This was one of the most heart-warming, precious stories I’ve read in a while! Yet, it is also one of the top most banned books of 2021 - all the more reason to read it, right?! This story follows a 4th grader as she navigates auditioning for the role of Charlotte, the spider, in her school play while stuck in a body most people see as “male”. Charlotte allows her to truly be herself for the first time in her life. Also, you may have noticed this book was 1st published as “George”. Just as the protagonist transitions, so too does the book!  George → Melissa - what beautiful symbolism!

An eye-opening, meaningful read for those both within and outside the “asexual” community, Chen’s book presents a critical view of our society in which sex is commodified and a strong libido is considered “ideal.” While the ACE identity is often viewed with a deficit-mindset, Chen offers a wide variety of experiences rooted in the richness of interpersonal relationships and forms of intimacy beyond the physically penetrative. Part 2 can be read piece-meal, exploring lenses such as how feminism and disability intersect with asexuality. Ch.8’s “The Good Enough Reason” was a personal favorite, exploring the nuances of consent across all relationships.

This book is definitely outside my usual genre, but once I got a few chapters in, I was hooked! Crushed the story in less than 2 days - it’s a fun ride that lets you escape to another world. Great for fans of thrillers, romance, and a dash of horror, plus, of course, lovers of Gothic lit. The protagonist, Noemi, is captivating enough to make you her biggest fan, while the twists in antagonists keep this story from feeling too cliche or stale. Moreno-Garcia also subtly incorporates digs at colonialism and exploitation without overpowering the narrative. A perfect bookish-companion for Halloween!

Pick up this book if you want to see indigenous people resist and win! This is a book full of characters you want to root for. Get to know the stories of Frenchie, Miig, Wab, Minerva, RiRi, Rose, Chi-Boy, Tree, Zheegwon, and Slopper over a fire during their journey escaping the clutches of the oppressors and fighting for their freedom. Various indigenous cultures & narratives are interwoven into this book beautifully. Get comfortable & join Frenchie’s mash up of a family - you’ll want to pick up the second book: Hunting by Stars as soon as you finish the first one!

This novel is so good. I read it in two days. The story takes place in Detroit, where a sickness called H-8 kills only Black people. Patient zero is Dune’s grandmother. While most people flee the city, Dune chooses to stay, teaching herself to survive on the abandoned community gardens. She encounters and documents individuals gripped by the early stage of the disease, frozen in place and mumbling their last few words over and over again. Dune begins to wonder if the sickness is caused by trauma, heartbreak & grief. The book offers no resolution, leaving the reader to consider what it means to touch death and the need to process our grief and rage so they do not paralyze and kill us.