French Lit, French Food, French Kisses // Kids Like Us

Title: Kids Like Us

Author: Hilary Reyl

Pages: 288

Date published: November 14, 2017

Martin is an American teen on the autism spectrum living in France with his mom and sister for the summer. He falls for a French girl who he thinks is a real-life incarnation of a character in his favorite book. Over time Martin comes to realize she is a real person and not a character in a novel while at the same time learning that love is not out of his reach just because he is autistic.

If I had to describe Hilary Reyl's YA debut in three words, they would be: intense, unique, and delightful. I read this book based solely on a post from Paper Fury, and I'm so glad that Cait wrote about it, because otherwise I might have missed this utterly wonderful, special, #quietYA of 2017. There are so many things I liked about this book, so let me share a few of them with you:

• The French-ness. At first I was just going to say the French setting, since I do love that it's set near a French castle in a little French town, but so many things about this book are influenced by French culture that I decided to change this bullet point a little bit. I've read books about Americans traveling abroad, but none of them compare to this one in terms of going as in depth in the culture. This is a lot because of the premise of the book and because Martin's father is French, so he comes to the country already knowing a lot about French culture, including the language, literature, and food. I learned so much from Martin's narration, and he really immerses the reader in the culture of the French with his discussion of language and food. There were so many small details that I haven't found in other books about Americans abroad that really made this story come alive, and they all made the setting that much more vivid for me as a reader and I absolutely loved it. And someone get me a madeleine, please!!
• The discussion of literature. Obviously, French literature, particularly Martin's favorite book, Search, as he calls it, by Proust, is a major factor and plot point in this story. I loved seeing how literature, and this book in particular, were how Martin connected to the world. At first, the book Search is just a mirror to him as he falls for who he thinks is the book's heroine, but then it becomes a window that allows him to have deeper interactions with Gilberte/Alice as well as the other people around him.
• The relationships. Every relationship in this book was so nuanced and well-developed, even the one that took place off the page, that between Martin and his father, who is off-page for reasons that are not revealed until later. The way Martin processes interactions with each character is so unique and particular to each person that it makes each relationship a mini-story in itself, like a whole new world with each new character who is introduced. Of course, Martin's relationship with Alice is at the forefront in some ways, because he believes her to be an incarnation of the love interest in the Proust book, but it is also clear that him realizing that she is a real, original person influences his other relationships as well.
• Martin's voice. Martin's voice is probably the most unique writing I've read all year. His voice was very well-written. It was fascinating to be inside his head, and I found the way the story was written to be extremely addicting. I also liked how it certain aspects of his voice were explained throughout the story, making it that much more rich of a read.

All in all, Kids Like Us turned out to be one of my favorite reads of the year. I can't speak to how accurate the autism representation is because I don't have personal experience with it, but I did learn a lot about autism from reading this book. There was also a brief discussion of the neurodiversity movement, which I found very illuminating and interesting. In short though, this book is just amazing. Martin's voice is truly unique, the story is intricate on all levels, and it is not a book I will soon forget and is one I will be recommending to everyone I know. 

Bisexual Romps, Pirates, and Manhunts // The Gentleman's Guide To Vice & Virtue

Title: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Author: Mackenzie Lee

Date published: June 27, 2017

Pages: 513

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

This book was so delightful. I'd seen it hyped up by nearly everyone who's anyone in the YA community, and I can happily say that this book lived up to, and even exceeded, its hype. This is honestly probably the most unique book I've read in a while, and definitely the most unique historical fiction novel I've ever read, so it deserves all the hype, all the stars, all the love.

Here is a small sampling of all of the amazing things you will find between the pages of this remarkable, wonderful book:

• Diversity. OMG, a historical fiction novel where not everyone is white and straight? Be still my fluttering heart. Even better, a bisexual MC? Be still my fluttering, bisexual queer heart! Monty is a roguishly sassy MC with a crush on his best friend, who is black, which is also something we never see in historical novels, despite the fact that people of color existed in history, and not just as slaves or servants, which is generally the narrative the mainstream forces upon us. This book dealt really well with racial issues, and even had a few moments where Monty himself slipped up, but even then, the book addressed those quite well. Percy is also diverse in other ways that I won't explicitly state because SPOILERS, and those were explored in an interesting way also and brought up a lot of interesting questions and points of view about the lives we value and what makes life have value.
• Sass. Goodness, this is by far the sassiest book I've read this year, and again, for sure the sassiest historical fiction novel. For a lot of the book, Monty is a fresh arsehole, but all of his dialogue is purely delightful and hilarious to read. His sassiness will make you laugh and cringe for him, and the banter between him and Percy (WE HATE RICHARD PEELE!!) is also wonderful to behold.
• Character growth. As just noted, Monty is often a total butthole. However, he is a multidimensional character who is very complex and grows throughout the story. He grows through hardships, his friendship with Percy, and even HAVING HIS PRIVILEGE CHALLENGED, which is not shown nearly enough in YA. 
• Adventure. To be fair, I did not read the entire Goodreads summary before I read this, so I did not know about the manhunt aspect until it happened in the book. So, I was quite surprised by many happenings in the book, which does not happen for me very often while reading YA anymore, probably just because I've read so much of it. There were lots of fun twists and turns that made the 500+ pages go by quickly, which is definitely a feat worth noting since I do not usually gravitate toward large books because I just don't have the time, or at least feel like I don't. 
• Venice!!!! It has been a dream of mine since childhood to visit Venice, so to see it featured prominently in the story was very exciting and nostalgia-making for me. In fact, I loved all the settings in this book, and found them very vivid and well-written. Venice, however, was for sure the favorite, other than Barcelona, where I have actually had the pleasure of traveling to. 

Basically, if you have been like me and been putting this book off because either you don't normally go for historical fic or because of the page count, GO FORTH AND READ!! This book is so wonderful, delightful, and full of joy. I promise it will be unlike anything you've read, and it will go by so fast you'll wish there were even MORE pages. 

Best Books of Summer 2017

Maybe it's a little late for this post since September is halfway over, but after seeing a bunch of book tubers doing videos about their favorite summer books, I felt inspired to write a post about mine. I wasn't blogging over the summer, so I definitely have a lot of books I can write about for this one! For now, I'm going to stick to talking about my top 4 favorite books that I read from June-August.

1. I Believe in a Thing Called Love - Maureen Goo

To be honest, I was slightly worried I wouldn't like this one since I didn't really like Goo's first book, Since You Asked, when it came out a couple years ago. However, reading this book, I felt like Goo had turned into a completely different (and amazing!) writer. The writing was fun and snappy and I loved Desi's delightful voice throughout the story. Sometimes high concept books don't really work for me because the concept is way better than the actual writing and story, but in this case, every part of this book lived up to my high expectations because of the fun, unique concept. I loved all the characters in this book, totally shipped the romance, and had fun watching Desi's romantic capers.

2. Once and For All - Sarah Dessen

I haven't read a Sarah Dessen book in years, but had extremely high expectations for this one because I remembered how much I liked her in my early tween years. This book did not disappoint. I loved reading about the wedding planning business, and it added a cool and unique dimension to the story. It also utilized my two favorite romantic tropes, enemies to lovers and slow burn. Ambrose was definitely a swoonworthy love interest, and I absolutely adored him throughout the entire story. My one qualm about the book was the Ethan insta-love, which I just didn't buy at all. Still, even that didn't stop Once and For All from being one of my favorite books of the summer and making me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

3. Salt - Nayyirah Waheed

When my boyfriend and I first started dating, we read Rupi Kaur's Milk and Honey together, and since then I've been trying to find similar poetry because I enjoyed it so much. I've never read poetry for fun or outside of a poetry writing class, but I realized I actually like reading it for myself. I'm glad I discovered Nayyirah Waheed and Salt, because I found it utterly amazing and totally inspiring. She writes the kind of poetry I've always tried to write and wanted to write, so I found reading her very affirming and inspirational. I would recommend this one over her other collection, Nejma, though, because I didn't really "get" a lot of her poems in that one, especially the super-short one-liners, and found a lot of the long poems very repetitive (one of them literally repeats the same verse about three or four times). Salt, however, is a must-read for anyone interested in trying to get into poetry or even for those who already love the genre. Love, love, loved this collection. 11/10.

4. As I Descended - Robin Talley

I've already written a review of this one, but it's worth mentioning again because it was just that good. Reading it made me really embarrassed that I haven't read a Robin Talley book before even though I'm queer and love queer YA, because it was just so. Good. This one is pretty different from her other books since it's more on the horror side of things and her other books are either historical or contemporary, but reading it definitely made me want to read more of her books. It was perfectly creepy and atmospheric with addictive writing and a great, vivid setting. If you also haven't had a Robin Talley experience yet, I recommend starting with this intoxicating Macbeth retelling.

What were your favorite books of the summer?

Is this a rant or a review // okay it's a rant // they both die at the end

Title: They Both Die at the End 

Author: Adam Silvera

Publication date: September 5, 2017

Pages: 384

The scoop: This book is basically about a world where you get a phone call from a company called Death Cast on the day you're going to die. Mateo and Rufus are both teenagers who get the call on the same day, and meet up via an app called Last Friend that connects people on their final day. 

My thoughts: I already wrote about how I feel about Adam Silvera this week, but I'm still so mad at this book. I really was not a fan. I felt like the story only existed because Silvera wanted to build this world, but even the world-building didn't require much other than explaining what people do on their End Days now that the whole world gets to know when they're going to die. It's not even a very original storyline; there are plenty of books about teens who either know when they're going to die or can predict when other people are going to die.

All of the emotional investment in the book also relied on the concept of these two characters both being destined to die. However, even with that, I didn't really care much about either character. Neither Rufus nor Mateo were very well-developed, though out of the two Rufus was definitely more interesting with more layers. Mateo was sort of the opposite of Rufus, but that meant that he was very bland. He spends most of the book trying to convince himself to take risks on his last day alive because he's never taken risks before.

I also didn't like the third-person chapters from other characters. For the most part, they weren't even about characters connected to the main story, and the chapters that were from the POV of the story's secondary characters gave too much away too soon. On the note of pacing, Adam Silvera once again did his thing where he puts most of the action at the last 15% or so of the book, which, this time, was the romance. I knew there would probably be some romance because it's Adam Silvera and it's YA, but I really didn't buy it. They're just so different and only have this "deep" connection because they're both dying on the same day. They really didn't have much in common or have much chemistry, and the romance was inherently insta-lovey, which automatically turned me off.

Basically, I just found this story from the plot to the characters to be really bland. The pacing was off, and the world-building wasn't really that unique. Despite that, I do think a lot of contemporary teens would be very into this book, so I'll still probably recommend that my library buys it. I think this is largely a case of me having read a lot of YA and thus not finding it very unique, and also the author relying too heavily on the main concept of the world to make the story emotional, and it ended up feeling fake and forced.

I know I'm a black sheep where this book is concerned because the rest of the YA world is obsessed with it, but it simply wasn't for me. I was not impressed, yet again, by Adam Silvera, and I don't think I'll be giving him another chance after this one. 

Priority Reads for September 2017

I already made my main "goals" post, but have yet to make a bookish goals post for this month. So, today, I'll be sharing a few of the books that are top priorities for me to read this month.

1. Long Way Down - Jason Reynolds (currently reading)

To be honest, this one wasn't even on my radar until I started my library internship and the director and Head of Children's Services strongly recommended I read it. I haven't read anything by Jason Reynolds yet, but I used to love novels written in verse, and they tend to be quick reads for me, so I'm excited to read a novel in this style again.

2. There's Someone Inside Your House - Stephanie Perkins

Stephanie Perkins was on my list of popular authors I haven't read yet, and if I don't read Anna and the French Kiss before this one comes out, TSIYS will definitely be my first read by her. I love horror movies, and especially slashers like Scream, so I think I'm going to really enjoy this one.

3. Jane, Unlimited - Kristin Cashore

I haven't read anything by Kristin Cashore either, since I wasn't as into fantasy when her first series came out, but this book sounds super interesting. Apparently it's written in a unique format where the story is told with the character making different choices and in different genres, which sounds super intriguing. It's gotten mixed reviews so far, but I feel like this is a must-read for me.

4. A Court of War and Ruin - Sarah J. Maas

I know, I know; I'm super ashamed I haven' read this one since its release this past May. I've been putting it off because it's so long, but I've started to un-psyche myself out of reading it, and I need more Rhysand!!!

5. Autoboyography - Christina Lauren

I somehow keep forgetting about this one even though every time I rediscover it I'm super excited to have an eARC of it. It's about a bisexual boy who goes back in the closet when he moves to a conservative town, but falls in love with a boy from his writing seminar where they have to write a novel in a semester. Bookish times and bisexual times? Yes please sign me up!

6. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue - Mackenzie Lee

This is one I honestly got excited about because of the hype. I don't tend to get very excited about historical fiction, but this gay romp through Europe sounds right up my alley, even if it is on the longer side, yet again. Hopefully it will live up to my very high expectations for it!

7. Before I Let Go - Marieke Nijkamp

This will be another book by an author I haven't read yet, since I wasn't really interested in Nijkamp's debut. I wasn't interested in this one at first, either, but it's a second ARC I got to borrow from the library where I'm interning, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I don't know too much about it other than that it's a mystery, but any book described as having "chilling secrets" always gets me in the end.

...I don't think I like Adam Silvera

...I feel very bad about this. As a person to whom queer rep in YA is very personally important, and as someone who thinks all types of diversity in YA is just plain important, I feel rather guilty for not really liking an author who does both of these things in all of his books. However, I can genuinely say I have not thought any of Adam Silvera's books were amazing, or at least as great as the rest of the YA community thinks they are.

I feel really bad about not liking Adam Silvera. I just find his writing and characterization very mediocre, and his stories tend to rely on the emotionalness of whatever plots he comes up with. This isn't exactly uncommon in YA, but I think a good book is more than just a good concept that you can describe in one or two sentences that the whole of the book relies on.

Let me give you a run down of my general impressions of his books so far:


More Happy Than Not--Interesting concept, meh characters, meh writing, could've ended 100 pages and two tragedies earlier


History is all You Left Me--Better writing but still nothing brilliant compared to other YA that's out there. Awkward pacing, somewhat annoying main character.


They Both Die At the End--As I'm writing this, I still haven't finished it, but I don't think my opinion will change by the end. Predictable (I think I already know how they're going to die), only one somewhat interesting character, mediocre writing, and a boring plot based entirely on the book's major gimmick.

Am I being to harsh? Maybe. Maybe I've just become much more discerning about my YA over the years because I've been reading it since YA started becoming a real thing. I feel like I've read and seen so many books like TBDATE, and I just need more out of the writing and characters for me to really love a book. In terms of diversity, Adam Silvera is way ahead of the game. In terms of everything else though, I feel like he's just average.

He gets touted around a lot because of the diversity in his books, which is great, but do I think they're great books? Honestly, not really. Still, this doesn't mean I'm not going to recommend them to my teens in my current library position or in future ones, because for them, Silvera's kind of books will be new and exciting. There are a lot of books I don't personally like myself, but that I would recommend to teens because they would get teens to read. I know I'm not the audience for YA; I just read it because I love it. But, that means I have to be careful to put my own opinions aside sometimes if I want to encourage teens to read more, and that's okay.

Diabolical Lesbians and Evil Spirits // As I Descended

Title: As I Descended

Author: Robin Talley

Pages: 370

Publication date: October 6, 2016

Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten are their school’s ultimate power couple—even if no one knows it but them. 

Only one thing stands between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey. 

Golden child Delilah is a legend at the exclusive Acheron Academy, and the presumptive winner of the distinguished Cawdor Kingsley Prize. She runs the school, and if she chose, she could blow up Maria and Lily’s whole world with a pointed look, or a carefully placed word. 

But what Delilah doesn’t know is that Lily and Maria are willing to do anything—absolutely anything—to make their dreams come true. And the first step is unseating Delilah for the Kingsley Prize. The full scholarship, awarded to Maria, will lock in her attendance at Stanford―and four more years in a shared dorm room with Lily. 

Maria and Lily will stop at nothing to ensure their victory—including harnessing the dark power long rumored to be present on the former plantation that houses their school.
But when feuds turn to fatalities, and madness begins to blur the distinction between what’s real and what is imagined, the girls must decide where they draw the line.

To start out this review, I'm going to give you a run down of all the types of lesbians you will find in this book:

• closeted lesbians
• creeped out but skeptical lesbians
• lesbians who can talk to spirits
• diabolical lesbians
• regretful lesbians
• highly concerned lesbians
• super terrified lesbians
• pretty darn crazy lesbians

To be fair, these lesbians are all the same two lesbians, namely Maria and Lily. This book is obviously super intense, and goes all over the place in the drama department. It's a Macbeth retelling, too, so it's super dark and creepy as well. It's atmospheric and you can feel the fog of bad things coming on every page.

The setting is perfect for the story. First of all, I'm a total sucker for boarding school stories. and a haunted boarding school? Don't even get me started. I loved getting to know the dark history behind the school and thought it was woven into the story very well. Acheron wasn't just there for the sake of making the story more appealing, it was really it's own character.

Though I loved the setting, the retelling aspect, the diversity (including disability rep!), and the strong writing, I did find myself wanting a little more in terms of character goals and the relationship between Lily and Maria. It seemed like they lost sight of their goals pretty quickly after the first bad thing that happens (trying not to spoil so I'm being vague), and then we don't get to see much of their relationship either. Maybe the way it was played out was realistic, but I wanted them to be even more diabolical and focused on their goals.

Despite those little quibbles, I still loved this book and highly, highly recommend it. I can't believe I've waited this long to read something by Robin Talley, and I don't anticipate this being the last book I read by her. If you're looking for something with a lot of diversity with a heavy dose of creepiness and have a love of Macbeth, definitely check this one out.