Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda

 

To read Ojeda's Jawbone is to be drawn into a disorienting world where the line between clique and cult is perilously thin. 

Ojeda's use of language and structure is unusual and resists momentum. I often found myself needing to reread sentences. Before it even begins it is bold, indulgent, excessive: there are ten (ten!) epigraphs ranging from Lacan to Mary Shelley. The first page is a jumble of references, impressions, and thoughts that evokes the character Fernanda's confused mindset: She's regained consciousness in a strange place to find the new teacher at her parochial girls school has kidnapped her.

Then we meet, through Fernanda's memories, her best friend Annelise and her followers, other wealthy, bored high schoolers. Annelise introduces them to a flashy "drag-queen god of her own invention," as the back of the book puts it, as well as an abandoned half-completed building where this god is invoked through increasingly dangerous dares and disturbing story-telling inspired by their favorite creepypastas. 

This is a book I already want to reread. While the setting is Ecuador and the girls reference viral videos and Lana Del Rey, there is something both timeless and placeless about the story itself. It's about the confusing time between childhood and adulthood, complicated relationships between mothers and daughters, burgeoning sexuality, but most of all, how totally scary high school girls are. 

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Adam Silvera writes a melancholic story about two boys who find out how to live on the day they die. The beauty of growth through true connection is something elegantly shown, as both Mateo and Rufus show each other what they’ve always felt they’ve lacked, drawing out each other’s true nature through simply spending their last day together.

The story is set in a dystopia that is almost identical to the world we live in except for one key difference: Death-Cast, a service that calls people from 12AM to 2AM to let people know they will die within the next 24 hours. Created to ensure that everyone lives out their last day how they choose to, it is now a societal norm. Anyone can receive a call, and everyone will receive one at some point, regardless of how sheltered, or reckless, you’ve been living your life. This is what happens to both Mateo and Rufus. After meeting on an app, the two set off to figure out how to live their last day the way they want.

The story follows a multiple perspective narrative style, showing the perspectives of not just Mateo and Rufus, but many of the other side characters. Each new perspective immediately tells you whether or not the person will die that day, and they all play a role in the outcome of the events, building tension for us readers, and even catching us off guard with what is revealed. Furthermore, each perspective is time-stamped, showing at what point throughout the day that it happened.

If you’re looking for a book that will push you to tears over star-crossed lovers, give this book a read. If you like it, check out the prequel The First to Die at the End! Feel free to share your thoughts on both! I’ll leave you with this:

What would you do if you knew you’d die within 24 hours?

- Leo H.

The Ruins by Scott Smith

 

The Ruins is a fast-paced thriller I've returned to several times since first reading it a number of years ago. It's a horrifying story that hooks you with its character depictions. 

Two young American couples are (mostly) enjoying a vacation in Mexico, where they venture with a couple other tourists to the site of an archaeological dig. They are warned by a local that the place they're headed is no good, but do you think they listen? If they did, there wouldn't be much of a story! I won't go into detail, but once there they find themselves trapped and in peril.

The twists keep on coming with this one, but what I love so much about it is the insight we get into the minds of the four main characters. The perspective moves from one to the other and you really get a sense of who these people are and what motivates them. Their reactions to the increasingly dire situation make sense.

The sympathy he builds between the reader and the characters makes it all the easier to imagine yourself in their place which really opens the doorway to horror. What the young people are facing is ever decreasing hope and the realization that they may not survive their vacation. It makes you wonder, if in their place, who would you be? 

Pritty by Keith F. Miller Jr.

Keith F Miller Jr. brings us a story of two boys finding love and safe haven with one another as they get caught in the crossfire of the drama within their communities and families. As they journey through teen angst, confusion, and trauma, they not only come to find each other, but a deeper understanding of themselves and what they are capable of.

The story follows Jay and Leroy, two teenage black boys who live on opposing sides of town, a town that is heavily affected by gang life. The gangs currently exist in harmony thanks to the efforts of the Black Diamonds, an underground organization created to protect the people within the town. However, when a mysterious enemy threatens the peace, the two families become intricately connected with the violence, dragging Jay and Leroy in along with them. 

Throughout the book, the narration splits perspectives between the two boys. Jay’s perspective is written in more of a standard narrative style, while Leroy’s uses much more African American vernacular. The book is filled with beautiful references to black culture and community, and shows how amazing it can be to grow up at the intersection of blackness and queerness.

Miller uses elegant figurative language to envelop you in the story world and put you in the shoes of the boys, with the story reading almost like poetry. As we experience each moment with them, the style tugs at our heart strings until we’re almost brought to tears; and the climax itself is just as satisfying, as you see the culmination of both boys’ efforts to heal and unite. The story ends implying there is a second book, so if you like this one, there’s likely to be a sequel coming soon.

If you’re looking for a dramatic, yet heartfelt story involving queer black teens, this is the book for you. Please feel free to check it out, and if you read it, I’m always happy to hear what you have to say!

- Leo H.

Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

With the release of Rule of Wolves a few months ago, and the TV adaptation on Netflix, I'm jumping back into Leigh Bardugo's excellent Grishaverse with a re-read of the original trilogy and duologies. First up is Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising!

The Shadow and Bone trilogy focuses on Alina Starkov and introduces the world of Ravka and the Grisha. Grisha are people with special abilities, and most of them can be sorted into three groups - Corporalki, Etherealki, and Materialki. Corporalki can manipulate the body; Etherealki can manipulate wind, water, and fire; and Materialki can manipulate matter, like glass and metal. In Ravka, Grisha are respected members of the nation's Second Army, led by a man simply known as the Darkling. The Darkling is a little different than your average Grisha - he has the ability to manipulate darkness, bringing forth shadows and shade, even on the brightest of days. The Second Army has always been led by a Darkling, including the one known as the Black Heretic, whose lust for power created the Shadow Fold, a great swath of darkness filled with monsters that cuts Ravka off from its ports, forcing the country into near-constant war with its neighbors to the north and south.

When we first meet Alina, she and her regiment are headed for the Shadow Fold in an attempt to cross over to West Ravka and bring back supplies. Life in the Ravkan army is okay, though Alina has been feeling out of sorts, especially since her best friend (and secret crush) Mal Oretsev, has done well in the army, making friends and proving his worth. Everything changes though when their attempted crossing is beset by volcra, the monsters that live in the Shadow Fold, and Mal is attacked. As Alina tries to keep him from being carried off, there is a bright burst of light. Alina is a Sun Summoner, and is Ravka's best hope at destroying the Shadow Fold - well, once she learns how to use her power. Soon, she is whisked away to the Little Palace, where all Grisha learn how to use their abilities and live in comfort. Her days are now filled with training, learning Grisha theory, and the Darkling (oh, the Darkling). But the Darkling's intentions aren't exactly noble, as Alina comes to learn. As the story unfolds over the three books, she finds herself pulled in different directions, and representing different things to different people. Whether they think she is a living saint, an orphaned girl, or a Grisha general - at the end of the day, she is just a girl with a power that can transform the world.

I'm a huge fan of this series and this world. While this trilogy does fit fairly neatly into the "chosen one with special powers who must save the world" arm of fantasy, Bardugo does a great job of characterizing Alina and her struggle to define herself, especially when so many people want her to be something that doesn't feel true to her. I also like the eastern European and Russian touches to Ravka - at the time the series was first published, that set it apart a bit from all of the other YA fantasies coming out. And, in true YA style, there is also just enough pining and romance to give a break from some of the heavier aspects of the story. So, if you like YA, trilogies, fast-paced stories, or if you watched the Netflix show and just want to know what the books are like, check these out!

To Drink Coffee With a Ghost by Amanda Lovelace

Lovelace unravels the memory of a toxic relationship between mother and daughter, body shaming, and the haunting shadows of the dead walking behind us. All the poems about this theme are quite bittersweet since her mother is a person she loved, but in part she also hated.

I could relate to some of her deep poems. Amanda delivers her poetry in a way that brings comfort to their readers who are looking for a mirror to see themselves in while also taking readers on a journey through a piece of Amanda’s life that’s utterly unique. Her raw and ethereal writing never fails to inspire me and make me want to hug those around me and thank them for the love they have to offer. I went through many emotions all good and bad, but it has taught me a lot and made me know that I am not the only one going through those things. This poem book is great for people who need an outlet to know they are not alone, and to people who have a love for great poetry.

I also wanted to share my 3 favorite poems from this book:

For the first time, I will allow myself to believe that the best can and will happen to me, instead of the worst. - life doesn't have to be a horror show

Hold tightly do you take the time and energy to understand the intricacies of your Magic. -What's truly important. 

But you belong to nobody except yourself. -your own future.

This book contains explicit language and mature themes.

Review written by Genevieve C.

The 13th Floor : A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman

This story takes place with an orphan named Buddy Stebbins who makes his way to an abandoned building. While exploring the place he reaches the 13th floor and then gets transported to a leaky pirate ship in a roaring storm, 300 years in the past. As the ship lands, he washes up in New England where he finds a ten year old ancestor Abigail in witchcraft mania. She’s caught up in a lot of controversy and is about to be hanged to death. There is a new surprise in nearly every page in the book and I love a good ghost story.

This book stood out to me because it involved a lot of ancestry and fantasy. It’s like falling into a deep dream and dreaming 1,000 different dreams. As if you’re being put on another world.

This book is recommended for those who love fantasy books and are interested in time travel. The book is very descriptive with the story and it was interesting to hear about New England 300 years in the past.

Review written by Devon W.

Later by Stephen King

Jamie Conklin can see dead people. Yeah, kinda like that one kid in that one movie, with an interesting difference: ghosts must answer truthfully when questioned by Jamie. Raised by a single mom, Tia, a literary agent, Jamie is warned by his mother from an early age that others may try to take advantage of his secret ability. If only Jamie could also see the future. 

I’ve always enjoyed King’s characters, but I’m particularly fond of the way he writes kids and young adults. It’s as if King remembers what it’s like to be a kid as if it were yesterday, which, and I try not to think about the reality of this, has not been the case for King for a hot minute. With Jamie as our narrator, I found the dialogue engaging and funny. 

A line that caused me to laugh out loud and merit the stares of my fellow MetroLink riders: a character says that if a particular event happens, that character will “eat his hat.” When the event does indeed come to pass, Jamie, in what to me felt like a Shakespearean-style aside, says he wanted to ask the character “…if he wanted salt and pepper on his hat, but…nobody loves a smartass.”

Prepare to feel emotions for characters you likely won’t feel deserve said emotions, but such is the way of complex characters. Even the ghosts are, at least, not flat characters; Later’s ghosts all seem to have a particular emotion unique to themselves…but I won’t delve too far into that; I’ll let you discover that aspect for yourself, Dear Reader, as King frequently refers to his readers. 

If you enjoyed Stephen King’s Colorado Kid or Joyland but wished they were a little more “IT” or “The Shining,” I highly recommend you check this book out sooner rather than…well, you know.

You can find more of Laura's reviews here.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds

Stamped is a non-fiction book that traces racism through the view of history. There’s many political, literary, and philosophical narratives that have been used to justify slavery, oppression, and genocide. The book goes back to the first racist person and slowly leans into the empowerment we all know about. It dives into religious beliefs within each race, type of racists, and well-known moments of racism. Being a book that talks so much about the one thing we avoid the most, this book is more entertaining and formal to the reader.

Jason Reynolds narrates the story in his own words that hooks a reader’s attention. Not only does he capture the slang that his readers talk and know most about, he’s teaching our racial time lapse in a more comedic manner that interests the reader just enough to want to see what’s next. As if we all hopped in a time machine and took a look at how racial pride has been such an issue over the years and reacted in the present time. 

This book is recommended for anyone who wants to find out more about how this mess all started. 

Review written by Devon W.

Modern Herstory by Blair Imani

 

Are you looking for something to read for Women's History Month, but aren't sure where to start?  Then check out Modern Herstory, an illustrated history by Blair Imani.

Taking an inclusive approach to recent history, this book celebrates seventy women and nonbinary people who have changed the world we live in for the better.  And though all of their contributions were great, the accomplishments of the people in these pages have too often been overlooked.  So Imani's writing and the bold, beautiful illustrations of Monique Le shine a spotlight on the important stories of people who are changing our world right now- and inspire readers to do the same.

I thought that this was a fun, breezy approach to women's history!  It highlights a few familiar people, but also spotlights the stories of many important, but less well known, figures from all backgrounds.  The biographies are all fast and easy reads accessible for all ages, and the art in this book in particular really shines.  If you're looking for a Women's History read, this is one I would definitely recommend!

Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi

 

Are you looking for some nonfiction to read for Black History Month?  Then you should check out this amazing American history by Ibram X. Kendi.

In this deep history of racism, Kendi takes us through the lives of five major figures from US history to demonstrate how racist ideas have shaped America's past.  From puritan ministers through to modern-day activists, this book shows how people in this country built a nation steeped in racial inequality, how they fought to oppose or maintain that inequality, and how we came to be where we are today.  

This book is a great way to brush up on your history and rethink the stories that we all think we know.  Kendi is a great writer and historian, and the way he uses a few pivotal figures to tell the story of the country makes it all very compelling.  He manages to tell the story of America's history of racism and still come out with a little hope for the future, a feat that I can't help but admire. 

Spoiler Alert by Oliva Dade

Are you a fan of romances, hidden identities, or nerd culture?  Then you should check out Spoiler Alert, the latest romance novel by Olivia Dade!

April Whittier has kept her nerd love of high fantasy hidden from the rest of her high-powered life for years, but no more.  When she posts a photo cosplaying her favorite character, it goes viral - but not everyone supports her plus-size interpretation.  When the star of her favorite show steps in and asks her on a date to silence her critics, it seems like her life has turned into something straight out of fanfiction.  However, heartthrob Marcus Caster-Rupp has his own fandom secrets.  He spends his free time writing fanfiction anonymously, working out his frustrations on how the showrunners treat his character without getting fired.  Halfway through their date he realizes that April is his closest online friend.  He feels a real connection with her, but with his career on the line can April and Marcus stop hiding and find their epic happy ending? 

On top of being a sweet and witty romance, this book is a love letter to fandom culture.  Fans of epic series like Game of Thrones or Harry Potter will recognize and love a lot of the tropes and experiences Dade draws on.  I would definitely recommend this quick, funny, nerdy read!

Slay by Brittney Morris

Are you a fan of video games, or young adult fiction?  Then you need to check out Slay, Brittney Morris's debut novel.

In real life Kiera Johnson might be a quiet honors student but online she rules over SLAY, a massive game built on African beauty and culture.  No one knows that Kiera is the game developer- not her friends, not her family, not even her boyfriend.  She's happy to keep her worlds separate, but that becomes impossible when a murdered teen who played her game turns SLAY into a global controversy.  Now every news channel has an opinion on her work and one player is threatening to sue her over the game.  Can she protect her game and her secret identity without losing everything she's worked for?

This book is so much fun to read!  It's got the gutsy heart that makes any good YA novel great.  Morris also writes really wonderfully about nerd culture- the good, but also the bad that can come along with being Black and a girl in those spaces.  It's the kind of quick read that will suck you in, so it's perfect if you've made a new year's resolution to read more!