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moholub's reviews
88 reviews
Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee
4.0
How do the Knights of the Round Table handle themselves against a peril not so corporeal as a dragon or a demon or another loud guy with an army? How do the Knights of the Round Table handle themselves when their old style of heroism is no longer needed?
Once you get past the doom-and-gloom of Lee's Arthurian re-telling mixed with socio-political commentary on climate change, this story of finding heroes in unlikely places (refugee camps, Welsh kingdoms, or crawling out from under a tree, perhaps) follows through with an uplifting message of hope in the face of desolation-- "The weight that would be crushing becomes bearable when it's spread over ten or twenty shoulders. When it's spread over a hundred shoulders it becomes featherlight. It becomes easy to overturn."
I really enjoyed Lee's adaptation of the Arthurian characters and his writing style reminiscent of some of those original medieval texts while still feeling all his own.
Once you get past the doom-and-gloom of Lee's Arthurian re-telling mixed with socio-political commentary on climate change, this story of finding heroes in unlikely places (refugee camps, Welsh kingdoms, or crawling out from under a tree, perhaps) follows through with an uplifting message of hope in the face of desolation-- "The weight that would be crushing becomes bearable when it's spread over ten or twenty shoulders. When it's spread over a hundred shoulders it becomes featherlight. It becomes easy to overturn."
I really enjoyed Lee's adaptation of the Arthurian characters and his writing style reminiscent of some of those original medieval texts while still feeling all his own.
The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson
4.0
A heartfelt, found-family story exploring the duality of power and how we choose to use it: good or bad, right or wrong, to help or to hurt. Dawson does not shy away from the darker nuances of this world, letting the characters make their own mistakes. While I felt some parts of the plot (a lot of time jumping in different directions) were a little clunky, Dawson ultimately delivered a beautiful story of hope and how it changes us for the better, if we let it.
Begin Again by Oliver Jeffers
5.0
No one does beautifully illustrated, thought-provoking, solemn-yet-hopeful meditations on the human condition quite as masterfully as Oliver Jeffers: where are we now, where did we come from, and where are we going...or rather, where do we want to go? With artwork as deep and moving as the prose, you'll want to sit with this one for a while.
How to Love Your Daughter by Hila Blum
4.0
This book is summed up in one poignant quote: "worry is a straitjacket, and so is love."
Blum's masterfully crafted tale of a mother-daughter relationship steadily pulls you under the water of their estrangement. Told in non-linear vignettes, the narrator over analyzes and dissects and drowns in the moments that make up her daughter's life, both big and small, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. She never quite settles on an answer, instead rattling around a larger question: can love ever be pure, or does it always carry consequences?
Blum's masterfully crafted tale of a mother-daughter relationship steadily pulls you under the water of their estrangement. Told in non-linear vignettes, the narrator over analyzes and dissects and drowns in the moments that make up her daughter's life, both big and small, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. She never quite settles on an answer, instead rattling around a larger question: can love ever be pure, or does it always carry consequences?
Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up by Jenn Bishop
4.0
Never knew I needed a book to combine my love of college hoops with my love of the Home of the Worlds Greatest Food Skyline Chili until it fell right into my lap. Bishop seamlessly combines the generational rivalry of hometown basketball with the down-to-earth drama of middle school friendships, introducing us to two teenage characters that jump off the page- not afraid to be themselves, pursue their dreams, and work hard for them. This fun middle grade read has it all, even a dunking nun. 4.5 stars only because they picked Graeter's over UDF as ice cream of choice (c'mon Jenn).
Duel by Jessixa Bagley
4.0
A story about what it means to be a family wrapped up in a story about fencing.
Sisters GiGi and Lucy are always at each other's throats, but things get a little more literal when Lucy challenges GiGi to a duel. Now the whole school is picking sides while the girls' personal lives seem to be spiraling. "Duel" is a charming middle grade graphic novel looking at the things that pull us together even when everything is falling apart.
Looking forward to what Bagley and Bagley bring us next!
Sisters GiGi and Lucy are always at each other's throats, but things get a little more literal when Lucy challenges GiGi to a duel. Now the whole school is picking sides while the girls' personal lives seem to be spiraling. "Duel" is a charming middle grade graphic novel looking at the things that pull us together even when everything is falling apart.
Looking forward to what Bagley and Bagley bring us next!
Look on the Bright Side by Lily Williams, Karen Schneemann
5.0
A new year of school brings new challenges for best friends Abby, Christine, Brit, and Sasha: confidence, crushes, class work, and coming out. While "Look on the Bright Side" is less of an activist manifesto than the first volume, it does feel like a natural continuation of character development as our four girls navigate their own personal obstacles and their friendships with each other. Williams and Schneeman's token style of compassionate and endearing storytelling is perfect for tackling some of the tougher conversations that come along with growing up and figuring out where you fit, allowing the characters to open up some of those emotional doors we tend to keep locked.