Hello, world!
Since I don't write full reviews for every books I read (at least not yet), I decided that I'm going to do monthly wrap-ups. Generally, I try to do a short Goodreads reviews so I remember what I liked/didn't like about each book. So at the end of each month (or beginning, depending on how well I keep on top of things), I will compile those little reviews and post them here! I found myself in a bit of a slump in May, so I ended up reading a lot of graphic novels (yay Lumberjanes!). So, without further ado, here is my May wrap-up! May 2021 Wrap-Up 1. Love is a Revolution by Renee Watson 3 out of 5 stars I liked this book. It has a good self-love message. But it takes a while to get there. And it's hard not to be frustrated with Nala as she keeps lying to everyone. I know that's the whole point of the book, but it's still frustrating. 2. A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt 5 out of 5 stars THIS BOOK. I loved it. It is a very timely story about a teenager who wants to be vaccinated, but her parents refuse. I loved that it didn't hold back in showing the dangers of being unvaccinated. It also fights back against common (and false) arguments that anti-vaxxers use. The only reason I gave this a 4 star instead of 5 (and I may change my mind) is because of the believability, though I would like to think that a teen could fight against their parents for bodily autonomy. 3. The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky 4 out of 5 stars This is a fun book if you're a horror fan. It was interesting and had enough twists to keep me on my toes. The end is wild and confusing and I'm still thinking about it, so that's great! 4. She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard 2 out of 5 stars This book was a wild ride. I read it really quickly and I enjoyed reading it, but overall it didn't leave much of an impression. 5. She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen 4 out of 5 stars So, I don't love romance books. Fake dating books make me roll my eyes so hard it's a miracle I don't pass out. But for some reason I really enjoyed this. I mean, "I read it in a day" enjoyed this. While it's a queer love story, there is so much more to it than that. I was really surprised by how much I liked it. 6. Lumberjanes Vol. 14: X Marks the Spot by Shannon Waters 4 out of 5 stars 7. Lumberjanes Vol. 15: Birthday Smarty by Shannon Waters 4 out of 5 stars 8. Lumberjanes Vol. 16: Mind Over Mettle by Shannon Waters 4 out of 5 stars 9. Lumberjanes Vol. 17: Smitten in the Stars by Shannon Waters 4 out of 5 stars ACE REP??? I didn't think I could love Lumberjanes any more, but it just keeps getting better! 10. The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Neill 5 out of 5 stars This is so cute and I really want a tea dragon now. 11. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe 4 out of 5 stars I loved this. Maia (e/em/eir) tells eir story so honestly and beautifully. The illustrations are great. And I loved reading eir journey to discovering eir gender queerness and asexuality. 12. Hex Vet, Vol. 1: Witches in Training by Sam Davies 2 out of 5 stars 13. Hex Vet, Vol. 2: The Flying Surgery by Sam Davies 3 out of 5 stars 14. Princess Princess Ever After by Kay O’Neill 5 out of 5 stars THIS IS ADORABLE AND I LOVE IT AND I'M CRYING. 15. Be Gay, Do Comics by Matt Bors (editor) 3 out of 5 stars This is a nice collection of comics from a diverse set of authors/artists. I learned a lot about queer history that I didn't know. 16. Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli 3 out of 5 stars This was cute and I love Becky Albertalli. It's a fun read, but super predictable. But it's definitely worth reading if you are a fan of the author or a fan of theater. 17. The Sprite and the Gardner by Rii Abrego 5 out of 5 stars This is so adorable and the illustrations are beautiful and I just want to go out and work in my garden with the sprites now. 18. The Tea Dragon Festival by O’Neill, Kay 5 out of 5 stars I just love the Tea Dragon series so much. Beautiful illustrations, lovely and heartwarming stories. I just love them. 19. Baby & Solo by Lisabeth Posthuma 3 out of 5 stars Trigger Warning: mental illness, trauma, homophobia, suicide I liked this book. I think it gives a realistic and real look at mental illness. There's a lot of build-up to The Bad Thing That Happened and that's the point, but I still feel like there should have been a content warning. 20. King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender 4 out of 5 stars This is such a sweet book about family, grief, friendship, and being your true self. 21. My Hero Academia, Vol. 1 by Kohei Horikoshi 4 out of 5 stars I love the anime, and loved reading the story, too. This first part always makes me tear up. 22. Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders 4 out of 5 stars I am not a big sci-fi reader, so it felt like I took forever to read this. It was a bit overwhelming with all of the different alien species and all of the space battles. BUT. I really enjoyed it. I liked that the aliens introduce themselves with their names and pronouns. I liked the whole theme of identity and finding your place in the world (or galaxy). I just really liked it. I'm surprised by how much I liked it. 23. Love in English by Maria E. Andreu 4 out of 5 stars I usually don't like romance (and the quote on the back of this book made me roll my eyes) but this book was so good. It's about so much more than the romance. Whether you like romance or not, you should read this book. It will make you see ESL individuals in a whole new light. English is a ridiculously difficult language to learn, and this book really puts it into perspective. The author draws from her own personal experience and creates such a raw, authentic perspective. I love the way that she writes the dialogue, including "####" for words that Ana doesn't understand. Ana's poems throughout the book add an extra layer and really makes you think.
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AuthorI'm HaileyAnne! I'm a queer librarian who loves books and kpop. Archives
August 2023
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