Peek at my bookshelf!

New school year starting, lots going on, and I've recently acquired some new books that I'm excited about, so I figured as a break from book reviews, why not take a little peek at some of the additions to my TBR shelf? Who doesn't love a shelfie? (Rhetorical question. If you don't love shelfies, sorry. It's still shelfie time.)

Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston - The story of Cudjo Lewis, Clotilda survivor and the last living person enslaved in the United States. I haven't read Zora Neale Hurston since college, and I don't know if "looking forward to it" is the right descriptor for this book, exactly, but I do look forward to learning more about the actual history of the United States and unlearning the whitewashed BS I learned in high school.

Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by Virginia Sole-Smith - I'm currently reading How to Raise an Intuitive Eater, which was recommended to me by a friend, and a family member recommended this one, so...looking forward to reading it next! Fuck diet culture!

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury - Aladdin retelling? HELL YEAH. I'm still holding out for a queer retelling, but this will do nicely in the meantime.

The Dream Runners by Shveta Thakrar - Oh hey, I didn't even realize when I picked this out that I had read another of Shveta Thakrar's books, Star Daughter. I reviewed it on here and gave it three stars, which I was a little surprised at when I went back to see if I had. That was before I started rating based on multiple factors, though - I think if I had been using my new system it would have been higher. Anyway, that book had a gorgeous cover, this book's cover is equally beautiful, and it's a fantasy about dream runners, who harvest mortal dreams for the naga court. Can't wait!

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis - Oooooooooh, I'm thinking this is going to end up a book club book. It's set in the US during the Progressive Era and follows a wealthy Black family in the United States, based on the true story of a man named C. R. Patterson. I don't think I've ever come across a book like this before, particularly set in this time period? Also, the cover is just...so good.

I love it like this, but in person it's even better - shiny and gold and just beautiful.

The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta - Fantasy about a dreamer named Indir who has prophetic dreams and a seer named Saya who hasn't been formally trained as a Dreamer but is used by her mother to make money and is, seemingly, on the run from something. This was a runner-up for Read Harder challenge #17, read a YA book by an Indigenous author, and it might also need to be a book club book! (Also, another entry to the beautiful book cover club!)

Cafe con Lychee by Emery Lee - You already know what I'm going to say. I love the cover of this book! Honestly, it's a truth universally acknowledged that if there's a book I've fallen head-over-heels in love with, that love affair started with its cover. Two high school boys whose family own feuding food establishments join forces when a new fusion restaurant threatens both shops. (This author also wrote Meet Cute Diary, which has been on my TBR for.ev.er. so shame on me for getting this one before I read that one, but here we are. The book heart wants what it wants.)

Now...anyone want to take bets on how long it will take me to actually read all of these? 🤣

TBR - Read the Rainbow

It's June, which means Pride! What better way to celebrate than with a Tuesday Book Recs featuring LGBTQIA stories? I pulled some titles that I'm most looking forward to from my list of books waiting to be read - I started out aiming for like a top ten or so, but I couldn't stop. SO MANY EXCELLENT BOOKS. Are there any on this list that you're also excited for? Anything that you think I'm missing? Let me know! I want to read alllllll the queer stories.

1. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

2. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

3. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

4. Cinderella is Dead and This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

5. Fifteen Hundred Miles From the Sun by Jonny Garza Villa

6. Full Disclosure and Off the Record by Camryn Garrett

7. Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

8. How it All Blew Up by Arvin Ahmadi

9. I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee

10. Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan

11. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

12. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

13. Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

14. The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali and Zara Hossain is Here by Sabina Khan

15. The Marvelous by Claire Kann

16. Miss Meteor and We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

17. Odd One Out by Nic Stone

18. The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum

19. The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon

20. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

TBR - My Next Five Reads

Summer is (almost officially) here, I'm looking at a weekly weather report with possibly our first 100+ degree days across the board for the year, and there is a lot going on over here in Deweyville (in a good way, but still!). Consequently, this week's Tuesday Book Recs is part complete cop-out, because I didn't have time to come up with a theme and put together a corresponding list, and part accountability post, so I actually fucking read some stuff. I mean...I've been reading, but not nearly as much as usual, and while I do have more to juggle now than I have since I quit my job several months ago (again, in a good way!), I'm trying to balance my time better so I can do those things and read all the things. I can do it! And to get myself started, below are the next five* books I will be reading.

*outside of book club and reading challenge books

1. More Than a Body: Your Body is an Instrument, Not an Ornament by Lindsay and Lexie Kite

2. Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less by Tiffany Dufu

3. Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo

4. Superbetter: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Stronger, Happier, Braver and More Resilient - Powered by the Science of Games by Jane McGonigal

5. Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

Also, OH MY GOD, I am just realizing that almost all of these are non-fiction. Wow. Talk about breaking out of my mold. Dayum. Also, it's a very yellow group of books! Fascinating coincidence.

TBR - Mental Health Awareness

May is Mental Health Awareness month, so what better time to talk about books with mental health representation? I started my list with books I have read and loved, and I realized pretty quickly that I have gravitated toward books with characters whose mental health experiences mirror mine. Eye-opening! I always enjoy putting book lists together, but I'm particularly glad that this one made me aware of some of my blind spots, and now I have more books with mental health rep outside my own experience to read and learn from. This Tuesday Book Recs post is full of recs for myself!

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz 

One of these I have read (and recommended multiple times, so if you're still sleeping on Ari and Dante, I don't know why), the other I haven't. Last Night I Sang to the Monster is about eighteen-year-old Zach who, instead of finishing high school, finds himself in rehab for alcoholism instead. He can't remember how he got there, and he's not sure he wants to find out.

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

Leigh is grieving the loss of her mother to suicide and is convinced that when her mother died, she became a bird. Her quest to find her mother's bird form takes her to Taiwan for a visit with her maternal grandparents, and it is here that she discovers more than she expected to, including a new relationship with the grandparents she had previously never met.

Clean by Amy Reed

Olivia, Kelly, Christopher, Jason, and Eva don't want to be in rehab, not only facing sobriety but also some of their darkest fears. After hitting rock bottom, though, they don't have much of a choice. Can they find a way to deal with themselves and with each other in order to find a way to navigate their addictions and live their lives?

Darius the Great is Not Okay and Darius the Great Deserves Better by Adib Khorram

Darius feels different in a lot of ways from his classmates. He's Persian, for one thing, and he has also been diagnosed with clinical depression. It isn't until he travels to Iran to visit his grandparents and meets Sohrab that he feels what it's like to belong, to have a best friend, and that he starts to realize that there may be more to him than he has previously convinced himself. These books are beautiful, funny, and poignant.

Emergency Contact, Permanent Record, and Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

Well-documented fangirl here, once again recommending that you read anything by Mary H.K. Choi. I've typed and deleted descriptions and explanations for what makes her books so wonderful multiple times, and I just...I don't have the words. Her writing is real and relatable, and reading about Penny in Emergency Contact was one of the first times I felt seen by a fictional character. When presented with an opportunity to read something she's written, always take it!

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Charlotte Davis's life has been one of loss, and the coping mechanisms she has found to help herself survive are less than healthy. But each new scar helps her feel a little less, and sometimes what you need is not to feel. It's been so long, though, and Charlotte is so shattered - will she ever be able to put the pieces of herself back together?

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

Solomon has agoraphobia and has not left the house in years. Lisa, angling to get into one of the best college psychology programs available, has a plan: "fix" Sol and prove that she's good enough. What neither of them expect is to form a friendship, but they do, growing closer to each other and letting walls down. 

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L Sánchez

Julia is navigating both her own grief and that of her parents in the wake of her older sister's unexpected death. Olga was perfect, and all her parents hopes had rested on her...so now that she's gone, what is Julia supposed to do? It's clear that her parents expect her to step in and fill the role, but Julia isn't so sure she can do that, and the more she learns about her sister after her death, the more she realizes that maybe Olga wasn't all that perfect either.

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

Ben is nonbinary, and when they come out to their parents, their parents throw them out. Living with their sister and her husband, Ben struggles with anxiety compounded by their parents' rejection as they complete their last semester of high school. This book tugged at my heart, and all I wanted the entire time was to give Ben a hug.

Life Inside My Mind edited by Jessica Burkhart

This is an anthology of thirty-one real-life experiences from authors who have experienced mental illness. Their goal is to end stigma and provide hope, and I am very eager to read this.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

In this memoir, Lori Gottlieb weaves together her experiences as a therapist and her experience in therapy. I am not always drawn in by non-fiction, but this is a topic that greatly interests me, and I found her story riveting, vulnerable, and emotional.

The Place Between Breaths by An Na

Ever since Grace's mother, who struggled with schizophrenia, disappeared out of fear that she would hurt her family, her father has worked as a recruiter for a lab studying the disease. Sixteen-year-old Grace interns at the lab, and one day Grace stumbles upon a string of code that could unlock the gene sequence that leads to schizophrenia. But is this discovery the beacon of hope she thinks it is? Or the first sign that schizophrenia may also be taking hold of her?

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Marin hasn't spoken to anyone from her former life since the day she left, and no one back home knows the truth of what happened. Still, she feels the pull of her former life, and now that Mabel, her best friend, is coming for a visit, she may finally be forced to confront everything she left behind. 

The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf

Music loving sixteen-year-old Melati is in many ways just your average teenager. She also has OCD, which manifests as a belief that she harbors a djinn inside her, one who will kill her mother unless she adheres to her elaborate projection rituals to keep him satisfied. On the evening of May 13th, 1969, racial tensions in her hometown boil over into a riot, and when she and her mother become separated, Melati must find and protect her mother before she loses her forever.

You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman

Ariel Stone is a senior bound for Harvard...until a failed calculus quiz derails all his carefully laid plans. His life is one of little sleep and carefully ordered to-do lists, and before he knows it the extra time studying for calculus causes a snowball effect and he is falling further and further behind in areas he never would have expected. 

TBR - Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and I've been adding tons of recommended books to my to be read list. Below are some that I'm most looking forward to reading, including a mix of titles that are currently available and some that are available for preorder. I managed to narrow it down to fifteen recommendations, but this could easily have been the longest list I've ever made...there are so many excellent books coming out! 

1. Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi - Scott Ferdowsi has a track record of being a little aimless, uncertain of what he wants to do in life. When his parents pressure him to settle on a career path, he sneaks off to Washington DC and finds himself immersed in adventures he never expected to take.

2. I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn - Kimi Nakamura's obsession with turning everyday ephemera into bold fashion statements has her constantly at odds with her mother. When a letter from her grandparents arrives following a huge fight with her mom, Kimi finds herself on the way to Japan for spring break in an attempt to escape the disaster that has become her life. 

3. I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee - Skye Shin doesn't care what other people have to say about what she shouldn't or shouldn't do. She's competing against thousands of other performers in a competition to find the next k-pop star, and she's ready to crush the competition and become the world's first plus-sized k-pop star.

4. Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan - Coming out October 12th, Jade Fire Gold follows two characters, Ahn and Altan. When the two meet, they both see the other as an opportunity...for Ahn, Altan could help her unlock her past, and for Altan, Ahn could help pave the way to reclaiming his throne. But will the pair end up paying more than they are prepared to achieve their goals?

5. The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland - The Jasmine Project will be published September 7th and is described as Jenny Han meets The Bachelorette. After catching her longtime boyfriend cheating, Jasmine Yap refuses to meet anyone new. Using her graduation party as a dating opportunity, her family arranges meetings with a carefully curated list of men...but everything may not go as planned with this meticulously organized event.

6. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri - With a publish date of June 8th, this is the story of Malini, imprisoned by her dictator brother and condemned to spend her days in isolation, and Priya, a maidservant with a dangerous secret. Can the two work together to change the fate of their empire?

7. The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco - Book one in a duology, this is a fantasy about twin goddesses ruling Aeon, one over the frozen island of Aranth and the other over the land-locked Golden City. When shadowy forces come to call, the two goddesses must sacrifice whatever it takes to heal their world.

8. Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay - Jay Reguero's plans for his final semester of high school are derailed following the murder of his cousin Jun. Jay travels to the Philippines  on a quest to understand what led to Jun's death, but the answers he finds may force him to recon with more than he expected.

9. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan - Coming out July 20th, this is the story of fate. The fate of greatness assigned to one child, eighth-born son Zhu Chongba, and the fate of nothing, assigned to the Zhu family's second daughter. After a bandit attack orphans the pair, they learn that their assigned fates aren't necessarily set in stone.

10. Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim - This book is coming out July 6th, and I can't wait! Shiori, the princess of Kiata, has a secret she has carefully kept for a long time. When she loses control of her concealed magic on the day of her betrothal ceremony, what she at first thinks may be a blessing in disguise may cause more trouble than she bargained for.

11. This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura - CJ's mom wants her to be driven and type A like she is, but CJ may not have it in her. What she does have is a knack for arranging the perfect bouquet, which comes in handy at her family's flower shop. So what will CJ do when her mom decides to sell the shop...to the family who swindled her grandparents during World War II?

12. A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi - This is a coming-of-age story about Shirin, a Hijabi teenager dealing with the racism and abuse following 9/11. When she meets Ocean James, she can sense that he might be different than some of the other boys she's met...but she's not sure she can let her walls down and take a risk.

13. Wicked Fox by Kat Cho - The first book in a fantasy series, this is the story of Gu Miyoung, a nine-tailed fox who must carefully conceal her identity, and Jihoon, the human boy she rescues from being attacked by a goblin.

14. Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi - I am incredibly and endlessly obsessed with Mary H.K. Choi, and this book is literally sitting on my coffee table next to me as I type this, waiting for me to finish my book club's May book so I can read it. Jayne Baek is struggling - her boyfriend sucks, her friends aren't great, school is meh, and she's not quite ready to admit that she's struggling with an eating disorder. That's just life, right? But when her estranged sister is diagnosed with cancer, Jayne finds herself moving in with June and dealing not just with the knowledge that her sister might die but also forced to confront some of her own issues.

15. You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao - This is not coming out until November 2nd, and I may need to secure myself an advanced copy because I am DYING to read it. Just reading the description made me tear up, and I just...I need it. Julie's future is all planned out, until her boyfriend Sam dies. Shattered, Julie tries everything she can to forget him and the tragedy of his death, until a message in her yearbook drives her to call his cell phone one last time...and Sam picks up.

TBR - National Space Day

Did you know National Space Day was the first Friday in May? Neither did I, but now we all do! (Or maybe you did already know, and now I've got caught up with you. Either way.) To celebrate, I pulled together a list of Tuesday Book Recs either set in or involving space. They're out of this world (yeah, sorry, couldn't resist), so check them out!

1. About a Girl by Sarah McCarry - Tally has her future mapped out and is focused on becoming an award-winning astronomer when her carefully structured world is upended. 

2. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - When Aristotle and Dante bump into each other at the pool, they strike up an unlikely friendship and end up forming a bond neither of them ever expected. (They also drive out to the desert and look at the stars, plus universe is in the title, so...it totally works.) 

3. Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray - This book about soldier Noemi Vidal and mech Abel is the first in an excellent trilogy about an interstellar war between the planet Genesis and Earth. It gets off to a bit of a slow start to me, but once the action picks up I enjoyed it a lot.

4. Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza - Crown Princess Rhiannon Ta'an is out for revenge, and Wraetan celebrity Alyosha is trying to maintain his pristine public image when their paths collide in ways neither could have expected.

5. Mirage by Somaiya Daud - When eighteen-year-old Amani is kidnapped and forced to become the princess's body double, she expects her life to be misery. Instead, she is surprised to find herself enjoying certain aspects of her new life...even though one misstep could mean her death.

6. Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar - The night sky holds many secrets, including that of Sheetal Mistry's identity and the reason for her starlight silver hair...

7. Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett - After being unwillingly roped into attending a camping trip with one of her friends, Zorie is even more dismayed to discover that one of the other attendees is none other than her former best friend (and current worst enemy) Lennon. At least she has an event with her astronomy club to look forward to when the camping trip is over. Animosity aside, it's a glamping trip at a fancy resort. Nothing could possibly go wrong...right?

TBR - Autistic Authors

I've been trying to make sure the books I'm adding to my To Be Read list are Own Voices stories whenever possible, and since April is Autism Acceptance Month, I decided to share some of the authors I'm looking forward to reading who are sharing authentic representations of main characters who also happen to be autistic. Are there authors I missed that you would have included in this list? If so, share in the comments!

1. Corinne Duyvis - On the Edge of Gone and Otherbound

Science Fiction, own voices representation, and queer characters...Corinne Duyvis ticks pretty much all the boxes for me. I'm looking forward to reading these dystopian adventures.

2. Helen Hoang - The Kiss Quotient series

For Stella Lane, math brings order to her universe. She likes things to make sense, to be predictable, and romance meets neither requirement. Finally, she decides to the solution to her lack of understanding in this arena is to practice in a low-risk setting - by hiring an escort. Will practicing with her new research partner help her make sense of romance and dating?

3. Mike Jung - The Boys in the Back Row

In this middle grade novel, two best friends hatch plans for a final epic adventure before one of them moves away.

4. Kay Kerr - Please Don't Hug Me

What happens when you let go of other people's expectations and learn how to just be yourself? Erin, after a few bumps in the road in the form of a lost job, failed driving test, and floundering relationships is about to find out.

5. Sally J. Pla - The Someday Birds

During a road trip across the country to visit his injured father, Charlie is on a mission - a bird-watching mission. If he can spot all the birds he and his dad had planned to look for, maybe everything with this injury will turn out okay... 

6. Kaia Sønderby - Failure to Communicate

Another queer science fiction author, yes please! This story centers around vital alliances, sabotage, assassination attemps, and other such political intrigue within the Starsystems Alliance.

7. Jen Wilde - Queens of Geek

Three friends, wildly different from each other, attending SupaCon, getting over exes, and finding the courage to take risks. 

And finally, an honorable mention, since it's an anthology and I consequently wasn't sure where/how to list it by author. All the Weight of Our Dreams is a collection of poetry, short fiction, essays, artwork, and more created by Black, Brown, Latinx, Indigenous, Mixed-Race, and people of color from autistic communities. It's the first anthology of its kind, and it looks amazing!

TBR - Earth Day

Did y'all know Thursday is Earth Day? If not, you do now! Earth Day was always one of my favorite days to plan programming around when I was working, so in addition to today's environmentally-themed Tuesday Books Recs, I'm including a bonus recommendation of a great resource for upcycled kids' crafts, TheCraftTrain.com. This is one of my go-to blogs for activities of all varieties, but some of my particular favorites are her egg carton crafts. Please, please make yourself an egg carton monster and share your pictures with me! I love them so much.

Now, on to the books!

American War by Omar El Akkad - This debut novel centers around a second Civil War in the United States, during which the main character and her family are relocated to a camp for displaced individuals. 

Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes - This is the third book in the Louisiana Girls trilogy, although I don't believe this is a trilogy that strictly needs to be read in order. It combines folk magic with a coming-of-age story centering around main character Maddy's reaction after an oil leak in the bayou.

Love After the End edited by Joshua Whitehead - This is an anthology of short stories featuring Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer characters that encompasses multiple genres, including queer romance, dystopia, and science fiction.

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith - Orleans picks up after a series of disasters, first hurricanes and then a devastating illness, has decimated the Gulf Coast. The area is now under quarantine, and many outside believe life inside the quarantined area has basically died out. What they don't realize is that a new society is actually flourishing - one that thrives on the trade of blood.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler - Look, I can't give a better summary than the first sentence in the book description on Goodreads: "In 2025, with the world descending into madness and anarchy, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a better future." CHILLS. (Also, 2025 is four years from now. What the FUCK.)

The Poisoned City by Anna Clark - A non-fiction account of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, which started in 2014 and has still not completely been resolved.

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson - An environmental classic! This non-fiction account of the impact of chemicals like DDT on the environment was originally published in 1962 and is, depressingly, still relevant today.

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade - This beautifully illustrated picture book is a call to action to safeguard the Earth's water, inspired by Indigenous-led movements in what is now known as North America.

TBR - Poetry

Historically I have not been much of a poetry reader, and I've been thinking about that recently. I took poetry classes (reading AND writing - I'm sure I still have a notebook of my poems tucked away somewhere) while getting my undergrad, and I enjoyed it. I also love authors like Elizabeth Acevedo who write novels in verse, so...why do I not read more poetry? I DON'T KNOW! But National Poetry Month seems like the perfect time to resolve to introduce more of it into my reading, and a Tuesday Book Recs post seems like the perfect way to invite y'all to join me. Below are twelve books I'm planning on reading - some are collections of poems, some are novels written in verse, all promise to be amazing.

1. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta - The story of a young man exploring his identity and embracing what makes him unique

2. Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings by Joy Harjo - A collection of poems about the experiences of everyday life and the politics of being human

3. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander - The story of two brothers, both talented basketball players, one a burgeoning musician, both learning about what growing up means

4. Everybody Looking by Candice Iloh - An autobiographical novel about a young woman creating a place for herself in a world that is not terribly hospitable to black female bodies 

5. Favor of Crows by Gerald Vizenor - A collection of haikus structured around the four seasons

6. Monument by Natasha Trethewey - A collection of poems longlisted for the 2018 National Book Award for Poetry and awarded the 2020 Rebekah Johnson Bobbitt National Prize

7. Muted by Tami Charles - Reminiscent of Enchanted's story in Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson, this verse novel tells the story of a young musician, just starting out, who gets caught in the orbit of a more powerful, not necessarily well-intentioned male musician

8. Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca - A middle grade novel about an Indian American girl coming to terms with her mother's leukemia diagnosis

9. Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq - A combination of poetry and prose, telling the story of a young woman navigating a surprise pregnancy in the 1970s

10. A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman - A novel in verse about a young girl in India trying to regain her passion for dance

11. Wade in the Water by Tracy K. Smith - Tracy K. Smith is the Poet Laureate of the United States, and this book of poetry ties contemporary American experiences with the nation's history

12. Whereas by Layli Long Soldier - This book of poetry is an examination of US history and colonization, turning the coercive, duplicitous language of government colonizers back on them

TBR - National Unicorn Day

So last year, my work squad and I had like...a mind-blowing lineup of programs planned leading up to (and through!) our Summer Reading Program. It was going to be amazing, and I'm not sure if I had ever been happier with my work or more excited for upcoming programming. Looking back, I can't help but feel like my unchecked optimism and enthusiasm may have inadvertently contributed to the shit show that the past year has been? If so, I am very sorry to all of you who have suffered due to my unallowable level of happiness. My optimism and enthusiasm have since then been very thoroughly put in check, I assure you.

Anyway, if you're wondering how this is relevant to a Tuesday Book Recs post, wonder no longer. One of the programs my team had to cancel was a celebration of National Unicorn Day, and I know I wasn't the only person heartbroken at not being able to celebrate such a magical day. When I was brainstorming possible topics for today's post, I realized that National Unicorn Day was approaching once more (it's April 9th, get ready!) and figured hey, I don't have to be working and programming the way I was dreaming of in early 2020 to enjoy National Unicorn Day! I can do it right here, on my blog, with crafts and book ideas. If you'd like to join me in celebrating, I invite you to try one (or all!) of the below craft ideas and maybe check out a picture book or two. 

First, the crafts!

Craft 1: Painted handprint unicorn cards

I got this idea from theresourcefulmama.com, and I have to acknowledge that the results are much more adorable with tiny hands than with mine, but I worked with what I had. For this craft, I used a sheet of printer paper folded in half, paint and a couple brushes, a blunt needle, yarn, and scissors. I painted my hand with a foam brush, pressed it onto the paper, and then used a smaller brush to add hooves and the unicorn horn. After a little time to dry, I used a blunt needle to poke a few holes in the paper and add yarn for a mane and tail. Super simple, super cute, minimal supplies required - that's a craft win for me!

Craft 2: Origami heart unicorn

Inspiration for this one brought to you by willowday.net! I don't have any origami paper, so I used a full sheet of colored paper for the whole thing. I cut a square out to make an origami heart (there are instructions included on willowday for one version, but I used these instead), and then I used the extra strip of paper to cut out an ear, horn, and hair. You can choose a preferred coloring implement to add some flair, then glue each piece onto the heart, and voila! Unicorn magic. And for any readers who may not be super confident with origami, rest easy - I am terrible at origami, and this was easy peasy. I hope all my friends are prepared to receive origami heart unicorn bookmarks for Christmas.

Craft 3: Felt unicorns

I lured you in with the two simple crafts, and now I'm hitting you with one that takes a little more effort! I got the instructions for this one from thatkidscraftsite.com, and while it takes a little more legwork, it's pretty straightforward. The site includes a template for all the pieces and step-by-step instructions on how to piece everything together, so follow along and enjoy! I joked about making everyone origami heart unicorns for Christmas, but for real...expect these as gifts, because I'm in love. 

And now, the books!

1. Almost Everybody Farts by Marty Kelley - Your grandma farts, your teachers fart, and even magical creatures like unicorns fart...but do moms fart?!

2. Hello, My Name is Octicorn by Kevin Diller and Justin Lowe - Half octopus and half unicorn, Octicorn finds it 100% hard to fit in.

3. How to Catch a Unicorn by Adam Wallace - If you dream of owning a mythical pet of your very own, you need this guide for how to ensnare a unicorn! 

4. I Am a Unicorn! by Michaela Schuett - With a sparkly tail and a beautiful horn, what else could Frog be besides a unicorn?

5. I Love my Llamacorn by Danielle McLean - What do you get when you combine a llama with a unicorn? Your new best friend!

6. Little Unicorn is Angry by Aurelie Chien Chow Chine - Part of a whole series in which Little Unicorn learns to feel and process his emotions.

7. Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima - Kelp grew up in the ocean and always thought he was a narwhal, but when he meets some land narwhals that seem to have a lot in common with him, he starts to wonder if maybe...he just might be a unicorn.

8. Unicorn Club by Suzy Senior - Amy is disappointed when no one comes to her Unicorn Club...but then she returns to her treehouse to discover that it is full of actual unicorns!

9. Unicorns Are Real by Holly Hatam - Learn all the facts about unicorns and how they maintain their sparkle with this colorful, informative unicorn handbook.

10. You Don't Want a Unicorn by Ame Dyckman and Liz Climo - A little boy makes a wish for a unicorn, but when that wish is granted he discovers having a unicorn of your very own might be more than he bargained for.

TBR - Strong Female Characters

We're getting ready to close out National Women's History month, and I couldn't let March pass without sharing some of my favorite badass characters. It was super challenging to put together a short list, and I know there are a bunch missing because...well, we all know there are more than eight books with rad women in them. Which eight characters would you include on your list?

1. Camellia Beauregard - The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Camellia is a Belle, favored by her kingdom. When she discovers the darker side to Orleans, she has the choice to go along with things and remain in a privileged position or rebel against the only world she has ever known. I guess you could call her...a Rebel Belle. (I'll see myself out.)

2. Laia of Serra and Helene Aquilla - An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

I could keep going, honestly, there are lots of great women to choose from in this series! Laia is a scholar, enslaved by the leader of the Martials, and Helene is in training to become a Mask, part of the elite Martial military force. So much happens in this quartet that it's hard to sum up, especially without spoiling anything, so just...read it, y'all. Read it!

3. Tierney James - The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

This book has been pretty thoroughly reviewed on here, both by me and in a guest review of my sister's, so if we haven't convinced you to read it yet, I'm not sure what you're waiting for. Tierney isn't the only courageous woman featured in The Grace Year, either - read and cheer the rebellion on!  

4. Starr Carter - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

After witnessing the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, Starr has a choice - she can stay quiet, which is what both the cops involved and a powerful local gang leader want her to do, or she can use her voice to try and get justice for Khalil. If you've somehow missed hearing about this phenomenal book, I reviewed it a few years back...you should read it. (The book, not my review. Although you can read that too, if you really want to.)

5. Layla Amin - Internment by Samira Ahmed

In a version of the present day United States that doesn't feel terribly impossible, Layla and her family are taken to an internment camp for Muslim Americans. Not willing to duck her head to avoid the violence and watch in silence as more and more of her fellow internees disappear from the camp after clashes with guards, Layla and her friends form a resistance to fight back.

6. Mila - Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

This one is a little bit of a departure from the types of books I've included so far, but I wanted to specifically include it because sometimes standing up for yourself can be one of the hardest things to do, especially when you're as young as Mila and a lot of the voices around you are telling you that you're making a big deal out of nothing. Mila recognizes that the way boys at school have been treating her is wrong, though, and doesn't let anyone talk her out of speaking up about it. (Also, let us never forget that Barbara Dee commented on my review of this book, and I about died.)

7. Elizabeth Bennett - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Honestly, having grown up incredibly Mormon, I can empathize with Elizabeth and the immense pressure she is under to find a man, get married, and pop some babies out. Make haste, lady! What else are you going to do with your life?! When you grow up being taught that marriage + motherhood is all you're cut out for, it can be tough to push back against that, but Elizabeth does...twice, no less. Go Lizzie, go!

8. Emoni Santiago - With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Emoni is a senior in high school, and she spends most of her time raising a toddler and struggling to scrape together enough money to help support her little family. Her plate is stuffed pretty full, but when her school adds a culinary arts class, she can't pass up the opportunity to learn more about cooking and working in a real restaurant. Can Emoni find a way to balance the needs of her family with her desire to become a professional chef?

TBR - Puppies and Caffeine!

Guess what! Today is National Puppy Day, and March is Caffeine Awareness Month. I was pondering what topic to do for today's Tuesday Book Recs, and I thought puppies and caffeine? 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮 These are a few of my faaaavorite things! 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮 Why not combine them? So, for your reading pleasure, I give you...books featuring adorable pups and/or delicious caffeine.

1. American Panda by Gloria Chao

Ok, so Mei actually drinks hot chocolate, which teeechnically isn't caffeinated, but still. I love the cover art for this book, and the book itself is even better. (I reviewed it way back when...I almost said a little over a year ago, because it was January 2019, but then I realized...2019 was two years ago. Gulp. Time is a construct.) Mei is seventeen, in her first year at MIT, and on track to become a doctor, but ultimately she has to decide if she wants to follow her parents' plan for her life or choose her own identity. This book is beautiful and was even more wonderful than I expected it to be.

2. City of Bones, et al. by Cassandra Clare

Yes, this is a series about demon hunters, werewolves, vampires, and such, but it also features a shocking number of references to coffee, and I lowkey love how specific Cassandra Clare gets with the characters' coffee preferences. (Black with lots of sugar? Seems weird to me, but to each their own.) Also, Luke makes a joke to Clary about being a werewolf, not a golden retriever, and you know...hell hounds and stuff. So you could even consider this a two-fer.

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Yeah, I've included this in multiple book lists at this point, so it's pretty well-documented that I love this book about Cath's experience her freshman year of college, trying to acclimate to college life, make friends, and balance real-world expectations with her fan fiction obligations. Levi, love interest and perfect man, works at Starbucks and keeps Cath in the coffee throughout her first year at school - and I want to try his pumpkin mocha breve concoction.

4. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Another well-documented favorite! Simon has been exchanging anonymous emails with a fellow student, and he's pretty sure he's falling in love with him...which is a little tricky, since he doesn't actually know who Blue is IRL. To make things even more complicated, another student read Simon's emails with Blue, because their school library clearly does not take student privacy seriously enough, and is now blackmailing him. Ew. Dick move. Fortunately, Simon has an adorable doggo, Bieber, to keep him company and brighten his days during what is otherwise a challenging, frustrating time.

5. This Book Just Ate My Dog by Richard Byrne

That's right, it's a picture book! Look, I may not be working right now, but I'm a children's librarian to my core, I can't turn it off. As the title suggests, the story starts off with the book eating our main character's dog...and things only escalate from there. This book is adorable, funny, and super interactive, so it's a lot of fun to read with littles (or to yourself, picture books aren't just enjoyable for little kids!) Give it a try, what have you got to lose?

6. The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas

It's spring break ten years after Veronica Mars has graduated from high school, and she's back in Neptune, working at Mars Investigations and trying to solve the mystery of a young woman's disappearance from a party. While I'm sure Veronica drinks coffee on at least one of her many stake-outs, any Marshmallow out there will know that this book is obviously included on the list because of the inimitable Backup.

7. Throne of Glass, et al. by Sarah J Maas

I'm going for a record with titles that start with "Th" here. This series is difficult to summarize because...it's a lot. But to get you started, notorious assassin Celaena Sardothien has just been released from enslavement in the salt mines of Endovier by the Crown Prince in exchange for serving as his champion in a competition to appoint a new royal assassin. Along her journey, Adarlan's Assassin will acquire a very adorable puppy, Fleetfoot, who I worried about constantly throughout Celaena's adventures. (Spoiler alert: She's totally fine.)

8. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Dimple has just graduated and is ready for a break from her somewhat overbearing mother, which is coming in the form of a summer program for aspiring web developers. Rishi, romantic to the core, has been accepted to the same program, and when his parents break the news that Dimple, his future wife, will be in attendance, he is ready to turn on the charm. But with Dimple dead set against their arranged marriage, wooing her may not be as straightforward as he expects it to be. Fun fact: I originally chose to read this book solely based off the cover. Also, the iced coffee Dimple is enjoying on said cover may or may not feature heavily in her first meeting with Rishi.

9. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

YEAH, I'M GOING THERE. Is this book the first that ever made me sob over fictional characters? Yes, it is. Did I cry in front of my entire fourth grade class when we read it together? Of course I did, have you met me? Do I to this day not understand how the entire class wasn't in tears? Yes, duh. Was I in a classroom full of 9-year-old sociopaths?! I don't understand. I'll be honest, I haven't read this book in...a number of years...so I'm not 100% sure it stands the test of time, especially having been written in 1961. 😬 But I couldn't put together a booklist about dogs and not include Little Ann and Old Dan.

10. You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman

Ariel Stone is under a lot of pressure to be the perfect student so he'll get accepted into Harvard, and when he fails a Calc quiz, he starts to see his precarious Ivy League dream slipping away. I was by no means considering going Ivy League for college (ASU, baby, this nerd went full party school and never once attended a party), but this book brought me back to the stress of trying to be at the top of your high school academic world. Honestly, people who say that high school was the best years of their life...what? Anyway, while it did end up being a stressor by virtue of being yet another commitment on Ariel's never-ending to do list, one of his few reprieves from academic pressure was his time volunteering at a rescue, where he and his little sister got to spend time with their favorite puppy. Dogs make life better, even when you're shitting your pants about getting into a good school and figuring out what to do with your life.

TBR - Pi Day

I know I'm a couple days late, but I couldn't let Pi Day pass without some kind of fanfare. To celebrate, today's Tuesday Book Recs are all in some way math-related (and excellent reads). 

(Descriptions adapted from Goodreads)

1. Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac

This historical fiction honors the invaluable role the Navajo Code Talkers played in World War II and  highlights the danger these brave individuals put themselves in and the sacrifices they made even after the brutal and cruel treatment their people had received at the hands of US colonizers.

2. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Fifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone thrives on patterns and rules, so the murder of his neighbor's dog, Wellington, disrupts his world in such a way that he can't help but investigate the murder, following in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes, his favorite detective.

3. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

In this trilogy, Lyra discovers that the world (or worlds, as the case may be) is much larger than she had previously imagined and finds herself a central player in a fierce battle between multiple sides. (Fun fact: my dog is named after this Lyra!)

4. The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Of course the day Kady decides to break up with her boyfriend is the day their remote planet, Kerenza, is attacked by BeiTech Industries. Now she, Ezra, and the rest of the survivors are on the run in a trio of ships, desperate to reach the Heimdall Waypoint and the help of the United Terran Authority before BeiTech's remaining ship, the Lincoln, catches up with them and kills them all. But with resources in short supply, a damaged AI system, and a mysterious illness making its way through the crew of the Copernicus, the Lincoln may be the least of the refugees' worries...

5. Little Gods by Meng Jin

This book pieces together the mysterious life of Liya's mother, Su Lan, through Liya's memories and experiences, the reflections of the father Liya never met, and the reminiscence of Su Lan's former neighbor, Zhu Wen. I wish I could say more about it, because I feel like that might not sound the most enticing, but it's so strange and fascinating. Trust - it's a great read.

6. The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

Since being struck by lightning as a child, Lucy Callahan has had synesthesia, seeing numbers as colors, and has a genius-level affinity for math. She has been homeschooled since it happened and is perfectly content with her life, but her grandma keeps pushing for her to try just one year at the local middle school. Lucy isn't sure what middle school is going to be able to teach her that homeschooling and her online math friends have not, but she agrees to give it a try...maybe she'll learn more than she bargained for. 

And, as a bonus, a couple of pie books!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows

From Goodreads: "January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb..." This book has been on my list for quite some time, and I was almost tempted to watch the Netflix movie a couple days ago, but I feel like I have to read the book first so the movie can properly ruin it. 😉 If any of you decide to read it, let me know and we can read it together!

Llama Destroys the World by Jonathan Stutzman

Ok, yes, this is a picture book. Don't scoff! It is amazing and hilarious and one of my favorites. On Monday, Llama comes across a pile of cake. Now, Llama loves cake, so of course, he eats it all. Little does he know that by Friday this innocent action will result in the destruction of the world...but what will happen when he comes across a mountain of pie? (Spoiler alert: NOT the alpacalypse...that comes later.)

TBR - Polyamorous Reads

Joel and I were talking a little while back about my least favorite plot devices, and at first I couldn't think of anything that I really disliked. Then it came to me...love triangles. I mean, I get it that sometimes you like two people and you're like I don't know, which do I like more? But it gets tricky because every time I read a love triangle, it goes one of two ways. 

Way the first: One of the people is trash, and the other is obviously the one the author wants the main character to end up with. In these situations, why even have a love triangle? It's 2021, y'all, we don't need to waste our valuable time, energy, and emotions on garbage humans. 

Way the second: Both of the people are amazing, the main character clearly has strong feelings for both, and it feels like an impossible decision to choose between the two. Examples: Tessa, Will, and Jem in The Infernal Devices; Lara Jean's feelings for both Peter and John Ambrose in To All the Boys I've Loved Before. In these situations (particularly the first, because SPOILER ALERT, all three were pretty obviously in love with each other), it seems clear that the answer is not forcing a character to choose between love interests at all but actually going with secret option number three: polyamory.

Talking about all this with Joel, I realized that while I read a lot of queer fiction, I have never read a book with (openly) polyamorous characters in it! This is a travesty and something that I need to remedy immediately, so for my inaugural Tuesday Book Recs post, I invite you to join me in checking out some of these polyamorous reads. 

(Descriptions adapted from Goodreads)

1. An Accident of Stars by Foz Meadows

Saffron Coulter is an accidental worldwalker who finds herself trapped in Kena, a magic realm on the brink of civil war, after unwittingly traveling through a hole in reality. Once there, her life becomes entwined with those of three local women, and she finds herself tied to the women and to the fate of Kena in ways she never could have imagined.

2. Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi

When Alana Quick, struggling sky surgeon, stows away aboard the Tangled Axon, she quickly discovers that the cargo vessel is more than meets the eye. With her sister, Nova, being pursued by someone who will stop at nothing to capture her, Alana must find a way to make it work with the...unconventional...crew, establish her place on the ship, and protect her sister at all costs.

3. The Compass Rose by Gail Dayton

Captain Kallista Varyl, like the rest of her people, believes the Godstruck are mere legends. Until, that is, she calls upon the One for aid and is imbued with abilities that haven't been seen in centuries. Now she must master her new Godstruck power, learn how to unlock the secrets of the Compass Rose, and protect her nation from powerful enemies - alone.

4. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

On the day the world ended, Essun returned home to find her son brutally murdered at the hands of her husband and her daughter kidnapped. What's more, the Sanze, a world-spanning empire, has collapsed, and a great rift has torn across the heart of the continent, spewing ash that darkens the sky. Now Essun will stop at nothing, even as the world crumbles around her, to rescue her daughter.

5. Inda by Sherwood Smith

Indevan is the second son born to a powerful prince who grows up believing his role will be to remain at home and defend his family's castle. Then war threatens and Inda is sent to the Royal Academy, where he learns not only about the arts of war but discovers that danger doesn't always come from the outside.

6. Love You Two by Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli

While Pina's friends envy her life with her free-spirited parents, sometimes Pina has to wonder who is raising whom, her or her mother? When she discovers some devastating information about her family, everything she thought she knew about life and love falls apart. Will her family survive her discovery?

7. Luster by Raven Leilani

Edie is an artist trying to find her place in the art world. When she finds herself unemployed and living with Eric, a digital archivist, and his family, she must learn how to navigate not only the complexity of relationships but also a tentative friendship with his wife and becoming a role model for his daughter.

Bonus books:

Adaptation by Malinda Lo

Reese and her crush/debate partner are driving home from Arizona to San Francisco when they are in an accident. They wake up in a military hospital almost a month later, and the doctors won't tell them what happened or where they are. After returning home, only one thing is clear to Reese: she's different. Note: This is a duology, and the polyamory is introduced in the second book.

Kynship by Daniel Heath Justice (3rd book)

The Everland is a world of ancient mystery and shadow inhabited by the Kyn and other Folk. After a thousand years since the last clash between the world of Men and the world of the Folk, the Everland is under siege once more. As the leaders of the Folk strategize how to protect their land against attack, Kyn warrior Tarsa'deshae, exiled after an act of courage goes awry, grapples with her new calling as a Wielder and finds herself swept up in the world of political and spiritual intrigue and the debate between continuing to embrace the old ways or surrendering to the new ways of Men. Can Tarsa'deshae help the council heal her ravaged, wounded world? Note: This is a trilogy, and the polyamory is introduced in the third book.