After deciding to read more of Morrison's work this month, I came across this title. I read the entirety of this short novel in one sitting and was left in awe. As always, her writing is beautiful. Gold Help the Child is the most modern piece Morrison wrote and she touches upon the subject of colorism which is a topic that doesn't get discussed much in fiction writing. On a final note, I loved the ending of this story. All of the loose ends come together so perfectly - which usually is a pet peeve of mine, but for this title, it worked.

I did it! I finished the Lunar Chronicles series! Winter, the final book, is full of action and brings all the storylines together beautifully. My only complaint is that this novel is over 800 pages long. Lengthwise, it doesn't match the other books in the series and it could have been split into two separate installments easily. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this title and the Lunar Chronicles series as a whole. I highly recommend reading this YA dystopian backlist collection!

Compared to other pieces I have read by Toni Morrison, I thought Song of Solomon was just okay. I saw one Goodreads review say this story "is stuffed with symbolism, imagery, and biblical allusions that take forever to unpack, but every time you think you've turned over every literary stone there is always another to be found.". I decided to quote this review because it reflects how I felt about this title to a tee. From a literary standpoint, this book is impressive, to say the least. However, the coming-of-age storyline surrounding Milkman Dead fell short for me

This book was recommended to me when I was looking for a romance book that depicted a healthy relationship between the two love interests. I can say with my whole heart, that this novel delivered! When Evvie and Dean both find themselves in unfortunate situations, a mutual friend puts them in touch. They go from complete strangers to friends to lovers within these 300 pages, and I was honored to watch their love story unfold. Extra points for the charming Maine setting. As someone who grew up in New England, I love when novels are set there.

When I started reading the Lunar Chronicles series, so many people told me not to skip this short novel which serves as book number 3.5. I am so glad that I followed their advice and didn't overlook it because this piece gives readers insight into how Levana became the villain we know her to be in the previous books. Without spoiling anything, Levana did not have an easy life and while that doesn't excuse her actions, it does provide some explanation. I encourage others to read this title before reading the final book, Winter. As the titular character is introduced and there is important foreshadowing for actions that take place later in the story.

I wish that I had read Forever Wild around Christmas time (when the novella is set). However, I didn't want to wait an entire year to finish Jonah and Calla's love story. As someone who loved the two full novels from this series, I was disappointed by this one! I wish that Tucker, the author, had given us a third full-sized novel or not have given us anything at all. This is going to be an unpopular opinion, but Forever Wild just felt unnecessary to me. I will say though, as a fan of Roy, I enjoyed his storyline continuation and I hope he makes an appearance in any future novels Tucker may write set in Alaska!

Here The Whole Time is one of the most inclusive novels that I have read in a long time. Martins, the author, does a fantastic job highlighting different body types, cultural backgrounds, and sexualities in his writing. Felipe, the main character, and his emotions felt so real to me and I couldn't help but adore this book. While it is a common trope in YA literature, I will never get tired of reading about first love. As a side note, this novel was first published in 2017, but the English translation was not published until 2020. It is always interesting to read translated work and I am so glad that I had the privilege of enjoying this story.

Attica Locke has been on my list of authors to read for what feels like forever. While this novel was not my favorite story, I am glad that I was finally able to read one of her pieces. This story focuses on Darren, a black Texas Ranger, who continues to try to use his position in law enforcement to reduce racially charged hate crimes despite pushback from his superiors. Bluebird, Bluebird is set in the modern-day and is a reminder that heinous acts are continued to be committed today due to racism. The premise of this book is great, but the plot moves very slowly. I am unsure if I will continue this series because of my issues with this story's pacing... but we will see!

Dumplin' has been on my radar since it was first published in 2015 and I was eager to finally read this backlist title. Willowdean, the main character in this book, is very relatable, and honestly, if she was a real person I went to high school with, I would want to be her friend. I loved that even though Willowdean is a plus-sized teen, her story focuses on more than just her weight. There are many types of love explored in this story (love towards oneself, romantic partners, and family/friends) and I am anxious to see if this theme carries over to the Netflix adaptation.

Every single month since this book's publication, I have been saying that I was going to read it. This January I decided to finally keep my word and I am now kicking myself for not reading Cemetery Boys earlier! The hype this book receives on social media is well deserved. Thomas, the author, crafted a beautiful story with such great Latinx and LGBTQ+ representation. I do not normally reread books, but I could see myself coming back to this one in the fall. If there ever was a book that was meant to be read at a certain time of the year, it is this one. Don't put off reading Cemetery Boys... it is a must-read!