Review: The Byways by Mary Pascual

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
The Byways by Mary Pascual cover shows a large keyhole shaped opening with a golden cat walking past, its shadow filling the bottom of the opening.

The Byways
Mary Pascual
Sparkpress
Published June 6, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Byways

Neurodivergent high school student CeeCee Harper has a temper, and a reputation for trouble. Angry at the rumors and afraid she’ll never fit in, she makes a wrong move—and lands in the Byways, a world of alleys, magic, and forgotten people . . . some that aren’t even human. And if she doesn’t escape quickly, CeeCee learns, she’ll be trapped for good.

Searching for a way out, she gets lost among monsters, drug pushers, the homeless, and political upheaval, and soon finds there are those who will stop at nothing to keep her from leaving. But the Byways pull people in for a reason. CeeCee must figure out why she got stuck in the first place—before her loved ones are put in danger and she loses them forever.

A dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland meets Neverwhere, this contemporary fantasy will enchant Neil Gaiman and Christina Henry fans.

My Review

NEVERWHERE is probably my favorite book by Neil Gaiman, so I was really intrigued by the description of this book. I can see the comparison in some ways. THE BYWAYS takes place in a city that has a sort of dark, twisted magical underbelly that CeeCee stumbles into by mistake.

The writing took me a while to get used to. While the content is more mature and intense, the early chapters reminded me a lot more of a middle grade book. The way CeeCee describes her peers and her experiences at school made me think she was maybe 14 or 15, so I kept forgetting that she was supposed to be in high school. Though I guess it’s possible to be 15 in high school, so maybe that makes sense? As the story progressed, I think the tone shifted to more of a YA style of writing.

Some of the imagery in the magical area was pretty disturbing to me. At one point, CeeCee meets a super creepy guy who shows her a screen that she realizes is showing child p*rn and asks her to play a game with him. She’s disgusted and flees, but the other people around her kind of just shrug their shoulders about it and agree that yeah, that guy should probably be avoided. I could have done without that whole thing, honestly.

The whole story feels very much like a bad fever dream– which I suppose makes sense as a retelling of ALICE IN WONDERLAND? It’s definitely dark and twisted.

At the beginning and end of the story, the scenes focus a lot on CeeCee’s neurodivergent experience and what she does to navigate challenges. I think the middle of the story is less focused on that, though.

Conclusion

All in all, THE BYWAYS wasn’t a big hit for me. I really didn’t care for some of the creepy stuff, and the winding, slower pace of the plot made it tough for me to get through. If you like darker, fever-dream-type stories, THE BYWAYS could be just what you’re looking for, though.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 18 up.

Representation
CeeCee is white and neurodivergent. She experiences sensory and impulse issues.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
CeeCee meets a man she describes as very overweight who shows her a screen that she realizes displays child p*rn. She recoils and flees from him. Another man pursues her, and she wonders if he’s a drug dealer or human trafficker.

Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
CeeCee experiences some things that depart from reality: an alley that shrinks down around her, a woman with dirt spilling from her lips when she speaks, and a man who appears to be part slug.

Violent Content
Multiple men try to capture or coerce CeeCee into doing things or staying with them.

One character is described as overweight, and the more he says or does gross things, the larger and more overweight he appears to be. That felt pretty fatphobic to me.

Drug Content
CeeCee meets a man she assumes is homeless, and when he doesn’t appear to be making sense, she wonders if he’s mentally ill or addicted to drugs.

In one alley, mushrooms grow. CeeCee’s told that, basically, only the most desperate addicts end up there. She tastes a mushroom and experiences a kind of high from it.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE BYWAYS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Hunt for the Hollower by Callie C. Miller

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12

The Hunt for the Hollower
Callie C. Miller
Aladdin Books
Published June 13, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Hunt for the Hollower

In this riff on Arthurian legend, a wizardess who is still mastering her powers goes on an epic quest to save her brother from an evil wizard in this middle grade magical adventure perfect for fans of Adam Gidwitz and Amanda Foody!

The great wizard Merlyn prophesied that his seventh descendant would do wonderful, miraculous things—baffling everyone when his great-great-many-times-great grandchild turns out to be twins. Soon enough, however, it becomes clear which sibling is the Septimum Genus. Percy is a natural with magic. Merlynda (to put it simply) is not.

But Merlynda doesn’t mind. Percy has always been by her side to cheer her up (and clean up) after her magical bungles—until the twins attempt a forbidden spell to help her control her magic, and Percy vanishes through a portal and straight into the clutches of the magic-stealing, mythical Hollower.

Aided by her best friend (who longs to be a knight), a wandering musician (who is fleeing from his past), and her brand-new, fierce familiar (who yearns for a taste of funnel cake), Merlynda sets off on a quest to rescue her brother. But to defeat this ancient evil, she must discover and embrace her true powers—or else lose her brother for good.

My Review

I think my favorite thing about this book is all the asides and notes about things and moments in which the characters pause to poke fun at themselves or the story. Like, for example, the wyvern who longs to taste funnel cake. Those were really cute.

I also enjoyed Merlynda’s journey to understand her magic and save her brother. I liked that though she seems like the weaker or less valuable wizard at the story’s beginning, she actually has a critical role to play in the story. That same kind of message is echoed in her quest partners Neci and Batu as well.

As I read the book, I wondered if the various side quests and problems Merlynda and the others stopped to solve would factor into the overall story or whether they’d be distractions or filler. I really liked the way the author pulled together all of the lessons and characters from the side quests in order to resolve the main plot.

On the whole, I absolutely enjoyed reading THE HUNT FOR THE HOLLOWER. I think readers who enjoy a bit of tongue-in-cheek style storytelling (maybe akin to ON THE EDGE OF THE DARK SEA OF DARKNESS by Andrew Peterson) and a fun team fantasy quest will find a lot of love about this one.

Content Notes for The Hunt for the Hollower

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Merlynda is white. Batu is described as having a copper tone to his skin. Neci has brown skin and curly hair.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Merlynda is a wizardess. She encounters other magical creatures and battles someone using magic for evil.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battle situations (descriptions are more cartoonish than anything else). A witch has cursed villagers so they cannot stop dancing. She threatens to eat Merlynda and her allies.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE HUNT FOR THE HOLLOWER in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Everyone Wants to Know by Kelly Loy Gilbert

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , , ,

Everyone Wants to Know
Kelly Loy Gilbert
Simon & Schuster
Published June 13, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Everyone Wants to Know

This ripped-from-the-tabloids young adult drama by the critically acclaimed author Kelly Loy Gilbert about a girl’s famous-for-being-famous family fracturing from within as their dirty laundry gets exposed.

The Lo family sticks together. That’s what Honor has been told her whole life while growing up in the glare of the public eye on Lo and Behold , the reality show about her, her four siblings, and their parents.

Their show may be off the air, but the Lo family members still live in the spotlight as influencers churning out podcasts, bestselling books, and brand partnerships. So when Honor’s father announces that he’s moving out of their northern California home to rent an apartment in Brooklyn, Honor’s personal upset becomes the internet’s trending B-list celebrity trainwreck—threatening the aspirational image the Los’ brand (and livelihood) depends on.

After one of her best friends leaks their private conversation to a gossip site, bruised and betrayed Honor pours all her energy into reuniting her family. With her parents 3,000 miles apart, her siblings torn into factions, and all of them under claustrophobic public scrutiny, this is easier said than done. Just when Honor feels at her lowest, a guarded yet vulnerable boy named Caden comes into her life and makes her want something beyond the tight Lo inner circle for the first time. But is it fair to open her heart to someone new when the people she loves are teetering on the edge of ruin?

As increasingly terrible secrets come to light about the people Honor thought she knew best in the world, she’s forced to choose between loyalty to her family and fighting for the life she wants.

My Review

Typically I like books about intense family drama, but I will admit I struggled with this one. Maybe because the toxicity of some of the characters was so high? And the betrayals just kept mounting while people insisted their behavior was okay? I’m not sure.

I really liked Honor as a character, and thought in the context of this story about a family who framed every decision with “but what will this do to our image” kinds of inquiries, her name is pretty bold and appropriate. I loved that choice.

Her relationship with her twin brother Atticus is also a bright spot in the book for me. I like the way they balance each other, tease each other, and speak truth to one another.

It took a while for her relationship with Caden to really grow on me, but when it did, I found that I really liked him. I couldn’t tell for a bit whether he was truly emotionally closed off or whether he was keeping his distance because she asked for that kind of relationship. As the story progressed, though, and I got to know him a little better, I really liked him. He’s messy but smart. Aloof, but not cold.

Some of the secrets that came out about the family I did not see coming. I did see some things coming, though. Some of the things were dealt with in a way that felt complete and emotionally satisfying, but other things are kind of left without being fully resolved. That’s pretty true to real life, so I don’t mean that as a complaint. I sometimes struggle with stories that end with emotionally messy stuff still in an emotionally messy state.

Conclusion

I definitely feel like the author brought me directly into the center of all the Lo family drama, and I’m impressed by her ability to do that so consistently and believably, and yet, I’m also kind of exhausted. Ha! I enjoyed the book, though, especially Honor and her relationships with Atticus and Caden.

Fans of BOYS I KNOW by Anna Gracia will find a similar exploration of tension within family relationships and tenuous forays into romantic relationships.

Content Notes for Everyone Wants to Know

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Honor and her family are biracial– white and Chinese American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex and some brief/vague descriptions of hands touching and bodies pressed together.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Some brief exploration of what toxic relationships and gaslighting look like.

Drug Content
One character’s mom is a recovering addict, so he and his friend group do not drink alcohol or use any drugs. In one scene (at a wedding), a bride holds a glass of champagne.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW in exchange for my honest review.


Top Ten Tuesday: Super-Fun Summer Camp Books

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Top Ten Tuesday: Super-Fun Summer Camp Books

It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! This week’s theme is best books for summer, which is a perfect chance to talk about beach reads… but I’m not much of a beach girl? I burn way too easily. So, instead, let’s talk about another favorite summer activity: summer camp!

Whether it’s the story of a first-time camp experience or simply the tale of camp attendance as a means to an end, excellent summer camp books capture the immersive experience of being away from home. They spin stories of unexpected friendships and wacky inside jokes. They remind us to celebrate being in nature and being part of a team or group.

I’ve included six middle-grade books and twelve young adult books in this list, so technically it’s my top eighteen, but I couldn’t help it. They’re all great books that made me feel big summer camp vibes.

Note: Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl in which bloggers share their top ten favorites in the week’s theme. Check out this week’s list of posts about summer reading!

Also: This post contains affiliate links that don’t cost anything for you to use but help support this blog. Thank you for shopping with them!

Super-Fun Summer Camp Books: Middle Grade

Here are six middle-grade books featuring summer camp adventures. From LARPing to twins swapping places to discovering a hidden world of magic, all these books immersed me in summer camp feelings and celebrated the unexpected friendships and adventures that a few weeks away from home inevitably bring.

Monster Camp by Sarah Henning

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: A girl signs up for what she thinks is a LARPing (live-action roleplaying) camp only to discover the other campers are actually monsters. Totally fun. The camp setting makes this a perfect summer read, but the monster elements would make this a good fall/Halloween season read, too.

Release Date: May 9, 2023

Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: A richly written novel in verse about twin girls who’ve grown apart and dare one another to switch places at summer camp. One twin has undiagnosed anxiety. I loved the relationship between the sisters in this one.

Release Date:

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1) B. B. Alston

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review to Come

What you need to know: Men In Black meets Percy Jackson, but better. Amari learns her missing brother was part of a supernatural organization (think FBI plus magic) which she joins after learning it can help her discover what happened to him.

Release Date: January 19, 2021

The Girls of Firefly Cabin by Cynthia Ellingsen

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: Four girls meet for the first time when they’re assigned to Firefly Cabin. Will secrets, competition, and other classic summer camp adventures bind them together as friends or tear their cabin apart? Perfectly captures and celebrates summer camp experiences.

Release Date: May 28, 2019

Chirp by Kate Messner

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: Not all summer camps are sleep-away– here’s one celebrating day camp for a girl whose family has just moved to a new town. Discusses grooming and consent in a clear, age-appropriate way. Great family elements.

Release Date: February 4, 2020

Ways to Grow Love (A Ryan Hart Story) by Renée Watson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: The second book in the Ryan Hart series. Ryan braves her nerves about summer camp and changing friendships. A perfect blend of the power of resilience, friendship, and summertime fun.

Release Date: April 27, 2021

Super-Fun Summer Camp Books: Young Adult

Julieta and the Romeos by Maria E. Andreu

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: An elite writing summer intensive challenges Julieta to post her writing publicly. A mysterious collaborator begins contributing to the story. She’s determined to figure out which of the three boys she’s maybe interested in could be her online partner. Perfect for fans of Kasie West or Jennifer E. Smith.

Release Date: May 16, 2023

You Don’t Have a Shot by Racquel Marie

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: Soccer camp! Rivals to lovers! A layered story exploring romance, pride, and perfectionism. I loved the relationships between characters, and the descriptions of the soccer practices and games made me feel like I was right there on the sidelines.

Release Date: May 9, 2023

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review to Come

What you need to know: First love and Deaf pride… at summer camp. A book about embracing identity and finding the friends you didn’t know you needed. This one is at the top of my summer reading list.

Release Date: July 11, 2023

It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: Summer camp… horror! A research trip to Antarctica turns deadly when an unidentified something tries to kill the retreat members. One of the best books I read last year, and I’m not a big horror girl. Check my review for content warnings.

Release Date: September 13, 2022

Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: A homeschooled girl whose parents decide she needs more experience with peers attends the Connecticut Shakespearean Summer Academy in exchange for their permission for her early admission to Oxford. Competitive antics and rivals-to-lovers romance ensue. Great for fans of Lily Anderson.

Release Date: July 26, 2022

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: An intense summer program for aspiring web developers. A suitor in a potential arranged marriage. A girl who couldn’t be less interested in romance. All the fun of Sandhya Menon’s fluffy romance… at summer camp!

Release Date: May 30, 2017

You Have a Match by Emma Lord

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: When a DNA service reveals a younger sister, Abby signs up for summer camp to meet her unknown sibling. Packed with secrets about to burst and an adorable friends-to-lovers romance. My favorite of Emma Lord’s books so far.

Release Date: January 12, 2021

Have a Little Faith in Me by Sonia Hartl

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: Jesus camp… but not from a religious perspective. This one tackles issues concerning consent, celebrates girl friendships, and delivers a simmering summer romance.

Release Date: September 3, 2019

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: Ballet camp! In Paris! Plus, a sweet romance and a quest to prove family lore that says her relative sat for a painting by Edgar Degas. Perfect for fans of Jenna Evans Welch.

Release Date: April 6, 2021

No Place Like Here by Christina June

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: A girl desperate to escape from under her controlling father’s thumb. A rustic team-building retreat center in the middle of nowhere. Awkward, cute, and fun.

Release Date: May 21, 2019

Last Summer at Eden by Christina Hergenrader

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review

What you need to know: It’s been a while since I’ve read this one, but I remember it being a fun read packed with references to camp songs and the emotional highs and lows of being in close quarters with strangers for weeks. It’s a Christian book and has a faith-positive message.

Release Date: March 1, 2017

The Honeys by Ryan LaSala

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review to Come

What you need to know: This is one from my current summer reading list! When his twin sister dies after running all the way home from her summer camp experience, he vows to go to the camp himself and find out what happened to her. Looks creepy and intense. I’m excited about it.

Release Date: August 2, 2022

The Honeys by Ryan LaSala

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review to Come

What you need to know: Another one that just came out! A bookish girl forced into summer leadership camp. Girl friendships and an unexpected summer romance that may demand she learn to stand up for herself and, well, lead.

Release Date: May 16, 2023

What are your favorite summer camp stories?

Do you have favorite stories about summer camp? What books feel like summertime to you? Leave a comment and let me know! I would love to chat about them.

Review: The Kingdom Over the Sea by Zohra Nabi

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , ,

The Kingdom Over the Sea
Zohra Nabi
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published June 6, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Kingdom Over the Sea

Aru Shah meets One Thousand and One Nights in this lavish middle grade adventure following a girl who must travel to a mystical land of sorceresses, alchemists, jinn, and flying carpets to discover her heritage and fulfill her destiny.

My own Yara, if you are reading this, then something terrible has happened, and you are on your own. To return to the city of Zehaira, you must read out the words on the back of this letter… Good luck, my brave girl.

When twelve-year-old Yara’s mother passes away, she leaves behind a letter and a strange set of instructions. Yara must travel from the home she has always known to a place that is not on any map—Zehaira, a world of sorcerers, alchemists and simmering magic. But Zehaira is not the land it used to be. The practice of magic has been outlawed, the Sultan’s alchemists are plotting a sinister scheme—and the answers Yara is searching for seem to be out of reach.

Yara must summon all her courage to discover the truth about her mother’s past and her own identity…and to find her place in this magical new world.

My Review

Right away, I fell into the magical world of this book. It begins as Yara grieves over her mama’s death and faces a difficult choice. A letter from her mama directs her to go to a strange place and speak a spell. She’s confused because she doesn’t believe magic exists. Why would her mama ask her to do something so bizarre? Ultimately, she figures she believes in the sincerity of her mama’s letter, so she tries it. And is whisked off to a magical world.

Something about the oppressive, dangerous world Yara finds herself in reminded me of THE FIREBIRD SONG. In both books, things have gotten pretty difficult. People tell the main characters they can’t help because they’re too young or don’t have the right skills. But ultimately, of course, the main characters have something no one else has and are positioned to help in ways no one else can.

I liked that the story centers on Yara’s abilities and choices, yet still felt really believable regarding what she does and her age. I loved the relationships between her and the other characters, especially the jinn she rescues her reluctant mentor, and her two new friends.

The pacing was a little different than I expected, and it didn’t feel slow or like it was dragging or anything. It emphasized elements of a quest that other stories might have skipped over. I liked that a lot, actually. It kept the story more centered around the characters. Even though a lot of things were happening to them, it made space for us to understand the impact of the twists and reveals as they emerged. I enjoyed that a lot.

Readers who enjoyed HAMRA AND THE JUNGLE OF MEMORIES by Hanna Alkaf should check this one out.

Content Notes for The Kingdom Over the Sea

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Middle Eastern-coded characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Yara frees a jinn who then helps her voluntarily. A couple of sorceress characters have familiars to help them with their magic. Some characters perform magic with words and potions.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A person has been wrongfully imprisoned for years. A poison threatens the lives of anyone affected by it.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE KINGDOM OVER THE SEA in exchange for my honest review.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays

Check out other blogs posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Weekly Wrap-Up: May 28-June 3, 2023

Young Adult/Teen 12-18

Weekly Wrap-Up: May 28 – June 3, 2023

Well, here I am again– trying something new! I used to try to do a monthly wrap-up, but they got to be so overwhelming. It was a lot of work trying to sort out what I’d read and write up the little “what you need to know” summaries. I gave it up, but have been feeling bad about losing a regular, more newsy post. Plus it was nice to be able to include the backlist titles I’d added successfully read in posts like that. Otherwise, it’s a long time between when I read the book and when my review goes live. (This is because I have a calendar problem… in that I keep agreeing to review too many books to leave room for very many backlist titles on my calendar.)

At any rate, I thought if I could come up with a simple format where I could just share what I’ve read this week, it might be fun to do that. It’s few enough books that, hopefully, the posts don’t take long to put together. And the books are fresh enough in my mind that I don’t have to think very hard in order to write the summaries. So, yay! Maybe a winning strategy?? We’ll find out together.

At any rate, here are the books I read this week and the ones I’m currently reading now. Let me know if there are other stats or things you’d like to know about each of these titles.

What I Read This Week

Time Out by Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: There might have been a bit of a mix-up leading me to receive a finished copy of this book from the publisher. I asked for a different one, but received this instead (I think). While it wasn’t something that immediately drew my attention, I found the story deeply compelling and the characters realistic and easy to identify with. Definitely one for fans of Bill Konigsberg (OPENLY STRAIGHT, etc).

Published: May 30, 2023 | My Review

The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I really enjoyed book one in The Agathas series, so I had been very much looking forward to this one. If you’re familiar, expect more of the same amateur detective hijinks and fun cast of characters. I especially loved that the murder connects to a mysterious death in the past.

Published: May 30, 2023 | My Review

Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty, Michael Moreci, and Braeden Sherrell

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I actually got an email from the author’s assistant asking if I wanted to review this book, but then I never heard back from them. Fortunately, I was able to get a copy from the library, so it’s still on my review list! I hadn’t read the original book, but I really enjoyed this version of the story, especially the themes about identity and family, and the expressions on the characters’ faces in the panels. (Serafina’s expressions especially.)

Published: April 4, 2023 | Review to Come: fall/winter

The Kingdom Over the Sea by Zohra Nabi

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I’m reading an ARC of this one that I received from the publisher. I love the Middle Eastern-coded fantasy elements and magic. I’m super intrigued by the characters, especially the woman reluctantly helping our heroine. The pacing was different than I expected, but I liked it. Expect the review for this one next week!

Published: June 6, 2023 | Review to Come: next week

What I’m Currently Reading

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I’ve been listening to the audiobook version of CASTE since early May. It’s gripping. The author compares the caste system of India to Nazi Germany and slavery and race relations in the United States. It’s definitely the kind of thing you can’t unsee afterward if that makes sense. I’ve got the young readers’ ebook from the library, so I’ll compare the two versions and write up a review when I’m finished with that. I’m about 80% done.

Published: August 4, 2020 | Review to Come: fall/winter

Don’t Look Back: A Memoir of War, Survival, and My Journey to America by Achut Deng and Keely Hutton

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I’ve just barely started reading this one, but I’m already feeling drawn into the story of Achut Deng and her escape from her war-torn homeland. It sounds like it’s going to be a heartbreaking story, but it promises hope and beauty, too.

Published: October 11, 2022 | Review to Come: fall/winter

What did you read this week?

How was your week this past week? Did you read or acquire any new books you’re excited about? Have you read any of the books on my list? Leave a comment and let me know!