Español:

Este libro fue una narrativa enseñando perspectivas variadas de la experiencia latinx en EEUU. Paola Ramos hizo un trabajo espectacular dándole voz a las personas mas marginadas en nuestra comunidad. Esto incluye mi propia comunidad afro latinx. Me sentí escuchada y siento que otros latinxs que lean este libro se sentirán identificados también. Además, me hizo pensar en otras maneras en las que la comunidad latinx es diversa además de raza. Paola habló con latinxs musulmanes, transgéneros, drag queens, individuos que no hablan español parte de nuestra comunidad, e individuos de diferentes perspectivas políticas. Me ayudó a recordar que a los latinxs nos falta mucho para ser mas inclusivos con nuestra propia comunidad. Adicionalmente, Paola dio voz aun a personas que no estaban de acuerdo con ella de manera respetuosa y compasiva. Espero que este no sea el último libro que escriba Paola en su carrera ya que creo que tiene una carrera muy brillante por delante.

English:

This book was a narrative teaching varied perspectives of the Latinx experience in the US. Paola Ramos did a spectacular job giving voice to the most marginalized people in our community. This includes my own Afro-Latinx community. I felt heard and I feel that other Latinxs reading this book will feel identified as well.  In addition, it made me think of other ways in which the Latinx community is diverse in addition to race. Paola spoke with Latinx Muslims, transgenders, drag queens, non-Spanish speaking individuals in our community, and individuals from different political perspectives. It helped me remember that Latinxs are far from being more inclusive of our own community. Additionally, Paola gave voice even to people who disagreed with her in a respectful and compassionate manner. I hope this is not the last book Paola writes in her career as I think she has a very bright career ahead of her.

This book is mainly a romance, but it is also so much more. Quan has recovered from a major surgery that has changed many aspects of his life and affected his self esteem. Anna is a professional musician who is struggling to live up to the recent success of her last live performance. They end up trying to have a one night stand, but fail multiple times and in the process start to find a friend in one another. Anna struggles with setting boundaries in her personal relationships and her internal emotional struggle with that is intriguing. We see her interact consistently with her family and she is consistently dismissed and talked down to by multiple members of her family. She also struggles with social interactions and communication in general, even in her own romantic relationship at the beginning of the book. This leaves her open to judgment from others when she does not comply to their wants and needs. Her entire life she has conceded to others even at her own expense.

Anna has an unfortunate event within her family that pushes her mental health and personal boundaries farther then ever before. The topic of caregiver fatigue and the judgment that comes from not being well suited to that role are heavily explored. I previously volunteered at a hospice, so these topics strongly resonated with me and I feel it gives a lot of insight for individuals who have never been exposed to this topic. I appreciated how it also gave perspective as to how culture can affect a family's perspective on caregiving.

Just as Anna is judged by her family, Quan is judged in a similar manner for his appearance (namely his shaved head and tattoos). He struggles in both his personal and professional life to be taken seriously because of his appearance. Deep down however, it's clear that he is a responsible and hardworking. He is a loving person in his personal life, even to people he barely knows. When he meets Anna, he is incredibly understanding and non-judgmental. He provides her the support she didn't know she needed without asking  for anything in return. 

Through their relationship, Quan is able to be more comfortable with himself. Anna learns to put her own emotional and mental well being before the wants and needs of others. Best of all, both of them gain a friend in each other. They each have insecurities, but their relationship helps them grow to be better. It always makes me happy to see that in any relationship. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a romance novel that has a lot of emotional depth and healing (and topics noted in the trigger warnings if that is of interest to you). 

John Hersey did an amazing job converting the testimonies of survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima during World War II into an easily digestible narrative. His reporting is informative and empathetic putting the human experience at the forefront of the historical events of the era (which were happening in real time at the time this was written). Of course due to the nature of the events, this was largely depressing, but in many ways hopeful by the end. I'm going to see if I can find more books with this reporting style because it was very engrossing.

Some of the events discussed in this book were ones I was already familiar with. However, it does a good job giving important details as to how the events of each of those days affected other events in history. There was interesting background given. I appreciated that there were further reading sections at the end of each chapter. I think it incentivizes further research for readers and also makes this a good resource in history courses when used for teaching purposes. A good quick read if you want an overview of important events in American history.

This story demonstrates an incredible use of mythology to comment on themes of xenophobia, sexism, misogyny, and abandonment. Manuela is a compelling character that does not have a home. She is rejected both in the human and supernatural world. Despite this, Manu is able to find a family no matter where she is and is able to eventually find her own identity. There is a mingling of folklore with Latinx culture that still incorporates strong criticisms against sexism and traditionalist values that prevent social progress within a society. We are introduced to a diverse and strong cast of characters that contribute to making the story compelling as well. I m looking forward to reading the sequel in the future and getting to know more about this wonderful world created by Romina Garber.

This has definitely made me never want to travel through the multiverse ever. Our heroes are currently stuck traveling form world to world as they try everything they can to get back home. The story takes on a humorous tone which is balanced by the stress the characters feel as they become frustrated with their situation. Tim Drake takes on a new codename and we see how much he misses and loves Stephanie, his girlfriend. Connor has his own struggles with stress and frustration as well. In the end, the team continues to find support in one another and they don't lose hope that working together they will be able to work things out. This continues to be a story about friendship and adventure that happens to feature superheroes which makes it easy to relate to.

I appreciated this iteration of Raven. The story starts with a car accident which leaves her with mild amnesia. This adds an extra layer of depth to Raven getting to know herself and the nature of her powers. She is taken in by her foster aunt and cousin and finds herself adapting to high school. She is reasonably reserved, but she is able to form a close relationship with her cousin and aunt and make friends. I appreciated that there is an exploration of African witchcraft in conjunction with the revelation of Raven's connection to Trigon. Themes like homophobia, the importance of trust in relationships, found family, and self discovery are all addressed within the narrative. It was a refreshing take on Raven that should be easy to get into for new readers.

This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling that features fae and shapeshifters. Gemma is a very strong female lead that desires independence from the expectations of her human society. The "beast" in this case, is a fae king (Elliot) who has to break a curse that causes him and any fae in his castle to forget their names and lose their memories gradually. Elliot and Gemma meet and make a bargain that they believe will ultimately benefit both of them. Elliot is rude, haughty, and grumpy which contrasts with Gemma's headstrong nature. This gives way to interesting conversations as Gemma is one of the few people willing to call Elliot out when he's being a jerk. Eventually these interactions lead to Elliot and Gemma being more vulnerable with each other. They have some nice moments where they make each other laugh and break their more somber demeanors. 

As you get to know the staff at Elliot's manor, you also learn that Elliot is very protective of his people and those he cares about. Elliot is very vocal about his disdain of humanity, but his attitudes towards humanity is not unfounded. We are given exposition revealing that in the last conflict between humans and fae, many fae died and lost lands in the ensuing result. It makes Elliot a much more sympathetic character and eventually Gemma's kindness towards him help him to change his ideals. 

This retelling was short and sweet and if you're into fairytale retellings you'll probably like this one.

I am very happy that we finally got to know Jackson better. We have only ever seen him from the not so favorable perspective of the Winston brothers for a long time. Turns out he is an incredibly selfless and responsible man that is amazing with his parents and loved ones. It was super nice seeing him have such a healthy relationship with his sister Jessica. Despite there being some residual tension between Jethro and Jackson, Jethro trusts Jackson enough to babysit his kids. At some point in the book Cletus and Jethro also offer emotional support to Jackson because they know he needs it. In addition, despite their history, both Jethro and Cletus are likely able to recognize that he is a good person. Jackson always tries to finds ways to help other people while being worried about how he may be burdening other people.

While Jackson has grown up in a small town following in his father's footsteps to become a sheriff, Raquel is a city dweller with a highly successful acting career. I'm half Cuban myself, so it was cool to see that she was Cuban on her father's side. As a well known actress Raquel has grown used to others crossing her boundaries and controlling her schedule to the most minute degree. She opts to take a break from all of the stardom in Green Valley with Sienna which turns out to be an opportunity for her to reclaim her independence and personal boundaries. In addition, she is able to reunite with Jackson, whom she first met at Sienna's wedding.  During her stay at Green Valley, Jackson and her decide to give a serious relationship a try and they make a very cute couple. Jackson is sweet, and Raquel finally finds someone who likes the person behind the actress. 

 This is mainly a romance, but I think it explores themes pertaining to ethnic identity and personal autonomy that are very important. It is incredible how used to mistreatment she had become through her experiences. I think this is reflective of how humans are incredibly adaptable and is a great example of how people can easily end up in abusive situations. Thankfully, Raquel is able to recognize the unhealthy behavior of the people around her and is able to purge those people who no longer serve her well. She also has to come to terms with her relationship with her mother who also exhibits controlling behavior towards Raquel. The Winstons and other side characters are also as likeable as ever and serve as a support system for both Raquel and Jackson throughout the story. This was a really nice romance with a found family dynamic that I can always appreciate. I'm looking forward to the sequel and highyl recommend this if you're looking for a nice small town romance.

I haven't read a book with a magic school setting since I read The Magicians Trilogy a few years ago and I'm so glad I picked this up. We follow Galadriel as she introduces us to the world of the scholomance where high school aged students must attend and survive until graduation. While at the school, they must defend themselves from monsters and the sentient school itself. With the amount of dangers within the school, you might wonder why the students go there at all. However, the school is apparently the safest place for these magical teenagers. This part of the setting reminded me of Percy Jackson and the way that the demigods in that world are more protected within camps than they are in the outside world. There are pages of dense information about the world within the book. This may bother readers who don't appreciate info dumps in their books. I personally appreciated it because the information is given by Galadriel (our main character) and I like her sarcastic and witty tone. It gave me insight into her personality, life experiences, and intelligence which helped me understand her personality and decisions throughout the book. 

There was a lot of discourse online pertaining to racial/ethnic representation in this book which I will address here. Galadriel is half Indian on her father's side, and white British on her mother's side. (Mild spoiler following)

Galadriel's father died at a young age before she was born and she did not spend any extended time with her Indian family.

Secondary to this, Galadriel does not have a strong connection to her Indian heritage. I saw many reviewers see this as a weak point for Indian representation within the narrative of the story. I beg to differ on this point because I feel that those who took this position are gatekeeping the identity of people of color. I will explain further, just bear with me. I am an American first generation Latinx individual who has grown up in a diverse Latinx community. I am fluent in Spanish because my parents are fluent and I grew up with a strong cultural connection to my parent's heritage. I have friends who are also first generation Latinx who do not speak Spanish and are much more far removed from their Latinx culture than I am. Despite our differing experiences with our respective cultures, their experiences are as valid as mine. Not speaking Spanish doesn't make them less Latinx. I think the same applies to a character like Galadriel. The erasure of her experience because it does not fit what others believe should be the experience of someone of Indian ancestry is exclusionary. Therefore this is not a criticism I can say I support.

On the other hand, there is a passage in the book that I was in the original first printing that I do deem to be racially inappropriate. This passage referred to magical creatures who have a propensity to make nests on the scalps of students with thicker hair. The eggs eventually hatch and cause paralysis making the victims easy prey. Hence, the danger. The problem is, dreadlocks were used as an example of a hairstyle that should be avoided for this reason. As I'm sure many people know, there is a long standing history of hairstyles popular within black cultures all over the world being discriminated against. In the U.S. army, for example, dreadlocks/locks were banned for personnel in uniform up until a few years ago. I remember listening to a white celebrity commentator opine that a black celebrity's dreadlocks smelled unpleasant when said celebrity wore dreadlocks to a red carpet event. Obviously a lot of this kind of commentary stems from discrimination and racist rhetoric that has existed for generations (Disclaimer: I am American and Afro Latinx, so I am speaking from that perspective and cannot speak for others on this, only from my own experience). I felt this passage was unnecessarily discriminatory and offensive and did not add any relevant information to the text. The author in response to criticism issued an apology and made a commitment to remove the passage from future printings from the book. I believe that her response was appropriate and I hope that this will not occur again in future works. (Whether the apology is accepted or not is up to the other members of my community who were the target of the offense. Personally, it is one of the best apologies and responses I have seen from an author, so I'm willing to give  this author another chance.) I will not be commenting on that further since it is not directly pertinent to the book review. I mention it because I believe it was important to note this since it may deter someone from picking this book up.

Regarding the characters in general, I appreciated that the school feels as diverse as I would expect for an international magic school. Students have different accents, nationalities, cultures, and connections. The side characters have personalities and backgrounds that stand out and it made me appreciate their relationships to Galadriel throughout the story. There is good representation of female relationships in the story with the girls supporting one another 

Galadriel and Orion have a particularly interesting dynamic that seems to  swap their gender roles in many ways. Galadriel has a colder exterior and is rude and blunt most of the time. As the story goes on and you spend more time with her thoughts it is clear that her cold exterior is a defense mechanism that she has developed in response to her experiences. This explains her disposition to be an unpopular loner which is usually a demeanor attributed to boys or men in fiction. Orion, in contrast, is quite popular and well connected with other students and has a strong sense of responsibility to act as a savior to others.

We later learn that he is not hunted down by monsters the way the other students are which makes it much easier for him to catch them off guard and protect others. He seems like a good natured person to begin with, but I'm sure this level of protection contributes to his willingness to put himself at risk. The level of danger for him will always be lower than that of another person. He knows this and takes advantage of it, I think.

For all of Galadriel's rudeness, Orion meets this with good natured humor and teasing witty banter. He is also a kind person overall, which makes it hard for Galadriel to find things to hold against the poor guy. He is kinder and more willing to sacrifice himself with others that Galadriel, which I have found to be characteristics more often attributed to women/girls.  

The most important component of the relationship between Galadriel and Orion is that they are the only people that really treat each other as equals compared to everyone else they interact with. Most of the time other students are seeking approval from Orion and in turn are scorning Galadriel because they are afraid of her (for reasons revealed throughout the novel). Their interactions are entertaining and also serve as a gateway for Galadriel to meet others and become open to being more vulnerable with others. Orion is also most emotionally open with Galadriel and we get more insight into his character through her. Their relationship is interesting and I think it's nice to see how they help each other become better people. They are both lonely in very similar ways and their relationship to each other buds from this mutual loneliness. It's an interesting dynamic and I'm looking forward to see how it develops in future books.

This was a very enjoyable experience and I can't wait for the next book. I want to learn more about the monsters in this world and what the future holds for this group of students we are following. If dark magic and interesting characters that subvert expectations are things you like, this book might be for you.