It's One of Us is a novel I went into blind based on the recommendation of a trusted bookish creator and I'm so glad I did. I've never read from JT Ellison before and after finishing this book, I am eager to dig into her backlist. I think I did know it was narrated by Julia Whelan, who doesn't do a lot of thrillers- and she nailed this one. I love this genre but rarely feel a book really nails it and this one did for me. 

I almost always suggest going into books relatively blind. I am going to say go in blind as a bat in the daytime on this one, but be aware that there is significant discussion of infertility, miscarriage, and some minor discussion of abortion. 

If you like multi-perspective thrillers with steady reveals that have you questioning the past and the present, It's One of Us is an excellent choice. 

Pardalita is a beautifully illustrated book that combines poetry and the graphic novel form. Translated from Portuguese, it is a simple but lovely story of sixteen year old Raquel. She lives in a small town where everyone knows everyone. Longing for a little more space to breath, she meets Pardalita. 

This is a slice of life story, and some parts don't feel very connected as a result. The overarching mood that I felt was that of gentle observation. I longed for a bit more connection to the characters, especially their emotions. But the beautiful art kept me reading, and I'm glad I did. The ending was superb. 

Glory is a piano prodigy, following a rigorous schedule to perfect her art. But when her mother dies she retreats into her music even further. Her father tries to hold things together by maintaining her practice regimen and booking performances, but something happens and Glory is only able to play the song "Chopsticks." And then, she disappears. 

Told mostly in photographs but also in short notes, recital papers, and mixed tape set lists, this book captured me. It is so creative in its telling, but it's a classic story. A girl experiencing grief is facing an internal world no one outside of it can understand, and in the end- what was real and what was "madness?" In the style of many of my favorite books, it is for the reader to decide.  

One of the Good Ones is an emotionally riveting YA novel about Kezi Smith and her sister. When Kezi, a social justice advocate on social media, dies in police custody under mysterious circumstances, her sister Happi is devastated. Happi's parents focus on traveling the country to speak about police violence and systemic reform, but Kezi just wants to grieve the loss of her sister. 

Haunted by the memories of her sister as "one of the good ones," Kezi feels like a failure. She sets out with one of Kezi's old friends on a road trip. Bringing in lots of historical information about the Green Book and the very real fears that people of color did and still do face while traveling, Moulite tells a tense but also beautiful story about being on a journey to discover who you are and recognize what you have lost. 

The novel will draw you in immediately, sometimes overwhelm you with sadness (because the story is so real), and then it will shock you. I am not kidding, I didn't expect that big twist and there it was. This book has so much to say and unlike some books that tackle too much, this novel speaks to its chosen topics with grace, accuracy, and a vibrant tone. I recommend this a thousand times over. 

The Half Moon is a slow, character driven novel about Malcolm Gephardt. Malcolm now owns the bar he has worked at for over two decades. His marriage to Jess hit the rocks over the last few  years, and seventeen weeks ago she moved out. The bar, The Half Moon, is not doing well and a blizzard is coming in. 

Keane slowly reveals the story of how Malcolm and Jess came together and apart. At first her style of transitioning to flashbacks can be jarring and hard to follow, but I did adapt and found it lovely- similar in the way that our minds go to past events while we are very much in the present. 

Ultimately, for a character driven novel I need to feel connection to at least one character and that didn't happen for me in this book. I found myself comparing it to We are the Brennans, which is also set around a family owned bar down on its luck and several struggling relationships. Last, I felt the exploration of infertility was a bit incomplete, but I did appreciate reading about it from the perspective of a male identifying person. That's not typically the perspective we hear from around struggling to have a child. 

I have no major criticisms but also nothing I really loved. Just a middle of the road book.