*Thank you NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.* ***Minor spoiler-y things are mentioned. Since this was a short book, I didn’t separate it out like usual. 4 out of 5 stars Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frazier follows antisocial Annie as she finds herself in need of some extracurricular activities. Unwillingly, she ends up joining the cheerleading squad, along with her former friend, Bebe. Bebe is transgender and juts wants everyone to be happy, even if it puts her in uncomfortable positions. These former friends are reunited and help each other grow. Bebe helps Annie learn to play nice and make friends, while Annie helps Bebe learn to stand up for herself. This book is adorable. The illustrations are so cute and perfectly match the tone of the story. I loved Annie and Bebe and their relationship. They were great, likeable characters who came together and really balanced each other out. It was just a nice, supportive relationship that felt real. They complemented each other so well. They didn’t pressure each other to label their identities. They just connected and truly cared for each other. It was so sweet! One thing I really appreciated about this book was how it handled Bebe’s storyline. It wasn’t so much about her facing transphobia, but about people using her to show how accepting they are. The cheer squad was so supportive and accepting of her, but they focused more on making a big deal out of it rather than listening to what Bebe wanted. This is a really important message. Just because someone is openly trans (or any part of the LGBTQIA+ community) doesn’t mean that they want to become a champion of the movement. And part of being an ally is respecting the wishes of queer individuals. Just because you have a queer friend doesn’t mean you can parade them around to show how accepting you are. I also loved Annie’s story. She was a tough girl who didn’t play well with others, but learned to be more open and let people in. And she helped Bebe find her voice to stand up for herself (including standing up to Annie sometimes). My only complaint about this book is that it was so short. There was a lot packed in, and while it didn’t necessarily feel rushed, I wanted more. I got attached to these characters in this short amount of time and I didn’t want to leave them! Overall, this is a lovely, funny, and heartwarming story about friendship and I just loved it.
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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! Here is my June 2021 Wrap-Up 1. Can’t Take That Away by Steven Salvatore 4 out of 5 stars Trigger Warning: homophobia, queerphobia, bullying, suicidal ideation I really liked this book. I liked how each chapter included Carey's pronouns to indicate how they felt each day. I thought that also helped explain what being genderqueer is, for those who may be unfamiliar. That being said, there were times when I was thinking, "no teen talks like this." (example: Carey telling a story. Can't give more info without spoilers.) My only other complaint is that the believability suffers towards the end. BUT, overall, I think it's a great genderqueer story, and there aren't enough of those. 2. Pumpkin by Julie Murphy 4 out of 5 stars Trigger Warning: homophobia, bullying I loved Dumplin, and Puddin', and Pumpkin did not disappoint. It was great to see Waylon's journey to embracing his true self. I also liked getting more of Hannah's story. Overall, it was a great way to wrap up these characters' stories. 3. My Hero Academia, vol 2 by Kohei Horikoshi 4 out of 5 stars I like getting to know the other UA students better. And Shigaraki’s intro is INTENSE. 4. Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan 3 out of 5 stars Trigger Warning: Xenophobia, bullying, hate crimes, homophobia I really liked that Zara was a proud bisexual Muslim and that her parents were supportive. It wasn’t the greatest book, but it was good. 5. The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin 3 out of 5 stars I was so excited to read this. The magic of this world is so interesting, as it’s all based in weather/different seasons. BUT. I felt like the romance of the book took over and became more of the focus than anything else. and I get that she feels like she needs to isolate herself to keep from getting too close and potentially hurting them, but the self-pity got old fast. But overall, it was still a good book and I enjoyed it. 6. Lumberjanes, Vol. 18: Horticultural Horizons by Shannon Watters 5 out of 5 stars Have I mentioned that I LOVE the Lumberjanes? Because I do. This one gives you more insight into how the Lumberjanes were started, and I love that. 7. My Hero Academia, Vol. 3 by Kohei Horikoshi 4 out of 5 stars I like this volume because you get to see how strong and resilient the students already are. And Tsuyu (my fave) gets more time. 8. The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures by Christian Allaire 5 out of 5 stars I loved everything about this book. I loved the stories behind the different styles and the cultural importance of fashion/style. 9. Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke by Andrew Maraniss 4 out of 5 stars Trigger Warning: Racism, homophobia This book. I had never heard of Glenn Burke before and that is a shame. His story is impactful, but heartbreaking. It took me a long time to get through this because I could only handle so much at a time. He was an excellent athlete whose life was ruined by homophobia. There is a lot of baseball jargon in here, so if you aren't familiar with that it could be confusing. But you don't have to be an expert. I'm a casual baseball fan and I understood most of it. Overall, this is a good book about a very important person. More people need to know his story. 10. My Hero Academia, Vol. 4 by Kohei Horikoshi 4 out of 5 stars Another great volume of the story. I really like getting to know more about the UA Students. 11. My Hero Academia, Vol. 5 by Kohei Horikoshi 4 out of 5 stars This is one of my favorites so far. I love seeing how tough Uraraka is, rather than her just being a side character. And I love learning more about Todoroki (one of my favorites). Of course, I also love Midoriya’s development throughout this one, too. 12. My Hero Academia, Vol. 6 by Kohei Horikoshi 4 out of 5 stars Oh, Gran Torino. He is something else. Ida’s character arc through this one is frustrating, but I like seeing the students have each others’ backs. And it’s exciting to see Midoriya come into his power more. 13. My Hero Academia, Vol. 7 by Kohei Horikoshi 4 out of 5 stars There's a lot to this volume! And I finally surpassed where I was in the anime, so I'm getting into story I haven't seen before. Stain is such a creepy villain, so it's nice to see how they overcome him. I like that we got the backstory of All for One (I was very curious). And I love seeing Midoriya and Bakugo teaming up for once. 14. The Marvelous by Claire Kann 2 out of 5 stars I came so close to just giving up on this book. The first part just wasn't really catching my attention. But then I got so far into it and I'm stubborn, so I wanted to know how it would end. Honestly, I just didn't like some of the characters. And I couldn't figure out if I was supposed to dislike them? I don't know. Some of the "witty banter" was just annoying to me. The whole mystery of the book was okay, but so confusing. I'm honestly not sure I really understand the ending. I keep going back and forth between 2 and 3 stars, but for now I'm settling on 2. That may change at some point. 15. My Hero Academia, Vol. 8 by Kohei Horikoshi 5 out of 5 stars This one gave us a good look at the different pairs of students during their practical exams. Midoriya and Bakugo actually worked together! And Yaoyorozu finally got to really shine! This one really showed the students' strength and what they can do. |
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AuthorI'm HaileyAnne! I'm a queer librarian who loves books and kpop. Archives
August 2023
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