I really enjoyed this, back when I read it. It’s very captivating, and it filled my heart with joy. Wish I had remembered to write this down and review it when I had finished the book, but I do remember thinking it’s super cute and June is a relatable character even at my age. I think the little ones will love this!

This was really cute. I know I should have read book 1 first but it happens. June has a lot of learning to still do when it comes to the truth and I'm looking forward to seeing how she grows. I'm going to check and see if the library has copies of the series for the kids to read. I think my youngest would really like these.

June has been cursed! Or so she thinks. Her curse is to tell the truth or suffer the consequences, which often involve fits of sneezing. June is struggling with preteen problems with boys, best friends, being in the school play, and trying to please her parents. All while trying not to lie.. even if it means sparing someone's feelings.

I thought the concept of the book was very good. Unfortunately, for much of the book I felt like it was just a regular girl struggling through life without a fantasy element. I got to point where I didn't;t like her very much which made it difficult to get through at times. I thought the last 10% or so was very compelling and I wish it would have been the main part of the story. However, it does seem to set up the second book and will have a large part to play there I hope.

Book 2 in the Honest June series, Did not read the first book but was able to get the general idea. Not a fan

I absolutely adored book one in the Honest June series, and I was beyond excited to get an advanced copy of the second book.

June is still grappling with Victoria's curse/gift of always telling the truth. This time, she's hiding her desire to star in the school's production of The Wiz from her dad, who often disparages the arts as a profession. When her best guy friend --and current crush-- tells her he is interested in spending more time with her friend Nia, June is hurt, and finds herself hiding another part of herself: not only her feelings for her friend, Lee, but also his feelings for Nia. With all of these secrets up in the air, June relies heavily on her private blog diary to record her truths without facing any consequences. But as June lets all her darkest thoughts flow into her safe online space, she starts getting a bit meaner, and moves a bit further away from herself.

At first, this evolution of June's character was really surprising to me. But then I remembered being a middle schooler, and teaching middle schoolers, and sometimes turning their cruelest thoughts on others keeps them from seeing their own flaws and turning that mean gaze on themselves. I was crushed to see June behaving this way, but Wells shows how even the most good-hearted of us can take a wrong turn.

There are so many wonderful topics addressed in this book. From friendship trouble to parent problems to first crushes, June goes through it all during the winter and spring of her first year of middle school. One thing I wish would have been better addressed is Nia's behavior. Nia and June have been best friends since they were babies, but Nia's behavior in books one and two is gradually more and more toxic. June keeps trying to right her wrongs and be a good friend, and Nia keeps shutting her out and throwing shade every chance she gets. The fact that June's mom, who seems so clued in otherwise, is totally out of the loop on this is surprising. It feels like she would have noticed, and addressed it. After all, just last book she was so involved in June's life she was picking out her clothes!

The other part of this edition that didn't sit right with me is the ending. Without any spoilers, the ending is a cliffhanger. I was shocked to turn the (digital) page with 10% of the book left and find the acknowledgments and a preview of book one. Like, what!? Where's the ending!? This could be an e-galley issue and there will be more of a wrap-up in the published version, but it wouldn't surprise me if this was the true ending. It sets up the reader for book 3, but some young readers are going to be mad they have to wait until APRIL for the next book!

As with the first book, the illustrations add to the story without being distracting. It's so refreshing to see illustrations in a middle grade book, and these are especially fantastic.

All in all, Honest June: The Show Must Go On is a great follow up to book one, Honest June, and can definitely serve as a cautionary tale as to what to share with whom and where.

Honest June: The Show Must Go On is available now.

Thank you to author Tina Wells, NetGalley, and Random House Children's publishing for an advanced copy such that I could share my honest opinions.

I loooved this cute story. June is such a great role model and i loved the lesson in the story. A great read for younger readers.

Honest June continues June setting her sights on a part in the school production of The Wiz. June still is under her fairy godmother's spell which means she has to tell the truth at all times. More than every she's been getting around it by writing her truths in her blog. She's also struggling with her friendship with Nia who's been coming across like a hater recently. And then there's her crush on Lee who seems to be crushing on Nia.

There was a lesson in this story about telling the truth but not being mean spirited and hurtful about it which I think is something we all need to hear from time to time. June was ruthless at times! I think young readers will get a kick of out some of her blog comments. The breakdown of the middle school friendship is relatable and then there's navigating parent expectations in the mix.

Funny and fast-paced just like the first one this one will keep younger readers engaged to the end. And lucky for them it ends at just the right place for a 3rd book to begin.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the illustrations in the book and I wish more middle grade books had illustrations sprinkled throughout the books. struggled with liking June because we were aware of all the very mean private thoughts she was having, so I knew she was being hypocritical and that just didn't sit well with me. I'm also not sure that an apology letter in the school newspaper would be enough to recover from what she said/did.

Imagine if Ella from Ella Enchanted was a little Black girl who was in middle school, that is this book. I love this book. It was a fun fast-paced romp. I wish I had known it was a series before I read this book but it mostly stands alone. The art that I got to see (as it isn’t finalized for me) was so cute.

June keeps all her truths in a secret blog because she doesn’t want to hurt anyone's feelings but that doesn’t always work out the best.

Add in middle school and a musical and then BOOM you get this hilarious story. It felt like I was reading the best of a Disney series. I want to see this live on screen.
My only gripe is simply that at some points in the story I felt too old (which is fair considering I’m about 8-10 years removed from middle school). That’s not the saying that older people can’t enjoy this story. They absolutely can!

I also truly want to comment on Tina Wells on her writing styles and Brittney Bond on her illustrations.
I definitely recommend this story!

ARC from netgalley

I requested this book as soon as I saw it was available. The first Honest June book was terrific and this second book does not disappoint. The representation in Honest June is everything we need in our classrooms.

Overall this book did not deal with the topic of telling the truth and honesty in a realistic or fair way, especially as pertain to the age of the protagonists in the story. The language of the story was well developed, but the plot was a bit one-sided. It seemed that the only person forced to be nice and tell the truth was June, while other friends could act according to their own development. I also did not appreciate that the contents of a diary is not deemed sacred and this notion that we are not allowed to have negative or even destructive thoughts in our private mind. We all have these thoughts sometimes. I could not see a way back for June after her very private thoughts had been revealed.