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pucksandpaperbacks
TW: death of a loved one, grief, 9/11, dementia
Rep: Abbi and Noah are both Jewish
*setting: New Jersey
Wow. Wow. Wow. I am so amazed by how great this book was. I was captivated by the story and just so invested in the characters? There's so many ways you can write a book about 9/11, but this was one of the most unique stories about 9/11 I have read in my life, so far.
We follow Abbi Hope Goldstein, who is the little girl in a famous 9/11 photo, called "Baby Hope". For all her life, she's been known as Baby Hope and is ready to close that chapter of her life as she starts her summer as a counselor at Knight's Summer Camp where she meets a boy, Noah who has a fascination with 9/11 and the Baby Hope photo because he lost his dad on 9/11 and is trying to get closure since he was just a baby when his father died.
Julie made me believe that the Baby Hope picture was real. SERIOUSLY. I GOOGLED IT TWICE. It felt so real to me, it was crazy. Hope and other Punchlines tells various stories of 9/11 survivors from different perspectives. As we know, everyone has a story to associate with 9/11 whether you were in New York on Sept 11, 2001 or not. Everyone has a story and I really admire how Julie made all the stories so different. The book reveals the message of heroes at the end and the development of Noah and Abbi's characters was done so well.
I devoured this story and honestly, I'm sad I don't get to spend more time with Noah and Abbi. Their story was so unique and sweet, despite the darkness and grieving. This was just such an incredible book and I encourage more people to read it.
Rep: Abbi and Noah are both Jewish
*setting: New Jersey
Wow. Wow. Wow. I am so amazed by how great this book was. I was captivated by the story and just so invested in the characters? There's so many ways you can write a book about 9/11, but this was one of the most unique stories about 9/11 I have read in my life, so far.
We follow Abbi Hope Goldstein, who is the little girl in a famous 9/11 photo, called "Baby Hope". For all her life, she's been known as Baby Hope and is ready to close that chapter of her life as she starts her summer as a counselor at Knight's Summer Camp where she meets a boy, Noah who has a fascination with 9/11 and the Baby Hope photo because he lost his dad on 9/11 and is trying to get closure since he was just a baby when his father died.
Julie made me believe that the Baby Hope picture was real. SERIOUSLY. I GOOGLED IT TWICE. It felt so real to me, it was crazy. Hope and other Punchlines tells various stories of 9/11 survivors from different perspectives. As we know, everyone has a story to associate with 9/11 whether you were in New York on Sept 11, 2001 or not. Everyone has a story and I really admire how Julie made all the stories so different. The book reveals the message of heroes at the end and the development of Noah and Abbi's characters was done so well.
I devoured this story and honestly, I'm sad I don't get to spend more time with Noah and Abbi. Their story was so unique and sweet, despite the darkness and grieving. This was just such an incredible book and I encourage more people to read it.
Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, stealing, cheating on a partner, opioid addiction, homelessness, arrest, framed for murder, graphic depictions of mugging, death, paranoia, suicide attempt, relapsing, internalized racism, Indigenous slurs, violence/abuse by cell mates, blood, loss of a loved one to leukemia
Told in verse and narrative. I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author. This was a very powerful and hard read about homelessness, addiction and resilience. Jesse explores his Indigenous history by the end of the novel and it was interesting to hear how he began to explore his Métis-Cree history and begin to become more aware and connected to his background. Would recommend.
Told in verse and narrative. I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author. This was a very powerful and hard read about homelessness, addiction and resilience. Jesse explores his Indigenous history by the end of the novel and it was interesting to hear how he began to explore his Métis-Cree history and begin to become more aware and connected to his background. Would recommend.
Trigger Warnings: bullying, ableist slurs, disordered eating, depression, suicidal thoughts, self-depreciation, grief, loss of a loved one, graphic depiction of a suicidal attempt.
*This book contains spoilers for the movie Love, Simon
I truly wish I had a physical copy (and will probably get one at some point) because I wish I could've tabbed and highlighted the HECK out of this book. I resonated with so much of it but damn it has so many important conversations inside.
This book taught me a lot about how to dismantle my language that can be harmful to disabled folks & how to be an accomplice to the disabled community through my actions. Keah talks about how much the government has failed disabled people and made them feel invisible. Accessibility is a huge conversation in this novel and it angers me to hear how much the disabled community is wronged in our world.
Keah discusses how she strives to become a TV or film writer to receive the representation she and the disabled community as a whole deserve. She has a whole chapter dedicated to the poor representation of able-bodied people playing disabled characters on TV or in films & how harmful the representation is (i.e. Glee, Everything, Everything, and ??). She discusses how through the media's portrayal, ableism exists. Able-bodied people begin to believe that all disabled people want to be "free" or hate their bodies which isn't the case in the slightest. I'm so grateful for Keah's book and her words.
My favorite chapter was about one of my favorite bands, Paramore. Keah talks about how her love for Paramore and Demi Lovato got her through some hard times in her life (+ depression) and I couldn’t relate more. Paramore became a crucial part of my development in high school and they still remain one of my favorite bands.
This book is a great start to helping able-bodied people becoming anti-ableist. Also, if you're struggling with depression or self-esteem issues, Keah has a great essay for the last chapter about "it's okay, not to be okay" and learning how to manage depression.
Quotes:
“It is a different kind of beast to spend so much time with your thoughts that you create a whole new life that you are convinced is better in every way than the one you are living.”
"I am tired of accepting scraps as representation,"
"Progress is remembering that breaks from pain are not only recommended but necessary, that finding joys in life despite systemic oppression can save lives"."
"When you have no idea that the world is a place that may judge you because of a thing you can't change, it is jarring when you realize that not only is it a possibility but it's a certainty"."
*This book contains spoilers for the movie Love, Simon
I truly wish I had a physical copy (and will probably get one at some point) because I wish I could've tabbed and highlighted the HECK out of this book. I resonated with so much of it but damn it has so many important conversations inside.
This book taught me a lot about how to dismantle my language that can be harmful to disabled folks & how to be an accomplice to the disabled community through my actions. Keah talks about how much the government has failed disabled people and made them feel invisible. Accessibility is a huge conversation in this novel and it angers me to hear how much the disabled community is wronged in our world.
Keah discusses how she strives to become a TV or film writer to receive the representation she and the disabled community as a whole deserve. She has a whole chapter dedicated to the poor representation of able-bodied people playing disabled characters on TV or in films & how harmful the representation is (i.e. Glee, Everything, Everything, and ??). She discusses how through the media's portrayal, ableism exists. Able-bodied people begin to believe that all disabled people want to be "free" or hate their bodies which isn't the case in the slightest. I'm so grateful for Keah's book and her words.
My favorite chapter was about one of my favorite bands, Paramore. Keah talks about how her love for Paramore and Demi Lovato got her through some hard times in her life (+ depression) and I couldn’t relate more. Paramore became a crucial part of my development in high school and they still remain one of my favorite bands.
This book is a great start to helping able-bodied people becoming anti-ableist. Also, if you're struggling with depression or self-esteem issues, Keah has a great essay for the last chapter about "it's okay, not to be okay" and learning how to manage depression.
Quotes:
“It is a different kind of beast to spend so much time with your thoughts that you create a whole new life that you are convinced is better in every way than the one you are living.”
"I am tired of accepting scraps as representation,"
"Progress is remembering that breaks from pain are not only recommended but necessary, that finding joys in life despite systemic oppression can save lives"."
"When you have no idea that the world is a place that may judge you because of a thing you can't change, it is jarring when you realize that not only is it a possibility but it's a certainty"."
CW: emotional abuse, verbal abuse, murder, death, death via house fire, suicidal thoughts, gaslighting, manipulation, homophobia.
A powerful memoir about abuse in queer relationships. This is such a hard read and I’ll admit I was anxious throughout the book because of the emotional abuse Carmen experienced. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this. Everyone should read it unless you are triggered by the topics. Each chapter is portrayed in a different way using themes and ideas while Carmen recounts her experiences. I liked that it was told in first person and it sounded like an essay to her past self. There’s also researched chapters with stats on queer & lesbian abuse.
*no rating because I don’t rate memoirs with heavy topics
A powerful memoir about abuse in queer relationships. This is such a hard read and I’ll admit I was anxious throughout the book because of the emotional abuse Carmen experienced. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this. Everyone should read it unless you are triggered by the topics. Each chapter is portrayed in a different way using themes and ideas while Carmen recounts her experiences. I liked that it was told in first person and it sounded like an essay to her past self. There’s also researched chapters with stats on queer & lesbian abuse.
*no rating because I don’t rate memoirs with heavy topics
CW: racial slurs, n-word, racism
I liked how history was intertwined into the novel and learning about Roberto's claim to fame and how he was and is an integral part of the MLB as the first Latin American to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The story felt a little rushed as Roberto's college years are jumped into very quickly and I would've liked to see and read about how he got into baseball as a child, but overall, it was an interesting read and devastating to hear how Roberto passed.
I liked how history was intertwined into the novel and learning about Roberto's claim to fame and how he was and is an integral part of the MLB as the first Latin American to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The story felt a little rushed as Roberto's college years are jumped into very quickly and I would've liked to see and read about how he got into baseball as a child, but overall, it was an interesting read and devastating to hear how Roberto passed.
The illustrations deserve a 5 star overall. They were stunning! Especially the girl's dresses. However, I think the plot got away from me and it felt like it didn't have a cohesive ending. But, I really enjoyed the story's aesthetic and the pop-punk girl band element, I just wish there was more depth in the plot as there is two storylines.
TW/CW: racism, police brutality, stabbing, murder
I really enjoyed this poetry collection focused on Black girl magic, oppression, and police brutality. The poems pulled at my heartstrings. This is a perfect coffee table book and I'd recommend it!
We will not apologize for our rage
You earned every drop- Tsunami
No problem’s solved until it’s faced,
But we have no time left to waste. - Say Her Name
I really enjoyed this poetry collection focused on Black girl magic, oppression, and police brutality. The poems pulled at my heartstrings. This is a perfect coffee table book and I'd recommend it!
We will not apologize for our rage
You earned every drop- Tsunami
No problem’s solved until it’s faced,
But we have no time left to waste. - Say Her Name