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heykellyjensen's reviews
2597 reviews
Wake the Wild Creatures by Nova Ren Suma
Talia's been forced to live with her aunt's family, including her cousin Lake, with whom Talia has absolutely nothing in common. But through flashbacks, Talia's story slowly begins to unfold, explaining why and how she ended up in this living arrangement–and where and how she plans on escaping.
If you love cult stories, this is going to be your jam. Talia's mom founded a cult atop a mountain in the Catskills, and it was a cult that only invited women to be part of its world. Her mom founded it for good reason–rage, anger, injustice, a desire for a community that cared about women–but the settlement had so much mysterious around it, even for Talia who grew up there.
Suma does a fantastic job of worldbuilding and her settings are lush and evocative. Talia is a complex character, and she's forced to navigate her before atop the mountain community she grew up in with the new life at her aunt's house, stumbling through what it is to be a "typical" high schooler. She's ANGRY but that anger is a necessary driver for her. She uses it to unpack her past in order to build a future. . . and it's one that will involve her cousin Lake, despite their initial hesitations toward one another.
If you've loved Suma's work, you'll love this one. It's a book that will connect with readers who want unique takes on cults, who love stories of angry girls and women, and who love stories where it is women and their stories that are wholly centered. Indeed, that's one of the book's overarching themes. In a world that is constantly dominated by men and women's stories are erased, what happens when they are centered?
In this case, well,it's men who break it apart because they so deeply fear what happens when women empower one another. Fortunately for Talia and Lake, the future looks promising in a way neither could have predicted at the start of their journey together .
If you love cult stories, this is going to be your jam. Talia's mom founded a cult atop a mountain in the Catskills, and it was a cult that only invited women to be part of its world. Her mom founded it for good reason–rage, anger, injustice, a desire for a community that cared about women–but the settlement had so much mysterious around it, even for Talia who grew up there.
Suma does a fantastic job of worldbuilding and her settings are lush and evocative. Talia is a complex character, and she's forced to navigate her before atop the mountain community she grew up in with the new life at her aunt's house, stumbling through what it is to be a "typical" high schooler. She's ANGRY but that anger is a necessary driver for her. She uses it to unpack her past in order to build a future. . . and it's one that will involve her cousin Lake, despite their initial hesitations toward one another.
If you've loved Suma's work, you'll love this one. It's a book that will connect with readers who want unique takes on cults, who love stories of angry girls and women, and who love stories where it is women and their stories that are wholly centered. Indeed, that's one of the book's overarching themes. In a world that is constantly dominated by men and women's stories are erased, what happens when they are centered?
In this case, well,
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
If you like your horror dark and funny, you're going to love this fast little read so much. Winifred Notty is a psychopath. She's also applied for and successfully scored the job as governess at Ensor House. She'll be good and help her little charges Andrew and Drusilla become the perfect little privileged kids.
But oh, the job is boring and life at Ensor House is, too. Mr. Pounds can't stop ogling Ms. Notty, and Mrs. Pounds really enjoys punishing Ms. Notty for it. Fed up with the job that Ms. Notty is doing, Mrs. Pounds tells her that she's being let go. . . as soon as Christmas is over, as the Pounds family will play host to the holiday season.
That's when Ms. Notty plans her attack. It begins innocently–simply replacing a baby she killed with the neighbor's, removing the eyes from art throughout the house, basic stuff–and then when the holiday arrives, it's time for Ms. Notty to host nothing less than a blood bath.
If you're squeamish, this isn't for you. But if you love a story about feminine rage and about getting back at some of the worst people you can imagine, you'll drink this one down. The children are obnoxious, the Pounds are obnoxious, and all of the guests at the party? Obnoxious.
Maybe the best part of it is that Winifred isn't herself that great either. But watching her execute her murderous plan is quite enjoyable.
This is styled as a Victorian novel, so it's not meant to sound or read as a contemporary novel. It's going to have some interesting turns of phrase and plot points but those add to the humor.
But oh, the job is boring and life at Ensor House is, too. Mr. Pounds can't stop ogling Ms. Notty, and Mrs. Pounds really enjoys punishing Ms. Notty for it. Fed up with the job that Ms. Notty is doing, Mrs. Pounds tells her that she's being let go. . . as soon as Christmas is over, as the Pounds family will play host to the holiday season.
That's when Ms. Notty plans her attack. It begins innocently–simply replacing a baby she killed with the neighbor's, removing the eyes from art throughout the house, basic stuff–and then when the holiday arrives, it's time for Ms. Notty to host nothing less than a blood bath.
If you're squeamish, this isn't for you. But if you love a story about feminine rage and about getting back at some of the worst people you can imagine, you'll drink this one down. The children are obnoxious, the Pounds are obnoxious, and all of the guests at the party? Obnoxious.
Maybe the best part of it is that Winifred isn't herself that great either. But watching her execute her murderous plan is quite enjoyable.
This is styled as a Victorian novel, so it's not meant to sound or read as a contemporary novel. It's going to have some interesting turns of phrase and plot points but those add to the humor.
Ash's Cabin by Jen Wang
There aren't enough survival stories featuring protagonists of color. This is one of those rare stories, and it's an exploration of identity and acceptance. It was immersive, and throughout, all I wanted was for Ash to find acceptance for themselves and see it reciprocated by their own loved ones. Their love for their grandfather and his stories–as well as his literal cabin off the grid–was relatable.
Much as I dug this book, I wanted more. Ash was in the woods alone with their dog Champ for weeks, but it felt like those days were quickly condensed. A lot of what happened would be boring and tiresome, but given the visual nature of a graphic novel, more of that would have been warranted. The inclusion of Ash's passion for the environment and climate activism, in conjunction with what sent them fleeing from the woods, was well done.
I read this one back to back with THE DEEP DARK by Molly Knox Ostertag and boy, do they read well together. There's a lot of overlap thematically, particularly when it comes to accepting who you are and understanding one's own queerness.
Much as I dug this book, I wanted more. Ash was in the woods alone with their dog Champ for weeks, but it felt like those days were quickly condensed. A lot of what happened would be boring and tiresome, but given the visual nature of a graphic novel, more of that would have been warranted. The inclusion of Ash's passion for the environment and climate activism, in conjunction with what sent them fleeing from the woods, was well done.
I read this one back to back with THE DEEP DARK by Molly Knox Ostertag and boy, do they read well together. There's a lot of overlap thematically, particularly when it comes to accepting who you are and understanding one's own queerness.
On Again, Awkward Again by Erin Entrada Kelly, Kwame Mbalia
Told in alternating voices, this story follows freshmen Pacy and Cecil. It's their freshman year of high school and on day one, they run into each other. There are sparks between them immediately, but both of them are feeling their awkward selves too much to admit to it. Pacy believes romance and love are propaganda. Cecil is dealing with a lot of changes at home, including the fear his parents might be divorcing–and that he has IBS and it's flaring up doesn't help.
But the two of them are both voluntold to be part of the freshman dance committee, and they begin spending more and more time together. There's no denying feelings, but neither of them can admit that what they're feeling is real. It will take many weeks and a whole lot of mishaps to finally acknowledge that maybe they should give a relationship a go.
This is a very funny read, with two dorky but realistic characters. Pacy has a hard time letting down her guard, and at times, she's extremely judgmental of other people. Cecil has been struggling to get a rhythm down on his djembe drum for an assignment while regularly worrying about his IBS flaring (and that doesn't touch upon his father's music-themed b&b project or his parents impending separation). The couple has a lot of things between them but the longer they spend time together, the more the reader shouts for them to just finally kiss. The chemistry is well-done, as is the pacing.
Is it over the top? Yep. Is that over the topness what makes it such a fun read and one that will appeal to a lot of readers? Yep. This is such a fabulous YA debut for two middle grade mavericks and it will appeal to younger teen readers, to older tween readers, and anyone who wants to relive just how awkward it is to feel real feelings while navigating the strange terrain of being a high school freshman.
But the two of them are both voluntold to be part of the freshman dance committee, and they begin spending more and more time together. There's no denying feelings, but neither of them can admit that what they're feeling is real. It will take many weeks and a whole lot of mishaps to finally acknowledge that maybe they should give a relationship a go.
This is a very funny read, with two dorky but realistic characters. Pacy has a hard time letting down her guard, and at times, she's extremely judgmental of other people. Cecil has been struggling to get a rhythm down on his djembe drum for an assignment while regularly worrying about his IBS flaring (and that doesn't touch upon his father's music-themed b&b project or his parents impending separation). The couple has a lot of things between them but the longer they spend time together, the more the reader shouts for them to just finally kiss. The chemistry is well-done, as is the pacing.
Is it over the top? Yep. Is that over the topness what makes it such a fun read and one that will appeal to a lot of readers? Yep. This is such a fabulous YA debut for two middle grade mavericks and it will appeal to younger teen readers, to older tween readers, and anyone who wants to relive just how awkward it is to feel real feelings while navigating the strange terrain of being a high school freshman.
Double Love by Francine Pascal
Read this for the Hey YA book club podcast episode and...I don't think I'll need to pick up any more. These were touted as progressive at the time of their publishing because of how the twins were the pursuers of relationships and that's true. But boy, the hatred of fat people and the internalized misogyny were wild.
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories by Cynthia Leitich Smith
This intertribal, interconnected series of short stories centers around the Legendary Sandy June's Frybread Drive-In that emerges anywhere at any time such a space and connection is needed. Don't go in with expectations of what the Legendary Drive-In is. It's not what you think, and that's what makes each story especially interesting. How will it show up? What purpose or role will it serve? How will the characters get there?
Like every short story collection, some pieces are more compelling than others, and that's what makes them great. There are stories of first love, of changing cousin relationships, of what it means to be Native, of the ways food tie people to ancestors, and so much more. The stories are all stand alone, but they also all come together in little ways through one another. This one is perfect for readers wanting to read more Native voices, especially if they loved the middle grade anthology edited by Leitich Smith, Ancestor Approved.
Like every short story collection, some pieces are more compelling than others, and that's what makes them great. There are stories of first love, of changing cousin relationships, of what it means to be Native, of the ways food tie people to ancestors, and so much more. The stories are all stand alone, but they also all come together in little ways through one another. This one is perfect for readers wanting to read more Native voices, especially if they loved the middle grade anthology edited by Leitich Smith, Ancestor Approved.
Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid
If you enjoy classic YA dystopian reads like The Hunger Games, this is a fun homage to the genre. It follows Inesa, who lives with her younger brother Luka and mother in a half-sunken town. Inesa and Luka are barely surviving financially through their taxidermy shop. They are very poor, thanks in part to their mother's insistence that she is ill. Dad left a long time ago, wanting to put to work the survival skills he'd been practicing and preaching. Inesa's mom's debt is enough to qualify her for The Gauntlet, a livestreamed assassination show put on by Cearus, a very rich and powerful company in the City.
Melinoë is an Angel, or one of the people groomed to be the killers in The Gauntlet. Melinoë has never failed in the game, and thanks to Caerus's ability to Wipe and recondition her brain, she hasn't had to suffer the psychological effects of her job. But that doesn't mean she hasn't felt things like love or desire or compassion or empathy, as those brain resets haven't really been as successful as they should hav been–and indeed, those very human feelings are what drive her to switch courses when the opportunity arises in The Gauntlet as she faces Inesa.
When Inesa and Melinoë face off, things don't go as they should. The girls begin to see each other for what they are, and both realize that their survival is dependent upon one another as they race through the wilderness. But Cearus isn't going to let this game fail. They need the ratings to help maintain their power.
This f/f romantic dystopian has a compelling world. I do think there were several unanswered questions about the world and what does and does not work within it, but they were easy to set aside. The reality is this is a character-driven dystopia, and readers quickly find themselves rooting for BOTH Inesa and Melinoë. . . while rooting against big corporations, big technology, and the human-driven realities of climate change. In some ways, this book felt a little TOO on the nose in today's sociopolitical climate (but that's not Reid's fault).
Melinoë is an Angel, or one of the people groomed to be the killers in The Gauntlet. Melinoë has never failed in the game, and thanks to Caerus's ability to Wipe and recondition her brain, she hasn't had to suffer the psychological effects of her job. But that doesn't mean she hasn't felt things like love or desire or compassion or empathy, as those brain resets haven't really been as successful as they should hav been–and indeed, those very human feelings are what drive her to switch courses when the opportunity arises in The Gauntlet as she faces Inesa.
When Inesa and Melinoë face off, things don't go as they should. The girls begin to see each other for what they are, and both realize that their survival is dependent upon one another as they race through the wilderness. But Cearus isn't going to let this game fail. They need the ratings to help maintain their power.
This f/f romantic dystopian has a compelling world. I do think there were several unanswered questions about the world and what does and does not work within it, but they were easy to set aside. The reality is this is a character-driven dystopia, and readers quickly find themselves rooting for BOTH Inesa and Melinoë. . . while rooting against big corporations, big technology, and the human-driven realities of climate change. In some ways, this book felt a little TOO on the nose in today's sociopolitical climate (but that's not Reid's fault).
Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang
I both liked a lot of it–Enka and Mathilde were compelling characters–but there were so many things going on that a lot of them got lost along the way.
Church Camp: Bad Skits, Cry Night, and How White Evangelicalism Betrayed a Generation by Cara Meredith
Meredith ends this book talking about how it's not about her deconstruction of faith, and she's not wrong. This isn't a book about how her faith was wrong and how damaging it was to her. It's instead a story of coming to better understand what she actually believes and doesn't, and it's explored through the lens of church camp.
I grew up in the 90s and attended a church camp for years. I loved the camaraderie, even if I didn't always understand why we only sang songs about God or we had to sit through so many counselors telling us about how they finally opened their hearts to Jesus. I ignored it, putting my time and energy into running around playing kickball or looking forward to 90 minutes of swimming and hitting up the canteen. But this book opened my eyes so widely–I indeed went to a white evangelical church camp where the mission wasn't to have kids have a good time away from home. It was to convert young people into the evangelical faith. The stories Meredith shared from her time as a camp speaker mirrored so much of what I remember sitting through.
This book does a good job reckoning with race and the evangelical strain of faith. It's white and the messaging of so many of this belief that "they don't see color" is explained through the fact they only see people in two ways: converted or not. They lay out the idea of choices in life as only one choice, either accepting their faith and beliefs or not. Meredith explained a lot of things I've been thinking about in terms of why such a narrow minded view of faith has become so mainstream and so embedded in American politics, giving language to patterns and observations I hadn't quite gotten my tongue around.
If you've read any of the bevy of recent memoirs about leaving evangelicalism, this will be up your alley. But even if those aren't your usual reads but you remember church camp and/or want a lens into the far-right, extremely strict confines of evangelicalism we're seeing culturally and politically in 2020s America, this short read will give a lot to think about.
I grew up in the 90s and attended a church camp for years. I loved the camaraderie, even if I didn't always understand why we only sang songs about God or we had to sit through so many counselors telling us about how they finally opened their hearts to Jesus. I ignored it, putting my time and energy into running around playing kickball or looking forward to 90 minutes of swimming and hitting up the canteen. But this book opened my eyes so widely–I indeed went to a white evangelical church camp where the mission wasn't to have kids have a good time away from home. It was to convert young people into the evangelical faith. The stories Meredith shared from her time as a camp speaker mirrored so much of what I remember sitting through.
This book does a good job reckoning with race and the evangelical strain of faith. It's white and the messaging of so many of this belief that "they don't see color" is explained through the fact they only see people in two ways: converted or not. They lay out the idea of choices in life as only one choice, either accepting their faith and beliefs or not. Meredith explained a lot of things I've been thinking about in terms of why such a narrow minded view of faith has become so mainstream and so embedded in American politics, giving language to patterns and observations I hadn't quite gotten my tongue around.
If you've read any of the bevy of recent memoirs about leaving evangelicalism, this will be up your alley. But even if those aren't your usual reads but you remember church camp and/or want a lens into the far-right, extremely strict confines of evangelicalism we're seeing culturally and politically in 2020s America, this short read will give a lot to think about.
No Rules Tonight: A Graphic Novel by Ryan Estrada, Kim Hyun Sook
It's 1984 South Korea and the one night of freedom for all under the country's dictatorship and strict laws: Christmas Eve. But rather than spend the night enjoying whatever it is she wants, Kim Hyun Sook is running away from who she is and what she knows she's meant to do. This is a story of romance, resistance, and life under harsh rules and even harsher punishment.
I wish I'd read BANNED BOOK CLUB first, as I think I'd enjoy this more with some of that background, but this can be read stand alone!
I wish I'd read BANNED BOOK CLUB first, as I think I'd enjoy this more with some of that background, but this can be read stand alone!