And just like that, we’re halfway through August friends! It seems like August just started, and I’m not quite ready for it to be over yet. Though I am ready for all the fall things that come with September and October, including cooler weather. Plus, that means I get to switch to a fall aesthetic on my Instagram and I am so ready! Anyway, for the week of 8/8, I did a lot of graphic novel reading. Among other things!
I’ve almost read basically a book a day as we continue in August, so let’s see if I can keep up that momentum. There are still some review books that I need to read, as well as a whole stack of library books I checked out. We’ll get there! Maybe I’ll read 200 books by the end of the month.
Bite Size Reviews: Week of 8/8
The Brilliant Death by Amy Rose Capetta (8/8)
For all of her life, Teodora has hidden the fact that she has magic. But when her father is poisoned and a mysterious figure turns up, Teo has no choice but to go to the head of the city to take her father’s place. Secretly, she’s hoping to find an antidote to the poison and save her father. However, she finds so much more. While the first half of the book played out a bit slow, the second half of the book was difficult to put down. Teo gets pulled into a large conspiracy with the head of the city, plus there’s a little romance between her and the other shapeshifter. I wish that some of the magic would have been explained a little more, but there’s plenty of time for that in the second book! (4 stars)
Body Talk edited by Kelly Jensen (8/10)
This nonfiction anthology features 37 different voices, all focused on the topic of the body. I wrote a full review of this already, since it comes out next Tuesday. But I’ll talk a little about it here! There’s a variety of formats for the stories, making the experience of reading the book itself more engaging. The variety in topics also means there’s something for everyone in this book, and that’s where the true value lies. (4.5 stars).
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow (8/13)
An audiobook listen! This was available at the library, so I downloaded it while I’m waiting for the next Cassandra Clare book. Tavia is a siren in a world that hates sirens, while Effie isn’t really sure what she is. She just knows she’s something. When a prominent YouTuber comes out as a siren, Portland starts to get dangerous. Nowhere seems safe anymore. The premise of this book is unique and the messages and themes were well done. I would classify this as more of a character study, focusing on the relationship between Tavia and Effie. While I wanted a bit more detail in terms of the world (some of it was difficult to follow precisely), it’s still an entertaining read that is extremely relevant for current events (4 stars).
A Phoenix Must First Burn edited by Patrice Caldwell (8/13)
The tagline for this book is “Sixteen stories of Black Girl Magic, resistance, and hope,” and that fits this anthology of stories so well. This is a fantasy anthology focusing on diverse voices, and there’s something here for every fantasy lover. There’s a western, space exploration, vampires, and of course, magic. Each story brought something different to the table, and I thoroughly enjoyed each one. While usually anthologies aren’t my jam (there isn’t enough time to develop the characters), this one broke the mold for me and I loved it. (4 stars).
Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook (8/13)
Now for the graphic novels! I binged a couple of graphic novels at the end of this week, and have a few more sitting in my pile at home. I’ve been slowly growing my own graphic novel collection, and there are so many great new ones to add! Anyway, I wrote a full review for this this week too, so I’ll just give the highlights here. Historical South Korea isn’t something covered a lot in YA, so this book stands out from the rest. It’s social justice theme will also hit home with a lot of teens, in this time of upheaval in the US. A great addition to any classroom! (4 stars).
Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman (8/14)
Everyone raves about this book on Instagram and now I can finally join the craze! This follows Nick and Charlie as they fall in love. Charlie is out and proud, a known over-thinker. Nick is a happy-go-lucky rugby player, starting to question his seuxality. This is just the beginning of their story, and I immediately had to order the next two books. I loved Oseman’s art style, especially the bluish green hues. I think they worked so well for this story! Be prepared to hear more about it in my wrap up next week, as I’m sure I’ll read the next two volumes as soon as I get them. (5 stars).
Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder (8/14)
Round out the week with a graphic novel memoir about grief and the loss of a parent. This book has actually received a lot of starred reviews, and I’m happy to say that it lived up to the hype. Feder doesn’t flinch away from the tough stuff as she talks about her process dealing with her mom’s death. She also manages to include humor and hope as she talks about something dark. Her main goal with publishing this book was to de-stigmatize death and the grief process and give teens and others an outlet for those emotions. It definitely lives up to that and more. (4 stars).