#h.k. comics

[munchymunchkin]

[ethicalmemes]

“Inner Demons” by H.K. Comics #EthicalMemes

[onlypositivememes]

“Inner Demons” by H.K. Comics

[q-the-rockaholic]

Oh, Ms. Larson, I also burst into tears of sadness and anger when I saw the number of police brutality on our Hong Kong civilians.

Well, Hollywood is certainly the biggest Hypocrites-land. Here is Brie Larson (a.k.a. Captain Marvel) [a movie which I now regretfully say that I enjoyed] showing support for someone who endorses H.K. police brutality (as well as police rape and sexual assault on our detained female protesters)...😏😏😏

Of course, Hollywood always throw principles out of the window in favour of the RMB, except Richard Gere and Quentin Tarantino

She's really pushing me to Team DC...at least DC Comics actually gave us "V For Vendetta" (a really f***ing realistic story and a huge f***ing inspiration) rather than just pure f***ing superheroes! #BoycottMulan

[richincolor]

We’re excited to be part of the Permanent Record Blog Tour!

Title: Permanent Record Author: Mary H.K. Choi Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Pages: 400 Release Date: September 3, 2019 Review Copy: Digital ARC via Netgalley

Summary: From the New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact, which Rainbow Rowell called “smart and funny,” comes an unforgettable new romance about how social media influences relationships every day.

On paper, college dropout Pablo Rind doesn’t have a whole lot going for him. His graveyard shift at a twenty-four-hour deli in Brooklyn is a struggle. Plus, he’s up to his eyeballs in credit card debt. Never mind the state of his student loans.

Pop juggernaut Leanna Smart has enough social media followers to populate whole continents. The brand is unstoppable. She graduated from child stardom to become an international icon and her adult life is a queasy blur of private planes, step-and-repeats, aspirational hotel rooms, and strangers screaming for her just to notice them.

When Leanna and Pablo meet at 5:00 a.m. at the bodega in the dead of winter, it’s absurd to think they’d be A Thing. But as they discover who they are, who they want to be, and how to defy the deafening expectations of everyone else, Lee and Pab turn to each other. Which, of course, is when things get properly complicated.

Review: Life for Pablo is definitely taking a troubling turn. They guy has a lot going on in his life and he’s making choices that continue to multiply and exacerbate those problems. When Pablo looks at his bills and tries to think about what he’s going to do with his life, he pushes everything away and decides not to decide. He’s basically stuck and doesn’t know how to get out of his own trap. He uses his charm in an attempt to save himself over and over again when he’s not just blowing people off and treating them horribly. Some readers may not like him spite of the wattage of his charm.

His central plan is avoidance or distraction. This is true with debts, decisions, and in relationships. I felt for the guy though. At one point he ponders about how unfit young people are to make life changing decisions like college majors. Brains aren’t even completely developed when most people are starting college and choosing their life path. Young people are asked to make huge decisions with lifetime ramifications when some of them are simply not ready yet. Pab cannot figure things out and in the meantime his looming debt is just making every single thing more stressful.

The kid is bright though and his word play and repartee had me laughing even in the midst of his often cringey decision making. The conversations between Leanna and Pablo are especially entertaining. Leanna can also make some sketchy decisions and both of them managed to show their humanity and individuality. They’re coming of age in a bumbling sort of way which makes the whole story more endearing than annoying for me. Pab is also talented when it comes to making and choosing snacks. I definitely wanted to give some of those a try.

I really appreciated the look into Pab and his relationships with his parents. His mother is Korean and his father is Pakistani. They live their lives in two very different ways, but they both want good things for their children. Pab thinks he knows what his parents think and why, but there have been misunderstandings between them for a long time. His little brother is also a lot of fun. He adds yet another interesting perspective. He is quite precocious and enterprising. The two siblings really care for each other and that relationship was a highlight for me even though it wasn’t a huge part of the story.

Though much of this story is outside my lived experience, the book was very relatable as Pab questions his future and gets bogged down in mistakes. Even his failure to simply ask for guidance or help was almost too realistic for me. I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit.

Recommendation: Get it as soon as you can especially if you enjoy your contemporary novels  with a bit of romance, a dash of social media drama, friendship and family complications, and interesting snack ideas. Pab and Leanna will likely inspire laughter as well as introspection.

Blog Tour Schedule

August 26th – Vicky Who Reads

August 27th – Adventures of a Book Junkie

August 28th – Utopia State of Mind

August 29th – Read by Tiffany

August 30th – Rich in Color

August 31st – Your Tita Kate

September 2nd – Books on Pointe

September 3rd – Andi’s ABCs

September 4th – Book Scents

September 5th – Twirling Pages

September 6th – Bookshelves & Paperbacks

September 9th – YA Bibliophile

September 10th – Mary Had A Little Book Blog

September 11th – Chasing Faerytales

September 12th – Nicole’s Novel Reads

September 13th – Mel to the Any

Mary H.K. Choi is a writer for The New York Times, GQ, Wired, and The Atlantic. She has written comics for Marvel and DC, as well as a collection of essays called Oh, Never Mind. Her debut novel Emergency Contact was a New York Times bestseller. She is the host of Hey, Cool Job!, a podcast about jobs and Hey, Cool Life!, a podcast about mental health and creativity. Mary grew up in Hong Kong and Texas and now lives in New York. Follow her on Twitter @ChoitotheWorld.

[jordanjacksonwrites]

Check out my review of Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi below!

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi My rating: 5 of 5 stars Technically, this is a realistic fiction novel, but it is set in a fantasy world where boys text you back and are sorry when they don't. I first checked out this book because I'd seen some review that expressed that nothing really happened in the book, which I took optimistically to indicate that there just wasn't any sex in the book, and I was becoming weary of """adult""" books where people are mostly thinking with their penis/similarly influence-able parts. Also, the cover is gorgeous. I looked up everyone involved in the cover-creation process. This book was so nice to come home to. From the first chapter, I was engaged in the two leads' observations about the world, which were reliably funny and, if not relateable, then understandable. I could have sat in their scatterbrained musings about life for hours, and then I literally did that. Even the author acknowledgements at the end were funny and engaging. Pretty much every feeling Penny had through the whole book, I have felt intimately and intensely throughout my life. I was filled with vindication and phew-I'm-not-crazy -type feelings when Penny was rendered heartbroken over a completely undefined relationship she maybe had no right to get emotional over. The book made me feel like my bafflement at being dropped by a boy who technically owed me nothing was completely justified. The changes in Sam and Penny's dynamic rocked both of their worlds, despite often happening quietly, which was so nice because that's how it is a lot of the time. And this is set in a fantasy world where all of that confusion and misunderstanding can still work out sometimes and feelings can be mutual. (I sound lovelorn and bitter, but I'm not, mostly.) It was stunning how much I related to Penny: the writer ambitions, the sci-fi fascination, the comic books, tattoos being the most erotic thing she's ever seen, and the mostly black wardrobe, the contentious but rewarding maternal relationship. Sam did not share this direct line to my brain, but was described in such a way that I felt like I Got Him in the same way I got Penny, despite Penny and I having 95% of things in common and Sam and I having maybe 12 total. Also, Penny went to college where I went to college, so it was fabulously fun to see a town I knew so well described like a idyllic storybook town. I adored this book. It felt like whoever wrote it lived everything in it, and I was delighted to live it with them. 5/5 View all my reviews

[journeyintotheshelves]

Back in April I took part in the O.W.L.s Magical Read-a-thon hosted by Book Roast on YouTube. Out of the twelve “exams,” I passed eight of them: Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Potions, and Transfiguration. Which set me up perfectly for this month’s read-a-thon: the N.E.W.T.s! This was my favorite read-a-thon to participate in last year, and G has just made it bigger and better than ever, and I am so glad I can participate in it again this year.

The career framework that I’m using for the N.E.W.T.s is different from the one I used for the O.W.L.s back in April. Though I could still go for a Charms professor at Hogwarts, I’m actually planning on following the criteria path for a Ministry Worker, specifically for the Department of International Magic Cooperation. Which means I only need to get an Outstanding in one subject — History of Magic — and acceptable in five others: Muggle Studies, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms.

Since I have a bunch of ARCs that I want to get to over the next few months and start posting reviews again, I’m hoping to combine the N.E.W.T.s with ARC August to see just how much of my ARC backlog I can get through. I’m ridiculously excited for all of the books I want to read this month, so hopefully I can get to most, if not all of them (in a perfect world). I am going to the beach for a week at the end of the month, which means prime reading time. Last year, I read four books while I was on vacation, so hopefully I can repeat that this year.

History of Magic

Out of all of my exams for this round of the N.E.W.T.s, History of Magic is the only one that I have to achieve an “Outstanding” to complete my career path. So did I choose easy books to complete it? Of course not! Why would I be kind to myself like that? However, I’m fairly certain that each of these books are going to be five stars, so I’m not too worried.

ACCEPTABLE: Read a fantasy

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic: 1): V.E. Schwab

Despite the fact that I own a bunch of V.E. (Victoria) Schwab books, I haven’t read a single one. A Darker Shade of Magic is one of my Top 10 Books to Read in 2019, and I think it’s finally time to dive into some of Schwab’s work.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Read a book that includes a map

Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicle: 3): Jay Kristoff Publication date: September 3rd

I’m currently in the middle of reading Godsgrave right now and am falling more in love with this story as I read every page. I cannot believe that I’m lucky enough to have an ARC of this highly anticipated finale, and I can’t wait to read it as soon as I can.

OUTSTANDING: Tom Riddle’s Diary: fond memory — reread a favorite (or a classic)

Wuthering Heights: Emily Brontë

I read Wuthering Heights for the first (and only) time back when I was a sophomore in high school and fell in love with the story. I’ve been meaning to reread this story for ages, especially since so many people I’ve talked to hate this book. I’m interested to see if I still feel the same about the story of Heathcliff and Catherine all these years later.

Muggle Studies

For my chosen career path, I only have to read the book for an acceptable grade for this exam. But I’m a bit extra motivated to get an “Outstanding” in Muggle Studies since one of these books was on my N.E.W.T.s TBR last year and didn’t get it to then, so it must happen this year.

ACCEPTABLE: Cover that includes an actual photo element

The Girl the Sea Gave Back: Adrienne Young Publication date: September 3rd

This one is a complete surprise addition to my TBR this month. But the Netgalley fairies (and the ones at St. Martin’s Press) granted my wish and I can read it early! I’m a sucker for books with a big mythology aspect, so I cannot wait to dive into this one (pun fully intended).

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Book set in our real world

Permanent Record: Mary H.K. Choi Publication date: September 3rd

The world needs more books about college-aged people that aren’t set at a  college, so I’m so excited that I get the chance to read Permanent Record. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Mary H.K. Choi’s last novel, Emergency Contact, so I’m intrigued to see how I like her newest novel.

OUTSTANDING: Book written by a person of color

A Very Large Expanse of Sea: Tahereh Mafi

If you’re having déjà vu reading this, trust me you’re not alone. This isn’t the first TBR that I’ve included A Very Large Expanse of Sea, but I definitely want it to be the last. I saw Tahereh Mafi at Epic Reads Day in July, and hearing her speak about this book and what it meant to her made me want to read it that much more.

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Like with Muggle Studies, I only have to read the book I chose for an “Acceptable” grade to complete the requirements for my chosen career path. However, all three books I’ve chosen for these prompts have been on my TBR for waaaay too long, and I think it’s time to change that.

ACCEPTABLE: Book that’s black under the dust jacket (only one necessary for my chosen career)

Legend (Legend: 1): Marie Lu

Why finish a Marie Lu series when I can keep starting them? Even though I do really want to finish her Warcross and Young Elites series, I do want to try and read her debut series; especially since Rebel, the continuation of this series, comes out in October.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Gilderoy’s memory charm — first book you remembered from your TBR

Heretics Anonymous: Katie Henry

I’ve been dying to read this book since it came out last year. I love books that deal with philosophy and religion, especially if they’re done in a humorous way.

OUTSTANDING: Cornish pixie! Swat it away with a book written by an English author or set in England

Heartstopper, Volume 1: Alice Oseman

So, technically this is a reread for me since I’ve been reading Heartstopper as a webcomic since the beginning. But, I do love this story and Nick and Charlie are just so unbelievably adorable. This will be the perfect book to squeeze between some of my darker fantasies that I hope to read this month to lighten the mood.

Potions

Potions is going to my hardest N.E.W.T. to pass with an “Outstanding” grade. All three books are fantasy over 400 pages each. But, I won’t let that deter me and sometimes a fantasy is just the perfect beach read.

ACCEPTABLE: Polyjuice potion — read your friend’s favorite book

The Princess Bride: William Goldman

Asking my friend Nicole for her favorite book was absolutely terrible. Like most bookworms, she gave me a list of about ten books about twenty minutes after I asked her. Fortunately, I read most of the books that she suggested, with the exception of The Princess Bride. I have seen the movie once and liked it, so I’m interested to see how the book and movie differ. Hopefully it has the same humor as the movie does because that was just pure gold.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: House ingredient –– book with a cover in your Hogwarts house colors (Hufflepuff — yellow & black)

Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove: 1): Shelby Mahurin Publication date: September 3rd

I’ve been in love with this book ever since I saw the cover reveal a couple of months ago. And then I heard Shelby Mahurin speak about the story and fell in love even more. Give me all of the books with a fake dating — in this case a fake marriage — trope.

OUTSTANDING: Book that starts with a prologue

The Chosen (Contender: 1): Taran Matharu

I haven’t read any Taran Matharu before, but this one sounds like a great sci-fi/fantasy book. From the synopsis, I’m getting Matrix vibes and I cannot wait to see how this story unfolds.

Transfiguration

Just like for Potions, in order to complete the tests for my chosen career path, I only have to achieve an “Acceptable.” Also like Potions, the books I chose for these prompts are all dense fantasy; but they’re all stories I’m excited to read.

ACCEPTABLE: Read a book with LGBTQIA+ representation

Girls of Paper and Fire (Girls of Paper and Fire: 1): Natasha Ngan

Just like A Very Large Expanse of Sea, Girls of Paper and Fire has been on multiple previous TBRs. Hopefully, that streak comes to an end this month. I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things about this novel, so I really hope I can join in on this bandwagon ASAP.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Read a book that’s not a first in the series

Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle: 3): Maggie Stiefvater

Over the past few years, I’ve been slowly getting through Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle. I’ve loved the first two books in the series, so I’ve been taking my time and savoring every moment. But, since her latest novel, Call Down the Hawk is related to this series (but not a direct sequel), I really want to catch up on this series before November.

OUTSTANDING: McGonagall doesn’t mess around! — Read a book over 500 pages

Angel Mage: Garth Nix Publication date: October 1st

Despite being a huge YA fantasy name, I have yet to read a single Garth Nix book. I am more than ready to finally read something by him, and I think that, since this is a standalone, this is the perfect place to start.

Charms

Out of all of my “exams,” Charms is the only one that I’m pretty confident that I can complete this month. With a graphic novel, a manga, and a short story collection that I need to read and review for a post next month, these books are more likely to happen than any of the others on this entire list.

ACCEPTABLE: A book with a gorgeous cover

His Hideous Heart: 13 of Edgar Allan Poe’s Most Unsettling Tales Reimagined: Dahlia Adler [Editor] Publication date: September 10th

I’m not a big anthology fan, but I’m ridiculously excited for this one. Edgar Allan Poe is one of my favorite authors of all time, so I cannot wait to see how his stories and themes are reimagined and interpreted.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Read a comic/graphic novel/manga (or a book under 150 pages)

Dreamin’ Sun, Vol. 9: Ichigo Takano

I don’t read much manga, but when I do it’s one of three series. There are only two volumes of Dreamin’ Sun left and I’m so sad to see this series end.

OUTSTANDING: Spongify (softening charm) — Read a paperback book

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me: Mariko Tamaki & Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

Just from flipping through this book, I know I’m going to love it in part just because the art is stunning. Stories about difficult relationships, especially in YA fiction, are always something I’m looking for, so I can’t wait to read this one.

Because I’m an overachiever, I hope to “pass” the other N.E.W.T.s that I can sit this year — Charms, Arithmancy, and Care of Magical Creatures. I make no promises, but after the past few decent reading months, I’m having a good feeling about August.

Arithmancy

ACCEPTABLE: Book that ends on an even page number

Frankly in Love: David Yoon Publication date: September 10th

I will say this every time, but I LOVE FAKE DATING TROPES AND I WILL ALWAYS READ THEM.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Read a standalone

Jackpot: Nic Stone Publication date: October 15th

I am so so so glad that I have an ARC of this book. I loved Nic Stone’s Dear Martin, and she’s such a fantastic person. I love her voice, and I cannot wait to read another one of her stories.

OUTSTANDING: Book that’s longer than 350 pages

The Beautiful (The Beautiful: 1): Renée Ahdieh Publication date: October 8th

Vampires are back in YA literature; we are thriving in 2019, ladies and gentlemen. I’ve only read one of Renée Ahdieh’s books before, but I loved her writing style and structure, so I can’t wait to see how that translates to vampiric 1870s New Orleans.

Care of Magical Creatures

ACCEPTABLE: Follow the spiders! — Book title that starts with the letter ‘A’ for Aragog!

Ash: Malinda Lo

I literally scoured my shelves, and this is the only book that I have that starts with ‘A’ that I haven’t read already. I only picked this up a few months ago, but I’m always game for a fairytale retelling, especially when it’s a LGBTQIA+ retelling.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Book under 300 pages

Girls on the Verge: Sharon Briggs Waller

Ever since I watched Chelsea from chelseadolling reads on YouTube rave about this book months ago, I’ve wanted to read this book. Even though it’s a short book, I have a feeling this is going to be a difficult read, but so very worth it.

OUTSTANDING: Grab onto Fawkes’ tail! — Read a book with a bird on the cover

Black Wings Beating (Skybound: 1): Alex London

I don’t know much about this book other than it’s a LGBTQIA+ fantasy. But, I’ve also heard nothing but good things about this book from those who have read it. Since the sequel is coming out soon, hopefully I can jump on this train quickly and pick up the sequel, too.

  It's August, so you know what that means....time for the N.E.W.T.s! I'm so pumped for all the books on my TBR this month. With luck, I'll pass all my exams needed to be a Ministry Worker! Check out my #NEWTSReadathon2019 TBR here: Back in April I took part in the O.W.L.s Magical Read-a-thon hosted by Book Roast on YouTube…

[leah-jeffries]

I can’t believe it’s been over a week since BookCon rolled out of here! Now another 300-something odd days until the next one and I’m already anticipating BookCon 2020. Insane, right? Before this year is over, I’ve gotta tell you about what went down during one of the biggest bookish weekends in the world. 

I’d been at BookExpo 2019 so by the time BookCon rolled around, the pair of us were tuckered out, our feet were in pain and I was anticipating the large number of convention-goers that would make their way into the enormous glass building. Now if you’ve never been to BookCon, it’s pretty much like BookExpo, but on steroids and with a much bigger fan experience. If you had to measure it against something like New York Comic Con, it’s really like a fourth of what that is. Though, I have to admit that this year was probably the highest attended BookCon the two of us have ever seen! I’ve been going since 2014, so it’s been a good part of a decade that I’ve had the pleasure to watch it grow. 

Now if you didn’t know, the folks that run BookExpo/BookCon have an enormous social outreach. Besides all the standard platforms they have accounts on, they always make it a point to update their app through the respectable stores (in our case, on the Apple App Store) where they seem to have EVERYTHING. It lets you plan your schedule, check out who will be attending, what sort of events are happening, and even lets you connect with other people who will be attending in the community. 

Okay, so I knew that BookCon would be a place where I go to really check out how exhibitors shift their focuses between the industry-targeted BookExpo and the standard community-targeted BookCon. And I knew that people were more excited since there were some heavy hitters that would be in attendance (I feel like it was really about all the celebrity authors this year).

So Saturday morning, I knew I was going to come early just because I love seeing the show floor right when it opens and what exhibitors are offering in their programming and materials to hand-out in the first wave of attendees. When I woke up and on my way to the city, I couldn’t help but peek in on the official Facebook group to see if people were really out and about for the conference already (I was up by 6am) and of course, there WERE people who had been talking about how attendees had been there since practically 4am! There were some really big book lovers out there, which I am totally on board for, but definitely not as big myself. 

Saturday seemed like a wild day and honestly, the busiest that I had seen the 4.5 days between Book Expo and Book Con. And according to a few articles (particularly on PW), it was the busiest and most-crowded. I’m not surprised since Saturdays seem to always be the biggest when it comes to conferences and conventions. There were people EVERYWHERE and not enough freebies to spread amongst the increased con-goers (which I know a lot of people were disgruntled about) according to most attendees chief complaints that I read about. 

To be honest, writing this a week later, the events are all a blur. So I’ll stick to the highlights. 

Back to Saturday! To be honest, the biggest thing that happened that I was really hoping to score was THE TOLL from Neal Shusterman. When the cover was revealed a few weeks ago, I hadn’t thought in my wildest dreams that they would be creating advanced galleys (no matter how limited) for the ARC OF THE SCYTHE trilogy, let alone dropping them during BookCon. From conversations that I had with publishers over the duration of Book Expo, it seemed like they were holding back a lot of their promotional materials until Book Con, which I found pretty surprising. So when RivetedLit announced that there were scythes walking around the floor with envelopes that told you if you were “the chosen one” or not, you bet your tush that I bolted in search of them. I have no idea how many times I asked if they had something for me and how many enamel pins I ended up with and honestly, that was the biggest hardship I faced the entire weekend. With their tote bags full of envelopes, I was convinced that that these galleys didn’t exist. Apparently, there were 25 of them but I sadly, did not get my grubby hands on them. 

September isn’t too long from now, right? (-sobs-) 

(Also, I can’t deny that I waited until the end of Book Con on Saturday in hopes that S&S would do a drop of it since that was what happened with AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS during Book Con 2017. It was my biggest regret leaving early.)

I feel like I tried to steer clear of the bigger booths that had the more ‘coveted’ giveaways happening (like HarperCollins and Penguin Random House) because there always seemed to be an endless stream of people, but I definitely didn’t stray from Simon & Schuster and Hachette. While they were buzzing with people, they had more opportunities for attendees to interface. RivetedLit had a fun lollipop (though people seemed to line up HOURS in advance with no promise of a free book) wall where you picked one at random and the color on the bottom fo the stick indicated which of their most-talked about titles you would receive. And if you got a blank one, you still got a lollipop out of it (which I certainly approve of). 

Between the two of us, we got WINTERWOOD by Shea Ernshaw, SLAY by Brittney Morris, and PERMANENT RECORD by Mary H.K. Choi (I only got a lollipop on Sunday!). I gotta say, those were great choices. I had hoped to get THE LADY ROGUE by Jenna Bennett since it sounded so EPIC and I loved the premise, but again...September isn’t too far away...right? (-anguished sob-). 

My two other highlights of Saturday was meeting Claire Legrand, author of so many delightful young adult novels, but she was there at SourceBooks to promote her latest release, KINGSBANE, the second in the Empirium Trilogy (aka one of my favorites in recent years). The first fifty in line received a complimentary finished copy of KINGSBANE while anyone thereafter got a copy at a discounted price. And let me say that there were A LOT of copies. 

I only got a few seconds with Claire Legrand when it was my turn to meet her and I always feel like I’m taking too long by chatting with them (and I always love getting a photo of them signing their book), so I just tend to be awkward and always keep in mind to tell them to have a great time while they’re there since I know how insanely exhausting it can get. She is always a delight to meet and always decked out in a lovely outfit. 

She was also giving away her preorder enamel pins which I’d missed out on since I procrastinated, so I was so glad I was able to snatch one for my pin board! 

My other signing that day was with Joan He - again, a fleeting moment because I knew there were many people in line who wanted a chance to talk to her and I really would rather have that time devoted for those who want a real moment with her. I was so excited to meet the author of DESCENDANTS OF THE CRANE since it is a jaw-dropping, edge-of-table-gripping story. And honestly, how am I supposed to resist a diverse spellbinding story??? 

I spent the better part of the weekend on the show floor and saw a lot. It’s really no surprise that there were lines everywhere you turned. I can’t exactly figure out the best way for exhibitors to eliminate their lines other than dropping tickets in the morning or reserving them through an online system (like autographing area tickets), but I can say that if there weren’t lines, I think it would be such a great opportunity to network and get to know publishers more. I feel like a lot of the times, bloggers and people from the media (at least small-press media) get a terrible reputation at Book Con and other bookish conferences is because there’s very little room to develop that relationship between publisher and media. 99% of the time, people in both roles are behind the screen and working for corporations that do not allow for much face time. 

Sunday was pretty much the same, but I still enjoyed walking around all day despite having been through the show floor MULTIPLE times in the week I’d been there. It’s just always fun to see what new things exhibitors are doing and to see the demographics of the attendees. According to PW, it was majority white women in their 30s-40s. While that doesn’t surprise me in the slightest and I did see a number of POCs on the floor, I was disappointed that there was not more catered to bringing in those bigger numbers. It was definitely startling to see the sea of “whiteness” when there were plenty of authors/illustrators with culturally diverse backgrounds in attendance and being promoted. 

Truth time, I really wanted to devote my mornings on the weekend to finding totes. If you’ve ever been to one of these conferences before, you know there always seems to be totes flying everywhere from every booth, but it didn’t seem like the case this year. I’d sadly missed out on this AMAZING tote giveaway supporting Karin Slaughter at Blackstone Publishing during Book Expo, but I made up for it by claiming one of their really cute ‘Crazy Book Lady’ totes which is now in my collection of totes to use as my casket lining when I die :).

The only things we had to attend were our autograph signings. We had Sandhya Menon, Cora Carmack, and Tasmyn Muir/Kel Kade. 

Cora Carmack went pretty smoothly. We’d met her earlier that week during her signing for RAGE and we’d wanted to get some of her backlist titles signed, so it was pretty delightful to see her. We’d decided to skip Sandhya because we were disappointed in the rule of having to purchase a book at full price, especially when her books were being sold at the Simon & Schuster for half price. 

Tasmyn Mui and Kel Kade were signing on Sunday and it was our lightest day when it came to a schedule. We were pretty excited for GIDEON THE NINTH which boasts a cast of lesbian necromancers, so what is not to love? Especially when V.E. Schwab blurbs it, amirite? Also, Tasmyn and Kel were TERRIBLY delightful.

 While we were waiting in line for the signing to start, there was a kerfuffle behind us and it seemed as though they’d run out of books for one of the authors which was pretty shocking to me. These autographing sessions are booked WEEKS in advance and while I know there is some negligence on part of the Book Con staff (people who just let other people without tickets in), I just couldn’t believe how short the number of books had been and it didn’t seem like it was a one-time mishap. There were multiple complaints across the Book Con official group in the days following Book Con and I dunno if I would have been okay with it had I been waiting a while for books that I thought I was going to get and ended up not geting (and believe me, there is a lot of waiting).

Two things that jumped out at me on the floor were the very family-oriented activities happening on the other side of the show floor hall. While the right side was condensed with all of the publishers, the left side was left quite empty and most of it dedicated to the queue hall for attendees to line up in the morning. But when you looked around that section, you might have noticed that there were many more merch booths and an area dedicated to a Family Headquarters where families had their own activities and programming. While I don’t have my own family, I thought it was really nice for Reedpop and Book Con to parter with the Children’s Book Council to cater to families that would be attending. 

Not only was the event committee catering to them but also a few of the exhibitors They had tables and little (what I assume were workshops or activitiy time) tables where kids and parents could sit and do a variety of things like color and decorate activity sheets. This has got my 100% approval stamp all over it and of the kids that I saw there, they seemed like they were definitely having a lot of fun! 

The other thing that jumped out at me that I briefly mentioned above and was probably my favorite part of the whole Book Con experience was the section that had exhibitors selling bookish merch. You don’t know this, but I am an avid collector of bookish merch like prints and enamel pins. Anything that is artfully done and for a fandom of mine, I will throw my money and bank account at without a second thought. I was actually really excited to explore it and while I’d browsed through it at Book Expo, it seemed to definitely bump up with a few more vendors during Book Con. 

Sadly, I don’t have photos documenting that part, but I will definitely link anything I bought below that has a buy page or product look for you in case you want to check it out! 

ChickLit Designs had a booth where you could spin a wheel and win a prize! Between the two of us, we won a lovely Rifle Paper Co.-esque Oscar Wilde quote print and a $10 off one of their products! Since they did have inventory there, we naturally had to buy something to avoid shipping costs. 

"The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett - Phone Case

I was delighted to see Wick & Fable there since I am an enormous fan of their products! They had a really cute booth setup and there was no shortage of people looking to buy their stuff! I’m not too familiar with their store, but I understand that their website is pretty much their candles and subscription boxes. While they were selling their candles, they were also selling (what I assume to be) exclusive products from their monthly boxes which typically cannot be found online outside those boxes (which means $$$). While I desperately wanted to purchase their gorgeous Grisha/Six of Crows shadowbox frames, I just didn’t have $35 to shell out for them as much as I wanted to. I didn’t walk away empty handed though. I’m a sucker for THE CRUEL PRINCE and again, if I see anything that catches my eye, I will buy it. So I had to score the below pin! 

The Cruel Prince Enamel Pin 

Speaking of Cassandra Clare (no, I know that Holly Black wrote THE CRUEL PRINCE, but I always feel like I see Cassie and Holly together), I also couldn’t help but pick up the gorgeous tarot deck from the Topatco booth. Once again, gotta love any chance to save on shipping costs (though I had hoped for a discount, no matter how small). 

Shadowhunters Tarot Cards

The only other thing I bought was from a booth I’d been eyeing all week and debating on buying from. If you aren’t familiar with Pinch Me Therapy Dough, it’s basically like a stress ball or kinetic sand - something meant to help you if you’re feeling anxiety, stress, anger, etc. I hadn’t known about this brand until I saw it in an Instastory of Tahereh Mafi’s. What is special about these ‘doughs’ is that they have a really soft, cool texture and are infused with the NICEST SMELLING essential oils. It’s really hard to find a product where the aromatherapy doesn’t go overboard and I couldn’t help myself. The woman there was selling them in large and small sizes as well as sample size packs. After some good smelling time, I settled on the very first one that I’d smelled and really loved. 

Pinch Me Therapy Dough - Holistic Aromatherapy Stress Relieving Putty - 10 Ounce Relief Scent

They are a little pricey and I only got a small size (it was $15), but I really think it was worth it and it has me wanting to get more of them (Chill and Sun were two other scents I loved) but I think I’ll wait until I see the company at another conference and save the shipping fee! 

I was surprised to see a lot of subscription box companies there, but were really only there to promote their boxes as a whole. Had they been like Wick & Fable and sold more of their separate pieces from their boxes, I think that would have made a HUGE difference. I understand that maybe there wasn’t inventory or they didn’t want to break away from their “subscribe to our box” branding and slashing prices, but I just don’t get how you wouldn’t want to make a bit more profit with such a good opportunity! 

What my wishlist for Book Con 2020 is to have more of these vendors AND an Artist Alley. I know it’s odd to think of one outside of comic con conventions, but I’ve seen so many amazing pieces of artwork for books that I think it’s such a missed opportunity for there not to be at this sort of event where people are so willing to put down a few dollars to be able to visualize their favorite stories. And it would give conference attendees an opportunity to get away from the crowded lines of the main show floor and people who are just waiting on loved ones or need time to kill! 

Until next year, Book Con. :) 

[noctem-novelle]

🙅🏻‍♀️5(ish) Characters to Cancel🙅🏻‍♀️

NOVL recently published a blog post titled “5 Characters Who Need to be Cancelled” and I disagree with it, so I’ve decided to come up with my own list. My issue with NOVL’s post is that they chose characters you were supposed to hate. They were all villains or otherwise antagonistic, and so of course they were terrible people who should be put on an uninhabitable island to live out the rest of their miserable lives. What’s the point of cancelling characters who are already almost universally accepted as being the worst? So here I present to you a list of protagonists/antiheroes/supporting characters who, for some reason unknown to me, are still popular despite how awful they are. Be warned: potentially unpopular opinions ahead.

5. Alex Wilder (Runaways, Marvel Comics)

Alex is a hyper-intelligent teen and the son of two members of Pride, a team of supervillains who controlled LA and sacrificed homeless kids to the Gibborim. While that doesn’t make him trash, the fact that he secretly supports his serial killer parents and betrays his friends definitely does. Moving on.

4. Will Parry (His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman) and Calvin O’Keefe (The Time Quintet, Madeleine L’Engle)

Will ruined His Dark Materials for me. In Northern Lights (aka The Golden Compass), the protagonist, Lyra, is a clever and courageous girl. She goes on an epic quest to rescue her friend from the Magisterium’s Gobblers, who have kidnapped children with the intent of severing their souls in a pseudo-surgical process called intercision. While Lyra is impulsive, she is generally a positive role model for kids. All of that goes down the drain when Will is introduced as a protagonist in the second book, The Subtle Knife. Once Will’s around, suddenly Lyra is stupid, needs constant rescuing, and becomes a stereotypical damsel. Will is pretty much the exact same character as Calvin O’Keefe from Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintent. Much like Will, Calvin steals the spotlight from Meg Murry, who suddenly becomes impulsive and reckless. Thanks for ruining everything, boys.

3. Mal Oretsev & Matthias Helvar (The Grishaverse, Leigh Bardugo)

UGH. These two. I’m lumping them together because they’re from the same ‘verse, but also because they’re terrible for similar reasons. Mal is easy enough. He has a problem with Grisha, and he’s a jealous little twerp who can’t stand that Alina is a powerful lady who spends time with other powerful people. I will never not be irritated that she winds up with this jerk instead of Nikolai. 

And then there’s Matthias. He hates Grisha and actively participates in their extermination in his home country (and elsewhere), until he falls in love with one. He struggles with his feelings for Nina because she’s a “witch” and is therefore an abomination according to his Fjerdan beliefs, but he then decides that she’s “one of the good ones” or whatever. In my opinion, Matthias is the equivalent of a person who has queer friends but doesn’t agree with their “lifestyle choices”. Get out of here, Matthias. Nina deserved better.

2. Audrey Rose Wadsworth (Stalking Jack the Ripper, Kerri Maniscalco)

The first woman on this list is arguably one of my least favourite characters in all of YA. Audrey is supposed to be a very intelligent, curious, and adventurous protagonist. She’s interested in forensics and medicine, which are not common callings for “proper” ladies in the 1800s, but wow is she irritating about it. Audrey has a nasty habit of judging her peers for being interested in fashion and tea parties, because god forbid they like “girly” things. Audrey is a classic “I’m not like other girls” girl and I loathe her.

1. Mary Iris (Mim) Malone (Mosquitoland, David Arnold)

Mary Iris Malone (I flat-out refuse to call her “Mim”) is the WORST and I feel bad for her stepmother. When Mary’s mother suddenly stops communicating with her, she decides that it’s her stepmother’s fault. She skips school, steals money from said stepmother, and embarks on an unchaperoned cross-country bus trip to find her mum. She ignores her parents’ worried phone calls, resulting in her very pregnant stepmother driving hundreds of miles to track her down. Spoiler: Mary’s mum didn’t want to talk to her because she was sick and ultimately didn’t want her daughter to see her health deteriorate, meanwhile the stepmother had tried to get her to change her mind.

To make matters worse, Mary is a serial cultural appropriator. Her mother is British (because of course she is), but apparently also part Cherokee? So Mary takes her non-status as a Native American as carte blanche to use her mother’s old lipstick as “war paint” whenever she’s feeling particularly annoying. She’s just soooo quirky. You, Mary Iris Malone, are no Hazel Grace Lancaster.

Dishonourable Mentions:

Zėlie Adebola (Children of Blood and Bone, Tomi Adeyemi) for being insufferable and whiny.

Penny Lee (Emergency Contact, Mary H.K. Choi) for putting down other girls, and for being judgy and mean to her mother.

Eleanor Douglas & Park Sheridan (Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell) for passive racism, classism, body-shaming, and victim-blaming.

[meem-didi]

Week 10

Biological determinism

Biological determinism is the idea that we are “how we are” due to our epigenome, including race and sex. Assuming that each individual attitude and interests are naturally predetermined rather than decisions we make or as a consequence of the conditions we are subjected to.

For example, racists are considered bio-existentialists, claiming that blacks have a low degree of intellect and a large degree of crime, without looking at any variables that may lead to a higher per capita number of blacks in jail compared to whites, or a comparatively high proportion of whites in positions of authority compared to blacks, or men compared to women.

Allaby, M. (2020). biological essentialism. [online] Oxford Reference. Available at: https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095507973?rskey=2EunE0&result=3 [Accessed 7 Apr. 2020].

Bat, B. (2019). r/comics - Biological Determinism. [online] reddit. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/comics/comments/8pa4ig/biological_determinism/ [Accessed 9 Apr. 2020].

Dvitt, M. (2008). Resurrecting Biological Essentialism* | Philosophy of Science: Vol 75, No 3. [online] Philosophy of Science. Available at: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/593566 [Accessed 7 Apr. 2020].

Hegemonic Masculinity

Hegemonic masculinity is described as an action that legitimizes the superior role of men in society and justifies the inferiority of the common male and female population and other downtrodden types of manhood. Through this context, the consequences of the existence of hegemonic males are transformed into the social, civil, political and economic spheres of culture that reinforce gender discrimination. 

For example, in many countries, gender pay disparities and glass ceilings often remain for whites, minorities, and men or protections have not yet been enforced for LGBTQ+ citizens. Moreover, assumptions of an individual's social position will contribute to the persistence of a gender-based social role that inhibits creativity, as men and women will step into their social roles.

Grozelle, R.S. (2014). Hegemonic Masculinity in “Boys Don’t Cry” (1999). Inquiries Journal, [online] 6(03). Available at: http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/869/hegemonic-masculinity-in-boys-dont-cry-1999 [Accessed 9 Apr. 2020].

Jewkes, R., Morrell, R., Hearn, J., Lundqvist, E., Blackbeard, D., Lindegger, G., Quayle, M., Sikweyiya, Y. and Gottzén, L. (2015). Hegemonic masculinity: combining theory and practice in gender interventions. Culture, Health & Sexuality, [online] 17(sup2), pp.112–127. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4706037/ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2020].

The social construction of gender 

The social construction of gender is a theory of feminism and sociology in the sense of individual and collective social experiences that describes cultural roots, processes, and corollaries of sex interpretation and communication. In fact, the social context of gender stipulates the gender function in the social world is an achievement the categorizes individuals indirectly and directly and motivates social behavior.

Have you ever wondered who created the idea of boys 'blue and girls' pink? Where did the suggestions come from where boys or girls would not whine or play with dolls? The socialization of sex takes place prior to the birth of an infant.

Killermann, S. (2015). The Genderbread Person version 3 - ❤ It’s Pronounced Metrosexual. [online] It’s Pronounced Metrosexual. Available at: https://www.itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2015/03/the-genderbread-person-v3/ [Accessed 8 Apr. 2020].

Shumka, L., Strega, S. and Hallgrimsdottir, H.K. (2017). “I Wanted to Feel Like a Man Again”: Hegemonic Masculinity in Relation to the Purchase of Street-Level Sex. Frontiers in Sociology, [online] 2(3). Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2017.00015/full [Accessed 7 Apr. 2020].

Bourgeoisie

The bourgeoisie is a socioeconomic community (the upper class) controlling the businesses under which the working class operates. 

Socio-political views of the bourgeoisie are characterized by the organization and by "means of development" and thus sometimes abuse and turn into capitalism the interests of the working class (also identified as the proletariat).

In feudal France, the word bourgeois used to apply to the inhabitant of a fortified estate. The overtones took on significance in the 18th century when the middle classes of practitioners, manufacturers and their literary and political supporters started to assert an economic impact in politics. Marx was one of many thinkers who considered the French Revolution as a bourgeois revolution. Through Marxist ideology, a noble task for the bourgeoisie is to revolutionize business and culture. It is therefore still trying to monopolize the benefits of this modernization by taking advantage of the immobilizing bourgeoisie and generating social tensions. To Marx's view, the end product is a transition in the course of expropriating the wealth of the capitalists and abolishing the wars, exploitation, and society.

Ryan, A. (2009). bourgeoisie | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/bourgeoisie [Accessed 9 Apr. 2020].

‌

[writeforsoreeyes]

This Month’s Reads - March

March got away from me, but I didn’t forget! Here’s this month’s reads.

highlights: We Were Eight Years in Power, Tash Hearts Tolstoy, Kase-san and Cherry Blossoms, Emergency Contact

[image description: the covers for the books listed below]

10 Dance vol 1 & 2 (Inouesatoh, translator: Karhys)

The sad truth is that most BL that makes it stateside is about students -- usually high school, sometimes college. So it’s always refreshing when something about Adults With Jobs gets translated. And as someone who is a passionate fan of sports/competition anime, I was especially excited to dig into this series about the world of ballroom dancing.

These two volumes are a strong start, although not exactly what I expected. It’s interesting to watch Sugiki and Suzuki dance around each other-- literally and figuratively. With their clashing personalities and styles, they definitely create a lot of friction and sparks with each other. Something about the pacing feels off to me though; I’ll be patient and keep reading to see how it develops.

We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy (Ta-Nehisi Coates)

Coates has been doing some of the most important writing of the last decade. I’d read a few of the articles collected in this book before, so some of the material was already familiar to me. However, his notes preceding each essay added an additional dimension to the contents. It was fascinating to see how his feelings had changed on the articles he’d written, as well as the subjects.

The Obama administration ran from age 16 to 24 for me, so a lot of how I perceive politics was shaped indirectly or directly by it. It was moving to read Coates’ thoughts both on the presidency and some of the biggest issues of modern times. In particular, “The Case for Reparations” should be required reading.

[image description: the covers for the books listed below]

Tash Hearts Tolstoy (Kathryn Ormsbee)

Tash is passionate about two things: Leo Tolstoy and directing. She’s combined her two interests into a single project, a low-budget web series adaptation of Anna Karenina. Suddenly it becomes hugely popular-- and that, of course, is when her troubles begin.

I picked up this book expecting to only relate to Tash’s asexuality. However, I surprised to see a lot of my teenage self in Tash’s struggles to continue her creative project as its audience swelled. What if people are disappointed with the next update? How do you handle having so many eyes on your work? I went through a similar experience in high school, though on a smaller scale. (For the record though, her asexuality was handled really well.)

What Makes You Beautiful (Bridget Liang)

This month’s transreading!

Total Eclipse of the Eternal Heart (Syundei, translator: Amber Tamosaitis)

Terumichi witnesses Yamada (the boy he’s crushing on) get brutally murdered. That’s bad enough, but then Yamada rises and walks away from the scene of the crime. It turns out that Yamada is the reincarnation of a murderer, cursed to be killed by the reincarnations of the nine boys he killed -- and Terumichi is one of them.

Total Eclipse has an intriguing premise, but the real horror of the story is the genuine love Terumichi/his past avatar had for Yamada/his past avatar. It’s grim, twisted tale about the terrible depths love can reach and how we can -- or can’t -- reconcile ourselves with those depths. I really wished the story had been at least 3 volumes instead of 1.

[image description: the covers for the books listed below]

Kase-san and Cherry Blossoms (Hiromi Takashima, translator: Jocelyne Allen)

Pleased to say that Kase-san and… continues to be one of the best yuri series currently coming out in the States. I was concerned that this would be the final volume, but it seems the series is ongoing? We might be in for a long wait until volume 6 though.

Yamada worries about getting into the university she’s aiming for. She wants to go to school in Tokyo, like Kase. Fortunately, Yamada does get into her chosen university and the couple continues their happy relationship in the big city. Since so much of yuri is confined to the high school years (with the implied “you’ll grow out of liking girls”), it’s an utter delight to see the couple taking this step forward together.

Emergency Contact (Mary H.K. Choi)

I checked this book out primarily because the cover design was so good and it paid me back well. With a strong sense of both character voice and setting, Emergency Contact rises above your typical “first semester of college” YA book. Penny and Sam both leap from page one as fully formed people, fleshed out with numerous quirks, flaws, and anxieties.

I related to both of the main character’s twisted relationships with their parents, as well as to the frustration that came with trying to work on their art while their life spiraled around them. Also, I really want to visit Austin now. Definitely worth reading if you’re into contemporary romances with a bit of bite to them.

Roadqueen: Eternal Roadtrip to Love (Mira Ong Chua)

Fake dating. Motorcycles. Lesbians. An absolutely ridiculous plot. I wasn’t expecting Roadqueen to be as silly as it was, but I’m glad it surprised me. While there is some genuine heart to the story and a few sad moments, this comic is primarily a campy romp.

Leo is popular with the girls, but more concerned with her motorcycle Bethany than committing to a relationship. Then the mysterious Vega shows up, steals Bethany, and tells Leo that she’ll return the bike if Leo can prove she is a “decent lesbian” within a week. I never really bought that Leo wanted a serious relationship with anyone, but it seems beside the point to question of the plot of something that’s clearly more about humor than logic.

[image description: the covers for the books listed below]

Shout Out Loud! 1 - 5 (Satosumi Takaguchi, translator: unlisted)

This month’s BL LookBack!

[ethicalmemes]

“Self-Doubt” by H.K. Comics #EthicalMemes

[q-the-rockaholic]

Currently reading "V For Vendetta"... V: "...it's deuced odd, isn't it? How you can show so much concern for porcelain and plastic...and show so little for flesh and blood." When a quote from a graphic novel which published from 1982 - 1989, reflect our useless H.K. government's attitude today...since June 2019 when the protests began, they have never once said anything about the wide range of injuries, the suicides, the deaths of our fellow H.K. citizens...they 'cried' about the damages done to public facilities and pro-Beijing shops, and now even worse, with the outbreak of the #wuhancoronavirus, the H.K. government is still not doing a single goddamn thing! Are dead objects really that more important than human lives, flesh and blood?!? 睇緊"V煞"原著漫畫小說...睇到呢段V捉咗一個PK仇人講咗呢句, 知唔知令我諗起邊個? 邊個PK為燈柱感到遺憾? 邊個PK走去探望被破壞黨鐵設施? 邊班PK到依家咁多香港人死傷都唔出聲? 依家仲勁, #武漢肺炎 爆發, 邊班PK廢無能慢過全世界幾千拍, 仲講得出廢話, 冇實際行動. 一本1982年開始出嘅英國經典漫畫小說, 入面啲對白居然反映今日嘅香港! #vforvendetta #alanmoore #vertigocomics #dccomics #v #v煞 #graphicnovel #漫畫 #漫畫小說 #comics #香港人加油 #香港人反抗 #光復香港時代革命 #五大訴求缺一不可 #願榮光歸香港 #StandwithHongKong #StandwithHK #FightforFreedom #Fightforliberty #LiberateHongKong #RevolutionofOurTime #freehk #freehongkong #democracyforhk #fivedemandsnotoneless #glorytohk #glorytohongkong https://www.instagram.com/p/B7vn4HED7KS/?igshid=1oiae9zf529w7

[graphicpolicy]

Get an Early Look at Far Sector #3

Get an Early Look at Far Sector #3 #comics #comicbooks

Far Sector #3 (of 12)

Written by N.K. Jemisin Interior and Cover art by Jamal Campbell In Shops: Jan 22, 2020

Writer N.K. Jemisin (the award-winning author of The Broken Earth and Inheritance science fiction trilogies) and artist Jamal Campbell (co-creator of Naomi) continue the story of Sojourner “Jo” Mullein when Far Sector #3 hits shelves on January 22, 2020. Protecting the City Enduring’s…

[moviegeek03]

17 questions

tagged by @morganaspendragonss (thank you dear 💜)

nicknames: Brit is my nickname actually

zodiac: virgo

height: 4'11....

hogwarts house: ravenclaw

last thing i googled: Hotel prices at Disneyland (I need a vacation...)

song stuck in my head: Not Dead Yet by Lord Huron (came on while I was doing work earlier)

number of followers: I'm sitting right at 550 exactly at the moment.

amount of sleep: 7 hours? Maybe? If I'm lucky. But usually an insomniac

lucky number: 3

dream job: I'd love to be a college professor eventually so I could do more of a mix of the aspects of my job I like.

wearing: Jeans and a floral tank top

favourite song: Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie

favourite instrument: Same as Holly...piano lol. Took lessons as a kid and it's always been a favorite.

aesthetic: Ooh this is hard. Probably 70s inspired, punk inspired, and nerdish

favourite author: I bounce around on this a lot but I'd say Neil Gaiman, John Green, and Mary H.K. Choi

favourite animal noises: I'd say birds as well.

random: Ahh...awful at these! Let's go with...I'm currently editing a video for Comic Con International at Home that should hopefully go live in July.

tagging: (Sorry if doubling up anyone. Feel free to ignore.) @marjansmarwani, @silvarafael, @mtnofgrace, @lire-casander

[tshepiso-reads-books]

Fangirl’s Successor | Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

Started: May 9th, 2020

Finished: May 9th, 2020

Emergency Contact is a spiritual successor to Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl. Choi took what made Fangirl special and updated it for the late 2010s. This was a compelling story about two young adults finding connection through technology that spoke to me.

Emergency Contact follows the dual perspectives of Penny and Sam. The former is an anti-social college freshman and the latter a tattooed dropout living in the back of a coffee house. The two form an unlikely friendship over text and despite never meeting help each other through a difficult transition period in their lives.

Like with many YA contemporaries I flew through this book. Emergency Contact stands out from its peers because of its setting and characters. As someone on the precipice of their freshman year of university, I found the collegiate setting interesting and dynamic and it allowed for a story that felt fresh.

Choi’s characters were standout. What I found most compelling about Penny was her journey as a creative writing major. Seeing her find writer friends and expand her ability was interesting as a young writer. Her passion for science fiction and comic books was relatable and the sections spent delving into these aspects of her life hooked me. I will say I could see people finding Penny grating. Her strained relationship with her mother takes up the bulk of her narrative and Choi didn’t handle it as well as I would’ve liked. She failed to convey why Penny hated her mother in a nuanced way for the majority of the story. It was frustrating reading what felt like superficial teen angst and a lot more could have been done to delve deeper into these two’s relationship earlier on.

Sam is a broke drop-out balancing a low paying barista job, online community college classes and the emotional turmoil of a terrible break-up. These are conflicts I’ve never really seen explored in YA. It’s no secret that the publishing industry priorities the stories of middle-class people and seeing a character who can’t afford college and who’s parents financially toxic part of their life was refreshing. His tumultuous relationship with his ex-girlfriend was complicated, messy and ultimately nuanced. Choi didn’t create villains out of people and that allowed for a richer exploration of Sam’s life. Sam overall was a lovely character. His struggle to find a balance between his trainwreck life and his passion to become a documentarian was gripping.

The heart of this book was Sam and Penny’s friendship and it was incredibly well done. Their connection felt genuine and honest. Seeing them be there for each other throughout all of the bad things that hit them was heartwarming. Choi captured what friendship can feel like over text and poured so much honesty into its portrayal. I was drawn to these two because I’m fascinated by stories about people in significant transition periods of their lives. Mary H.K. Choi captures the magic of coming of age stories and sucked me deep into Sam and Penny’s world.

I will say Choi lost me when their friendship became a romance. I struggled to get over the age difference between Sam and Penny because Choi accurately depicted the difference in the maturity between the two and the leap from friendship to romance didn’t transcend that.

Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

In the end, Emergency Contact was a solid coming of age. While the story wasn’t perfect it only makes me all the more excited for Choi’s sophomore novel Permanent Record. Mary H.K Choi is definitely an author to watch and I predict she’ll continue writing stories that impact me.

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Content Warning: Descriptions of Rape & CSA