The formatting of this works so well as a history of racism in the United States, connecting things that happened in the past to things that are currently happening now. It would work as an excellent book for any high school curriculum, especially in a history or current events class.

I was also introduced to people that I hadn't known before, and I appreciated that Dyson gave light to people that maybe aren't talked about in US history classes. Well written, and I highly recommend it!

Jack and Nate both expected to have a fantastic senior prom. Jack was going with the boy of his dreams; Nate was finally going to be able to come out and be himself. However, things couldn't stray further from their plans. When it's revealved that both Jack and Nate's boyfriends were secretly seeing each other, they're both devastated. Especially when they both start posting their perfect summer break online.

So, Jack and Nate decide to have their own summer of fun, in the form of a road trip. To get revenge on their exes, they post pictures of their summer of adventure online. But the more time they spend with each other, the more they start to fall for each other. Maybe there's a new romance on the horizon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Clarion Books for an advanced copy of this to review! I always love a good rom-com, and this 100% fits the bill. The characters were fun, there are some downright laugh out loud moments, and it's just all around a good time.

Jack and Nate complement each other so well in this. Nate is shy and a bit awkward, while Jack is not afraid to fully be himeself, all the time. Which definitely paints him as a target at school. Their chemistry was fantastic, and I loved how hard Jack worked to try to get Nate past his heartbreak. It was honestly one of the best parts of the book.

There are some great supporting characters, and the whole road trip idea will make this a super fun summer read. Fans of Becky Albertalli will definitely love this, too!

An adorable Christmas rom-com, just what I was in the mood for! I realize I never really read that many holiday books during the Christmas season, so it's even better when it's a gay holiday book. This read kind of like a Hallmark movie to me, which is just the vibes you want in a Christmas novel. There's just something comforting about reading a romance where you know where it's going. Especially around the holidays!

If you pay atteniont, there are a lot of little hints for the Grinch peppered throughout the novel, and some of them were clever! I thought it made the book ever more fun to read. You don't want to sympathize with Matthew at the beginning, but as we get to know him more, you get to unpack some of his anxieties and stress. I really came to like him by the end.

There were some repetitive things that I wasn't a huge fan of (mostly, the repetition of "dude." I know it was supposed to be a character thing, it just drove me crazy). But there was great chemistry between the two main characters and I thoroughly enjoyed this!

The themes in this book are so relatable to any middle school reader, especially Maggie's changes in friendships. Moving to a new school isn't easy, especially when you do it in middle school. While I enjoyed the fact that Maggie had a lot of agency when it came to picking a new pet, I did kind of wish her parents showed her how much of a commitment it is to get any kind of pet.

The storyline about the new sibling was well done, though, especially as it related to Maggie's desire to get a pet. The art style worked really well for this particular story, and overall, it was an enjoyable read!

Okay, I loved this. In a similar style to the ever popular Babysitters Club graphic novels, featuring a group of middle schoolers thrown together due to circumstance. One of the focal points of this is the way it puts ESL students front and center, which I don't think I've seen in graphic novel format before. Love seeing Spanish and English incorporated throughout the entire graphic novel.

In addition to tackling the way people perceive the Latino community, this book also tackles things like homelessness and immigration. It focuses on the fact that we often lump people together and don't see them as individuals, and this is such an important thing for middle grade readers to see. And it's so well done!

Plus, there are some Breakfast Club type vibes, and the way the story is framed works really well to keep readers engaged in the plot. Highly recommend for any graphic novel fans!

This volume is just full of fun hijinks, as well as the spotlight for everyone's favorite, Yor. The whole family trapped on a cruise ship while Anya tries to help Yor just makes for fun reading. Loid relaxes a bit in this one too, thanks to Anya. She's still the most entertaining part of this whole series. Her reactions and interactions with the other characters is really what makes it great.

Josefa has come up with a plan to steal a priceless artifact from the Titanic, the Rubaiyat. In order to pull it off, she had to form a team. So, she finds an artist (Emilie), an acrobat (Hinnah), and an actress (Violet). Stealing the Rubaiyat is the key for all of them to get a better life. To achieve their goals.

However, Josefa wasn't honest about the nature of the mission. Careless mistakes and a possible new romance through a wrench into their plan. When tragedy strikes the Titanic, they all realize they might be in more danger than they ever thought possible.

Thanks to HarperTeen and NetGalley for an advanced copy of A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar to review! I didn't know I needed a sapphic heist on the Titanic story, but here we are! It's a unique place to set a heist novel, but it surprisingly works really well. Knowing what happens on the Titanic adds an element of urgency to the novel, even if the characters themselves don't know it. I was impressed by Jaigirdar's pacing, and it really drove the entire story forward.

And the characters! We get four points of view throughout the book, which always runs the chance of the voices all blending together. But each of the characters felt unique enough, and they all added a new element and perspective to the story. They each have their own strengths they bring to the table. The main romance also felt natural; the two characters had excellent chemistry.

All in all, even if this book might end in tragedy, the setting and the plot at times make you forget it. I definitely recommend picking it up when it comes out in December!

Definitely an action packed book from start to finish, if that's your cup of tea! A near future dystopian novel where a virus has been contained in a quarantine zone called The Q. When Lennon Pierce, the son of a presidential candidate, is dropped into it, chaos ensues.

The characters, for the most part, were well developed and there was a plot that took twists and turns throughout. Tintera does a good job of keeping you guessing, which helps with the overall pace of the plot. It makes it really easy to read quickly.

My main complaint is the world building. There are a lot of small details included throughout, but there's a lot that isn't necessarily fully explained. At times, I wished that Tintera would have taken more time with this, to help more fully flesh out the world.

I loved the way this graphic novel so expertly captured the middle school experience. Gale Galligan has an art style that lends itself well to middle grade graphic novels, and now I want to read their work in the Babysitter's Club series! The art, the characters, and the story all worked together harmoniously to make a beautiful graphic novel overall.

Much of the conflict is focused on Cory's struggle with his dance group, as well as learning to take on more responsibility as he gets ready to transition to high school. There is so much casual diversity in this book, and we need more books like that. Where diverse characters just exist in the overall storyline. It feels so much more realistic.

My only complaint is the moment where Cory has an argument with his parents. Their overall interaction there felt a little in-authentic to me, especially when they force him to apologize first. I think that scene could have been handled with a little more care.

Other than that, this is a fabulous graphic novel that I will not hesitate to recommend to middle grade readers.

This is a series of short fairy tale comics focused on queer women, and it's great! A pretty quick read, but I liked the way that Gillman played with the traditiona fairy tale narrative. Some of these have potential to be expanded into full stories later on, I think!

I also enjoyed the aesthetic of the art. The colored pencils for the illustrations are so colorful and it really helps in bringing the stories to life.