Hello again!  I’m back with another book review round-up.  I actually took some notes on the books I read, and what I thought, which made writing this a lot easier!

I also focused on reading black authors since February was Black History Month.  Reading books from marginalized communities should absolutely be year-round, not just for a month, because they deserve our support every month!  There were only a two exceptions to this (The Fervor and Sky Island), but I found so many books I wanted to read that I’ll be reading them over the coming months.

• The Fervor by Alma Katsu.  I really enjoyed The Deep and The Hunger, and this adult historical horror is no exception!  It’s very different from her other books, and while I initially struggled with it, once it got going, it was hard to put down.  It’s set in during World War, after Pearl Harbor, and Japanese internment camps are a prominent part of the book.  As far as the horror goes, it is psychological.  And I can see the parallels between what happened in this book, set over 80 years ago, and what’s happening today with the Trump administration.  That made it hard to read, but it was absolutely worth it, in my opinion.
• Dead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis.  This YA horror was just okay for me.  I would describe it as a horror movie in book form.  Picture the Friday the 13th movies, but at a camp for horror obsessed queer girls.  I liked the premise, and Temple was interesting.  I would describe Temple as morally grey, which is refreshing for a female character, and particularly one in YA, because that’s not something I’ve seen before.  The story was a little confusing at times, and it was hard for me to keep track of what was in the past and what was in the present.  Also, the campers blended together, and I had some trouble telling them apart.  It wasn’t for me, but it has a great setting and an interesting premise.
• Sky Island by Amy Chu, illustrated by Janet K. Lee.  I really liked this Middle Grade contemporary graphic novel.  It’s a great sequel to Sea Sirens, and we have more adventures with Trot, Cap’n Bill, and Trot’s grandpa.  I loved seeing Sky Island, and it looks like a pretty cool place.  It looks like there’s only two books in this series but I think there are a lot of stories Chu and Lee could tell.  Like the first book, I loved the relationship between Trot and her grandpa.  I didn’t mention it when I reviewed Sea Sirens last month, but I loved the art in both books, and the colors are beautiful.
• The Return by Nenny Mae.  This YA mystery was okay for me.  I liked the idea of a group of high school teens solving a Prom Night mystery from a few years earlier.  I also liked that there is a lot in terms of second chances, forgiveness, and moving on.  The dual timeline was interesting: we see Holly in the present and Scarlett in the past.  It was hard to tell the two timelines apart, as it wasn’t always immediately clear which timeline we were in.  There were a lot of people to keep track of as well, which didn’t help, and even by the end of the book, I couldn’t tell some of the characters apart.  Also, I was not thrilled with what happened between Scarlett and her English teacher.  High school me would not have minded it, but as an adult, I have no patience for when things between teacher and student move beyond that relationship.  It wasn’t for me, but I see why people like it!
• Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor.  I saw someone talking about this middle grade historical fiction on Threads, and decided I needed to re-read it.  The last time I read it, I was a kid, and that is the only thing I remember about it.  I loved it, and if, like me, you haven’t read it in decades, I recommend picking it up, because there were so many things that still ring true today.  The ending broke my heart, though I wasn’t surprised by the violence the characters witnessed and experienced.  There were two moments that really stood out to me.  One was when Cassie and her mom were talking about how some people have to think white people are better to make them feel big, which makes me think of, well, the last 8 years or so.  The other moment that really stood out to me was when Cassie’s mom was talking about how Cassie and her classmates don’t have to accept books in poor condition, which was in response to Cassie’s teacher basically saying they should be grateful for whatever they get.  I was glad that her mom said that they shouldn’t have to receive throwaways.  All students deserve to have a great education, with supplies and equipment in good condition.
• The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann.  I loved this adult contemporary romance!  This book came up at my book club last year, when we read Dear Wendy, and I finally got around to reading it.  I loved that we have a main character who’s ace, because it’s not something I’ve seen in a lot of books (Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao, Rick by Alex Gino, and Let’s Talk About Love, also by Kann) are the only ones I know of.  I wasn’t a fan of Malcolm, her best friend, mostly because Joy and Malcolm seem like polar opposites.  I don’t know how I feel about Summer, though I appreciate she actually talks to Joy, and understands she and Malcolm are a package deal.  Fox was interesting, and I think he and Joy really balance each other out.  I liked seeing their relationship develop, and I hope things work out for Joy in everything she does.

• The Davenports by Kayla Marquis, narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt.  I loved this YA Historical Fiction, based on C.R. Patterson and his family.  We have Olivia, her sister Helen, Olivia’s best friend Ruby, and Amy-Rose, the childhood friend turned maid for Olivia’s family.  I loved Helen and Amy-Rose the most, because they both had dreams they were working so hard for, and things might have been different for them, had they been born several decades later.  I have the sequel on hold at the library, and I can’t wait to see what happens next for these 4 young women.
• The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin.  This nonfiction memoir was an interesting read.  I’ve never read Baldwin before, but decided to pick this one up after seeing it at the library.  I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I think it’s worth reading.  I loved seeing his thoughts on race, religion, and racial injustice, and I agree with his thoughts on Christianity and hypocrisy.  There’s a lot to think about, especially as a white woman, and this book is one I want to revisit.  There was one quote that really stood out, which I’m going to leave here for you: “Color is not a human or a personal reality; it is a political reality.”
• Blood At The Root by LaDarrion Williams.  I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about this YA fantasy.  I love the idea of a magical HBCU, and I think there’s a lot of potential with the magic.  Malik had a lot to deal with, and one thing that was particularly frustrating was how we were told his neighbors blamed him for his mother’s death, which happened when he was 7.  I was also frustrated by his relationship with Alexis, mostly because it came across as him thinking she was the one, even though he only knew her for 6 months when they were 7.  I was looking at some of the reviews, and I get why people have their issues with it but I can also see why people love it.
• MapMaker by Lisa Moore Ramee.  I really liked this middle grade fantasy, and I think it’s the perfect book for anyone who loves maps, particularly the maps in fantasy books.  I loved that Walt could bring a whole world to life, but also have the power to destroy it.  I really wanted to know more about his ability, and I don’t know if there will be more books set in this world, but I really hope there are.  It definitely hinted at that there are more abilities than to bring worlds to life, and that his twin sister has her own abilities, but we didn’t really get much more than that.  I know I’d read more books set in this world.
• Twice As Perfect by Louisa Onome.  I really liked this YA contemporary.  I really felt for Adanna, especially because she had a lot to deal with.  There is a lot in terms of family expectations, family estrangement, and family secrets.  There’s a lot in terms deciding what you want, instead of doing what others expect you to do, and I found that very easy to relate to.  I’m really glad I read this one.
• Josephine Against The Sea by Shakirah Bourne.  This middle grade contemporary is such a good book.  I loved Josephine, and I knew the second that we met Mariss, she was u  p to no good!  I ended up liking her backstory, and I understood her more, but I also understood why Josephine didn’t like her.  I probably would have felt the same way Josephine did, and I’m glad everything worked out for Josephine and her dad.  I liked the magic, and how Josephine and her dad dealt with their grief over losing Josephine’s mom.  This is another one I’m glad I read.

All in all, it was a good month for reading, though reading was a struggle towards the end of the month.  I have some books I’m looking forward to reading for this month, so I’m hoping that will help me get past this little slump I’m in.

I’ll see everyone next month!