Archive for the ‘Discussion’ Category
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The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates | There There by Tommy Orange | Find Me by Andre Aciman | Blue Moon (Jack Reacher #24) by Lee Child | Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Read more »Every month, I got a slow trickle of books from publishers and publicist, and November is no different.
This time, however, I got a few books that will be published in the new year (specifically within the first two months)!
Twelve-year-old Cindy has just dipped a toe into seventh-grade drama—with its complicated friendships, bullies, and cute boys—when she earns an internship as a cub reporter at a local newspaper in the early 1970s.
A (rare) young female reporter takes Cindy under her wing, and Cindy soon learns not only how to write a lede, but also how to respectfully question authority, how to assert herself in a world run by men, and—as the Watergate scandal unfolds—how brave reporting and writing can topple a corrupt world leader.
Searching for her own scoops, Cindy doesn’t always get it right, on paper or in real life. But whether she’s writing features about ghost hunters, falling off her bicycle and into her first crush, or navigating shifting friendships, Cindy grows wiser and more confident through every awkward and hilarious mistake.
Why would I want to read Cub? I love graphic novels, especially graphic memoirs that tells a story about the author’s past.
I’m excited to read a story exploring a young, budding journalist in the 1970s, and she grows both in school and in her aspirations.
Will other readers enjoy this? Young readers will totally enjoy this.
You ever want to know what people are buying in bookstores? Well, it so happens that I work at one! During the last week of February 2018, I pondered about what type of post to make for “Books in Hand.” At first, I planned to discuss all the books customers came in asking for or buying, but that’s a bit too much because everybody came in asking for different books, and I didn’t remember all of them. My boss showed me a way to check our store’s best selling books, and I found out what we sold a lot of! And that’s what this post is—seeing the top ten selling books of October 2019.
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The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates | The Testaments by Margaret Atwood | The Dutch House by Ann Patchett | Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo | The Institute by Stephen King
You know what October means! Tis the season of the witches! They are coming out in full force.
I’ve always had a soft spot for books about witches. I aspired to be one when I was little and loved imagining that I had magical powers, zapping things into existence. How perfect is it that I received a few witch books? Just in time for the Halloween.
These are the three witch books I recently received from publishers!
The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz
Dastardly deeds aren’t exactly the first things that come to mind when one hears the name “Clementine,” but as the sole heir of the infamous Dark Lord Elithor, twelve-year-old Clementine Morcerous has been groomed since birth to be the best (worst?) Evil Overlord she can be. But everything changes the day the Dark Lord Elithor is cursed by a mysterious rival.
Now, Clementine must not only search for a way to break the curse, but also take on the full responsibilities of the Dark Lord. As Clementine forms her first friendships, discovers more about her own magic than she ever dared to explore, and is called upon to break her father’s code of good and evil, she starts to question the very life she’s been fighting for. What if the Dark Lord Clementine doesn’t want to be dark after all?
Why would I want to read The Dark Lord Clementine? Doesn’t every reader get joy reading about a girl becoming an Evil Overlord?
When I read “dastardly deeds” and “Evil Overlord,” I was immediately convinced that The Dark Lord Clementine is gonna be my type of book. I love anything that’s dark and humorous, and when I peeked into this book, it’s got the clever and charming darkness befitting for young readers.
Will other readers enjoy this? Who wouldn’t love reading about Evil Overlords? Especially for all those aspiring Evil Overlords out there. It’ll be really charming.
You ever want to know what people are buying in bookstores? Well, it so happens that I work at one! During the last week of February 2018, I pondered about what type of post to make for “Books in Hand.” At first, I planned to discuss all the books customers came in asking for or buying, but that’s a bit too much because everybody came in asking for different books, and I didn’t remember all of them. My boss showed me a way to check our store’s best selling books, and I found out what we sold a lot of!
And that’s what this post is—seeing the top ten selling books of September 2019.
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The Testaments by Margaret Atwood | The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates | The Institute by Stephen King | It by Stephen King | There There by Tommy Orange
I like it when people discuss the books they recently purchased or got from the publisher. I like knowing what type of books people keep gravitating towards, so it’s a shame that I have yet to do that. I’ve received a few awesome books that I should be shouting from the rooftops, but why haven’t I spoken about them? The short answer: I haven’t had time to focus on my own reading; I’ve been invested in others reading. C’est la vie of a bookseller.
I’ll talk about the books I’ve gotten in the past week. (I’ll talk about previously received books in another post because I’m VERY excited about these!!)
Juliet Takes A Breath by Gabby Rivera
A gutsy, queer coming-of-age story perfect for fans of Nina LaCour, Rainbow Rowell, and Elizabeth Acevedo.
Juliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she’s not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland, Oregon, to intern with her favorite feminist writer–what’s sure to be a life-changing experience. And when Juliet’s coming out crashes and burns, she’s not sure her mom will ever speak to her again.
But Juliet has a plan–sort of. Her internship with legendary author Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women’s bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff, is sure to help her figure out this whole “Puerto Rican lesbian” thing. Except Harlowe’s white. And not from the Bronx. And she definitely doesn’t have all the answers . . .
In a summer bursting with queer brown dance parties, a sexy fling with a motorcycling librarian, and intense explorations of race and identity, Juliet learns what it means to come out–to the world, to her family, to herself.
Why do I want to read Juliet Takes A Breath? I had the privilege of seeing Gabby Rivera speak two times, and she has a way of talking about her work that makes you want to pick them up immediately. I love hearing about Juliet Takes A Breath, and how this young queer Puerto Rican girl tries to find her own voice and how to be a feminist and lesbian, and how she fits into different communities she encounters. I’m excited to see her experience and what she learns on the way.
If you ever have the opportunity to meet Gabby Rivera, please do. She’s larger than live, and her writing and the themes she incorporates will knock you off your feet, especially when you’re looking for experiences that focuses on a queer, brown and round girl.
Will other readers enjoy this? Yeah! You learn about different people’s experience and what they learn on the way, and in this case, it’s a newly out queer Puerto Rican girl navigating this new world of feminism and queerness and community.
