Tag Archives: politics

Review: True Gretch by Gretchen Whitmer

Book Review and Content, Memoir, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,
True Gretch by Gretchen Whitmer

True Gretch: Lessons for Anyone Who Wants to Make a Difference (Young Adult Edition)
Gretchen Whitmer
Atheneum
Published January 28, 2025

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About True Gretch: Lessons for Anyone Who Wants to Make a Difference (Young Adult Edition)

The young adult edition of the unconventionally honest, deeply personal, and sharply funny account from Michigan governor and rising Democratic star Gretchen Whitmer is packed with remarkable insights for young people wishing to make a difference in the world.

When Gretchen Whitmer was growing up, her beloved grandmother Nino taught her that you can always find something good in other people. “Even the meanest person might have pretty eyes,” she would say, a piece of advice that Gretchen carries with her today in her role as the governor of Michigan. (And one that resonated more than another her grandmother “never part your hair in the middle.”)

From navigating a kidnapping and assassination plot in which she herself was a target to facing monumental challenges during a global pandemic, Big Gretch (as she’s now known) shares the key pieces of wisdom that have shaped her trailblazing career and personal experiences in this often hilarious, always uplifting book. Along the way, she tells stories about growing up gutsy in the Midwest, the wild comments she’s encountered as a public figure, and how to neutralize high-profile bullies with a fearless sense of humor.

Told in her famously straightforward and slyly funny voice, this young adult edition of the governor’s story not only offers an intimate insight into the life of a politician with an astounding journey, but also affords extraordinary lessons for young people everywhere who wish to make a difference in the world.

My Review

I don’t often read memoirs by people in politics, and I didn’t know a lot about Gretchen Whitmer before picking up this book. It was a really entertaining read, though.

While I will say that it leans a little more memoir than advice or inspirational book, she does frame her experiences in terms of a lesson learned or the best advice she can offer on a particular subject.

I loved the stories she shared about her family, especially her daughters (who appear in a Q&A at the end of the book) and her parents. It’s clear that those are really meaningful relationships that have deeply impacted her life.

So much of the message that she imparts to readers is about being authentic and owning your mistakes. She reminds us that while we, individually, aren’t significant, the work we’re doing is important work. I like that she draws the focus to the work and making a difference and away from herself.

True Gretch isn’t a very long book, and it kept me engaged all the way through. I probably wouldn’t have sought this one out myself, so thanks go out to the publisher who gambled on sending it to me! I really enjoyed reading it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used super infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to sexual assault. No details.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
See Romance. References to a plot to kidnap and murder Gretchen Whitmer.

Drug Content
References to adults drinking alcohol in social settings.

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

Review: Star-Spangled Jesus by April Ajoy

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Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding a True Faith
April Ajoy
Worthy Books
Published October 1, 2024

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About Star-Spangled Jesus

A hilarious and eye-opening account of leaving Christian Nationalism behind to follow Jesus better.  

April Ajoy wouldn’t have called herself a Christian Nationalist when she performed her original song “America Say Jesus” on the Jim Bakker show, or when she participated in Jesus Marches across America, or when she posted cringe-worthy videos on YouTube to campaign for Mitt Romney. April just considered herself a good faithful, Republican, and determined to make America a Christian nation once again.

But as her view of the world widened, Ajoy began to see cracks in her steadfast beliefs and recognized the ways her conservative politics and religion were intertwined in her mind. Did God really bless America? Is it actually by His red, white, and blue stripes that we are healed?

Ajoy, TikTok influencer and co-host of the Evangelicalish podcast, shares funny stories from her time deep within Christian nationalism, exploring how aspects of evangelical culture such as purity pledges, product boycotts, Satanic panic, and end-times theology have all been exploited to advance the Christian Nationalist narrative. She also illuminates the ways nationalist thinking has infiltrated our churches and political arenas, shaping not only modern evangelical culture but also American public policy and international relations.

Part memoir, part guidebook, part call to action, Star-Spangled Jesus explores how the fight to make America a “Christian nation” has damaged us all and shows how one woman left Christian Nationalism and why America should too.

My Review

Well, this was a cathartic read. Whew. Yeah, I did not know that I needed the validation of reading someone else experiencing some of the weird stuff that you grow up with in the Evangelical movement. The book is also pretty hilarious.

I’m close to the author’s age, so we had some similar experiences growing up in the Evangelical church. Some of the stories she tells—even the cringey ones—resonated with me a lot more than I’m comfortable admitting. Wowza.

I cackled through Ajoy’s stories about her fears about the rapture and heaven. It’s weird how deeply those ideas can get into your head and how they play out when you suddenly find yourself entirely alone at home.

It was also validating to read about the questions Ajoy asked herself on her journey. She encountered information or situations that went differently than her upbringing in the church led her to expect. Instead of ignoring those signposts, she began asking herself hard questions about what those things meant in the context of her faith.

I am encouraged to see people like April Ajoy boldly sharing the experience of taking a hard look at faith and carving a path forward through deconstructing harmful ideology. We need voices like these.

If you were raised in the Evangelical movement or a church that uplifts Christian Nationalism but have walked away from those ideas, I think you’d enjoy this book. I also think people who have never had this experience for themselves but are curious about what it’s like and want to read about it in a funny, that-was-then kind of way will find a lot to love about Star-Spangled Jesus.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
April is a white Christian woman married to a nonbinary person.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief, vague references to sex. (April relates once worrying about the world ending soon and thinking that she wants to have sex before she dies.)

Spiritual Content
Lots of discussion about Christian faith, beliefs, and practices.

Violent Content
Brief references to the 9-11 attack. References to some homophobic ideas that April was taught and believed as a teen and young adult.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. All opinions are my own.

Review: A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

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

A Crane Among Wolves
June Hur
Feiwel & Friends
Published May 14, 2024

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About A Crane Among Wolves

June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history.

Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.

1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.

Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.

Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.

When Iseul’s and Daehyun’s fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever

Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.

My Review

I enjoyed this book a lot. The story balances the character relationships and the larger political plot with its murder investigation and coup preparations really well. I felt like I truly got to know Prince Daehyun and Iseul, so it was easy to root for them to achieve their goals.

I love sister stories, so I couldn’t help investing in Iseul’s desperate mission to rescue her sister. Though the girls weren’t close before her sister was kidnapped, losing her made Iseul realize how much she appreciates and needs her sister. It makes her realize how much her sister protected her, and she wants to protect her sister now, too. I love that.

Another thing I really enjoyed is the enemies-to-lovers slow-burn romance between Iseul and Daehyun. I giggled through the moments where they would be like, hmmm, I can’t stop thinking about [the other person] for some reason.

The author’s note at the end clarifies some of the story elements that depart from the historical account and why those changes were made. This is the first book by June Hur that I’ve ever read, but I definitely want to read more. I liked this a lot. Readers who enjoyed Descendant of the Crane by Joan He should check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Characters are Korean.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A few instances of mild profanity. One f-bomb.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to rape (not depicted on scene). Some men (minor characters) treat women like property to be traded or collected.

A girl who was sent to the king (for sex) appears dissociated and traumatized afterward.

Spiritual Content
Someone predicted that the prince would die in the year the story takes place.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some brief battle scenes. References to rape and suicide (not depicted). Some descriptions of murder scenes. The king uses his position to force people to do cruel, terrible things, such as kill others. He beats and abuses people. He kidnaps women.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of A Crane Among Wolves in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

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

The Poisons We Drink
Bethany Baptiste
Sourcebooks Fire
Published March 5, 2024

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About The Poisons We Drink

In a country divided between humans and witchers, Venus Stoneheart hustles as a brewer making illegal love potions to support her family.

Love potions is a dangerous business. Brewing has painful, debilitating side effects, and getting caught means death or a prison sentence. But what Venus is most afraid of is the dark, sentient magic within her.

Then an enemy’s iron bullet kills her mother, Venus’s life implodes. Keeping her reckless little sister Janus safe is now her responsibility. When the powerful Grand Witcher, the ruthless head of her coven, offers Venus the chance to punish her mother’s killer, she has to pay a steep price for revenge. The cost? Brew poisonous potions to enslave D.C.’s most influential politicians.

As Venus crawls deeper into the corrupt underbelly of her city, the line between magic and power blurs, and it’s hard to tell who to trust…Herself included.

My Review

I loved so many things about this book. First, of course, I loved the relationship between Janus and Venus, who are sisters. They’re very different from one another and argue a lot, but at the end of the day, each one knows her sister has her back.

I also loved the magic system. It’s complex, but really interesting. Venus is a “brewer,” meaning she makes potions. But in order to do this, she must commit to only one kind of potion brewing. She has committed to brewing potions in love magic, so things that impact relationships.

She gets embroiled in a political scheme when legislators propose a bill that would mean witchers (magic users) would be required to register with the government, which, considering the way witchers are already treated by the government, would be a terrible thing. I liked the way the political issue drove the story forward. It made for high stakes and some intense reckoning over morals and what someone might be willing to do to protect the people they love or avenge a loved one’s murder.

While I loved the magic system, there were a couple of moments– not a lot of them– where I got confused about how things worked. An action suddenly broke a bond. A character could suddenly do a kind of magic I thought she wasn’t supposed to be capable of or didn’t pay the price that I thought she said would be exacted if she took certain actions.

It’s possible that those were fixed before the book was released (I read a pre-release copy). Even with those few hiccups, I was super carried away reading the story of this wild, pink-haired witcher ready to mete out justice or vengeance, as the situation demanded, no matter the personal cost.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Venus and other characters are Black. Venus is queer. Another character is nonbinary.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two people. One chapter opens with an explicit sex scene. A couple takes a bath together.

Spiritual Content
Some characters can perform magic, limited by the energy they have in their bodies, which they can replenish with special baths and teas or naturally replenishes over time. Powerful magic can sap so much energy from a person that it kills them. When someone breaks a magical oath or does something terrible using magic, a deviation or corrupt magical being can become part of them. This deviant will continue to try to break free or take control of its host.

Violent Content
Humans fear and hate magic users. They legislate ways to control them, from limiting the number of witchers who can be in a single area legally at a time to proposing a bill that would require each witcher to register with the government (because that always goes good places). Terrorists target witchers. Enforcers use violence to break up witcher gatherings.

In addition, some scenes show violence during magic use, such as bones shifting or breaking, and brief descriptions of body horror. A powerful blood ritual binds two people after they press their cut palms together. References to murders by gunshot, bomb, or other means. Venus attacks a few people who have tried to harm her or her family members. In one scene, a person uses a magical bond to control another and makes them stab themselves.

Drug Content
Venus can create potions that convince people to forgive one another, love someone, or make them highly susceptible to new ideas. There are also potions that can restore health or save someone from death.

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 POISONS WE DRINK in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Something Like Possible by Miel Moreland

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

Something Like Possible
Miel Moreland
Feiwel & Friends
Published May 23, 2023

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About Something Like Possible

In this compelling YA contemporary from author Miel Moreland, a bisexual teen’s path to political staffer stardom is in jeopardy, until she convinces a cute new candidate to team up with her on the campaign trail.

On the worst day of her life, Madison is dumped by her girlfriend, then fired as said (ex)girlfriend’s campaign manager… plus she accidentally rear-ends the student government advisor—the one person whose good word might help her win a spot at a prestigious youth politics summer camp.

But Madison is nothing if not a girl with a plan, and she isn’t going to let a little thing like heartbreak (or a slightly dented bumper) get in her way. Soon, she has a new junior class president candidate to back—although the two of them might be getting a little too close on the campaign trail. Between navigating her growing crush and corralling a less than enthusiastic election team, Madison has had it with unexpected changes to her carefully laid plans. But when she and a group of queer classmates discover a pattern of harassment within the student government, Madison’s forced to shift gears once again.

Something Like Possible is a love letter to ambitious girls, queer solidarity, and how to keep moving forward when the world seems set on pushing you back.

“For every ambitious girl who has been told that they are “too much,” Something Like Possible is a validating promise that you are enough.” —Marisa Kanter, author of As If On Cue

My Review

I think the book’s strongest part is its characters, especially Victoria, Amrita, and Madison. I love how they relate to one another and their different mannerisms and voices.

Madison is fifteen years old throughout the story, which is an interesting choice for YA and one I don’t see often. I liked the decision to tell the story from a younger character’s perspective, and at first, I thought maybe that was to position the book for lower YA audiences. It did have some f-bombs in it, though, which maybe means it’s not intended for lower YA? I’m not sure.

I enjoyed the political campaign elements of the story a lot more than I expected. I liked that Madison was so thoughtful and had such specific ideas and plans. It was cool watching her figure out how to be flexible with what she wanted, too. I liked that she was unapologetically nerdy about politics. It’s so much fun to read books about a topic where someone is really passionate, and you kind of learn things along the way without setting out to do that.

Overall, I liked many components of the book: the school campaign, the solidarity that grew between characters, and the sweet romance between Madison and Victoria. I think fans of THAT’S DEBATABLE by Jen Doll will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Madison is bisexual. Diverse cast of minor characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls.

References to sexual assault. Some descriptions of inappropriate hugs, touches (on top of clothes), and grooming behavior.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
See sexual content. Madison sees cuts on another girl’s arm and realizes they’re from self-harm.

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 SOMETHING LIKE POSSIBLE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra

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Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove
Rati Mehrotra
Wednesday Books
Published October 18, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove

To learn what she can become, she must first discover who she is.

Katyani’s role in the kingdom of Chandela has always been clear: becoming an advisor and protector of the crown prince, Ayan, when he ascends to the throne. Bound to the Queen of Chandela through a forbidden soul bond that saved her when she was a child, Katyani has grown up in the royal family and become the best guardswoman the Garuda has ever seen.

But when a series of assassination attempts threatens the royals, the queen ships Katyani off to the gurukul of the famous Acharya Mahavir as an escort to Ayan and his cousin, Bhairav, to protect them as they hone the skills needed to be the next leaders of the kingdom. Nothing could annoy Katyani more than being stuck in a monastic school in the middle of a forest, except her run-ins with Daksh, the Acharya’s son, who can’t stop going on about the rules and whose gaze makes her feel like he can see into her soul.

But when the queen hurriedly summons Katyani and the princes back to Chandela before their training is complete, tragedy strikes, tearing Katyani from the only life she has ever known. Alone and betrayed in a land infested by monsters, Katyani must find answers from her past to save all she loves and forge her own destiny. Bonds can be broken, but debts must be repaid.

My Review

Okay, I stayed up WAY too late reading this book and then finished it the next morning as soon as I had a second to sit down. It’s a super immersive story packed with magic and intrigue. I loved the characters, especially Katyani and Daksh.

Outspoken and fierce, Katyani had me from the first page. I loved the complex relationship she shares with the royal family and of course with Daksh and the way so many things change as the story unravels. The plot moves quickly with high stakes– definitely the thing that kept me reading. That and the romantic tension between Katyani and her love. I really invested in that thread of the plot, and couldn’t stop until I knew how it resolved.

I’m seeing a lot of reviewers on Goodreads calling the setting of this book an alternate medieval India, which makes sense. The story world felt rich and easy to lose myself in.

I think readers who enjoyed THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN by Roshani Chokshi will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Characters are described as having brown skin and are Indian-coded.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
References to the Goddess. Some characters have spirit energy and magical ability. Characters battle monster or ghost-like enemies.

Violent Content
Situations of peril, battle scenes, and some brief torture.

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 NIGHT OF THE RAVEN, DAWN OF THE DOVE in exchange for my honest review.