Bea Mullins Takes a Shot is such a cute middle grade novel! Following a 7th grader as she navigates new experiences and feelings along with the anxiety that can often come with them. You can’t help but root for Bea as she conquers her fears and gains her confidence on and off the ice.

A great middle school book with diverse characters and family structures. Especially recommended to tweens/teens experiencing fear or anxiety over taking big steps.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was so cute! Even though it was a middle grade book I think any age would enjoy this!

It was written so well. It was a very quick read. I enjoyed every second of it.

Bea was such a fun main character to follow. She was funny and real. There were so many laugh out loud moments for me, whether it was her inner thoughts or the banter between her and her friends.

I liked that this book focused on friendships just as much as her relationship with Gabi. Even Bea’s relationship with her brother and her parents were touched on and I thought it was very well done.

There was a fairly large cast of characters, but I thought enough of them were fleshed out that they each felt like their own person. It could have easily just focused on Bea and Gabi and let everyone else not have a personality, but that wasn’t the case.

I thought her and Gabi were adorable. Their relationship was so natural, they started off as friends and it turned into something more. It was very innocent and sweet which is perfect for middle grade to read.

I really liked the team atmosphere and the message of never giving up and not letting fear or embarrassment stop you from doing something you want.

Some of the issues Bea had could have been avoided or she made a big deal of it for no reason, but she is young so obviously I don’t hold it against her. I thought for being in middle school her problems made sense and hopefully she can learn from them as she gets older.

I absolutely think everyone should pick this book up! I finished it in a day, that is how much I enjoyed it.

Super cute middle grade novel! Love the sapphic representation :)
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an early copy in exchange for this review!

This was a really cute MG book. As someone who tried and failed at several team sports as a child/teen, I could totally relate to Bea and her insecurities.

I loved the whole first crush plot line and I think lots of younger audiences will be able to relate to Bea and her feelings.

This is definitely one I would recommend to tween/teens but that I think would also be enjoyed by adults.

Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhousechildrens for the advance Kindle copy of this 2.25.25 release. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This is such a great story of female sports representation with a sapphic romance thrown in. Bea and her best friend Celia are recruited for their school’s new girls’ hockey team. The problem? Bea is the opposite of athletic. Their team is kind of like the Bad News Bears of hockey, but with a solid teacher sponsor, some creativity, and team chemistry, they fight for their funding and improve their games. And, Bea finds more than a friend. Adorable. Hand to readers in grades 6+.

This middle grade through some of the unrealistic events still left me feeling cozy vibes. The exploration of the underdog aspect and throwing yourself out of your comfort zone to try something new was a fun journey. Go women’s sports! Each character brought something special to the team.

This was such a good book. I love all the hockey talk inside it. And the way Bea had to figure out what she did was amazing. She worked through everything like she should have. I was confused at frist, I didn't know if she liked Gabi or not. I truly loved this book, and I will definitely be buying this book.

Bea Mullins Takes a Shot is a cute sapphic coming of age story- and hockey! I loved the storyline and the characters were interesting and so very believable. I appreciated the women’s hockey storyline especially, I am a huge fan of women’s hockey and seeing the PWHL come into play across North America has been amazing and this story will only further interest in the sport- as players or spectators.

Lately I've noticed an uptick in sports-themed middle grade books with lesbian characters, which I'm all for, despite my total lack of athletic ability. Erin Becker's Crushing It features eighth grade soccer teammates; the main character in It's All or Nothing, Vale is a competitive fencer.

Bea Mullins Takes a Shot is about an unathletic tween girl who is encouraged to join a team sport after a flood damages the school gym. To the delight of her hockey-obsessed father, she picks ice hockey, a sport her older brother also plays. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with Bea or to the plot. Bea's feelings of self-doubt were very realistic but a little grating.

I'm glad this book exists, and I hope it makes it way to every hockey-loving girl out there. It just wasn't for me.

Absolutely loved this book. Awesome themes of friendship and fighting for what you want. I also loved seeing a book showing girls in a male-dominated sport. Highly recommend this phenomenal book.

As adept as Deibert is at describing the dynamic hockey scenes, where she truly shines is making me feel like that insecure tweener I used to be, and how that lack of self confidence often sabotaged me and my friendships. So immersive.

Bea Mullins Takes a Shot is such a heartwarming story! Girls in sports, dealing with embarrassment, friendships, first crushes, action, and so much more. I fell in love with Bea and her voice in this book, and it was exciting seeing her go from reluctant to participate to an all-in members of the girls hockey team. Additionally, the story highlighted the importance of maintaining friendships when crushes come into the picture, being honest, and the imbalance of men’s sports vs women’s sports. This was such a great read and I highly recommend it.

I loveee sweet first crush stories and I love sports romances so I’m obsessed with this book!

I adored Bea. And while I don’t personally relate, I understood her fears and insecurities. I know the anxiety of not wanting to let your team down and how much it sucks to lose big in a game. I also know how scary it is to come out, even to people you know will be supportive.

But this blossoming friendship with Gabi was everything. It’s the kind of sweet romance that has you smiling and kicking your feet while reading. I loved the way all the storylines wrapped up. And ugh Bea and Gabi are simply the cutest! I want them to have all the happiness in the world!

I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to read a sweet first crush sports romance!

I really appreciated this book for what it was. There’s not a lot of books about girls hockey/women’s hockey. There’s even less about gay girls hockey. It’s hard enough. Just going to middle school, but being a girl starting a team and having a crush on a teammate? That’s next level. And this book makes you feel every level it starts slow but I’d stick with it.

Bea Mullins Takes a Shot is a stunningly delightful middle-grade novel about processing emotions, first crushes, and learning to enjoy activities that you’re not necessarily good at. You follow Bea as damages to her middle school gym result in the students being encouraged to join an athletic extracurricular activity. A girl at the hockey booth catches her eye, and suddenly Bea and her lifelong best friend Celia are signed up for ice hockey — despite her vow to never play a team sport again. A highly recommended read for all ages, but anxious young girls will get something truly special out of a character like Bea, who doesn’t overcome her fears, but persists in the face of them nevertheless.

Favorite overall: how normalized all the different types of families were!

Favorite moment(s): how well all the hockey was written!

Favorite quote: "Nicole, we're thirteen. You can't have an arch-nemesis," Gabi says. "I have a whole list of them," Nicole deadpans. "And Evan's at the top of it."

What an absolutely fantastic book. I loved Bea's growth throughout the book and even as I wanted to shake some sense into her at times, her actions and feelings felt so authentic to her age and situation. The side characters had nuance, and the hockey setting was perfection.

My mom has always been a sucker for a heartwarming sports movie, but I've never really been moved the same way. Turns out, if you give me a book about a queer girl finding a team (and herself in the process) my heart melts into a pile of goo. I loved Bea. She reminded me of my middle-grade self in a lot of ways. Even as an adult, her fear of falling was all too relatable. The idea that there are little girls out there who will get to grow up with a character like her makes me so happy.

This sweet middle grade sports romance is accessible to kids wanting a story of camaraderie, hope, and perseverance.

This is a great middle grade read for someone looking for a little romance, a little sport, and some great characters.