Favorite Book of September – Amelia Unabridged

Hello! It’s around the time where I get to talk about the favorite book I read in the previous month, and this time it just so happens to be an arc that I got to read on NetGalley. **And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources.**

My favorite book that I read in September was Amelia Unabridged, a debut YA contemporary by Ashley Schumacher. In all honesty, I had been approved for this book a while ago, and was going to complete it for my Reading Representative position, but found that three reviewers had already read it, and therefore I could not submit a review of my own for credit. Nevertheless, the cover was stunning and YA contemporaries are my genre of choice, so I just went right in, and my goodness it was beautiful. I had also neglected to re-read the synopsis, so imagine my surprise when tragedy strikes in the first few chapters and I wasn’t expecting it. I was hooked from the beginning, and even now, weeks after I’ve finished, I still read through the last chapter and epilogue with tears misting my eyes, which is clearly a sign that this book will remain a favorite for some time.

Cover art for *Amelia Unabridged.* Design by Kerri Resnick, artwork by Beatriz Naranjalidad

Amelia Griffin has a special connection to the Orman Chronicles – they’re the books that brought her and her best friend, Jenna, together after Amelia’s father left for good and her family imploded. Years later, they have the chance to meet young, reclusive, and enigmatic author N.E. Endsley at a convention, and Amelia is beyond excited to start off the summer before college right. But things don’t exactly go as planned – Jenna meets him, Amelia doesn’t, and it leads to the biggest fight of their friendship. A few weeks later, Jenna is gone, and Amelia struggles to grapple with a future that was mapped out for two. When a book that shouldn’t exist lands in Amelia’s hands, it leads her to a bookstore in Michigan where she might find exactly what she needs – a clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along.

Wow, ok, I guess I have to try and articulate all my thoughts about this book. To start, I absolutely loved it. Hard-hitting contemporary novels have become some of my favorites this year. Amelia Unabridged is able to explore the topic of grief from so many angles – losing a friend, a daughter, a sibling, and even trying to comfort a loved one through their own grief. Each of the characters deals with their own individual struggle, and works to understand how those struggles can have an effect on the ones around them. While I can see how readers may find issue with both Amelia and Nolan’s “outbursts,” I felt that their emotions were consistent with the stage of grief they were at – lashing out at those who try to offer us help in times of need can definitely be a coping mechanism used in times of distress, along with losing interests in previous passions and refusal to admit [to yourself] that you were not at fault. I found the dichotomy between Amelia’s parents (primarily her mother), and Jenna’s parents (Mr. and Mrs. Williams) showed a contrast between guardians that provide too much guidance and those whose guidance proves to be inadequate. While it may seem evident that those who care too much will provide better care, there are also moments when this becomes overbearing, and can actually do more harm than good. I will say I had hoped the relationship between Amelia and Nolan would progress in a less romantic direction – however, I found the bond between them strong, encompassing, and lovely to read about, so by the end I didn’t mind that romance occurred over a short period of time.

In the book, a specific device is used when a character is undergoing a strong emotional moment, or a wave of anxiety. Slowly, another character will fully describe a picture, whether from their phone or simply a mental image, and go through it in full detail, pinpointing features that may not seem to matter but they do. This continues until the moment has passed, or the character has calmed down to a point of not needing further assistance. And this device becomes a way for Amelia and Nolan to describe their pain in detail, pinpointing things others may not have realized before, and allows them to comfort each other. I just found this incredibly beautiful, and I wish I had better words to describe my feelings about it. I suppose the best way to express them would be to use it myself, so here’s a snapshot from the day I finished reading the book:

“There is a photo of a girl with tears of various emotions in her eyes as they scan the last lines of the epilogue of Amelia Unabridged. It’s the first day of fall with a chill in the air, and she’s wearing her pajamas and an oversized red sweatshirt after a long day working from home. She knows that when those lines are done, she will go back to read the last chapter again, as she does with every one of her favorite books, and mourn the fact that she has to wait until next February to have a finished copy in her hands. She will cherish the copy she has for now, and think about how many people she will try to convince to read this book. She’s smiling sadly, as she knows that every book must come to an end, but relishes in the fact that the best stories will live on inside you long after the covers are closed.”

In my opinion, Ashley Schumacher has fully captured the essence of figuring out your future while living in the present and trying to learn from your past. If you are searching for a hard-hitting young adult contemporary with characters who love books, slowly work through grief, and appreciate what small towns have to offer, I highly recommend picking this book up. Amelia Unabridged is released on February 16th, 2021, so please consider preordering a copy, because those sales greatly help the author in the long run (and support local indie bookstores, especially in these difficult times – find one near you here) or picking up a copy when it’s finally out in the world. I cannot wait to hear what you think, and I also cannot wait to pick up more from Schumacher, particularly her next release with Wednesday Books, Full Flight, coming in 2022. **Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Places to find Amelia Unabridged:
Amazon
Goodreads
Ashley Schumacher’s site
Macmillan

Favorite Book of August – Real Life

Hi there! So, Setember was another rough month for me mentally, so I haven’t been able to put out as many posts as I was hoping to, but I wanted to make sure my next favorite book of the month post was up before we reached October. I mean, someone’s got to wake me up before September ends. (That is a bad joke, will always be a bad joke, but it will never keep me from making it). **And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources.**

My favorite book that I read in the month of August was Real Life, a profound literary fiction written by Brandon Taylor. I became aware of this book back in June, when Dahlia Adler, over at LGBTQReads, was recommending books for my monthly Patreon reward. I was immediately drawn to the cover, which depicts gel electrophoresis, and was intrigued by the biochemistry major aspect, as that is what I studied in college for two years. I do not typically lean towards literary fiction, and knew I wanted to take my time with it and not rush to finish. What I found was an exceptionally written debut that discusses the harrowing nature of being a minority in a science field, dealing with past trauma and an uncertain future. I was blown away to say the least.

Cover art for *Real Life.* Design by Grace Han

Description from Goodreads: Almost everything about Wallace is at odds with the Midwestern university town where he is working uneasily toward a biochem degree. An introverted young man from Alabama, black and queer, he has left behind his family without escaping the long shadows of his childhood. For reasons of self-preservation, Wallace has enforced a wary distance even within his own circle of friends—some dating each other, some dating women, some feigning straightness. But over the course of a late-summer weekend, a series of confrontations with colleagues, and an unexpected encounter with an ostensibly straight, white classmate, conspire to fracture his defenses while exposing long-hidden currents of hostility and desire within their community. **Trigger warnings for childhood abuse, sexual assault, and racist and homophobic language**

From the moment I started this book, I knew it was going to be memorable. From the prose to the scientific background to the deep exploration of pain and grief, I knew I needed to take this slow and not binge it like I would normally do with my typical contemporary read. It’s written in 3rd person for most of the book, skipping to 1st person with no paragraph breaks when revisiting an experience from the past, and we constantly see inside Wallace’s head. He is struggling, but not in the way any one of his friends believes, yet most of the time he is the one that has to console them when they are upset. It was frustrating and difficult to read at times because Wallace is so set in his ways, which will lead him down a path of mental destruction, but every time he reaches out for help he is ignored. There was such an intricate discussion about overt and covert racism and homophobia, especially within the science community, which I found to be incredibly well done. There was one instance when Wallace and a female classmate are having an argument inside the lab, where she is spewing racist and homophobic remarks at him, so he gets angry and leaves, and later finds that she had written an email to the lab director painting him as the villain and a misogynist, and is not believed when he pleads his case. Maybe part of the reason Wallace can be such a frustrating character to read about is because he never wants to talk about his feelings – even when people directly hurt him, ruining his research experiment, for example, he will sit on it, acknowledge it, and move on, then get angry at everyone else when they bring it up in the future because he’s over it so they should be too. I think that, in part, is due to his trauma, and the fact that when he never felt like he could talk about how he was feeling growing up, otherwise he’d be ridiculed or beaten. I feel like a lot of people will be able to relate to some part of Wallace’s struggle, no matter their identity.

This book isn’t perfect by any means, and I believe that anyone, even those who love it to pieces, will be able to point out and agree with criticisms made against it. The book, and all of its characters, is messy. But isn’t life? And maybe that’s the point? The mental and physical struggles you may bear due to trauma from the past, learning to cope with the fact that your collegues, who may be the only people you have in your life, are celebrating your every failure, being taken advantage of by the ones you care for the most, and the ones you thought would take care of you – it’s rough. Life is rough. Life can be beautiful, and hopeful, but a lot of times it isn’t. And perhaps that’s exactly what Brandon Taylor was trying to convey. But hey, that’s just how I felt after reading.

Real Life has been shortlisted for The 2020 Booker Prize, and it’s no surprise. Brandon Taylor has been able to craft a powerful and lacerating novel that discusses the cost of overcoming the blows that have left us wounded and scarred, and explores microaggresions faced as a person of color in the science industry. I am so glad that I was recommended this book, and will without a doubt pick up whatever Taylor has in store next.

I think it’s also important to check out this Guardian author interview where Brandon Taylor discusses how he doesn’t want to be viewed as 2020’s token queer black author.

Places to find Real Life:
Amazon
Goodreads
Brandon Taylor’s site
Penguin Random House

Favorite Book of July – Today Tonight Tomorrow

Hello! I’m excited to finally bring the next installment of my “favorite book of the month” series. These are probably some of the best-loved posts (at least for me) that I get to write on this blog, and have such a fun time picking apart exactly what I enjoyed about these books. **And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources.**

Today’s post is going to be all about my favorite book that I read in July. It was tied with April for my second best reading month page-wise, and quality-wise it definitely had it’s fair share of highs and lows. Some of the other books I enjoyed I’ve already discussed in ARC reviews, such as Blazewrath Games and Miss Meteor. But here and now I want to talk about Today Tonight Tomorrow, a YA contemporary written by Rachel Lynn Solomon, because I could NOT put this book down. Back in April, I was scrolling through all the books available for purchase and pre-order through YALLSTAYHOME, and the cover and synopsis of Today Tonight Tomorrow intrigued me so I decided to get a copy. Since it was a pre-order, the book didn’t cross my mind again until it showed up on my doorstep over a week before release date. I was excited all over again, and once I started reading it I couldn’t stop. I was close to the end while on break from virtual training with a coworker, and I asked for five more minutes so I could finish it – I did not stop raving about the book for several minutes after, to my coworker’s amusement. Needless to say, I loved this book.

Cover art for *Today Tonight Tomorrow.* Jacket illustration by Laura Breiling.

High school student Rowan Roth has been at odds with fellow classmate Neil McNair since he won over her at a school-wide essay contest. They’ve battled to be the best ever since, competing in everyday classes, extracurriculars, and even student council. Now it’s the last day of senior year, and it’s come down to the fight for valedictorian. When Rowan is beaten yet again, there is one final chance for her to defeat McNair – the senior’s annual game, Howl (a combination of a scavenger hunt around Seattle and extreme tag). When she overhears several of her classmates vowing to take both of them down, Rowan must team up with her rival to be sure they make it to the end. But, will they make it to the end still rivals, or throughout the night will they realize there’s been more to their rivalry all along? *Today she hates him. Tonight she puts up with him. Tomorrow… maybe she’s already fallen for him.*

AH, okay, where do I start. I absolutely fell in love with Rowan and Neil, both them as individuals and them together. I could feel the tension from their rivalry, and enjoyed watching it melt away as the night went on. The trope of rivals-to-lovers, a version (in my mind) of enemies-to-lovers where the characters have history, always makes me smile, and I laugh every time a side character acknowledges that they’ve known the two rivals have had feelings for each other the whole time but where just too busy fighting to realize it. There was also a slight mixed-media format thrown into the mix that I wasn’t expecting but added so much substance to the story – we got to see text exchanges between Rowan and Neil from the past and present day, Howl updates keeping score and locations of safe zones, lists that include but are not limited to Rowan’s Guide to High School Success, Neil’s favorite words, moments where Rowan may have ditched her friends to be with Neil, and many others. I felt the novel also captured the emotions of the last day of high school well – signing everyone’s yearbooks, even people you barely talk to, worrying about whether or not your friendships are going to last after the summer, especially if you’re heading off to different schools across the country, and realizing that it might be the last chance to do something you’ve always wanted, but never had the guts to do until now. The game of Howl also brought in the imagery of Seattle, which I have never been to, but was able to get a feel for the city and picture the sights as the students rushed to be the first to collect all of the clues. The book may only take place across a single day, but the story felt fleshed out and to me never felt rushed.

While the characters and the romance are truly something to cherish, I also appreciated the subtle (and sometimes overt) discussions and conversations that are displayed in this novel.
–First, it touches on moments of anti-semitism and sterotypes against Jewish individuals – one of Rowan and Neil’s classmates, Savannah Bell, plots to take both Rowan and Neil down in the game of Howl. When she is addressing those who want to join her in her quest, she comments that Rowan won’t need the money (because she is Jewish) and touches her nose to emphasize the point. Rowan overhears this, and notes that even in places where people are “more open,” there will still always be jabs that appear harmless (but aren’t) and stereotypes people accept as truth, even if they are painfully inaccurate and misguided.
–Second, it addresses hating romance as a genre – Rowan has loved romance novels ever since she picked one up at a garage sale, and is even seriously drafting a romance story of her own. However, she feels as though she can’t share her progress or her dreams with anyone (her author parents, her best friends, even rival Neil), because they’ve all expressed disdain for the genre as a whole. Sure, at times it may be in a joking manner, because it’s “cool to dunk on books with shirtless men on the cover,” but to Rowan, romance has portrayed and centered women in a way that other forms of media just don’t. She feels that her passion is other people’s guilty pleasure, and fears that other people won’t support her because of it.
–Third, it shuts down slut-shaming – this is a very specific instance in the book, but I found it significant. When Rowan and Neil are in the parking lot of the school, Rowan points out a spot where she hooked up with a classmate, Luke, in his car. Neil makes a comment along the lines of “I thought you were a good girl,” and Rowan immediately strikes back against the comment, saying that just because she gets good grades or sticks to herself, it doesn’t mean that she has not engaged in sex – those two aspects of her life have little to do with each other. Neil may have been projecting, making assumptions because he himself is still a virgin, but that does not excuse his comment and how its ideal is wrong and outdated.
–Lastly, it displays open communication and understanding of boundaries – *this section may have minor spoilers so please read a your own risk* due to conversations that Neil and Rowan have throughout the book, they both understand their history with former partners and their personal levels of experience with activities involving physical attraction. When things do become physical between them, at every step there is a question of “is this okay?” Rowan understands that she is more experienced than Neil in certain regards, and is mindful of that, and understands that while she may feel comfortable reaching a certain level of intimacy, he might not be (at least at the present time). During a conversation, Rowan tells Neil that “sex is not a dirty word,” and I agree, it’s not. There needs to be discussions regarding boundaries and comfort levels between potential partners, and I’m glad this novel explored that well.

I feel like each time I draft one of these “favorite book of the month” posts, the more I tend to write, but sometimes I just want to gush about the incredible books I’m able to get my hands on. A tell-tale sign that a book is going to be a new favorite for me (at least for books that have a happy ending) is the act of going back and rereading just so I can relive the emotions it made me feel. I have done with so many times with Today Tonight Tomorrow so far, and can guarantee it will happen many more times in the future. Rachel Lynn Solomon has captured the true essence of a rivals-to-lovers rom-com, and I was here for every second of it. I can’t wait to read more from her. If I have been able to convince you of all the goodness this book can bring, I highly recommend picking it up (and if possible, buying from a local indie bookstore – find one here). You won’t be disappointed. **and if you are that means your reading tastes just don’t align with mine and that is 1000% valid**

Places to find Today Tonight Tomorrow:
Amazon
Goodreads
Rachel Lynn Solomon’s site
Simon & Schuster

Favorite Book of June – The Sound of Stars

Hello! Yes, it may be almost the end of July, but I still need to talk about my favorite book of June. June was such a great reading month, and it was difficult to choose just one to choose from, but here we are! (I felt like when I finally get around to posting this, it will already be time to pick my favorite book of July, but here we are). As always, here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources.

So my favorite book I read in the month of June was The Sound of Stars, a debut sci-fi novel by Alechia Dow. I had my eyes on this book for a while (and honestly the cover is absolutely stunning), and when I saw it was available through the NoVa Teen Book Festival, I quickly ordered myself a copy. Since many festivals were canceled due to concerns around COVID-19, I wasn’t able to get the book signed, but it still arrived on my doorstep with a few other book-swag items, such a a “rebel librarians” button I’ll wear with pride when I go back to work. And let me tell you, the story inside may be just as stunning as the cover, and it had me intrigued from beginning to end.

Cover art for *The Sound of Stars*. Art direction by Erin Craig, cover design by Mary Luna.

Two years ago, an alien race, the Ilori, invaded Earth, resulting in the death of one third of the human population. Many of those still alive are watched in Ilori-controlled centers. One such center lies in what remains of New York Center, where seventeen-year-old Janelle (“Ellie”) Baker risks her life to run a library, allowing her fellow neighbors to experience the emotions that reading can bring, in a world where emotional expression can be ground for execution. Enter lab-made Ilori M0Rr1S (“Morris”), who discovers the library, but instead of turning her in, he offers her a deal – he will keep her and her loved ones safe, if she collects all the music she can find. When events thrust the two of them on a road trip across the country, with a bag of books and their favorite albums, Ellie and Morris discover that creating their own story, and a song of their own, may be the key to saving them both, and, perhaps, the rest of humanity.

This book was able to tackle so much social commentary while still being a book about an alien invasion and a duo teaming up to save the world. Ellie’s discussion about how her neighbors looked down upon her and her family when they moved into the apartment building, even in a place as racially and socially diverse as New York City speaks volumes about what’s going on in the country. References to books such as The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (which Morris reads from Ellie’s library) and individuals who had been killed by police and haven’t found justice highlight just how far we still have to go. It had a nice balance between light and serious discussions, which I find can be hard to find in YA novels that are trying to weave social commentary into their plotlines. Speaking of plot, I thought the storyline was unique and well-developed, from the quotes at the beginning of every chapter, to the alternating points of view between Ellie and Morris, and even the Starry Eyed interviews layered between chapters in every section. I didn’t find it predictable, and when that last section hit I wasn’t sure whether things were going to turn out well. Some people may be disappointed by the ending (as it doesn’t fully wrap up the entire story) but I find it leaves room for more story in The Sound of Stars universe, should Alechia Dow choose to write some in the future, which I sure hope she does. The relationship between Ellie and Morris, the progression we see from their first encounter, I found delightful and they will forever have a special place in my heart.

Two things that really stuck out to me while reading – the asexual representation and the anxiety rep. Ellie suffers from anxiety, in addition to hypothyroidism, and took medication for both before the Ilori invasion. Several times throughout the novel, when Ellie can feel her anxiety become heightened, she counts backwards from five, reciting things she can sense to calm her breathing. This is an exercise I typically use when I can feel an axiety attack creep up on me, so it was nice to see a character undergo the same thought process. Ellie is also on the asexual spectrum – I believe the label she chooses is panromantic demisexual (and if not I will correct this post upon reread) and her conversations with her friend Alice (an allo individual) regarding sex and relationships was something I incredibly related to. Alice doesn’t understand Ellie’s need for a strong emotional connection before she can feel attraction, and sometimes Ellie even wishes she was different so she could be as carefree with her sexuality as her friend. But seeing Ellie and Morris develop that emotional connection over the days they’re together, and Ellie feeling that love and connection because that emotional bond was formed, let’s just say it made my little ace heart very happy.

Things have been a bit hectic for me, recently, so some of my details might be a bit foggy, but I can definitely saw that The Sound of Stars is a story that I will continue to revisit time and time again. From its commentary to its romance, to all the sci-fi elements in between, I feel that I will be able to leave each reading experience with a newfound appreciation. I cannot wait to see what else Alechia Dow has in store for us in the future, as I will be keeping close eye on her upcoming books. If anything about The Sound of Stars even remotely interests you, I highly recommend checking it out when you get a chance,

Places to find The Sound of Stars:
Amazon
Goodreads
Alechia Dow’s site
Harlequin
The Lit Bar (Black-owned bookstore in the Bronx)

Favorite Book of May – This Train is Being Held

Hi again! It feels good to finally get back to talking about my favorite books I read this year. What I’ve found while doing this series is these books may not be the ones I’ve rated the highest, or enjoyed the most, but rather are the ones I’ve resonated the most with and am able to form coherent thoughts about. As always, here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources.

I’m so happy to talk about This Train is Being Held by Ismée Williams as my favorite book that I read in May. I read some pretty good books that month – including The Extraordinaries by T.J. Klune, which I have a review up for, Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell, which is a sci-fi retelling of Les Miserables, and Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigalow, which is an adorable middle grade about drumming, summer camp, and figuring out feelings. But This Train is Being Held holds a special place in my heart, because it was the book I reviewed to apply to be a Reading Representative for Once Upon a Bookclub, a book subscription service that includes a new release and several gifts to open while you’re reading. The company was looking for representatives to read upcoming releases to help decide which book to include every month, and I was actually chosen! That means I’ll be reviewing a ton of arcs that I’ve read early from NetGallety in the future, just something to look forward to. So this book is now associated with that happy memory in my mind, plus it was a really great read, so let me talk about it!

Cover art for *This Train is Being Held.* Design by Siobhán Gallagher. Illustration by Virginia Zamora

Alex and Isa come from very different parts of New York City. Alex is a Domican-American who’s on par to make it to baseball’s big leagues but wants to be a poet, and is scared to tell his father. Isa is a dancer who dreams of becoming a pro, but her mother is against it, never failing to crush those dreams and push her to pursue medicine. The two meet on the downtown 1 train, in an extremely chance encounter, but maybe fate has brought them together for a reason. Maybe fate knows what they need most, and that’s each other.

I don’t really want to go into so much detail like I typically do with the synopsis, because I truly believe the impact of this book is best when going in blind. Now, from the cover and simple description, I was under the impression that this would be a light and fluffy contemporary novel. I mean, the cover is gorgeous. And while it does have its fair share of cute moments, particularly regarding Isa and Alex’s blossoming romance, there is so much more depth to it. Isa and Alex are complex characters dealing with a variety of issues in their personal lives, all while trying to simply get through high school in New York City and figure their lives out. Isa feels like she needs to put on a brave face to keep her family from falling apart. Alex deals with familial and societal expectations trying to dictate his every move. The two of them lean on each other and learn from what the other has to offer, and it was really beautiful to read. This book also tackles topics of mental health (two characters suffer from bipolar disorder, and while I cannot speak firmly on whether the representation is done well since it is not my experience, it was nice to see it discussed), gang violence, especially between different Hispanic factions in NYC, police brutality, and racism. Some of the writing may not appeal to everyone, as many of the Spanish phrases used are not always translated, a lot of dance terminology is mentioned, and the setting includes the New York City subway system which can be confusing, but it was such a breath of fresh air for this Puerto-Rican American living in New York with prior dance history to enjoy.

This Train is Being Held was released on February 11th, 2020. I finished the book in May, and I believe that I will still be looking back on it for many months, maybe even years, to come. Ismée Williams has developed incredible, three-dimensional characters that I will cherish alway, and written a story that will stay in my heart. Please, if you’re looking for a young adult contemporary novel written for those who are trying to find their place in this ever-changing world, I highly recommend picking up this book.

Places to find This Train is Being Held:
Amazon
Goodreads
Ismée Williams’ website
ABRAMS

Favorite Book of April – Technically, You Started It

April was actually a really good reading month for me, both quantity- and quality-wise. Since I’ve been working from home, I’ve been able to read a lot of physical books from my TBR, which has been a positive. I also participated in a month-long Harry Potter-themed read-a-thon hosted by G at the YouTube channel Book Roast, in which I attempted to complete all twelve of my O.W.L (ordinary wizarding level) exams by reading twelve books associated with Hogwarts subjects. And I genuinely enjoyed pretty much everything I picked up to read, which made picking one book to talk about a bit difficult. Some notable mentions include: Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place, a memoir by Jackson Bird about “sorting out” his own gender and sexuality and the decision to transition in his late twenties, and Heartstopper: Volume 3, the latest graphic novel installment from Alice Oseman following boys Nick and Charlie as they navigate their new relationship. The book I ultimately decided to talk about in my favorite book of the month post is Technically, You Started It, a YA novel by Lana Wood Johnson written entirely through text message threads recounting the interesting summer before senior year for two high school students.

Cover art for *Technically, You Started It*. Designed by Baily Crawford and illustrated by Marcos Chin

On the day of the AP US History test, Martin Nathaniel Munroe II texts Haley Hancock to find out which essay question she chose. With a name like that, Haley should know who she’s talking to. But long story short, there are two Martins, with the same full name, and while she thinks she know who “the good one” is, she may be wrong. What starts out as simple conversations about AP scores and class projects soon evolves into an online friendship sharing secrets about familial troubles, nerdy guilty pleasures, and interesting facts about Canada. Will Haley finally figure out which Martin she’s talking to, or will things start to get messy and turn from a meet-cute to a meet-disaster?

It was surprising how much I enjoyed this book. Recently I’ve read several books where the two main characters communicate solely through letters – some were more successfully done than others, and one main critique I had was that the story became a bit unbelievable if the characters interacted in their day to day life, and their letters were just recounting their interactions for the reader’s sake. But this is the first one I’ve read written strictly through text messages, and I wasn’t sure how well this was going to go because I knew these characters had at least some real-life interaction, but what made it interesting was Haley is convinced she is talking to a completely different Martin, so them recounting their interactions through text didn’t feel unnatural to me. Additionally, it was highly entertaining how Martin was reacting to her accounts of meeting with “his cousin” when he knows full well it’s actually him. Especially at the convention – I think that was my favorite. This book is riddled with high school antics – people creating drama for no reason, summer jobs, the bro-code, and 4th of July parties – but it also tackled serious and important topics ranging from generalized anxiety disorder to failed familial relations to sexuality. I thoroughly enjoyed Haley and Martin’s banter, and how their relationship developed throughout the book. I listened to the audiobook while reading along, and while I overall thought the narrators did a good job conveying emotion, there were definitely some parts that were cringeworthy. And the only thing I found a bit unbelieveable was when the two of them were texting in an escape room – from my experience you wouldn’t be able to use your phone while trying to solve the puzzles.

I feel like I really have to talk about Haley for a second, because the more I thought about this book after finishing it, the more I saw of myself at 17 in her. She’s a girl who would much rather organize her entire bathroom than be forced to socialize for an afternoon, someone who can recount facts that no one really cares about, and a person who struggles being heard in a sea of voices trying to fight for attention. Her relationship with Jack also struck a chord – everyone was telling her to go out with Jack, that they’d be good together, and she really wanted to like him in that way, because she felt like it would’ve made everyone happier, but she just couldn’t. Senior year of high school, prom was fast approaching, and I had just planned to go with a group of friends – some were concerned I would be lonely in a sea of couples, but I would’ve been perfectly content “taking myself.” That is, until one day in my Spanish class, one of my friends asked me to prom using a magic trick. Partially because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, and partly because my friends’ conversations had gotten to me, I said yes. And it was fine, he’s a sweet guy and everything, but I really feel like I would’ve had a better time if I hadn’t let my friends get to me all that much. Also like Haley, I fall somewhere on the asexual spectrum, and don’t feel certain attractions and connections the way other people do, which makes it difficult when asked “who’s your celebrity crush?” or “which guy in class do you secretly want to ask you out?” And that makes us different, sure, but not abnormal or weird or strange. Our other interests might make us weird, sure, but not our sexuality.

I think I’ve gushed enough about Technically, You Started It for one day. This book was just everything I needed right now – light and fluffy filled with teenage drama, mistaken identity, and a lot of burritos. Lana Wood Johnson made me fall in love with two teenage weirdos throughout text message threads, and if I ever need another pick-me-up, I’ll be sure to give this another quick read through.

Places to find Technically, You Started It
Amazon
Goodreads
Scholastic
Lana Wood Johnson’s website

Favorite Book of March – Little Universes

So with everything that’s going on in the world right now, with the uncertainty growing every single day and updates coming in every single hour, it felt like the month of March would never end. I’m incredibly grateful to still be working from home during this time, because I know that others haven’t been so lucky, and I hope everyone is staying safe. On a lighter note, I was able to get some serious reading done in March (thanks in part to The Bookie Trials Royal Weekender, a weekend-long readathon hosted by Rachael Marie on YouTube **edit June 2020, I no longer support this creator due to her views on minorities and other creators, so I am removing all links to her channel and putting this disclaimer on all videos discussing her**), and it was pretty hard to decide which book to talk about as my favorite. So, I decided to combine two types of blog posts in one and talk about an ARC I received, which also happened to be one of the best books I read this month.

So I’ve primarily received ARCs from entering giveaways on sites such as Twitter and Goodreads, and sometimes I forget I’ve entered them until a publishing house messages me asking for my mailing address because I’ve won. Such was the case for Little Universes, a YA contemporary book by Heather Demetrios which releases on April 7th, 2020 – the day after this blog post goes live if everything works out. Fierce Reads messaged me saying that I’d won a copy of this book I’d heard little about, and when it arrived on my doorstep I was intrigued. I read little of the synopsis before diving in, and was absolutely blown away. I suppose now’s a good time to tell you what the heck this book is even about.

Cover of *Little Universes* and paper from Fierce Reads exclaiming “Congratulations! You won!” Cover art by Chung-Yun Yoo, design by Liz Dresner

In late August, the summer before their senior year of high school, Mae and Hannah receive devastating news: a violent tsunami has struck the island their parents were vacationing on in Malaysia. When it becomes clear that their parents won’t be returning home, these two sisters are forced to move across the country from California to Boston, while struggling with uncovered secrets that should have stayed buried, past events coming back to haunt them, and facing a future full of uncertainties at every corner. Mae and Hannah both have different ways to cope, and while this traumatic event should have brought them closer, cherishing the family they have left, the wave might be the one thing to tear them apart for good. **Trigger warnings: death of a parent, grief, substance abuse, discussion of abortion, attempted suicide, cheating. Please look up other reviews for additional warnings, because there might be some I missed**

I knew this was going to be a powerful novel about two sisters grappling with the loss of their parents in a tsunami. What I didn’t expect was to finish this 469-page book in under three days, while several experiencing several emotional reactions during that period. Heather Demetrios uses dual perspective, allowing each of her main characters to develop a distinct voice and signiture beginning their respective chapters – Mae, a hopeful-future-astronaut, begins her chapters with the International Space Station location, and the Earth date and time, while Hannah, a suffering poet, leaves us little acorns to read to understand how she’s feeling. I’m not usually one to read books that deal with heavier topics, especially in the current state of the world, however I do believe that they are important and necessary. This book tackled addiction pretty heavily, and I think the dual perspective helped to emphasize the fact that one person’s struggle can affect the people around them, in varying ways. Grief is also an overarching theme throughout the novel, and what I really appreciated was the exploration of indivual resposes to traumatic events, and how you are not “less than” if you do not grieve in the way everyone’s expects you to. While I did enjoy some parts of the story that love interests Ben and Drew brought to the table (Ben’s nerdiness to compliment Mae’s and Drew being able to make Hannah feel seen), I did find it unnecessary to give both girls a romance, especially so early on in their move to Boston. This book is not perfect by any means. It doesn’t shy away from the ugly, but underneath it all there is still a message of hope.

As the youngest of three sisters, this book made me want to call them to say “I love you,” and repeat it over and over because you never know where life is going to take you. I think the last line of the book’s synopsis sums it up pretty perfectly: “Little Universes explores the powerful bond of sisters, the kinds of love that never die, and the journey we all must make through the baffling cruelty and unexpected beauty of human life in an incomprehensible future.” Heather Demetrios does an incredible job at delivering a powerful novel full of loss, hardship, struggle, and recovery. Happy book birthday to Little Universes, and if you’re looking for a read that will have you hugging your family tighter than ever, I highly suggest picking it up today.

Places you can find Little Universes:
Goodreads
Amazon
Heather Demetrios Twitter
Macmillan

Favorite Book of February – Because You’ll Never Meet Me

Hi again. So yes, I’m aware it’s already halfway through March and I never wrote an entry for February. Things have been, a bit anxiety-inducing lately, and when my anxiety flares up I am either extremely motivated to do anything and everything on my to-do list, or extremely unmotivated and never get anything done. With all the chaos going on in the world right now, it’s been the latter, so please bear with me as I take it one day at a time. I have been able to get some reading done, as a sort of escape from reality, so there might be an increase in the number of book reviews I post in the next few months. Sorry, but not really.

This post is to talk about my favorite book that I read in the month of February. I reread a bunch of old favorites last month, so I decided to write about my favorite new read. February’s book was Because You’ll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas. I had heard Julie (from the YouTube channel Pages and Pens) talk about this book in a TBR for a recent round of Contemporary-a-thon — a week-long readathon hosted by Julie and several other booktubers focused on reading books in the contemporary genre. I picked up the book on a recent trip to Barnes and Noble and found the premise and execution extremely interesting and well done. So without further ado, what is it about?

Book cover of Because You’ll Never Meet Me

Ollie is allergic to electricity — every time he’s near it, he’s prone to debilitating seizures. Moritz has an electronic pacemaker — without it, his weak heart would stop beating altogether. The two form an extremely unlikely friendship through written communication — letters passed between a German small town and a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Since they can never meet, and are both hermits of their own kind, Ollie and Moritz help each other work through problems from their past, confront issues in the present, and develop hope for the future.

I’ve realized that I often enjoy books with dual POV, or multiple points of view, and I was really drawn in by this synopsis. I was interested to see how these vastly different individuals would interact and form an unlikely friendship. I think Leah Thomas did an excellent job with developing the characters of Ollie and Moritz, and how she was able to craft such distinct voices for each of their respective chapters. While some might critique the book with the claim that the boys narrating their day to day actions to each other at times might seem extraneous, I found it necessary since, as the title suggests, these two can never meet in real life, so their only form of communication (i.e. discussing events of the past and the present with the other) is through these letters. I read another book in February that involved two boys writing letters to each other, but in that story the two main characters go to the same school and interacted on a daily basis, which made them recounting events that had occurred as unnecessary in my opinion. I grew attached to Ollie and Moritz, felt (for the most part) their feelings and reactions to certain situations was realistic, and felt the pace at which Leah Thomas revealed their pasts was great. It left me intrigued and wanting more at the end of each letter. There is a sequel currently out, titled Nowhere Near You, and after the way this book ended I’m interested to see where the next book picks up.

And there you have it, the best book I picked up in February. Well, the best new book at least — I reread my favorite series, How to Be (by T.J. Klune), and I could spend another blog post specifically dedicated to those, but I’ll save that for a different day. I’ve already picked up some great books in March, so I’ll be interested to see which one takes the cake as my favorite.

Places to find Because You’ll Never Meet Me:
Amazon
Goodreads
Bloomsbury
Leah Thomas’ Instagram

Favorite Book of January – The House in the Cerulean Sea

Welcome to the new series I’m working on where I gush about my favorite book of every month! We’re starting off strong with January, and I’m honestly so excited to talk about this book, because I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait for it to be published so other people can enjoy it just as much as I have!

My favorite book of January was, in fact, The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. This book will be released on March 17th, 2020 (a month away from the time this post is public), BUT Goodreads ran a giveaway at the end of last year and I was one of 100 people to win an arc (advanced reader’s copy) of it. I was SO excited when I received the email saying I was a winner, and even MORE excited when it arrived on my doorstep before I left for work on Christmas Eve. I’ve followed T.J. Klune pretty closely after I discovered his book How to Be a Normal Person, and this book is the first with his new publisher Tor Books. So, what’s the book even about? Well, I’m glad you asked.

**Cover art by Chris Sickels/Red Nose Studio (@rednosestudio) and designed by Peter Lutjen**

Linus Baker has been a case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY) for more than a decade. At work, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of magical children in government-sanctioned orphanages. At home, he lives a solitary life in his tiny house with a devious cat, his old records, and nosy neighbors – a rather exciting life for a 40-year-old man. He is a lover of routine, until one day he is summoned to the fifth floor of his work building for a meeting with Extremely Upper Management, who send him on a highly classified mission to the Marsyas Island Orphanage for one month. To do what? Evaluate the six children and caretaker living there and determine whether these individuals are capable of bringing about the end of days. Simple, right? He meets Talia, Phee, Theodore, Chauncey, Sal, and Lucy: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and, oh yeah, the Antichrist. There’s also Arthur Parnassus, the charming and enigmatic caretaker fully prepared to protect his wards from any proposed threat at all costs. Will Linus be able to survive the month, and what ever will he report back to Extremely Upper Management?

I absolutely loved this book. T.J. Klune has a way of weaving minor fantastical elements to appeal to both contemporary and fantasy readers. The beginning of this book is slow, but before I knew it I was falling in love with every single person on Marsyas Island (well, at the orphanage, some of the townspeople are rather unlikeable). I feel like a big part of this book is being able to overcome some of society’s misconceptions about things you don’t fully understand before you yourself are able to experience them. Linus had so many misconceptions about the children (and Arthur) because of how they are framed by Extremely Upper Management and their case files. But once Linus has had time to interact with them for himself, and get to know them for who they truly are, he begins to understand how his initial thoughts and feelings could be wrong. Each of the children in the orphanage has a personal struggle they’ve had to overcome, which I think will allow readers to relate to one, if not more, of them. For me, my personal connection with Sal, the were-Pomeranian, was the strongest. As the newest resident to the orphanage, he is a scared kid due to trauma from his past, and is often unable to trust new people until he’s gotten to know them better and he can be sure they won’t hurt him. He also had such a hard time being able to find his voice until being able to express himself through writing, and finding people who care about him – and his voice – and help to amplify it. Recently, in a blog entry, T.J. Klune posts a memo straight from the desk of Extremely Upper Management, and reader, I broke Rule #2 about halfway through this book.

In conclusion, The House in the Cerulean Sea is just another book that I will cherish forever, from its cast of characters to its emotional bonds and ultimate message of hope. I have no doubt it will be one of those books that I return to when I need to a little burst of happiness in an otherwise sadness-filled day. T.J. Klune continues to be one of my favorite authors, and I cannot wait to see what other books we can expect from him and Tor Books in the coming years. If you are at all interested in heartwarming books with magical children and a message of hope, I highly suggest picking up The House in the Cerulean Sea when it is released on March 17th!

Thank you for checking out the first installment of my “Favorite Book of the Month” series, and I can’t wait to see what great ones are in store for me in February!

More ways to check out The House in the Cerulean Sea
Goodreads
Excerpt
Preorder
T.J. Klune’s Website