amandasbrews's Reviews (454)

I absolutely adored the mixed media that showed the multitude of ways that we fail black and brown boys, even ways in which we often fail them when we have good intentions. And to keep me on the edge of my seat and have a sweet romance all at once? Brilliant work

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The Lies of the Ajungo is a stunning story about the damage that can be done when we pit people against each other. It's a brilliant exploration of how much stronger we are together and how it benefits the privileged for us to be eternally separate all wrapped up in not quite a fable, not quite a fantasy.

This story packs a huge punch in the small length and is sure to stick with you for a long time. It's a story of survival, strength, and finding each other again.

Never forget how much stronger we are when we don't let them turn us against each other.

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A stunning story of moving to a small town and realizing that everything can change with a simple move. Our safety is contingent on our environment and can be taken away from us so easily. But also a stunning story of falling for the girl next door. And learning about generational trauma, and learning to heal together. Honestly this is a stand out novel and you shouldn't miss it.

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An all too real look at how diaspora students can be affected by global events in such a different way than everyone else. Especially for mixed students. The way that Jasmine had to deal with the hostage situation, even though it seemingly wouldn't affect her was painfully too real.

Also incredibly impressive was how this book read so contemporary (true to Wednesday Books) but was historical fiction. This book takes place in the 1970's but the prose doesn't feel dated at all. The only real time markers were moments where it mentions technology. This book is meant to be read today and it shows.

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I honestly can't believe I fell in love with a spaceship. This sapphic space opera is soft and full of love. I'm absolutely blown away by the descriptions in this story that not only help you remember we're in the depths of space but also make you feel like this story is infinite. The constant draw backs to space, nebulas, galaxies, and stars give this book such a giant and beautiful scope.

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Another binge read! This was so much fun. Honestly I'm not sure if the entire crime everything made sense but Alisha Rai did it yet again and made me not care about that at all. This book was a blast!

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I loved this book so much. It's full of complicated mother daughter relationships, grief, joy, and love. Being a mixed Asian woman myself, I found myself completely pulled into the complex relationship with your heritage and therefore your own family. It's a painful and confusing space but it's full of love, longing, and a full heart.

This book is a classic delight that is a road trip where the journey is about so much more than the destination. A story where you realize along the way why you're on the road in the first place. It's the long car ride where you start to understand your mother in ways that you never understood her before. The realization that your mother is probably pulled to and from her culture just as much as you are. This book is the moment we realize that we aren't so different after all.

This story is absolutely beautiful and I'm so honored to have been able to read it, and so thankful that it exists. It's so infrequent we get stories by mixed authors where the characters are explicitly mixed. It's diaspora multiplied by two and this journey is one we all take, whether we're on the way to Graceland or just adulthood. Thank you, Kristen Mei Chase for this story.

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What a delightful amount of snarky. I got a bit lost somewhere in here when the crime was going off the walls but I was able to stay grounded in the critique of the patriarchy. This book is funny and full of sass with biting social commentary. What a fun ride!

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This is the 1920's book I feel like I've been waiting for my whole life. I usually find that I get bored with historical fiction but Desi Mesa did such a great job with this.

The representation being treated so normal, but not erasing how dangerous it was to be different at the time, is something I see so rarely in historical fiction. This is a story that involves the mob (something I'm painfully disinterested in most of the time) but it was just the right amount to show their influence at the time without being ABOUT the mob.

Honestly, I loved this way more than anticipated. Thank you so much Desi!

Plus you know I love mixed rep

I'm actually really impressed with the way that this was written. I don't usually like memoirs but I'm a big fan of the way that Constance switched between first and third person and used "making a scene" as a multi-level metaphor. It's a really fun writing style and I was honestly gripped by it the entire time.

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