Two recent picture books I’ve read focus on grandchild/grandparent relationships. They both explore the beauty of the inter-generational bond through a melancholy yet tender narration and beautifully styled illustrations.
Continue reading “2 Picture Books About Grandparents: I Dream of Popo and All From a Walnut”
Told in verse, the newly-released young adult contemporary Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk tells of first love, complicated friend/relationships, and emotional gravity.
Continue reading “Nothing Burns as Bright as You: A Book Review”
To the tune of “It was Agatha, all along!” I keep singing, “It was O-phelia, after all!”
All right, all right, now that you’ve cringed at me, I have some things to say about the newly released young adult novel Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie!
Continue reading “Ophelia After All: A Book Review”
Letter from the Editor:
At the end of month, I am always amazed at how quickly the past thirty or so days have gone by. It’s probably the natural side effect of being as busy as I am with work and school, but I continue to feel whiplash from the calendar flipping.
I have exciting news to share though! This month, I began transitioning from circulation to youth services! At my job, I am switching over from part-time to full-time, as I begin youth programming. In this new role, I will be providing reference services for youth material and creating activities and programs for youth. So far, I am already loving my new responsibilities, and I am excited to completely move over in April. Also, as a byproduct of this, I will be reading more picture books and young adult literature so that I can stay abreast with popular and new releases.
I also read a lot of incredible books in March! This newsletter discusses what I am currently reading, what I plan to read, and upcoming literary fiction book releases. It also features book reviews of Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake, Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi, Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell, Almost American Girl by Robin Ha, and The Aquanaut by Dan Santat.
Cheers!
-B.C.
If you’re looking for a wlw/sapphic romance with lots of sexual tension and steamy hook-ups, emotional character growth and rom-com shenanigans, you’ll enjoy Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake!
Continue reading “Delilah Green Doesn’t Care: A Book Review”
Almost American Girl shares the experiences of author Robin Ha as she and her mother abruptly moved from Seoul to Alabama when she was fourteen years old. Rendered in comic, this memoir is another expertly crafted voice to add to the archive of this medium.
Continue reading “Almost American Girl: A Book Review”
Nearly a hundred years ago, Nella Larsen published Passing. Today, it is still every bit as nuanced and readable.
Continue reading “Passing: A Book Review”
Letter from the editor:
February’s just about over already, and even though it was a short month, I read quite a bit! In the first two weeks of February, I read six amazing books, and then my reading came to a screeching halt with the beginning of my third graduate class on February 14. Not only did I then have a third class’s worth of work added onto my plate, but projects started ramping up in classes I had begun in January. Sufficed to say, things got a little stressful real quickly and I’ve been a bit burnt out lately.
Like I said though, the six books I managed to read at the beginning of February were amazing reads. I discuss them all in this edition of Bookish Brains, including Assembly by Natasha Brown, Pet by Akwaeke Emezi, None But the Righteous by Chantal James, The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, and Don’t Cry for Me by Daniel Black. Plus, I share a list of upcoming March book releases you don’t want to miss!
Hope you’ve been taking care and reading well. We’re one day closer to spring!
-B.C.
Last month while curating my list of February book releases, I discovered Don’t Cry for Me by Daniel Black and quickly put it on hold at the library. Here’s what I thought of it!
Continue reading “Don’t Cry for Me: A Book Review”
After reading the first sentence of None But the Righteous by Chantal James, I felt a particular enthusiasm coursing through me that this book was going to take me to special places as a reader. Within the first chapter, I knew I would be writing a thorough analysis of it. (And somehow, I have managed to do this without spoilers.)
Continue reading “None But the Righteous: A Book Review/Analysis”
Slanted Spines 