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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
Thelibrarywasbooked has commented on (39) products
Keeper of Stars
by
Buck Turner
Thelibrarywasbooked
, August 03, 2024
This one has a really sweet premise, and I think it was maybe a little *too* sweet for me to take it seriously. What I mean by that is a huge portion of dialogue was unrealistic and kept drawing me out of the book.
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Spin of Fate
by
A. A. Vora
Thelibrarywasbooked
, May 09, 2024
It took the author eight years to put this together, and I’m so happy she took her time. It is so apparent that the background and world building is beyond the majority of YA. There’s even a website dedicated to the realms and a massive glossary at the back of the book with tons of additional information. As this is a debut novel, there were plot points and dialogues that could have used additional polishing, but it still didn’t take away from the overall book. I really, really, really enjoyed this one and was so bummed when I realized it may be years and years until I can see what happens next in the story.
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The Invocations
by
Krystal Sutherland
Thelibrarywasbooked
, February 03, 2024
Definitely my favorite YA release of 2024, Krystal Sutherland’s second YA gothic fantasy Invocations has everything. It was fun, fast-paced, original, spooky, and full of a cast I loved from start to finish. The witchy elements were tastefully done and the right amount of grit and guts was present with each character. The plot twists were awesome, I didn’t see them coming at all. Definitely add this one to your list.
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The Fury
by
Alex Michaelides
Thelibrarywasbooked
, January 19, 2024
I was sent a copy of this from the publisher and was pretty excited. While I didn’t like The Maidens or Silent Patient, I did enjoy how readable they were. The Fury was … a different pace… entirely. It was slow. Lifeless. Dull. Derivative. The characters were neither likable or hate-able. For a slow burn thriller to be successful, you need that ingredient. By the end, I just didn’t care. It was outlandishly silly and I was just hoping they would all stop talking. I read somewhere that the narrator is Great Value Caraway from Great Gatsby, and boy howdy were they right. Overall, I don’t think I’ll pick up any future books by this author. I often feel as if he’s done no research and steals really cheap ideas from lesser known authors. While he’s been the “author to watch” for years now, I just don’t understand the hype. No doubt this will be one of the biggest books of 2024, but for me it was not it.
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Gorgeous Gruesome Faces
by
Linda Cheng
Thelibrarywasbooked
, November 21, 2023
I really liked the concept of this one and felt the author was pretty original in the storyline. We followed two different timelines that focused on the same two - sort of three - characters in each. Personally, the current timeline was much more entertaining and I wish had more face time. Both timelines did feel a bit disjointed, and some of the build ups didn’t really pay off (especially the plot twists in the first timeline). That being said, this was fun overall. The characters were pretty entertaining as well as seeing their hidden motivations play out. I liked the supernatural elements as well. The only main critique is the writing style just didn’t pack the punch I wanted it to. It was good, definitely. But I think it just lacked a certain lyricism that draws me in and keeps me turning the pages. Overall, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is a solid 4/5 for me.
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Being Henry: The Fonz . . . and Beyond
by
Henry Winkler
Thelibrarywasbooked
, October 30, 2023
Just like most millennials in America, I grew up watching Happy Days reruns on TV Land. Later on as a teenager and young adult, I cried laughing over Henry Winkler’s character in Arrested Development. Being Henry tells the story of Winkler’s 50+ years acting from theatre in New York, to prime time in LA. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and especially loved that I could hear his distinct voice in my head as I read. Winkler speaks on the challenges he faced as a child growing up with strict German parents, as an actor whose most famous role happened at the start of his career, as a person with dyslexia who found out far too late in his life, and as a gentle soul just happy to be here. My only wish was for a bit more backstory on Winkler’s childhood, but overall this was a delightful surprise. 4/5 ⭐️! A huge thank you to Celadon Books for an early review copy. You can purchase a copy anywhere books are sold, tomorrow (10/31/23). Happy Halloween, Henry! 🖤
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Bittersweet in the Hollow
by
Kate Pearsall
Thelibrarywasbooked
, October 08, 2023
A belated but very happy review for Bittersweet in the Hollow, Kate Pearsall’s debut novel (and potential start of a series..?!). I decided to sit on this review for a few weeks because A. I’m super busy and B. I wanted to sit with it for a while. Aside from Skyla Arndt’s Together We Rot, Bittersweet is my favorite YA read of 2023! Let’s talk about it. What I Loved: 1. The imagery throughout. There were quite a few fantasy elements here that I felt Pearsall completely nailed. Most notably were the physical landscape imagery and Linden’s unique ability to TASTE feelings. That’s right. The author managed to tackle a multitude of different feelings and pair them with a wild assortment of tastes. Girl. It delivered. 2. The TWISTS. I’m going to be real. I really thought this one was predictable and half the book I was like I KNOW WHO DID WHAT and boy howdy was I wrong. We love a good bait and switch maneuver, I completely fell for it and ate it up. The actual twists were so much cooler than anticipated, even when certain elements were predictable they were the elements I WANTED to be predictable. 3. Potential for a series. I know. I said it. Little Miss Notorious “I’m so sick of YA stand-alone a being dragged out into trilogies” said it. This one was a complete banger and I 100% need a sequel (which we are most likely getting!!!)
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Bell in the Fog
by
Lev AC Rosen
Thelibrarywasbooked
, August 27, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed Lavender House so was greatly anticipating The Bell in the Fog. Overall it was lackluster in comparison, which is probably on me for thinking the sequel can stand up to the original. I liked how we saw Mills’ progression as a PI with new offices above the Ruby, as well as the will-they-won’t-they flirtation with Gene. I also liked how we got a taste of what life was actually like during that time period, especially seeing the transition of ex-sailors into domestic life and the never ending police raids of the time. This was helpful for placing the reader in Mills’ world. However, the overall plot was bland at best. I couldn’t care less about James, Danny, Donna, or even Helen. It felt like these characters were pulled out of a hat to push the plot device of diving into Evander’s past. I found that I didn’t quite care for his past because it was equally bland. All plot twists were predictable and I found myself not caring because I didn’t already care for the characters they involved. Where Lavender House shined was an intricate locked room mystery centered around a family where emotions ran wild. This helped build up the suspense and keep the reader on their toes.
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The Marvellers
by
Dhonielle Clayton
Thelibrarywasbooked
, August 26, 2023
This one was really cute and had all of the makings of a potential series. I’ve struggled finding unique fantasy worlds since Harry Potter, but The Marvellers was different enough to cause some excitement. I really liked our main character, Ella, as well as a few side characters. Creating an entire world is a difficult feat though it reads almost seamlessly here. The main critique I had was the author tried to pack to much into one story. This left a lot of loose ends and moments where a side plot drops off without ever being tied up. Going along with this was a pacing issue where a huge amount of action would happen, not be resolved, then the next chapter would start weeks or months later. Overall I think Marvellers could have been shortened about 100 pages with the same result though I do commend the author for the effort here. Not a lot of Middle Grade fantasy stands out to me but this was fresh, original, and very enjoyable.
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Totally Psychic
by
Brigid Martin
Thelibrarywasbooked
, August 14, 2023
What I Liked: - The overall idea of the novel - The cover art. Adorable!! What I Didn’t Like: - The writing. It was juvenile at best and embarrassing at worst. I read this one right after a string of Kate Milford and Trenton Lee Stuart novels - also written for the exact same age demographic - and there is a clear indication that just because the content is for young audiences, doesn’t mean the writing has to be dumbed down to the point of oblivion. Totally Psychic was riddled with stunted dialogue, unrealistic or overly-simple explanations, and a plethora of exclamation marks - Many themes of the book. Paloma is obviously coping with a lot in some of the worst possible ways. And everyone seems fine with it. Summon bad spirits? WOOPS! Constantly skip school or sneak out? Great! Get into trouble over and over when it can be easily avoided? You bet. While I understand a lot of Paloma’s choices were very age appropriate, she never really learns any lessons big enough to enact change or second thought.
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Together We Rot
by
Skyla Arndt
Thelibrarywasbooked
, July 19, 2023
Praise for Skyla Arndt’s debut novel, the YA horrormance Together We Rot! After reading this one, Arndt has definitely become a writer to watch. . Together We Rot follows the story of Wil trying to prove the local cult leader’s involvement in her mother’s disappearance a year ago. Meanwhile, the cult leader’s son Elwood goes on the run after discovering the sinister use the town - and his father - has for him. Together, Elwood and Wil must team up to keep him safe and expose the dark underbelly (literally) of the remote Michigan town. Once best friends and now sworn enemies, they must overcome their resentment of each other or risk losing everything. • What I Loved: The plot, the prose, the depth in which each character was written, the wit and banter, the twists and turns, EVERYTHING! • What I Didn’t Love: I wanted it to be a little bit longer, but for purely selfish reasons.
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Casalvento: House of the Wind
by
Gudrun Cuillo
Thelibrarywasbooked
, July 03, 2023
I tried to like this one, I really did, but at 30% I had to DNF. Based on other reviews I knew this was going to be really cheesy and Hallmark-esque. That isn’t a bad thing but when the writing is terrible I have to draw the line somewhere. This read like a book written by an AI. The dialogue was unrealistic and cringy at best. None of the characters stood out in any meaningful way: they were all “nice” or spoke Italian or thought Erika’s grandfather was amazing. I wasn’t able to differentiate between them at a certain point. For Erika herself she is wholly unlikable (which I take offense to as my name is Erika LOL). She’s extremely rude, impatient, and acts like a standard entitled American who thinks the world revolves around her. I couldn’t see the majority of this plot actually happening in the real world because my times living in Europe did not match with this. I wanted to fall in love with it, but even the setting was poorly described and I was unable to immerse myself.
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Mrs Planskys Revenge
by
Spencer Quinn
Thelibrarywasbooked
, June 05, 2023
Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn tells the story of Mrs. Plansky, a retired entrepreneur who finds her millions taken by telephone scammers. This was one of the cutest books I’ve read in a while. It gave me everything I was looking for in the genre - old lady on the loose searching for bad guys - while delivering a satisfying storyline chalk full of good humor, mischief, and shenanigans. . What I Enjoyed: - The fast paced nature of the prose, it was to the point and carried the story along in a smaller page count - Mrs. Plansky herself, a complex woman full of rich personality traits and some good zingers (yes I just used the word zingers) - The dual storyline with our main antagonist; you can’t help but love him in the end Major Critique: For this type of story you would expect the ending to button up nicely and it certainly did. However, I wanted a little more on screen action to really drive the revenge home. This left things a bit lackluster which is why I dropped a star. . 4/5 stars for Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn, you can pick up a copy wherever books are sold July 25, 2023!
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Threads That Bind 01
by
Kika Hatzopoulou
Thelibrarywasbooked
, May 08, 2023
If there were ever a book I wished was a stand alone instead of the start of a series, it’s this one. . Threads That Bind was a beautifully written combination of mystery, thriller, romance, Greek mythology, and dystopian wrapped into the YA genre. There were so many twists in turns with this novel that kept me flipping through the pages, though this made the pacing really weird. I felt there was too much confusion in the overall plot that should have been fleshed out more, as well as odd dynamics that didn’t quite fit. . The reason I think this would have made a great stand alone was because a lot of the confusing plot points felt like convoluted filler. I think the whole story could have been written in a much lower page count, which would have provided the space to complete the story and remain a stand alone. . However, there were many things about this book I did love: Io is one of the better written YA fantasy characters I’ve seen in ages, you can’t help but root for her and her will they, won’t they romance with Edei. I absolutely LOVED the Greek mythology aspects and think they stood out against the current genre (eg. Circe). Finally, the world building was crazy cool with the post-apocalyptic sea creatures, tides that rise in the city every night, and endless cat bridges.
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Made of Stars
by
Jenna Voris
Thelibrarywasbooked
, April 02, 2023
Jenna Voris’s debut Made of Stars just released! This YA Bonnie-and-Clyde-inspired Sci-Fi adventure was a ton of fun! . What I Loved: - Shane, Ava, Cyrus, Jared! Each of these characters were so unique and well-written, I couldn’t help but love them all! - Overall themes and concepts: Voris tackled taboo subjects like freedom, imperialism, colonization, and morality vs. law. These were great for younger-aged readers to dive into, and a nice refresher for adults. - Overall plot: Absolutely loved it! . What I Didn’t Love: - Weird pacing and often juvenile writing: The book started out STRONG, but was followed by a slew of odd pacing and unrealistic plot sequences and dialogue. I chalk this up to a debut novel and a writer finding her voice. - Lack of imagery and world building: It’s tough to balance action, characters, and a whole new world in a short 350 page YA, I get that. However, this actually lent to a loss in story for me. I needed more background on the planets, the political structure and alliances, General Noth, and other underlining issues we breezed past. . Overall, Made of Stars was one of the more fun YA sci-fi novels I’ve read. Even though we all know the ending (it IS based on that infamous duo), it still wrenched my heart out and stomped all over it. 3.75 for Jenna Voris’s fabulous (and GORGEOUS!) debut! ✨⭐️🌟💫🌠🌌
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Nightbirds
by
Kate J Armstrong
Thelibrarywasbooked
, March 11, 2023
3.5/5. I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. There were a lot of pros, but even more cons. Pros: -Cover art and maps are GORGEOUS, and set a really cool Roaring 20s mixed with Dutch old world vibe (yay for Delft ware!!) - Female voices were strong in this book, and other overarching themes like persecution of witches by churches and governments spoke a lot on humanity’s past - Magic! - The first 25% of the novel was FANTASTIC both with character development and world building Cons: - The last 75% was a bit of a mess for two major reasons: It was 100 pages too long and the characterizations started blending into one consistent personality. - Too many POVs and short chapters which added to the previous point. - Almost every male character was a BAD MAN! Feminist lit doesn’t have to do this to establish a point. - A ton of repetitive action sequences that lent nothing to the story and made me start skimming. - Lack of world building and magic development past the first 25%. I’m still not sure if we were supposed to be in a Roaring 20’s time or Victorian London. Was a bit back and forth on this and that really messed with immersion. I still have no idea what concept the magic is supposed to be. - Finally, the replacement of mothers and fathers with dames and sires. Just. Sigh. Over all, this WAS a decent edition to the YA fantasy genre and I’m happy I read it. However, overall disappoint means I’m unlikely to pick up the sequel.
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Under The Naga Tail
by
Mae Bunseng Tain
Thelibrarywasbooked
, March 02, 2023
This is one of the most important, haunting memoirs I have read. Under The Naga Tail tells the true story of Mae Taing’s fight to survive during the Cambodian genocide. During the rule of the Khmer Rouge, minorities, including Chinese people, were targeted. Mae himself is half Chinese, half Cambodian. From the moment he is forced to leave his home, Mae must endure some of the cruelest parts of humanity from the infamous Killing Fields of Pol Pot’s Cambodia to facing death as a refugee in Thailand. This was one of the most difficult books I’ve read because of the haunting content, I had to space reading out over a month. Shamefully, I knew little to nothing about the genocide before this book and I’m very grateful BookishFirst sent me a copy. Under The Naga Tail was written by Mae’s son, often in his own words. Readers be advised that all dialogue in this book is not to standard novel quality. However, this does not reduce the book’s importance or message. Rather, it shows how painfully impactful these events have stayed in Mae’s memories. 5/5. 6/5 if ever it were possible.
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Davenports
by
Krystal Marquis
Thelibrarywasbooked
, January 24, 2023
I reaaally wanted to like this one… it had everything I was looking for! Passion, romance, intrigue, Chicago during a pivotal point in its history. Unfortunately it just fell completely flat for me. I found the writing to be in a passive voice that became quite the snooze fest - even during exciting moments I could barely stay focused. The other main issue was that all characters had the same problem with their romance. This seemed really lazy to me and took away from any real sparks or tension. Because all four romances were carbon copies, I found myself forgetting who was who or even connecting at all. By the last half I was disengaged and by the final hundred pages I started skimming. I really did enjoy the first half of the book though, and wished it had led up to something more exciting. As this is the first in a series I don’t think I would go back for more, but maybe others out there will love what I wanted to.
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Angel Maker
by
Alex North
Thelibrarywasbooked
, December 01, 2022
All I can say is WOW. I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. The unbelievable atmosphere that North creates in this book is equal parts creepy/terrifying and stunning. I was so immersed that time got away from me. I definitely recommend reading this at night for a little extra scare factor as well. Now to the actual story. A lot of people complaint that the multiple POVs took away from the story but I really liked this because it kept the story moving and distracted readers long enough to not catch the plot twists right away. There were a couple moments where my guesses were correct but that’s because I was so excited to solve the mystery. This was a great book revolving around multiple crimes that all stem back to a long gone serial killer and let me tell you, it just WORKED. I loved the cover, I loved the writing, I LOVED the quick pacing. All in all, a 5/5.
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Kingdom of Three 01 Strike the Zither
by
Joan He
Thelibrarywasbooked
, October 27, 2022
A common occurrence with YA authors (and especially YA fantasy authors) is the inability to surprise an audience with plot twists or events that unfold. As someone that reads a lot of the genre and has seen this pretty consistently, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Strike the Zither did not follow this path. He's writing is unique and draws the reader into the world. This story is a loose retelling of the Three Kingdoms but readers not familiar with it should have no problem with this book. I loved the dynamic feminist cast of characters and especially loved how smart our protagonist was. Rather than being helpless, she was ridiculously cunning and always had her wits about her. My only grievance (hence the four stars) is that I often feel books can be a really strong novel but are often drawn out into a duology or series, as is the case here.
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Princess of Souls
by
Alexandra Christo
Thelibrarywasbooked
, October 08, 2022
I was extremely excited about this book which is likely why my expectations were too high. A Rapunzel retelling sounded delightful but it fell short in many ways. I had a hard time relating or caring about the characters because character progression was stilted or non-existent. For example, our antagonist love interest Nox is egotistical and hates witches. Just a few chapters later his internal dialogue is that of a completely different person. I understand people change but not that fast and not that smoothly. Other than that, the plot felt ripped from a hundred other YA fantasies with nothing to distinguish itself differently. The cast of characters, magic system, and point of everything was forgettable at best. By the end I didn’t even care who lived or died, I just wanted it to be over. I will say the first 100 pages was VERY strong, it was the last few hundred that took a nose dive.
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Life Lessons from Hip Hop 50 Life Lessons from Hip Hop
by
Grant Brydon
Thelibrarywasbooked
, October 01, 2022
This was a pretty unique book that I think would be perfect for someone's coffee table. Though the book featured a lot of rappers and hip hop artists that have been popular since the 1990s, I think the content was geared more towards Young Adult and teen audiences. As an adult, I found the advice in the book to be a bit juvenile at times but I can see how it would be perfect for younger audiences. Overall I would give this one four stars because it was quite unique, the art was GORGEOUS, and the overall message was uplifting. Here are a few more in-depth pros and cons: Pros: - Beautiful cover and gorgeous art throughout - A fun, friendly layout that screamed creativity and passion - Short, succinct messages for each person - Highlighted quotes from each artist on (almost) every page - Some great advice on life, relationships, careers, and the pursuit of happiness Cons: - The material became very repetitive about halfway through and I found myself skimming the last few chapters
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How to Heal a Gryphon
by
Meg Cannistra
Thelibrarywasbooked
, September 30, 2022
I wanted to like this book, seriously, I really did. The cover was absolutely adorable. I loved the premise of the book and was really excited to see how the story progressed. However, the cons seriously outweighed the pros on this one and it left me skimming through chapters, not caring about characters or the story, and ready to donate the book. Here’s some pros and cons: Pros: Adorable cover Cute premise Decent world building Cons: A plot that didn’t make a lot of sense Italian words never explained or even italicized (also, the author isn’t from Italy so???) A main character that was annoying A set of antagonists that felt neither important nor bad. Seriously, they just seemed like normal people but underground The defining moment of this book for me was when I found myself skimming the last 100+ pages. By the end, I didn’t even care what happened. Oh well.
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Secrets So Deep
by
Ginny Myers Sain
Thelibrarywasbooked
, September 27, 2022
3.5… this book reads like a Shea Ernshaw knockoff that doesn’t quite hit the right notes. The atmosphere was an odd mix of regular dramatic summer camp and eerie nighttime dream sequence. While I enjoyed a bit of the book, the pacing was a bit off. I found the main character to not have any likable characteristics, so I didn’t really care what happened to her. The major antagonist was very creepy and the plot twist at the end was very predictable. One of the biggest issues I have with the book is that a major character was very predatory towards the main character but no other characters seemed to care, including the main character’s love interest. I get that this was a plot point that made the plot twist drive home harder, but I wish it had been addressed. Overall, I wanted this to be better than it really was and felt the last half really dragged out.
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Bad City Peril & Power in the City of Angels
by
Paul Pringle
Thelibrarywasbooked
, August 06, 2022
What can I even say about Paul Pringle’s Bad City? I am not normally a non-fiction lover - I get bored with bland writing that is more prevalent in the genre. However, I could NOT put this book down. Bad City is easily the best non-fiction I have read in years. Pringle chronicles his life as a journalist for the L.A. Times and the ups and downs he and his team faced while uncovering scandal after scandal that involved faculty at USC, the Times, the police force, and the DA’s office. The bulk of the story focuses on Puliafito which paved the way for the uncovering of even more scandals. The length to which Pringle went to uncover the truth in the name of moral justice is remarkable. When everything was against him, he just kept going. His writing is superb - a merit strongly seen in his decades of journalism. After reading this book I am not even a little surprised that Pringle has won a total of THREE Pulitzers over the course of his career. Incredible.
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Lakesedge
by
Lyndall Clipstone
Thelibrarywasbooked
, August 05, 2022
So this book actually came out last year and I received it as a birthday present. I don’t read a lot of gothic YA but I ended up reading this within one day - it was THAT good. My favorite thing was the sheer originality of the plot. There are a few stereotypical tropes common in all YA fantasy, but the fantasy world the story enters into was not something I see often. The two protagonists were incredibly strong and the antagonist was super freaking otherworldly creepy. The hardest thing about reading this book so quickly after it’s release was realizing I had to wait (and am still waiting) a full year + for the sequel. Also, can we TALK about that gorgeous cover please !?! It has got to be one of my favorite gothic or Young Adult covers ever. Period. Clipstone’s writing is atmospheric, lush, and incredibly addictive as well. For any YA fantasy, gothic, or horror lover, seriously add this one.
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The Godmothers
by
Monica McInerney
Thelibrarywasbooked
, July 30, 2022
I didn’t go into The Godmothers with high expectations because it isn’t my normal genre of novel. That being said, I am happy to say it was better than expected. There were two major things that stood out to me after reading - one negative and one positive. First, the negative. Though a lot technically happens in the book, not a lot really does. The character development doesn’t constitute the length of novel so I found it really hard to get through. The length of the book is some 430+ pages which feels like a LOT for a plot that could be covered in a short story. However, the writing is pretty fantastic and does help carry through the dry spells. The major positive is the cast of characters themselves. Typically, I don’t care about a lot of characters when there are so many, yet each character held their own in this book. Also, bonus points for Sullivan basically carrying the whole novel!
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The Newlyweds' Window: The 2022 Mukana Press Anthology of African Writing
by
Thelibrarywasbooked
, July 26, 2022
Half the stories were incredible, the other half were mediocre.
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Compass
by
Murray Lee
Thelibrarywasbooked
, July 16, 2022
Compass tells a story from the unreliable view of “Guy” an unnamed protagonist you love to hate, hate to love, and somehow end up loving. Going into this novel I didn’t think I would enjoy it because of other reviews and its setting. However, I absolutely fell in love with every second of this story. We follow Guy as he embarks into the Arctic north of Canada to confront the Floe Edge. When he is separated from his guide, he finds himself adrift in the sea with nothing but a week’s worth of food, a shabby shelter, and the wrong clothes. As time goes on he finds himself more and more disoriented as seals and walruses talk, the ocean tries to kill him, and an ancient sea goddess focuses on him with a vengeance. By far my favorite parts of this book were the questions you had to ask yourself along the way - what choices would you make in this situation? How unreliable was Guy’s narration in the end? What really is reality? It is rare that I call a book a modern classic but Compass is well deserving of this title. 5/5 ⭐️
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Lavender House
by
Lev AC Rosen
Thelibrarywasbooked
, July 15, 2022
Lavender House is the story of ex-detective Evander “Andy” Mills investigating a death at a wealthy estate, tucked away from the busy life of San Francisco. Andy was recently kicked off of the force for being gay in 1950s SF. When he is invited to Lavender House to investigate, he finds himself immersed in a world where other people like him are able to live freely within its gates. From the beginning, I really loved this book. The writing was superb and the characters were strong. I’ve read a lot of LGBTQ+ lately that’s just been meh, Lavender House really brought out important themes and character development often lacking in the genre. Though the ending was predictable I still really enjoyed the story. The plot was more character driven and less focused on action but this actually played well into the atmosphere. Lastly I’ll say that this reminded me so much of Agatha Christie blended with Knives Out and really made me appreciate the mystery genre once again.
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Blood and Moonlight
by
Erin Beaty
Thelibrarywasbooked
, July 01, 2022
I didn’t have high hopes for this novel because it reminded me of a few other YA fantasies. However, Blood and Moonlight was INCREDIBLE. I was instantly drawn in to Catrin’s world. I loved the combination of fantasy and mystery which kept pace throughout the book. Beaty’s writing is lyrical in some places while decidedly staccato in others. I definitely recommend this one for lovers of V.E. Schwab or Marissa Meyer.
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We All Fall Down
by
Rose Szabo
Thelibrarywasbooked
, June 12, 2022
Initially, I was so excited about this book. I was anticipating it for months and was so excited to see a fresh new urban fantasy featuring members of the community. There was so much I wanted to love about this book but nothing worked for me. The story went nowhere, the Magic and premise were never explained or even concluded, there were infinite questions for every answer, and there was a LOT that was problematic or outright r@cist. I haven’t read Szabo’s previous works but after this one, I don’t plan on it. It shames me to see white members of the community write such provocatively WRONG plot points that have no saving grace. The bottom line for this book is that there is a high amount of disrespect towards trans and gender fluid people (which is ironic coming from Szabo), and a similar level of racism and profiling towards POC. Maybe I interpreted everything wrong, maybe there’s a deeper meaning I’m missing. But when a book is categorized as YA, it shouldn’t feel like I’m solving a math equation just to find a good answer.
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Kings of Bmore
by
R Eric Thomas
Thelibrarywasbooked
, June 05, 2022
This queer positive contemporary YA was a great way to start off pride month. Kings of B’More follows black, gay best friends Harrison and Linus as they navigate the world of being a teen, being queer, having different socio-economic statuses, and maybe even being in love with your best friend…! I thought this was a cute story for teenagers coming into their own as members of the community. I liked how the book related to socio-economic issues and highlighted those wealth disparities. I also liked the love dimension as this is a major part of teenage life. As far as the actual story, I didn’t care for it too much because the pacing was too slow. I found it hard to stay invested in our main characters’ story, which likely means it wasn’t the book for me. However, for young teenagers I think this is a go-to novel and maybe even a must-read for pride month.
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Break This House
by
Candice Iloh
Thelibrarywasbooked
, May 26, 2022
People process grief in different ways but there seems to be one common denominator - it is not a linear process. Break This House was an emotional take on a teenager’s inner struggle after hearing that her estranged mother has passed away. Though I haven’t lost a parent, I have lost an estranged brother so I was looking forward to seeing these thoughts and feelings played out on paper. For me, I just couldn’t get into the book and had to DNF halfway through. I think that is largely due to my age gap between myself and the protagonist. There were moments I related to her grief but more moments when I didn’t. However, I think this is a very powerful novel that is an important read for traditional YA demographics. Death and all that follows is something society has a hard time dealing with. Starting a conversation about it is the first step in normalizing the complexity that comes with it and for this I applaud the author.
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Cherry Robbers
by
Sarai Walker
Thelibrarywasbooked
, May 19, 2022
I was a bit skeptical about Cherry Robbers after Dietland but I was VERY pleasantly surprised!!! I absolutely love a good gothic novel and this really contributed to the genre. Cherry Walkers follows Sylvia’s Wren’s life - and the life of her supposedly haunted family - over the course of a few generations. I liked how the core mystery was written subtly, I think that added a lot to the tone of the novel being “gothic”. The writing was exquisite and the characters were beautifully written. I also really enjoyed how the author tied in relevant problems for today’s world and showed how they aren’t new, we are just now able to publicly talk about them. This of course leads to some of the ultimate horrors of the book and it’s era: misogyny. And as a feminist woman myself, I know there is nothing more horrifying - and sadly still relevant - than that. This is officially one of my favorite reads of the year. 5/5 ☺️
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Flirting with Fate
by
J C Cervantes
Thelibrarywasbooked
, April 20, 2022
There are a few really wonderful things about this book: the emphasis on family, the use of magical realism, the concept of fate, and a lot of cute flirting. I really enjoyed the parts about Nana’s life and even wished there were more of these. Our two main characters are drawn together but there were a few times throughout the book that their comparability felt forced to me. I will say this one was out of my normal reading genre, which was further cemented by the plot being really predictable. However, I still really enjoyed the romance, Magic, and family ties. Cervantes’ writing style is gorgeous and draws you in from the beginning. This one was a very easy read meaning I could not put it down. I ended up finishing the book in one day because I was fully immersed in the story. Lastly, I loved the inclusion of Spanish vocabulary throughout the book and thought this was a beautiful way to demonstrate the writer’s and the characters’ culture.
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Sex, Drugs, and Radical Self-Expression: The Unexpected Path to Fulfillment
by
Barry Williame Magliarditi
Thelibrarywasbooked
, March 14, 2022
Books like these are always a challenge for me because I understand the merit and audience for them, but also see some ethical issues. I notice a lot of people that buy self-help books do it as a supplement to long term treatments like therapy or counseling. I am not saying that authors intentionally sell their story as a quick fix to complex problems, but I wish people would take memoirs at face value rather than look further in. While this was an okay read, I kept finding myself losing focus and my mind drifting elsewhere. I didn’t gain a lot from it and felt it just wasn’t for me overall. I’ve struggled with many topics mentioned in this book but have come to terms in my own life. The bottom line is that there is no be all, end all fix for complicated life issues surrounding sex, drugs, and alcohol. Yes, what May work for one person may not work for me but, I would rather people got effective help.
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All My Rage
by
Sabaa Tahir
Thelibrarywasbooked
, March 07, 2022
Every now and then, a contemporary book comes along that proceeds to fall in love with you, rip your heart out, and place a Bandaid over the wound. All My Rage was that book. I didn’t know a lot about the story when I went into it blind, and to be honest, a lot of content was triggering. I think that’s what makes it so important. This book was raw, real, painful, and a harsh look at the realities of many POC in the United States, specifically our brothers and sisters from the Middle East. The prose in this book was beautiful, each character was rich and full. Even the characters I HATED were so fully written that I couldn’t look away. The story itself was gut wrenching but so good. I found myself holding on to this tiny kernel of hope throughout the story’s progression, even when all hope seemed lost. I think that may have been the entire point. Life is pain, struggle. In this, we endure. In this, we are not alone.
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The Lost Dreamer
by
Lizz Huerta
Thelibrarywasbooked
, March 07, 2022
Okay I AM SO EXCITED RIGHT NOW. A. I just finished this book in one day, B. I read this book right after a Central America trip to see the Mayan ruins. C. I read this right after a horribly written other YA fantasy. Can we talk about the gorgeous writing? The incredible characters? The WORLD BUILDING!!? The wisdom, the references to a plethora of ancient Central and Meso American peoples? This book was incredible. Actually, incredible is an understatement. This is absolutely one of my favorite YA fantasy novels ever because it is so dang original, beautiful, passionate, and full. The female representation and female RESPECT in this novel is perfection. I could go on and on about this story and why I love it, but I don’t want to ruin the magic for anyone else. If you’re looking for a change from the classic love triangle YA trope, and you love world building, this is definitely your next favorite.
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