Book Review: "Saving Face" by Mansi Shah

The CEO of a global skincare company, Ami Shah is a role model. Raised in Singapore, she had to break down a lot of barriers to get to where she is, and convince many that despite her gender and the color of her skin, she’s a businesswoman to be reckoned with. Her company, Amala, is about to merge with a Fortune 500 company.

Her nomination for the Global Changemakers Award is unprecedented. This prestigious award has only gone to white men; she is the first woman of color to be nominated. If she wins the award, it will increase the value of Amala and cement her legacy.

While she should be beside herself about this honor, Ami would prefer to withdraw her nomination. All of the publicity makes her nervous—not because she’s shy, but because she’s not who she says she is. Ami (whose real name is Monica) was an orphan raised in a convent in Singapore. But since orphans in her country never had a chance to amount to much, she decided to steal a former classmate’s identity and move to London, which is where her new story began.

But as the merger details are finalized and the award ceremony draws closer, Ami starts getting threatening text messages promising to expose her lies if she didn’t confess. She knows if the truth comes out, everything she built will fall apart. To figure out who is blackmailing her, she must go back to where she vowed she’d never return: Singapore.

“She wanted to prove that just because a girl had been abandoned, it didn’t mean she had to carry that weight with her forever. She could find purpose, and through that, she could find herself.”

This was such a thought-provoking, emotional book. Mansi Shah created a story that seemed so plausible, and even though it’s a bit of a slow burn, it was tremendously compelling.

Book Review: "Heart of Gold" by Ariel Atwater

It’s Olympic season—I can’t pass up a gymnastics romance, can I? This was a really sweet story, and apparently the first book in a trilogy.

Danny is an American gymnast, known as much for his super-friendly personality as his gymnastic skills and his California good looks. His ultimate goal is to win an Olympic medal, but he really enjoys making friends with the athletes from other countries, and believes good sportsmanship and encouragement goes a long way.

Sasha also aspires to win medals, but being a Russian gymnast comes with a different kind of pressure. He goes to the 2012 games as an alternate. When his best friend Kirill overhears Danny’s effusive excitement and congratulations, he lashes out and makes fun of him. Sasha goes to apologize to Danny on Kirill’s behalf, and it ignites a friendship between the two.

The book follows both Danny and Sasha through different international competitions. While Danny is always gregarious, Sasha is more reserved. Both feel a strong connection, and they start to realize their feelings are becoming romantic and sexual, but neither has ever been with a guy before. And while this could have implications for both, Sasha lives in a country where it’s dangerous to be gay, and he doesn’t want to get kicked off the team.

I found myself smiling a lot during this book, and I was so glad there wasn’t any real drama to be had. Sasha and Danny are both characters I rooted for, and I look forward to seeing what comes next for them.

Book Review: "A Great Country" by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

This was a tremendously thought-provoking and beautifully written book. It really is so timely in its exploration of culture, race, family, identity, and prejudice, as well as the lies we tell ourselves.

Ashok and Priya Shah came to the U.S. 20 years ago from India with only college degrees and a dream of creating a better world for their future children. And after years of hard work and sacrifice, they have finally succeeded, with a beautiful home in a gated California community and being able to send their children to the best schools.

But one night, their grasp of the American Dream is shattered. Ajay, their 12-year-old son, is arrested. This sets off a chain of events that will make the Shah family question everything they know about their adopted country, and how much they’ve sacrificed to get to a level at which their family is still not safe.

Multiple people narrate the story: Priya and Ashok, as well as their two daughters, Deepa and Maya, along with the policeman who arrested Ajay and the mother of one of Maya’s friends. It’s interesting to get their perspectives, which include seeing the origin of one person’s prejudice.

I was born and raised in the U.S., so it was really fascinating to read about the challenges that immigrants face in trying to get ahead and assimilate. Some of the characters are more well-drawn than others, and some are not as empathetic, but I found the book was very impactful.

This would be a great book to read with a book club because there’s lots to spark discussion!

Book Review: "Anita de Monte Laughs Last" by Xochitl Gonzalez

A dual-timeline book that examines the art world as well as the sexual, racial, and power dynamics it stirs up, Anita de Monte Laughs Last was a very thought-provoking read. I really loved Xochitl Gonzalez’s debut, Olga Dies Dreaming, so I was really looking forward to this.

In 1985, a rising young artist, Anita de Monte, died under mysterious circumstances. Anita was married to famed artist (and womanizer) Jack Martin, but as her raw talent started gaining notoriety, it provoked Jack’s envy and his anger. While Anita’s death proved to be a scandal, the buzz was short-lived, and it wasn’t long before Anita’s talent was forgotten and Jack's career continued to flourish.

In 1998, Raquel Toro is an art history student at Brown University. Being one of only a few minority students, she felt ostracized, like she needed to work three times as hard to get the breaks her fellow students got. When she starts a relationship with Nick, an older, wealthy art student, she does reap the advantages—but at the expense of her pride, her independence, and her self-respect.

She plans to write her final thesis about Jack Martin, but while interning at a museum over the summer, she is introduced to the life and work of Anita de Monte. She realizes this artist, her talent as well as her tragic end and the influences she had over those in her cycle, is the real story that needs to be told.

The parallel narrative is an interesting one, shifting back and forth through Anita’s short career and her death, alternating with Raquel’s struggles and her discovery of Anita’s work. It’s fascinating and sad how both women felt the need to compromise themselves in order to make the men in their lives happy, and how their minority status often made them “exotic.”

While the pacing felt a little slow at times, I really liked this book. I’d imagine the struggles Anita and Raquel dealt with were very realistic, not just within the art world.

Book Review: "The Women" by Kristin Hannah

So, maybe you’ve seen this book around once or twice? I’m definitely a fan of Kristin Hannah’s, but I need to be in a specific frame of mind for the emotional journeys she takes you on. I’m pleased to say, however, that this so utterly lived up to all the hype—it was simply fantastic.

“How did you know if you had the strength and courage for a thing like that? Especially as a woman, raised to be a lady, whose courage had been untested.”

Frances “Frankie” McGrath was raised a daughter of privilege, living on Coronado Island. She was working as a nurse, at least until she got married. But in 1966, at age 20, inspired by her older brother going to Vietnam, Frankie does the unheard of and enlists, becoming an Army nurse.

The book follows Frankie in country, through the harrowing injuries and deaths she saw, the wounded Vietnamese children, and the strong bonds she formed with both her fellow nurses and other soldiers. It also deals with the trauma Frankie dealt with upon her return, both from those against the war and her own family, all of whom would rather believe that there were no women in Vietnam.

This book is graphic and very emotional, but it so beautifully pays tribute to the oft-forgotten women who served in Vietnam, and those who gave their lives. It also examines the visible and hidden scars that soldiers face, whether in combat or not. I’m always grateful to those who have served and continue to serve our country, but reading The Women makes me want to say thank you over and over again.

Book Review: "The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen" by Isaac Blum

This debut novel is insightful, emotional, and very relevant.

Judah “Hoodie” Rosen is an Orthodox Jewish teenager. He knows he’s supposed to be focused on his studies but there’s always something to distract him—quite often it’s the mischief he and his friends cause in class.

But even though life seems carefree, it’s actually quite stressful. Their Orthodox community has moved into the suburban town of Tregaron and they intend to build a large apartment complex so more of them can settle there. However, the town has other ideas—they don’t want to get overrun by Jews, and thwart and harass the community at every turn.

And then Hoodie meets Anna-Marie Diaz-O’Leary, the daughter of Tregaron’s mayor, who is leading the charge to “protect” the town. He falls head over heels, as she’s completely different from anyone he’s ever met, and the fact that he’s not even supposed to talk to her only adds to her appeal.

As antisemitic violence increases in Tregaron, Hoodie is viewed as a traitor by his family and friends, and is ostracized. But when the violence takes a tragic turn, Hoodie has to decide between his family and his faith and the girl who won his heart.

Hoodie is such a terrific narrator, sensitive yet oblivious, funny, and flawed. This is an incredibly relevant story—whether it’s Orthodox Jews, immigrants in general, people of other races and ethnicities—there are many communities committed to doing whatever it takes to keep these “outsiders” out. This was definitely a memorable read!!

Book Review: "Is There Still Room in Your Life for Me?" by Will Manwill

If you like romantic, poignant stories of second-chance love and finding the courage to move on, you'll want to check out Will Manwill's Is There Still Room in Your Life for Me?

Jake Ruiz is a chef and restaurateur whose restaurants are struggling because of the economic hardship so many have faced. But that’s not his only problem—his husband died and left him with their five-year-old son, and he’s afraid to go anywhere other than in case something should happen to him, thus orphaning his son. And don’t even think about dating again; his first date left him in tears.

When a family emergency summons him back to Newport, his small Washington hometown, he’s not looking forward to seeing his parents, who disapprove of his being gay and have almost no part in his life. And even though he continues fighting with his angry, highly religious mother to the point he’s ready to leave, he finds that his parents’ restaurant is in desperate need of help as well.

He’s also not prepared to come face to face with Colton Humphrey, his childhood best friend and first serious crush. Jake was in love with Colt through high school, but their relationship hasn’t been the same since one Halloween night during college, when things were said and done.

Being home in Newport for a while reignites Jake’s feelings for Colt. Could this be the chance to finally have what he dreamed of when he was younger? But can he stay in a place where his mother is so constantly cruel and manipulative?

I love friends to lovers stories as well as stories of second-chance love, so Is There Still Room in Your Life for Me? was an enjoyable, sometimes emotional story. It’s told from both Jake and Colt’s perspectives so you see certain incidents through both of their eyes. They’re just great characters and you can’t help but root for them.

This is also an all-too-familiar story of the rejection so many LGBTQIA+ people have to deal with at the hands of family and others, and the importance of chosen family. Like many rom-coms, you know what will happen but I know I loved going on the ride anyway!

Thanks to Pride Book Tours and Will Manwill for inviting me on the tour for this book and providing a complimentary copy in exchange for an unbiased review!!

Book Review: "Razorblade Tears" by S.A. Cosby

S.A. Cosby's new thriller, Razorblade Tears, is a fantastically gripping story of revenge, regret, and transformation.

What is it that makes one author get an enormous amount of hype while another more talented one doesn't get the same recognition? Cosby has written two absolutely electrifying books—Blacktop Wasteland and now this—and if there was any justice, he would be a household name. Maybe this book will do the trick.

“Folks like to talk about revenge like it’s a righteous thing but it’s just hate in a nicer suit.”

Ike is devastated when he learns his son Isiah was murdered along with his white husband, Derek. Ike spent years in prison during his son’s youth, but his inability to accept Isiah’s sexuality and subsequent marriage was his biggest failing and caused the biggest strain in their relationship.

Buddy Lee, Derek’s father, is also an ex-con, and also fought with his son about being gay. Descending from a long line of racist miscreants, Derek was not only gay but married a Black man—double the sin, as it were, in his father's eyes.

But with the police unable to make any headway in their sons’ murders (or do they just not care?), Ike and Buddy Lee reluctantly team up to do some digging. They both know they may cross a line from which they can’t return, but both feel they owe it to their sons to find the person responsible. Along the way, they have to come to terms with their own prejudices and decide whether avenging their sons’ deaths is worth a return to violence.

Powerful, sad, gritty, and utterly searing, Razorblade Tears is easily one of the best books I’ve read all year and it was one of my most anticipated. It’s very violent, so that may be a trigger for some, but it is truly a fantastic book.

Book Review: "Mary Jane" by Jessica Anya Blau

Looking for a terrific coming-of-age story about a teenager who realizes there’s more to life than her sheltered upbringing? Read Mary Jane, the new novel by Jessica Anya Blau.

Was there a point in your childhood when you realized your parents weren’t always right about everything, that their views of the world might be out of step? That’s what happens to 14-year-old Mary Jane.

It’s 1970s Baltimore. Mary Jane is a good girl—she loves Broadway show tunes, sings in the church choir, and grows up in a conservative, traditional household. (There’s even a picture of President Ford hanging in the house.) Her father works; her mother takes care of the house and makes sure dinner is always on time.

Her mother gets her a summer job in “a respectable home,” working for the Cone family, helping care for their young daughter Izzy. (If only her mother knew that what appeared "respectable" on the outside was anything but on the inside!) But Mary Jane quickly realizes the Cones need far more than a helper—she practically takes over running the household in no time. She also knows that the Cones’ lifestyle is one her parents would definitely disapprove of, but that doesn’t make it wrong.

Mary Jane’s life is thrown for a loop when one of Dr. Cone’s patients and his wife move in, so Dr. Cone can help him beat his addiction. But it’s not just any patient—it’s Jimmy, a famous musician, and his even-more-famous wife, Sheba. Suddenly Mary Jane is the only person paying attention to what goes on with Izzy, ensuring whether there’s food in the house, getting the laundry done, etc. And at the same time, she starts to learn things about life, love, relationships, and music, things that conflict with the things she’s always believed. It’s good when your eyes are opened to what’s around you, but difficult at the same time.

I thought Mary Jane was great. I definitely felt like Blau captured the mood in society of the 1970s and the conflict between more "traditional" or conservative beliefs and more modern ones. Mary Jane was a terrific character and I loved seeing how her eyes were opened, but yet how she felt rooted in what she had been taught by her parents.

This was definitely a well-written and thought-provoking story!

Book Review: "Zara Hossain is Here" by Sabina Khan

Zara Hossain Is Here, Sabina Khan's newest YA novel, is a poignant, powerful story about the racism and prejudice faced by immigrants, even within their own religions and cultures.

“My presentation in class today has reminded me that I exist in a sort of no-man’s-land. I wasn’t born here, but I don’t remember much of Pakistan and I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I still lived there. But I know how a lot of people here feel about immigrants. So...where do I belong?”

As the only Muslim in her conservative Texas Catholic high school, Zara Hossain stands out—and not for the reasons she wants to. Every day she faces abuse—vicious stares and comments about terrorism, especially from football player Tyler Benson and his friends. But when she dares to challenge him in front of his friends, he vandalizes her locker, which sets off a chain of events that leads to tragedy and upheaval.

Zara’s parents contemplate moving back to Pakistan, but that will upend Zara’s life. She won’t be able to get as good of a college education there, and being bisexual, she’ll face even more prejudice from her own people. But how can she stay in the U.S. if her parents go?

I thought Zara Hossain Is Here was a really good, thought-provoking read about an all-too-familiar experience immigrants face. It’s also particularly timely given the recent rise in violence against Asians.

This is the first book of Sabina Khan’s I’ve read, although her first book, The Love and Lives of Rukhsana Ali, is on my TBR as well. I love how she captured both the racial prejudice immigrants face and the judgment faced in their own communities for things like not being “devout enough.”

It was great to be part of the tour for this book. Storygram Tours, IReadYA, and Sabina Khan provided me with complimentary copies of both of Khan's books in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making them available!

Book Review: "The Boy in the Red Dress" by Kristin Lambert

The Boy in the Red Dress is a fun, unique, and compelling story about living your life on your own terms—and trying to protect your friends.

It’s New Year’s Eve in New Orleans in 1929. Millie is running her aunt’s speakeasy while she is out of town. Everyone has come to the Cloak and Dagger to see Marion Leslie perform. This “boy in the red dress” is a consummate performer and Millie’s best friend.

That night, though, a young socialite is showing people an old picture of Marion and asking questions. Seeing her has truly upset Marion, as it reminds him of an earlier, horrible time in his life. But he’s also angry that this woman has shown up and he wants her to leave.

Before the clock strikes midnight, the woman is found dead outside the club. It appears she was pushed off a balcony, and her friends immediately accuse Marion of her murder. But Millie knows he couldn’t possibly be guilty, even if the police want nothing more than to accuse a boy who dresses as a woman to be punished.

Determined to clear his name, Millie starts her own investigation. She uncovers secrets, blackmail, illicit love affairs, and people bent on keeping her from the truth, but she doesn’t care. She’ll stop at nothing to figure out what happened, even if it puts her in danger.

As she mounts her own investigation, she has to deal with her own conflicted feelings between Olive, a young waitress at the club, and Bennie, the handsome bootlegger. But romance has to take a back seat until she finds the real killer.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. Despite the time period, I love how the book never made a big deal about anyone’s sexuality or how they choose to live. Millie is a conflicted teenage girl unsure of what her heart wants, but she will fight to protect anyone who tries to hurt someone she cares about.

This was a great story, so well-told and poignant at times. I loved these characters and would love to see another book with them!

Book Review: "Darius the Great Deserves Better" by Adib Khorram

Adib Khorram's new novel, Darius the Great Deserves Better, is a beautiful, heartwarming, and emotional story about family, friends, love, identity, sexuality, mental health, self-esteem...and tea. Lots of tea.

Darius Kellner, the protagonist of Khorram's terrific Darius the Great is Not Okay, returns, and it is so good to have him back. When the novel opens, things are going well for Darius. He has a boyfriend, Landon, an internship at a fancy tea shop, he plays on his school's varsity soccer team, and he's even developing a strong friendship with Chip, one of his teammates, who used to bully him. He also has been keeping in touch with Sohrab, his best friend that he met when his family visited Iran.

But even though he should be happy, things keep causing him to feel unsettled. His dad has to travel a lot for business and he seems to be struggling emotionally, his sister is having trouble at school, he's still getting bullied by his nemesis, Trent, and sometimes he just worries that everything is going to come crashing down.

While Darius likes Landon a lot, he isn't sure he's ready to take their relationship to the next step, so he's worried Landon may want to end things. And as much as he loves working at the tea shop, he just doesn't know if he'll ever get the hang of knowing the right things to look for when tasting teas. It's enough to keep his depression at the forefront of his mind.

Darius needs support and love, but his needs come at a time when his family is in the midst of stressful and sad situations, too. With his father out of town, his mother working long hours, and his grandmothers staying with the family (and he's not even sure if they like him), Darius keeps reaching out to Sohrab, but even Sohrab isn't available. Suddenly he starts relying a little more on Chip, but he can't quite figure Chip out all the time, which is unsettling, too. It's a lot for one teenager to deal with!

I love the vulnerability that Khorram gives Darius, and I definitely identified with many of the emotions he felt throughout the book. I've been in the place where you should be happy but your anxiety that things might suddenly change, or your worry that people really don't feel the way you think they do about you, overtakes you. When you couple that with familial discord and trying to become comfortable with your sexuality and your first relationship, it's enough to overwhelm anyone, and Khorram shows you both the good and troubled sides of Darius' personality.

I enjoyed Darius the Great Deserves Better so much. It's such a beautifully told, engaging, emotional story, but Darius is so likeable that you can't help but root for him and those around him. There's so much to think about in this book, and Khorram never gets too heavy-handed or creates too much unnecessary drama. While as in real life, so much angst could be avoided if people would just communicate with one another, I think Darius' occasional inertia was true to his character.

Khorram said he wrote a sequel because he felt as if Darius had more to say. I think he still does, and I hope that a third book is out there somewhere on the horizon. But regardless, I'd read whatever he writes.

Book Review: "Loathe at First Sight" by Suzanne Park

When your workplace is in chaos, the last thing you can handle is a workplace romance. At least that's the case in Suzanne Park's fun rom-com, Loathe at First Sight.

Melody Joo thinks she’s landed the perfect job as a producer at a video game company, but she learns quickly how wrong she is. The CEO is a petulant jerk, her male coworkers are sexist (and a bit racist), and there’s even a handsome yet insufferable intern, who happens to be the boss’ nephew and seems to get all of the perks she isn't. She wants to quit ASAP.

When a joke about a video game featuring male strippers fighting to save the world (as opposed to the ubiquitous hyper-sexual female characters which appear in video games) gets taken seriously, she’s put in charge of developing it. Nolan the intern gets assigned to help her, and while she’s ready for him to be useless, Melody is surprised by how smart—and sexy—he is. But the last thing she needs is to hook up with the boss’ nephew and an intern to boot, given that half of the guys she works with already think she's slept her way into the opportunity to develop the game.

Suddenly she faces intense pressure to deliver the game amidst unrealistic and unfair demands from the CEO, hostile coworkers, and a trolling scandal which actually frightens her. Couple that with constant nagging from her Korean parents to get married and some meddling from her best friends, and she’s ready to crack. All she wants is to turn to Nolan, but is that the worst choice she can make? (I think you know the answer to that question.)

This was a cute enemies-to-lovers (sort-of) rom-com. I liked Melody and Nolan and definitely rooted for them. I thought she really took a lot more verbal abuse from her coworkers, the public, her family, even her friends, than was enjoyable. There’s only so many insults—even when done in love—that are fun to read.

Still, I thought the book had some good messages about sexism in the workplace, particularly in the gaming industry. And so much of what Park describes about gaming fans is true. It's a fun romp.

Avon Books provided me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Book Review: "Good Talk" by Mira Jacob

Packing an emotional, powerful punch, Mira Jacob's Good Talk is a great read!!

The book is subtitled A Memoir in Conversations, and that’s exactly what it is. It recounts conversations that the author had at different points in her life with her husband, family, friends, her young son, people she dated, even strangers, about race, identity, prejudice, racism, and love.

Most of the conversations with her son occur in the lead-up to the 2016 election, as she tries to help an eight-year-old process the things Donald Trump said, the unease of many yet the embrace of many as well of his candidacy for president and the things he espoused, and what all of it would mean to a young Indian boy.

She also recounts snippets of post-9/11 life in New York City for a brown woman, what dating was like, the hope that came from President Obama’s election, and ultimately, the emotional realities of being in an interracial marriage, particularly in the Trump era.

This is gorgeously emotional and so thought-provoking. To read Jacob’s thoughts as a woman, an artist, a mother, a wife, and a woman of color in both good and tumultuous times was really eye-opening.

I didn’t know when I first started hearing about this book that it was a memoir of sorts told in a graphic novel-style, but in a tongue-in-cheek way. The pictures are hand-drawn or are actual photos and they’re superimposed on different backgrounds, so it almost looks like the start of a collage. I love it but don’t want people to be caught off-guard. I've seen some people comment on that, but it didn't bother me at all.

You’ve got to read this.

Book Review: "Party of Two" by Jasmine Guillory

One of my go-to authors, Jasmine Guillory, is back with Party of Two, another fun, sexy, and timely rom-com!

Olivia has just moved back to California from NYC so she can open a law firm with her best friend. While staying at a hotel until her place is ready, she meets a handsome man at the bar. He looks vaguely familiar, but she figures he must be an actor or something. (It is LA, after all.)

They talk and joke and flirt all night, and she definitely feels the attraction to him, but they go back to their respective rooms at the end of the night instead of getting together.

It’s not until she turns on the television that she discovers she spent the night flirting with Max Powell, the junior senator from California. (Also known as the "sexy senator.") She’s not really interested in dating, but when he pursues her with cake, she gives in fairly quickly.

They really enjoy being together although they keep their relationship secret given his high profile. While he’s impulsive and a little arrogant, Max is highly committed to social causes close to Olivia’s heart, not to mention he’s sexy, smart, and fun. Both can’t help but fall in love, although Max falls quicker and more intensely.

When they decide to make their relationship public, and Olivia’s past becomes news, things start to go awry. She’s not sure she wants her life on display and she’s not sure if Max is really right for her. But can they move on without each other?

Guillory’s books are just so engaging and romantic and sexy (there’s some pretty serious steam in a few places) so they’re just fun to read. While each book features a minor character from a previous book, each can be read as a stand-alone. (But they're all really good, so you don't want to miss any of them.) This book really felt timely, too, with conversations about privilege, sexism, and racism, which felt natural, not forced.

And now the wait begins for Guillory's next book!!

Book Review: "The Prettiest Star" by Carter Sickels

Wow, Carter Sickels. Your gorgeous new book utterly undid me.

"We live our lives not realizing which moments are special or which are ordinary—what will we remember, what memories will we try to grab onto, to hold close? All of these moments that make up a life."

It’s 1986, in the heart of the AIDS crisis. Six years ago Brian left his small, suffocating Ohio hometown for the freedom of NYC. He had the opportunity to live the life he wanted, to be who he wanted without worrying what others think. He was finally free of fighting with his father, knowing he was different than everyone expected him to be.

Now, AIDS has taken his boyfriend and many of his friends, and he faces the same scary journey. He writes a letter to his mother telling her of his diagnosis and that he wishes to come home and visit.

That visit causes numerous ripples—for his parents, who just want to keep him and his condition a secret; his teenage sister; the rest of his family, whose ignorance and fear is indicative of the mood of the country at that time; his grandmother, whose unconditional love is a beacon amidst chaos; and the entire town, which comes unhinged with one simple act.

This is a beautifully written, emotional book, perfectly capturing the struggles so many people with AIDS had to deal with, especially in the 80s. It’s a story about coming to terms with your life and its impending end, and how fear can change people you love yet others will surprise. It's also a powerful story about love, family, and friendship, which sometimes comes from the unlikeliest of people.

Sickels has truly created a masterpiece that I read in one sitting. It moved me beyond belief and I’m so glad I read it. This will easily be one of the best books I'll read all year.

Another book read for Pride Reads!

Book Review: "The House in the Cerulean Sea" by TJ Klune

OMG, this was so good! It really gave me All. The. Feels!

“The world is a weird and wonderful place. Why must we try and explain it all away? For our personal satisfaction?”

Linus Baker is a quiet man leading a quiet life. He’s a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, where he always follows the rules to a “t.” He doesn't question authority and does what's expected of him: nothing more, nothing less. Other than that, he lives with a cranky cat and his music to keep him company. It’s a lonely existence but he doesn’t know anything else.

And then one day he is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and sent on a top secret assignment: to investigate the Marysas Orphanage, located on a remote island. The children that live there are supposedly unlike any Linus has ever seen—dangerously magical, apparently—and there’s a rumor one could bring about the End of Days. He is also urged to investigate the home's master, Arthur Parnassus, for reasons no one explains to him.

When Linus arrives, he is shocked by what he finds, in that these children ARE different. Sure, they have the potential to be dangerous (particularly one), but they have the same needs of all children—to be loved and cared for, to be taken seriously, and to have their dreams nurtured. All of this definitely is happening thanks to the enigmatic Arthur Parnassus.

What happens when a man who has always followed the rules and been led by his brain suddenly has his heart opened? What will that mean for his life, his job, and the children?

One of the blurbs for The House in the Cerulean Sea says it’s “very close to perfect,” and I couldn’t agree more. This is a gorgeous book about our tendency to fear what we don’t understand, the magic love can do, and the different meanings of family.

This is a fantasy, of course, so it’s not for everyone, but while there are fantastical elements to the story, beyond that it's just a story about love and relationships and belonging. Boy, this is one I’ll remember and love for a long, long time.

Book Review: "Yes No Maybe So" by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

Becky Albertalli's latest collaboration, Yes No Maybe So (this time with Aisha Saeed), is a lighthearted love story which deals with weighty issues, yet it is endearing and sweet.

"Some people are meant to change history. And some people are meant to change out of their vomity interview clothes."

Jamie Goldberg has political aspirations but knows he’ll never achieve them since he doesn’t do well under pressure. That’s not an understatement—he once referred to Jimmy Carter as a “penis farmer” rather than a peanut farmer, and he once threw up on a politician during an interview.

With his entire family focusing attention on a special state congressional election in their district, Jamie is pressed into action as a volunteer.

After serving as a de-facto errand boy for some time, as well as providing tech support to his social-media savvy grandmother (aka InstaGramm), his newest responsibility is to knock on doors and encourage people up vote. Much to his pleasure he is joined on this task by Maya, a childhood family friend whom he hasn’t seen in a while, but who seems to turn his insides to jelly. For her part, Maya thinks Jamie is cute and funny, but she’s far too preoccupied with the crises in her own life to think about anything else. Plus, her parents don't want her to date anyone she's not serious about, especially someone who isn't a Muslim.

The canvassing teaches them about political action, how the smallest action can have a ripple effect. It also teaches them about each other—how the anti-Semitic actions of the opponent’s supporters affect Jamie, who is Jewish, and how a bill forbidding people from wearing head coverings affects Maya and her family. They throw their all into campaigning for their candidate as they find themselves increasingly drawn to each other. But Maya has already told Jamie she's not allowed to date, and Jamie is nervous of screwing up their friendship, so what should they do?

Is this book fairly predictable? Sure, but it’s tremendously enjoyable, charming, and romantic. Albertalli's books tend to balance the emotional angst with an equal dose of positivity, and I really like that.

What I also enjoyed about Yes No Maybe So is how it made me feel seen. Growing up Jewish I rarely saw (and still don’t often see) characters like me, and books where actual Jewish holidays are celebrated rather than mentioned, and dealt with authentically. To see a character say an actual Hebrew prayer in this book was a wonderful thing.

I devoured this book in just a few hours. So now I wait for Albertalli's next one...

Book Review: "Color Outside the Lines: Stories about Love" edited by Sangu Mandanna

Color Outside the Lines is a collection of YA stories celebrating all kinds of love.

I was really excited when I first heard of this book, for several reasons. I’ll admit the first reason was the promise of a new story from Adam Silvera, as I’ve been going through withdrawal until his new book comes out next year.

But I also really love short stories, and was excited about the idea of a collection focused on stories about interracial and LGBTQ+ relationships. Those relationships are certainly more prevalent in YA fiction than elsewhere, and it’s so great to see them depicted so fairly and so well.

This is an interesting collection because the stories aren’t just fiction or romance; some are science fiction, historical fiction, or fantasy. I definitely felt the collection was much heavier on the interracial side than the LGBTQ+ side, which really provided me a different area of focus.

As with any story collection, there were ones I absolutely loved, ones I totally didn’t get, and some that were simply good and entertaining. (The Adam Silvera story was adorable but way, way too short for him to get top billing.) The best thing is that many were written by authors with whom I’m unfamiliar, so I’ll get to check their other work out now.

Among my favorites were: "Turn the Sky to Petals" by Anna-Marie McLemore, which was about a musician and a dancer both suffering from the physical demands of their talent; "Your Life Matters" by L.L. McKinney, which told of an interracial lesbian couple battling a father with reasonably racist beliefs, with a superhero twist thrown in; "The Coward's Guide to Falling in Love" by Caroline Tung Richmond, about two best friends, and one is trying to get their nerve up to move their friendship to something else; "What We Love" by Lauren Gibaldi, in which two high school students are brought together by their desire to enact revenge on a bigoted classmate; "Five Times Shiva Met Harry" by Sangu Mandanna, about random interactions which could propel a couple to get together or stay apart; and "Sandwiched in Between" by Eric Smith, in which an interracial couple deals with Thanksgiving at both of their houses, and realizes no one is completely innocent of bigotry no matter how well meaning.

These stories were thought-provoking and entertaining, and as I've said many times, I'm so glad that YA literature is so willing to explore social issues and the idea that love is love is love. I wish it was like that when I was younger!

Book Review: "This Tender Land" by William Kent Krueger

For some reason I held off reading this book, but man, was it amazing.

"Everything that’s been done to us we carry forever. Most of us do our damnedest to hold on to the good and forget the rest. But somewhere in the vault of our hearts, in a place our brains can’t or won’t touch, the worst is stored, and the only sure key to it is in our dreams."

Minnesota, 1932.

Odie and his brother Albert are orphans, left in the care of a school for Native American children taken from their parents, despite the fact the two of them are white. This school uses the children as slave labor, treats them cruelly, makes them believe they are less than human, and tries to break them of ties to their heritage.

Strong-willed and searching for fairness in a cruel world, Odie is one of the targets of the school’s director, a woman he calls the Black Witch, and her henchmen.

When one day in the midst of a cruel punishment things go horribly awry, Odie realizes he must flee the school. Albert accompanies him on his escape, along with their friend Mose, a Native American boy who cannot speak, and Emmy, a young orphan girl.

The four head out on a journey, an odyssey to get as far from the school as possible. They experience more than their share of trouble as they try to elude capture, but they also encounter people down on their luck, people who teach them that first impressions do not always equal truth. They learn a lot about themselves and their relationships with each other, and how they ultimately must let themselves have hope.

I can’t get this one out of my head. This is such a beautiful, thought-provoking, emotional book, the story of a harrowing journey, children forced to find the bravery of adults, with a little of the mystical thrown in for good measure. I’m once again reminded how talented of a writer Krueger is.