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The Retake
“A book about a time-traveling app? I’m in! Jen Calonita strikes again with a coming-of-age middle grade full of wit and a little bit of magic. “ — Sarah Mlynowski, New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After and Upside Down Magic series
"A brilliant friendship story that champions kindness, resilience and the courage to challenge long held expectations - both of others and of yourself." -- Lauren Myracle, co-author of the New York Times best-selling Upside-Down Magic series
You can retake your photos...but what if could redo moments in your life too? With one magical app, Zoe is able to do just that! A smart and funny twist on time travel from New York Times bestselling author Jen Calonita, for fans for Disney's Zapped and The Swap.
Zoe knows that the only thing harder than middle school is losing a best friend. She and Laura used to do everything together from taking silly selfies, to joining all the same clubs together and even throwing surprise birthday parties for one another.
But lately things have been weird between them. Now Laura will post a photo of her hanging out with other girls before responding to Zoe's simple text. She doesn't even want to sit with her at lunch anymore. Zoe is heartbroken--all she wants is for things to go back to normal.
But then a magical app downloads on her phone...and things get even weirder! Suddenly Zoe can travel back in time to moments where her and Laura started drifting apart. It is like a dream come true. A chance for Zoe to mend their friendship.
But as Zoe goes back to moments of middle school drama--sleepover games gone wrong, field trips with cliques and crushes, and school projects that bring on more-than-awkward encounters--she realizes that second chances don't always go as planned and that sometimes you need to trust the magic of new beginnings.
The Retake is a picture-perfect look at tween friendship, that also explores more serious themes of social media pressure, bullying and what it means to be yourself.
"Jen Calonita puts a magical spin on all-to-real middle school drama. Warm, witty and wise, The Retake is for anyone who has broken up with a best friend and wished they could go back to the way it used to be."—Megan McCaferty, author of True to Your Selfie and Jessica Darling’s It List series
"As addictive as your favorite app, you won't be able to put it down." - Stacy McAnulty, the author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
"A brilliant friendship story that champions kindness, resilience and the courage to challenge long held expectations - both of others and of yourself." -- Lauren Myracle, co-author of the New York Times best-selling Upside-Down Magic series
You can retake your photos...but what if could redo moments in your life too? With one magical app, Zoe is able to do just that! A smart and funny twist on time travel from New York Times bestselling author Jen Calonita, for fans for Disney's Zapped and The Swap.
Zoe knows that the only thing harder than middle school is losing a best friend. She and Laura used to do everything together from taking silly selfies, to joining all the same clubs together and even throwing surprise birthday parties for one another.
But lately things have been weird between them. Now Laura will post a photo of her hanging out with other girls before responding to Zoe's simple text. She doesn't even want to sit with her at lunch anymore. Zoe is heartbroken--all she wants is for things to go back to normal.
But then a magical app downloads on her phone...and things get even weirder! Suddenly Zoe can travel back in time to moments where her and Laura started drifting apart. It is like a dream come true. A chance for Zoe to mend their friendship.
But as Zoe goes back to moments of middle school drama--sleepover games gone wrong, field trips with cliques and crushes, and school projects that bring on more-than-awkward encounters--she realizes that second chances don't always go as planned and that sometimes you need to trust the magic of new beginnings.
The Retake is a picture-perfect look at tween friendship, that also explores more serious themes of social media pressure, bullying and what it means to be yourself.
"Jen Calonita puts a magical spin on all-to-real middle school drama. Warm, witty and wise, The Retake is for anyone who has broken up with a best friend and wished they could go back to the way it used to be."—Megan McCaferty, author of True to Your Selfie and Jessica Darling’s It List series
"As addictive as your favorite app, you won't be able to put it down." - Stacy McAnulty, the author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
272 pages, Hardcover
Published February 23, 2021
31 people are currently reading
520 people want to read
About the author
Jen Calonita
110 books3,670 followersHi Goodreads!
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).
I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!
I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.
I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.
I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!
xo
Jen
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).
I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!
I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.
I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.
I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!
xo
Jen
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
June 29, 2020
I love everything Jen Calonita writes, but The Retake is extra special. Such a big part of middle school is navigating friendships, especially during a time of life kids have one foot still firmly in childhood and one creeping over into adulthood. These characters encompass all the uncertainty and optimism of the middle-grade years and the "retake" twist is such a perfect discussion point for our social-media centric society. Love, love, love.
April 4, 2020
Students starting a new year of middle school and navigating friendships will find the story of Zoe entirely relateable. Jen Calonita lets readers see what those days will look like again and again all while letting Zoe discover what she really wants and what the true meaning of friendship is. But most of all, it's a book that lets readers find the meaning in being who you truly are.
September 12, 2022
*More like 3.5 stars than 3.*
A somewhat frustrating but accurate presentation on high school friendships with a sci-fi twist.
What made this book mostly frustrating was the reader being dragged along by the protagonist Zoe in her dogged pursuit of a so-called “best friend” who seemed to blame her and scheme to ditch her at every opportunity regardless of the reality they were in. It was almost impressive how bad of a friend Laura was to Zoe. And Zoe’s mentality was consistently wrong. She acted as though she couldn’t survive without her best friend despite the fact that she had other friends around her if only she reached out to them. Though what was immediately obvious to the reader took Zoe the entire book to realise, her acceptance of her true circumstances at the end felt great and were welcomed with open arms. Though she took the longest route possible to get there, the final message of moving on when needed and still retaining good memories of an old friend whilst going separate ways were good ones that would resonate with young people. In particular, this book and its final message would be helpful to people who struggle to make friends or people who seem to have a best friend they’re attached at the hip to.
The sci-fi element was what felt the most half-baked of all the content. Who the lady who always conveniently appeared when Zoe needed her was, where the app came from, even how the final retake and general retake continuity worked was never explained nor remotely explored. It was simply used to facilitate the rather slow character growth for Zoe and nothing more. And so this was more of a contemporary book, as the sci-fi elements were of so little consequence that they were never questioned or even consistent in how they worked.
A somewhat frustrating but accurate presentation on high school friendships with a sci-fi twist.
What made this book mostly frustrating was the reader being dragged along by the protagonist Zoe in her dogged pursuit of a so-called “best friend” who seemed to blame her and scheme to ditch her at every opportunity regardless of the reality they were in. It was almost impressive how bad of a friend Laura was to Zoe. And Zoe’s mentality was consistently wrong. She acted as though she couldn’t survive without her best friend despite the fact that she had other friends around her if only she reached out to them. Though what was immediately obvious to the reader took Zoe the entire book to realise, her acceptance of her true circumstances at the end felt great and were welcomed with open arms. Though she took the longest route possible to get there, the final message of moving on when needed and still retaining good memories of an old friend whilst going separate ways were good ones that would resonate with young people. In particular, this book and its final message would be helpful to people who struggle to make friends or people who seem to have a best friend they’re attached at the hip to.
The sci-fi element was what felt the most half-baked of all the content. Who the lady who always conveniently appeared when Zoe needed her was, where the app came from, even how the final retake and general retake continuity worked was never explained nor remotely explored. It was simply used to facilitate the rather slow character growth for Zoe and nothing more. And so this was more of a contemporary book, as the sci-fi elements were of so little consequence that they were never questioned or even consistent in how they worked.
February 6, 2021
This book was so great! I loved the sci-fi of the time-travel app, the relatable struggles of a middle-schooler, and the realities of friendship.
This book was wonderful for so many reasons, but one thing I loved the most was the honestness of it. Our main character, Zoe, walks us through a lot of her struggles throughout the book. Most of the things she goes through are things I remember experiencing and feeling as a middle-school aged kid. She talks of loss of friends, lack of relationship with her older sister, and finding out who she is and what she enjoys. As she goes through these many challenges in her life, she voices a lot of her internal struggles. It's an honest and vulnerable book.
As well, in true Calonita fashion, this book was quite funny. There are some fun references to modern things we have, like all the social media we use, and that adds to this fun adventure.
It was also fun to see how things unfolded as Zoe tried to change the past and save everything she thought she still needed. As Zoe worked to change the past, we were able to see Zoe's attempts end in many different ways. It wasn't the same outcome each time, which was great, because that enabled us to see how Zoe reacted to things and helped her see how she actually wanted things to be in the end. As well, with each plan, we got to learn more about our main character and the other people in her life.
The ending was perfect to me. With each failed time travel attempt, it became increasingly clear things could only end the one way. It was a good lesson for the main character and the reader that sometimes the things we want aren't always the things we need.
Overall, this was another great book by Jen Calonita! It contained many great lessons for kids and adults alike and was a fun, modern take on time travel.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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This book was wonderful for so many reasons, but one thing I loved the most was the honestness of it. Our main character, Zoe, walks us through a lot of her struggles throughout the book. Most of the things she goes through are things I remember experiencing and feeling as a middle-school aged kid. She talks of loss of friends, lack of relationship with her older sister, and finding out who she is and what she enjoys. As she goes through these many challenges in her life, she voices a lot of her internal struggles. It's an honest and vulnerable book.
As well, in true Calonita fashion, this book was quite funny. There are some fun references to modern things we have, like all the social media we use, and that adds to this fun adventure.
It was also fun to see how things unfolded as Zoe tried to change the past and save everything she thought she still needed. As Zoe worked to change the past, we were able to see Zoe's attempts end in many different ways. It wasn't the same outcome each time, which was great, because that enabled us to see how Zoe reacted to things and helped her see how she actually wanted things to be in the end. As well, with each plan, we got to learn more about our main character and the other people in her life.
The ending was perfect to me. With each failed time travel attempt, it became increasingly clear things could only end the one way. It was a good lesson for the main character and the reader that sometimes the things we want aren't always the things we need.
Overall, this was another great book by Jen Calonita! It contained many great lessons for kids and adults alike and was a fun, modern take on time travel.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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February 8, 2021
One of the hardest parts of growing up is losing a friend, especially when you don't understand why or how you've grown apart. On the first day of seventh grade, Zoe realizes that her BFF Laura is barely a friend anymore, let alone a best friend. Laura has moved on. Zoe has not. After having the worst first day of school ever, Zoe discovers an app on her phone that lets her return to any point in time for which she has a photo. Desperate to salvage their friendship, Zoe travels backwards to a few different key moments, hoping to make better choices and restore their friendship. Nothing works out quite like she expects. This is a very interesting take on the usual middle school friend drama. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
July 6, 2021
Jen Calonita is one of my favorite middle grade authors ever. So when I saw that there was a new book of hers that was published this year, I had to read it. And let me just say, it was amazing. This book was so. relatable. I felt like I had been literally transported back into middle school. I mean, there was the teacher that called everyone "sweetie" but was actually strict, which was super funny and relatable. And also the whole "trying to fix a friendship at a birthday party" was spot on. Zoe is very similar to me when I was in middle school. Anyway, this was a very good book and I can't wait to read more by Calonita.
May 16, 2020
Great middle grade read about friendship. It’s hard to grow apart, but can a retake fix it?
February 8, 2022
I love Back to the Future and time travel stories, so I of course had to give this one a try. I think tweens and teens will definitely identify with Zoe's disappointment and frustration with a changing friendship as well as the overwhelming presence of social media. I loved seeing the changes in the present time after each of Zoe's attempts to change the past and also her growing realization of the people and situations she is overlooking as she focuses on a single friendship.
January 2, 2021
My students will enjoy this book. Navigating middle school is tricky as kiddos are growing up, finding themselves, and friendships begin to change. Middle schoolers will connect with Zoe, as she enters 7th grade and needs to decide whether to look to the past or begin again.
August 23, 2022
Retake is a wonderful book, like catnip to me for two important reasons – I love low-stakes time travel stories, and I love stories that emphasize friendship. (It’s a sad comment on the state of things that if this same story was YA instead of middle-grade, there’s a 98% chance it would have been about a romantic relationship rather than a friendship.)
This is a story about two best friends who grow apart as they grow up, and how utterly devastating it is on the one of them (Zoe) who is more invested in the friendship. Been there, done that: friendship break-ups are excruciating, particularly when it’s gradual rather than the result of one big fight. It SUCKS to be the one more invested in a friendship, and to be blown off and taken for granted. There should be more stories about this, and I give huge props to Jen Calonita for perfectly capturing this swirling storm of emotion.
Calonita toes a fine line between not villainizing Laura too much for growing up, but not letting her off the hook either. The truth is, it’s not Laura’s fault for finding interests and friends outside of Zoe, but it is absolutely on her for how awfully she treated Zoe. (It’s also on her for becoming an awful stereotype of a popular girl, but I digress.)
In particular, I like how Calonita explored all four permutations of Zoe and Laura joining the “drama queens” – the actual reality where Laura joins them, the one where Zoe does, the one where both join, and the one where both stay away. It was a deft touch that Laura joining them was not treated as an inevitable outcome.
Calonita also did a great job building out the supporting cast. As is usual for MG/YA novels, the parents are barely present, but Zoe’s sister Taryn, her other friends, and even the drama queens are satisfyingly developed enough that you believe they totally have their own stories going on. They don’t just exist to further Zoe and Laura’s story.
If I have one criticism, it’s that I would have preferred a more structured time loop framing, where Zoe had to return to relive the first day of seventh grade rather than returning to somewhere in the vicinity of that day. But that’s just a personal preference, and does not take away from how effective the book is – I found it very hard to put down once I started reading.
This is a story about two best friends who grow apart as they grow up, and how utterly devastating it is on the one of them (Zoe) who is more invested in the friendship. Been there, done that: friendship break-ups are excruciating, particularly when it’s gradual rather than the result of one big fight. It SUCKS to be the one more invested in a friendship, and to be blown off and taken for granted. There should be more stories about this, and I give huge props to Jen Calonita for perfectly capturing this swirling storm of emotion.
Calonita toes a fine line between not villainizing Laura too much for growing up, but not letting her off the hook either. The truth is, it’s not Laura’s fault for finding interests and friends outside of Zoe, but it is absolutely on her for how awfully she treated Zoe. (It’s also on her for becoming an awful stereotype of a popular girl, but I digress.)
In particular, I like how Calonita explored all four permutations of Zoe and Laura joining the “drama queens” – the actual reality where Laura joins them, the one where Zoe does, the one where both join, and the one where both stay away. It was a deft touch that Laura joining them was not treated as an inevitable outcome.
Calonita also did a great job building out the supporting cast. As is usual for MG/YA novels, the parents are barely present, but Zoe’s sister Taryn, her other friends, and even the drama queens are satisfyingly developed enough that you believe they totally have their own stories going on. They don’t just exist to further Zoe and Laura’s story.
If I have one criticism, it’s that I would have preferred a more structured time loop framing, where Zoe had to return to relive the first day of seventh grade rather than returning to somewhere in the vicinity of that day. But that’s just a personal preference, and does not take away from how effective the book is – I found it very hard to put down once I started reading.
February 16, 2021
A perfect take on a light time travel contemporary. I love a Groundhog Day loop, and this felt a lot like that. While Zoe isn’t reliving the same day over and over, she is going back and redoing individual days over to try to fix her relationship with her (soon to be ex?) best friend. What I really love about a time loop is how the main character learns and grows from seeing things over again from a new angle, and Zoe did this so fantastically. She wasn’t perfect and kept making “mistakes” but learned along as she went and came to realizations about herself and her relationships with friends. I loved the ending, this is perfect for younger YA readers or older MG readers, because her best friend is very into fashion and boys (so I don’t know that younger MG readers will enjoy it) but I thought it was super fun!
April 28, 2021
I loved this book, but then again who doesn't love Calonita's spin on realistic fiction with fantasy. The protagonist Zoe learns a valuable lesson on the evolution of female friendships and social pressure in middle school by gaining the chance to "do over" her circumstances surrounding her BFF. I loved the "realness" of this story and the way she portrayed young female friendships in this book. Who wouldn't want to retake scenes in their life?
July 31, 2021
This book was so good! I absolutely loved it! It teaches many a lesson about friendships and how it’s okay to not be best friends any more and that you can still be friends even as you grow apart you can still hang out. Also, that every thing happens for a reason and something good can still come out of the bad.
January 3, 2026
I really liked the idea behind this book- when things suck we often wish we could go back and had a retake. This girl gets a magical app on her phone to do just that, but 7th grade is hard no matter what you do. And friendships grow and change and diverge, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
I felt a lot of stress for this poor girl’s situation and just wanted it to hurry up and be over.
I felt a lot of stress for this poor girl’s situation and just wanted it to hurry up and be over.
May 19, 2021
Cute book about friendship! What a unique concept for a time travel book! Loved it!
January 16, 2022
thank you to the author for sending me this book!!
if you’re a fan of middle grade, this book is for you!! it had loveable characters and a really fun, unique plot. def recommend!
if you’re a fan of middle grade, this book is for you!! it had loveable characters and a really fun, unique plot. def recommend!
August 13, 2025
This book was so good! The character zoe took way too long to figure out that the reason why she was failing in every single reality is because she was on the wrong mission. Instead of making her and Laura friends, what made her life the same again she had to let go and accept that Laura isn’t her best friend anymore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2022
An amazing read on the train! This is my first book by Jen Calonita, and I’ve only heard good things about her writing. I picked this book up searching specifically for something with photography involved. Looking at the Goodreads reviews of this book, I was comforted that this wouldn’t be a boring read. It has exceeded all of my expectations though. Because it was more than a non-boring read! It was deeper, and moved me in ways I wasn’t ever before.
This book follows Zoe, a girl who feels the distance between herself and her best friend, Laura, widening with every day that goes by. When she finally has to admit that Laura has moved on without her, she tries desperately to hold on to her friendship with Laura. Accidentally clicking on an app that appears out of nowhere on her phone, she gets transported to the past, and she tries to redo everything she thinks created the chasm between the two of them.
For full review (SPOILERS ALERT):
click here
This book follows Zoe, a girl who feels the distance between herself and her best friend, Laura, widening with every day that goes by. When she finally has to admit that Laura has moved on without her, she tries desperately to hold on to her friendship with Laura. Accidentally clicking on an app that appears out of nowhere on her phone, she gets transported to the past, and she tries to redo everything she thinks created the chasm between the two of them.
For full review (SPOILERS ALERT):
click here
July 11, 2021
This was such a fun book to read, especially because of how many emotions it provoked. Whenever Zoe was mad, sad, happy, or confused, I felt that same way. Jen Calonita did a great job with this book, and I might have to check out some of her others soon!
Want to read
November 2, 2020Zoe Mitchell can't wait to spend more time with her best friend, Laura Lancaster, as seventh grade starts after almost a whole summer apart. She's noticed that Laura has been pulling away since the end of sixth grade, when she joined the school play and made new friends there. She works hard on planning a surprise birthday party for Laura with her family, but it's all for nothing when she sees Laura already having a birthday celebration on the beach with her new friends. One that Zoe wasn't invited to.
It isn't much better when school starts. Laura wants to quit the activities she and Zoe have always done together, like volleyball and STEM club. Zoe finds that it's now far easier to talk to her STEM friends, Reagan and Jada, then it is to her supposed "best" friend.
When Zoe gets her phone taken away in the hall, she gets it back at the end of the day from a mysterious temp at the front desk. She notices that a strange new app has been installed, looking similar to Instagram, but with no name. It contains every picture she and Laura have ever posted with each other. Zoe finds one of them together at a sleepover right before school got out, and makes a wish to go back to make Laura stay her close friend.
Soon she wakes up three months earlier, having been transported back in time to the sleepover. This time, she can save herself and Laura from embarrassment in front of the "drama queens." But Zoe's attempt to save Laura from an embarrassing dare completely backfire, and Laura is instantly mad at her.
The next thing she knows, Zoe is back in the present, but it's not the reality she remembered. Instead of Laura getting close to the Drama Queens, Zoe is now their new best friend, and none of them acknowledge Laura's existence anymore. Zoe realizes that the retake has actually made things worse, and keeps trying more to attempt to fix it. But after trying to redo the school's waterpark trip and their STEM presentation day, she finds that maybe second chances aren't always necessary.
What I liked: The realism with a slight supernatural element (I don't know whether to call this magical realism, because most magical realism involves more fantasy-type themes.) It reminded me of The Swap or Addie Bell's Secret to Growing Up, which were my favorite books in middle school, or the Aladdin M!X line.
What I didn't like: Laura's new friends (Ava, Sarah, Hyacinth, Marisol, Stephanie) felt too much like stereotypes. I guess not as much as the similar characters I used to read when I was Zoe's age (they're in theater rather than cheerleading and I don't remember any of them being blonde, and there isn't a leader) but other parts were just as overdone, such as their obsession with tanning or their constant use of hashtags. In fact, none of the captions or hashtags written on these girls' Instagram posts seemed like anything a 12/13-year-old would actually type in 2020. They were more like something their parents would. I also never see any teenagers post multiple times a day- that's what stories are for. They're referred to as "mean girls" but the only one I remember actually being mean is Ava. I don't think any of them actually had a problem with Zoe in her actual reality. It feels like every middle-school story about a girl has to involve "everyone cares about clothes and boys but me," and I'm sick of that. Even though Zoe was a good character and didn't pull the not-like-other-girls card. Also, why does every MG character who likes theater have to be a "mean girl?"
It isn't much better when school starts. Laura wants to quit the activities she and Zoe have always done together, like volleyball and STEM club. Zoe finds that it's now far easier to talk to her STEM friends, Reagan and Jada, then it is to her supposed "best" friend.
When Zoe gets her phone taken away in the hall, she gets it back at the end of the day from a mysterious temp at the front desk. She notices that a strange new app has been installed, looking similar to Instagram, but with no name. It contains every picture she and Laura have ever posted with each other. Zoe finds one of them together at a sleepover right before school got out, and makes a wish to go back to make Laura stay her close friend.
Soon she wakes up three months earlier, having been transported back in time to the sleepover. This time, she can save herself and Laura from embarrassment in front of the "drama queens." But Zoe's attempt to save Laura from an embarrassing dare completely backfire, and Laura is instantly mad at her.
The next thing she knows, Zoe is back in the present, but it's not the reality she remembered. Instead of Laura getting close to the Drama Queens, Zoe is now their new best friend, and none of them acknowledge Laura's existence anymore. Zoe realizes that the retake has actually made things worse, and keeps trying more to attempt to fix it. But after trying to redo the school's waterpark trip and their STEM presentation day, she finds that maybe second chances aren't always necessary.
What I liked: The realism with a slight supernatural element (I don't know whether to call this magical realism, because most magical realism involves more fantasy-type themes.) It reminded me of The Swap or Addie Bell's Secret to Growing Up, which were my favorite books in middle school, or the Aladdin M!X line.
What I didn't like: Laura's new friends (Ava, Sarah, Hyacinth, Marisol, Stephanie) felt too much like stereotypes. I guess not as much as the similar characters I used to read when I was Zoe's age (they're in theater rather than cheerleading and I don't remember any of them being blonde, and there isn't a leader) but other parts were just as overdone, such as their obsession with tanning or their constant use of hashtags. In fact, none of the captions or hashtags written on these girls' Instagram posts seemed like anything a 12/13-year-old would actually type in 2020. They were more like something their parents would. I also never see any teenagers post multiple times a day- that's what stories are for. They're referred to as "mean girls" but the only one I remember actually being mean is Ava. I don't think any of them actually had a problem with Zoe in her actual reality. It feels like every middle-school story about a girl has to involve "everyone cares about clothes and boys but me," and I'm sick of that. Even though Zoe was a good character and didn't pull the not-like-other-girls card. Also, why does every MG character who likes theater have to be a "mean girl?"
October 26, 2020
First sentence: I held my cell phone high in the air to get the optimal angle and snapped a photo of me sticking my tongue out. Then I sent it to my best friend, Laura, pleased that the picture was cropped so tight I wouldn’t give away my surprise.
Premise/plot: Zoe and Laura are best, best, best friends and always will be...won't they? This middle grade coming of age novel stars Zoe Mitchell. It's the dawn of seventh grade, and things aren't looking the greatest for these bffs. Zoe is worried--and rightly so--that her best friend has moved on during the summer. (Zoe vacationed with her family while Laura starred as Molly in a production of Annie and made a bunch of new friends.) The novel opens with drama...and stays consistently dramatic throughout as Zoe tries again and again and again and again and again--via a time travel app on her phone--to repair the friendship and set things "right." Is this friendship doomed? And will Zoe be able to make peace if it is? Are there other classmates with best friend potential?
My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the premise of this one. I was fascinated with the idea of a time traveling app. (It would be DANGEROUS in real life, I am certain.) This time travel app works through the photos on her photo stream. The app can transport her to (and from) any moment(s) captured in photos. This gives her quite a few possibilities or opportunities to relive experiences and perhaps make changes. But all changes--no matter how small--have consequences. I am really so glad that we travel back to the future each time to see what those consequences are.
The premise worked for me. I found it fascinating, compelling, and relatable. Who wouldn't want chances to fix the past and "set things right"?!?! This one is focused exclusively on fixing or repairing a friendship that is falling apart.
What I ended up loving even more, however, is the relationship between the two sisters--Zoe and her older sister Taryn. I honestly can't say that family was the main emphasis in this one--but the sister relationship IS key. I loved seeing all the alternate futures where these two are closer...and how in seeking to restore her friendship with Laura...she's learning--albeit unawares--how to repair her friendship with her sister.
I thought this was a great coming of age story.
Premise/plot: Zoe and Laura are best, best, best friends and always will be...won't they? This middle grade coming of age novel stars Zoe Mitchell. It's the dawn of seventh grade, and things aren't looking the greatest for these bffs. Zoe is worried--and rightly so--that her best friend has moved on during the summer. (Zoe vacationed with her family while Laura starred as Molly in a production of Annie and made a bunch of new friends.) The novel opens with drama...and stays consistently dramatic throughout as Zoe tries again and again and again and again and again--via a time travel app on her phone--to repair the friendship and set things "right." Is this friendship doomed? And will Zoe be able to make peace if it is? Are there other classmates with best friend potential?
My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the premise of this one. I was fascinated with the idea of a time traveling app. (It would be DANGEROUS in real life, I am certain.) This time travel app works through the photos on her photo stream. The app can transport her to (and from) any moment(s) captured in photos. This gives her quite a few possibilities or opportunities to relive experiences and perhaps make changes. But all changes--no matter how small--have consequences. I am really so glad that we travel back to the future each time to see what those consequences are.
The premise worked for me. I found it fascinating, compelling, and relatable. Who wouldn't want chances to fix the past and "set things right"?!?! This one is focused exclusively on fixing or repairing a friendship that is falling apart.
What I ended up loving even more, however, is the relationship between the two sisters--Zoe and her older sister Taryn. I honestly can't say that family was the main emphasis in this one--but the sister relationship IS key. I loved seeing all the alternate futures where these two are closer...and how in seeking to restore her friendship with Laura...she's learning--albeit unawares--how to repair her friendship with her sister.
I thought this was a great coming of age story.
February 6, 2021
This one is a 3.5 for me, and I am certain it will prompt plenty of comments and discussions. I also hope it helps readers find their very best selves and not worry so much about appearances and what others think. Oh, how I wish this book had been available when I was in seventh grade and my best friend dumped me. It wasn't that we were growing apart and watching it happen. Or perhaps it was, and I just didn't see it coming until that lunch period when I walked to our usual table and there was no room for me there. I didn't try to fix things up, but my heart was broken. This book featuring Zoe, a girl who is desperate to hold onto her friendship with Laura, no matter the cost, is an important one for middle graders to read because it tackles the cost of being untrue to oneself or deceiving oneself and others as well as the current obsession to stage and post photos of us living life at its best. Zoe is like any other seventh grader: She is worried about fitting in at school, and she spends a lot of time on her phone. But her fondness for her phone pales next to Laura's constant checking it and posting photos and responses. As seventh grade begins, Zoe isn't even sure if she and Laura are friends since Laura blew off the birthday party Zoe arranged in order to spend time with her new friends, the girls Zoe calls the drama queens. After a particularly disastrous first day, Zoe finds an app on her phone that lets her go back to the time when a shot was posted and change things. Over and over, she does this, intent on fixing what went wrong between Laura and her. Readers will see that the truth is right beneath her nose. There are other girls who will make much better friends for Zoe, and while she and Laura will always share special moments, perhaps their relationship as best friends is over. And maybe that's not so terrible. After all, if someone has to give up parts of themselves or hide their interests or hobbies in order to appear cool or appease a friend, then most likely, the friendship isn't worth salvaging. The author really nails how it feels to be a seventh grader on the outs with others and the only one wearing the wrong clothes or wrong colors, something that matters very little later on but at the time feels very, very important and could make or break someone's middle grade years.
March 11, 2021
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What if you could go back in the past and change things to alter the future? “The Retake” is an adorable middle-grade novel involving time travel, and I enjoyed it.
Sometimes, it is hard to move on in life when your best friend ghosts you and finds new friends. Zoe’s storyline interested me because I wanted to see how she would handle her friendship with Laura. I thought the author wrote their dynamic in a realistic and fun manner. But the story gets very entertaining when Zoe starts using the app that lets her travel back in time to the photo she was looking at on her phone. The author wrote this concept in such a delightful manner, and I loved how she executed it!
Zoe was lovely in the lead as she tries to keep fixing her friendship with Laura. You wonder what will happen to her as she starts time traveling and trying to fix the future. The author beautifully conveys that even though the situations might change, the person remains the same, and if it’s meant to happen, it will. Moreover, I thought Zoe’s reactions to the alternate realities that she witnesses were hilarious. I also enjoyed some of the supporting characters like Taryn and Clare. The author also beautifully conveyed the value of friendship.
Overall, “The Retake” is an adorable novel that encourages you to move on and live your life and not be boggled by others who do not value your friendship.
October 27, 2022
Every middle school girl who goes for realistic fiction about friendship woes, popularity, and getting the guy will LOVE this book. It does a very good job of showing the social ramifications of all the posting and hashtagging on instagram.
It's the summer between Zoe's 6th and 7th grade year. She hasn't seen much of her longtime bestie, Laura. When Laura almost doesn't show for the birthday party Zoe planned for her, Zoe knows their friendship is in dire straits. Adding to her frustration, is the worst first day of school she could have ever imagined, with the exception of one tiny detail. A mysterious app, which has access to her instagram photos, ends up on her phone. When she clicks on the photo taken at Laura's end-of-6th-grade sleepover, it zaps her back to that moment. She's living in a new reality. This is her chance to do things differently so Laura will still like her.
Unfortunately, she makes things worse. When she clicks on a photo that takes her back to the present, Laura isn't just avoiding her, she HATES her. The whole book is this back and forth of clicking on a different picture and trying to make things better. All the different scenarios are quite amusing. What Zoe finally learns is that she can't change fate. People change, interests change, and it's nothing personal. Laura has a new interest in drama, whereas Zoe has zero interest in drama. It makes sense that Laura would begin to hang out with other drama girls. But Zoe isn't left in the cold. She finds a new group too, all with nice girls who share her interests.
Highly recommend this book. Changing friendships are an agonizing part of middle school. Most girls go through it in some form. This book will help them see that it isn't the end of the world. In some ways it's almost an instructional manual of what to do and not do so girls end up better off and don't completely alienate the outgoing friend.
It's the summer between Zoe's 6th and 7th grade year. She hasn't seen much of her longtime bestie, Laura. When Laura almost doesn't show for the birthday party Zoe planned for her, Zoe knows their friendship is in dire straits. Adding to her frustration, is the worst first day of school she could have ever imagined, with the exception of one tiny detail. A mysterious app, which has access to her instagram photos, ends up on her phone. When she clicks on the photo taken at Laura's end-of-6th-grade sleepover, it zaps her back to that moment. She's living in a new reality. This is her chance to do things differently so Laura will still like her.
Unfortunately, she makes things worse. When she clicks on a photo that takes her back to the present, Laura isn't just avoiding her, she HATES her. The whole book is this back and forth of clicking on a different picture and trying to make things better. All the different scenarios are quite amusing. What Zoe finally learns is that she can't change fate. People change, interests change, and it's nothing personal. Laura has a new interest in drama, whereas Zoe has zero interest in drama. It makes sense that Laura would begin to hang out with other drama girls. But Zoe isn't left in the cold. She finds a new group too, all with nice girls who share her interests.
Highly recommend this book. Changing friendships are an agonizing part of middle school. Most girls go through it in some form. This book will help them see that it isn't the end of the world. In some ways it's almost an instructional manual of what to do and not do so girls end up better off and don't completely alienate the outgoing friend.
September 19, 2020
This is such a relatable book for middle school students and soon-to-be middle school students. I was just having a conversation with a parent about how hard trying to hold onto elementary school friendships can be as the students change and grow into new people. Then this book brought that truth to light in such a clear way for readers.
Zoe has what is possibly the worst first day of 7th grade ever, complete with forgetting her schedule, losing her bus pass, walking around with a brown stain on white jeans, getting her cell phone confiscated by the principal, and watching her best friend dress alike and instagram post with the new drama queen group she grew tight with over the summer. When Zoe finally gets her phone back from a mysterious temp in the school office, she discovers a strange app that can take her to any photo on her timeline. Desperate to save her friendship with her best friend and have a do-over, Zoe goes back to the moment where she feels like their friendship broke. But she discovers that Laura was changing long before she realized, and no matter what she tries to do to keep them together, when she returns to the present time, her life only seems to get worse.
There are so many positive messages for students in this book. Zoe learns to talk to her older sister more and their relationship grows. She learns to pay attention to others and encourage them, even when she is struggling in her own life. She learns that it is okay to change and drift apart and still respect each other and honor the past. She learns to spend time with the people who let you be yourself. She learns that she doesn't want to sacrifice what she loves, like Future City Club and volleyball, to be cool. This will be a highly recommended book for my students! #LitReviewCrew
Zoe has what is possibly the worst first day of 7th grade ever, complete with forgetting her schedule, losing her bus pass, walking around with a brown stain on white jeans, getting her cell phone confiscated by the principal, and watching her best friend dress alike and instagram post with the new drama queen group she grew tight with over the summer. When Zoe finally gets her phone back from a mysterious temp in the school office, she discovers a strange app that can take her to any photo on her timeline. Desperate to save her friendship with her best friend and have a do-over, Zoe goes back to the moment where she feels like their friendship broke. But she discovers that Laura was changing long before she realized, and no matter what she tries to do to keep them together, when she returns to the present time, her life only seems to get worse.
There are so many positive messages for students in this book. Zoe learns to talk to her older sister more and their relationship grows. She learns to pay attention to others and encourage them, even when she is struggling in her own life. She learns that it is okay to change and drift apart and still respect each other and honor the past. She learns to spend time with the people who let you be yourself. She learns that she doesn't want to sacrifice what she loves, like Future City Club and volleyball, to be cool. This will be a highly recommended book for my students! #LitReviewCrew
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November 29, 2021 Before I even write my review on this book, I just want to say a few things. Pickles just represent what rating I give a book out of 10.
12/10
I have no negative things to say about this book, and I would just like to start by saying this was my favorite book by Jen that wasn’t a Twisted Tale book by her. I had been dying to read it, and on Libby, the NYPL digital library, it was an 8 week wait. It was so worth it. This book is about a girl who drifts away from her friend, and when she has the chance for to change the past, she takes it. She finds this app, Retake, and it is just like Instagram but she can go back to certain moments in time and change them. The whole time I was reading I wanted to scream, “Don’t change the past! Number one rule of time travel!” but she did. I don’t blame her for doing that, and I know I would take the opportunity to change certain moments in history. Throughout this book there was three consistent themes to the story. Change, not just in people, but in friendship and relationships. Friendships, and how they can form in the most unlikely circumstances. Lastly was letting go and moving on.
This book really resignated with me because I have had difficulty with my friends, and letting go, and to connect to a character somewhat like me made me realize certain things. The author really knows how to make a reader connect to her book characters. I think realizing it without someone telling me it directly really helped me understand. This helped restore my faith, because it was uplifting with great messages.
OVERALL: I think anyone who needs a feel-good book should go read this. It was FANTASTIC. Jen Calonita should never stop writting!
12/10
I have no negative things to say about this book, and I would just like to start by saying this was my favorite book by Jen that wasn’t a Twisted Tale book by her. I had been dying to read it, and on Libby, the NYPL digital library, it was an 8 week wait. It was so worth it. This book is about a girl who drifts away from her friend, and when she has the chance for to change the past, she takes it. She finds this app, Retake, and it is just like Instagram but she can go back to certain moments in time and change them. The whole time I was reading I wanted to scream, “Don’t change the past! Number one rule of time travel!” but she did. I don’t blame her for doing that, and I know I would take the opportunity to change certain moments in history. Throughout this book there was three consistent themes to the story. Change, not just in people, but in friendship and relationships. Friendships, and how they can form in the most unlikely circumstances. Lastly was letting go and moving on.
This book really resignated with me because I have had difficulty with my friends, and letting go, and to connect to a character somewhat like me made me realize certain things. The author really knows how to make a reader connect to her book characters. I think realizing it without someone telling me it directly really helped me understand. This helped restore my faith, because it was uplifting with great messages.
OVERALL: I think anyone who needs a feel-good book should go read this. It was FANTASTIC. Jen Calonita should never stop writting!
January 7, 2022
Fans of all the drama that can be a part of junior high school will be standing in line for this book by Jen Calonita, author of Fairy Tale Reform School, a few Twisted Disney Tales, and Royal Academy Rebels. Zoe is starting her first day of seventh grade knowing that her best friend has moved on to other friends and activities, her relationship with her sister is in a downward spiral, she has no bus pass or schedule, but does have a brown stain on the back of her white jeans. But a mysterious “Retake” app has appeared on her phone and any time she zooms in on an Instagram photo, **bam** she pops back to that time and gets a second chance to make this right again with Laura and rediscover that connection with her sister. Of course things never go well, but she keeps trying to find that just right picture to give her the path to “All Things Right With Her World.” Readers are likely to predict the final resolution but for those in grades 5-8, that ending will still be satisfying. Text is free of violence and profanity and even amid all the “liking” going on between characters, there isn’t as much as a hand-holding! Instagram is in constant use by the tweens and teens, which bothers this adult who is deeply saddened by the overuse of social media by our youth, however, the ultimate message is summed up when Zoe states, “It was time to start living my life, not staging the perfect picture.” I hope readers get it.
Thanks for providing a print arc to my Twitter arc-sharing group, #BookAllies, Jen Calonita.
Thanks for providing a print arc to my Twitter arc-sharing group, #BookAllies, Jen Calonita.
December 20, 2020
Zoe is excited to start 7th grade with her bestfriend, Laura. After returning from a summer of travelling with her parents, Zoe realizes that Laura has new interests and a new friend group that doesn't include her. She then finds a mysterious app on her phone that allows her to travel back in time to moments where her and Laura started to drift apart. Zoe does everything she can think of to change those moments and ensure their friendship will last. With each trip, Zoe learns that second chances don't always go as you expect and that change is inevitable.
I really enjoyed The Retake. It focuses on changing relationships and social dynamics which is something all readers, but especially middle grade readers, can relate to. It's kind of has Groundhog's Day vibes which I appreciated. I also liked that Zoe learns to be true to herself, that making new friends is okay, and that you can't stop change. I think at some point, we have all wished to go back and redo a moment. This book reminds us that it's our choices, actions, and experiences (both the good and the bad) that make us who we are and that we can't stop change. Instead, we have to roll with it and adapt.
#kidlit #mglit #readinginthemiddle #middlegradelit #middlegradereads #middlegradebooks #teacherswhoread #teacherreader #teachersthatread #2020books #2020reads #2020readinggoal #readinggoal2020 #bookstagram #bookworm #readersofinstagram #instareader #teachersofinstagram #booksconnectus #theretake
I really enjoyed The Retake. It focuses on changing relationships and social dynamics which is something all readers, but especially middle grade readers, can relate to. It's kind of has Groundhog's Day vibes which I appreciated. I also liked that Zoe learns to be true to herself, that making new friends is okay, and that you can't stop change. I think at some point, we have all wished to go back and redo a moment. This book reminds us that it's our choices, actions, and experiences (both the good and the bad) that make us who we are and that we can't stop change. Instead, we have to roll with it and adapt.
#kidlit #mglit #readinginthemiddle #middlegradelit #middlegradereads #middlegradebooks #teacherswhoread #teacherreader #teachersthatread #2020books #2020reads #2020readinggoal #readinggoal2020 #bookstagram #bookworm #readersofinstagram #instareader #teachersofinstagram #booksconnectus #theretake
February 16, 2021
[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
3.5 stars = Good+
A fun twist on the do-over/Groundhog Day sort of story. This time, Zoe can go back to certain moments for a do over. When she comes back to the present, her timeline is changed by the things she did in the do over. There is no time loop, which was a nice change of pace - I liked the system the author created for this. This is a solid middle grade choice - the drama is centered around a friendship and cliques. The "romance" is limited to crushes and references to middle school dating.
The friendship story here is what I liked the best. Laura is an awful friend, but it takes Zoe awhile to figure that out. And while she's trying to sort things out, she makes some pretty awful friendship choices herself. But she owns them and addresses them appropriately. I could see this being great for a book group or even a class read aloud. Lots of good friendship pieces to dig into for readers as well as the fun of considering what events the reader might want a chance to do over. There are also threads about sibling relationships, being present in the moment, over-reliance on phones, honesty, being true to yourself, etc.
3.5 stars = Good+
A fun twist on the do-over/Groundhog Day sort of story. This time, Zoe can go back to certain moments for a do over. When she comes back to the present, her timeline is changed by the things she did in the do over. There is no time loop, which was a nice change of pace - I liked the system the author created for this. This is a solid middle grade choice - the drama is centered around a friendship and cliques. The "romance" is limited to crushes and references to middle school dating.
The friendship story here is what I liked the best. Laura is an awful friend, but it takes Zoe awhile to figure that out. And while she's trying to sort things out, she makes some pretty awful friendship choices herself. But she owns them and addresses them appropriately. I could see this being great for a book group or even a class read aloud. Lots of good friendship pieces to dig into for readers as well as the fun of considering what events the reader might want a chance to do over. There are also threads about sibling relationships, being present in the moment, over-reliance on phones, honesty, being true to yourself, etc.
December 3, 2020
Jen Calonita latest book tackles middle school, friendships and time travel.
The Retake is a great story
Zoe and Laura have been best friends for as long as they can remember, but lately, Zoe can feel Laura pulling away and hanging out with a new group of friends: the Drama Queens, as she calls them. After the worst first day of seventh grade EVER, Zoe finds a new app on her phone, The Retake app. The Retake app is filled with pictures of that she has uploaded on social media. With the touch of a button she is transported back in time to when her and Laura were still close. While on her journey of remaking the past, Zoe learns a few lessons in friendship and what it actually means to be a friend. Through the course of the book, and the Retake app, Zoe also forms a better relationship with her sister.
The way Jen Calonita writes the ups and downs of middle school in The Retake is very realistic, yet lighthearted. I would recommend this book for middle grade girls!
*I received an ARC on NetGalley!
The Retake is a great story
Zoe and Laura have been best friends for as long as they can remember, but lately, Zoe can feel Laura pulling away and hanging out with a new group of friends: the Drama Queens, as she calls them. After the worst first day of seventh grade EVER, Zoe finds a new app on her phone, The Retake app. The Retake app is filled with pictures of that she has uploaded on social media. With the touch of a button she is transported back in time to when her and Laura were still close. While on her journey of remaking the past, Zoe learns a few lessons in friendship and what it actually means to be a friend. Through the course of the book, and the Retake app, Zoe also forms a better relationship with her sister.
The way Jen Calonita writes the ups and downs of middle school in The Retake is very realistic, yet lighthearted. I would recommend this book for middle grade girls!
*I received an ARC on NetGalley!
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