After reading the third book in The Lunar Chronicles series, I am still in love with the story. This book introduces Cress, a lunar hacker, to the group. I loved learning more about this new character who is based loosely on the Rapunzel fairytale. A character we were introduced to previously, "Captain" Carswell Thorne, also gets some attention in this book. The reader is able to get to know him on a more personal level - which I found made him more tolerable (and even likable, in some ways). I am excited to read the next book which focuses on Queen Levana and then tackle the last title in the series which I hope answers some questions I still have and provides a satisfying ending.

I have had this title on my radar since it was first published. Stolen Things is a crime thriller (one of my favorite genres to read) published by Dutton (one of my favorite publishing companies to read books from) so to say my expectations were high would be an understatement. The story starts off with a bang and catches the reader's attention right from the very first page. However, that is one of the only compliments I can give this title. Soon after the first major event, the plot starts to drag. It felt very repetitive and to be completely honest, I was bored. To top it all off, the ending of this novel is unrealistic and didn't even make that much sense. I was disappointed with this book and do not recommend adding it to your reading list.

I am not sure where to even begin with this review. The Extraordinaries is a fantastic novel that I encourage everyone to read. I read my first book by TJ Klune last year (The House in the Cerulean Sea) which I loved, but this book was even better. Klune excels at writing diverse characters who you can't help but fall in love with. This novel is one of the best YA contemporaries that I have ever read and I cannot wait for the sequel to come out this summer. (Pro tip: The narrator for this one on audio is AMAZING - if audiobooks are your thing, I highly suggest going that route with this book!)

Nala Robertson, the protagonist of this YA contemporary, is a teenager who is just trying to figure out who she is. Her cousin, Imani (who is the same age as Nala), seems to have her life figured out. After joining a local activist group and reading about prominent revolutionaries she decides to dedicate her entire summer to bettering her community and speaking out against social injustices. However, Nala doesn't share those same interests. That is until she meets Tye at one of the events Imani drags her to. Now, instead of being true to herself, Nala tries to become the girl she thinks Tye would want to date (aka a woke social justice warrior -like her cousin). Love Is A Revolution definitely comes across as a young YA book and is an easy read (I read this title in just one sitting). Normally, I don't enjoy reading literature from this sect of the YA genre, but there was something charming about this story. I especially enjoyed the themes of self-love and identity this book had. I would recommend Love Is A Revolution to young teenagers (probably between grades 7 to 10) due to its writing style and content.
(PUB DATE: 02/02/2021)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

I was surprised by how short this piece was. I felt like Stone, the author, was able to fit so much into this story that the book felt longer than it actually was. So many of the plot points could have been taken right out of the headlines of today's newspapers and I think Dear Martin is a great book for teens (or adults) that are interested in taking the first steps to learn about racial injustice in the United States. My favorite character from this story was Justyce's debate instructor. As a black man himself, he served as a great mentor for the protagonist - who is a black teenage boy. I would love to see more relationships like theirs present in other books. I will definitely be reading the sequel to this story and hope that it is as great as this title!

The Black Kids is an unforgettable YA novel that explores the topics of race and class identities through the eyes of a teenager. The book is set in Los Angeles during the Rodney King riots - a notable event in the fight for racial justice in the United States. After the acquittal of the four police officers, Ashley, a high school senior who is black herself, starts to see the differences between how she and her family are affected by the riots compared to her white friends. For the first time, she begins to see how the color of her skin is important to who she is and how strangers perceive her. The character development in this story is fantastic and I just could not stop reading. I was invested in Ashley's journey of self-discovery and how she was impacted by the events following the historic verdict.

Like many anthologies, Kink is a mixed bag. Some stories I really enjoyed, but there were others that didn't work for me. I picked up this story due to some big-name contributors that I had read work from before and really enjoyed (Roxane Gay, Carmen Maria Machado, etc.) but there were some new to me authors that really blew me away (Brandon Taylor - you have a new fan!). I do feel the need to include that there was one story that made me extremely uncomfortable. While this book focuses on the topic of love, desire, and human sexuality, one-story titled Gospodar crossed a line for me. It displayed a nonconsensual sexual scene and I would have skipped it if I was aware of this. Please take this into consideration when deciding whether or not to read this title.
(PUB DATE: 02/09/2021)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

This book is weird. I need to preface this review by saying that. It definitely will not be a book that everyone enjoys. That being said, I really liked it (way more than I thought I was going to)! I want to be friends with Lillian, the protagonist. She has that perfect "take no shit" personality and is funny and sarcastic at the most wonderfully inappropriate times. While she may have a hard exterior, it is obvious that she has a big heart. Nothing to See Here is definitely a unique read and will stick with me for a long time.

Yes, I am still loving The Lunar Chronicles series. In book two, the reader is introduced to Scarlet who has a strange, but important connection to Cinder, the main character from the first book. The plot follows both girls and their companions through their travels in the world Meyer created. My hold for the next title (book three) cannot come in quick enough! If you haven't read this backlist series yet, what the heck are you waiting for?

I am not sure I am able to write a true review for this book. And I Do Not Forgive You is made up of many independent short stories. I enjoyed a few, but the majority left me confused. Most of the stories felt unfinished and even after taking a week to ponder their meanings, I still have nothing. Read at your own risk. Maybe others will be able to appreciate and understand this piece of literature in a way that I could not.