A rather specific kind of book, obviously, but an interesting read for parents in general. Yes, there are helpful points made on how to engage boys more with books: one of my favorites is that they are never too old to be read aloud to - do it until the leave for college! But there is also a lot of great cultural/social anthropology to be learned, almost like the male version of Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein, which is also a FANTASTIC read.

Adding my praises to the pile for The Undocumented Americans. This book is an absolute must read. You think you know about the Flint water crisis? You don’t. You think you understand healthcare and immigrants? Nope. You think you know everything about 9/11? You absolutely do not. Well, unless you are an undocumented American, or have already read this book.
Villavicencio shares her personal stories and those of others as they are separated, exploited at every turn, and find defiant joy. The people in this book are absolutely Americans, contributing so much to this country and our daily lives, something that should be understood by all citizens.
For more reviews and bookish musings visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

“They fear our skin and we fear our power. It’s a perfect storm for destruction. Our destruction.”
This story of a murder on Chicago’s south side drew me in instantly, especially as a Chicagoan. I appreciated West’s perspective and the plotting was excellent - I was definitely surprised at a few twists and turns.
However, I think that was,in part, due to the characters being held at arms length. I never felt invested in the central relationship, Layla and Ruby’s friendship, or any other. Multiple POVs can often shed light on the dynamic between characters, but in this novel, they were all so introspective that it made each person seem like an island unto himself. There’s a lot of exclamation (!) in the actual dialogue and it felt heavy handed and angst-y, rather than nuanced and sorrowful.
I think I’d recommend this as a YA novel with it’s emphasis on plot and young people grappling with a legacy they want so desperately to break.
For more reviews and bookish musings visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

“It was messy. It was hard. It was wonderful, and strange, and frightening, and fragile - so fragile it hurt - and it was worth every single moment.”
As with most books I end up adoring, It’s hard to gather my thoughts about why I loved it so much. I just did, and you should read it too!
If I had to elaborate…It reminds me of how I felt when I read Circe (a cursed and timeless woman fiercely moving forward), My Name is Memory (immortal souls, melancholy, romance), The Time Traveler’s Wife (unique and magical love story full of longing), or Erin Morgenstern’s books (richly drawn love letters to art, to books).
This will fit perfectly next to those beloved books on my all time favorites shelf for all the reasons mentioned and more. Addie’s story was an unforgettable one about what matters most, to love and be loved, to be remembered.
For more reviews and bookish musings visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

So thankful that Little Brown sent me a gifted copy! I usually wait until December to read the Hilderbrand winter books, but this year is... different. Not gonna lie, October felt heavy. A trip to St. John was much needed and the novel delivered on all the usual things I come to expect from Hilderbrand: sense of place, dishy drama, lovable (and hate-able) characters, prose about mouthwatering food, and a heartwarming story.
For more reviews and bookish musings visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

SO pleasantly surprised by Mexican Gothic! I have seen many mixed reviews, and I have a terrible batting average with gothic novels, especially popular ones like Rebecca, but I do love Jane Eyre. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Mexican Gothic was a perfect slow burn, spooky and creepy - but not scary, with such immersive sense of place that kept me turning pages. I loved the main character Noemi and her fierce femininity. (Also, I cannot WAIT for all of the fab ‘50s costume design in the Hulu adaptation!)
As the novel comes to it’s climactic ending, it’s equally CRAZY and yet not so ridiculous of a denouement as some thrillers I have read in recent years. This book is absolute perfection for a rainy fall read to get lost in, and it actually grabbed my attention away from the news!!! So, I highly recommend.
For more reviews and bookish musings visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

This was the pick for my local PNW bookstagrammers for October/Latinx heritage month, a sweet YA fantasy novel about a transgender boy navigating the process of becoming a part of the Brujex - people within their culture who can see and help spirits of the dead. I found the Brujo parts of the story to be fascinating, and it lent to the fraught tensions of how gender plays a role within cultural institutions, and how they can remain the same in ways that matter, while also growing with change. Although, the YA prose was pretty heavy and many scenes were drawn out unnecessarily. Several scenes that took me what seemed like ages to read were interludes that lasted mere minutes, and I am not a fan of long winded action scenes that feel like a sports play by play, which is how the book came to it's conclusion. Overall I am glad this book is out in the world though - if you are a YA fantasy fan, I would definitely recommend giving it a go.
For more reviews and bookish musings, visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

I blew through The Duke and I - it was the PERFECT brain candy distraction to take breaks from the real world. I really enjoyed the witty banter, the plot took some interesting turns before the happy ever after, and I thought it was interesting timing to read a fictional account of someone overcoming a stutter when we just elected Joe Biden. I can’t wait to devour more and watch the adaptation on Netflix!
For more reviews and bookish musings visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

Thank you to Little Brown for an early complementary copy of Here is the Beehive! I went into this book blind, and was pleasantly surprised to see that it’s written in verse. The writing technique is not something I seek out, but when I do read books structured this way, I inevitably find them so compelling.The pages flew by quickly not only because the words are sparse, but they packed quite a punch. I’m usually averse to books that delve into infidelity, as most seem to romanticize it in some way, rather than frame it as what I consider to be the lazy way out of a relationship, and a lazy way to create drama. This novel contains zero romance, and is actually a fascinating take on what might be inside the head of someone making such self destructive decisions. It is definitely not a cheery holiday read, as it kept getting slightly more awful as things progressed! But there was something so hypnotic and propulsive in the way Crossan structured the book. It felt reminiscent of the first season of Fleabag, in that truths are eventually dropped in your lap like a bomb. I do love a good ‘WHOA!’ in a book, or several, even if it is sorta terrible. I definitely recommend giving it a read if you don’t have a problem with “unlikeable” complex characters, and it can literally be done in a day or two - perfect for hitting those EOY reading goals.
For more reviews and bookish musings, visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

I put a hold on The Self Driven Child pre-library closure and it came in the other week. I guess I was a glutton for punishment by going ahead and reading it, whilst we are all dealing with unprecedented learning challenges for our kids. Right now it’s pretty hard to be hands-off when grades, assignments, etc. are in our face constantly with systems in place to send updates while remote learning.
Nevertheless, even if I read this pre-Covid, I still took the insights from this book with a huge grain of salt. Yes, I don’t interfere with my kids school work, they communicate with their teachers directly, and I let them fail while it is safe for them to do so. But, if they DO fail there are consequences beyond ‘natural consequences’. If my kids are not meeting our expectations on grades, they lose privileges. For the most part, this has motivated them and I don’t have to do it as often anymore. But to get to the point where you let them fail out of school altogether, instead of guiding them through failing grades seems over the top. I definitely agree with the scientific fact that it makes kids feel/become more self-sufficient when they do things for themselves, but for my family, I feel there is room for guidance.
And as much scientific evidence given about self-sufficiency in this book, there is a glaring lack of the data on children who fail out of high school or college and what that means for their future. Most of the rosy anecdotal stories used as examples, of kids turning things around after major failure, are statistically not the norm.
There are certainly great takeaways to be had, and it was a good reminder that grades are not the end all/be all of their future happiness. Also, not every approach fits every child. It’s also worth remembering that we as parents are the expert on our own kids.
For more reviews and bookish musings, visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/