Tag: Diverse Books

Book Review: Robin’s Lake Road

Leave a comment

“Asher Sullivan is a shy camera geek looking forward to graduation at Sagebrush High School in small-town rural Oklahoma, and she’s got a problem: she’s never been in love. But then one spring evening, everything she ever thought she knew about herself is turned upside down the minute she meets Robin O’Leary, a popular and talented newcomer from Texas. Despite being at opposite ends of the social spectrum, the two become close friends. And it isn’t long before that friendship morphs into wild romance. Only thing is, Robin carries a secret from her past that doesn’t keep well in the Bible-belt town of Sagebrush. Neither girl is prepared for the tragic chain of events that follows. And when a torn Asher learns the dark truth behind the O’Leary family facade, she has to make a very difficult decision about what’s really important in life.”

 

SPOILER ALERT! I gloss over some themes that may spoil the story for you below. 

Robin’s Lake Road is not the story that I thought I was getting. I thought I was getting a teenage lesbian love story which is what is typically being published these days. It seems like every story about teenage queer people that I’ve read lately is full of queer teens with accepting parents and friends who love them and allow them to be themselves. While that is a lot of people’s story it’s not everyone’s, so when I realized what Robin’s Lake Road really was, a nuanced look at what happens when someone comes out in a small unaccepting town and the lengths that some people will go to because of their Christian values, I screamed for joy.

Unknown.jpeg

Ok, I didn’t really scream for joy I’m not happy about the hardships that the teens in this story face but as a lesbian who’s been a lesbian her whole life, I related to so many of the things that happened in the novel from the way your peers treat you when they find out that you’re LGBTQ, to parents who will do ANYTHING to make sure that you stay straight, to dealing with a closeted mate who behaves one way in public and another in private.

I gave this book 4 stars and advise queer people to beware when they embark upon this read. There are lots of triggering scenes and scenarios.

Read if you’re queer and love seeing yourself in books or if you’re not queer and want an intimate look of what life is like for some LGBTQ youth. A lot of the story was spot on for my friends and I during our high school days.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

Book Review: In West Mills

Leave a comment

West Mills is the story of members of a small fictional town in rural North Carolina from 1941-1987. During that time period we follow the story of Azalea Knot Centre; a young school teacher determined to live life on her own terms. She likes to read books, drink, dance, and take random men to her home for late-night fun.

Of course, Knot’s past times are frowned upon in her small community and in her home town where her Dentist father and disapproving mother live. Ostracized, Knot finds friendship from her neighbor Otis Lee and his family.

Full of life, love, family, and friendship In West Mills is a phenomenal story about a cast of relatable authentic characters that you could find in any town in the world. They felt like family and I wanted the best for each of them especially Knot who I wanted to simultaneously hug, shake, and scream “GIRL GET IT TOGETHER” at the same damn time.

I gave it 5 stars.

Read if you love Kelly from Insecure and I mean who doesn’t love Kelly from Insecure we all saw the Coachella Episode. 40653132.jpg

 

 

The Unlikely Tale of the Royal Elite Squad: Book Review

Leave a comment

32874061.jpg

The Unlikely Tale of the Royal Elite Squad is a story of an average group of teenage girls who develop super powers during a science project and use them to try and save the world, or at least parts of it. Someone else was in the school during the incident and they’ve also developed super powers which won’t make it so easy for the heroines to save the day.

Adeema super fit and athletic comic book lover, Libby Gray creative social queen , Janais the nerdy smart only child, and Kenzie

As the girls learn to use this their super powers they develop the best power a girl can have, friendship. “We all have our issues… and we may not fit in all the time, but I can assure you that you don’t have to go through life alone anymore.”

I love the diversity of the book which represents most normal parts of America, there’s the type A cheerleader, the spunky Spanish girl, the muslim, girl, the nerdy comic book lover and ——I love when books teach you something and this book teaches you about different religions and customs without even trying.

Overall I really liked this book and would recommend it for most teenagers and any other adults, like me, who enjoy YA novels. I gave it 4 stars.