Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens - Marieke Nijkamp

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"This anthology explores disability in fictional tales told from the viewpoint of disabled characters, written by disabled creators. With stories in various genres about first loves, friendship, war, travel, and more, Unbroken will offer today's teen readers a glimpse into the lives of disabled people in the past, present, and future.

The contributing authors are awardwinners, bestsellers, and newcomers including Kody Keplinger, Kristine Wyllys, Francisco X. Stork, William Alexander, Corinne Duyvis, Marieke Nijkamp, Dhonielle Clayton, Heidi Heilig, Katherine Locke, Karuna Riazi, Kayla Whaley, Keah Brown, and Fox Benwell. Each author identifies as disabled along a physical, mental, or neurodiverse axis―and their characters reflect this diversity."

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This anthology is amazing! So many different voices, writing styles, and characters in one book did my little book nerd heart good. It's hard to do justice to a review of an anthology with one umbrella review, so I'm going to do my best to review each short story below. Overall, though...wonderful.

The Long Road by Heidi Heilig

Lihua is a young woman from Xi'an who once had a garden, an engagement, and a life. Now, seeking treatment for an illness referred to as her "bad fate," she finds herself riding through the desert with her parents, hoping to survive the dunes of the Takla Makan, the Place of No Return, and find a cure in Persia. The depth to the characters and the world they live in that Heidi developed in such a short story is a lovely way to start off this anthology. I loved the young woman Lihua meets at their stop along the road and the conversation the two share, highlighting their similar fates and vastly different outlooks on life. 5 stars.

Britt and the Bike God by Kody Keplinger

Britt, like her dad, has loved cycling since she was a child. After she started to lose her sight, her dad started a cycling club and found a tandem racing bike so Britt could still enjoy riding. Another member of the club always rides with her as captain, and she worries that those who are assigned to captain for her, especially her crush Andre, see her as a burden. When she learns that night before a big ride that Andre will be captaining for her, this worry will kick into overdrive, feeding every insecurity Britt has tried to suppress since losing her sight. This story was sweet and light, and I loved it. 5 stars. 

The Leap and the Fall by Kayla Whaley

Eloise and her best friend, Gemma, go exploring and find an abandoned carnival in the middle of the woods. Something about the place unsettles Eloise, but she follows Gemma through the dilapidated grounds...is it just the lingering air of disuse and decay setting Eloise on edge? Or is there more to the fairgrounds than meets the eye? This one might have been my favorite. 5 stars, hands down.

Per Aspera ad Astra by Katherine Locke

Lizzie is a genius coder and landed an internship with Dr. Shaw, an electromagnetic physicist assigned to develop a defense system for their planet. Lizzie helps develop a powerful shield to keep Lo safe, but her debilitating anxiety becomes too much, ultimately forcing her into a leave of absence. When Lo is attacked and her shield overpowered, will Lizzie be able to battle her anxiety and do what she can to help protect her planet and her family? As a person with anxiety, this one really hit home for me, and I felt for Lizzie and her struggle with knowing that everyone around her thought she was exaggerating or lying about the things she was experiencing. 5 stars.

Found Objects by William Alexander

A drama student with a powerful gift inadvertently leaves too much of their latest character on the stage, and a ghostly King Richard III lingers after the performance concludes. This one was interesting, but through no fault of its own was not my cup of tea. 4 stars.

Plus One by Karuna Riazi

Hafsah has the chance to go on a pilgrimage, but will her plus one, dubbed "It," weigh her down and prevent her from forming a deeper connection with her beliefs? I wasn't into this one at first, but I liked it more the further I read, and by the end I really enjoyed it. 4 stars.

The Day the Dragon Came by Marieke Nijkamp

Alix is a bonded servant to a wealthy member of the weaver district who dreams of escaping her bond and her city. Delfin is an apprentice thrilled to be a part of the construction of the city's newest tower. After the two meet, will waiting be enough? Or will Alix still do anything she can to escape her servitude and explore more of the world? This one...it's Marieke Nijkamp, guys, it was amazing, of course. 5 stars.

Captain, My Captain by Francisco X. Stork

Alberto is a teenage undocumented immigrant in the United States, living with his sister, her boyfriend, and their baby. Alberto works as a painter for his sister's boyfriend, making half what the other painters on their crew do and sending most of what he earns back to his family in Mexico. This won't be the case much longer, though, if Captain America has anything to say about it. Cap started talking to Alberto, two months ago, whispering to him that he deserved a better life and explaining to him how to get it...will Alberto listen, abandoning his sister and her baby to life with abusive Wayne? This story really tugged at my heart, and I felt Alberto's powerlessness and uncertainty. 5 stars.

Dear Nora James, You Know Nothing About Love by Dhonielle Clayton

Nora does not date. Ever. But she does write a regular column in the school newspaper called "Madame Amour," dispensing relationship advice to her fellow students. When her best friend convinces her to go on a double date with Marcus, a guy who has been crushing on her for a long time, she realizes that romantic comedies and novels aren't enough to teach her everything about relationships. Listen, guys...Dhonielle Clayton is basically a goddess. This short story was wonderful. 5 stars, duh.

A Play in Many Parts by Fox Benwell

E, pronouns they/them, doesn't want much. They just want a chance to act in one more play. Faustus. Alright, maybe they want a little more than that...they want to put together the perfect interpretation of the play, giving it everything they have and making their final performance count. Will the final production be everything E dreams of? This one was really lovely, and I enjoyed the format, a mix of narrative and script. 5 stars.

Ballad of Weary Daughters by Kristine Wyllys

River had the perfect family, until her preacher father left out of nowhere to start a new life with his mistress. Her mother started working extra hours to make ends meet, and River has to step in to care for her siblings. Lucy, her best friend, helps. The stress of trying to hold everything together will always be there, but so will Lucy.  This one was simple and sweet, and I enjoyed it. 4 stars.

Mother Nature's Youngest Daughter by Keah Brown

It's imperative that Mother Nature's children keep the secret of their powers or nothing will ever be the same. Millie, tormented by a group of popular girls at school, isn't sure she can resist finding a way to get even with the mean girls. But what will her mother say if she uses her powers over weather to get revenge? Honestly, this one was probably the one I enjoyed least. It was fine, but a little simple and just...kind of lacking when taken with the rest of the stories included in the anthology. 3 stars.

A Curse, A Kindness by Corinne Duyvis

Sienna was cursed years ago into a life as a sort of genie...if someone shows her kindness, she must repay it by granting the person three wishes. When Mia returns her chapstick and is granted the wishes, she offers to find a way to help free Sienna. Sienna, after years of seeing even the best people turn greedy in the face of such limitless options, doesn't believe freedom is possible. Will the two be able to come up with a plan to free Sienna from her curse? Loved. This. One. 5 stars.

Rapidfire Reviews

or, a touch more accurately, first impressions?

I've been recovering from surgery for the past week, and as cabin fever set in and I started getting more and more stir-crazy, I also started reading a bunch of different books at once. Why do I read multiple books at the same time instead of sticking with one and finishing it more quickly? I don't know. But since I am, here are five (and a half) of my first impressions for you:


On the Come Up - Angie Thomas

I love that it's set in the same world as The Hate U Give, and I'm enjoying the alternate perspective of growing up in Garden Heights. I'm reading this one out loud to my husband, and we're both into it so far, although as an incredibly white person I should 1000% not be reading this book aloud. Joel literally claps his hands with glee every time I get to a part where Bri raps because he can't wait to laugh at me.


Queen of Air and Darkness - Cassandra Clare

Fine, this is a re-read, so it isn't actually first impressions, but when I read the series before it was first book when it came out...wait a long time...second book when it came out...wait a long time...finally, third book! So this is the first read through where I actually remember all the details from previous books. That said, while I love this series (Ty has my heart forever), this might be my least favorite of the trilogy. I have theories, though. One theory, specifically. And I need more books to come out so I can find out if I'm right.

Sidenote: There have been multiple uses of "fire wants to burn" which is also used in the Magisterium series, which Clare writes with Holly Black. Irrelevant to the story and my enjoyment thereof, but interesting nonetheless. Also, bonus "review" since I recently finished the audiobook of the The Silver Mask...that series is a little more meh for me. Character development is lacking, the plot meanders and nothing much actually happens. I've read Holly Black before, and obviously I've read Cassandra Clare, and the Magisterium series just doesn't stand up against their other work. So uh...there you have it. End of tangent.


Mirage - Somaiya Daud

This book is making me stay up past my bedtime. The world-building, cultural detail, themes...ugh, just endlessly glorious. Read this, it's a good one.


Shadow of the Fox - Julie Kagawa

This one is a bit of a slower burn for me, but I'm intrigued by the Japanese mythology and looking forward to getting deeper into the story.


Saints and Misfits - S.K. Ali

Into this story, not into the narrator of the audiobook. I'm powering through because I need to know what happens, but I wish they had picked a reader who varied their tone and inflection based on what was happening in the story. If you're interested, go with the book, not the audio.

Grace and Fury - Tracy Banghart

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover: 

"In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace - someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir's eye, it's Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything."

💭💭💭

I've had this book sitting on my nightstand for months, and for one reason or another (aka other books that demanded to be read) I kept putting it off. Now that I have finally read it, I'm glad I did. Why? Because the second half of this duology doesn't come out until FRIGGIN JULY, and I don't know if I can wait that long.

That's right...after months of delaying picking this book up, when I finally did, I read it in two sittings. I wanted to finish it the night I started reading, but I had to work the following day, and the smart part of me that didn't want to be a zombie running three programs finally forced the rest of me to put the book down halfway through. Even after I did, though, it took me forever to fall asleep because I could not stop thinking about Serina and Nomi. This book stays with you.

In the kingdom of Viridia, it is illegal for women to read. If they want work, they can find it in a factory working as a seamstress, as a wife or a housekeeper, or they can work to become a Grace, one of the women chosen to serve as companions to the Superior, ruler of Viridia. Serina has trained her entire life to become a Grace. She is demure, gentle, and polite, and she has a plan--become the Head Grace, spare her mother from difficult factory labor, and keep the rest of her family safe. Nomi, Serina's headstrong, rebellious younger sister, makes the journey to Bellaqua with her to serve as Serina's handmaid. She also has a plan--find a way to escape Viridia and live somewhere with more freedom. 

After a run-in with the Superior's heir, both sisters' plans are turned upside down when the Heir, choosing his own Graces for the first time, selects Nomi, not Serina, to serve as his companion. Both young women are still reeling from this decision when Serina is caught holding a book and sentenced to Mount Ruin, a prison for the kingdom's most dangerous, violent women. Within hours, each sister finds herself alone, thrust into an environment she is unprepared for, in completely over her head. 

Will Serina, dubbed "Dead Girl" by one of the guards upon her arrival at Mount Ruin, live up to the name, or will she toughen up and learn to fight for her survival? Will Nomi's fierce spirit be tamed and broken by the Superior and his Heir, or will she succeed in navigating the intricacies of being a Grace and find a way to save her sister? If you react to this book the way I did, you'll get some answers pretty quickly...but maybe learn from my experience and wait until a little closer to July to find out.

Holding Up the Universe - Jennifer Niven

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen.” But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to know who she really is. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for every possibility life has to offer. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything. 

Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a newly acquired secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.

Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game—which lands them in group counseling and community service—Libby and Jack are both pissed, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours."

YES, Libby! I was a touch nervous going into this book because of how much I loved All the Bright Places, but there was no need to be. Once again, Jennifer Niven has delivered.

Libby Strout is starting her junior year of high school, returning to public school after being homeschooled and ultimately ending up housebound following her mother's death when she was 10. Starting high school is a lot for anyone, so Libby is understandably nervous, but she's ready. She has a plan. She's prepared for the anxiety. And she's not going to let anyone stop her from living her life. Because Libby? Is a badass.

Jack Masselin is one of the popular kids at school. Everyone wants to be him, but nobody knows that he has a secret. Jack can't recognize people by their faces, and his prosopagnosia has become the defining feature of his life. Everything, from what he does during the day to who his friends are, all centers around keeping his face blindness a secret. He has engineered a life he can live in survival mode, but this carefully constructed existence is about to be shattered.

After Jack, in a misguided effort to spare her humiliation, drags Libby into a shitty high school "game" his friends cooked up and the two of them find themselves in group counseling together, the two are shocked to find themselves drawn to each other. Libby is confident, fearless, and speaks her mind, which is exactly what Jack needs. Jack turns out to be introspective and creative, and Libby is realizing that the boy she wrote off at the beginning of the school year might actually be someone she could fall for. Will their burgeoning relationship survive the tumultuous waters of high school? Or is this a relationship that is doomed to fail?

Seeing Libby and Jack blossom alongside each other is a delight, but if you ask me the real MVP of this book? Dusty Masselin, Jack's youngest brother. This little dude just...my heart. He is such a beautiful soul, and being totally honest, I could read a whole book just following him as he goes about his day being a sweet, kind, heartwarming tiny human. Dusty deserves all the happiness in the universe, and if I could meet any character in this book and give them a hug or a high five, it would be him. If you don't read this book for anyone else, read it for Dusty.

Copyboy - Vince Vawter

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"In the sequel to the Newbery Honor-winning novel Paperboy, Victor Vollmer sets off to fulfill a final request of Mr. Spiro, the aging neighbor who became his friend and mentor. Now a few years older and working as a newspaper copyboy, Victor plans to spread Mr. Spiro’s ashes at the mouth of the Mississippi River as the former merchant marine wished. But the journey will not be a simple one. Victor will confront a strange and threatening world, and when his abilities and confidence get put to the test, he’ll lean on a fascinating girl named Philomene for help. Together they’ll venture toward the place where river meets sea, and they’ll race to evade Hurricane Betsy as it bears down."

"Look not so much to the destination, Messenger, but always to the journey." –Constantine Spiro

17-year-old Victor Vollmer is introspective, meticulous, and overflowing with curiosity, and viewing the world through his guileless eyes is a delight. Victor’s friend and confidante, Constantine Spiro, has just died when the book begins, and one of his final acts is to give Victor a quest, sending him to New Orleans to experience the world on his own for the first time. This journey turns out to be exactly what Victor needs, an opportunity to make his own decisions, form new relationships, and discover a confidence in himself that he never realized he had. Vawter's storytelling is lovely, and his characters are well-developed and supremely real. This is the perfect read if you are in the mood for something uplifting and heartwarming without being overly sugary-sweet.

Give it Away, Give it Away, Give it Away Now!

Do you like great books and cute, semi-nerdy book-related items? Of course you do! Want to win some? I hope so, because I happen to have some that need giving away!

There are 6 items up for grabs, pictured below, and entering the drawing to take one of these sweet, sweet items home is easy. There are two ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment with your thoughts on any of my reviews for one entry 

2. Hit me up about guest posting with your own review! Get two entries for each guest review

I hope your typing fingers are ready, because I'm pumped to give some stuff away! Comment or contact me to guest by 6pm on March 23rd to be included!

Punk Rock Writers journal

Signed copy of The Gilded Wolves
by Roshani Chokshi

Signed copy of Crown of Feathers
by Nicki Pau Preto

"This is How We Roll" pencil pouch

"Raised by Books" pencil pouch

Grisha trilogy-inspired bracelet

Somewhere Only We Know - Maurene Goo

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"10 00 p.m.: Lucky is the biggest K-pop star on the scene, and she's just performed her hit song "Heartbeat" in Hong Kong to thousands of adoring fans. She's about to debut on The Tonight Show in America, hopefully a breakout performance for her career. But right now? She's in her fancy hotel, trying to fall asleep but dying for a hamburger.

11 00 p.m.: Jack is sneaking into a fancy hotel, on assignment for his tabloid job that he keeps secret from his parents. On his way out of the hotel, he runs into a girl wearing slippers, a girl who is single-mindedly determined to find a hamburger. She looks kind of familiar. She's very cute. He's maybe curious.

12:00 a.m.: Nothing will ever be the same."

Lucky has just wrapped up a huge tour in Asia and is preparing for the next step, launching her career in America. This next move is one she has been preparing for since she was young, sacrificing typical childhood experiences for dance lessons, singing lessons, and other training required if one is to make it as a performer. She is understandably exhausted and anxious, and after taking her sleeping pills and (shhhh, secret!) anxiety meds, all she wants is a hamburger.

Jack is taking a gap year, interning at the bank where his dad works, and trying to ignore the fact that the life his parents want for him makes him feel suffocated. All he wants is to be a photographer, but since his parents don't approve he has been secretly scratching that itch by moonlighting as a paparazzo. He's on the bus on his way to meet a friend for a drink after scoring some photos for his boss when a young, obviously inebriated Asian-American girl catches his eye. Ever the good guy, Jack takes her under his wing for the night and ends up letting her crash at his apartment that night, since he doesn't know who she is or how to get her home.

Early the following morning, fledgling tabloid reporter Jack discovers that "Fern," the pretty, drunk girl he rescued, is actually Lucky, super famous K-pop star, and he hatches a plan. He is going to spend the day with her, give her the Hong Kong experience, and document it all for his editor to publish when he's done. A story like that will score him a full-time job with the paper...as long as his growing feelings for Lucky don't get in the way.

I have some complicated feelings about this book. I adore Lucky, her drive and her enthusiasm for life, and most of all our shared love of food. Ohhh boy, food...this book made me so hungry. I loved that Jack was taking a gap year and really trying to think about what he wanted to do with his life, and I especially loved that when he finally decided he was ready to fight for it. Transitioning from high school to whatever happens next is hard, and I will take all the YA books that show people making that jump and figuring out where to go next. 

My one big qualm, and the one I find myself circling back to every time I think about this book, is how long Jack was committed to sharing his Lucky story with his editor. I can give him a pass for coming up with the idea. He didn't know Lucky, he was looking out for himself, and I'm not going to fault him for fighting for a career, even if it is one that makes me wrinkle my nose. But the longer the day went on, the harder it was for me to excuse him continuing to take pictures and plot his narrative, especially after the pair realized that they had feelings for each other. Huge spoiler here, so stop reading here if you don't want huge things given away...have you stopped reading? I hope so. He had already passed what would have been the point of no return for me, but the moment where he truly became unforgivable was when he went to his editor and gave him the pictures. Did he take them back after his editor was a gross asshole? Sure. But what the actual fuck? How did it ever go that far?! Hard no, there is no redeeming yourself after that. 

*deep breath*

So...yeah. I was not rooting for Lucky and Jack to end up together. That being said, I did not want to put this book down. The characters were well-developed, the writing was fast-paced and fun, and I enjoyed the story. You should probably read it...just maybe don't root for Jack. ;)