i've read this book for two classes now and it's really well-written but i still don't understand it at all. what is your deal, lauren slater? I DON'T KNOW.

A nice, solid MG realistic fiction book. The audiobook was well-done and it was sweet and engaging, and at a few points extremely suspenseful--Stead was really able to build up some emotional stakes in this story, even though the plot itself (about a junior high boy and some school bullies and his new apartment building and his parents' new work situation) isn't quite life & death or anything. I didn't loove it like I looved When You Reach me, but it's a different book entirely and I still really enjoyed it.

Uh... hmm. I guess I'm kind of surprised that this book of hers won the NBA to be honest? It's probably my least favorite Louise Erdrich book? Obviously it's well-written because that's what Louise Erdrich does. Let me see. Perhaps by giving this book a remembered teenage boy as its narrator Erdrich necessarily sacrificed some of the poetry I associate with her normally?

Maybe I liked this less because it's more of a mystery and I don't generally like mysteries?

I'm waffling between 3 and 4 stars but I guess I'll go 4. Also perhaps because I am still haunted by the ending it earned another star. Also perhaps it is unfair to compare her works to one another. But I'm only human! In fact I'm going to go re-read [b:Love Medicine|91440|Love Medicine|Louise Erdrich|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1171229200s/91440.jpg|1524121] and reflect upon my own humanity.

Oh hai, Julia Alvarez ([b:Return to Sender|3236586|Return to Sender|Julia Alvarez|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234063391s/3236586.jpg|3271108]), here is how you can write a YA book about undocumented immigrants without being patronizing to teenagers. Compelling and realistic (without being TOO much of a downer) and manages to tackle some pretty weighty issues regarding Muslims in America after 9/11 without being too preachy or unbelievable. The two sisters, Nadira and Aisha, cope with the stress of their father's arrest and possible deportment in different ways--Aisha starts shutting down and skipping school, while quiet and underachieved younger sister Nadira starts stepping up and trying to save her father.

So, John Wesley Powell had a really interesting life. His exploration of the Green River and the Grand Canyon is an awesmoe story. His work on topography and irrigation law reform? Less interesting, and yet this part of his life is roughly 2/3 of the book.

How I first heard of Lidia Yuknavitch was that before Dear Sugar was revealed to be Cheryl Strayed, a lot of people were speculating that Lidia Y was Dear Sugar? She's not, but I figured if she's good enough for people to think she might be Dear Sugar, she's probably pretty good.

Anyway, I haven't read any of Yuknavitch's short stories but I can still see why people would link her with Sugar, because she defintely writes with the same kind of intense compassion and insight that Sugar has. But more profanely.

Something I've been turning over in my head is this cover blurb: "it’s like a smart, fast chick Fight Club". IS IT though? Is that a compliment?? Why is that on the cover of this book?? I mean don't get me wrong, I thought Fight Club was pretty mind-blowing in high school, but. I guess the rawness of it is reminiscent, and the cultural commentary? But this feels fresher to me and more progressive. Oh no it's because Fight Club is old? And because I'm old? Ahhh maybe I need to re-read Fight Club/reflect upon my own mortalityyyy

but also because this book has a diverse range of gender presentations, sexual orientations, and races present, and Fight Club did... not.

Uh but like Fight Club, this also seems like it would have a lot of teen appeal but teens gotta find that stuff on their own because you will straight-up get fired if you give this to a teen and their parents find out.

Also I knew that this was a retelling of one of Freud's case studies or something but I didn't realize until the end notes that all of Sig's lines were actually quotes from Freud?? I kind of want to go back and re-read it now that I know that. Why don't they put that on the cover and get rid of that Fight Club thing.

Everything is X and Gambit and Wolverine and Jubilee and Spider-Man being bros and nothing hurts