Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Nicole for the ARC!

The Many Fortunes of Maya is a lovely read, one that I enjoyed to the core. In the first chapter, we are introduced to some of the issues she is having with her family. For example- being forced to choose between what she wants to do and what her dad wants her to do. (A typical day in an Asian household)

Maya (called MJ by most), loves playing 'Flicker' the flute. But to make sure her dad doesn't suspect her loyalty to soccer, a sport both of them enjoy but is her dad's favourite thing in the world, she decides to play it in secret. It's her way of expressing her love and creating a special connection with her father.

She starts her day by spinning the 'Wheel of Fortune'. Each fortune acts as a compass, deciding her mantra for next 24 hours and gives the much needed push before a big event. But as her parents start the trial of separation, the biggest event/change in Maya's life, the fortunes don't seem to follow up. She starts losing everything she gave blood, sweat and tears for and suddenly, there's this dark cloud hanging over her head with no probability of the sun showing up.


Maya's story strongly resonated with me, as I, have navigated through my share of family struggles. It reminded me how there are always two sides of a story and how we should listen to both of them before making judgements. Highly recommended!

A lovely book about gathering up courage and listening to yourself. This one warmed my heart and would make a welcome addition to any elementary/lower middle school library.

The Many Fortunes of Maya is a good coming of age story about Maya/MJ, a middle schooler who envisions the perfect summer but faces a different reality. This story focused on friendship. family and self-discovery.

Maya vision’s of a perfect summer means winning the MVP award, going to an awesome soccer summer camp and her parents getting along. When Maya’s friends gets MVP and Maya’s parents start a trial separation, Maya has to figure out who and what she wants to be. She loves her flute and wants to play it more, can she do that?  Is soccer the thing she wants to mainly focus on, or can she take a break without letting her dad down? Maya goes on a journey of really discovering herself and wants she wants to focus on.  Along this journey she has her parents a, uncle and to support her.

I really enjoyed how the author was intentional in developing each character well. Whether a main or supporting character, each one felt crucial to the story. Along with being developed, each character is likable in their own right which makes the overall plot a very pleasant read. It is a good middle grade read with a great message.

This book held a lot of potential but unfortunately the potential remained unfulfilled.
What worked: Collier set up the possibility of deep discussions and real character growth.
What didn't work: The set up never had any payoff. So many of the issues alluded to, if they had answers, were solved unsatisfactorily or not solved at all. Additionally, the titular fortunes somehow had direct applicability whenever Maya spun the wheel she had created, something that really stretched the suspension of disbelief. Perhaps I could have looked over some of the flaws if the resolution of the story had made sense for the characters Collier created.

This was a really cute, well-written book. Sometimes, middle grade books really feel like they are written by an adult writing about what they think it's like to be elementary/middle school age but this book felt genuine and like it was really Maya narrating the story and events. I look forward to reading Collier's backlist.

The Many Fortunes of Maya is a sweet, realistic, and heartwarming book about facing your fears and listening to your inner voice.

Rating- Four Stars

1-Characters

The Many Fortunes of Maya had fantastic characters. Maya was spunky, and I loved her passion for soccer, and how much she also loved the flute. Maya was a character who knew what she wanted and went after it. Although she had some challenges in the story, she faces them head-on and grows as a person from them. There us also a wonderful cast of supporting characters that help Maya as she discovers things about herself, and her goals in life.

2- Plot

The Many Fortunes of Maya had a great plot. I’m not much one for sports stories, they’re just not for me, but I really enjoyed the passion that the athletes had. Off the field, the girls also had a fantastic and caring friendship. There was also a love story about Maya’s family that I enjoyed.

3-Writing

Nicole D. Collier wrote a fanatic story, and I loved the writing style of the book. The Many Fortunes of Maya was a story talking about a variety of different topics, from soccer, to family, and dealing with separation. They handled these topics with care, and each scene felt new. When talking about soccer, or when Maya was on the soccer field, there was a more lighthearted tone, which I loved because it showed that Maya and her friends where having a good time. When Maya’s parents were separated, or when she was talking about her flute, it was a more heavy tone with the scene.

4-Friendship

Maya and her friends were so sweet, and they all very much supported each other. Maya and Ginger had a fantastic friendship that I loved reading about because you could tell how much each of them helped each other, and the love they had for each other. At the pool, you could feel the friendship bond with the friends, even though Ginger and the rest of Maya’s friends were in the deep end without Maya. Themes of friendship are all over this novel, and I just loved the friend group.

5- A Lovely Family

MJ had a lovely family because they had a bond, even when things weren’t going well for her parents. Even though there was a separation of parents in this book, there was still a bond that her parents had. Both of her parents still loved her even though they weren’t staying in the same house for part of the book. Maya had a bond with each of her parents, one thing they each loved, that she enjoyed as well, so she could talk about it with them. The family barbeques and the music scenes with her uncle were very fun.

"The Many Fortunes of Maya" by Nicole D. Collier is about listening to and acting upon your voice. Maya did what her Dad loves, like playing soccer, and she loved it too, but not as much as her love for playing the flute.

Everyone has a thing they love so much that it brings a smile to their face, making the sadness fade into nothing and ease their mind. One such thing for Maya is playing the flute. She even named it Flicker, just like I name things I love.

Sometimes we do certain things and make ourselves believe that we love to do them to make our parents proud. But indeed, our interests might lie somewhere else. The author portrayed this in the very best way possible through Maya.

How a child sees her parents considering divorce was so well portrayed in this book. Maya's relationship with every single character was so amazingly written. Maya's love for her Dad was so heartwarming and relatable that I almost cried at some point. Maya and Ginger, her best friend, friendship were so beautiful, and I wish there were more scenes and conversations between them.

There were so many positive lines in this book which was one of my favorite things. This book was so soft and sweet, with some deep downs (which means some sad or complex things in Maya's way).

In short, this book is about accepting the changes around us and building up the courage to do what we love rather than what others made us love.

I really enjoyed getting a chance to read this book. I enjoyed that the story was told through the perspective of a child who is experiencing her parent's separation amidst other changes for herself. I like that we get a chance to see Maya struggle with what their separation means for her and how she wants to please both her parents even if that means ignoring her wants and needs. I also really like that Maya has people who notice that she is not listening to herself and help guide her through that journey and make her feel a lot less alone.

The Many Fortunes of Maya by Nicole D. Collier is a story of a young girl learning how to accept change for the betterment of herself. What I appreciated about this story is that Collier took us through a child’s perspective of experiencing a pending divorce. While Maya tries to keep everything the same, she learns that letting go and trying new things is okay.

I rated it 4 stars. It’s a quick, quote-worthy read with a message that applies to anyone.

Poignant and relatable story of Maya, whose summer seems to be ruined when 1: her best friend is picked as VIP on their soccer team instead of her, 2: her parents begin a trial separation, and 3: the rules at the community pool change, leaving her in the shallow end away from her friends. Maya has supportive and loving adults in her life, and good friends too, who seem to know what makes them happy. Can she be honest with them - and herself - about what makes her happy?
This is a story many young readers will connect with, as they move from pleasing their parents to discovering their own loves and talents. Recommended for age 9+

It hits good and I think it's a really good book and I'd love to see more of Maya's adventures in the future!

A delightful story, my daughter and I read together and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC

Maya is a spunky, athletic and creative middle school student. Maya has always loved fortune cookie fortunes and uses them as her daily mantra. She is very excited for the summer and soccer with her dad. Maya also has a secret love of music, but hides it away. However, her parents "surprise" her with a trial separation. Maya has a very authentic reaction as she struggles with change and growing up, She discovers she needs to follow her own heart and passions while finding out sometimes the future is not as easy as a fortune cookie.

Will be withholding full review in support of the Harper Collins Union strike. For more information please visit https://linktr.ee/hcpunion.

This is a straightforward, sweet, and satisfying story of Maya, who loves to play soccer but wishes she could still play the flute. Years ago her parents suggested she choose which one was her passion, and she chose soccer because her dad loves it so much. Now she's at a crossroads with the sport and must decide if she wants to commit to a more serious team or if she's brave enough to let her parents know that she still loves playing the flute. Meanwhile, her parents have let her know they are going to have a trial separation, and Maya is left wondering if it's something she did or if there's anything she can do to reunite them or bring a smile back to her mother's face. The nuances of the ups and downs of Maya's emotions are captured beautifully, and her gradual realization that she needs to share her "Deep Downs" as she and her best friend call their difficult feelings, is paced perfectly. This is a wonderful book that depicts the very relatable situation of a tween trying to decide who she is.

Nicole Collier delves deep into the hearts and minds of her middle grade characters, capturing all the sensations and details that make their situations feel real. I loved Jillian from her first book, Just Right Jillian, and love Maya just as much. The conflicts between soccer and flute, mom and dad, underpinned by her feeling of distance from her best friend and desire to get a "green" bracelet in the pool all weave together beautifully in this heartfelt, pitch-perfect story. Highly recommend!

I should start by saying that I support the strike of Harper Collins and will be donating to the strike fund since I'm reviewing this book. But I love Collier's work, and think she's writing some of the best middle grade out there.

All about a girl named Maya who learns how to figure out how she is without leaning on her dad too much. This was a wonderful read and I know so many kids who will love it.

12-year-old Maya loves soccer, her friends, and eating Chinese takeout every week with her mom and dad. As summer begins, her friendships and her family change. Does her love for soccer also change? This is a book about a determined Black girl that should resonate with 4th and 5th graders who like realistic fiction - especially those who love soccer.