It feels weird even now as an adult to realize that there are other adults who weren't alive at all during 9/11 because it is something I remember quite well from when I was a small child. So to read something as a depiction of History feels odd to me.

But this was an amazing work to read especially as we are coming up on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Baptiste Bouthier does an amazing job of capturing the humanity of the situation, while also showing us an outside perspective that is hard to find in the US of what 9/11 looked like to others.

While also taking time to touch on very real things like the United States past in the Middle East, and the fact that it is not uncommon to find conspiracies around this event.

I would definitely recommend this book, it does a good job of representing the events without being traumatizing as some pieces of media can be. (Being forced to watch people jump from the towers in High School is something that still haunts me to this day and I do not believe is an appropriate way to teach history)

This book had no right to show up and hit me where it hurts.
In reading this it was often like looking in a mirror, and in many ways Anna's story in regards to her family is incredibly similar to what my deepest fears are made of.

Hoang does a wonderful job roping us into Anna's brain and how she is perceiving her world, which I really enjoyed.

While I'm not typically a huge romance fan I still found myself enjoying this story. While the story is fairly predictable, I was here more for the characters and the connections they make.

Reading this did make me want to go back and read The Kiss Quotient series in order rather then jumping around.

Sarah's Scribbles has been a love of mine for many years, but with the pandemic and the changes in my Social Media use it ended up falling off my radar.

Opening this book was like sitting down with an old friend, talking about how things have changed, old and new stories, and inside jokes.

All throughout the book I found myself grinning, and wanting to share the panels with my friends, who I know would also find them funny and relatable.

I went in expecting a graphic novel, instead I got an awesome children's story. I found myself grinning while reading I was reading, excitement bubbling up in me similar to the experience of sitting on the floor listening to a story in kindergarten.

I love the story beginning to end.

My one nitpick is the art, specifically how it varies in quality. Scenes featuring the royal family? Magnificent. Didn't even think about the fact it was 3D as I was examining them. Scenes that include people outside the royal family, tread the line of uncanny valley. Where something feels off but you can't quite place it.
(though in reality most kids won't notice this, The Polar Express is terrifying looking back. But kids ate it up)

I'm not sure why but this just kept falling under my radar as something I have to read.
And I was missing out on a fantastic werewolf graphic novel, some amazing characters. Watching Artie grow and find her place was fun.

I also enjoyed that this wasn't just about blood family, but also that found family is just as important.

This book was so interesting that I want to share it with everyone.

Do you ever read a book and feel like you need one of those giant conspiracy boards with the red string?
Because that is how I felt thru out this book. So much so that I will be purchasing a copy to tear apart and create a conspiracy board. I do feel that I must wait until I can get a paperback as somehow it feels wrong to subjugate a Hard Cover to that level of use.

Turnbull's writing is incredibly gorgeous that I found myself so engrossed that it took me way to long to realize that we were seeing characters reoccur, and that I should have paid more mind to the names of the individuals in the beginning.
I'm honestly excited for the opportunity to read this again, because this book is so packed with information wrapped in gorgeous writing that I'm sure that there is so much more I will see by delving back in.

IT IS GAY! IT SLAPS. It has some good representation of polyamorous relationships.

I did learn today though, that this book is not a stand alone novel it is part of a series. (Which makes the ending make way more sense)

You know that feeling when a friend sends you a tiktok that hits a little to close to home and you start questioning everything?
That is this book in a nutshell.

While this book made me uncomfortable quite often in reading it. It was because these were the parts of me that I often have a hard time expressing to those around me.
It is definitely an interesting and insightful read. While also being fun.

I honestly was kind of concerned I'd hate this, when I was starting it.
I didn't, I have mixed feelings, but I definitely didn't hate it.

There are points in reading this that I did genuinely laugh.
It is also is an interesting piece of "Speculative Historical Fiction?"

But what I honestly want I enjoyed in the end is the fact that narratively. is the repeating cycle of men underestimating and pushing women out, only for them to become more successful for it.

But what I just can't forgive is the choice to call a mouse, a vole. I hate it so much.