maren-reads-books

[maren-reads-books]

i wish i had someone to listen to my rants about my favorite books, like i want the human connection of like going out to coffee or hanging out at the bookstore and just spew all my thoughts and hc's and then listen to them talk about theirs. i just want someones undivided attention for a little bit.

[maren-reads-books]

i want a twilight au where bella has common sense and is not obsessed with edward and then meets back up with him when she’s older and decides she still wants to be a vampire now that she’s lived her life, not that she’s even old but she’s like mid thirties or something - feel like the dynamic would be so interesting

[maren-reads-books]

february lasted 8 years but march is already half over even though it started 3 days ago

[maren-reads-books]

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Alex has been offered a second chance. When she wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of a gruesome multiple homicide, her life takes a turn, just not one she expected. She has been offered a full ride to Yale, an unusual offer for a high school dropout. But she has a skill that no one has seen before which will make her a valuable asset to the secret societies and brotherhoods that operate in the shadows of this elite institution. Magic Mystery and murder intertwine in this gorgeous dark rollercoaster of a story that will give you whiplash when you least expect it.

----SPOILERS----

I know I’m late to the game but it ended up working out for me extremely well! The sequel to Ninth House comes out in one day, so you guys get two reviews, one right after another! So here we go. I fucking loved this book. I knew I would because Leigh is a genius, but I still had some skepticism going into it as it is drastically different from her other series. I originally purchased this book when it came out a few years ago, and started it as soon as it was in my grubby little book nerd hands, however, the first time I attempted to read it, I couldn’t make it through the first (appx.) 150 pages. It was extremely slow and hard for me to connect with, it also took me a second to get with the program on the time skips and the changing POVs all in one. But once you round that corner, around page 150, everything gets good fast. I fell in love with the mystery of Alex’s character, she’s so intriguing, and learning all the little details about her life before Yale really provides a way for you to connect and understand her mannerisms and attitudes towards her new life. (The bathroom scene? Put things in a whole new perspective for me when it came to her interactions with the greys on campus). Alex isn’t the only character that was brilliantly written, everyone in this story, no matter how inconsequential they may seem, has a part to play and I love it, Leigh does such a good job making even minor characters built out in a way that makes you think they might be important, or unimportant, it's brilliant. If I wanted to be as vague as possible, this book is a murder mystery, a very convoluted and magical murder mystery, which I had absolutely no problem with. I love it so much it’s fucking amazing. You get so caught up in trying to solve the mystery with Alex, you almost forget that we’ve been waiting for the new moon, the night they want to try and bring Darlington back. *short rant* I love Darlington so so much, I wish we’d gotten to see more of him in the story. *rant over* So we get an intermission from the murder to perform a ritual that left me so upset, I did not see that coming. A fucking hell beast? What the fuck? I wanted Darlington to sweep back into their lives and help them solve the murder. The last 100 or so pages of this book gave me whiplash. My notes for this review are all over the place. First, we think it’s blake, which I did not see coming, he just seemed like too obvious of a douchebag to be the killer. But then we see he was under compulsion (I was so nervous Dawes was gonna die when Blake attacked them, I was about to have a heart attack). And then her mom shows up which has nothing to do with the murder, which was an interesting but somewhat inconsequential choice, however, I am glad someone took care of her and made her go to the doctor. And then we’re back into the thick of it thanks to North, who I love so much?? I love ghost characters, they’re the best (sometimes). The revelation that the nexuses had been created from the deaths of murdered women is so interesting. Add onto that the fact that it wasn’t actually Blake and it was Sandow (I fucking called it), and I was not surprised, he just seemed off to me the whole time, a good old-fashioned money and power motive, gotta love it. And then he’s not even the worst bad guy. Here was my reaction to the Belbalm revelation “WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK, Belbalm was in on it? the whole time?!?!? DID NOT SEE THAT COMING”, I think that my notes summed up that plot twist pretty well. As someone who prides themselves on seeing the twists and turns in mystery novels and shows, I was so surprised, it was crazy, I don’t think I can even put into words how much I didn’t expect ANY of that. There were so many details in this book I think I missed because I read it so fast (less than a day), in order to pick up on some of the more intense or obscure details of this book I’ll have to go back and read it again, but it was amazing and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us in Hell Bent!

- Maren

[maren-reads-books]

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake

Delilah Green’s life in New York is good, her photography career is finally gaining steam and her bed is never empty. Sure, it’s a different woman every night, but that’s a-okay with her. A life without surprises. Until Delilah’s estranged stepsister, Astrid, pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a hefty check, and Delilah finds herself back in her small Oregon hometown that she swore she’d never go back to. She plans to be in and out, once the wedding was over it would be like she’d never been there and it was back to the bright lights of the city. But then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid’s BFFs, and decides that maybe there’s some fun to be had after all.

Having raised her daughter mostly on her own while dealing with a flaky co-parenting situation and running her family’s bookstore, Claire Sutherland has depended on a life without surprises. For Claire that includes Delilah Green. As Delilah shadows the wedding party, camera in hand, Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly which of Claire’s buttons to push. As they’re forced together during an onslaught of wedding preparations—including a shenanigan-filled scheme to save Astrid from her shit boot of a fiancé—Claire isn’t sure she has the strength to resist Delilah’s charms, and maybe she doesn't want to.

Will the turmoil of Astrid's ill-fated wedding be the push Claire and Delilah have needed to open their hearts to something new?

---- SPOILERS ----

Did I read this book to avoid packing for college? Yes. Was it so amazing that I finished it in a day? Also yes.

This book was phenomenal and procrastination wasn’t my only reason for picking it up. As a queer woman finding good sapphic romance can be difficult, and boy have I been looking for something to pique my interest. Earlier this week I was chatting with a local bookseller on one of my (too) frequent trips to the bookstore and we started talking about sapphic romance. I asked for recommendations and they suggested Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, describing this book as “the sapphic romance that I compare all other sapphic romances to” which is very high praise. Luckily for me, it had been sitting in my TBR for a couple of weeks at that point, so when it finally got to the end of the work week and my empty college suitcase was glaring at me from the corner of my room, I snatched the book off my shelf and oh my god, I fell in love instantly.  

I’m a sucker for a good romance and this one ticked all my boxes, sexual tension, drama, humor, and a little steamy with a great plot to boot? Perfection! The characters in this book are amazing, they each have their own distinct voice and history, which really helps you get to know and relate to them as the story progresses, which can sometimes be difficult in sapphic stories. I’ve found that sometimes same-sex couples sound the same or get muddled but this was not the case in this book at all. Even the minor characters had enough detail to their personalities and backstories, you felt like you knew them too. The setting of wedding preparation was the perfect backdrop for this story, weddings are stressful regardless, but add all of the drama that these characters we’re dealing with, and whew was I in for a wild ride!

I have to say that my favorite parts of this book really came towards the end, not to say the whole book wasn’t fantastic, but the self-realizations that happened across the board were so worth the build-up that the plot had been focusing on, besides the obvious Claire and Delilah romance (which was so well written by the way). I was especially pleased about Astrid getting rid of that shit boot of a fiancé, definitely was looking forward to that the entire book. Even the stuff with Claire and Josh was so well done, I was so upset when it seemed like he had left them again, especially for Ruby, no kid deserves that. But when he came back, I felt like the grinch, my heart definitely grew three sizes that day, (he still deserved that right hook tho).

And of course, who could forget Delilah and her sister, I was totally expecting Claire to show up at the Whitney show and confront Delilah but was pleasantly surprised when it was Astrid instead, I’m glad that that relationship also gets a somewhat happy ending, they both went through so much and they never knew how much they mattered to each other, it meant a lot that their story wasn’t ignored in the end.

Overall, this book was amazing, not just in the romance aspect but in every way I needed it to be, It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read anything for fun (or written a review, sorry!) and this book was the perfect thing to shove me out of my reading slump! Would definitely recommend it for an adorable romance and some great laughs!

- Maren

[maren-reads-books]

The Tea Dragon Society by K. O'Neill

Greta, a young blacksmithing apprentice is on her way home one day when she is thrust into the world of tea dragons. Follow Greta and her new pals on adventures in learning about tradition, tea dragons, and how magic can be found where you least expect it.

----SPOILERS----

I loved this story so much. The art, the characters, the lore, it all fit so perfectly together. As someone who isn’t usually a reader of graphic novels this one pulled me in, which is saying a lot. The color palette and style of the illustration I think is what initially drew me in. It’s so beautiful in such a soft and soothing way. The characters are so cool and unique and the tea dragons are absolutely adorable, I want one! But even the story itself is so interesting. The idea of generations losing traditions to time is always something sad but the way this book addresses that and breaths magic into it is so beautiful. The characters contribute to that in a major way, seeing little flashbacks to Erik and Hesekiel’s past is awesome, also Minette’s past, I want to know everything, will she get her powers and her memories back? I’m so invested! Greta is also such an adorable character, her kind nature flows from the pages and you can see how much she cares for the people and creatures around her, she is the perfect vessel for a protagonist and I cant wait to see what happens with her and Ginseng, I think it’s going to be a wonderful little partnership! Another thing I want to address is how diverse the cast of characters is. Having queer characters, many characters of color, and disabled characters are the types of diversity I love seeing in children’s comics! It’s also subtle, there is no special attention brought to it or any second thoughts, they’re just people living their lives, but it’s exactly the kind of representation kids deserve to see in their literature! This is what I want to see in all books or all comics for that matter since many classic comics are based on able-bodied, cis, white, heterosexual, men. This book checks all the boxes! A short and wonderful read, definitely worth a look!

[maren-reads-books]

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Victor and Eli started off as friends, two college guys, too smart for their own good. But when an experiment goes a little too far and emotions flare, the consequences are extreme. Ten years later, Victor has broken out of prison, fueled by revenge, and is determined to find Eli. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission of his own, and a deadly one at that. As the two friends turned enemies, each armed with an odd choice of sidekicks, set out to find each other and bring this rivalry to an end once and for all, only one question remains.

Who will come out on top?

----SPOILERS----

Right off the bat, I can tell you that this book has hit my top ten, it was such an amazing read. After reading the Shades of Magic series I was eager to read some more from Schwab and was not left disappointed. The characters, the subtle world-building, the attention to detail, and my personal favorite, time jumps, really brought this book together and made it so consuming. I know some people aren’t fans of time jumps, and despite being confused by them at the start, this book utilized them so incredibly well.

You can see the character development (or lack thereof) so clearly with them, and the fact that they also change POVs makes them even more intense, rounding out background characters and making the story crystal clear. One thing that I’ve loved throughout all of Schwab’s works is the character building, it’s so subtle yet substantial. Within even the first few paragraphs about Victor, I could get a feel for who he was. And even with other characters like Eli, Serena, Mitch, Sydney, and even Dominic, you get such a clear picture of who they are, they’re so incredibly well-written. In tandem with a bomb cast of characters, the world-building is so on point.

Despite this story taking place in a world very much like our own, the addition of the EO’s as a fairly common occurrence, even if not everyone believes, is so intriguing. Sure for a thesis, it sounds like fringe science, but the way it’s brought up and expanded upon is so well woven into the characters’ motivations you don’t even realize what’s happening at first, and oh my god it’s so good. Putting all these exceptional aspects together is what really pulled me in. This book has the perfect amount of tension to keep you on the edge of your seat, just wondering when things are going to go down. It is also home to one of my favorite tropes, found family, although it might not be obvious outright, Victor, Mitch, Sydney, Dol, and maybe even Dominic create the perfect little gang of mismatched outcasts turned family, and it just makes my heart happy.

But if we’re addressing the plot of this book sans tropes I still have a lot of wonderful things to say. There are so many moments where the subtle foreshadowing comes out and it hits you like a truck, it’s beautiful. That part near the middle of the book where you realize that Eli and Victor’s gang are staying in the same hotel, and then when Eli is sitting outside the hotel and then pulling away just barely missing Victor, oh my god, my heart skipped a beat. I love you can see the differences between Eli and Victor more starkly towards the end, Eli views himself basically as the hand of God and that nothing could really go wrong for him, he believes he’s above it all, failing to realize just how vulnerable it makes him. Whereas Victor has always seen this vicious (see what I did there?) side of Eli, even before he was an EO, and uses it to his advantage perfectly.

Towards the end of the book, I was highly concerned for Victor and his supposed plan. It seemed like everything was falling apart but oh my god, the way things ended up playing out with Eli and Victor was perfect, it didn’t end up playing out at all like I thought it would, and I high-key thought both Sydney and Mitch were going to die, so very glad they didn’t. The thing that I think really wrapped things up in a bow was Sydney’s POV at the end, it was just the perfect ending to such an amazing read. This story was *chefs kiss* perfect, this book has for sure made it into my top ten and I can’t wait to read more from V.E. Schwab in the future.

- maren

[maren-reads-books]

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

August’s move to New York City wasn’t supposed to end this way. It was supposed to be the perfect place for her sour, little pessimistic heart, it was supposed to prove her right, that true love and magic don’t exist, and being on your own is the safest and most practical way to get through life. How an eccentric gang of roommates and a job in food service could change that doesn’t even cross her mind.  That is until she meets Jane. Beautiful, charming, mysterious Jane. As August schedules her life around her trips on the Q *ahem* her trips to see Jane, August realizes something she never even thought possible. Jane doesn’t just look like she popped out of a 70’s punk rock poster, she has literally been shoved out of her own timeline in the 1970s and onto the Q, doomed to ride the subway forever, and August is the only one who can help her. As August digs into the past to help Jane and her crush blooms into something more, she starts to realize the past isn’t so disconnected from the present, things are more connected than they seem, and maybe, just maybe, believing in magic and true love isn’t so bad after all.

----SPOILERS----

I have been in a particularly awful reading slump for basically the last year, freshman year of college was not kind to me, but this book, this beautiful, wonderful, glorious book, was the perfect push back into my readership. Now having read Red, White and Royal Blue, which I loved (review for RWARB is up on my blog as well), I was thrilled to get to read what I knew was going to be an amazing story, but boy, this book left my expectations in the dust. One thing I will never get over is Casey’s ability to write people. The characters, even background characters, are so dynamic, they had so much depth and detail to the plot, I don’t even know how to express how much I loved them, they each have their own little details and quirks that really make the story. In the words of a friend who also loved this book, "August and Jane are the main thing but everyone has something going on with everyone else and it’s very natural", the way Casey builds secondary characters in genius. Parallel to that, I will tell you right now, as far as protagonists go, this book knocked it out of the park. I felt connected to August right away. A chubby, anxious, crime junkie who falls in love with hot strangers on public transportation? We’re practically twins! Joking, but seriously, she had such a relatable and real voice, you could pick out the little pieces that made her, her throughout the story. Plus the found family dynamic she builds throughout the book is so, so good. Honestly, it’s one of my all-time favorite tropes, I’ll never get tired of it, and Casey does it so well. But seriously the characters are the bomb and don’t even get me started on Jane. What an amazing combination of the life she had in the 70s, her existence on the subway, and the life she has now. The details with the music, the flashbacks, the tattoos, the stuff she picked up on the subway, the little things, including the excerpts about her at the beginning of each chapter, really drew you in. I actually had to go back and re-read the posts about jane because I didn’t notice the changing dates until I was like four chapters into the book! Speaking of which, I was a little bit of a bad book blogger and didn’t even read the description on the back of the book before I started reading it, I bought it just because of my love for Casey, which isn’t a bad thing, but I seriously had no idea what to expect, and a time warp wasn’t anything near what I thought would be part of this book. But oh my god, it was incorporated so well, you don’t even pick up on the possibility of something like that at the beginning of the book, it doesn’t give off fantasy or sci-fi vibes which I love, it’s very just like ‘welp this is a thing’, which honestly I think just adds to perfect-ness that is this story. But I think overall, number one on the list of awesome things about this book is the Web of lives that is weaved. I love how intertwined their lives turn out to be, there’s one line in the book towards the end that I think can sum up even life without time anomalies, “You’re the most important person I’ve ever met, and I should have never met you at all.” The interconnectedness of the storylines in this book really got to me, a giant spiderweb so ingeniously weaved we can’t even comprehend the whole thing. I know this sounds a little cheesy, but this interconnected web of lives is such a beautiful depiction of what life is all about. Finding a place where you can be you, a place to belong. In the end, this book was magnificent, truly and wonderful read to get me back on track. I would highly recommend it to fans of Red, White and Royal Blue, also if you have read any of Robin Talley’s works (especially Pulp), One Last Stop will be right up your alley, so please give it a read!

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

Sadie by Courtney Summers

Sadie’s world changed forever when her sister came into it, and it changed again when she was taken from it. Follow Sadie as she tracks her sister's killer on the road to revenge, and with West McCray as he follows Sadie’s footsteps, hoping to find her before it's too late. This thriller will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, and keep you wanting more even after it's over, afterall I don't think any of us can take another dead girl.

----SPOILERS----

I can't express how much I truly love this book, I've read it three times and everytime I read it it hits just as hard. The mixed format of podcast episodes and Sadie's point of view really draws you in and has you picking up all the lost connections and near misses. This story is so compelling and keeps you on the edge of your seat. As a person who avidly listens to true crime podcasts this book immediately drew me in, Sadie’s character is complex and beautiful in the most tragic way. This is a story about sisters and the bond that would drive you to do anything for the ones you love. One of my favorite parts of this book is that we get to see West's process of involvement, how invested he gets in this story and how invested he gets into trying to save Sadie from herself. As much as I know this is a book review and you want to know my thoughts, this book leaves me relatively speechless, you feel this book in your heart and in your stomach, it's a journey to say the least, it's a book I think everyone should read, definitely has made its way onto my top ten favorite book list.

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

Divergent by Veronica Roth

A world a hundred years in the future, after a war destroyed most of civilization, in the city of Chicago, people are split into factions, five groups based on core traits. Abnegation values selflessness, Candor for honesty, Erudite for knowledge, Amity for kindness, and Dauntless for bravery. Beatrice has never felt like she quite fit in in Abnegation. As her 16th birthday and choosing ceremony approach she has a choice to make. Will she stay with her family or will she leave them? Her aptitude test should tell her, but her results are inconclusive, now left to decide for herself, she has her life in her hands. Little does she know her choice will change the world as she knows it.

---SPOILERS---

For those of you who were big readers in middle school in the era of SuperWhoLock, when Tumblr, Wattpad, and AO3 reigned king among fans, you probably read the Divergent series. I know I was obsessed, as a person who feels superior when I’m carrying around more than one big book I felt very proud of myself when I carried this trilogy into my sixth-grade science class and proceeded to not pay attention despite reprimands. I later wrote many fanfictions and watched the movies obsessively but that eventually faded from view as I got older and the series became just books on my shelf. But since we’re in quarantine an I’ve got nothing better to do, I’ve decided to re-read a bunch of my books, starting with this series. This first book made me completely nostalgic. I’m a sucker for sci-fi/dystopian worlds, and though this one isn’t the best it’s also not the worst, especially for young readers. Sure it’s a little cliche but it’s such a fun read. When I first read this book I was in awe, I wanted to be Tris so bad, she had the courage to leave her family and fight and become strong. I loved the idea of people being separated into a like minded group of people and I wanted so badly to be Dauntless. When she first got there and made friends I was so happy for her but I immediately hated Peter, I mean how could you not? And he just gets worse, and when he beats her up in the ring? Asshole. But it’s so cool to see her grow and get stronger and evolve, not only in physical and mental strength but as a person. Her friendships are evolving along with everything else, I know what its like to finally find that core group of people, and it was cool to watch her discover her people. (Also the Uriah and Marlene and the muffin scene, I was so in love with that moment, it was so pure). Then her mom shows up on visiting day and we find out so much, most prevalent I think it the fact that she is Dauntless? What?! I did not see that coming. But then everything goes downhill, Tris gets good and she gets attacked and she realizes Al was one of them, and then he dies. Like damn, way to move very quickly into a bad place. It hit me in the gut, real hard. On a totally unrelated not, I was so enamored with her and Four’s relationship, from the beginning you can totally see their connection. I will admit it moves a little too fast for me, I’m more into slow burn kind of stuff, and it’s so cliche but still undeniably adorable. And when they go into his fear landscape together and she learns his real name and why they call him Four? Adorable! (I would love to see my fear simulation, although I’m pretty sure there would be some clowns in there, and that’s, not something I want to see ever). I was so nervous for Tris when the simulations started thought, every time she was close to being caught my heart was in my throat, I was so worried about my girl. But then she gets first place and she is a Dauntless member and she could have a really great life but then everything goes to shit. When I realized that Tobias is also awake I melted, I was so happy, and then Eric has to go and mess it all up. But Tris gets to shoot him and it was awesome, but it doesn’t stay awesome. And then Tobias doesn’t know who Tris is because of the serum, and oh my god, I hate Jeanine Mathews so much (side note, Kate Winslet portrays her so well in the movies). And then they try and drown her even though she’s already been shot? Wtf, that’s so messed up. But then mom to the rescue! I knew from the moment she freed Tris that he was going to make it and it hit me hard when she died, I was so hoping to learn more about her history in Dauntless, not to mention that Tris hasn’t really seen her parents since she left. She must have had so many questions, and then Marcus is there. Like, fuck him, if I could reach into a book and punch someone I would hit him before I hit Jeanine. I was worried for them all as soon as they went back to Dauntless, but it was so cool to see how she’s grown and how she’s able to handle herself now. And then there’s Peter and I’m just gonna say it, I was not surprised that he was awake, he’s such an ass. But then she got to shoot him too, and that made me feel a little better. Tris suffers so much loss during this book, her mom, and then her dad, and she had to kill Will? It’s so not fair. The first time I read this book when she found Tobias and he was fighting her I was so worried that she was going to him to hurt or even kill him. But then his divergence and his love for her made it possible for him to break free. Ah, true love, how positively cliche, but very on point for a YA novel. I was so worried when he saw his father. But then Tris stood up for him, and honestly, you go, girl, he deserves so much worse (kind of wish the Dauntless had gotten to him). I can’t imagine being one of the Dauntless who was under the simulation, waking up and realizing what you’ve done? It’s so messed up, but it ends on a massive cliffhanger which I didn’t appreciate because I mean really? You start a war and then boom the book is over. Sorry for the crazy and kind of disorganized review but I do really love this book, it’s an easy and fun read with a cool world to immerse yourself in, I would recommend it.

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

Know My Name by Chanel Miller

In January of 2015, Chanel Miller was sexually assaulted. She was at a party, drunk, having fun. She woke up in the hospital with no recollection of how she’d gotten there or what had happened. She tells her story, from the night of the assault to present day, the events that changed her life forever. Her writing will tear at your heart and open your eyes to the injustices that exist for victims of a corrupt system, the ripple effect of assault is so gracefully depicted in her words, it opens your eyes to an ugly reality that needs to be faced.

I loved this book but I want to preface my review by saying that this book deals with and talks about a lot of painful and potentially triggering topics. Your guys’ health and well being is something I care deeply about, so be mindful before picking up this book or reading this review. Thank you!

—SPOILERS—

Okay, so I have a lot to say about this book. This book took me a lot longer to get through than a normal book of its size. It was a lot to process as it dealt with a lot of topics that are hard to deal with, especially as a young woman. This is such a powerful story told by such an amazing person. Chanel’s writing is incredible, I've heard her voice interviews but when I read this book I felt like she was talking to me. I could hear her so clearly. She wrote about her trauma in such an eye-opening and truthful manner, not shying away from things that were uncomfortable or kept on the down-low in society. She kept it raw and real. The amount of courage it must have taken to be so brutally honest is I think is what I admire the most about this book. She doesn’t sugar coat it. She gives you the truth in a way that makes you want to fight, to stand up  for yourself and others. Her story is filled with so much pain, but a familiar ache that has filled the lives of many. The way she addresses her pain, not pushing it aside or making it less that it is/was, is one of the most important aspects of this book. As a sexual health educator and someone who regularly talks and teaches about consent, it was clear to me from the get-go, he was guilty without a doubt. She was inebriated, therefore it was legally impossible for her to have given consent to anything. Reading about the invasive hospital procedures and the crucifying trial, it pained me to see a woman who had never done anything wrong go through such a terrible series of events all the while being blamed and bullied while he was praised and treated like a victim of circumstance. This is a terrible thing to happen to anyone and reading about how many people doubted her and made her out to be a drunk or a slut or a predator really just goes to show how harmful media can be on someone's mental and physical well being. This court system is a system of oppression and white supremacy, she wonders towards the end of the book that if it had been a Hispanic cook who had assaulted her instead of an upper middle-class white college student, would he have gotten more time? Would she have been believed and compensated? It’s a question I think we all need to think about especially white people, how does our white privilege affect those around us? It was hard to process but so important. She talks alot about how she expected to feel so much better after the trial was over but it ended up following her and is still with her and I think that is an aspect of trauma that people don't often address. This book was just so eye opening and gut wrenching, a combination not everyone is brave enough to face but those who are will gain so much from her story. I fell in love with this book and her bravery. I would highly recommend this book. She's a role model and an inspiration for women everywhere.

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle never really had friends and he wasn’t worried about it, being 15 is hard enough. As the summer days of 1987 stretch on Aristotle decides the best place he can take refuge from the El Paso heat is at the pool, which is where he meets Dante. Dante can swim and Ari can not and from their makeshift swim lessons blossoms a beautiful friendship. As the summer flows on and years pass, their odd friendship is tested by the trials of adolescence, it becomes stronger, giving them access to the answers of their biggest questions and the keys to discover the secrets of the universe. This book is a truly unique and beautiful coming of age story unlike any other.

---SPOILERS---

People have been telling me to read this book for years and it’s been sitting on my shelf for so long. I have no idea why I waited so long. This book is so beautifully written, I‘m not usually one to get teary at a book but my god, this book made sure my tear ducts were functioning. The profoundness of the writing hit you so fast, it’s like being shot with an arrow or struck by lightning. One moment you’re reading and the next you can’t see the words because the tears are falling. Now, this isn’t a promise of tears for all who read this book as I am only one person but I will tell you that this book is so brilliantly written you lose track of time and get so absorbed in their world. I just keep going back to the words, the writing is brilliant, it reaches into the unfathomable depths of your heart and makes you feel every page, every paragraph, every sentence, word, and syllable so completely. The characters, especially Ari, are so relatable for so many teens. The big questions that fill our brains and follow us through every step fo adolescence. Why am I here? Who am I? What am I going to do with my life? This book sets the perfect stage for young love and self-discovery through al the trials and tribulations of a young queer person in the ’80s. I love how it’s not outright stated that Ari is struggling with his sexuality, he’s so angry and confused but he doesn’t really know why and I think that’s a very common occurrence for young people trying to figure out who they are. But their friendship is so beautiful. When the car accident happened I didn’t even see it coming and it worked really well because Ari and Dante didn’t see it coming either. That’s what I love so much about this book it depicts the uncertainness of real life so well, the secrets kept, the love that’s shared, the life that fills us all. Dante and Ari’s freinship is the kind you look for everyday, the kind that lasts a lifetime. This story is an immaculate depiction of a coming age story, its the pinnacle for LGBTQ+ YA books. This book deals with sexuality, age, love, family, and race in such a graceful way that you don’t even realize what you’re reading until you take a breath, put the book down, and take it all in. I literally don’t think I’ve ever read a book that was so fully capable of making me FEEL, and I think that’s the best thing a book could ever do. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, so please if you have the chance to read this book, please take it.

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

1983, Northern Italy. Elio usually spends his summers transcribing music, swimming, dancing, reading. But when Oliver, his dad's new apprentice, comes along, Elio’s summer is filled with much more than music and reading. His life turns upside down as he falls head over heels for Oliver. In this beautiful coming-of-age story set in scenic Italy, you will immerse yourself in the purest of love stories as they fall in love and explore life before the summer comes to an end. 

--SPOILERS--

This review is a bit of a two-in-one because, on a rare occasion such as this, I watched the movie before I read the book. Shocking I know. But if you have only watched the movie or only read the book or like me has done both, this review is for you. But before I dive into the book I want to give credit where its due, Timothee Chalamet, and Armie Hammer do a spectacular job of portraying these characters, the mannerisms and the accuracy of their portrayal is so refreshing, especially when movies often butcher the book. It was so cool that they keep the narration style and took actual lines from the book and used them in the movie, it moves at the same rate as the book and gives you just as much love and in-depth emotion that you feel just as drawn in, you long to be part of it with them. I do however have a couple of problems because no matter how good a movie does, there will be differences. First off, the fact that they totally got rid of Vimini, I honestly just don’t see how it could be beneficial especially when she’s there for Elio after Oliver leaves. Two, the scene in the movie where Oliver leaves and Elio’s mother comes to pick him up? Not in the book, which honestly I was a little disappointed about we don’t see much of his mother in the book and I was hoping to see her. Three, Oliver came back. HE CAME BACK. I understand why they made changes for the movie adaptation, but I think it definitely took away from the story a bit. But honestly, the directors did an amazing job, something that I cannot often say. End of the movie discussion, onto the book! I loved this story, it was such a beautiful romance, it’s such a wonderful self-exploratory and coming-of-age novel. I love Elio’s character, he’s so complex and his internal dialogue, while he’s interpreting his feelings and his sexuality, is so incredibly well done. It portrays the stigma and internalized homophobia that people were dealing with during this time period brilliantly. The back and forth between the two of them are hilarious but at the same time completely accurate, it's a summer romance between two young men, but goddamn the amount of sexual tension in this book is immense, I was reading it during school and I often felt like I was doing something that I should be guilty of. But the scenes were so beautiful regardless. There are so many emotions that come with reading this, it just pulls you in and cleans out your heart and soul. The scene at the book party really had me feeling all the feels, I feel that way so often it felt like Elio was speaking right to me, standing next to me in the crowded, smoky, bookshop, reading my mind. But at the same time that I was painfully relating to this scene, I was supremely jealous of Elio, he has this wonderful life and all these experiences and opportunities that I’ll never have access to in modern America. It really makes you long for a time passed. I truly loved the gambling scene although it did get a little long towards the end, this scene really makes you long for a group, that easy friendship that only seems to come in foreign countries or books or movies or dreams. The end of the book though hit different for me. I was so looking forward to Elio confronting his feelings about Oliver but it skipped the goodbye, it really made me sad to think that this was all I was going to get from Oliver and Elio, they were such a great pair and I was so sad to see their story end. But instead of the tearful phone call and a good old-fashioned cry in front of a fireplace, Oliver came back, physically, to Italy. It was much more painful than the clean break the movie provided. Having him come back only to tell Elio that he can’t do anything because he’s getting married, crushed me. This part made me so sad. Not just the fact that their relationship was ending but the town and the house and the story just shifts moods so drastically, it’s so dark and gloomy, and the vibes have totally changed. And then he was gone and married, and Vimini died, and Elio was still in love with Oliver. My god, way to rip my heart to shreds. I think part four is really where it started to get me emotionally. The future is such a scary thing and seeing the changes in people after they’ve had such a strong connection is so painful. But I think it was important that the future was addressed because Elio pondered on it so much. It is sad, especially in the last couple of pages when Oliver comes back and they're talking about Vimini and Elio’s father. I do believe Elio’s father was the best possible supporting character I’ve ever read, he was instrumental in making this story as profound as it was, his talk with Elio after Oliver left hit me in the chest like a bowling ball, it was so powerful. But this look into the future, the aftermath of a whirlwind summer and a love that one would forget and one would remember and one that would break my heart was I think the most emotional part of this story by far. This is the type of story, book, or film, that makes you nostalgic for a time in which you never lived, a life of which you’ve only known through ink on pages. I can’t express how profoundly beautiful this story is. It is such an alluring piece of literature that I cannot truly express the all-encompassing beauty that it surrounds you with. This book broke my heart into a thousand tiny pieces but in literally the best way possible, I don’t think I will ever fully recover from this book. I really cannot stress enough how much I want everyone to read this book, it was a privilege to read. 

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

Orpheus Girl By Brynne Rebele-Henry

2004 rural Texas is not a good place for two young women to fall in love and yet Raya and Sarah have found each other while simultaneously trying to conform to societies pushed heterosexuality. But as their feelings grow stronger and they grow into their sexuality they are at risk of getting caught. At the moment when they both think they’re safe, they’re caught and sent away to Friendly Saviors, a conversion therapy camp for queer kids to be cured of their sins. As Sarah, Raya, and the others fight for their lives we get a glimpse into the painful world of the LGBTQ community in the south. This is a truly heartwrenching story that will pull you in and spit you out in pieces.

—SPOILERS—

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. Let’s start off with the good, the narration is so interesting to me, the voice is distant yet beautiful and sincere, you can connect with the dissonant tone of her pain throughout the entire story. I feel like if it were a scene in a movie, even though they’re down south, it would be shaded and dark. You can also feel Raya’s love for Sarah, it’s in her fight, it’s in her voice, her thoughts and her heart. Her deep yearning to being seeps into your heart and soul and you feel her pain as she goes through all these awful things. All the characters are well thought out and real enough for you to connect with. Sarah and Raya’s relationship is a familiar one to many young members of the LGBTQ+ community. It is so pure and sweet and these people turn it into an abomination. This is what causes so much of the suffering in the LGBTQ community. It is so hard to understand these people when I’ve grown up in such an accepting community, it brings me such immense pain to know that kids like me are being treated so awfully. Another problem I have with this book is the comparison to myths. In the book’s description on the dust jacket, it makes the myths seem like they should be very prominent within the novel but they’re hard to find, I wish it would have either been downplayed in the description or played up within the story. Anyway, when they end up at the conversion camp and met all these other kids, it made me feel even worse. I do love that she was immediately accepting of Michael and that she made friends with Clio and Leon. It’s good to know that there was a little bit of light in the darkness while they were there. But the descriptions of how damaged these kids became at the hands of a damaged woman and a misled man. It also so sad not really knowing what happened to Char by getting a glimpse towards the end but it does nothing to excuse her behavior and torture of these children. The descriptions of the electroshock, I won’t even call it therapy, really hit home for me. These kids have been through so much and the trauma is so immense that the way the book ended really messed with me. They didn’t deal with the trauma that these kids went through, they just let them go and that was that. I love the story but I just wish there was more, I wish there was a better resolution to all the pain that was caused.

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

Suggested Reading by Dave Connis

Suggested Reading is an amazing novel about friendship, perseverance, queso, and of course books. Clara is a book nerd to the max, her love of books has inspired her creation of the Tiny Little Libraries that have made her a Founders’ Scholarship finalist and the proud creator of a non-profit called LitHouse. As she starts her senior year off with an allnighter to read her favorite author’s newest book, “Don’t Tread on Me”, she’s optimistic about her future. But her last first day is nothing compared to what she hoped it would be. As she heads to her one true home, the library, she finds the librarians, Mr. Caywell’s, open email with a letter from the principal with a list of prohibited media, aka fifty newly banned books “Don’t Tread on Me” among them. As Clara protests civilly her complaints fall on deaf ears. So she does what any self-respecting book lover would do she starts a contraband library in her locker. With the help of new friends and unlikely allies, Clara will discover that our lives create filters that change how we see the world and the books we choose to let change us.

—SPOILERS—

This book is incredible. I knew from the moment Clara started narrating I would love her. I find so much of myself in her character I can’t even describe how close to home this book hits. The idea of banned books or ‘prohibited media’ as LA puts it makes me want to burn the world down and start over. Who in their right mind would ver prohibit someone from reading a book? A point that Clara makes many many times is the fact that books have changed her life so many times, much as they have mine, for all book lovers this book truly carries a piece of your heart. Also the idea of starting tiny libraries and a contraband library in her locker? Genius, I’m so intrigued by this idea and I wish id thought of it first. Also this book? “Don’t Tread on Me”? F***ing phenomenal, I’m literally losing my mind, this idea of Panem et Circenses is really getting me to question everything, I feel exactly like Clara at this point. I took Latin for three years and I know about the culture and the source of this idea and it’s really messing with my head. I wish this book was real, I would devour it. On a totally different topic, Prince Walsh can kiss my butt. He’s such an awful person, like wtf? LiQui is amazing tho, bless her sweet student government heart. Also, I want a queso book club. This book is what I want my life to be, y’all have no clue. But about halfway through the book the vibe totally changes. A little quote from me,

“Okay, so I’m writing this at 264. This book was good but now it’s really hitting different I can’t even tell you, I almost started crying up in the library because this is actually so heart-wrenching. This is what I’ve been feeling my whole life this book is the pure pain of what it feels like to find yourself, the good and the bad in the books you read, knowing they’re not real and feeling like there is no one in this world who also feels this, only fictional characters.”

This was the scene where Jack comes out to Clara. It hit me so hard, it put into words a feeling that many queer youths have, finding yourself in a piece of music, an artist, or a book can be life-altering and it can hurt because you don’t know what to do with it. This scene totally shifted the vibes for the rest of the book. But not too far after this another totally interesting thing happened, Mr.Caywell was put on paid leave because he wasn’t conforming to the change. But the fact that he encouraged Clara and gave her the courage to keep going with her UnLib, it really pushed me that much more into loving him, I wish I had such a wonderful librarian. Side note I love LiQui, she is so cool, also I love that a book inspired her to want to become the president and go to school for political science. Also small thing, the fact that Ashton has been running the GSA for years even before Jack was out, amazing, I love the fact that Clara is able to face her biases and come to terms that these people care for her and are her friends. And the boom in people wanting books is inspiring, even though its fiction, I love that people love to read. And then we’re at the football scene. It’s such a pure wonderful moment. Friends hanging out and being silly together, Jack is laughing and having a good time and things are all starting to look up, everything is good! And then everything crashes. As soon as she picked up her phone I knew. I knew and it hurt. The thing I think that hurt most of all though is the fact that Jack’s suicide attempt made her question her faith in books. But I think it also gave her much needed perspective for later in the novel. I don’t think that, if this hadn’t happened, she would’ve had the ultimate courage to stand up to withstand everything that was pressing against her because she finally figured out what she wanted to achieve through distributing these books. But then they suspend Ashton and call an emergency meeting, like what the hell is that? But it was inspiring that these people were willing to stand and fight the system with her, it was truly a powerful moment. And then we’ve reached the point, the ultimate end goal of all of her TLL’s and LitHouse. The Founders’ Scholarship dinner. And there’s Jack’s mother. This woman ought to be fully and completely ashamed of herself for everything. And the sad thing is, there are people exactly like that in the real world doing the exact same things. I think honestly that is the scariest part of this book the fact that it has and continues to happen all around the world. But I also want to give her the tiniest sliver of credit where it’s due, thanks to Mrs asshole for giving Clara the confidence and the inspiration to give a powerful speech on a topic that is something she really truly cares about. Then we get the first of the two ultimate plot twists in this book, Principal Walsh? Not so much of an asshole, after all, it really started to bring it all together. And then we’re at graduation, she made it with an amazing group of friends in toe. The fact that Jack was able to come out and escape his oppressive home life, I was so hoping something like that would be there for him. And this book ends so well on such a high note and was left with one last plot twist to fill our hearts with joy. Jack’s little brother Emerson? He’ll keep the UnLib going until the rule is forgone and there are no longer prohibited books. And that in the end, filled my heart with so much joy. I was hoping for a happy (non-romanticized) ending for this book and this really brought it all together in a nice bow. This book was phenomenal, I highly recommend it to all readers, avid ones especially.

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a beautiful story that follows Janie from the young age of sixteen through to her forties. We join her in heartbreak and loss, love and triumph. But most of all this profoundly beautiful piece of writing is a vessel for a story about women's hardships and how women have power and are able to find their voice even though prejudice and hate. It is a beautiful celebration of black culture, women, and most importantly love. 

--SPOILERS--

Their Eyes Were Watching God is definitely one my all time favorite books. I read it for the first time in my Women in Literature class and I honestly cannot get over how much this book pulled me in. Her use of modernist language and a strong independent protagonist who isn't afraid to follow her heart really just brings the book to life and makes you feel like your living that life right along with Janie. The characters are absolutely gorgeous and the form of the book as her telling a story, the parallels in her relationships with herself and others is truly a work of art. Her ability to write nature into a living breathing goddess that follows Janie thought the book, the way she brings love into everything that Janie does and dotes on the child that lives inside Janie like it lives inside of us is truly a magnificent thing. This book in its entirety is an act of god. Hurston’s writing is a gift from the muses, the way she uses Janie as a vessel, an embodiment of all women and their strength is powerful and connects all the readers together. Her portrayal of black culture as something to be proud of is an act of defiance in a world that so often tokenizes black characters. And her use of intergenerational relationships in a positive way is ground breaking. While I was reading this book for class we also read some reviews from when the book was first published. Some prominent african american male authors at the time called it a joke only written for the purpose of making white people laugh at back culture. They said it had no significance or meaning and was shallow writing at best. As I read these reviews my jaw dropped and my heart was filled with rage. How could you read this book and not see how gorgeous and profound the story is? Even if you only took the language at face value this book is so beautiful and deep, I am fully convinced that these men didn't actually read this book at all and were just being prejudiced a successful female author. But on a happier note, this book is a brilliant work of art that i think everyone, and i mean everyone, needs to read in their life time, it is a wondrous thing to read a book as beautiful as this.

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

Witches Sluts Feminists: A Conjuring of the Sex Positive by Kristen J. Sollee

Witches, sluts, and feminists, oh my! In this wonderfully witchy book, we move through history, cultures, languages, and activism based movements as we observe and pick apart the effects of women, on today’s society. Witches Sluts Feminists: A Conjuring of the Sex Positive by Kristen J. Sollee exposes the effects of women on history and how they’ve been villanized and prosecuted by men for centuries.

——

I was so looking forward to learning more about feminism and witchcraft when I picked up this book and I was not disappointed. This book is amazing in its attention to female activism and the reclaiming of these historically negative words and movements and practices. I love that it addresses how language surrounding women has changed throughout history. Confident women who weren’t upper class were villainized for their individuality and sexuality whereas men in their same position were seen as brave and attractive. The book also addresses how the church villainized female sexuality for their own benefits and how ignorant men still are when it comes to women. The book brings into the limelight the feminist movement and how it’s not just a fairly modern idea but and idea that has been an irremovable presence throughout history, the fact that women have power, evil or otherwise, that they have every right to use. That women have the right to exist in a world dominated by only half of its population. It brings up how the queer community is tied to witchcraft or the idea of witches because the church has historically persecuted minority groups, women and lgbtq+ people among them. The analysis of these intersecting movements and interviews with participants bring the activism to life and get you involved. This book pulls you in because it really matters that you are invested, these movements aren’t just for women, they are for all. Everyone needs these pieces of information, this insight into what real power looks like. I would definitely recommend this book to those who want to learn more and get involved more in intersectional activism. This definitely is not an introduction to activism type book but once you’re involved I would definitely pick it up.

-maren