Book Review: We Deserve Monuments, by Jas Hammonds

I don't read as much Young Adult Literature these days, but I'm glad I chose We Deserve Monuments. 

In the interest of time and clarity I'll copy the description here because I think it does a better job than I can at describing the main plot ideas:

Seventeen-year-old Avery Anderson is convinced her senior year is ruined when she's uprooted from her life in DC and forced into the hostile home of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. The tension between Avery’s mom and Mama Letty makes for a frosty arrival and unearths past drama they refuse to talk about. Every time Avery tries to look deeper, she’s turned away, leaving her desperate to learn the secrets that split her family in two.

While tempers flare in her avoidant family, Avery finds friendship in unexpected places: in Simone Cole, her captivating next-door neighbor, and Jade Oliver, daughter of the town’s most prominent family―whose mother’s murder remains unsolved.

As the three girls grow closer―Avery and Simone’s friendship blossoming into romance―the sharp-edged opinions of their small southern town begin to hint at something insidious underneath. The racist history of Bardell, Georgia is rooted in Avery’s family in ways she can’t even imagine. With Mama Letty's health dwindling every day, Avery must decide if digging for the truth is worth toppling the delicate relationships she's built in Bardell―or if some things are better left buried.

We Deserve Monuments gave me a lot of "feels." The teen romance was sweet, although the realities of a lesbian relationship are also apparent. Mama Letty was a great character, and I must admit I shed a tear for her (which is unusual for me.) The mystery aspect didn't intrigue me as much, but still added to the story. 

YA reads are usually quick, and We Deserve Monuments is no exception. So if you are in the market for a brand-new YA story, you should pick this one up. But you don't need to take my word. It is a current bestseller.

Published by Roaring Book Press, November 29, 2022
eARC obtained from Edelweiss+ and NetGalley
384 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

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Audiobook Review: Razorblade Tears, by S. A. Cosby

 

Razorblade Tears deserves all the accolades it has received. I was enthralled by this book.

Usually, I talk about the narration at the end of the review, but the audio version made such a difference in my enjoyment. The narrator, Adam Lazarre-White, made the voices so distinct. The accents added authenticity but didn't make the narration difficult to understand. I highly recommend the audio version.

The story is a difficult one -- so to use "enjoy" seems a bit strange when experiencing such an uncomfortable tale. Two married gay men (one is white, the other black) are brutally murdered. Their fathers - who hadn't been able to accept their sons' way of life -- decide to find the killers after the police give up on solving the case.

Both of the fathers have spent time in prison and had been violent offenders. One of them, Ike, had given up this past life and made a name for himself by owning a successful landscaping company. The other, Billy Lee, doesn't have much left so has nothing to lose.

Both of these men feel the need to avenge the deaths of their sons to prove their love since they didn't do a very good job of showing it while they were alive.

There is quite a bit of violence as they tear their way through the awful people who would commit such a heinous crime. It is interesting to see how these men, from such different belief systems, come together and even become friends as they mete out their vengeance.

The characters are interesting, the writing is compelling, and the pace is excellent. I would highly recommend Razorblade Tears, especially the audio version. But don't take my word for it. Everyone else seems to love this book too.

Published by Flatiron Books, 2021, MacMillan Audio
Audiobook obtained from libro.fm
336 pages

Rating: 5/5

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Book Review: The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher

I enjoyed The Paris Bookseller very much. It's not my usual read, and I'm not sure where I got the recommendation. But I'm glad I read it.

The Paris Bookseller is Sylvia Beach, an actual historical figure. Sylvia moves to Paris in the 1910s, mostly because it is a more tolerant environment for a lesbian. She ends up opening a bookstore, Shakespeare and Company, which is the first in Paris to sell English books. She gains quite a clientele of ex-pats, including famous names such as Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway.

James Joyce becomes one of Sylvia's best friends and when his book, Ulysses, is banned in the United States, Sylvia decides Shakespeare and Company should publish it. Sylvia works very hard and sacrifices much to see this book published.

The story moves slowly but is written well, so I enjoyed getting to know Sylvia intimately. She also develops a romance that gets her through many trials.  I enjoyed getting to experience Paris during the twenties and into the thirties, with the difficulties of the Depression. I wanted to know about Ulysses and even read the first three (of eighteen) sections. It is very "stream of conscious" and contains so many allegories that I didn't understand that I quit. I get the idea, although didn't read enough to understand why it was banned.

It helped me to know that The Paris Bookseller is basically a true story. Only a few characters are fictional. Everything that happens really happened, although the timeline was altered slightly in a few spots. Beach is a fascinating character, flaws and all. Honestly, I'm not sure I would have been very interested in this book if it weren't based in truth.

If you are at all interested in Sylvia Beach or the Paris literary scene during the 20s, pick up The Paris Bookseller.

Published by Berkley, January 11, 2022
eARC obtained from NetGalley
336 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

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Book Review: Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan

Keep This to Yourself surprised me. And that's a good thing in a mystery.

It has been a year since The Catalog Killer terrorized the seaside town of Camera Cove, killing four people including a teenager, Connor. Mac and three other kids from the same neighborhood were friends with Connor since they were very young. Now they are graduating from high school and still very much missing Connor.

Mac, in particular, is having a difficult time.  The killer was never caught but is believed to be a drifter that left the area. Mac decides to open a bag of comic books that Connor left him on the day he was killed. Mac hasn't been able to look at them. Now, when he opens the bag, he finds a note from Connor asking him to meet him that night. Mac feels guilty -- maybe he could have saved Connor from the murderer? Mac takes the note to the police but doesn't get any reassurance that it will help them find the serial killer, who left a picture from a catalog with each of his victims.

This begins Mac's determination to begin his own investigation into what happened to Connor and the other victims.

The story has many twists, as Mac finds little clues that cause him to change his mind several times about who the killer might be. He teams up with the cousin of another victim, Quill, who also wants to find out what happened. Quill also provides the romantic aspect of the plot. Mac also gets some assistance from Connor's other friends.

Mac is homosexual and the relationship is cute, well done, and doesn't overpower the plot. It is nice that both sets of parents are totally supportive of their sons. The writing is easy to read, and the plot moves quickly making this appropriate for younger teens.

I was totally blindsided by the eventual revelation of the killer.  Well done, Mr. Ryan! Teen mystery fans will enjoy this one very much.

Published by AW Teen, May 21, 2019
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
320 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Audiobook Review: This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel

This is How it Always Is is a thought-provoking, beautifully written story about a transgender child and the family surrounding her.

Frankel does  a good job setting the stage for the family dynamics and their background before the birth of their fifth child, Claude, who joined four brothers. At the age of three, Claude told his parents that when he grows up he wants to be a girl.

Claude always prefers wearing dresses and other trappings of little girls, including fairy wings. When Claude starts school, he tries to fit in as a boy, but every day when he gets home, he changes into his preferred clothes. His parents are very supportive -- maybe too supportive. When things get difficult, they move to Seattle, uprooting the entire family for the sake of Claude. In Seattle, they keep a secret. Claude becomes Poppy, and everyone is happy except for Poppy's older brother who was torn from a school and activities and friends that he loved. He never recovered.

But of course, things get complicated as Poppy grows up, and no matter how supportive you are, as parents you realize life is not going to be easy for Poppy.

The language is descriptive and the characterizations make you feel like these people are your neighbors. The pacing is on the slow side, but the narrator helped make that okay. I really enjoyed the audio version, and as I often say, I'm not sure I would have persevered if I were reading the print copy. But maybe I would have.  Because I really liked the way This is How it Always Is is written. Apparently Frankel writes from personal experience, and it shows.

Anyway, I'm going to recommend this to a bunch of people. I have a lot of teacher/social worker/counselor/psychologist friends that will enjoy it. Not that I think those are the only people that would. This is How it Always Is will make you think about these people and their place in society like never before. I love a book that makes you think.

Published by Flatiron, 2017, Macmillan Audio
Audiobook obtained from the library
336 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Book Review: I Have Lost My Way, by Gayle Forman @gayleforman ‏

I had heard that I Have Lost My Way is told backward, and I was skeptical. (Seems like a "thing" lately.) I shouldn't have worried.  Forman skillfully uses flashbacks to tell the backstory, and it flows seamlessly.

Freya is one of our main characters.  She's a budding pop star, who has lost her voice.  She's feeling a lot of pressure from her manager and her mother. She's estranged from her sister, so when she sees a Facebook post that her sister is engaged, she kind of loses it.

Actually, she falls off a bridge in a park and lands on Nathaniel, who has just arrived in New York.  Harun is the bystander who sees it all and comes to help.  Freya and Harun decide that Nathaniel needs to see a doctor since he passed out and is very confused.

This begins a story of a special relationship, as these three bond very quickly and don't seem to want to leave each other.  Even though they all have other plans.  The reader discovers these plans slowly, through glimpses of the past leading up to this chance meeting. I didn't even realize until the end that this story takes place all in one day.  But what a huge day for these characters.

These three exemplify the title of the book -- they have all lost their way. Can they help each other to find their way back? Well, you'll have to read it.

 Foreman hasn't disappointed her teen fans. They will love I Have Lost My Way.

Published by Viking BFYR, March 27, 2018
eARC obtained from NetGalley
272 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

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Book Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is a super cute contemporary romance that I enjoyed more than I thought I would.

Simon is gay, but he hasn't come out to anyone.  He's having an ongoing email conversation with a guy who is called Blue, but Simon doesn't know his true identity.  So much of the story is Simon trying to figure out who this guy is that he has a huge crush on.  And they go to the same high school. Many conversations are about coming out -- and when, and to who -- as well as Simon pushing Blue to reveal his identity.

Simon has a great circle of friends and he's also involved in the theater at school. He accidentally leaves a school computer logged in, and one of the kids at school, Marty, sees his emails.  Marty has a crush on one of Simon's friends, Abby, so Marty basically blackmails Simon.  He wants Simon to arrange for Marty to get together with Abby. If he does, then Marty will keep Simon's secret.

Everything blows up -- in many ways -- for Simon. But eventually, this is a happy story that leaves you with a warm feeling in your heart. As far as the LGBT aspect, this story was a natural, cute romance.  I don't like it when these stories feel contrived to include gender nonconforming teens. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda did not feel like that.  Simon and the other characters are teens just like any others, with stressors just like many of them.

The only thing I found a bit over the top was the fact that Simon could be so in love with a guy just by reading his emails.  Especially when there is so much they can't say to each other, lest they reveal their identities. Maybe I'm just too old to remember what it's like to be a teen.  Perhaps it isn't unrealistic for them.

I'm picky about my YA romances, and I enjoyed Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda a lot. I'm sure many more of my teens will pick it up after Love, Simon the movie, releases on March 16.

Published by Balzer + Bray, 2015
Copy obtained from the library
303 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Book Review: The Inexplicable Logic of My Life, by Benjamin Alire Saenz @BenjaminAlireSa

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life is about the characters.  It is a "coming-of-age" story.  And it's a good one.  I don't tend to enjoy these books as much, but when done well, I can appreciate it.

Sal is our narrator. He's the adopted white son of a single Mexican father who is gay.  His father knew his biological mother and was there when Sal was born.  His grandmother has been very close to Sal, kind of substituting for his mother.

Sal's best friend is a neighbor girl, Samantha.  She has grown up with a single mother who hasn't always been there for her. Fito is another friend who is trying to be successful even though his mother is a drug addict.

These three kids are trying to navigate their way through their senior year of high school.  Sal isn't sure he wants to go to college yet, and his father is pressuring him to get that application essay finished.  All three of the teens will suffer tragedy in their lives. They lean on each other and mostly on Sal's dad, who is a gem.

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life takes a profound look at the family.  Sal is exceptionally lucky, especially in contrast to his friends, to have his dad and his extended family.  Even though he wonders about his mom and his biological father, he learns to appreciate what he has. He isn't perfect, though.  Lately, it seems like his fists have a mind of their own, and Sal is having a hard time dealing with his anger appropriately.  He learns that sometimes he's not the only one dealing with difficult issues, his dad needs Sal's support too.

The friendships are genuine.  Fito isn't a teen that would normally be in this circle, but Sal recognizes something special in him and brings him in. Don't expect a romance.  Samantha and Sal's relationship is based on nothing more that true friendship, and neither of them ever consider each other as a romantic interest.  Kind of refreshing.

It is a moving story.  It kept me interested. although at times I felt it was a bit drawn out. Teens who may be feeling the pressures of life (and most of them are) will find something valuable in The Inexplicable Logic of My Life.

Published by Clarion, March 7, 2017
eARC obtained from NetGalley
464 pages

Rating: 4/5

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