I really enjoyed this look at a light-skinned black woman "passing" as white to train as a WASP pilot in WWII. It's full of lovely female friendships, along with the tension of racial politics of the day as well as general fear of the WWII era. This is a great one for fans of [b:Code Name Verity|11925514|Code Name Verity (Code Name Verity, #1)|Elizabeth Wein|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388161911s/11925514.jpg|16885788] and other historical fiction. (OK, it's not quite as page-turny as CNV, but still, very fraught!)

I'm planning to booktalk this to junior high kids next year.

The prose here is pretty straightforward; the story is extremely inspirational and makes me feel like a garbage person who has accomplished nothing with my life. The subtitle "from war orphan to star ballerina" pretty much says it all.

I'm definitely planning to booktalk this to junior high kids; I think it'll be a great read for tweens & teens looking for a sad/inspiring story of a girl overcoming EXTREME hardships with EXTREME grace and poise. Also, kids interested in ballet/music, of course. Michaela also talks frankly about experiencing racism in the US but it's not her main focus... I kind of wished that she would talk more about it but I totally get her preference to focus more on the dancing.

Also apparently Michaela was featured in a documentary called First Position, which I now want to watch.

There's some interesting writing here but the author seemed to be most interested in exploring what I thought the most boring parts of the narrative were. Also I could definitely go without another male character who believes himself to be so far beyond "pussy whipped" that he's "cunt-gripped." Gross, man.

This is the WORST bestseller. Reading it made me feel very sad and upset and nauseous. It took me like a week to recover from the experience. It was very upsetting.


http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-09-the-christmas-sweater/

Mmmm, like, this cements a lot of the feelings I had about [b:The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line|18209454|The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line (Veronica Mars, #1)|Rob Thomas|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1393100477s/18209454.jpg|25630244], namely that VM works so much better as a show than as a book. A lot of stuff here just reads as cheesy that I could just picture Kristen Bell and Enrico Colatoni being able to pull off. Or like, in basically every chapter, they namedrop what music Veronica is listening to, which felt a little forced, versus in the show just... having the music in the background.

Also I felt a little uncomfy about the actual mystery--a violent serial rapist who preys on callgirls? Like I get that it's noir, blah blah blah, but also mmm idk.

I did like the parts with Logan and Mac. I guess what I'm saying is I should probably just read unofficial, fluffy VMars fanfiction instead of this officially sanctioned, rape-riddled, VMars fanfiction.

http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-08-the-christmas-shoes/

This wasn't the WORST bestseller I've read this year.

Wow! I was a little surprised by all the hubbub when this book came out and a lot of people I know were excited about "the new Sarah Waters!" because I had somehow not heard of Sarah Waters before? After read this I definitely get the excitement, though.

Again, not knowing anything about Sarah Waters but just wanting to read this because everyone was talking about it, I got a little bummed out when I picked up my library hold and it was so long! I'm used to YA fiction these days and I was a liiittle grumpy about the prospect of nearly 600 pages of British period drama. (I'm one of few people who didn't love Downton Abbey--just not my particular jam usually.)

So I was surprised and pleased by what a page turner this was!! The drama and romance was truly fraught and 100% engaging. Lovely!

Love, love, love. Structurally, this is a little bit of a ramble, but I DO NOT CARE. I will take the humor and wisdom of Amy Poehler in whatever form she chooses to dispense it. I especially love her general attitude on life, and the way she balances self-confidence and going after what she wants with genuine love and respect and affection for people she works with.

Oh, and I especially loved all the backstory about founding UCB!! #comedynerd

also I really enjoyed the layout of the print book, with the photos and the Affirmation Pages (which is what I'm choosing to call the pages that were just full color 2-page spreads with one key sentence).

<3!

Whew! I'm so glad I liked this as much as I did! I've been a long-time fan of Alan Cumming--such that I read his other book, [b:Tommy's Tale|627205|Tommy's Tale|Alan Cumming|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1176463599s/627205.jpg|1076338] when I was in high school. Tommy's Tale a) is not... super appropriate for high schoolers... and b) is not that great, sort of a queer Bridget Jones-y thing.

BUT NEVER MIND ALL THAT, Not My Father's Son is a truly engaging memoir with some real mysteries at its heart. It's a heartbreaking look at the way Cumming's abusive father warped Alan and his brother's childhood, interlaced with his joyful adulthood and the strength he's found within himself and his community. Also, a genuinely compelling mystery regarding lost relatives on his mother's side. Definitely recommended for existing fans of Alan Cumming, but would also be a good read for fans of memoir even if they don't care for Alan's work as an actor.

I don't even... know? This book was so weird, you guys. So weird.

http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-06-under-the-radar/