Book Review: The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott

Title: The Secrets We Kept

Author: Lara Prescott

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction

Pages: 368

Publisher: Knopf

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook (Own It)

"A thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice- the real-life story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with propaganda, but with the greatest love story of the twentieth Doctor Zhivago. 

At the height of the Cold War, two secretaries are pulled out of the typing pool at the CIA and given the assignment of a lifetime. Their to smuggle Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR, where no one dares publish it, and help Pasternak's magnum opus make its way into print around the world. Glamorous and sophisticated Sally Forrester is a seasoned spy who has honed her gift for deceit all over the world- using her magnetism and charm to pry secrets out of powerful men. Irina is a complete novice, and under Sally's tutelage quickly learns how to blend in, make drops and invisibly ferry classified documents.

The Secrets We Kept combines a legendary literary love story- the decades-long affair between Pasternak and his mistress and muse, Olga Ivinskaya, who was sent to the Gulag and inspired Zhivago's heroine, Lara- with a narrative about two women empowered to lead lives of extraordinary intrigue and risk. From Pasternak's country estate outside Moscow to the brutalities of the Gulag, from Washington, DC, to Paris and Milan, The Secrets We Kept captures a watershed moment in the history of literature- told with soaring emotional intensity and captivating historical detail. And at the centre of this unforgettable debut is the powerful belief that a piece of art can change the world."

My Rating: 2/5

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it. It was so middle of the line. I found parts of it intriguing, but it never really went as far as I hoped it would. It touched on so many things, but then left so much to be desired. I really wish that it had been more nitty-gritty in some areas and less about the mistress's perspective. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing

Title: My Lovely Wife

Author: Samantha Downing

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Thriller, Adult Fiction

Pages: 390

Publisher: Berkley Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"A couple's fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting...

Our love story is simple. I met a gorgeous woman. We fell in love. We had kids. We moved to the suburbs. We told each other our biggest dreams, and our darkest secrets. And then we got bored.

We look like a normal couple. We're your neighbors, the parents of your kid's friend, the acquaintances you keep meaning to get dinner with.

We all have secrets to keeping a marriage alive.

Ours just happens to be getting away with murder."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This is the story of a couple, a romantic, terrifying, confusing couple. Our main characters are dark, twisted and a stereotype that we see in the suburban family life. They are even more than meets the eye, or meets the reader. The setting was basic, but with the background context, creepy. I did enjoy the fact that we as readers seemed in the know for much longer than some of our other characters. That being said, it did remind me a bit too much of some other psychological thrillers I've read and/or watched. 

Sidny

Book Review: Wreck & Ruin by Emma Slate

Title: Wreck & Ruin

Author: Emma Slate

Series/Standalone: Tarnished Angels Motorcycle Club (Book #1)

Genre: Dark Romance, Biker, Adult Fiction,

Pages: 466

Publisher: Tabula Rasa Publishing

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"My life is boring. Monotonous.

And then tall, dark and dangerous walks into the bar where I work

Before I know it, I'm in his arms, asking him to rescue me.

He's Colt Weston, President of the Tarnished Angels MC.

Colt makes me feel alive... and wanted.

The Tarnished Angels embrace me as one of their own, and when a violent rival threatens to tear us apart, I learn what loyalty truly means.

Family. Sacrifice. Revenge.

There's nothing Colt won't do to protect me."

My Rating: 4/5

As far as motorcycle clubs go, I have only ever really consumed some of Sons of Anarchy as my media understanding of this. But this gave similar vibes to that mixed with dark romance (LORDS series). I liked the characters and the plot; the narration was also super fun, and the spice was good. The writing wasn't my favourite, but the storyline was worth it. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

Title: The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper

Author: Hallie Rubenhold

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Nonfiction, History, True Crime

Pages: 352

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary-Jane are famous for the same thing, though they never met. They came from Fleet Street, Knightsbridge, Wolverhampton, Sweden and Wales. They wrote ballads, ran coffee houses, lived on country estates, they breathed ink-dust from printing presses and escaped people-traffickers.

What they had in common was the year of their murders: 1888.

Their murderer was never identified, but the name created for him by the press has become far more famous than any of these five women.

In this devastating narrative of five lives, historian Hallie Rubenhold finally gives these women back their stories."

My Rating: 5/5

This was a different take on everything I'd heard about this story. Learning about the victims, their lives and how their lives were misconstrued due to the white male Victorian gaze. The fact that these women's lives were scandalized, and misrepresented. The idea that people who were down on their luck were all prostitutes has prevailed in the current narrative, and it's still believed. While it was depressing and sad, it was also informative and made me wonder what else has been plastered over with the historical view of the times.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

Title: The Testaments

Author: Margaret Atwood

Series/Standalone: The Handmaid's Tale Series (Book #2)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Dystopian, Feminism 

Pages: 422

Publisher: Nan. A. Talese

Year Published: 2019

Format: Hardcover Copy (Library)

"When the van door slammed on Offred's future at the end of The Handmaid's Tale, readers had no way of telling what lay ahead of her- freedom, prison or death.

With The Testament, the wait is over.

Margaret Atwood's sequel picks up the story more than fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.

In this brilliant sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, acclaimed author Margaret Atwood answers the questions that have tantalized readers for decades.

'Dear Readers: Everything you've ever asked me about Gilead and it's inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we've been living in.' - Margaret Atwood"

My Rating: 4.25/5

This was not what I expected from the second book in this duology. The different perspectives, the different narratives and an inner look at how Gilead became what it was in the first book. I also didn't expect to see the specific characters we heard about. While it answers a lot of questions, I was hoping to see the direct fallout of the narration and the fall of Gilead overall. That being said, it doesn't appear to be Margaret Atwood's style to write the dystopian rebellion stereotype. I can respect that. If more were to come from this series, I would certainly read on. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: You Must Not Miss by Katrina Leno

Title: You Must Not Miss

Author: Katrina Leno

Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Magical Realism

Pages: 304

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook (Library Copy)

"Magpie Lewis started writing in her yellow notebook the day her family self-destructed. That was the night Eryn, Magpie's sister, skipped town and left her to fend for herself. That was the night of Brandon Phipp's party.

Now, Magpie is called a slut whenever she walks down the hallways of her high school, her former best friend won't speak to her, and she spends her lunch period with a group of misfits who've all been socially exiled like she has. And so, feeling trapped and forgotten, Magpie retreats to her notebook, dreaming up a place called Near.

Near is perfect- somewhere where her father never cheated, her mother never drank and Magpie's own life never derailed so suddenly. She imagines Near so completely, so fully, that she writes it into existence, right in her own backyard. It's a place where she can have anything she wants... even revenge."

My Rating: 2/5

This wasn't what I expected from this novel, which was my own fault. If I had done any research about this book, I would have read that there were elements of magical realism. For me, that is either a real hit or a real miss. I'm guessing you can see which one it was for me. This book felt long for me and just didn't have the momentum I was hoping for. I would be curious to read more work by the author, but if this is her normal writing style, I can't guarantee no DNFS.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Internment by Samina Ahmed

Title: Internment

Author: Samina Ahmed

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia, Realistic Fiction

Pages: 386

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Rebellions are built on hope.

Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens.

With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the internment camp's Director and his guards.

Heart-racing and emotional, Internment challenges readers to fight complicit silence that exists in our society today."

My Rating: 5/5

This had been on my tbr for a while, and when my hold came up on Libby, I decided now was as good a time as any to read it. I recalled hearing that some people felt this was unrealistic, and for those people, I have news: read this now and tell me it doesn't ring true to a lot of things going on in America currently. There were interactions that felt a little unrealistic, but it doesn't change anything about the plot line itself. I would recommend it definetly is reading less dystopian, and more realistic fiction as time goes on. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: Daisy Jones & The Six

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary

Pages: 368

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Everyone knows DAISY JONES & THE SIX, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity... until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it's the rock 'n' roll she loves most. BY the time she's twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she's pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Bill goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly, capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice."

My Rating: 5/5

I listened to the audiobook of this novel, and it was absolutely excellent. I love Taylor Jenkins Reid's ability to pull you in and make you feel like you want to see all the things that the famous person has been in previously. I'm grateful that when reading this, the show had been produced (not that I'll watch the show), but this means that there are some songs that helped me fully immerse myself in the story. The twists, the turns, and the different voice actors make for a great atmosphere.

Can't wait to read more of her novels in the Reidverse.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Huntress by Kate Quinn

Title: The Huntress

Author: Kate Quinn

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult

Pages: 560

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted...

Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis attack the Soviet Union, she risks everything to join the legendary Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on the invading Germans. When she is stranded behind enemy lines, Nina becomes the prey of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, and only Nina's bravery and cunning will keep her alive.

Transformed by the horrors he witnessed from Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials, British war correspondent Ian Graham has become a Nazi hunter. yet one target eludes him: a vicious predator known as the Huntress. To find her, the fierce, disciplined investigator joins forces with the only witness to escape the Huntress alive: the brazen, cocksure Nina. But a shared secret could derail their mission unless Ian and Nina force themselves to confront it.

Growing up in post-war Boston, seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride is determined to become a photographer. When her long-widowed father unexpectedly comes home with a new fiancee, Jordan is thrilled. But there is something disconcerting about the soft-spoken German widow. Certain that danger is lurking. Jordan begins to delve into her new stepmother's past- only to discover that there are mysteries buried deep in her family... secrets that may threaten all Jordan holds dear."

My Rating: 4/5

This was such a great historical fiction read. Th different perspectives really added to the overall plot, and watching how each piece tied together fed the intrigue. I would highly recommend it, especially as an audiobook. The end itself was a bit predictable, but I have found that when it's historical fiction (if you know the history) most of the time that is the case. I look forward to reading more from the author soon.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Title: The Family Upstairs

Author: Lisa Jewell

Series/Standalone: The Family Upstairs Duology (Book #1)

Genre: Thriller, Adult Fiction, Mystery

Pages: 340

Publisher: Audiobook

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she's been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.

She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London's fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby's life is about to change. But what she can't possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well- and she is on a collision course to meet them.

Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone. 

The can't-look-away story of three entangled families living in a house with the darkest of secrets."

My Rating: 4.5/5

This was so close to a five stars for me. I always enjoy reading a book that has a culty style setting. It's something that I find very interesting to read about. The author does a wonderful job of writing an atmospheric telling of both the past and the present. I enjoyed the different p.o.v.s but I thought that the ending wrapped up a little too neatly for a thriller/mystery. I do plan on reading the second book, but I'm not sure how the author is going to draw out the thrilling aspect even more.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 7

Title: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 7

Author: Shuzo Oshimi

Series/Standalone: Blood on the Tracks (Volume 7)

Genre: Manga, Adult, Horror

Pages: 224

Publisher: Vertical Comics

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Shigeru has finally awakened from the coma he's been in since Seiko pushed home off the cliff- but he remembers nothing of the incident, nor does he even recognize his assailant. Rather than setting Seiko's mind at ease, however, this only serves to disturb her further.

Meanwhile, Seiichi is determined to keep his promise to his mother- with devastating consequences for everyone around him."

My Rating: 4/5

The suspense in this volume was definitely higher. I felt like I was on edge the whole time reading it. The art style and the pacing are perfect for binge-reading.

Sidny

Review: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 6

Title: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 6

Author: Shuzo Oshimi

Series/Standalone: Blood on the Tracks (Vol. 6)

Genre: Adult, Manga, Horror

Pages: 224

Publisher: Vertical Comics

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Beset by mental images of his mother, Seiichi flees from Fukiishi's embrace and returns home. Safety and reconciliation aren't the only things that await him there, however.

The Osabes have become one big happy family again... but at what cost?

Shuzo Oshimi's masterfully nuanced tale of familial horror continues to tighten its grip on the minds of its characters and readers alike."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This one was also just ok. it had a cliffhanger that was better than the previous volume but there didn't seem to be quite as much build-up as I wanted from the first few volumes. Again i will be binging as many of these as I can get my hands on this month.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny 

Review: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 5

Title: Blood on the Tracks Volume 5

Author: Shuzo Oshimi

Series/Standalone: Blood on the Tracks (Volume 5)

Genre: Manga, Adult, Horror

Pages: 232

Publisher: Vertical Comics

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback (Library)

"Encouraged by Fukiishi to stand up for himself, Seiichi exploded in a moment of rage, telling his mother Seiko, "I don't need you"- the first rebellious act of his young life. Now Fukiishi has offered him sanctuary in her room, hidden from her father and away from the watchful eyes of his own parents. But as Seiichi fumbles towards sexual awakening, his mother's spectre is never far from his mind...

Shuzo Oshimi's masterwork of psychological terror continues, as Seiichi struggles to navigate the tangled web of his competing emotions.

Meanwhile, Seiko's desperate search for her son brings her to Fukiishi's doorstep...."

My Rating: 3/5

This volume was just ok. Still unsettling and uncomfortable... obviously but not in the same way as previous volumes. I will continue on with the series but it just wasn't as good as some of the previous ones that I had read.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

Title: Wicked Saints

Author: Emily A. Duncan

Series/Standalone: Something Dark and Holy (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pages: 385

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook (Own Hardcover)

"Some stories are so beautiful, so brutal, that they claw at your heart and refuse to let go. Welcome to the world of Wicked Saints- an epic, passionate novel that you won't soon forget. Prepare to meet:

A GIRL named Nadya, who hears the whisper of the gods inside her head. 

A PRINCE surrounded by desperate suitors and deadly assassins. 

A MONSTER hidden behind pale, tortured eyes- and a smile that cuts like a knife.

The paths of these three characters become entwined during a centuria-long war filled with sinners and saints, magic and mystery, and a star-crossed romance that threatens to tip the scales between dark and light... forever."

My Rating: 5/5

I would like to note that my thoughts on this book are not my thoughts on the author. When I read this book I didn't realize how controversial this author is. I don't agree with the actions she has taken this review is fully based on her work that I read. 

I really enjoyed this high fantasy-style story and I loved the characters. I think that this author played on a trope that I really enjoyed, two love interests that fill the tropes I enjoy. I also enjoyed the idea of the different magic systems. There were some plot points that I assume would be filled in the next book (I have not decided whether or not I am reading the next in the series). I enjoyed the excerpts from the Book of Saints, and I found that the audiobook was a great way to consume this story. I would recommend picking up the audiobook is your local library has a copy.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey

Title: Fix Her Up

Author: Tessa Bailey

Series/Standalone: Hot & Hammered Series (Book #1)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Smut

Pages: 400

Publisher: Avon

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"A brand new romantic comedy from New York Times bestseller Tessa Bailey!

Georgette Castle's family runs the best home renovations business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven't taken her seriously since. Frankly, she's over it. Georgie loves planning children's birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She's determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World... whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (FYI, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn't been on a date since, well ever. Nobody's asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that's for sure. Maybe if people think she's having a steamy love affair, they'll acknowledge she's not just the 'little sister' who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball's hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he's flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can't even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his.... bat. And then there's Georgie, his best friend's sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme- that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job- he agrees. What's the harm? It's not like it's real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there's nothing fake about how much he wants her...."

My Rating: 4/5

I really enjoyed this story. I think the whole small town and best friend's younger sister trope was perfect. I have loved the two things that I have read from Tessa Bailey so far and I'm on a roll. I love how unique her characters are and the tropes that she is writing with. So far so good. The smut in this was pretty good as well. If you're looking for a hot summer read, and haven't read this (I don't know if you exist because I'm late to the party) pick it up.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Surviving the City Vol. 1

Title: Surviving the City Vol. 1

Author: Tasha Spillet

Artist(s): Natasha Donovan

Series/Standalone: Surviving the City Series (Volume 1)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, 

Pages: 56

Publisher: HighWater Press

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback Copy (Library Copy)

"Tasha Spillett's graphic novel debut, Surviving the City, is a story about womanhood, friendship, colonialism, and the anguish of a missing loved one. Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Miikwan is Anishinaabe; Dez is inninew. Together, the teens navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape- they're so close, they even completed their Berry Fast together. However, when Dez's grandmother becomes too sick, Dez is told she can't stay with her anymore. With the threat of a group home looming, Dez can't bring herself to go home and disappears. Miikwan is devastated, and the wound of her missing mother resurfaces. Will Dez's community find her before it's too late? Will Miikwan be able to cope if they don't?"

My Rating: 5/5

This is a coming-of-age story set in the city I currently live in (I believe) and it focuses on more than just becoming a teen in the city, but how racism affects our main characters throughout their life. It deals with serious and important issues. I hope this story reaches those who need it and helps members of the community feel seen. Although that will never be enough, being seen and taking action to correct current and past wrongs is a responsibility we all have. 

I would strongly recommend it. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Fix the World by Joe Henderson

Title: Fix the World

Author: Joe Henderson

Series/Standalone: Skyward Series (Volume 3)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Graphic Novel

Pages: 136

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Willa's faced terrifying storms, giant man-eating bugs, a deadly rebellion and a whole lot of heartbreak, but nothing can prepare her for this. It's time for Willa to fulfil her father's last request. Time to fix the world. But a revelation will rock Willa to her core and test her in ways she never imagined possible."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This series is such a fast, fun read. I would recommend just binge read these back to back. They're fun, fast-paced and enjoyable. I liked the art style immensely and the plot was just ok. Overall I think that this series was fun, but it wasn't earth-shattering for me. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Here There Be Dragonflies

Title: Here There Be Dragonflies

Author: Joe Henderson 

Series/Standalone: Skyward (Volume 2)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Dystopian

Pages: 104

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Now a fugitive, Willa leaves Chicago and goes on the run! But when she takes refuge with some low-G farmers, she stumbles into a plot to attack the city. oh, and on top of all that: giant, man-eating bugs! Maybe we should have led with that."

My Rating: 4/5

I thought this volume was inventive and fun but it didn't carry the interest that I hoped it would. I think that this series could be longer if it had taken a different direction. I plan to finish the series, but it wasn't really the way I hoped for it to go down. Ps. Giant bugs did deliver terror though.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

Title: Miracle Creek

Author: Angie Kim

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 355

Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"How far will you go to protect your family? Will you keep their secrets? Ignore their lies?

In a small town in Virginia, a group of people know each other because they're part of a special treatment center, a hyperbaric chamber that may cure a range of conditions from infertility to autism. But then the chamber explodes, two people die, and it's clear the explosion wasn't an accident.

A showdown unfolds as the story moves across characters who are all maybe keeping secrets, hiding betrayals. Was it the careless mother of a patient? Was it the owner, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? could it have been a protester, trying to prove the treatment isn't safe?"

My Rating: 4/5

I want to start by saying I can understand the backlash towards this book. There are aspects that are problematic. And I think that you have to keep in mind that the author isn't out here believing that autism can be cured. She is writing about things that she has researched and has turned aspects of people's lives into a mystery. Again this is fiction. She is writing about a mystery/thriller surrounding a fictional tragedy and how society's expectations play into a courtroom drama.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: The Avant-Guards Vol. 1

Title: The Avant-Guards Vol. 1

Author: Carly Usdin

Artist(s): Noah Hayes

Series/Standalone: The Avant-Guards Vol. 1

Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Publisher: BOOM! Box

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O'Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs... in the school's (terrible) basketball team.

As a transfer student to the Georgia O'Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, former sports star Charlie is struggling to find her classes, her dorm and her place amongst a student body full of artists who seem to know exactly where they're going.  When the school's barely-a-basketball team unexpectedly attempts to recruit her, Charlie's adamant that she's left that life behind... until she's won over by the charming team captain, Liv, and the ragtag crew she's managed to assemble. And while Charlie may have left cut-throat competition in the dust, sinking these hoops may be exactly what she needs to see the person she truly wants to be."

My Rating: 5/5

This was exactly the type of comic I needed. Light, fun, but also so darn cute. The potential romance in this is EVERYTHING! I also loved the art style, it really reminded me of a mix of Lumberjanes (THE FIRST VOLUMES) and Giant Days. If either of those holds your interest I would strongly recommend this first volume of this new series.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny