B Reviews / B+ Reviews / Book Reviews / C Reviews / C+ Reviews#ownvoices / Asian Americans / California / death / Fantasy / grief / Japan / joint review / Literary Fabulism / near-future / Novel-in-Stories / Pandemic / POC / POC author / Speculative-Fiction12 Comments
Content warnings: Jennie: When Janine suggested we review this book together, I hadn’t heard of it. But the blurb told me it was dystopian, and I have a weakness for dystopian novels even though they don’t always end up working for me. Though it’s billed as a novel, How High ... more >
A- Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsactor / ADHD / California / Contemporary / fanfiction / fat representation / forced proximity / friends-to-lovers / mental health / NetGalley / work relationship16 Comments
CW: Domestic violence themes, fatphobia Dear Olivia Dade, First off, may I just say that the cover is perfect. It’s entirely true to the book and just staring at it makes me happy. Leni Kauffman (the artist) is such a talent. Alex Woodroe is an actor on the Game of ... more >
B- Reviews / Book ReviewsCalifornia / Firefighters / non-fiction / POC / prison / prisoners / womenComments Off on REVIEW: Breathing Fire : Female Inmate Firefighters on the Front Lines of California’s Wildfires by Jaime Lowe
A dramatic, revelatory account of the female inmate firefighters who battle California wildfires. “Shawna was overcome by the claustrophobia, the heat, the smoke, the fire, all just down the canyon and up the ravine. She was feeling the adrenaline, but also the terror of doing something for the first time. ... more >
Book Reviews / C+ Reviewsaddiction / California / Cancer / coming-of-age / Contemporary / depression / dysfunctional family / family relationships / road trip / self discovery / young adult fiction / Young-Adult2 Comments
Sometimes the best path is the unexpected one. Jack is on the verge for leaving for college, but before he does, he wants to track down his estranged brother, Alex and find some closure in the wake of their father’s death. Meanwhile, Hallie has just found out some upsetting news ... more >
Book Reviews#ownvoices / arranged-marriage / California / Chef / coming-of-age / cops / m/m mystery / Missouri / Muslim / POC / POC author / police procedural / Reading lists / revenge porn / South-Asian / YA8 Comments
More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood Jayne’s review of this #ownvoices YA novel got me to pick it up and I was glad I did. Danyal Jilani is a good-looking and sweet nineteen-year-old in his senior year of high school (he was held back a year ... more >
A- Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsarranged-marriage / California / Chef / Contemporary / family relationships / First-Person / high-school / Islam / Muslim / opposites attract / POC / POC author / racism / revenge porn / self discovery / South-Asian / Young-Adult6 Comments
Danyal Jilani doesn’t lack confidence. He may not be the smartest guy in the room, but he’s funny, gorgeous, and going to make a great chef one day. His father doesn’t approve of his career choice, but that hardly matters. What does matter is the opinion of Danyal’s longtime crush, ... more >