Best of the Bunch (February 2024)

Today I'm sharing the best book I read in February.

Of the six books I read this month, I had no 5-star reads and only one 4.5-star read, so that's my Best of the Bunch!

The Secret Keepers was an engaging middle grade read about a boy who discovers a magical object and suddenly finds himself embroiled in the most recent chapter of a generations-long battle for power. Stewart kept my attention by writing Reuben into impossible corners and then somehow finding a way out. I was literally gasping and yelling, "Oh no!" out loud at different points while listening. Overall, the book is a little on the long side and the characters a bit too impossibly clever at times, but it was an enjoyable story to get lost in.

What is the best book you read this month? Let me know in comments, or write your own post and link up below!

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: The Violin Conspiracy, Fat Luther, Slim Pickin's, When Pigmen Fly, and McDonald's
Five years ago I was reading: The Shadow of the Wind, I Capture the Castle, and No Bad Kids
Ten years ago I was reading: The Omnivore's Dilemma and War and Peace

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What I've Been Reading Lately (Quick Lit)

Today I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit to bring you some short and sweet reviews of what I've read in the past month. For longer reviews, you can always find me on Goodreads.

I spent most of the month reading Demon Copperhead, but between graphic novels with my kiddo and some middle grade reads, I was able to squeeze in quite a few more books!

The Bad Guys in Cut to the Chase by Aaron Blabey: We jumped back into this series after taking an extended break after the last one. At this point most of the jokes are recycled and the plot isn't advancing much, but my 9-year-old likes doing the voices and is engaged enough to want to read every night.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo: Lo has imagined what an Asian-American queer teenager might have experienced in the 1950s, not having language for what she's feeling, then finding a community but being exoticized by the white lesbians there. I think she tried to cram too much Asian-American history into the book and diluted the impact of the plot, but I'm still glad to have read it and glad it's gotten so much attention.

The Bad Guys in They're Bee-Hind You! by Aaron Blabey: This was more or less an extension of the previous book's plot. It seems like each book now is just putting the characters in a new universe and then having a bunch of chase scenes.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver: Kingsolver has essentially succeeded in what she set out to do: write the great Appalachian novel while retelling David Copperfield in a more modern era and bringing attention to the origins and effects of the opioid crisis. Kingsolver writes great characters, as always, and it was interesting to see how she adapted Dickens, though I think adhering so closely to the source material had some downsides, like an unnecessarily lengthy plot.

You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino: I love Gino's books with queer main characters, but it was cool to see them use their platform to elevate a different kind of story, with a white hearing girl learning more about the experiences of those who are Deaf and/or Black. This is one that I'd most likely want to read with my kid so we could discuss as we go, as some story points aren't explained clearly. But I'm glad it's out there as a model for kids with more privilege to understand that how they go about learning about others' experiences matters and that their impact matters more than their intent.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang: This was an engaging middle grade story based on the author's own experience immigrating to the United States with her family and helping them run motels. It's a good introduction for that age group to some of the terrible ways people can treat each other, from racism to exploiting immigrant labor, but it also showcases how good people can work together to make change.

The Bad Guys in Open Wide and Say Arrrgh! by Aaron Blabey: Blabey is reeeeeally stretching out the same plot lines at this point. Also, there are new magic powers that suddenly exist for no apparent reason except to keep the plot moving.

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Sing, Unburied, Sing, How to Be a Normal Person, When Pigmen Fly, and McDonald's
Five years ago I was reading: Prince Caspian, On the Come Up, and Moneyball
Ten years ago I was reading: Adoption, And the Mountains Echoed, and War and Peace

Top Ten Graphic Novels/Memoirs

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

This week's topic is "Top Ten Quick Reads." I chose to focus specifically on graphic novels and graphic memoirs, which I can typically read in a few hours!

1. The Arrival by Shaun Tan
This is a lovely wordless graphic novel that reads like watching a short animated film. Tan puts the reader in the shoes of an immigrant through the fantastical world that he has designed; just like the protagonist, the language on papers and signs is unfamiliar to us, as are the strange animals, foods, and methods of transportation.

2. Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu
This adorable two-volume series covers the four years of college of a queer baker, vlogger, and former figure skater as he joins the college's hockey team and navigates friendships, crushes, and his fear of getting checked on the ice.

3. Cosmoknights by Hannah Templer
Also a two-volume series (so far...?), this features a fantastic group of queer women trying to take down a patriarchal system throughout the galaxy. Fun and satisfying!

4. El Deafo by Cece Bell
This is a graphic memoir of Bell's experience becoming hard of hearing after contacting meningitis at age four. Through her memories, you get some best practices for interacting with people who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing, and you also see her dealing with the relatable stresses of growing up, navigating school, friendships, and crushes.

5. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
This is a memoir, but a lot of it focuses on Bechdel's father and her attempts to understand his life after his untimely death; as she discovers her own sexual orientation, her journey is in the shadow of her father's revelations about his own sexuality, followed shortly by his death. It's a compelling read that makes excellent use of this format.

6. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
Kobabe's graphic memoir of slowly understanding one's gender and sexuality more precisely is an affirming mirror for a common queer journey, where identities don't just land overnight and then stick forever, but that doesn't mean that labels can't be helpful signposts along the way.

7. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
There is one more volume yet to be released in this series about two British schoolboys falling in love. Oseman has perfectly captured the experiences of crushes, friendships, family tensions, and the high school ecosystem throughout these graphic novels.

8. March by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
Framed by Rep. John Lewis showing up for President Obama's inauguration, this three-volume series tells the story of Lewis' childhood up through his extensive involvement with the civil rights movement. The story is clearly told, the artwork is cinematic, and you will likely learn a lot and gain a greater appreciation for how much the American civil rights heroes risked and sacrificed.

9. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
This story is an overview of 15 years of Iran's history combined with Satrapi's own coming of age. It's a quick read that's an accessible history lesson and occasionally quite funny while at other times heart-wrenching.

10. Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
This is one of my favorite books of all time. It's a story of found family and embracing the things you love (even when they're unusual) and gender expression and magic. It has so much heart and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Which graphic novels do you love?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: I Was Born for This, Ace, Curse of the Sand Witches, and McDonald's
Five years ago I was reading: Half of a Yellow Sun, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, and Let the Great World Spin
Ten years ago I was reading: The Steerswoman and War and Peace