Review: No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado

No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado

No Filter and Other Lies
Crystal Maldonado
Holiday House
Published February 8, 2022

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About No Filter and Other Lies

You should know, right now, that I’m a liar.

They’re usually little lies. Tiny lies. Baby lies. Not so much lies as lie adjacent.

But they’re still lies.

Twenty one-year-old Max Monroe has it all: beauty, friends, and a glittering life filled with adventure. With tons of followers on Instagram, her picture-perfect existence seems eminently enviable.

Except it’s all fake.

Max is actually 16-year-old Kat Sanchez, a quiet and sarcastic teenager living in drab Bakersfield, California. Nothing glamorous in her existence–just sprawl, bad house parties, a … Continue reading

Review: Master of Iron by Tricia Levenseller

Master of Iron by Tricia Levenseller

Master of Iron (Bladesmith #2)
Tricia Levenseller
Feiwel & Friends
Published Jul 26, 2022

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About Master of Iron

In MASTER OF IRON, the conclusion to Tricia Levenseller’s exciting Bladesmith YA fantasy duology, a magically gifted blacksmith with social anxiety must race against the clock to save her beloved sister and stop a devastating war.

Eighteen-year-old Ziva may have defeated a deadly warlord, but the price was almost too much. Ziva is forced into a breakneck race to a nearby city with the handsome mercenary, Kellyn, and the young scholar, Petrik, to find a powerful magical healer who can save her sister’s life.

When the events that follow lead … Continue reading

Review: More Awesome Asian Americans by Phil Amara and Oliver Chin

More Awesome Asian Americans: 20 Citizens Energizing America by Phil Amara and Oliver Chin

More Awesome Asian Americans: 20 Citizens who Energized America
Phil Amara and Oliver Chin
Illustrated by Juan Calle
Immedium
Published December 20, 2022

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About More Awesome Asian Americans

The sequel to the popular Awesome Asian Americans! Learn about 20 more trailblazers who have enriched the USA across a spectrum of occupations and interests.

These profiles of talented individuals are dynamically illustrated in full color. These diverse men and women will inspire the next generation to pursue their passions and make a difference.

Immigrants continue to enrich America. Learn key chapters of U.S. history … Continue reading

Review: The Plentiful Darkness by Heather Klassner

The Plentiful Darkness by Heather Kassner

The Plentiful Darkness
Heather Klassner
Henry Holt & Co.
Published August 3, 2021

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About The Plentiful Darkness

In Heather Kassner’s spine-chilling fantasy novel, reminiscent of Serafina and the Black Cloak, an orphaned girl chases a thieving boy into a magician’s land of starless, moonless gloom where other children have gone missing before her.

Though the darkness is indeed plentiful, this book gleams with an eerie magic, its characters burning bright and fierce. A visual treat of a tale. –Stefan Bachmann, international bestselling author of Cinders and Sparrows

In order to survive on her own, twelve-year-old Rooney de Barra collects precious moonlight, which she draws from the evening … Continue reading

Review: This Cursed Crown by Alexandra Overy

This Cursed Crown by Alexandra Overy

This Cursed Crown (These Feathered Flames #2)
Alexandra Overy
Inkyard Press
Published December 6, 2022

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About This Cursed Crown

Awakening to find herself trapped in a strange tower, Izaveta knows she must find her way back to the Tóurensi palace and claim the throne. But even with an unexpected ally’s help, she worries she might not be able to get news of her survival to her sister and escape this frozen land.

Back at home, Asya enlists Nikov’s help to prove Izaveta is still alive, even as she finds herself forced to navigate the political world she always sought to avoid to save her … Continue reading

Kasey’s Bookish Holiday Wishlist

Bookish Holiday Wishlist

My Bookish Holiday Wishlist

I didn’t realize until a few years ago how much the holiday season stirs up feelings of dread for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love some of the holiday events and celebrations. There are moments I look forward to. Christmas morning with my family. Quietly contemplating the long ago night that a tiny child who would change the world was born in a manger. Those are meaningful times for me.

But the hustle. The shopping. The decorating. All the pressure that comes with seeing all the people in a few short days. We have a big family and some relationships and events are, well… a bit challenging. It’s a lot.

At any rate, I didn’t realize … Continue reading