This was one of, if not The best memoir I’ve ever read. It’s filled with resilience, curiosity, humor, and beauty. Trevor’s story is so unique and I learned so much about the apartheid, growing up half white/half Black and the complexities of crime and poverty, and even love. With every single chapter I laughed out loud, cried, and thought “that’s so true! i never thought of it like that!” Trevor’s mom is a badass; she’s so inspiring and I want to be her best friend. I’m also incredibly grateful I got to learn about her story through’s Trevor’s particular perspective; he’s so insightful and intuitive. This story ends so early in his life that I hope he one day give’s us another book where he connects his upbringing in South Africa to his now successful career.

"They seemed angry that I’d made myself vulnerable, more than the fact that he’d acted on my vulnerability." I cannot express how grateful and humbled I am by Miller choosing to write Know My Name. Miller makes herself vulnerable on every page of this book, but it's her vulnerability that makes her so inspiring. It's one of the best memoirs I've read and I learned so much more from it than I was expecting. The added layer of race, for me, was very important and created space for a conversation about something that is common, but too often invisible. I urge everyone to find time to read Miller's story.

"I can't change where I come from or what I've been through, so why should I be ashamed of what makes me, me?" Angie Thomas is one of the best writers this world has to offer right now. Starr is a complex, beautiful, strong character and the two selves she creates and the one she ultimately chooses is just one of a million stories. I first read this book my senior year of high school and have since read it twice and every time I'm confronted by my privileges and my prejudices in new ways. A must read for anyone who cares.

"We don’t have a word for the opposite of loneliness, but if we did, I could say that’s what I want in life." A book I will always turn to when I am sad. This collection of short stories never fails to move me and I wish more than anything to live in a world where Keegan was still telling stories. The world is in need of them.

"I told her I wasn't going to argue about fair. Fair was deceptive. An abstraction we'd layered upon another abstraction: deserve." Full of bravery and heartbreak, Thummel tackles gender, sexuality, the AIDS epidemic, and loneliness beautifully through Sam Gavin's story. The Cure for Lonely is one of my favorites and I couldn't put it down both times I've read it. I just wish more people knew about Thummel and her stories.

"She hadn’t realized how long it takes to become somebody else, or how lonely it can be living in a world not meant for you." Bennett captures just how complex race, specifically colorism, is and how important and long-lasting (but not permanent) a single choice can be. The twins, Desiree and Stella are two of the strongest characters I've ever read about, both in the way Bennett makes them come to life, and in the way they face hardships and discrimination. Identity and home matter and everyday we make choices. The secrets and lies we create to protect ourselves or those around us, can ultimately hurt those most important to us if we're not careful.

"Sand keeps secrets better than mud." Please! Read! This! Book! There's a reason this book has the incredible reviews it does. By the time you close the book you will be mad at the world, proud of women, and in love with Owens and her Kya. Loneliness, guilt, loss, hope, love, strength are all exhibited throughout this book and Owens is completely original in drawing out these familiar emotions. There's value in reading a mystery once in a while and even if you dislike the genre, you will love this book. Where the Crawdads Sing is atmospheric and beautiful and warm and heartfelt and all the good things. I will be thinking about Kya for years to come.

This story has everything I look for in a book. A queer romance, Indian main character, a fantasy element, world travel, plus it's funny, accessible, and so well written. Sy an amazing character- his story is complex. I was surprised by how overt the trauma was, specifically regarding homophobia (his dad physically abuses him) and racism (he's only 17 and asked to strip in an airport after being racially profiled). Sy is still a strong, beautiful character who really comes into his own throughout the story, as he travels with a genie across the globe to find his ex-boyfriend (and love of his life). This story is fast-paced, witty, and unlike any story I've read. Kutub is a new favorite.