Completely Full Bookshelf

Before we get started, the winners of my giveaway of The Magic Fish  by Trung Le Nguyen have been selected! They are...   Terry,     Cheriee,     and     Natalie! Congratulations to the winners, and thanks so much to everyone who entered! I truly wish I could have given a copy of The Magic Fish  to everyone, but since I cannot do so, I can only implore you to go out and buy a copy of this marvelous book! Now that that's done, for MMGM and #IMWAYR, I am recommending First Light  by Rebecca Stead. The current cover.           First Light  is the debut novel of beloved and crazy-talented MG author Rebecca Stead, who also wrote When You Reach Me , Liar & Spy , Goodbye Stranger , Bob  (with Wendy Mass), and The List of Things That Will Not Change . Stead is, no question, my favorite author in existence, yet I had never read her very first novel—until now. I decided to read First Light  after rereading Goodbye Stranger  for probably the seventh time and not wanting it to end; coinci

Before we get started, I would like to remind everyone that today (if you're reading this on Monday) is the last day to enter in my giveaway of 3 copies of a truly stunning new book, The Magic Fish  by Trung Le Nguyen! Click here to read my review and enter. For #IMWAYR, I am recommending the graphic memoir The Fire Never Goes Out  by ND Stevenson. (I feel compelled to point out that, as I wrote this review, I found myself yelling at the computer because I couldn't find the typing cursor, so... Please appreciate the sacrifices I make for you all.) In place of my usual YA disclaimer, I must say that this book isn't precisely a young adult (YA) book, as it mostly chronicles Stevenson's twenties, but I'm calling it a YA book because it's published by Harper Teen and would likely be of interest to YA readers thinking about/panicking about their futures. FYI, this book is too focused on adult life for it to be of interest to MG readers, and there is a short depicti

I've added so many labels to my review of The Magic Fish  that Blogger won't let me add any more! To get around that, I've created this extra post that I can add even more labels to. Click here to visit the actual review of The Magic Fish . Sorry for the inconvenience!

For MMGM and #IMWAYR, I am recommending (and GIVING AWAY 3 copies of!!!) one of the most stunning books I've ever read in my entire life, a graphic novel called  The Magic Fish  by Trung Le Nguyen. I realize this review breaks my alternation between MG and YA reviews, but I loved this book so much  that I couldn't wait to talk about it! Although the Amazon page for this book says it is YA, I would say it is substantially closer to MG that YA readers will enjoy than YA that MG readers will enjoy. There's nothing inappropriate except for a few slightly violent illustrations, which really aren't that bad. Review:           Before I get into the nitty-gritty of this book, I want you all to know that I discovered this book (along with Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me , as a matter of fact) at  a virtual panel at San Diego Comic-Con @ Home over the summer (remember when I was recommending all those panels ?) about LGBTQIA+ representation in comics and animation for young

Another wonderful week of MMGM and #IMWAYR (also known as the only reason I like Mondays)! In my continuing quest to battle back the recent transphobia of  She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named , I am excited to be recommending the graphic novel The Deep & Dark Blue  by Niki Smith! (Which I know is published by the very publisher peddling Rowling's repugnant transphobia, but I'm not punishing Smith or this book for that.)            The start of The Deep & Dark Blue  introduces us to two twins, Hawke and Grayson. Hawke and Grayson are the youngest members of House Sunderlay, one of the noble families that governs their society. Their grandfather is at the helm, with their beloved cousin Reyden next in line. When a distant relative, Mirelle, attacks the family to kill all of those in line before her to inherit the throne, including Hawke and Grayson, they escape to the one place where they won't be found: the Communion of Blue, where women (and women only) weave the literal blue

Happy October! For #IMWAYR, I am recommending On the Come Up  by Angie Thomas. A word of caution to any young readers: this is a YA (young adult) book, not an MG (middle grade) book, and it contains somewhat mature content.           You probably know Angie Thomas as the author of the incomparable, show-stopping book The Hate U Give , which I reviewed just a few months ago . On the Come Up  is Thomas's newer novel from 2019, and it is just as absolutely amazing! On the Come Up  follows Brianna, or Bri for short, a high school girl dealing with quite a bit. Racist security guards are "protecting" her school, the Garden Heights neighborhood she lives in is reeling from the death of an unnamed boy at the hands of police (presumably Khalil from The Hate U Give , the only indication that these books take place in the same universe), and, despite her mother Jay and older brother Trey both working, they still can't make enough money to keep all the bills paid or make sure fo