Throwback Thursday - Five Faves

Oooh, past me has reviewed some truly excellent books in May, so for today's Throwback Thursday post I decided to highlight five of my favorites. Going in chronological order, we begin with Dear Martin by Nic Stone, reviewed in 2018. This review was four stars, and I mentioned it was because I didn't think the letter-writing part of the book lent itself as well to an audio format. I'm happy to report that my Goodreads rating did indeed go up to five stars after reading the physical book. So good.

Next up is On Two Feet and Wings by Abbas Kazerooni, a rare non-fiction read for me. Abbas's story is just incredible, and my only gripe remains that I wish the book was longer. I want to know more about his journey!

Our last 2018 book is to this day one of the prettiest books I've ever read, The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross. It is well documented that I'll read anything with a pretty cover (or sprayed edges), and in this case the story was as beautiful as the cover. It's the first book in a duology, and I've been contemplating re-reading it recently...now that I've revisited my review, I feel like I have to do it.

Now, fast forwarding alllllll the way to the nightmare that was 2020, let's talk about one of the few good things to come out of it...excellent books. First up, Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee. This was actually published in 2019, so that sort of negates my "one of the few good things" point, but...I read it in 2020, so still counts. It's an amazing book about finding the courage to stand up for yourself and call out inappropriate behavior, AND Barbara Dee commented on my review, which still makes me swoon a little bit when I think about it. 

Our final revisited book was released in 2020, and it was very decidedly one of the few good things to come out of 2020 for me, particularly because I got to read an advanced copy. 😍 We're talking about The Cousins by Karen M. McManus, and I. LOVED. IT. This one is sitting on my To Be Read shelf as we speak, impatiently waiting to be read a second time, and I can't wait.

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?

The Kingdom of Back - Marie Lu

Initial draw: ✰✰✰✰

Character development: ✰✰✰✰✰

Plot/Writing style: ✰✰✰✰

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish: to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she'll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in eighteenth-century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age - her tyrannical father has made that much clear.

As Nannerl's hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true - but his help may cost her everything."

This was an emotional read for me for reasons unrelated to the book itself. I received a copy through a book subscription box a little less than a year ago, shortly after learning that someone close to me (I don't want to use her real name, so I'll call her Amy) had passed away. When I opened the box and saw it my first thought was, "I need to text Amy, she would love this!" I knew I wouldn't be able to read this without thinking of her the whole time, so it took a while before I was ready to pick it up. Now that I have, though, I am happy to report that I remain confident Amy would indeed have loved this book.

The premise of this story is one that will always be appealing to me -  a young woman in a situation where women are supposed to live quiet, undistinguished, obedient lives pushes back, determined to set herself apart and be remembered. Nannerl is talented, passionate, and committed to leaving her mark on the world, whatever it takes. She's also conflicted - both proud of her brother, with whom she is very close, and envious of his talent and how readily people praise and encourage his skill. She wants him to succeed, and she is glad for him when she does, but she is also a bit jealous that it's so easy for him to be accepted as a great compose and musician when it's so far out of her reach simply because she is a woman. For Wolferl's part, he doesn't seem to understand these arbitrary standards either. As a matter of fact, enamored with his sister's talent for composing, Wolferl is her greatest supporter and even finds ways to help her compose in secret.

Marie Lu's character building was excellent, and I loved watching Nannerl's relationship with Wolferl develop as they spent more time in the mysterious Kingdom of Back. Just as lovely was the imagery of the fantasy world weaved within their real world. I think even if I hadn't enjoyed the story of Nannerl's struggles with her father, her experiences performing, and all the rest of the real-world narrative, I would have loved this book solely for the incredible imagery of the Kingdom. This book is just so beautiful, inside and out. The cover is gorgeous, it's got silver sprayed edges...it's an entire visual experience.

Finally, if I had to pick my single most favorite thing about The Kingdom of Back, it would be that it inspires curiosity. I love a book that makes you want to keep learning, and the further I got into Nannerl's story, the more I wanted to research the real Nannerl. In her author's note, Marie Lu even recommends Mozart: A Life by Maynard Solomon as a starting point, so shout out to her for knowing that readers would need more after reading her beautiful story! I can't wait to learn more about this amazing, talented woman.

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!

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

Pacifica - Kristen Simmons

Initial draw: ✰✰✰✰
Character development: ✰✰
Plot/Writing style: ✰✰✰

Audiobook narration: ✰✰✰
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"For too long our people have suffered, plagued by overcrowding, disease, and lack of work. We have only just survived for too long. Now we must take the next step and thrive. Pacifica. A new beginning. Blue skies. Green grass. Clear ocean water. An island paradise like the ones that existed before the Melt. 

A lucky five hundred lottery winners will be the first to go, the first to leave their polluted, dilapidated homes behind and start a new life. It sounds perfect. Like a dream. The only problem? Marin Carey spent her childhood on those seas and knows there's no island paradise out there. She's corsario royalty, a pirate like her father and his father before him, and she knows a con when she sees one. So where are the First Five Hundred really going?"

I wanted really badly to love this book. The premise is interesting and very relevant right now, there's an introduction from the author that talks about her inspiration for the story being the internment of Japanese Americans in the United States, and I went into it expecting to be blown away. Then I spent about three quarters of the book trying to force myself to get into it. And finally, I gave up. I can't put my finger on what exactly it is about the book that didn't do it for me - more than anything, it just felt like a story that didn't quite know what to do with itself or where it wanted to go. Even when it comes to a synopsis, there doesn't seem to be a consensus, because there's the synopsis I included above, and then there's this alternate synopsis from Goodreads:

"Marin is corsario royalty, a pirate like her father and his father before him. Sailing the ocean to chase adventure is in her blood. But these days no one cares that the island town her people call home is named after her grandfather. They have a new leader, one who promises an end to their hunger – and one who thinks that girls are meant for the kitchen or the brothel. Marin knows she's meant for more than that, and with the sudden influx of weapons on the island, and rumors of a pending deal with the enemy oil nation in her wake, she knows a big score to gain the council's favor is the only way to save her people, and herself.

Ross lives a life of privilege. As the president's son he wants for nothing, but he longs for a life of adventure. On a dare, he convinces his best friend Adam to sneak out to the Docks, the site of local race riots between the poor Shorlings and the upper class. But when Adam is arrested along with the other Shorlings, and not even the president is willing to find him, Ross finds himself taking matters into his own hands. He journeys back into the Docks, ready to make deals with anyone, even a beautiful pirate, if it means Adam's safe return.

When Marin and Ross meet in dangerous Shoreling territory he sees a way to get his friend back and she sees her ticket home. The ransom a president’s son would command could feed her people for years and restore her family’s legacy. But somewhere in the middle of the ocean, Marin must decide if her heart can handle handing over the only person who has ever seen her as more than a pirate."

So...is this book about people being disappeared to a mysterious island that doesn't actually exist? Or is it about Marin finding a place with the corsarios and Ross tracking down his friend? This is a genuine question, because I read a lot of this book and I am still not sure, and I'm not convinced that Kristen Simmons knew for sure either. The plot, like these dueling synopses, was scattered, and that made it hard to nail down the driving action and actually care about anything that was going on. The characters suffered a similar fate - it wasn't clear what they were actually working toward from one moment to the next, and at times I felt a little bit like I had started reading in the middle of the book because there's so little development. Either synopsis would have made a great story, but both of them together was too muddled for me. Which is a bummer, because who doesn't want to read a dystopian novel about a badass woman pirate?

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.