I really liked the story going in, but by about halfway through I felt like the Donnelly Girls--Carol, Mindy, and Ginger, were...maybe archetypical Bad Women in need of redemption--through being better mothers? The Donnellys are a surf family. Carol got into surfing after an unplanned pregnancy ruined her plans for playing professional baseball. Mindy got into surfing to try to keep her mother, and Ginger because Mindy kind of made her (for the keeping their mother reason). 

Carol is a terrible mother because she really just wants to be in charge of her own body and life. Mindy is vapid because she wants to be "normal" and have a career as a performing, and Ginger is a punching bag, in love with a man who is indifferent to her--as her father was in love with Carol. 

I love smart people and popular culture and smart people takes on popular culture. 

What a sweet read! Books about trans kids are all so wholesome, which I guess is because they have to be. Melissa, a 4th grader who was assigned George at birth wants to play Charlotte in the school production of Charlotte's Web, but apparently she can't because she's perceived to be a boy. Melissa and her bff know that lots of boys played girls in Shakespeare's time, but Melissa isn't a boy wanting a play a girl; she's a girl who wants the world--and her mom--to see her as a girl. 

She doesn't have the easiest time of it, but she does have a few people who help her on her journey. 

just couldn't get into it

somehow both too academic and too simplistic at the same time. 

Unlikable MC

This is I think the third installment in whatever the Wakan universe is called. It brings major and minor characters together in interesting ways that make me wonder if the author had the whole thing in her mind from the beginning. 

We start with a viral AITA post from Justin, who has named his fugly dog after his former roommate. Justin says he is romantically cursed, in that his girlfriends always find The One right after their breakup with Justin. Emma, a traveling nurse, reads the AITA and sees herself in it. The same thing always happens to her! One thing leads to another, and the two decide to give dating a try, so they can break each other's curse.

They both have a lot else going on in their lives. Justin's mom is about to go to prison, leaving him to care for his three much-younger siblings. Emma had a traumatic childhood but doesn't seem to fully grasp just how much her fucked up mom fucked her up. 

I don't actually know the history that Jane riffs off, but it's still a fun story. I like the alternative, magical, wink-at-the-camera timeline. The protagonists are young, sickly King Edward and his best friend: his cousin Lady Jane Grey. Edward is being sickened and manipulated by one of his advisors, someone Dudley. The advisor convinces Edward to make Jane his heir (who is about to marry Dudley's younger son, who has a secret affliction).

The secret affliction is at the heart of how My Lady Jane differs from history's Lady Jane: lots of people are Ethians--were creatures of all types. Some people love 'em; some people hate 'em. Edward's older sisters are divided on the Ethian question, despite their father, King Henry, having been a lion from time to time. 

I loved the rest of the royals series, but this novella falls flat. This installment is Likotsi and Fab's story. The one that got away is in the next subway car over.  

This is kind of a fun concept--Ivy manifests her cult TV show crush from a series of fan fics. She and her BFF Henry and her former BFF (and crush) Mack have to figure out what to do with Wesley before Ivy's parents return.