This book was Dino Might! 🦖 🛼

"Social anxiety, her parents’ divorce, and tumultuous friendships won’t stop Millie’s
pursuit of what she wants–in roller derby and in love. But her own lies might..."

I knew nothing about roller derby before reading Mighty Millie Novak but I had so much fun with it! Millie (or "Dino Might" or "Mighty" for short) was probably one of the best written teen characters I've read in a while. Her anxieties and insecurities and the mistakes she made felt so realistic. Almost TOO realistic. At times, I was so invested in what Millie was going through and felt for her so strongly that I could feel myself getting anxious on her behalf--but in the best way!

As always, we love seeing bisexual rep, especially in a YA story. I adored a number of the side characters (especially Stork; we stan). The pacing was nice and snappy. The ending also had me emotional. 🥹 I think I need to go consume more roller derby media now. If you need me I'll be watching Whip It. 💨🛼

Elizabeth Holden has the gift of writing characters that are raw and feel like real people. I related to Mighty being a queer self-absorbed deprecating human. For someone who doesn’t know much about roller derby, this book was a fun read. Thank you so much to Net Galley, the author, and publisher!

I really liked this book but I felt it was very heavy on needing prior knowledge of roller derby to enjoy it. I play derby so it was good for me but if I didn’t I think I would have been frustrated
I liked the characters - Millie went through a lot and I can imagine teenagers being able to relate well to her. It did feel like a long book, but not unenjoyable

Roller Derby is something I love, this book made me so happy to read. I can’t explain it, they enjoyment from the very first page, right through till the very last page, every second of the book’ I loved Millie Novak!

I got an ARC of this book.

Looking at the cover after I read the book and it has large spoilers on it. That seems really weird to have on the cover. It isn’t like a small detail, but a very large one that is noticable. So that is a bit strange, but I am amused. The cover is something that immediately got my attention.

I am a derby fan. I go to as many bouts as I can (weird fact about this book. The bouts are called games throughout the whole book and the MC actively corrects people to make it game. It might be a regional thing, but yeah bout not game is common in my area of derby). I am friends with skaters and announcers. I was working on being a NSO, but health problems got in the way. I was more than ready to for this book. I NEEDED this book. I need more derby books.

Mighty is a dick. I couldn’t stand her. I considered not finishing the book, because of her. She was so immature and whiney and just a dick. If that puts you off, know that she does grow. She does realize she is being terrible. She does get consequences for her actions. So know, it is worth getting through her bullshit to see what happens. I know, she is 15-16, but oof. Still hard to read through. Stork as a MC would have worked so much better for me. She did take a little bit to grow on me. Gables also would have been an amazing MC. Hell, Ann and Cleo would have also been amazing. Pretty much everyone, except Mighty or Pumpkin. I am so glad I didn’t let Mighty drive me off. I am so glad there was a lot of learning for her and a lot of growth. She is by no means perfect by the end, but it felt like a realistic level of growth. It was age appropriate growth and just she really needed it.

The derby scenes were amazing. There was not a deep dive into rules. It felt more natural when those elements did come up. There was no info dumping. It might be helpful to read some rule infographics before diving in unless you have a handle on it (or watch any bouts announced by Thin Mint. Yes, I am a fan boy over an announcer. Trust me, they are WORTH IT). That is the only critique I had for that. It is clear that Holden loves derby and was able to translate that into text perfectly.

The romance was more complex than I was expecting. It felt like “shes gay, guess we belong together forever” for a while. Then twists and turns, and character growth. I really can’t state enough how intense the character growth was. It was a huge strength in this book. It showed just how much a person can grow when they are actually held accountable and given real information. Some of the feedback was gentle, like with Ann. Some was a lot more blunt, like from Cleo or Spiny. It was all accurate and it was really a punch in the face for Mighty. It was incredible.

Overall, Mighty is awful, but that is intentional. She grows. The romance is cute, when you get to the twist. There are so many toxic things, but they get addressed and it was wonderful. So glad there is finally derby romance that is affordable!

Social anxiety, her parents’ divorce, and messy friendships won’t stop Millie’s pursuit of what she wants—in roller derby or in love. But her own lies might . . .

- - -

This was such a quirky and interesting book. I loved Millie and how real she was - and how much I related to her story when I was her age. I had divorced parents, content anxiety about fitting in and making friends, and never knew which group I fell into. This was a book I wish I had when I was trying to navigate high-school and is one I am going to recommended to my stepdaughter for this exact reason.

For the girl who struggled to find her place, to the girl who had to face too much too early. And to the girl that has yet to overcome all that life can throw at you, this is an inspiring and uplifting coming of age story that you won’t want to miss.

I personally could’ve done with a little *less* of the roller derby but, that is a big plot point so I do get it - I wanted to give roller derby a chance but that plot point definitely fell to the back burner for me personally. It did not take away from the overall joy I got from reading this book though.

So, if you watched Whip It, and got obsessed about roller derby, like I did (even if it was for a short while), this book is for you. But if you like sports, or bad@ss girls, or found family, or growth, this book is also for you.
About the derby part. The author is a player and had the help of other players, and it shows. There are so many details about the game that even if you are not used to it (like most of us Brazilians), you can imagine it, and feel the emotion of the track.
(After the movie, roller derby kinda became a thing here in Brazil, but not a really big deal, so almost no one knows about it. I tried to make it happen in my city with the help of one other girl, and the league of a bigger city near us, but it didn't happen, so I moved on to something else. But I still find it very cool)
Let's remember that the characters are teens, só they do act like it, and being an older reader, sometimes we wanna roll our eyes to them, but there's such personal growth from Millie, that we ended up very proud of here, and it's really good to witness it.
And talking about Millie, if you were an outcast and lonely teen, at some point, there's a chance you will cry with her. I know I did.
She is the different kid, bullied, that just wanna find her place and her crew, and I can relate to that. It's beautiful to see her getting there, finding her place and getting the best found family she could ask for.
The book is well written and it shows that there was a lot of research and a lot of thought and care behind it.
The characters all have their importance and place in the story, helping Millie's development and her journey. They are humanized, showing off feelings in a natural way, Which makes us relate to a few of them.
You may think that Millie is a lot, you may read that Stork is a lot, but let me tell you that Pumpkin is a lot, and I will leave it to that. 🤬
In short, it was a blast reading it and the author delivered a great story, giving us it all.

A review is already up ate goodreads and skoob. The instagram review will be up on july 31. The amazon revieq will be up as soon as the book is released.

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.

this was everythinggg to me. i love love love derby. i've been waiting for this book for MONTHS, and it did not disappoint. millie was just as snarky and insightful as i wanted and needed her to be, and she's just FUNNY. her narrative voice is very entertaining to follow, and i'm absolutely in love with this book.

deducted half a star because i think this book sometimes assumes you go into it knowing a few things about roller derby and, while i did already know these things, other people might not have that same level of knowledge, so it would probably be better to extend a helping hand and explain the sport.

overall, this was just fantastic.

"Mighty Millie Novak" by Elizabeth Holden is a heartfelt roller derby adventure that perfectly captures the awkward, messy, and exhilarating journey of growing up. Millie's struggles with social anxiety, her parents' divorce, and the complexities of friendships and crushes are all too relatable, and her determination to reinvent herself is both inspiring and endearing. The roller derby setting adds a unique and vibrant backdrop to the story, filled with quirky characters and the thrill of competition. While I found the plot a bit predictable at times, the emotional depth and authenticity of Millie's journey kept me engaged. This book made me smile and cheer for Millie, even if it didn't completely sweep me off my feet. It's a charming read for anyone who loves stories about self-discovery, friendship, and finding your place in the world.

First I want to thank Elizabeth Holden and Northstar Editions for allowing me to read this masterpiece of a book!

“It was as if my brain was a snow globe, so often shaken and filled with chaos, but when I was with her, the glitter settled peacefully onto the ground, leaving me steady and clear, the best version of myself.”

I rated this novel 4.5 out of 5 stars.

What I liked about this book:
1. The characters
The characters were written in a great way! The author managed to give both the main characters and all the background characters a multi-layered personality. I can not think of any character that seemed flat in any way.
2. The character development
To be completely honest, Millie got on my nerves in the beginning. Like, yes, I get it! You were bullied a few years ago! But that shouldn’t be your only personality trait??? That being said, it got a lot better after about 40 pages. You could see the way she started working on her attitude towards life and her sport.
3. The sport
I had to look up a quick explanation video about 20 pages in because I had no idea what Roller Derby even was, but once I understood it the book seemed really realistic (from what I knew from the 3 minute video I watched)!
4. Mental Health
I think most people do not know how long mobbing can actually stick with you. The author did a great job portraying this.
5. The Roller Derby Names
They just deserve a shoutout. They were so creative.
6. The first love interest
*mild spoilers*
I am sooo glad that the first love interest did not turn out to be some jerk. I loved her during all of the book so I am glad she did not do anything weird or something.

What I did not like
1. the pace
I feel like this one was just soooo rushed! It could have easily been 50 to 100 pages longer. That way we would have seen more of the incredible tension the two mcs had! This way we got to spend more time seeing Mighty obsess over her crush instead of Stork.

Overall I can just say: I LOVED THIS!!! I loved this so much that I wish there was more of it!

You can find this review on StoryGraph, NetGalley and on Goodreads, where you can also find all the quotes I highlighted!

I will post about this on Instagram within the next few days!

Mighty Millie Novack is Whip It meets actual lesbians! Homeschooled teenager Millie finally finds a place of her own in roller derby - but has a big secret that's threatening to ruin her new team and her new life. While I love the idea behind this, I really could not relate to Millie at all. I found her incredibly immature the entire book- although she is 15/16, she felt more like she was 11/12 - some of that does make sense, given she started being homeschooled around then, but it did make it hard to read, especially given this was in first person.

I never heard of roller derby before but the whole story catched me from the beginning and I wanted to know more about the sport and each and every character of this book.
The quirky personalities and relatable struggles give this book a good base and let Millie develop her strength and a different view of herself but also the people close to her.
All in all a sweet and empowering story!

this was cute. I don't know a ton about roller derby but I liked that aspect of the story and the romance really added someone cute to the story

Live, laugh, do derby.

I love rollerderby, therefore I was really looking forward to reading this one.
Especially the derby-parts were really nice.

Millie...well she is 16 and it shows. She is annoying, selfish and a very human being. Great representation.

the lovestory was predictable but nicely done :)

This was a really good story. I enjoyed it greatly from the first page to the last page. This is going to be one of the top readings of the summer.

A messy queer girl digs deep into roller derby in this lighthearted novel that hits on some serious core beliefs.

Millie "Dino Might" Novak has leveled up her roller derby skills enough to join the Juniors team right as her parents are going through a divorce. Mighty has a history of being bullied so she does online school and finds herself forging a friendship with teammate Pumpkin. Mighty also develops a crush on a charter league player while slowly becoming friends with an intensely focused teammate named Stork.

Mighty is super flawed and very obviously 15-16. She's kind of self-centered, lies about her age to her crush, and self-deprecating with humor but takes it too far. That said, she gets called out on all of it and *slowly* makes changes to be a better person. There are some hard-hitting observations Mighty makes that really resonated with me throughout that made Mighty pretty likeable overall (unlike Pumpkin, who was annoying throughout and doesn't have the excuse of being as young).

The roller derby aspects were absolutely fantastic! The story is built around the sport and explains it in a way that isn't info dumping while also not assuming the reader is clueless. I loved all the derby names.

If you're generally familiar with YA books, this queer joy novel is a wonderful addition to the shelves.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Thank you to the publishers for sending me an Arc of Mighty Millie Novak, a sapphic coming of age story that shows a character’s growth through her relationship with roller derby

27/06/2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
✨“At least if I didn’t try my absolute hardest, I wouldn’t have to learn the answer to that question, because I could always tell myself I could have worked harder”✨

To be so honest, during the beginning of the book I was convinced I’d be giving it 3 stars max. The constant self hatred Millie displayed became so repetitive and downright irritating. By chapter 3, I was rolling my eyes every time she tried to make a joke at her own expense

There were also moments where the dialogue felt like a too-hard and bad attempt at an adult trying to mimic how young people speak…

HOWEVER…

Chapter ten provided a turning point. A moment where Millie showed self awareness, and I found myself needing to take a step away from my book at the sheer call-out. Being an athlete is hard, and Millie hit the nail right on the head…Sometimes it is easier to just not give it your all.

I think it helped that the author had Millie’s teammates call her out for her constant pessimism.

From this moment in the book, I found myself rooting for Millie and wanting her to improve. I couldn’t put the book down, invested in the slow but steady story of Millie’s self discovery, and journey. I saw myself in Millie, and even needed to take a step back and reflect on my own self criticism.

As soon as I started rooting for the protagonist, the writing became wonderfully charming, and I could appreciate the story for all it has. It became painfully relatable, the second hand embarrassment was SEVERE and before I knew it, I was totally engrossed and obsessed.

Mighty Millie Novak is exactly what the YA genre needs. Contemporary, queer and full
of self discovery and joy. I am so glad to give it a very complimentary 4 stars.

(review posted on goodreads, and will be posted on storygraph upon the week of publication)

As a roller derby player myself, as soon as I saw this book I had to read it. I was not prepared to love it so much. I saw myself in Millie. Learning what it meant to be a teammate and to be there for her team felt way too familiar. (It was so cool to read a book about a sport and actually understand the rules and how drills could be helpful too. )

The romance and friendships in the book were incredibly important to her growing as a person. I was so proud of Millie by the end of the book. This was a perfect coming of age story.

Thanks Netgalley and North Star Edittions for letting me read this amazing boom.

This book is really cute! I liked it a lot. I’m not the target, but I enjoyed it anyway. I think it’s pretty realistic and the focus on mental health really well written. All the book is really well written.
I absolutely will read more of this author.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.