I picked up the School for Good Mothers based on the description of a mother in a dystopian world who makes a mistake and then must go to a school to learn how to be a better parent. What I discovered was a world not too far from our own; Jessamine Chan has created a believable world in which CPS is changing and redefining its methods and power. 

By creating this world close enough to our own, the story stays rooted in some reality while introducing some elements that are more far fetched. As a reader, I liked this balance. I went in knowing very little and I think you should do the same. The year at The School for Good Mothers is emotional, twisted, and in many ways an on the nose criticism of the expectations society puts upon mothers. 

The author shifts who we should disagree with throughout the story, should disagree with Frida, our MC who made such a serious mistake? Should we hate the teachers and counselors at the school? Should we be reluctant of the fathers visiting from their own school? I think that some readers may not enjoy this constant ebb and flow of villainous statements, but I interpreted it as a statement about how toxic the expectations on mothers are and as a reminder that none of us are or will be perfect parents. 

I haven’t recapped the synopsis because I know you can read it yourself and because I see this ad a book best jumped into blindly, but I will say the end was very emotional and a bit predictable. This would have been a 5 star read for me if the ending had been more of a surprise or slightly more open ended. You should also know there is on page racism and child abuse, though brief, and obviously significant custody issues; it is not a book without heaviness but Jessamine Chan has written it beautifully. 

Honor Girl is a YA graphic memoir but I think as a coming of age story, it has broader appeal than just one age group. Maggie Thrash details the story of one summer at camp when she discovers feelings for one of her counselors. So begins her shift to identifying as a lesbian surrounding by judgmental teen girls. 

Maggie quickly learns that her feelings are not as concealed as she thought. The camp is in the rural, conservative South so some of the story centers those attitudes towards queerness. 

To distract herself from the tumult in her mind, Maggie throws herself into target practice. I at times found the gun references disturbing, not because of the writing, but because of present day context. The afterword does mention Maggie has not shot a gun in ten years but I would have appreciated a bit more denouncement of recreational weapons. However, I do think the rifle references were important to this memoir being a true account of this pivotal summer for her. 

This is not a happy ending teen romance story, and for that I loved it even more. I appreciate when YA books showcase complexity and unclear situations. The illustration style was a good fit for the camp setting, and the balance between visual storytelling and exposition was great. I really enjoyed Honor Girl. 

This graphic memoir is perfect. I loved it, even when the content was dark and emotional. The author does an excellent job balancing the story between her life and the life of her parents. I love how she used the narration and illustration to go back and forth between asking questions of her parents in the present day and sharing her parents’ memories from the past. 

So many times I feel like graphic memoirs can feel a bit rushed. This one is just the right length with enough detail throughout. The art style is consistent but it also feels like it adapts to the mood of various events. 

I loved the ending so much. Bui synthesizes her feelings about her family without simplifying those feelings. I am blown away by this retelling of her family’s trauma and journey as refugees. This isn’t a light read, but it is a beautiful one. 

Set on You by Amy Lea exceeded my expectations, and that is after reading because of all the hype around this book. Romance is not a genre that I read often, and this book was such a pleasant surprise. Some things that often annoy me in romance are unrealistic characters, communication problems that feel silly and contrived for the plot, and lack of well rounded connection between the MCs. 

Set on You has everything I want in a romance. The characters have lives outside of the romance, and lives that you care about as the reader. The challenges in the relationship feel realistic and are addressed in healthy adult ways. The MCs connect in a variety of ways, far beyond stereotypical romance and physical intimacy. 

I know you can read the synopsis, so I’ll just say that this book reeled me in and I loved all of it. Some of the gym analogies were cheesy but I loved it. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes romance or anyone who feels picky and looks for a little more depth in a romance read. 

The Lioness is billed as an adventure novel with 1960s Hollywood vibes, and it delivers on both. Told in many alternating perspectives, it is the story of 9 Hollywood elite going on safari in the Serengeti. Early on, things go very, very wrong for the group of travelers. 

Throughout this book, we learn more about the characters’ pasts in flashbacks interspersed with the deadly safari. The character development was top notch. I was impressed by the relatability of each character. Bohjalian clearly did extensive research and he defies my general opinions of most white male authors. I was impressed with how he wrote female characters and characters of color. His portrayal of racism focused on criticism rather than normalizing it or using it as a plot device. 

I am not typically an adventure reader but this book sucked me in and I loved it. The twist/reveal at the end was satisfying. I recommend this one for anyone who likes adventure, tension, human vs. nature, and Old Hollywood. 

This is an enjoyable little cozy mystery by a Filipino author. She incorporates a lot of her culture into the book and as well as ample food descriptions. It’s really descriptions of yummy food with a side of mystery. 

I’m new to this genre and really prefer thrillers, but this book held my attention with great characters and just enough plot.  

This is a lovely historical cozy mystery set in 1920s London. The main character, Constance Grey, is a young single woman who has worked hard to support herself with her mother and sister after her father’s death. Together the Grey women run a dressmaking shop, which makes them privy to lots of information from their many clients. This comes in handy when Constance’s dear friend Diana dies unexpectedly. The police want to write it off as suicide but Constance Grey knows that is impossible. 

This story builds great characters that I look forward to seeing again in the next book, but the characterization of even minor characters is well thought out and purposeful. I loved the historical notes from the author about her research for this book. It makes it even more enjoyable knowing how true to the era all of the story was. 

If you like a cozy mystery, an English setting, and historical fiction, I hope you will give In Diana’s Shadow a try! 

This sequel to Witch Boy focuses on other characters more than Aster, the MC in book #1. There’s a lot that can’t be said without spoiling the first book. This sequel focuses more on the interaction between the magical world and the real world, and develops the characters into a group of trusting friends and a sort of found family. In which boy, a huge part of the story is about what it feels like to be gender nonconforming. That issue does come up in this book but not as much and we see other characters who grow because of Aster’s growth in Witch Boy. 

As with the first book, the art is beautiful and there is a great balance between exposition and letting the illustrations speak. It’s an excellent middle grades graphic novel and I highly recommend the series. 

I picked this up because I enjoyed 56 Days, also by Catherine Ryan Howard. Solid serial killer victim out to catch the bad guy thriller. Some of the twists used were a little bit common, but it was done well. It kept me engaged through to the end. I especially liked the book within the book, a tell all by the MC who lost her family to the Nothing Man at 12 years old. 

This thriller won’t rock your world, but it’s not a bad read. I think it’s a great audiobook with two narrators for the different perspectives and the accents are a delight to listen to.