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Books and Sensibility

We're an Open Book

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Young Adult Fiction

The Disasters by M.K. England

February 23, 2019      Leave a Comment

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3 out of 5.

 8 hrs. 33 min. | Science-Fiction | Harper Audio | Release Date: 12/18/2018

Nasir “Nax” Hall dream of becoming a pilot and moving to one of Earth’s space colonies is quickly dashed when he washes out of flight school on the first day and is sent packing with three other failed students. But instead of going back to Earth, this unlikely group of strangers find themselves in the middle of a conspiracy and on a high flying journey around the galaxy to save the universe.

I don’t always think you should give a book extra points just for diversity but I’m honestly not sure a book like this would have existed pre-WNDB. It’s a space adventure story with teens of color across the LGBTQ spectrum that is not a struggle narrative. I think this book is perfect for those looking for that representation. England creates a set of characters who we meet are at their lowest points and shows them grow beyond their “failed student”label. On a character level, this book is really interesting.

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Jess’ 100 Words Or Less Reviews

December 31, 2018      Leave a Comment

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Sam and Ilsa’s Last Hurrah

December 29, 2018      Leave a Comment

⭐⭐

Rating: 2 out of 5.

211 pages | Knopf Books For Young Readers | Contemporary | 4/10/2018

*sigh*

I’m sad to say this book was a huge disappointment. I’ve read and enjoyed nearly everything this duo has put out and I was so ready to like this but it was a hot mess.

18-year-old twins Sam and Ilsa are known for the dinner parties they host in their grandmother’s luxury rent-controlled Manhattan apartment. When their grandmother decides to finally sell, the twins host one last dinner party before everything changes. 

I honestly don’t want to spend too much time trashing this book. There are multiple Goodreads reviewsfor that. This book has one of the lowest Goodreads ratings I’ve ever seen and while I noticed that going in I also liked Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List--which most people hate.

Reading this felt like someone put Cohn and Levithan’s previous books through an algorithm and had a computer write this book.

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Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

December 28, 2018      Leave a Comment

unrated | 7 hrs. 42 min. | Balzer + Bray | YA Fantasy | Release Date: 10/2/2018 

So about this book. I’m not really sure what to think of it. I like that it’s not trying to be what you expect in a YA fantasy. It’s not a story about rebellions, handsome princes, faithful sidekicks, and adventure–instead, it manages to be…I’m going to go ahead and say viscerally transgressive.

I can see Damsel being used to that introduce teens the concept of  how to do a feminist reading of a text or apply feminist literary theory (which is totally a class I took in college, okay)  It’s chock-full of allegory and symbolism in a way that is raw and at times a bit heavy handed but it’s the kind of strangeness and unease that you can’t look away from.

And whooo, boy…that ending.  Like I get what Arnold was doing but I was not expecting that. .  .

Check out the audiobook review on AudioFile !

 

Pride By Ibi Zoboi

December 28, 2018      Leave a Comment

Rating: unrated | 320 pages | Balzer + Bray| Contemporary | 9/18/18 

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

December 20, 2018      Leave a Comment

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

15 hrs 4 min | Henry Holt & Co. | YA Fantasy | Release Date: 9/29/2015 

Ya’ll remember this book? I can’t believe it came out almost 4 years ago! I am the queen of reading popular YA stuff super late so here I am. I picked up Bardugo’s debut Shadow and Bonewhen it first came out and never got into it. I actually criticized it for not having enough “political nuances, rich detail, and brutality.” Well, let me tell you she stepped her storytelling game up because that pretty much sums up all of Six of Crows. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone talk about how this book is violent AF.

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