Review: Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I put off reading this book for a year. Not sure why. There were mixed reviews and I wasn’t sure I would like it. And while the writing is odd and hard to really get into, the story was really beautiful and the way it all connected in the end was really tender. I’m so glad I read it.

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Review: Gender Queer: A Memoir

Gender Queer: A Memoir
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another fantastic graphic novel about a young queer person finding their way and sharing their journey. I love reading these books and learning and growing and I am so grateful that they are willing to share their journey.

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Review: Someday, Maybe

Someday, Maybe
Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars.

I put off reading this book because I knew it would wreck me. And it wrecked me. It was beautiful and raw and hard to read. I loved how true the grief was, how it wasn’t sugarcoated. I love the complicated family. I loved this book.

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Review: A River Enchanted

A River Enchanted
A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful story of family, love, tradition, country and so much more. I really loved Jack as a character and I loved the atmosphere of this story. It was light and fast moving, a wonderful read for a rainy day.

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Review: The Employees

The Employees
The Employees by Olga Ravn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars.

This is a thought-provoking book that takes place in the future but tackles concerns that are all too real today. About human vs robot, logic vs feelings. About what makes life worth living. This was an experience to read.

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Review: You Are Here

You Are Here
You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story brings together a list of characters connected by a mall in upstate New York. There’s a white bookstore manager and his black wife and biracial children who live in a tiny home he built for them to live with minimum belongings. There’s an Asian hair stylist single mother who secretly dreams of being an artist and whose son is into magic tricks. There’s a teenager who works at the mall and dreams of being an actress and the boy who is obsessed with her. And an old widow who lives next door to the biracial couple and gets her hair cut at the mall.

All of these characters’ lives weave in and out of each other as they navigate their lives and try to live and survive as the rumors of the mall closing turn out to be true.

This story covers many topics around race, growing up, work vs dreams, anger and obsession, grief and redemption. At its heart it’s a tender story around human connection and how complete strangers can make deep and meaningful differences in your life.

with gratitude to netgalley and Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Soft Skull Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Promise Boys

Promise Boys
Promise Boys by Nick Brooks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Promise Boys is the story of three boys who are wrongfully accused of the murder of their school principal. They band together to try to solve the murder in order to prove their innocence. It’s a powerful story tackling topics around race, poverty, education system, family and corruption.

I can’t recommend enough that you listen to this one on audio. It is performed by a full cast and really makes the story come alive.

Highly recommended.

with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Foster

Foster
Foster by Claire Keegan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Claire Keegan has the ability to hook you into a story in so few words. She makes every word count and her powerful stories always connect with you. This short novella will stay with you.

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Review: We Are All So Good at Smiling

We Are All So Good at Smiling
We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Beautiful, haunting, a viseral story about how depression feels.

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Review: Hello Stranger

Hello Stranger
Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars rounded up.

Katherine Center never disappoints. Her characters are sweet, quirky and just so lovable. I really loved this story that’s centered around face-blindness and I loved the element of how that impacts the way we move thought the world. I loved the bits around her making art and I loved the way the book made me feel.

Center’s comments at the end of the book about the romance genre were also very touching and wonderful to read. Here’s to more books that lean into hope and positive anticipation.

with gratitude to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: When Stars Are Scattered

When Stars Are Scattered
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was nominated for my book club but didn’t get picked. I was curious so I decided to read it anyway and I am so glad I did. What a marvelous story and so well told. I knew almost nothing about the refugee camps and what day to day can look like and i really loved reading this story of love and perseverance.

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Review: The Bandit Queens

The Bandit Queens
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

This was perfect on audio! I loved the characters and I really enjoyed the way they interacted with each other. It’s funny and fun to read. Recommeded.

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