Mighty Millie Novak by Elizabeth Holden is a sweet YA novel following a queer teen girl trying to find her place both in the world at large and on her roller derby team, and maybe finding some love along the way (4/5 stars)

Mighty Millie Novak by Elizabeth Holden is a sweet YA novel following a queer teen girl trying to find her place both in the world at large and on her roller derby team, and maybe finding some love along the way.

Millie has been home schooled since middle school, her parents are going through an overdue split, and her beloved older brother *just* went off to college so it’s totally understandable that she feels a bit adrift at the start of this book.

I saw myself in her a lot; we’re both solidly built, we both have anxiety, and we’re both queer. And gosh, I feel like everyone feels out of place when they’re an adolescent. She’s totally relatable.

Mille’s roller derby teammates are great! There’s a lot of diversity on the squad, which is always great to see. Derby names are some of the best parts of the sport, in my opinion, and we have gems here such as Ann Archy and Impaylor Swift.

I was rooting for Millie the whole way through this book. It’s hard growing up and figuring out self-confidence! Especially if you weren’t really socialized due to being homeschooled. This is a wonderful coming-of-age story with a diverse cast of quirky characters and a steady plot.

Mighty Millie Novak comes out next month, on August 20th!