Book Talk - What Happened to Rachel Riley by Claire Swinarski

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Books of the Year 2022

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This year was an amazing year for books (because isn't it always a great year for books?). But in many ways, YA had its strongest year in some time. YA text after YA text impressed, and it's reflected throughout the list. As always, it pained me to omit some of my favorite books of the year including Carrie Soto is Back , I'm Glad My Mom Died  and In Love , but ultimately, the list needs to show some restraint. So without further ado, these are my top 10 books of the 2022. And if you would like an easy one page downloadable of this list, click here . 1. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Maybe it’s the millennial in me, but Zevin has crafted the book of a generation. In the gaming world, a world full of so much isolation, we find kinship and numerous restarts. Gorgeously crafted, Zevin’s novel isn’t just the best book of the year, but one of my favorite books of all time. 2. The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson YA novels had one of the strongest ye
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Book Review - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

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I get it. I really do. Barbara Kingsolver's modern envisioning of David Copperfield comes in the form Demon Copperhead. Like David Copperfield , Demon Copperhead takes a look at orphans and the services that are provided and fail them. David Copperfield isn't the only inspiration, this book will give many vibes similar to Beth Mercy's Dopesick as well. That is to say, this is bleak. And it's never not bleak.  Demon is born into poverty, and we see that poverty play out in the most grim of ways. Overdoses, uncaring foster parents, and exploitive child work practices all become mere backdrops. What first becomes harsh and shocking, soon numbs your senses. Kingsolver builds the most disturbing images and then somehow beats you down by showing you something equally grotesque. Characters make bad decision after bad decision, heroes will fail you, and our main character Demon is on the receiving end of all of it. It's overwhelming. And fascinating. For the first 300 pag
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Audible Review - Dykes to Watch Our For

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From 1983 to 2008, Alison Bechdel's suburban sapphists gave us the foundations of much of our queer representation. Will & Grace, The L Word and Queer as Folk can all attribute their foundations to Bechdel's comic strip. In 2020, The Essential Dykes to Watch Our For was released, and became my own personal obsession. Since then rumors swirled about a Netflix show, but as of 2023, nothing.  Thankfully, this June (for Pride month) Audible released Dykes to Watch Our For, reenvisioned into 20 minute sitcom-like episodes. The translation feels impossible. How does a comic, an almost strictly visual medium, translate to an audio only sans any visuals? The answer: effortlessly. Through both sharp written scripts and outstanding voice acting, Dykes to Watch Out For comes alive. Each character you know and love, whether it's Mo, Lois, Clarice, or the many others, sound exactly as you would imagine. Performances feel emphatic and funny. Meanwhile, the narrator is none other tha
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