For the Love of Friends Review
Plot: For the Love of Friends by Sara Goodman Confino follows Lily Weiss, a thirty-two-year-old single woman who ends up as a bridesmaid in five weddings in six weeks. To keep sane, Lily starts an anonymous blog called Bridesmania. At first the blog remains anonymous but few things online stay anonymous. Can Lily stay sane and find her own happy ending?
Overall thoughts: While For the Love of Friends featured well developed main and side characters, accurately portrayed a complex mother-daughter relationship and the relationship between siblings, had great Jewish representation, had a romantic relationship that actually felt believable, Lily herself was quite unlikable at times and one of the bride’s actions were so unforgivable it was hard to believe Lily would keep being friends with her. 4/5
Who would like this?: Anyone who likes contemporary fiction and/or romance fiction with Jewish characters and/or the movie, 27 Dresses.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: body shaming, alcohol, vomit, bullying, fatphobia, gaslighting, eating disorder, toxic relationship, mention of a heart attack, hospitals
Escape From St. Hell: My Trans Teen Life Levels Up Review
What is this book about?: Escape From St. Hell: My Trans Teen Life Levels Up by Lewis Hancox is a sequel to Welcome To St. Hell in which Lewis Hancox tells his story of coming into his own as a trans man and going through all the changes that come with living as a young trans man.
Overall Thoughts: Overall, Escape From St. Hell: My Trans Teen Life Levels Up was a great sequel as it had a great art style, featured accurate mental health representation and also portrayed what happens after you figure out your identity, are navigating new stages in life and are managing your old and new relationships. 4/5
Who would like this?: Anyone who enjoys queer graphic memoirs.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: dysphoria, deadnaming, transphobia, bullying, eating disorder
Heartstopper Volume 5
What is this book about?: Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman is the fifth installment in the Heartstopper series and it follows Nick and Charlie who are very much in love. They've finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick's house. But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?
Overall Thoughts: Overall, this graphic novel was a great continuation of the Heartstopper series as it featured a great art style, well developed characters and portrayed believable relationships. 5/5
Who would like this?: Anyone who enjoys Heartstopper or queer YA graphic novels.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: eating disorder, mental illness, sexual content
The Ghosts of Rose Hill Review
Plot: The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero follows Ilana Lopez, a biracial Jewish girl who is sent to stay with her aunt in Prague during a summer. She discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage and meets the ghost of a boy named Benjamin who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the other ghosts of Prague. But Benjamin isn't the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays and offers to share his magic with Ilana so Ilana can be with Benjamin forever. Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city and she decides to save the boy she loves even though that means losing him forever.
Overall thoughts: Overall, this was a well-written novel in verse that featured great Jewish representation, incorporated Judaism, had fully fleshed out characters and an interesting plot. 4/5
Who would like this?: Anyone who likes Jewish YA fantasy novels.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: antisemitism, death, death of children, child abuse, emotional abuse, violence, grief, gaslighting, kidnapping, abandonment, physical abuse, xenophobia, sexual assault
Paper Planes Review
Plot: Paper Planes by Jennie Wood and Dozerdraws follows best friends Dylan Render and Leighton Worthington who attempt to successfully navigate their way through a summer camp for troubled youth after an incident sends them to the camp. If they don’t get a good evaluation at the camp, they will be sent away and won’t be able to attend high school with their friends. While at the camp, they have to assess themselves, their friendship and how they got to this point.
What I liked: The art was unique, the characters were fully developed and felt real and the representation of figuring out your identity while also exploring a toxic friendship was great.
What I didn’t like: The story jumped around and the pacing of the graphic novel was a bit off.
Overall rating: 4/5
Who would like this?: Anyone who enjoys queer graphic novels.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: bullying, acephobia, arophobia, homophobia, transphobia, classism, toxic friendship, violence, medical content, assault, car accident, racism, outing, emotional abuse, alcohol, injury, sexism, abandonment, dysphoria, hospitals
That Was Then, This Is Now Review
Plot: That Was Then, This Is Now by S.E. Hinton follows Bryon and Mark who have been as close as brothers since their childhood but now things are changing. Bryon is growing up, he’s spending time with girls and is thinking about who he wants to be whereas Mark just lives for the moment. The two boys are growing up and apart and then Bryon finds something out about Mark and is forced to make a decision.
What I liked: The characters were fully developed, fleshed out and felt real, the plot was interesting and the book was fast paced. Also, the author explores themes of morality and themes of growing up and growing apart from those who are closest to you.
What I didn’t like: The ending, what even was that ending..
Overall rating: 4/5
TRIGGER WARNINGS: guns, gun violence, violence, homicide, domestic abuse drug abuse, death of parents, drug use, bullying, alcohol, police brutality, murder, classism, child abuse, domestic abuse, misogyny, racial slurs, racism, blood, addiction, mention of selling drugs, assault, gambling
The Outsiders Review
Two Fun Facts: I read this book back in 7th grade for the first time and loved it. I re-read it this year since the musical was coming out. When my family immigrated to the U.S. back in the 90s, my grandparents moved to Ada, Oklahoma for my grandfather’s job and when I was a kid, my parents, brother and I would visit them and we actually did go to Tulsa on one of those trips but to be honest, I don’t really remember it because I was a little kid.
Plot: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton follows a 14-year-old boy named Ponyboy Curtis who believes himself to be an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc is short for "social" and is someone who has money and can get away with just about anything. A greaser always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser and he has always been proud of it. One night his friend Johnny kills a soc and the two have to figure out what to do next.
Overall thoughts: Overall, this was a well-written coming-of-age novel with fully fleshed out characters and an interesting plot that explores important themes of social class, class conflict, morality, poverty and police brutality. 5/5
Who would like this?: Anyone who likes YA historical fiction novels, YA books set in the 1960s, or books about class conflict and social issues.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: violence, death, murder, fire/fire injury, gun violence, child death, grief, classism, poverty, child abuse, domestic abuse, sibling abuse, death of parents, bullying, blood, suicidal thoughts, physical abuse, alcohol, police brutality, drug use, addiction, car accident, vomit, misogyny, sexual harassment, infidelity, pregnancy, alcoholism, sexism, racism, suicide by cop, robbery
Nimona Review
Plot:
Nimona by N.D. Stevenson follows Nimona, an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission is to prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.
What I liked: The characters (they were fully fleshed out), the interesting plot, and the found family aspect.
What I didn’t like: The ending felt rushed and abrupt.
Overall rating: 5/5
Who would like this?: Anyone who enjoys queer fantasy graphic novels.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: ableism, mention of amputation recounted, death of parents, murder, explosion, gun violence, electrocution, torture, poisoning, fire, imprisonment
Expiration Dates Review
Plot: Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle follows Daphne Bell who believes that the universe has a plan for her. Every time she meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it, which is the exact amount of time they will be together. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a name: Jake. But as Jake and Daphne’s story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful.
What I liked: The main characters and the side characters were fleshed out and well-developed, the culturally Jewish representation, the portrayal of living with a chronic illness, the close familial relationships and the audiobook narrator.
What I didn’t like: The romance between Daphne and her two competing love interests just didn’t feel very believable to me.
Overall rating: 3.5/4
Who would like this?: Anyone who enjoys romance novels with magical realism in them.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: chronic illness, medical content, medical trauma, mention of terminal illness, grief, mention of death, infertility, sexual content, abandonment, alcohol, mention of cancer
The Faint of Heart Review
Plot:
The Faint of Heart by Kerilynn Wilson follows high school student June, who is the only who has not had her heart removed. When the Scientist discovered that your heart can be removed and all of your sadness anxiety and anger disappears, many people went through the heart removal procedure. Now June is the only one who hasn’t gone through the procedure but the pressure and loneliness is making June reconsider her choice. However, one day June find an abandoned heart in a jar that interests her and her classmate, Max, who has his own secret. Together, they form a friendship and also try to solve a mystery.
What I liked: The art was very beautiful, the characters were fully developed and fleshed out, and the plot was intriguing.
What I didn’t like: The ending felt a bit rushed.
Overall rating: 4/5
Who would like this?: Anyone who enjoys fantasy graphic novels or the movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: medical content, abandonment, grief, medical trauma, death, bullying, terminal illness
Flirty Little Secret Review
Plot:
Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe follows school counselor, Lucy Galindo who has a secret. While in real life, her coworkers, friends and family know her as a shy and sweet person who is constantly trying to handle her anxiety, depression, and ADHD, online, she’s the popular blogger, @TheMissGuidedCounselor. History teacher Aldrich Fletcher has just started a new job at the school that Lucy works at. He had hoped that this new job would give him som relief from his drama-filled family but instead he’s now avoiding his ex-girlfriend, another teacher. On top of this, Lucy and Aldrich haven’t had the best first interaction. At least, he has his online friend, @TheMissGuidedCounselor who he can ask for advice. That is until he learns that @TheMissGuidedCounselor is Lucy.
What I liked: The Jewish representation and the representation of a Jewish family that is overly involved in your life even as an adult, the mental health representation was very accurate, the sister/sibling dynamic was great, and the characters were fully developed and fleshed out.
What I didn’t like: The romance between Lucy and Aldrich wasn’t the most believable, the representation of educators or those working in the field wasn’t fully accurate.
My rating: 4/5
Who would like this?: Anyone who enjoys Jewish romance novels.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: mental illness, panic attacks, sexual content, mention of prior infidelity, mention of suicidal thoughts, body shaming, antisemitism, pregnancy, complex parent-child relationship
Review of Frizzy
What is this book about?:
Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega and Rose Bousamra follows Marlene, who loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have "presentable", "good hair". However, Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her.
Overall Thoughts:
Overall, this graphic novel had a great art style, well developed characters and felt very relatable as someone who has curly hair. A great read that had an important message about embracing your natural hair. 5/5
Who would like this?:
Anyone who enjoys middle grade graphic novels.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: misogyny, racism, colorism, grief, death of a parent mentioned, bullying
