Love Learning to Tidy

Many of Marie Kondo’s principals have been part of my life since I was a kid. Her idea of sparking joy is new to me and it’s life changing!

This is a one sitting, stay up late kind of book. ICYMI Abigail Johnson is my absolute favorite writer of families and Even If I Fall just completely cements it.

How do you take two completely at-odds families and find a way to bridge them? I DON’T KNOW BUT ABIGAIL MAKES IT HAPPEN.

Brooke: ice skater, daughter, best friend, sister to a brother who killed his best friend

Heath: strong, quiet, brother to a boy who’s been killed by his best friend

You know this book is going to have a certain level of angst. Brooke and her family are the town outcasts but there’s no one who shuns her more than the family of the boy her brother killed. I thought this story was going to explore the murder more but I am glad it didn’t. Abigail did not go overboard trying to make Brooke’s brother sympathetic, though you can’t leave the story without wanting to changing everyone’s decisions.

If you’re a fan of complex family situations, small town/rural dynamics, friendships, and swoon, Even If I Fall is the perfect read for you this winter!

I like the art and the story is fine but I don’t think I’ll continue reading

Too Much Sparkle

As much as I want to have a succinct wardrobe, I’m too much of a sparkling sally to get there just yet.

I don’t often read behind the scenes books but this was SO FUN

Chelsea Cain is on fire. Full review to come.

Enjoyable for MHA Fans!

I like that Vigilantes doesn’t take itself too seriously. Also, the end pages and behind the scenes info are my fav!

2018 seemed to be full of non-fiction anthologies in YA – and I am totally here for it. There’s nothing like seeing your favorite authors get real on the page. (don’t) Call Me Crazy is such a great example of this, which struck me personally as an advocate for breaking the mental health stigma. I can’t recommend this book enough.

With sections like, “What’s ‘crazy'”, Beyond Stress and Sadness, and “To Be Okay” (the chapter on hope), readers will find a variety of mental health experiences and normalities on the page. In addition to the authors experiences are lists such as, “Top 10 Horror Films about Fear” written by Stephanie Kuehn, a YA queen of terror (PS I also had no idea so many people were bothered by seemingly normal sounds. Glad it’s not just me!) and art. There are stories about comorbidities in mental health, healing after a school shooting, addiction, and body dysmorphia from a male perspective. It’s a well rounded anthology full of diverse perspectives but is clear that these are personal experiences so a reader’s experience may be different or not represented at all.

The takeaway message is in the opening chapter – a person’s mental health does not define them and there is hope and treatment out there. Plus there’s a badass essay from S. Jae-Jones on being a woman and how that can directly impact our mental health. Oh, and if you missed editor Kelly Jensen’s recent essay about her mental health journey and the book, be sure to check it out here!

This is funny and endearing and I want Marvel to do more of this.

Today is a pretty big release day. I woke up to several new audiobooks and emails notifying me of incoming preorders. Exciting! But how do you pick which one to read first. Some of us have extensive spreadsheets, some of us are mood readers, and some people just want to be reminded. I finished Undying in a day after marathoning the audiobook because I was desperate to know what happens to Jules and Mia. Check out my 5 reasons why Undying is your read this release day!

(Slight spoilers for Unearthed below)

1. Mia and Jules. The story is told in their alternating voices and if you don’t fall in love with Mia’s charge-into-everything and Jules’ wait-lets-think-about-this banter, I don’t even know how to please you. These two are completely lovable and it’s no secret there’s some romance here. Faced with dying (and the Undying), you’ll see them grapple with their completely different upbringings and futures along with self preservation vs no person left behind. I definitely read this series for the characters.
2. The Undying. At the end of Unearthed, we are left with knowing very little about the alien race Mia and Jules are hiding from. Meg and Amie use Undying as a way to go deep into worldbuilding and create some awesome side characters. Come for the puzzles in Unearthed, stay for the gasps as Mia and Jules uncover more info about the Undying and their motivation. You will NOT see it coming.
3. The feels. Like can we ever read Amie without wanting to send her our medical bills for constantly trying to kill us? There are some pretty big O M G moments in this book and every time I thought I knew what this book was going to throw at me, I was wrong. So expect to have a lot of emotions and let’s form a therapy group after.
4. Action packed. See above, right? Mia and Jules are constantly on the run or hiding or generally just trying not to get caught but a killer alien race. This action packed story will keep you turning the page (or speeding up the audiobook) just to see what’s coming next.
5. Excellent narrators. I listened to both books and loved the dual narration. Alex McKenna has this perfect, slightly scratchy voice that I love for space books and Steve West is just universally loved for his emotive voice.

Bonus: it’s a duology so once you’re done, you’re done with the series. I love when that happens.