Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the copy of this book.

“But what is a fate worse than being even more invisible to others?”

Wow, Deb, what a debut! In this gorgeously illustrated graphic novel, Deb JJ Lee tells us the story of her teen years as a Korean American in New Jersey and Seoul. There are a LOT of heavy topics in this book, as Deb recounts the racism and microaggressions she experienced, her struggles with mental health, and her life in an unsafe home. This is a magnetic story - I simply couldn’t put it down and was swept away into the dreamlike atmosphere of Deb’s writing and illustrations. I really appreciate that Deb used this medium to tell her story because it is really impactful and unique.

4.5

This is a really fantastic novel for kids in elementary or middle school, and really for readers of all ages. My 7-year-old daughter and I picked this up because it's the story of a deaf bunny, Cece, whose story is very close to that of a child in my daughter's class. Cece has to wear a Phonic Ear, a visible, kind of bulky device that has a microphone for the teacher to speak into so that she can hear well in school. Cece is really self-conscious about it, but quickly learns that her deafness makes her unique and is part of who she is, and that her Phonic Ear gives her super hearing.

El Deafo is fantastic for kids to learn about the experience of being deaf in a hearing school, and what to do and not to do when interacting with deaf peers.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for the copy of this book.

Just the Nicest Couple is another excellent domestic suspense thriller from Mary Kubica. While Local Woman Missing still tops my list for her books, this was a solid, bingeable read involving spouses, friends, murder, sneaking around, and covering things up. I didn’t guess multiple twists in this book, which I always love, and it will keep me coming back to Mary for more.

Read if you like:
- domestic suspense
- multiple twists
- bingeable thrillers
- questionable characters

“I knew, maybe better than anyone, that some stories had a way of getting stuck inside our heads. Usually, because we were afraid of what those stories revealed about us—our fears and our inadequacies, our mistakes and our failures. Sometimes, those stories needed a little nudging to come out.“

Finlay Donovan is back again! And this time it’s her ex-husband‘s life on the line. We get appearances from the young cute lawyer and the hot cop, but let’s be honest - #TeamNick always. This book was filled with wit, humor, suspense, and a little romance. Through it all, Finlay is starting to own who she is and who she wants to become. I actually loved this book even more than book one. The twists were perfectly placed for me to want to keep reading, and I had a hard time guessing them. An absolutely perfect sequel!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thanks to Gallery books for the copy of this ARC.

This book is just fantastic, and if you are a romance reader, it’s pretty much a love letter to you along with an incredible storyline. Fizzy and Connor have top-notch tension and pining from the get-go… no waiting around in this book! The reality dating show was SO much fun, as well as watching Fizzy and Connor clearly fall fast and hard. Jess and River were expertly woven into the story, and I appreciated the overlap of their lives with Fizzy & Connor’s. Most of all, I love that Christina and Lauren addressed romance reading stereotypes and talked about elevating joy over pain in stories, then executing just that in this book. Chef’s kiss.

Read if you:
- are a romance reader
- watch The Bachelorette
- love some good tension
- need to get 100% lost in the pages of a book

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for the copy of this ARC.

Code Name Sapphire started off with quite the shocking scene, taking me right into the brutality present in WWII. A story told between the POV of two cousins, Hannah (actively involved with the Sapphire Line resistance network) and Lily (complacent Belgian citizen). They are each dragged into the War in various ways and are forced to make tough choices for themselves and their families. I always enjoy a story about women in the resistance in WWII and this had the different, interesting angle of being set in Belgium.

Read if you like:
- learning about WWII Resistance networks
- love triangles
- exploring a new angle of WWII (Belgium!)