic, and Robyn Dabney writes those moments with so much tension and grace.
What hit me hardest, though, wasn’t just the injustice Klarke faces—it was how real it all felt. The sexism, the corruption, the constant need to prove herself twice as capable just to be considered. There’s this scene after she crushes the climbing trial, and yet she still gets passed over for a spot on the team. The moment Russet Kamber is named instead, you can feel her heartbreak, and it’s not just personal—it’s political. The city erupts in protest. People die. And Klarke doesn’t crumble. She runs straight into the chaos. That moment when the crowd starts chanting her name gave me chills.
Klarke’s relationship with Kiel is layered. When he proposes to her—not out of romance but out of desperation to keep her from being married off—you feel how trapped they both are. And when she tells him she’s going to flee to Kobo, where women are free, I wanted to jump into the book and help her pack. But then the city rises, the people rally behind her, and Klarke changes course—not to run, but to fight. That shift is powerful.
I’d recommend The Ascenditure to fans of The Hunger Games, The Handmaid’s Tale, or anything with strong feminist vibes and high-stakes rebellion. It’s perfect for readers who love flawed but fierce female leads, rich world-building, and stories that blend action with soul.
Pages: 358 | ASIN : B0CD9J6NNZ
LITERARY TITAN 