The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman was just a gem of a read. I absolutely loved Nina Hill because well, I understood her life. She works in a bookstore (#goals), she is all about her trivia team (#YES), and she LOVES plans and her planner (#AllTheYES). Then, things start to go down a route of the unplanned. First off, she founds out that the father she never knew has died, and with that, she's now got a whole family she never knew in her life. Then, there is a rival trivia dude who she has an "evolving" relationship with, and she's not sure what to do with that. This book is such a fun exploration of what it's like to expand your comfort zone, but also the real fears that come with making that happen. Throughout, Nina has this authentic emotion with a brand of humor only a trivia loving, book obsessed, planner kind of woman could. She's a character that made me nod and smile, as I rooted for her throughout and related to so many of her feels through her adventures. There was never any doubt that I'd love this one y'all!
Read this book if - You like books about bookworms. You want a unique kind of character in a unique kind of love story.
The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy is an upcoming #ownvoices release. I so loved the way Rahul's story gave voice to a story around intersecting identities that aren't often told. Rahul is a gay teen who is working through mental health issues while growing up in rural Indiana who is navigating all that middle school brings. He's trying to figure out where he fits in, as he tries to manage his own feelings and reactions to life. Y'all, this was a real trek through middle school. The social dynamics of middle school are a lot, and Rahul definitely has to navigate quite a bit of them. I appreciated that these dynamics (while always a hard read because it can be rough stuff) were used to show how Rahul was trying to figure out his fit to feel fulfilled, but also so he wouldn't be ridiculued. Y'all, it's such a true conflict that kids go through! This book for me is a conversation starter. I finished wanting to know more about Rahul's story. What's next? Where does he go? How is he doing? I think that was a note of how I connected, as well as how it gave voice to a story I haven't heard often enough. The stories of #ownvoices are so important. Thanks to Balzer & Bray for the early look at this one!
Read this book if - You want an #ownvoices middle grade read that looks at middle school through a powerful perspective.
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah is a piece that is a memoir, but also a really strong and needed history lesson. While sharing incredibly honest stories from his childhood, this is a story of what it was like to live in apartheid South Africa. For me, this was such an important and impactful story. It was the reality of what history was really like through the eyes of a kid (told in his adult reflection), and I found I learned so much. Given Trevor Noah is a comedian, there was humor throughout as he recounted a variety of stories from his childhood. I appreciated even more that each was ultimately grounded in what was happening in the country, and his story never lost that thread. This was such a powerful piece. Trevor Noah is someone who I find brings such insight to the news in such a unique way, and I gained so much through this deep dive into this background way before he was on The Daily Show. This was a memoir that I couldn't put down, and it's also one that'll stay with me.
Read this book if - You want to read about an important and critical part of history told via a unique and compelling memoir. You are a fan of Trevor Noah and want to know the rest of the story.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch is the book companion for a professor's last lecture. It's an older piece that was recommended to me as part of my #36booksfor36 challenge. She mentioned that she read it at the start of each school year, so I thought an August read would be perfect. If you're not familiar (or need the refresh), Randy Pausch was a computer science professor diagnosed with terminal cancer. Faced with his own mortality, he built his own final lecture full of all the messages he'd want for his students, his colleagues, and especially his wife and kids. It's a powerful reflection on what really matters in life and where to focus time and energy. If you need some inspiration with a side of feels, this is a quick read. In all the other "stuff" I read and how I fill my days, this was a worthwhile read grounded in things that really matter. It also made me think what I would say in my own last lecture, as well as consider what I can do with the lessons and wisdom shared.
Read this book if - You need some inspiration, reflection and/or perspective on life.
Onto the next round!
