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Eli Over Easy
From the acclaimed author of Small Town Pride, Phil Stamper, comes a heartfelt coming-of-age middle grade novel about grief, love, loss, and finding your way forward in the vein of Kate Allen’s The Line Tender and Jules Machias’s Both Can Be True.
The last few months have been pretty tough for Eli. He moved to New York City and left his small town in Minnesota with his extended family and everyone he knows. He hasn’t made any new friends. And his mom died unexpectedly, shattering his whole world. He misses Mom more and more every day, but Dad refuses to talk about her, leaving Eli alone in his grief.
Then Eli finds a stash of instructional cooking videos his mom made, revealing her dream of being a celebrity chef. With the help of the cute new neighbor boy, Mathias, Eli decides to follow his mother’s recipes using her videos. If he can re-create his mom's special dishes, then maybe a part of her can stay with him forever. But what happens when the videos run out?
The last few months have been pretty tough for Eli. He moved to New York City and left his small town in Minnesota with his extended family and everyone he knows. He hasn’t made any new friends. And his mom died unexpectedly, shattering his whole world. He misses Mom more and more every day, but Dad refuses to talk about her, leaving Eli alone in his grief.
Then Eli finds a stash of instructional cooking videos his mom made, revealing her dream of being a celebrity chef. With the help of the cute new neighbor boy, Mathias, Eli decides to follow his mother’s recipes using her videos. If he can re-create his mom's special dishes, then maybe a part of her can stay with him forever. But what happens when the videos run out?
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2023
About the author
Phil Stamper
11 books1,712 followersPhil Stamper grew up in a rural village near Dayton, Ohio. While it could be seen as a boring lifestyle to some, he kept himself entertained by playing the piano and writing stories that stretched his imagination. He has a B.A. in Music from the University of Dayton and an M.A. in Publishing with Creative Writing from Kingston University.
When he first left his home state, he landed in Washington, DC with no job prospects, $800 in graduation money, and the promise of a walk-in closet to live in. Not long after—and he’s not totally sure how—he was jumping headfirst into a career in non-profit PR and sleeping in a real bed. He loved writing for a living, even if he was writing press releases and news stories... and hundreds of emails to annoyed journalists. But after a while, the dry writing started to get to him, so he thought he’d finally work on that book he always wanted to write.
Years later, Phil is now the bestselling author of The Gravity of Us, As Far As You’ll Take Me, and other queer books for kids and teens. He works in author development for a major book publisher in New York City, where he lives with his husband and their dog. Golden Boys, the first book in his upcoming young adult rom-com duology, comes out in February 2022. Small Town Pride, his debut middle grade novel, publishes in Summer 2022.
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When he first left his home state, he landed in Washington, DC with no job prospects, $800 in graduation money, and the promise of a walk-in closet to live in. Not long after—and he’s not totally sure how—he was jumping headfirst into a career in non-profit PR and sleeping in a real bed. He loved writing for a living, even if he was writing press releases and news stories... and hundreds of emails to annoyed journalists. But after a while, the dry writing started to get to him, so he thought he’d finally work on that book he always wanted to write.
Years later, Phil is now the bestselling author of The Gravity of Us, As Far As You’ll Take Me, and other queer books for kids and teens. He works in author development for a major book publisher in New York City, where he lives with his husband and their dog. Golden Boys, the first book in his upcoming young adult rom-com duology, comes out in February 2022. Small Town Pride, his debut middle grade novel, publishes in Summer 2022.
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Note: I no longer accept friend requests due to Amazon blocking reviews from Goodreads friends. It's not personal! Please connect with me on Twitter/IG/Tiktok at @stampepk. Thank you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
September 14, 2023
Actual rating 4.5 stars.
Phil Stamper writes both YA and MG, and I’m a fan of his YA books, especially Golden Boys, but I think he has a special gift for writing stories about thirteen-year-old boys.
Eli Over Easy is a story about grief. Eli’s mom died a few months ago, and now he’s home alone daily in a tiny apartment in Manhattan while his dad is working. When he finds videos from his diseased mom, he starts cooking together with his neighbor Mathias (Mat).
Grief is so different for all of us. Some people, like Eli’s dad, try to hide their sadness and continue with life. Some people like Mat get sad and feel down, even though they’re hiding it behind a huge smile. And people like Eli try to hold on to those beautiful moments they once had.
I gobbled up this story frantically, and warmth slid through my body as the bond between Eli and Mat deepened. I loved that the boys shared each other’s pain and helped the other making life easier. Just like Small Town Pride, the writing is on the spot, and Eli and Mat are two characters to root for.
The only thing I didn’t like was the constant use of masks because of COVID. It’s a difference between the US and Europe, I guess, because here (The Netherlands), we don’t even test anymore, let alone wear masks.
I received an ARC from HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Phil Stamper writes both YA and MG, and I’m a fan of his YA books, especially Golden Boys, but I think he has a special gift for writing stories about thirteen-year-old boys.
Eli Over Easy is a story about grief. Eli’s mom died a few months ago, and now he’s home alone daily in a tiny apartment in Manhattan while his dad is working. When he finds videos from his diseased mom, he starts cooking together with his neighbor Mathias (Mat).
Grief is so different for all of us. Some people, like Eli’s dad, try to hide their sadness and continue with life. Some people like Mat get sad and feel down, even though they’re hiding it behind a huge smile. And people like Eli try to hold on to those beautiful moments they once had.
I gobbled up this story frantically, and warmth slid through my body as the bond between Eli and Mat deepened. I loved that the boys shared each other’s pain and helped the other making life easier. Just like Small Town Pride, the writing is on the spot, and Eli and Mat are two characters to root for.
The only thing I didn’t like was the constant use of masks because of COVID. It’s a difference between the US and Europe, I guess, because here (The Netherlands), we don’t even test anymore, let alone wear masks.
I received an ARC from HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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November 16, 2023
Eli Over Easy is a heartfelt read about grief and the ways of dealing with it.
Eli's mother recently passed away after they'd moved to New York City from Minnesota. Now it's just him and his Dad who both seem to deal with her loss differently. Eli found old cooking tutorial videos his mother made and decides to follow along. They help him feel closer to her, but he's hesitant to show his dad as he shuts down whenever he's reminded of his wife.
Eli also meets his new neighbour, Mathias, who's visiting his grandmother and also going through some personal issues with his parents. The two become fast friends and bond over cooking. They're very sweet and have a lot of fun moments with cooking mishaps.
Phil Stamper does a great job exploring loss and how it affects people differently. It's a short read and worth every page.
Eli's mother recently passed away after they'd moved to New York City from Minnesota. Now it's just him and his Dad who both seem to deal with her loss differently. Eli found old cooking tutorial videos his mother made and decides to follow along. They help him feel closer to her, but he's hesitant to show his dad as he shuts down whenever he's reminded of his wife.
Eli also meets his new neighbour, Mathias, who's visiting his grandmother and also going through some personal issues with his parents. The two become fast friends and bond over cooking. They're very sweet and have a lot of fun moments with cooking mishaps.
Phil Stamper does a great job exploring loss and how it affects people differently. It's a short read and worth every page.
September 2, 2023
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!!! I flew through Eli Over Easy so quickly, it just had such a grip on me. The story follows Eli, a thirteen year old kid a few months after his mom died. When he finds secret videos she made of her cooking different recipes he gets inspired to start learning how to cook to feel closer to her. With the help of a new boy next door he spends his summer trying new things in the kitchen, opening up to his dad, and discovering new things about himself.
This was just so precious. I absolutely loved Eli as the main character. He was so passionate about coding and also learning how to cook. I loved the scenes of him trying different recipes, making mistakes, and learning how to improve for next time. Phil Stamper’s descriptions of the food had me wanting to make every single thing mentioned.
Eli’s friendship with Mat, the boy next door, was also such a lovely part of the book. It was so nice seeing them get to know one another, connect over their grief and the difficult things they’re experiencing, and also open up about their sexuality. Scenes of them being able to walk through New York City, go past Stonewall, and eat ice cream while looking at pride flags fluttering in the breeze were so sweet and powerful at the same time.
While the scenes of Eli and his dad not being on the same page when it came to him cooking or how they were dealing with their grief could be difficult to read, it made it very rewarding to see once they finally opened up to one another and figured out a way forward together. Overall I just loved everything about this book. I really hope that Phil Stamper continues to write queer middle grade books. Definitely check this one out!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was just so precious. I absolutely loved Eli as the main character. He was so passionate about coding and also learning how to cook. I loved the scenes of him trying different recipes, making mistakes, and learning how to improve for next time. Phil Stamper’s descriptions of the food had me wanting to make every single thing mentioned.
Eli’s friendship with Mat, the boy next door, was also such a lovely part of the book. It was so nice seeing them get to know one another, connect over their grief and the difficult things they’re experiencing, and also open up about their sexuality. Scenes of them being able to walk through New York City, go past Stonewall, and eat ice cream while looking at pride flags fluttering in the breeze were so sweet and powerful at the same time.
While the scenes of Eli and his dad not being on the same page when it came to him cooking or how they were dealing with their grief could be difficult to read, it made it very rewarding to see once they finally opened up to one another and figured out a way forward together. Overall I just loved everything about this book. I really hope that Phil Stamper continues to write queer middle grade books. Definitely check this one out!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2023
This was a moving and heartfelt middle grade book about dealing with grief over the sudden loss of a parent, finding passion with food and all set during the tumultuous time of COVID in NYC.
While this wasn't my favorite by Phil Stamper, I still think a lot of young readers will relate to the MC and find solace in his struggles to deal with his mother's death and his father's all-encompassing grief.
Great on audio narrated by André Santana and definitely worth picking up!
While this wasn't my favorite by Phil Stamper, I still think a lot of young readers will relate to the MC and find solace in his struggles to deal with his mother's death and his father's all-encompassing grief.
Great on audio narrated by André Santana and definitely worth picking up!
October 7, 2023
This was probably my favourite Phil Stamper book so far. I listened to the audiobook and loved it so much. This is one of the very few books I've read that actually address and deal with covid and the impact of the pandemic. Eli's mum died from covid a few months before the story starts, and he takes up cooking because she was a chef and he wants to feel closer to her. This is one of those books that feels so needed, especially for kids.
June 5, 2023
So wholesome 🏳️🌈🧡
March 2, 2024
This was so fucking cute. I cried. A few times.
Eli's mom died from covid and now he and his dad are on their own in NYC. Neither can cook well but his mom was a chef. After one too many frozen burritos, Eli decides to try his hand at cooking. It doesn't go so well. But then he finds a handful of cooking videos his mom made before her death and he starts again. He's determined to learn everything he can from his mom.
I loved everything about this one. I loved Eli and his cooking and grief journeys. I loved his grandmotherly neighbor and her grandson. I loved his developing relationship with his dad. Just all of it was so precious. Highly recommend.
Eli's mom died from covid and now he and his dad are on their own in NYC. Neither can cook well but his mom was a chef. After one too many frozen burritos, Eli decides to try his hand at cooking. It doesn't go so well. But then he finds a handful of cooking videos his mom made before her death and he starts again. He's determined to learn everything he can from his mom.
I loved everything about this one. I loved Eli and his cooking and grief journeys. I loved his grandmotherly neighbor and her grandson. I loved his developing relationship with his dad. Just all of it was so precious. Highly recommend.
November 15, 2023
Such a sweet story. I really liked all the recipes, how Eli grew throughout the days when he starts cooking his mom's recipes. It was a calm story, the grief is present but not overwhelming, and it's a queer story but not a coming out story. It was just simple and cute and it made me so hungry. I need that app to find my perfect chocolate chip cookies!
August 16, 2023
Actual rating: 4,5*
After reading and loving Phil Stamper's middle grade debut Small Town Pride last year, I knew I had to read Eli Over Easy! Phil Stamper just knows how to write loveable and relatable 13 year old boys.
Eli's mother recently died from Covid, so he and his dad try to move on from this horrible loss. Eli, still struggling through his grief, regrets that he wasn't more invested in his mother's passion for cooking. One day he decides to learn cooking to feel closer to his mom. Surprisingly, he ends up really liking it! He even finds privated videos on his mothers' YouTube channel, where she pretended to have her own cooking show.
When Eli meets Mat, the grandson of their next-door neighbor Ms. Martinez, they start to try out these recipes together and become fast friends.
Eli Over Easy ist not only a book about loss and how to overcome it, it's also a gorgeous story about friendship and believing in yourself. It shows that not everything needs to be perfect and flawless, and that a lot of things need practice and patience.
I loved all the characters so much! Eli was relatable and I felt so bad for him and what he went through. His friendship with Mat was super cute and wholesome! Eli's cousin Riley was also a great character and I adored all the bits about her streaming career.
The grown ups aren't perfect, but they are human and make mistakes to learn from them. I was a little frustrated with Eli's dad at times, but I always understood where he was coming from. Mrs. Martinez was amazing and she should've had more on-page time!
In conclusion, Eli Over Easy is a beautiful and heartfelt book, not only for a middle grade audience, but for anyone who likes to read a story about healing and overcoming grief.
Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for kindly providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After reading and loving Phil Stamper's middle grade debut Small Town Pride last year, I knew I had to read Eli Over Easy! Phil Stamper just knows how to write loveable and relatable 13 year old boys.
Eli's mother recently died from Covid, so he and his dad try to move on from this horrible loss. Eli, still struggling through his grief, regrets that he wasn't more invested in his mother's passion for cooking. One day he decides to learn cooking to feel closer to his mom. Surprisingly, he ends up really liking it! He even finds privated videos on his mothers' YouTube channel, where she pretended to have her own cooking show.
When Eli meets Mat, the grandson of their next-door neighbor Ms. Martinez, they start to try out these recipes together and become fast friends.
Eli Over Easy ist not only a book about loss and how to overcome it, it's also a gorgeous story about friendship and believing in yourself. It shows that not everything needs to be perfect and flawless, and that a lot of things need practice and patience.
I loved all the characters so much! Eli was relatable and I felt so bad for him and what he went through. His friendship with Mat was super cute and wholesome! Eli's cousin Riley was also a great character and I adored all the bits about her streaming career.
The grown ups aren't perfect, but they are human and make mistakes to learn from them. I was a little frustrated with Eli's dad at times, but I always understood where he was coming from. Mrs. Martinez was amazing and she should've had more on-page time!
In conclusion, Eli Over Easy is a beautiful and heartfelt book, not only for a middle grade audience, but for anyone who likes to read a story about healing and overcoming grief.
Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for kindly providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2023
Once again, Phil Stamper has created a wonderful middle grade book. In this story, the reader is taken on Eli’s journey of self discovery through his mom’s recipes. Stamper gracefully navigates grief and mental health for Eli and his father. This story is the hug we all need, with dashes of humor and humility as well. I can’t wait to share this with my students!!
March 8, 2024
CHEF'S TIP: You can't do something perfectly until you've messed it up every way possible first.
October 15, 2023
*4.5 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Eli lost his mom from Covid less than a year after he and his parents moved from Minnesota to NYC. Now, it's the summer holiday and his dad is going back to work. And this new routine is hard to accept especially since it feels like everything has changed. His mom used to cook, and now, no one does. So when Eli finds unposted videos from his mom teaching how to cook, he just has to try? But his dad will hear nothing of it. Eli is not allowed to go out nor cook while he's gone. But Eli is determined…
This was a very emotional and captivating book. I loved getting to know Eli. I loved how the characters evolved and changed throughout the book. I also loved how New York was represented and Eli's relationship to it. I also loved his friendship with the next door neighbor and her grandson. It was all so well executed. I wanted to know what would happen next. I also loved the ideas of the videos and how Eli got to know his mom in another way through them. I teared up on many occasions.It was truly a beautiful story and it made me want to read more books by Phil Stamper.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Eli lost his mom from Covid less than a year after he and his parents moved from Minnesota to NYC. Now, it's the summer holiday and his dad is going back to work. And this new routine is hard to accept especially since it feels like everything has changed. His mom used to cook, and now, no one does. So when Eli finds unposted videos from his mom teaching how to cook, he just has to try? But his dad will hear nothing of it. Eli is not allowed to go out nor cook while he's gone. But Eli is determined…
This was a very emotional and captivating book. I loved getting to know Eli. I loved how the characters evolved and changed throughout the book. I also loved how New York was represented and Eli's relationship to it. I also loved his friendship with the next door neighbor and her grandson. It was all so well executed. I wanted to know what would happen next. I also loved the ideas of the videos and how Eli got to know his mom in another way through them. I teared up on many occasions.It was truly a beautiful story and it made me want to read more books by Phil Stamper.
October 15, 2023
did i expect this to surpass Small Town Pride? no way. this was pretty good, but just pretty good tbh.
nothing really won me over on this one. the characters were great, plot was great, development was great. but just great. nothing GRAND or more.
phil stamper if you’re reading this you’re still my idol ilysm but make your MG books gayer than this
nothing really won me over on this one. the characters were great, plot was great, development was great. but just great. nothing GRAND or more.
phil stamper if you’re reading this you’re still my idol ilysm but make your MG books gayer than this
March 15, 2024
ARGUABLY MY FAVORITE PHIL STAMPER BOOK - AND THAT - IS SAYING SOMETHING!
PREMISE: The last few months have been pretty tough for Eli. He moved to New York City and left his small town in Minnesota with his extended family and everyone he knows. He hasn’t made any new friends. And his mom died unexpectedly, shattering his whole world. He misses Mom more and more every day, but Dad refuses to talk about her, leaving Eli alone in his grief. Then Eli finds a stash of instructional cooking videos his mom made, revealing her dream of being a celebrity chef. With the help of the cute new neighbor boy, Mathias, Eli decides to follow his mother’s recipes using her videos. If he can recreate his mom's special dishes, then maybe a part of her can stay with him forever. But what happens when the videos run out?
THOUGHTS: I am yet to give Phil Stamper anything outside of 5 Stars and having read: The Gravity of Us, As Far As You'll Take Me - and - Small Town Pride -and- loving them ALL, I think Eli Over Easy is my FAVORITE PHIL STAMPER BOOK. Stamper always includes a hard hitting contemporary element and this time it was grief and loss, and he did this really well. But he also finds a way to make his books fun and this time he used culinary fiction to do so, which is one of my absolute favorite sub-genres! Eli as a character is so fun and yet wholesome to follow as a character and I really enjoyed meeting Mat also! Such a fantastic book and I highly recommend!
5 Stars!
xoxo.
PREMISE: The last few months have been pretty tough for Eli. He moved to New York City and left his small town in Minnesota with his extended family and everyone he knows. He hasn’t made any new friends. And his mom died unexpectedly, shattering his whole world. He misses Mom more and more every day, but Dad refuses to talk about her, leaving Eli alone in his grief. Then Eli finds a stash of instructional cooking videos his mom made, revealing her dream of being a celebrity chef. With the help of the cute new neighbor boy, Mathias, Eli decides to follow his mother’s recipes using her videos. If he can recreate his mom's special dishes, then maybe a part of her can stay with him forever. But what happens when the videos run out?
THOUGHTS: I am yet to give Phil Stamper anything outside of 5 Stars and having read: The Gravity of Us, As Far As You'll Take Me - and - Small Town Pride -and- loving them ALL, I think Eli Over Easy is my FAVORITE PHIL STAMPER BOOK. Stamper always includes a hard hitting contemporary element and this time it was grief and loss, and he did this really well. But he also finds a way to make his books fun and this time he used culinary fiction to do so, which is one of my absolute favorite sub-genres! Eli as a character is so fun and yet wholesome to follow as a character and I really enjoyed meeting Mat also! Such a fantastic book and I highly recommend!
5 Stars!
xoxo.
November 10, 2023
Eli's mom died to COVID a few months ago, and as his dad is going back to a soul-sucking job in bustling NYC, Eli tries to enjoy the coding class he's been begging to get into for years. Then he stumbles across his mom's secret YouTube page and learns that she wasn't just a promising test kitchen chef: she'd started filming her own cooking show. Naturally, Eli's overprotective dad won't let him cook alone, but with the help of his elderly neighbor and her cute grandson and a few local shopkeepers, Eli has the chance to prove that he can both move on and remember his mom well by following her step-by-step guides.
Grief is a many-faceted thing, and I appreciate the way this book doesn't downplay the difficulty of moving on, especially the ways that it can feel like you're not making any progress and might even be regressing. The plot itself isn't very speedy, but it has a lot of interesting elements that help keep it going. I like books with a little bit higher stakes, usually, but this one has both cozy and wholesome healing moments, and I hope that it finds its way into the hands of readers who need it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Grief is a many-faceted thing, and I appreciate the way this book doesn't downplay the difficulty of moving on, especially the ways that it can feel like you're not making any progress and might even be regressing. The plot itself isn't very speedy, but it has a lot of interesting elements that help keep it going. I like books with a little bit higher stakes, usually, but this one has both cozy and wholesome healing moments, and I hope that it finds its way into the hands of readers who need it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
April 10, 2023
A huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.
Ah this book was simply amazing.
But just be forewarned that there are triggers of a parents death.
Thirteen year old Eli lost his mom 3 months ago, after they moved to New York City for her new job. Now, without his mom, he has to relearn how to move forward in his new life. Between his summer coding class, his moms cooking videos on YouTube, and a new friend, Mat, perhaps things were looking up for him.
My review.
I enjoyed the story a lot. It was a sweet, joyful, poignant and inspiring story. I liked Eli from the beginning. I felt that his joy of coding and cooking was amazing. Mat was also a great friend and a source of comfort for Eli. I didn’t care for Eli’s father at first but realized he was dealing with his own pain and grief. I enjoyed the numerous yummy recipes especially the cookies. Overall, I didn’t want this book to end. It had heart, love, loss, compassion and friendships. If you enjoyed his previous books as much as I did, you will enjoy this one as well.
Ah this book was simply amazing.
But just be forewarned that there are triggers of a parents death.
Thirteen year old Eli lost his mom 3 months ago, after they moved to New York City for her new job. Now, without his mom, he has to relearn how to move forward in his new life. Between his summer coding class, his moms cooking videos on YouTube, and a new friend, Mat, perhaps things were looking up for him.
My review.
I enjoyed the story a lot. It was a sweet, joyful, poignant and inspiring story. I liked Eli from the beginning. I felt that his joy of coding and cooking was amazing. Mat was also a great friend and a source of comfort for Eli. I didn’t care for Eli’s father at first but realized he was dealing with his own pain and grief. I enjoyed the numerous yummy recipes especially the cookies. Overall, I didn’t want this book to end. It had heart, love, loss, compassion and friendships. If you enjoyed his previous books as much as I did, you will enjoy this one as well.
June 19, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Eli's family had moved to New York City from their home in Minnesota, where his cousin Riley still lives. Eli's mother, a chef, had gotten a job in a prestigious test kitchen and loved the work, but unfortunately passed away from COVID. His father is trying to hold things together, but managing Eli's online schooling as well as his own job stressed him out. He's very cautious about everything that Eli does, so doesn't want him leaving the apartment during the summer. A neighbor, Mrs. Martinez, checks up on him. Eli is taking a coding class, and he is very excited about that, but living in a city like New York without seeing the sites seems pointless. He's also very tired of microwave pizza rolls and take out food; after all, his mother was a chef. He's been using his mother's old computer for school work, and when he is working on a coding assignment, he finds a video of his mother. She was pretending to have a cooking school, and starts with a video about eggs over easy, something she had always intended to teach Eli but never did. Even though he is going against his father's wishes, Eli goes to the market to get ingredients and attempts to cook. It doesn't end well, and sets off the smoke alarm. Mrs. Martinez sends her grandson, Mat, over to check. Mat's parents are separated, so he's spending the summer with his grandmother to help her out, although she is in even better shape than Mat is! Mat agrees to help Eli out, and the two become friends. Eli manages to hide the cooking from his father, who is still very harried and still does not want to talk about Eli's mother. Eli does have some support from Riley, who Facestimes him frequently and is supportive of his endeavors, the way he is supportive of her livestreaming video games. (She has quite the following and hopes to make this a career.) Eli has also been in grief counseling, but is no longer going. The more Eli cooks, the more connected he feels to his mother, but this is somehow concerning. Even his father picks up on it. When Eli decides to construct a chocolate chip cookie app for his coding class project, he enlists Mat's help, and the two become even closer. The project doesn't go as expected, but there are additional wrinkles; not only is Eli's father thinking of getting another job and moving back to Minnesota, but it looks like Mat will be moving away from the city with his mother. The two have just realized that they like each other, but will they be able to be together? And will Eli's attempts at cooking his mother's recipes help both his and his father to process their grief over the loss of Eli's mother?
Strengths: There are not enough middle grade books that show older tweens fending for themselves, and it's something that happens all the time. The balancing act between wanting to do something (anything!) and wanting to listen to parents can be tough, and I'm sure that was even worse with COVID or with living in a city. I appreciated that Eli was safe going out into his neighborhood, but didn't want to tell his dad and have him worry. I also liked that Mrs. Martinez was watching out for him, and his friendship (that turned into a little more) with Mat was great, especially since the two got to have some adventures in the city with Mrs. Martinez, who especially liked to go hang out in the Stonewall area just so she could mention what a great place it was. The cooking is done well, with the failures and successes equally mentioned, and the fact that Eli was trying to make dinners (as well as some really good cookies) will hopefull encourage children to do some safe cooking themselves. Starting with cooking an egg resonated with me especially, since my 88 year old father finally managed (with a lot of support) to cook an egg for the very first time just a few weeks before he died. Everyone needs these skills! Eli's interet in coding is one that I wish would be heralded in more middle grade books, rather the usual interests of baking, journalism, or sports.
Weaknesses: While Eli's mother is dead, it is at least a driving force in the plot, and has an unfortunate tie to the historic occurrence of the pandemic. A little more information about that, for future generations, might have been helpful. I also wish the cover hadn't looked so sad. There are moments of humor in this that would be easier to sell.
What I really think: Fans of McDunn's Honestly Elliott and Negron's The Last Super Chef will enjoy the cooking portions of this, and readers who enjoyed the middle grade LGBTQIA+ presentation in Stamper's Small Town Pride or Leali's The Civil War of Amos Abernathy will appreciate that this is a book not about coming out, but about a realistic and middle grade appropriate nascent romance between two boys.
Eli's family had moved to New York City from their home in Minnesota, where his cousin Riley still lives. Eli's mother, a chef, had gotten a job in a prestigious test kitchen and loved the work, but unfortunately passed away from COVID. His father is trying to hold things together, but managing Eli's online schooling as well as his own job stressed him out. He's very cautious about everything that Eli does, so doesn't want him leaving the apartment during the summer. A neighbor, Mrs. Martinez, checks up on him. Eli is taking a coding class, and he is very excited about that, but living in a city like New York without seeing the sites seems pointless. He's also very tired of microwave pizza rolls and take out food; after all, his mother was a chef. He's been using his mother's old computer for school work, and when he is working on a coding assignment, he finds a video of his mother. She was pretending to have a cooking school, and starts with a video about eggs over easy, something she had always intended to teach Eli but never did. Even though he is going against his father's wishes, Eli goes to the market to get ingredients and attempts to cook. It doesn't end well, and sets off the smoke alarm. Mrs. Martinez sends her grandson, Mat, over to check. Mat's parents are separated, so he's spending the summer with his grandmother to help her out, although she is in even better shape than Mat is! Mat agrees to help Eli out, and the two become friends. Eli manages to hide the cooking from his father, who is still very harried and still does not want to talk about Eli's mother. Eli does have some support from Riley, who Facestimes him frequently and is supportive of his endeavors, the way he is supportive of her livestreaming video games. (She has quite the following and hopes to make this a career.) Eli has also been in grief counseling, but is no longer going. The more Eli cooks, the more connected he feels to his mother, but this is somehow concerning. Even his father picks up on it. When Eli decides to construct a chocolate chip cookie app for his coding class project, he enlists Mat's help, and the two become even closer. The project doesn't go as expected, but there are additional wrinkles; not only is Eli's father thinking of getting another job and moving back to Minnesota, but it looks like Mat will be moving away from the city with his mother. The two have just realized that they like each other, but will they be able to be together? And will Eli's attempts at cooking his mother's recipes help both his and his father to process their grief over the loss of Eli's mother?
Strengths: There are not enough middle grade books that show older tweens fending for themselves, and it's something that happens all the time. The balancing act between wanting to do something (anything!) and wanting to listen to parents can be tough, and I'm sure that was even worse with COVID or with living in a city. I appreciated that Eli was safe going out into his neighborhood, but didn't want to tell his dad and have him worry. I also liked that Mrs. Martinez was watching out for him, and his friendship (that turned into a little more) with Mat was great, especially since the two got to have some adventures in the city with Mrs. Martinez, who especially liked to go hang out in the Stonewall area just so she could mention what a great place it was. The cooking is done well, with the failures and successes equally mentioned, and the fact that Eli was trying to make dinners (as well as some really good cookies) will hopefull encourage children to do some safe cooking themselves. Starting with cooking an egg resonated with me especially, since my 88 year old father finally managed (with a lot of support) to cook an egg for the very first time just a few weeks before he died. Everyone needs these skills! Eli's interet in coding is one that I wish would be heralded in more middle grade books, rather the usual interests of baking, journalism, or sports.
Weaknesses: While Eli's mother is dead, it is at least a driving force in the plot, and has an unfortunate tie to the historic occurrence of the pandemic. A little more information about that, for future generations, might have been helpful. I also wish the cover hadn't looked so sad. There are moments of humor in this that would be easier to sell.
What I really think: Fans of McDunn's Honestly Elliott and Negron's The Last Super Chef will enjoy the cooking portions of this, and readers who enjoyed the middle grade LGBTQIA+ presentation in Stamper's Small Town Pride or Leali's The Civil War of Amos Abernathy will appreciate that this is a book not about coming out, but about a realistic and middle grade appropriate nascent romance between two boys.
April 15, 2023
Absolutely love this middle grade novel about dealing with grief, accepting your sexuality, and finding a place to call home.
Phil Stamper is such a good middle-grade author! I loved his first book, and this one is just as good!
Eli was such a fabulous character, and they honest and vulnerable way he dealt with his grief was beautfiul to watch. I hate cooking, but still enjoyed Eli's food journey, and appreciated the recipes scattered throughout this book. I especially love that Eli was struggling to know what his passion was in life, and that he found things he enjoyed, but still wasn't sure about his overall path.
Such a great book!
Phil Stamper is such a good middle-grade author! I loved his first book, and this one is just as good!
Eli was such a fabulous character, and they honest and vulnerable way he dealt with his grief was beautfiul to watch. I hate cooking, but still enjoyed Eli's food journey, and appreciated the recipes scattered throughout this book. I especially love that Eli was struggling to know what his passion was in life, and that he found things he enjoyed, but still wasn't sure about his overall path.
Such a great book!
December 4, 2023
This book is super cute! This is my second middle grade book by Stamper, and he has yet to disappoint. At times, the book was very emotional because of some of the subject matter, but I think that this is a perfect book for middle grade readers to be introduced to death and the emotional after effects. I hope that Stamper keep writing books like this and Small Town Pride because he is great at creating very meaningful stories for younger audiences.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio, HarperCollins for a chance to read this story in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio, HarperCollins for a chance to read this story in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2024
A solid story about a 13-year-old boy struggling with the fallout of the death of his mother who worked in a test kitchen amidst the wind-down of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also begins a friendship with the boy across the hall, and while the both come out as gay to each other and share a mutual crush, it's nice that they stay as friends, as the story did not need anything more. I thought this was the perfect mix of sweet and emotional, and I loved seeing how Eli combined his newfound passions for cooking and coding.
January 14, 2024
This was a good book. A bit predictable and repetitive though. I wasn't quite sure why the dad was so adamant that Eli not cook unless Dad was there. I did know someone in middle school who burned his house down while cooking at home alone, but knowing him it wasn't really surprising to hear that happened. Eli doesn't seem like the type to set a pan of oil to heat on the stove and then walk away for ten minutes. And it's the fact that Eli is the responsible type but his dad still won't let him do anything that makes Eli have to lie which makes for a somewhat sad story. It is true overly strict parents really just teach their children to be good liars.
Also, my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe uses melted butter and they are definitely not crispy as stated in the book.
Also, my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe uses melted butter and they are definitely not crispy as stated in the book.
April 20, 2023
What a fabulous book!!
Eli Over Easy is a terrific addition to realistic middle grade fiction, and I can't wait to share this story with my readers! Phil Stamper does a wonderful job handling loss and grief and love all in one relatable novel. Short chapters and extremely likable characters will make readers happy they chose this book. I love that Stamper presented difficult and sometimes challenging topics with grace and ease. This is a must add to middle school library collections!
Now I'll be diving into Stamper's other book offerings.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Eli Over Easy is a terrific addition to realistic middle grade fiction, and I can't wait to share this story with my readers! Phil Stamper does a wonderful job handling loss and grief and love all in one relatable novel. Short chapters and extremely likable characters will make readers happy they chose this book. I love that Stamper presented difficult and sometimes challenging topics with grace and ease. This is a must add to middle school library collections!
Now I'll be diving into Stamper's other book offerings.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 9, 2023
Phil Stamper is a mastermind. This middle grade book is something that I wish I had when I was going through grief and trying to accept my sexuality as a young adult. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartwarming story that showcases the importance of family and relationships.
October 20, 2023
Cute story, and good way to talk about death and covid. I thought the recipes throughout were a great addition. Not sure why there had to be a love interest at all. That fell flat.
September 27, 2023
Plot:
Eli did not expect 2020 to hold such a memorable time in his life. Moving from his small town in Minnesota to NYC so his mother, Renee, could work her dream job as a test food kitchen chef. A dream that was short-lived as she died early on in the pandemic from covid. His dad shrunk NYC to the size of their apartment, limiting Eli’s ability to go out and make friends, as he desperately tries to get remote work that will allow him and Eli to move back to Minnesota, and closer to Eli’s friend and cousin, Riley and her mom. Giving Eli what he begged for, and something to do during the summer, Eli signed up for this coding boot camp, something Eli wanted to turn into his dream career. Using his mom's laptop for the class, Eli finds her private YouTube account of “Renee Test Kitchen '' where she taught viewers how to cook. Never learning to cook when she was alive, Eli started learning to cook, starting with the basics of how to make eggs, into more complicated recipes. With only a handful of videos from her, Eli’s Dad did not want him to use the kitchen when he was not home as a safety hazard. Yet, Eli cannot stop, this was something that he was meant to do, to help him remember and grieve for his Mom. Making friends with next-door neighbor Mat, the two boys spend their summer opening beyond the walls of their apartments, exploring NYC, exploring themselves, and begin opening up on their feelings.
Thoughts:
Phil Stamper writes this moving novel about dealing with grief, coming of age, love, and finding your way when you seem lost. Taken from the point of view of thirteen-year-old Eli Adams, a small-town kid who finds themselves in a big city and deals with the aftermath of the pandemic that killed their mom. Where there is no year given in this novel, it is during a time when you still had to wear masks, but stores were open to allow you to eat and shop. With easy writing, Stamper moves you through the story of Eli discovering his mom’s videos, deciding to learn to cook, fighting with their dad, bonding with Mat, and more. In this story, the characters are going through grief in different ways. Through this Stamper shows youth the ways one can deal with their sadness, either hiding away like Eli’s Dad, faking a smile throughout the day like Mat, or holding on tightly to the mementos your loved one left behind like Eli. Where it is easy to see Eli’s Dad's point of view of how dangerous it is cooking alone, and how Eli might be using this as an unhealthy coping mechanism, you really feel for Eli as they struggle through their unimaginable grief and find comfort in something that reminds them of their mom. This novel also contains a beautiful LGBTQ+ element, which for the young readers of this novel can be something that they connect to, and has great representation. This novel truly flies through your hand, and where I wish Stamper gave us a bit more info on the coding boot camp, or even made it more relevant at points, this novel is a perfect read on dealing with grief, finding happiness in life again, making friends, and finding your way again.
Eli did not expect 2020 to hold such a memorable time in his life. Moving from his small town in Minnesota to NYC so his mother, Renee, could work her dream job as a test food kitchen chef. A dream that was short-lived as she died early on in the pandemic from covid. His dad shrunk NYC to the size of their apartment, limiting Eli’s ability to go out and make friends, as he desperately tries to get remote work that will allow him and Eli to move back to Minnesota, and closer to Eli’s friend and cousin, Riley and her mom. Giving Eli what he begged for, and something to do during the summer, Eli signed up for this coding boot camp, something Eli wanted to turn into his dream career. Using his mom's laptop for the class, Eli finds her private YouTube account of “Renee Test Kitchen '' where she taught viewers how to cook. Never learning to cook when she was alive, Eli started learning to cook, starting with the basics of how to make eggs, into more complicated recipes. With only a handful of videos from her, Eli’s Dad did not want him to use the kitchen when he was not home as a safety hazard. Yet, Eli cannot stop, this was something that he was meant to do, to help him remember and grieve for his Mom. Making friends with next-door neighbor Mat, the two boys spend their summer opening beyond the walls of their apartments, exploring NYC, exploring themselves, and begin opening up on their feelings.
Thoughts:
Phil Stamper writes this moving novel about dealing with grief, coming of age, love, and finding your way when you seem lost. Taken from the point of view of thirteen-year-old Eli Adams, a small-town kid who finds themselves in a big city and deals with the aftermath of the pandemic that killed their mom. Where there is no year given in this novel, it is during a time when you still had to wear masks, but stores were open to allow you to eat and shop. With easy writing, Stamper moves you through the story of Eli discovering his mom’s videos, deciding to learn to cook, fighting with their dad, bonding with Mat, and more. In this story, the characters are going through grief in different ways. Through this Stamper shows youth the ways one can deal with their sadness, either hiding away like Eli’s Dad, faking a smile throughout the day like Mat, or holding on tightly to the mementos your loved one left behind like Eli. Where it is easy to see Eli’s Dad's point of view of how dangerous it is cooking alone, and how Eli might be using this as an unhealthy coping mechanism, you really feel for Eli as they struggle through their unimaginable grief and find comfort in something that reminds them of their mom. This novel also contains a beautiful LGBTQ+ element, which for the young readers of this novel can be something that they connect to, and has great representation. This novel truly flies through your hand, and where I wish Stamper gave us a bit more info on the coding boot camp, or even made it more relevant at points, this novel is a perfect read on dealing with grief, finding happiness in life again, making friends, and finding your way again.
February 18, 2024
I flew through this book because it was an absolute joy to read!
I adore Phil Stamper’s books and writing, and this was a very good book representing grief and moving on in a new and big city. I really think Phil has a gift for writing middle grade queer novels. We need more middle grade novels with queer representation because so many kids realize they are in the community at a young age. This one was done well, with adding a sprinkle of romance to it, while still being appropriate for a young audience.
I guess I really only have slight complaints. I personally felt like Riley, his streamer cousin, should have been 16-18 in age. Streaming at only 14 causes a whole can of worms, and the gaming streaming space can be a little…. Unsafe for minors. She also just felt a little more older than Eli than just a year, and I think it would have been good to have an even older cousin looking after him. Also I wish we could have gotten a more smoother transition between the Dad’s character development towards the beginning and the end. This book proves one thing: overbearing parents create children who are great at lying. I just wish he would have had more conversations between Eli and his dad about his dad’s overbearing behavior before his switch in heart. Also I just felt like the right move with writing books is to state what year exactly the book is in. His mom died of COVID, but I wasn’t sure what year this book took place in. 2021 I assumed, but it was released in 2023. Knowing that would have been nice to know, and I guess I’m just not used to books using the pandemic as a character cause of death yet. It was a bit overwhelming and made me think about reality that the pandemic started over four years ago. I am getting quite old.
Other than that, this novel was cute and quick. Phil Stamper is an auto-buy author for me at this point, and I still need to read his debut. I am excited to see what he publishes next!
I adore Phil Stamper’s books and writing, and this was a very good book representing grief and moving on in a new and big city. I really think Phil has a gift for writing middle grade queer novels. We need more middle grade novels with queer representation because so many kids realize they are in the community at a young age. This one was done well, with adding a sprinkle of romance to it, while still being appropriate for a young audience.
I guess I really only have slight complaints. I personally felt like Riley, his streamer cousin, should have been 16-18 in age. Streaming at only 14 causes a whole can of worms, and the gaming streaming space can be a little…. Unsafe for minors. She also just felt a little more older than Eli than just a year, and I think it would have been good to have an even older cousin looking after him. Also I wish we could have gotten a more smoother transition between the Dad’s character development towards the beginning and the end. This book proves one thing: overbearing parents create children who are great at lying. I just wish he would have had more conversations between Eli and his dad about his dad’s overbearing behavior before his switch in heart. Also I just felt like the right move with writing books is to state what year exactly the book is in. His mom died of COVID, but I wasn’t sure what year this book took place in. 2021 I assumed, but it was released in 2023. Knowing that would have been nice to know, and I guess I’m just not used to books using the pandemic as a character cause of death yet. It was a bit overwhelming and made me think about reality that the pandemic started over four years ago. I am getting quite old.
Other than that, this novel was cute and quick. Phil Stamper is an auto-buy author for me at this point, and I still need to read his debut. I am excited to see what he publishes next!
September 18, 2023
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Eli Over Easy, Phil Stamper’s second foray into middle grade, is just as delightful as the first. This story really touched me, and I liked how it touched on grief at the loss of a loved one in such a poignant way. One thing I will note is that this book is very current, in that Eli’s mother died from Covid, and there’s still mentions of Covid precautions being taken. I personally don’t mind, and I think the loss of someone so close to you would mean you’d take these precautions seriously. But I know not everyone is of the same mind about that, or about books mentioning the pandemic at all. And regardless of her cause of death, it does not dilute the overall message.
I really felt for Eli and his current situation, and as much as I could see how his father tried, I saw how both coped with their grief in different ways. I love that Eli was able to find connection to his mother through watching her cooking videos, inspiring him to take up cooking as a hobby. While things are initially strained with his father, this eventually becomes a way they can connect and use these recipes to heal, while still keeping a part of her alive.
And even while he’s going through a lot at home, I liked seeing him continue to nurture existing friendships and form new ones. His developing friendship with boy-next-door, Mat, was particularly sweet, especially as Mat has also dealt with grief and loss.
This book is on the shorter side, but absolutely packs a punch. While there are some difficult moments, it’s nonetheless an engrossing read, and I was satisfied with how it all came together. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt middle grade contemporary about coming of age and reckoning with grief and loss.
Eli Over Easy, Phil Stamper’s second foray into middle grade, is just as delightful as the first. This story really touched me, and I liked how it touched on grief at the loss of a loved one in such a poignant way. One thing I will note is that this book is very current, in that Eli’s mother died from Covid, and there’s still mentions of Covid precautions being taken. I personally don’t mind, and I think the loss of someone so close to you would mean you’d take these precautions seriously. But I know not everyone is of the same mind about that, or about books mentioning the pandemic at all. And regardless of her cause of death, it does not dilute the overall message.
I really felt for Eli and his current situation, and as much as I could see how his father tried, I saw how both coped with their grief in different ways. I love that Eli was able to find connection to his mother through watching her cooking videos, inspiring him to take up cooking as a hobby. While things are initially strained with his father, this eventually becomes a way they can connect and use these recipes to heal, while still keeping a part of her alive.
And even while he’s going through a lot at home, I liked seeing him continue to nurture existing friendships and form new ones. His developing friendship with boy-next-door, Mat, was particularly sweet, especially as Mat has also dealt with grief and loss.
This book is on the shorter side, but absolutely packs a punch. While there are some difficult moments, it’s nonetheless an engrossing read, and I was satisfied with how it all came together. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt middle grade contemporary about coming of age and reckoning with grief and loss.
September 12, 2024
This story is about Eli, a middle-school kid struggling with having recently lost his mom. His parents and him had all moved to NYC for Mom's job, but, with her gone, there seems nothing to connect them there
The work of finding ones place is never easy, and Eli had his own set of challenges. While the overall story was fairly chill (read: less dramatic / twisty) it had aome good characters. I particularly appreciated Eli's relationship with his cousin Jessie, the ways that they encouraged and supported one another
This book does a pretty good job of taking a very specific situation and making the themes in it feel almost universal. The questions raised were good ones, around different styles of grief, inconsistent "progress" toward healing, and the uncertainty of whether one's hobby is a helpful coping strategy or an unhealthy manifestation of grief.
We get to see Eli's relationship to the kitchen, feeling pulled there to try old cooking tutorials his chef mom made. It makes him feel closer to his mom, despite wishing she could be alive to pass on her love of cooking. On the other side we see Eli's dad repulsed by the kitchen. Rather than inspiring, the memories in the kitchen seem too painful for him to bear
This story is about grieving. It shows there any different healthy ways to grieve, just as there are unhealthy ways to grieve. It shows that there are many different things people can grieve over. Ultimately, though the story was just ok for me, the message was solid: people grieve in many ways, over many things, and with no set timeline, and that is ok
If you, or a reader of jfic near you, are struggling and grieving, this book may offer some encouragement. For me, who was not experiencing that, the book felt less relevant, but still filled with solid wisdom
The work of finding ones place is never easy, and Eli had his own set of challenges. While the overall story was fairly chill (read: less dramatic / twisty) it had aome good characters. I particularly appreciated Eli's relationship with his cousin Jessie, the ways that they encouraged and supported one another
This book does a pretty good job of taking a very specific situation and making the themes in it feel almost universal. The questions raised were good ones, around different styles of grief, inconsistent "progress" toward healing, and the uncertainty of whether one's hobby is a helpful coping strategy or an unhealthy manifestation of grief.
We get to see Eli's relationship to the kitchen, feeling pulled there to try old cooking tutorials his chef mom made. It makes him feel closer to his mom, despite wishing she could be alive to pass on her love of cooking. On the other side we see Eli's dad repulsed by the kitchen. Rather than inspiring, the memories in the kitchen seem too painful for him to bear
This story is about grieving. It shows there any different healthy ways to grieve, just as there are unhealthy ways to grieve. It shows that there are many different things people can grieve over. Ultimately, though the story was just ok for me, the message was solid: people grieve in many ways, over many things, and with no set timeline, and that is ok
If you, or a reader of jfic near you, are struggling and grieving, this book may offer some encouragement. For me, who was not experiencing that, the book felt less relevant, but still filled with solid wisdom
April 9, 2023
Eli has had a rough time adjusting to life in Manhattan. His family moved there just 6 months ago for his mom to take a test kitchen job, but after she died of COVID a few months later, their tiny apartment seems all too empty and confining with just Eli and his dad there. Now that summer has arrived, Eli spends his days working on assignments for his online coding boot camp, but he's really tired of staying inside (per his overprotective dad's orders) and eating microwaved burritos. He misses his mom's cooking, and when he stumbles across her private YouTube channel and handful of cooking videos, he decides to try learning to cook. And with a little help from his next-door neighbor Mrs. Martinez, her grandson Mat, and the veggie seller and bodega owners in his neighborhood, he finds a way to enjoy better meals as well as connect with his mother -- and his new city.
I really enjoyed this twist on how social media can bring people together -- as well as how our food memories and histories have the power to heal the wounds in our hearts. Eli is so lonely at the start of the book, yet at age 13 he feels ready to expand his horizons a little bit, if only his grieving father (who deals with anxiety himself) could loosen his grip a little. While the focus of the book is on Eli's growth, I really appreciated how the father-son relationship found some healing, too. And though New York is often depicted as such a big and bustling place, this book really shows the small community feeling found in the city's neighborhoods -- and how those small communities support us in ways we may not immediately recognize.
Heartwarming in all the best ways. 4 stars.
Thank you, HarperCollins and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.
I really enjoyed this twist on how social media can bring people together -- as well as how our food memories and histories have the power to heal the wounds in our hearts. Eli is so lonely at the start of the book, yet at age 13 he feels ready to expand his horizons a little bit, if only his grieving father (who deals with anxiety himself) could loosen his grip a little. While the focus of the book is on Eli's growth, I really appreciated how the father-son relationship found some healing, too. And though New York is often depicted as such a big and bustling place, this book really shows the small community feeling found in the city's neighborhoods -- and how those small communities support us in ways we may not immediately recognize.
Heartwarming in all the best ways. 4 stars.
Thank you, HarperCollins and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.
September 25, 2023
To see more reviews check them out my link text
I got an ARC of this book.
I have not been the biggest Stamper fan up to this point. I found his previous novels lacking something. Eli however was everything I wanted and then some. Eli was relatable. His romance was cute. His story was compelling.
I just adored this book. Everything from the bad egg jokes to the hand holding was amazing. The title was just the tip of the egg joke iceberg. The way that everyone spoke to each other felt so human. It felt good. The jokes were jokes that would be told in my family. The sadness everyone faced felt real. The way they handled it felt real. This was just a book that felt like real life, but in a way that made it good and not depressing.
I loved that Eli was allowed to have two passions. He was allowed to code and encouraged to code. He was eventually allowed to cook and encouraged to cook by those around him. Not being able to cook at 13 felt a little strange. It felt like something that was a bit overbearing. And the amount of money they spent on takeout and their apartment in NYC was not cheap. His dad must have been raking in the money.
The romance was so sweet and so gentle. They were figuring out how to be themselves and how to like someone at the same time. They were learning to navigate their families and learn to say that they were gay for the first time out loud. There weren’t any big sweeping declarations of love or dramatic coming out. It wasn’t about them coming out. It was about them growing up and finding a place. There was no confusion over their sexuality. Them being gay just was. It was a great character fleshing out detail, instead of being a plot. The world needs more stories like that.
I got an ARC of this book.
I have not been the biggest Stamper fan up to this point. I found his previous novels lacking something. Eli however was everything I wanted and then some. Eli was relatable. His romance was cute. His story was compelling.
I just adored this book. Everything from the bad egg jokes to the hand holding was amazing. The title was just the tip of the egg joke iceberg. The way that everyone spoke to each other felt so human. It felt good. The jokes were jokes that would be told in my family. The sadness everyone faced felt real. The way they handled it felt real. This was just a book that felt like real life, but in a way that made it good and not depressing.
I loved that Eli was allowed to have two passions. He was allowed to code and encouraged to code. He was eventually allowed to cook and encouraged to cook by those around him. Not being able to cook at 13 felt a little strange. It felt like something that was a bit overbearing. And the amount of money they spent on takeout and their apartment in NYC was not cheap. His dad must have been raking in the money.
The romance was so sweet and so gentle. They were figuring out how to be themselves and how to like someone at the same time. They were learning to navigate their families and learn to say that they were gay for the first time out loud. There weren’t any big sweeping declarations of love or dramatic coming out. It wasn’t about them coming out. It was about them growing up and finding a place. There was no confusion over their sexuality. Them being gay just was. It was a great character fleshing out detail, instead of being a plot. The world needs more stories like that.
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