thelovelylibrarylady's Reviews (1.1k)

My first introduction to Mia Birdsong was her TED talk on poverty which we watched in one of my social work classes. After listening to her speak, I immediately followed her on my personal Twitter and have since come to be more informed about her areas of expertise, economic justice, and the importance of community. This book addresses the latter. At a time where we have been so isolated due to a global pandemic, this book is a must-read. Birdsong's writing reminds readers of the value of deepening relationships with others and embracing the positive outcomes of living within a strong community. How We Show Up was one of the best nonfiction books that I have read this year and I cannot recommend it enough. 

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this title. Required Reading For The Disenfranchised Freshman is an example of when an author has a good idea but just does not execute the concept well. I found the plot to be extremely predictable and its only saving grace was the main character, Savannah. Savannah was mature, kind, and determined to right the wrongs happening on her college campus. I will not be recommending this title to other readers. 
(PUB DATE: 02/01/2022)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

My Best Friend's Exorcism is a supernatural thriller set in the 80s. There are tons of pop culture references sprinkled throughout the novel and anyone who grew up in or just loves the decade will appreciate them. While Hendrix, the author, wrote a super creepy horror story, he also wrote a story about the power of friendship. While I don't want to spoil anything, this book has one of the greatest endings ever. When I was reading it, I literally had goosebumps. If you want to know what made me feel this way, add this book to your reading list!

If you are as obsessed with Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen, Guy's Grocery Games, and other similar tv shows as I am, this is the book for you. Love & Other Disasters is set on a cooking competition show where the two main characters, London and Dahlia are competitors. They quickly form a friendship which then develops into a romantic relationship. Kelly, the author, created characters that were so realistic and I genuinely cared for and loved both of them. This title is a queer love story with nonbinary representation which also touches on some heavier topics such as forgiveness and the importance of following your dreams. If you are looking for a title to start your 2022 reading with, I highly recommend this one! 
(PUB DATE: 01/18/2022)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

Vinyl Moon is a book that should be in every high school's library. The characters in this novel are diverse - not only in their identities but also in their experiences. Angel, the protagonist, moves to New York to live with her uncle after an alarming incident occurs back home in California. The reader learns more about this incident throughout the book, but it is apparent from the beginning that it involves her ex-boyfriend. One prominent theme in this novel is the importance of community. Angel hasn't really had a strong support system around her up until this point, including her immediate family, and she first starts to make these connections in New York. I just wish that the ending of this story wasn't so abrupt. I think that there were definitely some topics that were left unresolved and my rating reflects that.
(PUB DATE: 01/11/2022)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

My expectations for this novel were high after I read You Had Me At Hola. This title's predecessor was funny, steamy, and captured the magic of telenovelas. These high expectations probably contributed to how I consumed and rated this novel. While it had the same amount of steam, A Lot Like Adiós has a more serious plot that focuses heavily on family and family conflict. I wish I had known that before picking up this book, so I could have prepared myself for what kind of story I was going to be reading. With all that being said, I definitely will read the next book in the Primas Of Power series if there is one and try not to compare it to the first title as much. 

This book is the sequel to Deep Dark Fears and is another comic collection about funny, irrational phobias. Like the first book, it was a quick read but lacked any real organization. I feel like my enjoyment of both titles would have been greater if Krause had put more thought into the order his comics were presented to the reader.

Not Even Bones is a dark fantasy novel about a black market where supernatural body parts are sold. Yes, it is as wild as it sounds. Nita, the protagonist, goes from body harvester to being sold herself after disobeying her mother's orders. While Nita is a morally gray character, she is also oddly likable. I was rooting for her to escape her confines throughout the book. Overall, this title has a unique plot with lots of thrilling moments. It is the first book in the Market Of Monsters trilogy and I look forward to reading the other titles! 

Stay Gold is a YA contemporary novel that follows Pony, a transgender teen, on his senior year at a new high school. McSmith tackles the topic of going stealth, something that I have not seen represented in many books before. Between this title and Act Cool, another book by this author, McSmith is certainly establishing himself as an essential YA author for library collections. I encourage educators and librarians to read, buy, and recommend his books to others as he is writing stories that are essential to understanding the experiences of transgender people.