Happy Tuesday,

A lot of these reviews I finished writing recently which means I don't remember all of the books very well and my notes were not always helpful. But I can't keep adding years to this post because it's already making the typing lag horrifically long.

Unhaul: I read the book and for whatever reason I will not be keeping it.

2021 (51)

1. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (Unhaul)

Plot twist she is not fine.

Trigger warning for depression and ideation. Used the word "f@g" twice for cigarette (I don't care about the context. That's a no for me).

Eleanor is seemingly completely fine. She lives a solitary life of routine and too much vodka. She makes maybe her first friend ever who teaches her what it's like to care and be cared for, but when infatuation for another man goes wrong she spirals into a depressive episode where her friend finds her on the floor and encourages her to seek help. She then confronts a childhood full of trauma she'd kept at bay with denial and alcohol.

This book was a Christmas present and while it was good enough for me to finish I don't love it enough to keep it on my small bookshelf.

2. Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker (Kindle Reread)

The point of view in this book switches between Cassandra Tanner and FBI psychologist Dr. Abigail Winter who was investigating her disappearance. The book takes place three years after their disappearance when Cassandra returns home and says her and her sister ran away when Emma became pregnant. A couple took them to an island and Casandra escaped but Emma is still there and they have to find her. The search for Emma reveals more than just Emma's location. It reveals dark family secrets that lead to the sister's disappearance.

This was my second read so I knew all of the twists but still found it very enjoyable. I highly recommend if you like thrillers or if you want to start reading thrillers.

3. 100 Photos Time

I was attracted to the cover of this magazine featuring the photo, "lunch atop a skyscraper". The magazine includes many very familiar photos with explanations on the photographer and the moment of the photo.

Trigger Warning: A lot of the photos are gruesome in nature as it depicts unapologetic visions of death.

I have since lost this magazine so this is the only picture I have.

4. The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe

The book starts from the point of view of fifteen/sixteen-year-old Dita who is the librarian of block 31 where the children in the concentration camp go during the day to learn in secret. Other points of view include Freddy Hirsch who is the head of b31, Rudi Rosenberg a 19-year-old registrar with a crush on a girl named Alice, Viktor Pestek, a guard who likes a girl named Renee, Ota Keller who marries Dita and Dr. Joseph Mengele who was famous for his experiments on twins. Along with the changes of points of view, there were flashbacks that made the book hard to follow at times. The book is thick and could be dense but I'm glad I read it. Sprinkled in between the horrors of the camp were sweet moments of innocence, kindness, and generosity such as when Dita and her friends played hopscotch, a boy on the other side of the fence gave her an egg and Rudo snuck Alice pencils for the students to use in class. I look forward to reading it again and color coding the characters.

5. Peter Pan J.M. Barrie (Reread Unhaul)

I started rereading a lot of my books so I could donate ones I didn't want anymore. Peter Pan was the first to go. The actual book just isn't as good as the idea of the story I have in my head.

6. To Make Monsters Out of Girls by Amanda Lovelace (Reread Unhaul)

I love the inclusion of a trigger warning page. Other authors take note!

I feel like this book has served its purpose in my life and I'm ready to let go of it.

Favorite quote:

"falling stars tangled in my eyelashes." (Pg 41)

7. Split by Swati Avasthi (Reread)

Trigger warning for d*mestic v*olence

I remember the storyline of this book pretty well and thought I would be able to part with it but when I started reading it I couldn't stop. There's something about the writing that sucks you in.

Favorite quote:

"A couple of duuudes who wear their hair long and remind me of Shaggy from Scooby-Doo." (pg 61)

8. When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore (Reread)

I didn't remember the story as well as I thought I did so it was almost like reading it for the first time.

9. If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan (Reread)

I first read this so long ago that I've never reviewed it.

In Iran where same-sex relationships are illegal, but sex changes aren't, Sahar tries to stop the wedding of the woman she loves by having a sex change. Her cousin Ali who is also gay introduces her to many interesting people who are trying to survive in a society that doesn't accept them.

Uses the word "transsexual" on page 49 which isn't used in the trans community anymore.

10. Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuist (Kindle)

I first saw this book recommended on TikTok. While I don't love or even like politics I do love a good gay romance. Enemies to lovers isn't my favorite romance trope but I do enjoy it occasionally. It's funny, it's spicy and it's gay! That's my rec.

I read this first on my Kindle and then I saw this blue version. As someone who doesn't like pink, I was so excited to see this edition.

11. The one and only Bob by Katherine Applegate (Sequal)

I really enjoyed the first book of the series so I asked for the second one for Christmas. This one is from the point of view of Bob, the stray dog that was friends with 'The One And Only Ivan'. I preferred Ivan's point of view because he was much more poetic but I enjoyed reading more of the story. This book takes place after the events of the first one and also dives into Bob's past. I was excited to read that Julia took him in and they and visited Ivan at his new home.

12. Songs for each Mood Vol.1 by Michael Tavon (Return)

I saw this recommended on TikTok and thought it was a playlist of songs with lyrics from those songs but they are actually poems inspired by those songs. I didn't really like it and ended up returning it. It was a little mysterious as there was no summary on the back and it said, "Made in the USA in Las Vegas Nevada February 15th, 2021" and I read it on the 18th.

13. My Grandma asked me to tell you she's sorry Frederik Backman

I also got this book as a Christmas gift from a relative. It's the story of seven-year-old Elsa who goes on an adventure to deliver apology letters to people in her apartment building after her grandma dies. She learns their stories and how they correlate to the fairy tales her grandma told her as she grew up. I have mixed feelings about the book. I did cry at the end. It was a little difficult to follow with all of the characters so I had to keep a character map. It doesn't feel like a book I will reread so I will most likely donate it.

14. ~~Amy~~ Chelsea Stacie ~~Dee~~ by Mary G. Thompson (Reread)

I reread this book to see if I could donate it but I loved it just as much as the first time I read it. I did remember the plot twist and I still enjoyed it.

15. When Jeff Comes Home (Reread)

I can't find the review for this book so I must have last read it before I did reviews. I first found this book in my elementary school library which is surprising due to the references to mature content. I don't know what it is about this book that makes it stay with me for so many years. Like the last book, it starts with a teen returning home after being kidnapped and held for some time.

16. Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur (Kindle Return)

I saw this recommended on TikTok and after reading the sample I bought it on my Kindle. Brendon set up his lesbian sister Darcy on a date that goes horribly but Darcy tells him it went well to get him off her back and the two start a fake relationship that turns into something more. I didn't love the book but finished it because I wanted to know the ending.

17. Cemetary Boys by Aiden Thomas (Kindle)

I loved this book so much that I bought the physical book after already buying and reading it on my Kindle so I could annotate and tab it up. The Spanish wasn't always translated so I want to add that in. It's trans, it's gay and there's a bad boy. It's basically perfect.

18. Come Closer by Sara Gran (Kindle Return)

I saw this all over Tiktok and got it on my Kindle but was really disappointed with it. I think the idea of a woman being possessed by a demon who resembles her childhood imaginary friend is a good one but I didn't enjoy how it was done. It just didn't interest me.

19. Verity by Colleen Hoover (Kindle)

The first line of this book is, "I hear the crack of his skull before the spattering of blood reaches me." This book had me shook! You get to the climax and you're like I can't believe that happened but wait there's more? I literally had my hand over my mouth as I read the ending. It was spooky and creepy the whole time and made my heart race. I didn't realize going into the book that it's a thriller. The summary was like secret and affair so I was lulled into expecting a tv drama but no it's a psychological thriller and it delivers.

My mom and my grandma also like this book so I bought us a physical copy for all of us to annotate in.

20. Bear, Otter and the Kid by T.J Klune (Kindle)

I remember this book has a found family and a queer relationship and that I loved it a lot. Other than that my notes say, "ripped my heart out near the end". I wasn't great at taking notes. I want to reread this but I'm a little hesitant to get wrapped up again because it is a series and that always feels like more of a commitment to me.

21. Finding Zach by Rowan Speedwell (Kindle Reread)

I pretty much reread this book every year. Apparently, I really like books about people returning home after being kidnapped. Off the top of my head, I have four books that fit that summary and another that takes place while the characters are being held captive.

22. Of Monsters and Madness by Jessica Verday (Kindle Return)

I have some mixed feels on this one. On one hand, I enjoyed all the literary references but it didn't really come together for me. There were aspects added near the end that felt like rushed afterthoughts.

23. The Woman in the Window by A.J Finn (Kindle)

I read this on my mom's rec and found it boring initially, but it's really good when it picks up. It's one of those, is the woman crazy or not (?) stories that I both love and am infuriated by. When this question was answered there was a twist I didn't see coming. It's also a decent movie on Netflix but I think the book is better.

24. Gutter Mind by K.A.Merikan 25. Their Bounty K.A. Merikan

I don't remember either of these very well but based on the fact that I didn't read any more by this author and then reread a couple books from the New Species Series I would guess they weren't my favorite. Plus I haven't reread them since and obviously, they weren't very memorable.

26. Valiant and 27. Obsidian by Laurann Dohner (Kindle Reread)

I like this series... Don't tell my mom.

28,29. A Man and his Cat 1 & 2 by Umi Sakurai (Unhauled)

This is an adorable manga about an older widowed man who adopted a cat and they share their lives together. I appreciated the younger guy who has a crush on him at his work.

30. A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (Kindle)

My only note on this read is, "love!"... So that's helpful. I guess I should reread it. I think this one is a series so if I want to read the rest of them I will have to reread the first one anyway.

31. If we were Villians by M.L Rio

32. Second read

I loved this book so much that I immediately reread it and began color-coding characters with tabs. I even went through my entire tab collection because I had to use certain colors so much. My favorite character was purple so he kept running out.

I don't know how to describe this book because so much of what I love about it is a feeling I don't know how to put into words. The ending is one I still think about because the author left it purposefully kind of open-ended with two options of what could have happened. My problem is the ending I want doesn't make as much sense for the character as the other ending does.

33. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson book 1) (Kindle Reread)

34. Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson book 2) Another reread I go back to almost yearly. This is probably my all-time favorite series which says something because I'm not great at sticking with series.

35. Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson book 3)

36. Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson book 4)

37. Silver Burn (Mercy Thompson book 5)

38. Book Love by Debbie Tung (Reread)

I reread this to see if I could give it to my sibling who liked it so much. While I enjoyed and found it adorable my sibling loved it a lot more so I let them have it.

39, 40. Lore and Lust 1 & 2 by Karla Nikole

This is a really good slow-burn vampire romance between two men. I love the characters. I love that they started out as friends before developing more. I appreciate how their communication about what they want is so clear. This has become a stable reread for me. I got both the first and the second book on my Kindle and then bought the first one as a physical book.

The second book focused on other characters more and I didn't like them as much as the original couple.

Apparently there's a third one! So I need to buy that and reread the whole series.

41. Changing with the Tides by Shelby Leigh (Reread)

I reread this to see if I could part with it and I could not. It's beautifully written and very relatable to me.

42. Beautiful Disaster (Kindle Reread)

Another I've reread and haven't reviewed.

This is one of those college romances where the girl changes a player. It's pretty cute because they're friends at first which is something I always appreciate. I think there's a second book that I read and it was turned into a movie.

43. Alice's Adventures Underground by Lewis Carrol

I collect editions of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and I loved the movies that Tim Burton did so I was excited to find this. It has background info and the very first draft in the author's handwriting. I was a little disappointed it lacked some of the elements I love including the Mad Hatter.

44. The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail (Kindle)

I originally read this on my Kindle but I loved it so much I bought the physical book as well. It describes friendship and affection so well. Sideways is an amazing character.

It kind of ends on a cliffhanger (if you hate that you've been warned) so I'm excited for the second book to come out (I checked the date it comes out and it's already out!)

45. Frog and Toad are doing their best A parody by Jennie Egerdie and Ellie Hajdo

This was such an awesome find. I love the frog and toad stories. This is so good, funny, and relatable. I love it.

46. Carnage by Sarah Bailey (Kindle Return)

This is another example of TikTok made me do it. There were some kinks/fetishes in here that personally do not appeal to me. I struggled to get to the end, mainly so that I could count it as read. I can't imagine ever recommending this to someone. No shame if anyone likes it but it's not my thing.

47. Wicked Vol. 1 by Gregory Maguire (Unhaul)

There were quite a few red flags (literally, I used red tabs) in this book for me. It follows the whole life of a character I couldn't connect to and the ending made it all feel pointless. I anotated it as i went to gift back to my partner who got it for me.

48. The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag (Graphic Novel)

Morgan Kwon is a teenage girl living on Wulneff Island where she kisses a selkie named Keltie after a near-death experience. The kiss lets Keltie walk on land but no one knows Morgan is gay. She's navigating her parent's divorce, friends a secret sexuality and just being a teenager which I think we can all agree is difficult in itself.

I love the art style, especially the thick and cute selkies.

49. The Healer by Sharon Sala (Kindle Reread)

This is another book I reread pretty much every year.

50. Selected Poems of Emily Dickinson

I wasn't able to connect to these poems as I've been able to with other collections of Emily Dickinson's work that I've read. I liked some parts but not as much as I thought I would.

51. Hannah's War by Jan Eliasberg

I forgot to review this book and that I even read it until I found it.

The cover is gorgeous and sparkly which is what drew me to the book originally. After reading the summary I was excited that it took place in a time in history that I've been researching for a while but I didn't find the story interesting. I don't remember much about it other than I didn't like it.

2022 (45)

1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

It's gay. It's Greek mythology. The ending is the kind of bittersweet that makes your chest ache but I had somewhat of an idea that it was coming. It's easier to follow if you have some background on Greek myths but it's not impossible.

2. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

I would have read this book in one sitting if it weren't for the neck pain and needs for survival.

I could tell while I was reading that it was likely going to be my new favorite book when I was done. Endings can really change how you feel about the book so I was holding hope that I would still love it at the end and I was relieved and thankful when I did.

3. Alice in Tumblr-Land by Tim Manley

Cinderella gets crocks and a camera, Rapunzel buzzes her hair and gets a girlfriend, Mulan transitions into Ping and Chicken Little takes Xanax.

Another Tiktok rec. I love a good fairy tale retelling with a modern twist. This book has a bit of everyone with illustrations. I love the queer representation.

4. There's a Ghost in this House by Oliver Jeffers

This is a super cute and unique children's book. I loved the hidden ghosts. It's a bit awkwardly sized for my bookshelf so it's kind of hanging out next to it for now.

5. Circe by Madeline Miller

This follows the life of Circe. That's about all I remember. I must have liked it enough to keep it.

6. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (Kindle)

I'm a huge fan of the Netflix show which is why I got this book on Kindle but I have to say I found it very disappointing. There were similarities including names such as Eleanor Vance, Theodora, Dr. Montague, the Dudleys, and several quotes. But the paranormal aspects of the house were very much lacking. There were cold spots, doors closing, some banging on walls, and Eleanor had a bit of a mental breakdown but nothing compared to the show. This is maybe the one time I'll say the movie is better than the book.

7. They went Left by Monica Hesse

"The ending broke my heart." I took very thorough notes. This is another book about the holocaust for my research.

8. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (Kindle)

A good short read if you need to boost your numbers for the year and pretty similar to the movie.

9. Milk and Vine by Adam Gasiewski and Emily Beck

This is a parody of Rupi Kaur's book, Milk and Honey (an amazing read) full of vines and illustrations. I found it charming and funny. As you can imagine it's a short read but I think it would be good to get a reader out of a reading rut.

10. T-Rex Tries Again by Hugh Murphy (Third book)

Funny, Cute, and dinosaurs! This is what a lot of my reviews have come down to. Short and sweet. I love this series

11. Address Unknown by Kat Kressman Taylor

Another short read at under one hundred pages. Written in the form of letters between business partners Max, a Jewish man in San Francisco and Martin, who moved back to Germany. After Martin fails to protect Max's sister, Giselle, Max continues writing against Martin's warnings that receiving letters from him could have dire consequences. The book ends when Max receives, "Address Unknown". Which was an ending I did not expect.

12,13. Lust and Lore Karla Nikole (Reread see above)

14. John Dies at the End by Jason Pargin/ David Wong (Kindle)

I don't wanna talk about it.

15. Finding Zach by Rowan Speedwell (Kindle Reread see above)

16. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

This is another short read under one hundred pages composed of letters between a book lover in America and booksellers in Britain between the years 1949-1969. I found it lovely and charming.

17. Rumble Buttercup by Matthew Gray Gubler

This short read was written (by hand!) and illustrated by MGG who I'm a fan of so I was excited to read and add this to my bookshelf. It was a little longer than I expected and was divided by chapters.

18, 19. Lore of Olympus V1 & 2

If you don't know about this series... Where have you been? It started as a series on Webtoon so the glow-up is real because now it's physical books you can buy.

I'm a long-time fan of Greek Mythology so I was excited when it started appearing in bookstores. It's the story of Persephone and Hades in a more modern-day setting. So there's facebook, texting, cursing, strip clubs and orgies (or references to it) so not for a younger audience.

The art and colors are absolutely gorgeous! I can't even imagine how long it took to make.

20. In Deeper Water by Lukens

I asked for this book for Christmas due to the cover and the GAY! It's kind of a better Little Mermaid story with two boys. I liked that it wasn't treated as a big deal that Tal had a crush on a boy. The whole thing is adorable and it has a good ending although it has you worried for a bit.

21-28. Blood and Midnight, Malice, Madness, Magick by Sarah Pipe (Kindle)

I came across the rec on spicy TikTok. It's a reverse haram with a witch, fear demon, fae and gargoyle shapeshifter. That's all I'm gonna say about it because my mom reads this. And yes, I did read the series twice.

29. The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher

A woman goes to her grandma's house to clear it out after her passing and learns she was a hoarder. While going through the house she finds a journal her step-grandpa kept where he wrote about weird stuff that happened in the area. I liked the idea of a hoarder house because I like the descriptions of stuff. I also liked the dog who was kind of anthropomorphized. It lost me at some parts but overall I liked it

There was a totally terrifying moment that plays into a worry that I've had since I was a kid because my bed has always been next to a window. I don't know if anyone else was afraid something terrifying would appear in their window but I sure was.

30. Desperately Seeking Bowie (Stolen by Brother)

I love David Bowie and was excited to see this at Pride this year. As you can see the book is pink which is my least favorite color and the set up as well as the read of the book felt amateur. It also uses the phrase. "creative juices" which is an ick for me but even worse it uses the term "transvestites" which isn't something the trans community uses anymore. They should have done their research on that. On the plus side, I didn't know Bowie, "Loved bookstores". So there's that and the Bowie theme that keeps this from tilting into complete dislike for me.

31. Inheritance by Elizabeth Acevedo (Author), Andrea Pippins (Illustrator)

I love the concept of a, "visual poem" and I think hair is an important topic. I relate to not having society-approved hair as mine is curly.

32, 33. My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

An immediate reread from me is a definite sign that I liked this book.

34. A House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

I first read this book in my Freshman year of high school for my English class and have been thinking about rereading it. I was presented with the perfect opportunity when I me someone who's work reminded me of it. So I noted it and gave it to them.

35,36. The Healer by Sharon Sala (Reread)

37. Dinosaur Therapy by James Stewart and K. Romey

This is a super cute and funny comic with dinosaurs.

38. Neon Gods by Katee Roberts

Let's just say this is a sexy twist on the Hades and Persephone story and leave it that because (have I mentioned?) my mom reads this blog.

39. Things We Don't Talk About Pandora Owl

My best friend got me this for my birthday but I think I found it originally on TikTok. This is the first self-published book of poetry written from 2014-2019. Each poem had the date it was written which I found cool and not something I've seen much before. Reading this felt like reading my own old poetry which was kind of a weird feeling to have about someone else's writing. Sometimes I've thought, "I wish I had written that." but this time it was more like de ja vu. There were many poems I related to.

40. The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

I picked up this book in the tiny horror section of Barnes and Noble out of a need to find something to leave the store with. Like the first book of Kingfisher that I read, I have mixed feelings about this book. I really liked the quirky but real-world sections of the book and found the other world the main character finds through a hole in the wall almost too bizarre to enjoy. This book like the other takes place in an interesting museum of stuff. This time, 'museum' is literal. I love the way the author includes lists and descriptions of the main character's belongings and the things in the museum. It gives a sense of visual clutter and maximalism which I enjoy and don't often see in books.

41. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the title. And then the fact that it's a graphic novel which my sibling was into at the time. Because it is about a person growing up and discovering their identity there is some sexual content in it which my sibling is not really a fan of so I read it with the intent to censor it so that they can read it. I think I gave up because there was so much I would need to censor but I may go back and try again because my partner's kid is also into graphic novels right now.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. The art is awesome and the writing does a great job of capturing what growing up is like. At least it felt accurate to me but I'm also Gender Queer. I'm curious if gender-conforming people also find things to relate to in this story.