I liked the representation in this book and I believe that children reading this will find the character relatable. My thing is that I'm not a big fan of time-travelling books and this one didn't 'wow' me.

"You Only Live Once, David Bravo" by Mark Oshiro is an imaginative and captivating middle-grade novel that takes young readers on a journey of adventure, self-discovery, and the magic of possibility. Oshiro's storytelling prowess shines as they craft a tale of courage, friendship, and the exploration of a fantastical world. The book's relatable characters and engaging plot create an immersive reading experience that resonates with middle-grade audiences. Oshiro skillfully blends elements of sci-fi, fantasy, and coming-of-age, leading readers through a thrilling adventure filled with unexpected twists. "You Only Live Once, David Bravo" is a delightful reminder that life is full of surprises and that the power of imagination can lead to remarkable discoveries, leaving readers with a sense of wonder and excitement as they accompany David Bravo on his journey of bravery and self-discovery.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced copy of this book.

A captivating, fast-paced middle grade sci-fi with themes of first (queer) crushes, adoption, and family. The endearing characters, time travel adventures, and quirky sidekicks give the story wide appeal, while the specifics of the main character's journeys in adoption and queer identity will make this an especially meaningful read for some kids. Either way, it's a lovable, fun-filled page-turner that isn't easy to put down.

This is a really fun middle grade novel with memorable characters that I'll recommend to fans of the Sal & Gabi series.

Mark Oshiro is such a wonderful author and their middle grade books have been so poignant and charming.

You Only Live Once, David Bravo is no exception. It tells the story of the eponymous David Bravo who starts middle school without his best friend in any of his classes. He finds himself grappling with how to give a presentation on his heritage. And he ends up accidentally causing the bff Antoine to hurt his ankle at a cross country race.

Things go badly and he wishes he could do it over. Enter Fea, a talking dog who grants his wish. But does changing the past really make things better?

A wonderful story for middle schoolers who find themselves really thrown into a world where more responsibilities and anxieties are thrown at them. So many deal with new friendships while others fade, trying to find their voice and themselves, and all the while messing up every step of the way.

This book’s message is like a warm and supportive hug to everyone who reads it.

4 stars!

An interesting twist on the time loop concept. I like that David doesn't loop the same point over and over but different loops. The idea, of course, is that what he thinks needs to be fixed is not correct. It's a story very much about identity more than about choices. THe ending is perhaps a bit too idealized.

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This is an excellent pick for middle school. David has just started middle school. He is trying to figure out who he is, and be a good friend -- both to his best friend and to new kids he meets. He makes mistakes, but he gets to work with a guide to go back in time and try to fix things.

Although there is a time travel element, at its heart this is realistic fiction about friends, family, and knowing yourself.

I really loved the character of David Bravo, I think that they're somebody that kids will really identify with especially regarding anxiety and such. Overall I found the novel to be blast, the melding of anxiety and time travel to fix mistakes I think makes it really fun, as well as having a talking dog, just a really big fan of that. I think that the novel will appeal greatly to kids who are just a touch anxious and also love to read books.

This book has some of the facets of a Rick Riordan Presents kind of magical adventure, with the added element of a sort of guardian angel angle. I found the tone a little glib when coupled with the more serious subject matter, to me it was jarring, but I think many middle grade readers will find it a perfect fit.

The premise is interesting - who wouldn't love time travel with a talking dog? - but becomes repetitive quite quickly. The emotional stress and distress David feels over his heritage, adoption, how and where he fits in are a comprehensible and the family dynamic of his loving, supportive parents and home life heartfelt. The most compelling aspects of the story are David's friendship and growing romantic feelings for Anthony and the parallel story of Fea/Juanita. I'm so glad Juanita had her moment! The twin plot twist and introduction of Beto was unexpected and added yet another nice layer to David's story and possible other life and lives.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Mark Oshiro, and the publisher of this book for an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Middle school has not started out well for David Bravo. He doesn't have any classes with his best friend Antoine, he's not sure how to give his first presentation about his family (he's adopted), and he's picked on by two boys in his class. To make matters worse, David hurts Antoine at practice. David wishes he could do it over and when he's given the chance, he jumps at the opportunity. But when his first try (and second and third) are unsuccessful, David starts to wonder if that's the path he is suppose to follow or not. What is David going to do?

I LOVED this story and cant wait to buy a copy of my own. I hope it will teach children that mistakes happen and it's better to move on/how we handle them that impact the rest of our future.
This was a 5-star middle grade read in my book!

I think we all wish we had a big undo button at some point in our lives. This entire book focuses on David and weird talking dog Fea trying to undo David's best friends accident.

I get that this is a change the timeline type of book, but it just got a bit too bizarre for me (especially Fea). It is creative, I will give it that. It has that relatable part of trying to fix things that I think kids would understand along with the crazy timeline bit. Is it appropriate level and word choice/concepts for the intended age group, I'm not sure, but it may be pushing it a bit.

I think many kids will like this book for its strangeness and creativity.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

Thank you Mark Oshiro for getting me an ARC of this book!!

David Bravo knew that the starting middle school would be different. He just didn’t expect it to change everything. Making new friends is hard, and even harder when his best friend isn’t really talking to him. Also there’s a talking dog and time travel is real, making everything more confusing.

As a fan of Mark Oshiro’s other works, I went into this book with high expectations, and it went way beyond that. You Only Live Once, David Bravo had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I read the book almost all in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down. I might not be in middle school, but I still found myself relating to David’s feelings of dealing with being at a new school and the changes of life.

Fea and David’s relationship was the perfect balance of sweet and funny. Although David didn’t want it, Fea’s tough love was exactly what he needed. I absolutely loved learning about Fea’s past as she opened up to David, and the way Fea’s story wraps up was unexpected but the perfect ending. It made me cry.

The characters had lots of depth, and twists and turns in the story had my jaw on the floor. This book was perfect in every way, and a joy to read. I learned to live your life to the fullest because you truly do only live once. (unless you know a time traveling spirt guide who works for The Power of the Bees)

David Bravo and his best friend Antoine are starting middle school - - - with the assistance of David's newly discovered timeline guide! When David wishes for a do-over on the Worst Day Ever he meets Fea, a time bending presence who appears in a variety of forms. Fea guides him through his decisions, helping David find where he went off track. But will Fea's past be the real re-do?
Paced for a fast and fun read, with lovable characters who genuinely grow!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. It will be published in September of 2022.

I really love the idea of this book and after reading other reviews, I wish I could have made it through this one. It just couldn't keep my attention.

David Bravo is starting middle school and he doesn't have any classes with his best friend, Antoine. Middle school gest even worse when he has to give a presentation about his heritage, but he was adopted and doesn't quite know how to proceed. Then he causes a crash in his first cross-country race where he's left with a busted ankle.

Then time travel comes into play so he can try to undo his mistakes, but I lost interest. Maybe I will try this book again after it comes out. I really wanted to like this book.

This very fun story is about David Bravo, a boy going into middle school. He has a completely disastrous first day and decides the best solution would be a do-over. Then he meets a talking dog in his backyard that offers him just that, an opportunity to do it all over. This is also a book about regret and romance and acting on your feelings, even if it's hard. Great story.

This was so sweet. Definitely would recommend to just about anyone. David is such a relatable character and the lesson he learns is something I think all kids will pick up on. The friendships feel authentic without spoiling anything, I'll just say I love the way things progress.