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bookinitwithahtiya's reviews
1988 reviews
Rules for Rule Breaking by Talia Tucker
4.25
Rules for Rule Breaking is a hilarious and laugh-out-loud good time. We get a distinct pair of protagonists whose characters are strongly painted in the first few chapters, and we get to see them mature as the story develops. I absolutely LOVED Winter; her humor is caustic, biting, and finely-tuned. Looking forward to more from Talia Tucker.
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
3.75
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi, the prequel to their beloved work Pet, is a searing and relatable look at revolution, terror and anxiety mistaken for complacency, and the power of community and love. Bitter interrogates the structure of revolutions and the different roles we can all play in our collective liberation. The middle of the book felt a bit dry, but it quickly packed up within 50 pages and then it was full-speed ahead until the end. Bitter calls into question the price of birthing a new world and what that may have to look like when the time comes.
A Bánh Mì for Two by Trinity Nguyen
4.0
A Bánh Mì for Two is a beautiful and hilarious queer romance between young foodies trying to figure out their place in their culture identity and amidst grief and unknown familial histories. There is a nice balance between the new romance of Vivi and Lan and their personal journeys. A Bánh Mì for Two has lots of funny and tender moments between Vivi and Lan, and it looks at the idea of being different in a place where you seemingly belong and the importance of knowing our own histories. This novel looks at the reality of intergenerational trauma and how it simply won’t go away if we just ignore it. Most of all, A Bánh Mì for Two is an appreciation of Vietnamese food and food as a vehicle for love.
Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston
4.0
Alston’s latest installment in the Amari Supernatural Investigations series is a strong addition to an already wonderful Middle Grade fantasy series that blends a unique magic system with strongly done character dynamics and high stakes. The continuation of Amari’s friendships is done incredibly well, and readers are able to see Amari become a beautiful and bold young hero. Amari and the Despicable Wonders is action-packed and kept me locked in the entire time I was reading, while also weaving in the important discussion about how radical groups can come into fruition or morph from previously ignored groups of people. This is an especially important topic for a young audience to be exploring, especially in our current political landscape. I’m looking forward to more books in this series.