In which everything sucks and I try to make a list of book recommendations

I mean. Everything sucks.

Well...Lyra doesn't suck.

But my husband tested positive for COVID, which meant I missed the last week of summer school and we had to cancel some stuff we'd really been looking forward to, and then yesterday the moment we all knew was coming came and Roe v Wade was overturned. So it has been just the chillest of weeks.

I've done what I'm can while sitting here waiting to see if I also have COVID, but I'm still feeling pretty powerless. I recently saw Dirty Dancing for the first time (yeah yeah, I know...I was raised mormon, I wasn't allowed to watch a lot of stuff), and while I've been sitting around thinking about how different making the choice to stay in your house and be isolated is from doing it because you have to, I've also been reflecting on how surprised I was at the depiction of abortion in that movie and how it was just like....it was the best decision for her, so she made it, and the commentary around it was about how terrible it was that she couldn't get good, safe care and not what a horrible, scarring choice it was. I was trying to think about what other examples of abortions in media and books I had encountered and how many of them presented it like that, as opposed to this earth-shattering, psyche-destroying choice. Grey's Anatomy? I can't think of any others.

So anyway, I'm doing what I do best and putting together a list of books that include abortion that I'd like to read. It isn't going to make things better for the people who have been dealing with white supremacist powers policing their bodies and harming them for generations, it isn't going to un-overturn Roe v Wade...but books are windows and books are mirrors, and I have to believe at least some anti-abortion people might have had their minds opened a little more if the mere mention of abortion wasn't so stigmatized and it was talked about more frankly in the media and literature that we consume. So it's what I'm doing right now.

Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin - This book follows a seventeen-year-old whose boyfriend bails from the waiting room while she's getting an abortion. It seems like the story deals more with how Genesis recovers from the realization that her boyfriend wasn't who she thought he was and how she navigates some other challenges life had thrown at her, with the decision to get an abortion being the thing that kickstarts the story after she and the boyfriend mutually decide it's the right decision for them. I'm very on board with abortion being part of the story but not THE drama being navigated.

Baby & Solo by Lisabeth Posthuma - Abortion isn't even mentioned in this book set in the 90s, but I know from reviews that it features. Honestly, I kind of like that it isn't a main plot point but is still included, it shows that abortion is...a thing that happens. It doesn't have to be a Main Story plot point!

Crazy Horse's Girlfriend by Erika T. Wurth - The story of a sixteen-year-old in a small town who is surrounded by poverty, unemployment, and drug abuse and dreams of a way out. She thinks she has found it when a new guy comes to town, but he may not be the light at the end of the tunnel that she thinks he is.

Finding Yvonne by Brandy Colbert - The story of a teenager nearing high school graduation and navigating other life difficulties when she learns that, on top of everything else, she is pregnant. This had mixed reviews, but I'm gonna give it a shot.

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero - A coming of age story about many things, one of which is Gabi's journey to accept herself and her sexuality after growing up in a shame-filled environment. This one has actually been on my list to read for a long time, so I need to get on it.

Girls Like Us by Randi Pink - Set before Roe v Wade passed, this book follows four teenagers who find themselves pregnant and aren't sure what to do. The reviews I read were mixed, but I thought the time period it was set in was important.

I Know It's Over by C.K. Kelly Martin - Gotta admit I'm on the fence with this one...it follows Nick, who has just learned that his ex-girlfriend is pregnant, and what happens with both of them as they navigate the situation. I can't decide if I like that the story is told from the guy's perspective or not, but I ultimately included it on the list because from the reviews it sounds like he's very supportive of what she wants to do, which is a great example of how anyone involved in an unwanted pregnancy should be.

Like Sisters on the Homefront by Rita Williams-Garcia - Gayle, fourteen-years-old, is sent by her mother to stay with family after she gets pregnant. This book was published in 1998, but recent reviews have talked about how relevant it still is, so I am eager to read it.

Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter - Sixteen-year-old Evelyn has started acting out after her parents start having trouble in their marriage, and it ultimately results in her getting pregnant. The guy involved bails, and now she has to lean on the family she had begun to distance herself from while she decides what to do.

 Bonus: Jane Against the World by Karen Blumenthal - A non-fiction book about the history of Roe v Wade and the fight for reproductive rights.

Top Ten May New Releases

There are lots of books coming out in May, y'all. I started making note of potential titles for my top ten and was like ok, I'm up to fifteen, that won't be too hard to cut...uhh alright, now I've got twenty...ummmmm there are thirty now...

So yeah, it got a little painful to trim this month's list down to only ten. I did it though, and I'm not even cheating with any honorable mentions or anything. I'm equal parts proud of myself and haunted by some of the books I ended up cutting. Here they are, though, my most anticipated YA for next month!

1. All Kinds of Other by James Sie - May 4th

2. Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney - May 4th

3. Indivisible by Daniel Aleman - May 4th

4. Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass - May 11th

5. From Little Tokyo, With Love by Sarah Kuhn - May 11th

6. May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor - May 18th

7. Made in Korea by Sarah Suk - May 18th

8. Off the Record by Camryn Garrett - May 18th

9. Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi - May 18th

10. Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar - May 25th

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.

It's Not Like It's a Secret - Misa Sugiura

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Sixteen-year-old Sana Kiyohara has too many secrets. Some are small, like how it bothers her when her friends don't invite her to parties. Some are big, like the fact that she's pretty sure her father's having an affair. And then there is the one that she barely even admits to herself, the one about how she might have a crush on her best friend.

When Sana and her family move to California, she begins to wonder if it's finally time for her to be honest with her friends and family, especially after she meets Jamie Ramirez. Jamie is beautiful and smart and unlike anyone Sana's ever known before. The only problems are: Sana is pretty sure Jamie's friends hate her, Jamie's ex isn't totally out of the picture, Sana's new friend Caleb has more-than-friendly feelings for her, and things with her dad feel like they're coming to a head. She always figured that the hardest thing would be to tell people that she wanted to date a girl, but as Sana quickly learns, telling the truth is easy...what comes after it, though, is a whole lot more complicated."

Spoilers included in this review. You have been warned.

The first half of this book:

The second half of this book:

So...I split the difference, averaged out the 4-star start and 2-star ending, and gave it 3 stars overall. It set out with such promise. Sana finds out over the summer that she'll be moving to California before the start of the new school year. Sad face, except that her friends are kind of shitty and openly racist, so she bucks up, makes the best of it, and quickly makes better friends at her new school. Yay! One of those friends is Jamie Ramirez, who she has a meet cute with while purchasing new sheets and immediately develops a crush on. Then you learn that Jamie likes Sana back, and...😍. Sana comes out to (most of) her friends, who are super supportive, and things seem all set to proceed in a blissfully happy manner.

This, of course, is when it goes off the rails. And not off the rails in the typical book fashion, where obviously conflict must take place to further the plot, otherwise why are we even reading the book? But off the rails like the author tried to do WAY too much, which led to a rushed, unsatisfactory ending and to some of the plot points not even being wrapped up. What disappointed me most was that out of what I would consider the three main plot points - Sana's dad cheating, Sana saying and believing racist stuff about Latinx people, and Jamie spending time with her ex, leading to Sana cheating on her as a result - the most compelling storyline was the one that ended up not being addressed. 

Frankly, Sana's dad "cheating" didn't serve the story and should not have been included at all, which of course meant it featured most heavily and was dragged out for far too long. Sana cheating on Jamie with Caleb is handled horribly, and I've got to say, let boys and girls just be friends, for fuck sake! I liked Jamie and Caleb as friends, and I didn't understand pulling Caleb into a manufactured conflict when an actual, great, needs-to-be-addressed conflict was right there in the form of internalized racism. This comes up about halfway through the book, Jamie and her friends confront Sana about it, and then...nothing. It literally disappears until the last chapter of the book. 

Sana listening to her girlfriend and making an effort to unlearn the things she grew up believing would have been way more engaging than watching Sana stalk her dad and treat everyone she cares about like shit. I get that Sana is a teenager, and remembering myself as a teenager, there are definitely things she did that I would have handled just as poorly. That said, even teenagers live and learn, and that was my biggest problem with this book. Throughout the story, Sana goes through repeated cycles of contemplation, epiphany about how to do better, and then proceeding with the same course of action she was on before. Wrapping everything up super neatly in a last chapter that was basically an unnecessary epilogue does not equal development as a character, and without the main character changing and growing throughout the book, what is even the point?

If you, like me, are interested in reading more books with Japanese or Japanese American main characters, below is a list of books I'll be adding to my TBR list. (Also, for anyone interested in nerding out on racism in punctuation and why many folx are advocating for dropping the use of a hyphen when referencing individuals of dual heritage, this is a fantastic article about it!)

1. We Are Not Free by Traci Chee - Historical fiction about the wrongful incarceration of Japanese Americans in camps during World War II.

2. Displacement by Kiku Hughes - A graphic novel about a teenager pulled back in time to witness her grandmother's incarceration in a World War II internment camp.

3. I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn - A present-day realistic fiction about a fashion-obsessed teenager who takes a trip to Japan to visit her estranged grandparents over spring break.

4. Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - A present-day realistic fiction about the main character's anxiety and mental health struggles in the wake of not getting into the school of their dreams.

5. Ink and Ashes by Valynne E. Maetani - A mystery about a teenager who discovers shortly after her father's death that he was...GASP!...a member of the yakuza.

6. Keep it Together, Keiko Carter by Debbi Michiko Florence - Realistic middlegrade fiction about starting seventh grade and navigating the friend drama that inevitably comes with it.

7. Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters by Margaret Dilloway - A middlegrade fantasy about two boys who find themselves pulled into a mythical adventure they may not be quite prepared for.

What to read if you're obsessed with Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing has been around for years, but with the release of New Horizons corresponding so nicely with sheltering in place at the start of the pandemic, the game has become a way for countless people to keep themselves occupied and try to stay sane during the dumpster fire that has been the last year. 

If you, like me, are obsessed with Animal Crossing, check out the below book recommendations, chosen based on some of my favorite things about the game.

🍁🍁🍁

Into the terraforming/shaping a new world aspect of the game?

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Alright, reading the description you may be thinking "strange pick, Dewey." But hear me out! When Tierney and the other young women her age are sent into the woods for their grace year, they are forced to shape their new world into a functioning society or risk starvation, illness, or murder at the hands of poachers. Animal Crossing may not be quite so dire, but that Tom Nook is a shady character...similar vibes, friends. Similar vibes. 

Starbound trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars, This Shattered World, and Their Fractured Light follow characters on different planets as they uncover suspicious activity coming from one of the organizations responsible for terraforming new planets and race to stop the corrupt organization from accomplishing its nefarious goals. Look...I wasn't sure how to sum up an entire trilogy in one sentence, so that may sound a little dry, but trust. It's a great trilogy.

🌴🌴🌴

Obsessed with growing hybrid flowers?

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

A mysterious teenage girl rescued from cryo-sleep after centuries? Strange, seemingly sentient flowers? This is the first book in Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff's latest series, The Aurora Cycle. Book two, Aurora Burning, is also out, and both are thrilling. Be warned, there is not yet a date for the third book, so something to look forward to! Something else to look forward to? This series is apparently being made into a TV series! (Although The Illuminae Files was optioned for a movie in 2015 and that never happened, so...I'm keeping my expectations low.)

Beauty by Robin McKinley

It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast! And the Beast grows the best roses, of course. I can only hope that my hybrid blue roses grow as beautiful as his.

🌷🌷🌷

All about the critters?

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Over the summer, Zorie's mom encourages her to go on a group camping trip with a friend, but imagine Zorie's horror when she discovers that Lennon, her former best-friend-slash-attempted-boyfriend, is also invited on the trip. Then double that horror when, after a fight, the rest of the group abandons Zorie and Lennon in the woods, leaving the pair to bicker as they backpack their way through wilderness, caves, and snake bites to civilization.

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

After discovering the missing boy from the Camp for Wayward Boys in the woods, Nora Walker begins seeing a bone moth, an omen of death, everywhere she goes. Does it mean death is coming for her? Or is the moth a message of some kind? (Hopefully the moths in Animal Crossing aren't death omens.)

🐞🐞🐞

Eager to add art to your museum?

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Isobel is a prodigy, commissioned to paint a portrait for the Autumn prince of the fair folk. When she paints mortal sorrow into the prince's eyes, she is taken to the Rook's kingdom, forced to stand trial for her crime, and finds herself pulled into the world of the faeries in ways she could never have expected.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Will and Stella both have cystic fibrosis, and while Stella has spent most of her life focusing on regular treatments and focusing on staying as healthy as she can, Will is tired of hospitals and uses his drawing skills to cope with a life centered around his chronic illness. Be warned: this book will make you cry harder than being tricked into buying a fake painting from Redd.

🎨🎨🎨

Hoping to build a closet to rival Cher's in Clueless?

The Belles and The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton

Camille is a Belle, blessed by the Goddess of Beauty to make the people of Orleans beautiful. She is proud to serve the kingdom, until she realizes that life as Belle, and life in Orleans in general, may not be everything she was raised believing it was. (The outfits, though, are amazing.)

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

This trilogy follows Lara Jean as she finds her place in high school, learns how to let people in, and tries to find love after her younger sister mails several old love letters written to Lara Jean's past crushes. Lara Jean's love life may suddenly be a mess, but her wardrobe never is.

Last five books of the year!

 I don't have anything I'm particularly excited to review this week, so I figured instead I would share the last six books I'll be reading this year. (Related: I still kind of can't believe 2020 is ending in two weeks. This was simultaneously the shortest and longest year ever.) I'm a little shocked that I'll be meeting my goal of 150 books read this year, but I'm going to do it, and these are the books that will get me over the finish line!

1. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

My sister and I have been reading this series three chapters at a time over the course of the year and messaging back and forth about it, and we've finally made it to the last book! Real talk, we aren't going to finish this book by December 31st, so it doesn't really count toward my 2020 total, but I have almost finished City of Bones, the first book in the series, on audio for the second time back-to-back, so I'm applying credit for that toward this one. P.S. if you're interested in listening to City of Bones on audio, don't make the mistake I did and get the CD version. It's a different narrator than the digital version, and it's garbage. Digital audiobook, all the way - Mae Whitman is amazing.

2. Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Nora is a Walker, finder of lost things, and one of the only people who can enter the woods without going mad or wandering lost forever. When she discovers a boy from a local camp who went missing weeks before, still alive, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. But Oliver Huntsman may have secrets neither of them know about... This book is chilling in an awesome way, and I'm really enjoying it, although I may at some point regret choosing it for my bedtime read. Also, I was scrolling through Goodreads and saw that my uncle added this to his "want to read" list a month before he passed away in 2019, so in a weird way I feel like I'm reading it with him, and it brings me a bittersweet joy.

3. Remembrance by Rita Woods

This book bounces around several time periods, following multiple women: Gaelle, a Haitian refugee in present-day Ohio struggling to rebuild her life, Abigail, an enslaved woman in Haiti during the 1790s, and Margot, an enslaved women in New Orleans in the 1850s. Three women learning how to claim their power in a world hell-bent on keeping them down. I think I've had this book checked out since February, waiting to be read and now I'm a little less than halfway through and can't believe I didn't read it earlier. It's a great one to end the year with.

4. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

This was on a list of the next ten books on my TBR a long while back, and yes, I am still working my way through it. It's heavy, but enlightening, and so much of what I am learning is obvious as soon as I read it. It's infuriating realizing how blind I've been to the injustices of mass incarceration, and this should be required reading for everyone in the United States.

5. It's Not Like It's a Secret by Misa Sugiura

I'm reading this to my husband before bed, and we are greatly enjoying it. It follows sixteen-year-old Sana Kiyohara, who is moving across the country just before her junior year of high school, and it's wonderful.

So...those are my last five books of the year. What are you reading to wrap up 2020?

First Page Friday - Easy to Read Books

My ability to focus is a little like a badly-tuned radio. Sometimes it seems like it's getting better (like today, when I sat down and read an entire book in basically one sitting!), but then it goes fuzzy again and I re-read the same sentence eight times because I can't concentrate. So if you, like me, still can't seem to get it dialed in, I hope some of these books help.

1. Beauty by Robin McKinley

This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is delightful. I first read it probably in my tweens, and I've been in love with it ever since. I still re-read it regularly, and every time I do it's as good as it was the first time.

2. Between Shades of Gray or Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

I have recommended Between Shades of Gray to library patrons many times, and a pretty significant portion of responses are a strange look followed by some variation on, "is that like a Fifty Shades book?" Rest assured, my friends, it is not. Both books take place during World War II - Between Shades of Gray follows a Lithuanian family fighting for survival at a work camp in Siberia, and Salt to the Sea tells the story of the greatest yet relatively unknown maritime tragedy ever to take place, the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustlaff at the hands of a Soviet submarine.

I'm sure some of you are thinking right about now "easy to read books? How are either of these easy to read?" And yes...the subject matter is not easy to read. It's ugly, and it's a gut punch. Ruta Sepetys does a masterful job of showcasing the best and worst that humanity is capable of. In the case of these books, "easy" may not be the right word...but they pull you in, and they're hard to put down. You should read them.

3. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Aw yeah, getting some Middle Grade on the list! A fantasy series about hidden sanctuaries for magical creatures under attack by a secret organization? Sign me up!

4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I know, I know, I include this on every list I do, but honestly, if you're looking for an easy to read book, they don't come any easier than this. Devour it in a day.

5. Legend by Marie Lu

This was on my list for a pretty long time before I read it, and then I ended up getting a copy with one of my book subscriptions, started reading that night, and just...didn't stop. It's intense, it's exciting, and it's a quick read because you can't help but be sucked in right away. For a long time, it was a trilogy, and now there are four books, since Rebel came out last year. Woohoo!

6. Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

I reviewed this a while back if you'd like to read my full thoughts on the book, but the short version is while I think it wrapped up a little too neatly, this book is amazing. 

7. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

This book is amazing. Written in verse, it's Xiomara's experience in high school, navigating assholes, her first relationship, and her super strict, religious mother. It's her discovery of slam poetry, sharing her voice, and being true to who she is. I can't read it without crying, Xiomara is incredible.

8. Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Ok, I cannot tell a lie. I haven't actually finished this series. But I read the first one, and I loved it! Then I got a new job and things got hectic, so Thunderhead fell by the wayside, and now The Toll is out, and I need to read them all. Ooh, maybe we could do a read-along to motivate me! We'll see!

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

It's pretty well-documented that I love anything and everything Becky Albertalli writes, so if you're still sleeping on the Creekwood books, please remedy that ASAP. For the record, this includes Love, Victor on Hulu. I'm watching it right now (literally, as I type), and it makes my heart so happy. I mean I know that isn't necessarily written by Becky Albertalli, but...still.

10. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Great movie, even better book! It's told from the alternating perspectives of two high school students, one unwillingly preparing for his college interview, the other fighting like hell to stop her family from being deported. It's a beautiful story.

11. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

I'm obsessed with this series, both the books and the movies. Obsessed. Light, low-risk, heartwarming. 

12. The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo

This book makes me so hungry. And so happy. I tried to combine happy and hungry to make a hybrid word meaning you're happy but feeling snacky and couldn't. Hacky, maybe? That doesn't sound very nice, though. Whatever, read the book. It's marvelous.

13. We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Alright, this is another one I need to qualify because there's a high probability it will make you cry. It's not an easy to read book in the emotional sense, because it's heavy and it packs a punch, but it's short and it pulls you in and won't let you put it down. And it's beautiful.

14. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Yessssss, girls who code! This book caught my eye because of its cover, and the book is just as good as the cover art. Personally, I recommend the book over the audio, but either option is great. And I fell out of the loop a little bit and didn't realize there were MORE BOOKS! Another read-along option, I guess!

15. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Was that a record scratch I just heard? Yeah, this one is a little bit of an outlier. But I love it! I read it for the first time in elementary school, and I'm a little ashamed to admit that I fell so hard for it that I stole the copy from my classroom library. (Mrs. Johnson, I know you're not reading this, but I'm so sorry). That copy was pretty beat up, so eventually I had to buy a new one, and every time I reread it I enjoy it just as much as the first time.

Anti-racist Reads

In light of everything going on this week (this week, and basically every day, week, and hour since the pilgrims came over on the Mayflower), I've decided to hold off on the post I was planning to make this week and instead focus on books about racism and how to be anti-racist. I also figured that since so many better-informed people than I have already put in the work to share such resources, I should take this opportunity to amplify some of those voices. So, let's get to it.

First things first, while this is not a book, it is an incredible resource. Brianna Wallace and Autumn Gupta (@Autumn_Bry on Twitter) created Justice in June, a month-long curriculum designed to be a starting point for allies to use in educating themselves. Please use and share this, because it is truly phenomenal.

Victoria Alexander also shared some fantastic book lists on Twitter, subdivided by topic no less! Follow the link for a thread of start recommendations, intermediate recommendations, a topic-specific list, biographies and personal narratives, Black feminism, Black LGBTQ+ literature, and Black-centered fiction. For anyone interested in adding to their personal book collection, Victoria also provided a list of Black owned indie bookstores you can support, AND, as if that wasn't enough, put together an anti-racist resource guide. (Note: The book lists on Twitter are images, so I'll be sharing the titles featured on each list in the comments for anyone unable to view those images.)

Then there is this comprehensive compilation of resources for all ages put together by Dr. Nicole A. Cooke. It includes a variety of formats, so peruse and learn! 

And finally, since everyone deserves to see themselves in the books they read, and since Black and Indigenous People of Color deserve books that celebrate their lives in addition to books that document their struggles, below are two great reading lists highlighting authors of color. In addition to educating ourselves on how to be anti-racist, let's also celebrate some of the excellent stories being told about experiencing joy and success.

52 books by women of color to read throughout 2020.

14 Incredible Books to Read When You Need a Dose of Black Girl Magic

First Page Friday - Fifteen Fantastic Picture Books

Alright, I know I'm a children's librarian, so it makes sense that I love picture books. But they're so good, I honestly don't know why more adults don't read them. In the hopes that maybe this list will inspire some of you to read more of them, this week I have for you a list of fifteen (ish...don't count them, I definitely cheated) of my favorite picture books!

Cake by Sue Hendra

Cake has just been invited to his first ever party, and he is so excited! He wants everything to go just right, so he goes shopping for the perfect hat to wear. Then when Cake gets to the party...things don't go exactly as planned.

The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson

This one is a rhyming book about what kinds of food all of Farmer's animals eat, culminating in the big reveal of why the cow loves cookies! There's also a special appearance by one of my favorite picture book animals, the duck.

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

This is a beautifully illustrated story about a little girl and her magic box of yarn. And it's about knitting, so of course I love it. 😉

Hangry by Drew Brockington

What happens when a little monster is craving a hot dog from his favorite spot but can't get one? He gets HANGRY! I identify pretty strongly with that little monster, so I loved this one the moment I saw the cover.

Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won

Elephant is feeling grumpy one day when a lovely surprise arrives - a box full of hats! One by one, he visits his friends, sharing the joy that awesome hats can bring. I love this book so much that I even made a felt version of the story!

I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black

What happens when a bored little girl discovers a talking potato? Read and find out!

Llama Destroys the World by Jonathan Stutzman

On Monday, Llama discovers a pile of cake and, of course, eats it all. He doesn't know it, but by the end of the week, this will result in the destruction of the world. What do you think might happen if he discovers a pile of pies?

Polar Bear's Underwear by Tupera Tupera

I mean...it's about underwear. Underwear is funny.

Press Here by Herve Tullet

I'm a sucker for a good interactive story, and this is one of the best! You start off with a yellow dot on the page, and who knows what might happen if you press it? Read and find out, my friends. Mix It Up is also excellent.

Quackers by Liz Wong

We covered in The Cow Loves Cookies that I have a thing for ducks in picture books, and here you are. Another duck book. Meet Quackers, an adorable duck who is one of a kind. So one of a kind, in fact, that some of the other ducks don't even think he's a duck! But if he isn't a duck...then what is he?

Square, Triangle, and Circle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

Busted, this is three books! Yep, you got me. This is possibly my favorite picture book series in the universe. Once again, Jon Klassen's illustrations are magic, and Mac Barnett is so funny, I can hardly handle it. These books are existential and hilarious, and I love them.

Stegothesaurus by Bridget Heos

Stegothesaurus sometimes has a hard time getting along with the other stegosauruses, so he is thrilled when an equally verbose allothesaurus befriends him! Until he discovers their friendship may not be what it seems.

There's a Dragon/Monster/Elf in Your Book by Tom Fletcher

Wait...is this another three books in one? BUSTED. These are more of my favorite interactive books, and they hold a special place in my heart because after sending a copy of There's a Dragon in Your Book to my niece for her second birthday in April, I've read it to her over video chat a few times, and it makes my heart grow three sizes Grinch-style every time I do. Plus, come on. Who doesn't love a cute baby dragon/monster/elf?

This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

By now you might be wondering...does Dewey have a thing for Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett? I SURE DO! I had to stop myself from making this a list of my top twenty faves and including even more of their books...but I resisted. Y'all, this book. I cackle every time I read it. It starts off following a tiny fish who stole a big fish's hat and is now making a getaway. What happens to the little fish when Mr. Big Fish realizes he stole the hat...made my mom question whether this book was appropriate for children. 🤣

Why? - Adam Rex

Super Villain Dr. X-Ray launches his evil attack on a mall, but his plans immediately start to go awry when a little girl shopping with her mom has a question for him..."why?"

First Page Friday - Best Friends

Without getting into anything super heavy right off the bat, I'm going to be frank with you all and admit that with everything going on, it has been challenging for me to focus on new reading material. I'm putting this out there because I'm a person who loves book and reads a lot, so being a reader is a big part of my identity. It has been hard for me to come to terms with the fact that with all the "free time" I have, my reading time has gone down instead of up, and I suspect there might be other readers out there who feel the same way. Y'all, let's recognize this together right now: Sheltering in place during a global pandemic is not "free time," and there is nothing wrong with the way we are responding to the traumatic experience we are currently living through.

Seriously, let's be gentle with ourselves. Now take a deep breath, in for five...out for five...and I hope that one of these best friend pairings strikes your fancy and helps you unwind a little.

1. Cara and Bea in The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle

No matter how many times I listen to this book, it always gives me chills. From the changelings and the wolves to the mystery surrounding Elsie being in all of Cara's pictures to the accident season itself...it all gets me. Plus I'm honestly a little bit jealous of Cara and Bea's friendship. The two, along with Alice, Cara's sister, and Sam, her former step brother, form a tight-knit quartet, and Bea and Cara together are so witchy and strange, I can't help but love them. Honorable mention also goes to Cara and Sam. 💖 If you're into audiobooks, this is a book I feel is best when listened to.

2. Aristotle and Dante in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I've reviewed this one, but I don't go into much detail, so I'll try to expound on my love for Ari and Dante. The two are such an unlikely pair, but that's exactly what makes them work so well. Where one is soft, the other is hard. Where one is weak, the other is strong. They compliment and lift each other up, and their relationship is a perfect example of what relationships should be. Read this and try not to fall in love with them, I don't think you can do it.

3. Penelope and Simon in Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Yeah, I know, I recommend this in every list I do, and I've reviewed it. Stop talking about Carry On, Dewey! Look...I'll stop talking about it when it stops being amazing, how's that? In the meantime, I stan Penelope and Simon, and if possible, I stan them even more in Wayward Son.

4. Cristina and Emma in The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare

I chose Cristina and Emma for this best friend pairing, but take your pick, really. There are so many amazing relationships in this series, it's hard to call one my favorite. (Ok, fine, it's not...Livvy and Ty, obviously.) The vibrant characters are one of my favorite parts about the Shadowhunter books, and whether it's this series or another, you won't go wrong picking up one of Cassandra Clare's books.

5. Gideon and Noah in Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Yep, another one that I won't stop talking about (or reviewing). But seriously, take a look at this preview of their friendship:

"I was born six weeks early, you know," [Gideon] says quietly.

 "Really?"

Yeah," Noah says. "And just look at him." He closes the fridge. "Seriously, look at him." Gideon straightens up and begins doing a model walk across the room and into the hall, swinging his arms, fingers extended, kicking out each foot with his head held high.

"Look at those legs," Noah says. "Look at that bone structure. Look at those eyes, you could get fucking lost in them."

"You need GoogleMaps to find your way out of my eyes," Gideon says, executing an elaborate turn before catwalking back. "Or at least a comparable navigation app."

They are so goofy and genuine together, and they also just...unabashedly love each other. At the risk of being super cheesy, reading about the two of them feels like a hug to me. Their friendship (and pretty much everything else about this book) is beautiful.

6. Pablo and Tice in Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi

Y'all, I love Mary H.K. Choi so much that when my sister gave me a signed copy of this book for Christmas, I started straight up bawling. This is another book that I've reviewed, and it's actually one of my longer reviews, so I won't say much. Just that we all need a friend like Tice, someone who isn't afraid to call you on your bullshit and tell you to straighten out when you need some tough love. Also, I want someone to make me a quarantine Hot Snack (tm).

7. Simon and Leah in Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Honestly, just thinking about this pair makes me want to reread this book. Leah is the best kind of snarky, and Simon is just...so Simon. They're a great pair, and their whole friend circle is wonderful. No wonder Becky Albertalli can't resist writing more about them. They're such a heartwarming group to spend time with.

8. The quartet in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Ok, this is an oldie, but it's a goodie, and I couldn't not include this group in a post about best friends. They have magic friendship pants FFS. If you're in it for the good feels, stop after Forever in Blue. If you're in it for all the feels, read Sisterhood Everlasting.

9. Aza and Daisy in Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Ooh, another one with a longer review, and one where I specifically talk about what a great friendship Aza and Daisy have! I'll just reiterate that I love the way they genuinely love and support each other, even when they're angry with each other. Would that we could all have a friendship like Aza and Daisy's.

10. Emoni and Angelica in With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

These two are pretty much the definition of Ride or Die friends. They have each other's backs through thick and thin, and they're always there to go to bat for each other when one of them needs support, whether it's something huge like Emoni's pregnancy or smaller things. This is Elizabeth Acevedo's second novel, and once again, she does not disappoint.

First Page Friday: Series to Read During Quarantine

Many of us have found ourselves with more time than usual on our hands due to physical distancing and shelter at home measures, so I figured instead of reviewing one book, why not share my top ten favorite series to keep you occupied while you're home. Is your top ten different from mine? (For the record, I hope it is) Share your list in the comments!

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Celaena Sardothian, the legendary and formidable killer for hire known as Adarlan's Assassin, is rescued from the slave mines of Endovier by the crown prince to compete to become the king's royal assassin - the same king who sent her to Endovier in the first place. On her way to claiming the position, Celaena discovers that the magic she thought had been crushed during the king's vicious campaign for control of the empire is not quite as dead as it seemed...and that this magic might have fallen into dangerous hands, leaving it up to her to save the world she loves. With seven books, plus a prequel compilation of short stories from Celaena's past, this series will keep you busy for quite a while, unless you're like me and can't put them down. If you're into her style of writing, you can also check out A Court of Thorns and Roses.

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Look, I'm reading this right now, so of course it HAS to go on the list! Every year in Panem, two children are chosen from each of its twelve districts to compete in a battle to the death known as the Hunger Games. When Katniss Everdeen's twelve-year-old sister is chosen for the games, she volunteers to fight in her place, finding herself entering the arena with Peeta Melark, a boy who saved her and her family from starvation after her father died when she was eleven and who (he claims) is in love with her. Honestly, I've read this book so many times, and I still cried reading the first chapter. I just...I love it. And three books, four movies? Should meet your content needs at least for a little while.

Plus, a Hemsworth brother? Come on.

3. The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Oh, did I enjoy this series? I know, I hardly ever talk about it, so it must come as quite a surprise. You can read my reviews for Illuminae, Gemina, and Obsidio if you're super curious about them, but if you're looking for an epic space adventure featuring some badass leading ladies, this might be the trilogy for you. I'm still waiting for them to make it into a movie, get a move on already! (CW, given the current state of the world: a pretty heavy feature in the first book's storyline is a highly contagious illness)

4. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Clary Fray is just a normal teenager until the day she runs into a trio of Shadowhunters at a club with her best friend and has her first brush with the secret world her mom has spent the last seventeen years shielding her from. When her mother is taken hostage and her home left ransacked, Clary is plunged headlong into that world and has to learn to navigate her new life as a Shadowhunter, part-human and part-angel warriors who protect the world from demons. This series is fantastic, y'all, and I just want Jace to be happy! Is that too much to ask? Bonus: It's part of Clare's Shadowhunter Chronicles, so if the six books in this series catch your fancy, you can also enjoy trilogies The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices, short story anthologies The Bane Chronicles, Tales from Shadow Hunter Academy, and Ghosts of the Shadow Market, and the first books in her two newest series, The Red Scrolls of Magic and Chain of Gold. PLUS there's a movie version of City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments series (excellent if you can forgive the ending) and a TV series (now canceled, it could have been better but was ok), so entertainment for weeks!

Look at him. He deserves to be happy.

5. One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

So this is a duology, I'm not sure if that really counts as a series, but you can throw Two Can Keep a Secret in there if you'd like a third book to read. All three follow high school students who find themselves embroiled in mysterious deaths. In One of Us is Lying, a student dies from an allergic reaction after drinking from a cup coated in peanut oil while serving a detention . The four students in detention with him find themselves suspects in a murder case and must band together to prove their innocence, but, as the title suggests, is one of them lying? Could one of the classmates they've grown up with be capable of murder?

6. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Simon Snow, the Mage's Heir and the most powerful magical being ever to exist, is at war. Not only with the Insidious Humdrum, an evil entity who sucks the magic out of places, leaving "dry" areas behind where no magic can exist, but also with Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch, his roommate at Watford School of Magicks for the past seven years and his arch nemesis. Baz has spent their entire time at school trying to kill him, and Simon spends the bulk of his time thwarting Baz's evil plots and trying to prove that his roommate is a vampire. When they find themselves thrown together for a common cause, they find they aren't quite at each other's throats as they expected...but after seven years enmity, how long can that last? Technically at the moment there are only two books in this series (with a third on the way!), but you can also enjoy Fangirl, which is about Cath, the original author of Carry On, Simon. I know Rainbow Rowell says that Carry On shouldn't be read as Cath's fanfic, but I'm sorry...it's headcanon for me. And Fangirl is, in my humble opinion, the perfect book. PS I wrote all this out before I remembered that I had reviewed both Carry On and Wayward Son, so feel free to check out either of those reviews if you remain unconvinced that these are worth your time. (Spoiler alert: They are.)

7. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Kendra and her brother are off to spend part of the summer with their mysterious grandparents while their parents go on a seventeen-day cruise (madness, have you ever been on a cruise? They're fucking horrible, I would murder everyone else on board if you trapped me on a boat for that long), and they are not thrilled about it. Then they discover that their grandparents' land is actually a hidden sanctuary for magical creatures and things that a lot more exciting. As it turns out, though, there are some pretty important rules to follow when you're living among magical creatures...and Kendra and Seth are about to find themselves in some pretty hot water. This is a middlegrade series with five books, so it may be a bit of a faster read than some of these others, but it should still do a pretty good job of filling a weekend! And if the last book doesn't make you cry...don't tell me about it, because it makes me sob.

8. Half Bad by Sally Green

Ok, for real this series will make you cry. You've been warned. In a world where Black Witches and White Witches are at war, Nathan is an abomination, born to a White Witch but fathered by the most terrifying and powerful Black Witch in existence. For much of his teenage years, Nathan is caged and tortured by the White Witches in power, believed to have some connection with his father that can lead their hunters to him. After he escapes, he falls in with a resistance trying to remove the corrupt White Witches from power, and his life, while still a never-ending struggle, changes in ways he could never have expected. Seriously, y'all, seriously? Have a box of tissues handy for the last book. Seriously.

9. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

When Lara Jean Covey has a crush, she writes them a letter. The idea is that this will help her get those feelings out of her system, but when her five love letters end up mailed to her former crushes, it turns out that may not have been the case. I'll be honest with you, this trilogy is pretty low-stakes in that not much of serious consequence happens in them, but that's the beauty of them, especially right now. Journey back with Lara Jean to a time where the biggest worry you had was what your crush thought of you and what other people at school were saying about you. Enjoy the purity and sweetness of Lara Jean and her love life. Then watch the movie versions of the first two on Netflix! The aquarium scene in the second movie is, in my opinion, the most perfect thing to ever be committed to film.

They're heartwarming.

10. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

I reviewed The Gentleman's Guide way back in 2018, and I included the second book, The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy shortly after in a series of brief reviews. Now there is also a novella, The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky, and a third book, The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks, slated to come out later this year. These books are the perfect blend of humor and heartache, and I love them so much. What better way to while away some afternoons than by reading about the Montague siblings and their adventures?

Bonus: The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer 

YEAH I SAID IT.

It's a fuckin home run!