Completely Full Bookshelf

(Forgive me for a post that is entirely unrelated to books. Also, minor spoilers for Pixar's Elio  follow. ) On Sunday, my dad and I went to the movies to see the new Pixar movie, Elio , which is currently bombing at the box office despite fairly positive reviews from critics. I loved it. I cried a ridiculous amount of tears in the second half and continued to cry basically the entire walk out of the theater. I loved the movie so much, I took it upon myself during the next twenty-four hours to be its word-of-mouth box-office savior. I talked it up on my blog , and on my most recent Zoom call with my fellow bloggers. I texted one of my friends about it and planned to tell another one at our next hangout. I knew Elio  wasn't a perfect movie. So why did I love it so much? I was a really isolated kid. I was gay, feminine, sweet, socially anxious, and mentally ill. (I am still all of those things!) I always felt out of place and unsafe in the world. So I related to Elio's charac...

Hi everyone! It's been so long since I've posted, since I haven't really been reading much. Instead, I've been doing the following: Graduating from grad school Applying to jobs Stressing More stressing LOTS OF STRESSING Becoming increasingly interested in architecture Becoming re-interested in Taylor Swift (she's so good ) Listening to the new Frankie Cosmos album Going to the movies (see the end of this post) Taking a trip to Boston with my dad! That last bullet deserves expanding upon! Much of my family history took place in Boston, and I was born there, though we moved across the United States when I was a toddler and have stayed put since. Because of things that are kind of complicated to explain and therefore I'm not going to, I haven't taken a plane trip or left my current U.S. state since I was 5. As you can imagine, I am definitely now older than 5, so finally  taking a plane trip across the country was a big deal! It was also immensely  fun. We went...

Hi everyone! I've got a very fun graphic novel to share about today! I'd also like to highlight my review from last week , because I'm low-key very proud of how that one turned out writing-wise. Feel free to check it out too! Noodle & Bao Written and illustrated by Shaina Lu Middle grade · Graphic novel · 2024 Add it on Goodreads · Preview the illustrations · · · The publisher says: · · · Perfect for fans of Animal Crossing and Measuring Up , this whimsical and empowering middle grade graphic novel follows a girl who helps her friend’s humble food cart stand its ground against the gentrification of their Chinatown neighborhood. Momo has lived in Town 99 her entire life. She knows all its quirks and rhythms: the best places to buy fruit, practice tai-chi in the park, and, most of all, get the best meal: Noodle & Bao, run by Momo’s best friend, Bao, and their amah, Noodle. But Town 99 is changing. Rent is becoming unaffordable for Momo and her parents, and even Nood...

Hello, hello, everyone! I'm excited to share a delightful graphic novel with you today, so let's hop to it! Hungry Heart Volume 1 Written and illustrated by Jem Milton Young adult/adult · Graphic novel · 2024 Add it on Goodreads  ·  Preview the illustrations · · · The publisher says: · · · The humdrum life of an aspiring food writer changes when he meets a famous celebrity chef. Equal parts funny and heartwarming,  Hungry Heart , based on the hit webcomic, is an endearing queer rom-com that grapples with self-discovery, finding your voice, and the power of acceptance. Laurie, a plucky young food writer, gets his big break interviewing heartthrob chef, Oryan Adjei. Laurie has idolized Oryan since watching him rise to fame in the  UK Kitchen Trials  back when they were both teens. But Oryan's life is lonelier than it seems from the outside and his career has taken a direction he isn't sure he wants to continue. Laurie seems to get Oryan in...

So it took me six weeks to finish this book, plus another two to get the review written, plus one more between when I wrote it and when I posted it. Good grief! But it's not for a lack of quality on the book's part. This book is amazing  and essential to read right now, and I'm excited to bring it to y'all's attention today! Fine A Comic About Gender Written and illustrated by Rhea Ewing Adult · Graphic nonfiction · 2022 Add it on Goodreads · Preview the illustrations · · · The publisher says: · · · A vibrant and informative debut with “great documentary power” (Alison Bechdel), Fine is an elegantly illustrated celebration of the transgender community. As graphic artist Rhea Ewing neared college graduation in 2012, they became consumed by the question: What is gender? This obsession sparked a quest in which they eagerly approached both friends and strangers in their quiet Midwest town for interviews to turn into comics. A decade later, this project exploded into...

Hi folks! This post will be very brief, because I'm running short on time this weekend.  Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea Written by Ashley Herring Blake Middle grade · 2021 Add it on Goodreads · · · The publisher says: · · · A poignant yet hopeful novel about a girl navigating grief, trauma, and friendship, from Ashley Herring Blake, the award-winning author of Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World . Hazel Bly used to live in the perfect house with the perfect family in sunny California. But when a kayaking trip goes horribly wrong, Mum is suddenly gone forever and Hazel is left with crippling anxiety and a jagged scar on her face. After Mum's death, Hazel, her other mother, Mama, and her little sister, Peach, need a fresh start. So for the last two years, the Bly girls have lived all over the country, never settling anywhere for more than a few months. When the family arrives in Rose Harbor, Maine, there's a wildness to the small town that feels like magic. But when Mama ...

I hope people are having a wonderful holiday season! I don't have any books to review today, but I am a third of the way through a nonfiction graphic novel, Fine: A Comic About Gender  by Rhea Ewing. This book pairs Ewing's own experience as a transgender person with insights from their interviews with fifty-six other people, all in the service of trying to describe gender and how it affects our lives. It's excellent  so far, and I look forward to reviewing it in full when I finish it! The Kidlit Lovers' Meetup! Also, I'm excited to share that our EIGHTH Kidlit Lovers' Meetup is officially scheduled for: Saturday, January 25 4-5 PM Pacific / 5-6 PM Mountain / 6-7 PM Central / 7-8 PM Eastern Virtual (via Zoom) As always, these meetups are a chance for us kidlit book bloggers and readers (and anyone else who wants to join in on the fun) to connect and discuss books, reading, blogging, and more! I've decided to stop using RSVP forms because it was getting confu...

Hi hi, folks! I've got quite  the review for you today, so let's get to it! Chef's Kiss Written by Jarrett Melendez, illustrated by Danica Brine, colored by Hank Jones, and lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou Young adult/adult · Graphic novel · 2022 Add it on Goodreads · Preview the illustrations · · · The publisher says: · · · "A perfect mix of romance and self-discovery." — Publishers Weekly 2023 Alex Award Winner 2023 Eisner Award Nominee 2023 GLAAD Award Nominee 2023 YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens 2022 New York Public Library Best Book Watch things start to really heat up in the kitchen in this sweet, queer, new adult graphic novel! Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for something…anything…related to his passion for reading and writing. But interview after interview, hiring committee after hiring committee, Ben soon learns getting the dream job won’t be as easy as he thought. Proofreading? Journalism? Copywritin...