Catching Up on March, April, and May

NOTE: I wrote this post before the tragic murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests across the world. I ask that you follow this link, pick a fund, and donate to aid protesters and medics currently subjugated to police brutality in America, if you are able. Thank you.

This is gonna be a looooong update.

So apparently, summer is here? If we hadn’t been facing a global pandemic all spring, I’d say something silly, like, “Oh, where did the time go?” or “Time flies when you’re having fun!” But let’s be honest: we all know that time as a concept was sacrificed to panic and working from home and quarantine and all that jazz. It hasn’t been all that fun, but that doesn’t matter to this thing we call time.

I’ve shared before that when the lockdown started, I kind of fell off of reading and posting and blogging, spending a few weeks just adjusting to the new normal. Good news: my love for books is back in full force! I want to read everything all at once to make up for my break, which means more audiobooks, eBooks, and physical books for me, all at once.

So let’s start at the beginning: March was the month of purple YA for me, and it started strong! With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo absolutely blew me away, setting a new, incredibly high standard for contemporary YA stories. I absolutely adored the tender care with which Acevedo handled such an honest, human story. The layers of the narrative draped over one another and flowed together seamlessly, really capturing the complexity of Emoni’s situation as a teen mom who has to balance her responsibilities with the hope and drama of senior year. While I didn’t write a full review, I can’t stop recommending this book. Like pretty much everything Acevedo has written, I’m starting to think it should be required reading for teens (and probably so many other groups) everywhere.

Next, I finished and reviewed Rin Chupeco’s Wicked As You Wish, thanks to an eARC provided by NetGalley. While this was one of the most anticipated releases of Spring 2020, I found myself largely disappointed by the story. So much just seemed…under-developed? Under-explained? Under-organized? I couldn’t bring myself to care for many characters or their backstories. The story and the world both seemed far too broad around the central plot. And I felt as if many devices or elements were added just for the hell of it. I had to stop reading a few times and ask what the point of certain things were. It took me so. Long. To read this. I just took spells where I didn’t want to slough through it.

And then I picked up Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan, a gorgeous story full of well-developed culture and tradition, marked with tragedy and magic and fight. When I was reading this, I felt the same thrill I did when I found new books to love in middle or high school. And when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about the characters, completely wrapped up in their development and motives. There aren’t enough good things to say about this book–the high-tension scenes raised my heart rate, the tender moments made me swoon, and the dramatic reveals made me shout in surprise!

And then. Unfortunately. Sadly. Tragically. I found the sequel, Girls of Storm and Shadow, to be a hot mess. My heart broke as I worked through this one (this coincided with the beginning of my local lockdown, so there was a lot going on at the time, none of it good). The dialogue turned corny at times, the plot got predictable, the characters were shuttled into stereotypical roles and predicaments that seemed forced and wildly different from the first book. When I shouted while reading this one, it was less, “oh my GOD” and more “wtf?” I may just pretend that the story ends happily-ever-after for Lei and Wren at the end of book one, because I just don’t know if I can take more heartbreak like this in a third book.

For the first time ever, I participated in a buddy read! A bookstagram buddy, Arin (@tomesofourlives on Insta, book blog here), and I spent a week reading Tehlor Kay Mejia’s We Set the Dark on Fire together! The discussions we had about the patriarchal system of the book’s society and the immigration problem that astutely mirrors real life were eye-opening and thought-provoking. We had a great time, I think, and thoroughly enjoyed the story! We did, however, agree that the entire novel reads more like a long set-up or intro to the actual story that’s to come in book two. There wasn’t a narrative that belonged entirely in this volume, nothing that wrapped up or provided a sort of conclusion here. This wasn’t entirely bad, but without the second book to read on hand, I felt as if I’d been left dangling with very little satisfaction. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to read the second book and finish the series! I just think, maybe, the entire narrative should have been kept together, rather than split in half.

I’ve already discussed my group reread of The Selection series, but I just want to share my love for the series one more time. Yes, it’s incredibly 2012, heteronormative, overbearingly white, frustratingly predictable, romantic, fluffy, mess. I don’t pretend it’s anything else. But it’s such a silly, fun series to read, especially since I loved it back when it first came out. I remember devouring the series as each entry was released. Maybe it’s a comfort thing, but I’ll return to this world over and over, despite how much I actually can’t stand America in books 2 and 3, just for the sake of fun. Sue me!

During this time, I read my ARC of The Dark Tide twice, and finally reviewed it just last week! The first time, I think I read it too fast, because I found the pacing to be a bit weird. However, when I returned to the story, I thought the urgency was nice, as was the characterization throughout the prose. Sometimes, I would realize things about the protagonist, a girl that author Alicia Jasinska has described as a “sunshine,” and wonder if those traits–anger issues, survivor responses to emotional abuse, manipulation of those around her–were intentional choices, or if the character grew into herself almost subconsciously. Either way, I really, really enjoyed The Dark Tide, and I’m glad that I was lucky enough to win it early through a Twitter giveaway!

(Speaking of reviews: I wasn’t thrilled with my review of The Dark Tide and how it read, to me, more like a summary and analysis of story elements rather than a book review. I think the current state of my reviews is due to my studying English and writing essays for years. Going forward, I’ll be trying to change my style up a little into something that’s a little more like a traditional review!)

I rediscovered the joy of eBooks during this time, as well! Thanks to a handy Kindle reader, I’ve been able to read Victoria Lee’s The Fever King on-and-off again, starting right before the pandemic sent my city into a spiral. While extenuating circumstances may have slowed my progress at first, I tore through the last two-thirds of the book, and I LOVE this story. The complexity of every subplot blows me away–who can Noam Alvero trust when literally everyone who tells him to do so is lying about what they want? And the dynamic between Noam and Dara, where I’m pretty sure they were both employed to seduce/turn one another for the opposite side, but neither seems to really know that, is pure art. I’ll be buying an eBook version of the sequel, The Electric Heir, but I’m pretty sure this is a series I’ll want physical copies of, as well.

In addition to eBooks, I FINALLY found a free audiobook app that my local library uses! Libby who? I only know RB Digital! (Seriously, I love my library, but because it’s in my small, out-of-touch city, it doesn’t use popular or well-known technology. I had to do a lot of trial and error to find a functioning app.) And the first audiobook I checked out was none other than Madeline Miller’s Circe, which I’ve tried to buy AND check out of the physical library MULTIPLE times, only to find it sold out or on indefinite hold. It was a spectacular story, one that I listened to at every opportunity. Since finishing Circe, I’ve started Zoraida Córdova’s Bruja Born series. While I wouldn’t say I’m in love with it right now, I’m definitely intrigued and sympathetic to the main character’s internal struggles! I’m excited to see where this one goes!

I also ordered a few new books from indie bookshops! Kiera Cass’s new romance The Betrothed promises to be just as juicy and melodramatic as The Selection, and it’s got a GORGEOUS dust jacket that shimmers and sparkles gold. So, basically, I’m in love with it. I also got Claribel Ortega’s debut middle-grade supernatural mystery, Ghost Squad! While this was *technically* a gift I purchased for a friend’s classroom library, I’ll definitely be reading it before handing it over to the kids. I finally purchased Frankly in Love by David Yoon, which I’ve been obsessed with since I first saw it. I’ve only read the first few chapters, and I’m in AWE of the hard topics Yoon has tackled forthright. He’s not sparing anyone’s feelings, and I love it. Finally, I purchased the graphic novel Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and the autobiographical comic collection The Fire Never Goes Out by Noelle Stevenson. I’ve already ripped through Laura Dean and found it so, so sweet and honest and bare-faced, and I plan on slipping The Fire in between other books soon. This has been the first real book mail I’ve had in a minute, so I’m ecstatic to see my shelf grow!

Otherwise, I’ve been writing a little more on personal projects, and, with my best friend there to listen to me work it out, I’ve come up with a new creative idea that I’m stoked for. Writing is once again a joy for me! You can’t imagine how relieved I am!

And I guess that pretty much wraps up my Spring 2020. As we head into summer, I ask that you all stay safe, first and foremost, because I know there’s a lot of danger in the world. Second, I hope that you all have a great season of reading and calm. You’ve earned it by making it this far!

I’ll be seeing you! (From a screen or from a proper six-foot distance, of course!)