Dounia and the Magic Seeds by Marya Zarif
One day I was looking at my online reader copy list and said, “Today I read you.” Well, I never did read that book, but read Dounia and the Magic Seeds instead. I had no real intention of reading it. The cover art was cute, but was not “doing it” for me. I was sure Yvette Ghione was a lovely person, but that was not helping me get into it. But the day I looked at another book, yet clicking on Dounia, I knew it […]
The Ecstasy of Agony by James "Wrath" White
I had been debating about finishing The Ecstasy of Agony by James “Wrath” White after the fifth or so story/chapter. I was reading it online and that was answered for me when my link expired. I have been working on it slowly for at least all of 2023 so far (if not started late 2022) so it did not surprise me I had timed out. But the reason I was not too excited with it was that White’s book is a collection of horror works. […]
The Girl Who Heard the Music: How One Pianist and 85,000 Bottles and Cans Brought New Hope to an Island by Mahani Teave and Marni Fogelson
Mahani Teave grew up on Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island. And book report time: she was curious and precocious. She would learn to play piano, would amaze people with her talents, would learn in and travel Europe in her concerts, and eventually come home to help her people and beloved home. All of this is wrapped up in a poetic and romantic setting. Teave and Marni Fogelson create a story that is interesting and educational, but has a few small gaps in the […]
Why I Adopted My Husband: The true story of a gay couple seeking legal recognition in Japan by Yuta Yagi
Why I Adopted My Husband: The true story of a gay couple seeking legal recognition in Japan by Yuta Yagi is one of those books that you can give the book report on: it is from 2017 when two men show the world their love by becoming father and son…. sort of. But legally, they are. When same sex marriages are illegal (in Japan), how do two men secure their basic rights, and deal with such things as inheritances and medical decisions? In an open, […]
Pride and Persistence: Stories of Queer Activism (Do You Know My Name?) by Mary Fairhurst Breen
Pride and Persistence: Stories of Queer Activism (Do You Know My Name?) by Mary Fairhurst Breen is a clever nonfiction book about everyday people who have made a name for themselves by just being themselves. We might not know them by that name (some people “only” fought the inclusion of a Chick-fil a on their college campus that resulted in Senator Graham making a fool of himself) but they made sure that others can have the freedom of being themselves, being represented, and finding ways to make it […]
Getting Dizzy by Shea Fontana
I was surprised at the graphic novel, Getting Dizzy. I expected it to be “whiny” and young. However, while it deals with teen angst and the “good enough/not good enough” trope, the not-so-super-superhero story was not overly cliché. The ending was a tad rushed, the mother a bit too forgiving, but overall it was a pleasant read. The aged 10 to 13-young 14 will enjoy it. Shea Fontana has a diverse cast, and while there is a “love interest” he, or that potential storyline, is […]
