For some reason, I thought this was a fantasy book, but it most definitely is not. It is very firmly historical fiction, set during the Soviet occupation of the Czech Republic in 1969. It's set a bit earlier and in a different country, but it reminded me a lot of [book:I Must Betray You|56970272], about teens trying to escape a totalitarian regime. 

We get three points of view in this book, from teens who found out their friend Pavol set himself on fire in protest of against the new government. This book is not an easy one to read, but I feel like we rarely get historical fiction set during this time period. Sure, we get a lot of WWII books (especially in YA), but not many that look at this time after the war. 

The three voices of the characteres are distinct, and they each give us a different point of view of their situation. By the end, it reads a bit like a thriller, and you'll be on the edge of your seat as you hope that these teens can make it to safety.

Overall, the writing is engaging and I highly recommend checking out 

I basically read this entire book in one sitting last night, so that should tell you a lot. Before reading this, I felt like it had gotten a lot of buzz in professional publications and on anticipated lists, etc. I'm always nervous with books that get a lot of hype, but trust me, this book is worth it.

Not only is the cover of this book gorgeous, but the writing inside matches. This is Jas Hammonds first novel, but I hope they keep writing becuase there's so much to like about this. Strong characters, beautiful writing, strong emotions. There is almost a story within a story in this book, adding a little mystery to Avery's story. 

At its core, this is a book about generational trauma related to racism, how racial violence can affect a family for years down the line. You are sure to fall in love with the characters, even the ever stubborn Mama Letty. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll gasp. You'll find it all in this book.

Since we're at the end of 2022, put this on your 2023 TBR. You won't be disappointed.

Picked this up from a recommendation from a co-worker and then a different co-worker ended up giving it to me the following day for our secret santa exchange, so win-win! They were absolutely right that I would love this, and I am so, so happy to own a copy. Been trying to own more of my favorite graphic novels just because graphic novels are the absolute best.

This book is a delight. The art style reflects the sort of whimsical nature of the story, two girls that fall for each other, and then go to parties trying to return stuff they've stolen. What isn't to like about that storyline? Many shenanigans ensue, quickly engrossing you in the story.

In addition to the lighthearted nature of the book, Byron doesn't shy away from more difficult topics like mental health and the ways we perceive people. There's great chemsitry between all of the characters (and Ella has a seriously kickass best friend). 

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this and am so glad to add it to my collection!

Like all short story anthologies, there are some spectacular stories in here and some that just didn't hit for me. But I do like that this is a sci-fi anthology for teens, because I feel like most of the story collections in YA are romance or fantasy themed. This is a breath of fresh air, with some really fantastic contributors.

My favorite stories in this were from Charlotte Nicole Davis (I would read a whole book about this one, honestly! I was hooked), Junauda Petrus-Nasah (so realistic and hard-hitting about race in our current society), and Wendy Xu (always love a good comic short story addition!). Honestly, even if sci-fi isn't your jam, you'll probably find something to like in this book. There's a lot of variety in the stories, which is always a good thing!

Let's be honest, I totally read this purely for the SnowBaz story. Usually, I'm not a huge fan of short story collections, but I enjoyed the fact that there were some references to other characters throughout these stories. And we got some new stories! Outside of the SnowBaz story, the one about Star Wars and the one about the CDs were probably my favorite. Pure Rainbow Rowell magic in those stories, I'm telling you.

I think I will eventually want to add this to my collection, mostly because I absolutely love the cover. Plus, there were some really pretty editions that came out for this! I'll have to see if I can get my hands on them. All in all, this was an entertaining read, especially if you enjoy short story collections!

Somehow, Delilah has found herself singing in her friends' punk band as a favor, even though she'd much rather be behind the scenes. She's definitely a go with the flow kind of girl. Reggie is a D&D Dungeon Master, who writes articles online about D&D behind a pseudonym becuase his family doesn't approve. The two first meet on New Year's Eve. And then again on Valentine's Day. And St. Patrick's Day. It seems like the universe might be pushing them together for a reason.

Thanks to Balzer + Bray and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! Elise Bryant is quickly becoming a staple in writing YA romance, so I wasn't surprised that I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The premise is so fun! Two people who randomly keep meeting on holidays and eventually fall in love. What isn't to like?

One of the best things about this book was the way that the format allows us to get to know Reggie and Delilah on their own. Because they only really spend time together on the holidays for the first half of the book, we get to see a lot of them separately, which doesn't happen a lot in romances. We also get to know their friends and families, giving us all around great character development. It's a cast of characters that you're sure to fall in love with.

The romance at the heart of the book is just as good as the characters. It's paced well, and just gives you all the warm fuzzies. If you're looking for a great new romance to pick up this January, I definitely recommend this one!

I am here for all of the queer holiday romances coming out, honestly. Let's make the movies catch up with the books! I would 100% watch a movie of this, so anyone looking to make queer Christmas movies, take note. This would make a great one.

This may only be Alison Cochrun's second novel, but she knocks it out of the park with the chemsitry between her characters. There's a whole love rectangle going on in this book, and you can just feel the chemistry between Ellie and Jack melting off the page. I loved them and the kind of ridiculous situation they find themselves in. It's absolutely enjoyable to read.

My only complaint is that Ellie is an artist writing a webcomic, but all of those sections just read like blog posts. I wish that maybe an artist could have been commissioned to do those sections, because they just read more as short stories or blog posts instead. But that's really my only complaint. Everything else about this book was lovely, and I will ablsolutely read everything Alison Cochrun writes because it's wonderful.

Well this was adorable! I especially appreciated the demisexual rep, and how Wren came to terms with that by the end. It felt realistic and natural, and Derick was accepting of it as well. It also worked really well with the plot!

The setting of the drive in was a great setting for this plot, and there was some good discussion about the film industry in general. I don't quite believe Derick's dad's change of heart at the end, but you know. It's a romantic comedy. The neat happily ever after endings don't always happen in real life.

All in all, this was an enjoyable an entertaining read!

I was skeptical about a Pinocchio re-telling, but honestly, it's TJ Klune, so I shouldn't have been. All the things you can expect to find in a TJ Klune novel, found family, strong characters, well-developed emotions, are all here. Stay tuned for a full review to come soon!

I can definitely understand why so many people love this book, Margaret speaks so matter of factly to the readers, just telling life like it is. So many adults would shy away from talking about topics like religion, periods, and just puberty in general with kids that it's refreshing to have a book that doesn't flinch away from these topics. And hence why this is on the list for the 100 most banned books because nothing gets a book banned faster than touching on subjects that adults don't want to talk about with their kids. If you get down to it, that's the reason for the vast majority of book bans.

This is a pretty quick read, and at this point, there are things in here that kids definitely won't relate to. But the overall message is important, and I can see why this book has withstood the test of time. It's not my favorite book I've ever read, but it's a quick read and still considered a children's classic.