This was a really eye-opening book about a philanthropist who gained the respect and donations of many, many people but was truly just a grifter. I wasn’t aware of this story or the books it discusses, but I highly recommend this nonfiction expose. It moves fast and is a great reminder of the importance of oversight and the dark side of educational philanthropy. 

This volume of Your Lie in April really focused on how to help Arima move past his trauma with his late mother. As always the art was phenomenal. This was one of the slower volumes of this character driven manga, but so enjoyable and I am excited to see how Arima grows in the next volume. 

Mary Jane is a book full of complex and realistic characters that will have you drawn in and rooting for them. This book is mostly slice of life and not a lot of plot, focusing on Mary Jane’s job as a summer nanny for a family with famous and secret house guests for the season. 

I normally enjoy plot forward books and I think knowing that’s not this book helped me to really enjoy it. I found myself reading it so quickly to see how the characters acted and connected with each other. If you liked Daisy Jones and the Six, this is different in style but the 70s vibes are similar and this is worth a try! 

I think this is the best volume from 1-4. Maybe it’s the best of the four, or maybe it’s me settling in to the story but this felt like the story and art really hitting its stride and working in total harmony. 

I can’t wait to begin vol 5, but be aware this volume ends with child abuse on and off page. 

This short book packs so much into so few pages. I read this expecting the story of a disabled mother whose daughter has died, not a mystery as some libraries and booksellers categorize it. It is a fantastic character study and an eye opening look at disability, but I think those expecting a mystery might be disappointed. 

If you are looking for an emotional book and a perspective not often found in our ableist society, Eleña Knows is an excellent choice. 

I think Long Distance is a standout middle grades graphic novel. The story begins with the main character moving for her dad’s job. She is devastated to leave her best friend behind. After the move, her dads send her to a camp for making friends. Soon it becomes clear that the campers aren’t the strangest part of the camp, and the campers must bond to solve their predicament. 

Great illustrations, strong pacing, and a great message without being too heavy handed. Check this out from your library ASAP! 

This thriller sucked me in and surprised me in so many good ways. I loved the literary topic and the academic setting for part of the book. I suggest reading this knowing as little as possible beforehand. It was a slow build up but the consistent timing of reveals kept it very engaging, and then end was very well done. I would compare this to Who is Maud Dixon? in terms of non-traditional thriller pacing and literary work being at the center of the story. Highly recommend! 

This was a mostly funny, but also informative and genuine memoir. I was not very familiar with Colin Jost before reading and I was quickly a fan of his writing style. He smoothly moved back and forth between heavy and funnier topics in a way that kept your spirits up as a reader but didn’t seem contrived. There were so many times I laughed loudly while reading this. I highly recommend this for a laugh and a lighter read. 

This memoir in verse is absolutely stunning. It follows Jacqueline Woodson from a young age and focuses on her family but also on her sense of self and how she differs from them. The way she wove in poems written in her childhood was genius and so heartwarming. Her descriptions of learning challenges were especially poignant and I think many adults and children would gain perspective from reading this book. It was such a well told story that is still swirling in my mind days after reading. 

This introductory volume of Fence drew me in quickly. The authors did a great job establishing the characters and creating interest around each of them. One of the main characters, Nicholas, is not a strong fencer but he has lots of potential. The reason for his strong desire to be an award winning fencer is alluded to in this volume and will definitely be an interesting story line. I look forward to learning more about his motivation and seeing his growth in the next volume.