Antes que Isla es Volcán

Antes que Isla es un Volcán
Por Salas Rivera, Raquel
Beacon Press, 2022. 70 páginas. Poesía

Raquel Salas Rivera ha ascendido rápidamente en el mundo de la poesía, y este, su sexto libro, promete cimentar su estatus como uno de los poetas más importantes de la actualidad. En versos agudos y cristalinos, escritos tanto en español como en inglés, antes que isla es volcán imagina atrevidamente un Puerto Rico decolonial.

Si le gusta «Antes que Isla es un Volcán» le recomendamos:

Boomerang Bumerán
Por Obejas, Achy
Beacon Press, 2021. 66 páginas. Poesía

Una colección de poesía bilingüe de una escritora y activista cubanoamericana que explora temas de identidad, sexualidad y pertenencia.

Una colección bilingüe única e inspiradora de poesía lírica escrita en un inglés y español audaz, en su mayoría sin género, que aborda la inmigración, el desplazamiento, el amor y el activismo.

El libro se divide en tres secciones: Primero, poemas que abordan la inmigración y el desplazamiento; en segundo lugar, los que abordan el amor, los objetos perdidos y encontrados, y finalmente, los versos que se centran en la acción, en las formas de abordar la injusticia y reparar el mundo. El volumen será tanto inspiración como apoyo para los lectores que viven con identidades marginadas y aquellos que los aman y los apoyan.

Los Más Bellos Poemas de Amor Latinoamericanos
Por Varios Autores

Libro Latino, 1999. 126 páginas. Poesía

Estos poemas de amor que hemos seleccionado, forman parte de uno de los episodios más maravillosos de la historia de la literatura universal.

Toda elección es arbitraria, esta antología no escapa a la regla. ¿Son estos los más bellos poemas de amor latinoamericanos? Solo son algunos de los más hermosos. Cada uno de ellos encierra tres historias de amor: una del autor, que lo ha convertido en poema, otra del antólogo, que supo elegirlos por alguna extraña razón, y una tercera, la que tu sumaras al leerlo.

Abre tu corazón, un poeta te está buscando.

MEB

Etiquetas: Español, No Ficción, Poesía

52 Ways to Walk

52 Ways to Walk: The New Science and Timeless Joy of How, When, Where, and Why
By Annabel Streets
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2022. 272 pgs. Nonfiction

Are you stuck in a rut with your walking routine?  Looking to get out and walk more and maybe shake things up at the same time?  52 Ways to Walk is full of ideas on new locations, new companions, new times to walk, and new skills for the way we walk.  Structured so that each new idea can be implemented during each week of the year, this book will inspire, challenge, support, and encourage anyone who want to make a change and experience something new.

Not only is this book full of new ideas for the ways we can walk, it's all backed up by studies, research, and testimonials of just how good it can be for us in all its different forms.  For those who are especially motivated by research, this can be a great catalyst to get out and walk more in new ways.

If you like 52 Ways to Walk, you might also like:

Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to do is Healthy and Rewarding
By Daniel Lieberman
Pantheon Books, 2020. 440 pgs. Nonfiction

A natural history of exercise by the Harvard University paleoanthropologist challenges popular myths about the evolution of physical activity while outlining anthropological approaches to exercising effectively in the modern world.

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
By John Ratey
Little, Brown. 2008. 294 pgs. Nonfiction

An investigation into the effects of exercise on the brain evaluates how aerobic exercise positively influences the progression of such conditions as Alzheimer's disease, ADD, and depression, in a report that shares theory-supporting case studies.

BHG

The Atlas Six

The Atlas Six

by Olivie Blake

Tor Books, 2022. 384 pages. Fantasy

Every ten years, six adults with uniquely powerful magical abilities receive a mysterious offer to join an exclusive, secretive organization. The Alexandrian Society provides access to knowledge, status, and power that most magical academicians can only dream of, but there is a cost to pay. One of the six will not survive the year. 

The Atlas Society is a great read for lovers of magical schools, morally complex characters who you alternately root for and dislike, and dark academia vibes. I enjoyed experiencing the story through the various character’s distinctive viewpoints, and as an audiobook listener, I was glad that different narrators were used for each character’s respective chapters. The plot went in unexpected directions, and you’ll finish the book curious to see where this planned trilogy goes in the future. In spite of the magical school setting, keep in mind that with some language, sexual content, and adult protagonists, this is a novel aimed at adults, not teens. 

If you like The Atlas Six, you might also like:

A Deadly Education 
by Naomi Novik

Del Rey, 2020. 336 pages. Fantasy

Enter a school of magic unlike any you have ever encountered: There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won't allow its students to leave until they graduate ... or die. El is uniquely prepared for the school's dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out untold millions. It would be easy enough for El to defeat the monsters that prowl the school. The problem? Her powerful dark magic might also kill all the other students. So El is trying her hardest not to use her power . . . at least not until she has no other option. 

Meanwhile, her fellow student, the insufferable Orion Lake, is making heroism look like a breeze. He's saved hundreds of lives--including El's--with his flashy combat magic. But in the spring of their junior year, after Orion rescues El for the second time and makes her look like more of an outcast than she already is, she reaches an impulsive conclusion: Orion Lake must die. But El is about to learn some lessons she never could in the classroom: About the school. About Orion Lake. And about who she really is.

Magic for Liars 

by Sarah Gailey

Tor Books, 2019. 336 pages. Fantasy

Ivy Gamble was born without magic and never wanted it.

Ivy Gamble is perfectly happy with her life -- or at least, she's perfectly fine. She doesn't in any way wish she was like Tabitha, her estranged, gifted twin sister. 

Ivy Gamble is a liar. 

When a gruesome murder is discovered at The Osthorne Academy of Young Mages, where her estranged twin sister teaches Theoretical Magic, reluctant detective Ivy Gamble is pulled into the world of untold power and dangerous secrets. She will have to find a murderer and reclaim her sister--without losing herself.

SGR

The Agathas

The Agathas 

By Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson

Delacorte Press, 2022. 405 pages. Young Adult Mystery 

Alice Ogilvie's disappearance last summer is the biggest scandal at Castle Cove High School--until her ex-boyfriend is accused of murdering his new girlfriend, and Alice must pair up with her tutor Iris Adams to clear his name by relying on the wisdom of Agatha Christie. 

This is a beautiful blend of two authors each writing a character. The plot has some surprises, with just enough hints that the ending isn't a total shocker. But, there is more than just a fluffy mystery. Both Alice and Iris deal with family issues, including abuse, neglect, loneliness, and classism. The ending wraps up the mystery well and feels complete, but leaves room for more books in the future. Perfect for fans of mysteries, teenage friends, and a lack of romance.

If you like The Agathas, you might also like: 

Truly Devious 

By Maureen Johnson 

Katherine Tegen Books, 2018. 420 pages. Young Adult Mystery 

When Stevie Bell, an amateur detective, begins her first year at a famous private school in Vermont, she sets a plan to solve the cold case involving the kidnapping of the founder's wife and daughter shortly after the school opened. 

Ace of Spades 

By Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé 

Feiwel & Friends, 2021. 422 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

At Niveus Private Academy, Devon and Chiamaka are the only students chosen to be Senior Prefects who are also black, which makes them targets for a series of anonymous texts revealing their secrets to the entire student body. Both students were on track toward valedictorian and bright college futures, but this prank quickly turns into a very dangerous game and they are at more than one disadvantage as it looks like things could turn deadly. 

You’re So Dead 

By Ash Parsons 

Philomel Books, 2021. 382 pages. Young Adult Mystery 

When her sister, famous influencer Peach Winter, is invited to an exclusive trip to an art and music festive, Plum intercepts the invite and asks her two best friends to come along. But, the island is not like the invitation at all; its run-down, creepy, and there is no festival. Then people start to die because someone has a vendetta against every person on the island and no on is supposed to leave alive.

TT

People We Meet on Vacation

People We Meet on Vacation

By Emily Henry 

Jove, 2021. 364 pages. Romance 

Poppy Wright met Alex Nilsen 12 years ago on the first day of college orientation, and they never got along—until a road trip from Chicago back to their neighboring Ohio towns, which sparked a deep friendship and a tradition of taking a yearly summer vacation together. But Poppy and Alex haven’t spoken much since a disastrous trip two summers ago. When Poppy realizes that what she wants most in the world is to have Alex back in her life, she arranges a shoestring-budget vacation to Palm Springs that she hopes will fix everything. 

The book is full of flashbacks to previous summer vacations, which enables the reader to delve into the relationship between Poppy and Alex in a way more interesting and intimate than I initially expected. People We Meet on Vacation met my expectations as a perfect vacation read—only ever so slightly steamy—with loads of engaging banter between the main characters to keep you entertained. So, if you are looking for a break from broody romances where the leads only seem to look at each other longingly, this will be a great switch up! 

If you like People We Meet on Vacation, you might also like: 

How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days

By K.M. Jackson 

New York : Forever, 2021. 326 pages. Romance 

A super-fan of Keanu Reeves, Bethany Lu Carlisle, and her male best friend embark on a wild road trip so that she can confess her undying love for the Hollywood actor and convince him not to get married. Will Lu be able to find Keanu and convince him she's the one for him? Or maybe she'll discover true love has been by her side all along. 

Shipped

By Angie Hockman 

First Gallery Books, 2021. 329 pages. Romance 

Between taking night classes for her MBA and her demanding day job at a cruise line, marketing manager Henley Evans barely has time for herself, let alone family, friends, or dating. But when she's shortlisted for the promotion of her dreams, all her sacrifices finally seem worth it. The only problem? Graeme Crawford-Collins, the remote social media manager and the bane of her existence, is also up for the position. Although they've never met in person, their epic email battles are the stuff of office legend. Their boss tasks each of them with drafting a proposal on how to boost bookings in the Galapagos - best proposal wins the promotion. There's just one catch: they have to go on a company cruise to the Galapagos Islands... together.

RBL

Lessons in Chemistry

Lessons in Chemistry

by Bonnie Garmus

Doubleday, 2022. 390 pages. Historical Fiction

It's the 1960s and despite the fact that she is a scientist, Elizabeth Zott's peers are very unscientific when it comes to equality. The only good thing to happen to her on the road to professional fulfillment is a run-in with her super-star colleague Calvin Evans (well, she stole his beakers.) The only man who ever treated her—and her ideas—as equal, Calvin is already a legend and Nobel nominee. He's also awkward, kind and tenacious. Theirs is true chemistry. But as events are never as predictable as chemical reactions, three years later Elizabeth Zott is an unwed, single mother (did we mention it's the early 60s??) and the star of America's most beloved cooking show, Supper at Six. Elizabeth's singular approach to cooking ("take one pint of H2O and add a pinch of sodium chloride") and independent example are proving revolutionary. Because Elizabeth isn't just teaching women how to cook, she's teaching them how to change the status quo.

Every time I set this book down, I sighed in contentment at what a great reading experience I was having. Elizabeth Zott is a combination of Marie Curie, Julia Child, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg—a combination I found highly intriguing. I loved this book's overarching feminist message, but I also loved that this book allows itself to laugh. While bad things definitely happen (trigger warning for attempted rape), Elizabeth ultimately surrounds herself with people who build her up, and she builds them up in return. Garmus is skillful at blending sad and tough topics with just the right amount of levity so things don't feel too grim, while also not taking away from their impact. And as someone who doesn't like my books to be too saccharine, I found Elizabeth's precocious daughter Madeline and wise dog Six-Thirty to be sources of amusement and whole-heartedness, which was also refreshing.

If you like Lessons in Chemistry you might also like:

Her Hidden Genius

by Marie Benedict

Sourcebooks Landmark, 2022. 283 pages. Historical Fiction

Rosalind Franklin knows if she just takes one more X-ray picture—one more after thousands—she can unlock the building blocks of life. Never again will she have to listen to her colleagues complain about her, especially Maurice Wilkins who'd rather conspire about genetics with James Watson and Francis Crick than work alongside her. Then it finally happens—the double helix structure of DNA reveals itself to her with perfect clarity. But what happens next, Rosalind could have never predicted.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek 

by Kim Michelle Richardson 

Sourcebooks Landmark, 2019. 308 pages. Historical Fiction 

Cussy Mary Carter is the last of her kind, her skin the color of a blue damselfly in these dusty hills. But that doesn't mean she's got nothing to offer. As a member of the Pack Horse Library Project, Cussy delivers books to the hill folk of Troublesome Creek, hoping to spread learning during the Great Depression. But not everyone is so keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and the hardscrabble Kentuckians are quick to blame a Blue for any trouble in their small town.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry 

by Fredrik Backman 

Atria Books, 2015. 372 pages. Fiction 

If the best parts of Lessons in Chemistry for you are the parts with Madeline and Six-Thirty, this book is for you! Precocious Elsa, a sharp-witted seven-year-old, has only one friend, her protective, eccentric Granny, who tells her nightly bedtime fairy tales in their small apartment in the Land of Almost-Awake. But when cancer takes Granny away, Elsa is tasked with delivering her grandmother's final letters of apology to the other residents of the building. Elsa, along with her new compatriots (including a giant dog known as a wurse), soon realize their home is actually the Land of Almost-Awake's castle, and that it needs protection from a dragon who is poised to strike.

MB

Debating Darcy

Debating Darcy

by Sayantani Dasgupta

Scholastic Inc., 2022. 336 pages. Young Adult Fiction

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there are two types of people in the hypercompetitive world of high school forensics competitions: speakers and debaters. Nobody knows this better than Leela Bose, a life-long speech competitor. When she meets Firoze Darcy, an incorrigible debater, Leela has no choice but to try and tolerate him. His elitist private school is included in the state league she's competing in and their paths will inevitably cross. But why simply tolerate Firoze when Leela can one-up him? She decides to switch into the debate category of the competition to prove that women are just as capable as men. But the situation is more complicated than Leela anticipated, and her participation in the tournament reveals that she might have tragically misjudged the debaters in the forensics league -- including Firoze Darcy. Leela will have to confront her assumptions, not only about other people, but about herself, if she's to have any hope of deciphering her complicated feelings for Darcy or succeeding in the forensics competition.

At first, I thought that this was the average YA Jane Austen knockoff, but I soon learned that I was very wrong. Yes, there are characters who have names starting with L, Leela for Lizzy and J, Jai (who is male) for Jane, but the diverse cast is full of great characters that breathe a lot of fun and life into the story. Leela is Bengali Hindu and Darcy comes from a Pakistani Muslim mother and White British father. Dasgupta uses the canvas of a debate tournament to discuss class distinctions, colorism, racism, feminism and a lot of other issues. There were a few times were the original Austen dialogue was used that didn’t quite fit with the teen characters, but overall it was a delight!

If you liked Debating Darcy, you might like:

Pride and Premeditation: A Jane Austen Murder Mystery

by Tirza Price

Harper Teen, 2020. 360 pages. Young Adult Fiction

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young woman who desires a law career must be in want of a case. So, when sixteen-year-old Lizzie Bennet hears about a scandalous society murder, she sees an opportunity to prove herself as a solicitor by solving the case and ensuring justice is served. Except the man accused of the crime already has a lawyer on his side: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious Pemberley Associates law firm. Lizzie is determined to solve the murder before Darcy can so that she can show the world that a woman can be just as good as a man. (The fact that Darcy is an infuriating snob doesn’t help.) But there’s still a killer on the loose, and as the case gets more complicated, Lizzie and Darcy may have to start working together to avoid becoming the next victims themselves.

Mr. Malcolm’s List

by Suzanne Allain

Jove, 2020. 244 pages. Fiction

Move over, Mr. Darcy, there's a new man in town . . . It is a truth universally acknowledged that an arrogant bachelor insistent on a wife who meets the strictest of requirements-deserves his comeuppance. The Honorable Mr. Jeremy Malcolm is searching for a wife, but not just any wife. He's determined to elude the fortune hunters and find a near-perfect woman, one who will meet the qualifications of his well-crafted list. But after years of searching, he's beginning to despair of ever finding this paragon. And then Selina Dalton arrives in town . . . Selina, a vicar's daughter of limited means and a stranger to high society, is thrilled when her friend Julia invites her to London. Until she learns it's part of a plot to exact revenge on Mr. Malcolm. Selina is reluctant to participate in Julia's scheme, especially after meeting the irresistible Mr. Malcolm, who seems very different from the arrogant scoundrel of Julia's description. But when Mr. Malcolm begins judging Selina against his unattainable standards, Selina decides that she has some qualifications of her own. And if he is to meet them he must reveal the real man behind . . . Mr. Malcolm's List.

Isn't It Bromantic?

Isn’t It Bromantic? 

By Lyssa Kay Adams 

Jove/Berkley, 2021. 342 pages. Romance 

As the daughter of a Russian journalist who mysteriously disappeared, Elena Konnikova escaped danger the only way she knew how: She married her childhood friend, Vladimir, and moved to the United States, where he is a professional hockey player in Nashville. Vlad, aka the Russian, thought he could be content with his marriage of convenience, but it's become too difficult to continue in a one-sided relationship. He joined the Bromance Book Club to learn how to make his wife love him, but all he's learned is that he deserves more. The bros are unwilling to let Vlad forgo true love, so they join forces with Vlad's neighbors, a group of meddling widows. But just when things finally look promising, Elena's past life intrudes and their happily ever after is cast into doubt. 

This might be the best Bromance Book Club book yet. Vlad is sweet, kind, and endearing. He is the sincerest of all of the book club bros, and is even writing his own romance novel. And Elena is spunky, independent, and just learning how to open herself up. Her backstory is heartbreaking and Vlad has supported and cared for her for years. There are lots of romance tropes, but they are done in a refreshing and fun manner. This is a great book for anyone who likes contemporary romances or bromances. 

If you like Isn’t It Bromantic, you might also like: 

By Any Other Name 

By Lauren Kate 

G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2022. 286 pages. Romance 

With a successful career as a romance editor, and an engagement to a man who checks off all ninety-nine boxes on her curated list, Lanie's killing it. Then she's given the opportunity of a lifetime: to work with world-renowned author Noa Callaway. All Lanie has to do is cure Noa's writer's block and she'll get the promotion she's always dreamed of. But there's a reason no one has ever seen or spoken to the mysterious Noa Calloway. And that reason will call into question everything she thought she knew. When she finally tosses her ninety-nine expectations to the wind, Lanie may just discover that love By Any Other Name can still be as sweet. 

Book Lovers 

By Emily Henry 

Berkley, 2022. 377 pages. Romance 

Nora Stephens' life is books--she's read them all--and she is not a heroine. Not the plucky one or the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her little sister Libby. She agrees to a girls’ trip for Libby, but Libby has visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she's convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they've met many times and it's never been cute. If Nora knows she's not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he's nobody's hero, but as they are thrown together again and again--in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow--what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they've written about themselves. 

The Love Hypothesis 

By Ali Hazelwood 

Jove, 2021. 373 pages. Romance 

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and on her way to a happily ever after will require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when he agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs. Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

TT

The Switch

The Switch

By Beth O'Leary

Flatiron Books, 2020. 330 pgs. Fiction

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big project at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house in a tiny Yorkshire village. Eileen is newly single after her husband of many years left her and is ready for some new adventures. They decide to do a two month swap, with Eileen moving to London and Leena settling in to quiet village life. But stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected. 

This was a fun, quick read! The idea of being able to swap lives with someone sounds so appealing but I like how this book also shows that there are some down sides. I love how Eileen doesn't let age stop her from having adventures and trying new things. Throughout the book, Leena and Eileen make friends with people in different age groups from their own. There is a lot to learn from each other when you take the time to listen. This book is about finding yourself, lifting others and going out of your comfort zone. 

If you like The Switch, you might also like:

The Happy Ever After Playlist

By Abby Jimenez

Forever, 2020. 388 pgs. Romance

Adopting a rescue puppy to help her get her life back on track two years after losing her fiance, Sloan clashes with the mischievous pup’s original owner, Jason, a rising musician who challenges Sloan to make difficult choices.

Evvie Drake Starts Over

By Linda Holmes

Ballantine Books, 2019. 293 pgs. Fiction

Young widow Evvie Drake and major league pitcher Dean Tenney, who has lost his game and needs a chance to reset his life, form an unlikely relationship when Dean moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie's house.

AL

The House Across the Lake

The House Across the Lake 

By Riley Sager 

Dutton, 2022. 368 pages. Mystery 

Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. 

One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage is not as perfect and placid as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey becomes consumed with finding out what happened to her. In the process, she uncovers eerie, darker truths that turn a tale of voyeurism and suspicion into a story of guilt, obsession and how looks can be very deceiving. 

In true Riley Sager fashion, he takes a popular concept, in this case the mystery genre staple of voyeurism, and turns it on its head. However, if you think this is another retelling of Rear Window, you’re in for a wild ride. I particularly enjoyed the supporting characters of the former cop neighbor, Boone Conrad, and the trusty uncle-type, Eli; both of whom provided balance to Casey’s unreliable narration and helped to ground the story. Overall, Riley Sager’s classic blend of horror tropes with more traditional mystery elements surprised me at every twist and turn. 

If you like The House Across the Lake, you might also like: 

The Woman in the Window

By A.J. Finn 

William Morrow, 2018. 427 pages. Mystery 

It isn't paranoia if it's really happening. Anna Fox lives alone -- a recluse in her New York City home, drinking too much wine, watching old movies, and spying on her neighbors. Then the Russells move next door: a father, a mother, and their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna sees something she shouldn't, her world begins to crumble. What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this gripping Hitchcockian thriller, no one and nothing are what they seem. 

The Wrong Family 

By Tarryn Fisher 

Graydon House, 2020. 329 pages. Mystery 

Juno was wrong about Winnie Crouch. Before moving in with the Crouch family, Juno thought Winnie and her husband, Nigel, had the perfect marriage, the perfect son, and the perfect life. Only now that she's living in their beautiful house, she sees the cracks in the crumbling façade are too deep to ignore. Still, she isn't one to judge. After her grim diagnosis, the retired therapist simply wants a place to live out the rest of her days in peace. But that peace is shattered the day Juno overhears a chilling conversation between Winnie and Nigel... 

 BW

The Year I Stopped Trying

The Year I Stopped Trying

By Katie Heaney 

Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2021. 256 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Mary is having an existential crisis. She's a good student, she never gets into trouble, and she is searching for the meaning of life. She always thought she'd find it in a perfect score on the SATs. But by junior year, Mary isn't so sure anymore. The first time, it's an accident. She forgets to do a history assignment. And then: Nothing happens. She doesn't burst into flames, the world doesn't end, the teacher doesn't even pull her aside after class. So, she asks herself: Why am I trying so hard? What if I stop? 

As a chronic overachiever and workaholic in my teen years, this book spoke to me on several levels. Mary discovers something it took me to adulthood to learn, sometimes you can let things go and the world won’t end. Mary’s journey to find balance rings true to me, and I found her journey of self-discovery inspiring. The characters are witty, engaging, and I flew through this book. Initially intrigued by the title, I’m so happy I picked this book up and could easily recommend it to others. 

If you liked The Year I Stopped Trying, you might also like: 

Late to the Party

By Kelly Quindlen 

Roaring Books Press, 2020. 297 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Preferring to hang out with her best friends rather than pursue relationships, a gay teen finds her perspectives changed by an unexpected secret relationship with a beautiful senior who may or may not also like girls. 

You Should See Me in a Crown

By Leah Johnson 

Scholastic Press, 2020. 324 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Liz Lighty has always done her best to avoid the spotlight in her small, wealthy, and prom-obsessed midwestern high school, after all, her family is black and rather poor, especially since her mother died; instead she has concentrated on her grades and her musical ability in the hopes that it will win her a scholarship to elite Pennington College and their famous orchestra where she plans to study medicine--but when that scholarship falls through she is forced to turn to her school's scholarship for promking and queen, which plunges her into the gauntlet of social media which she hates and leads her to discoveries about her own identity and the value of true friendships. 

ACS

Mr. Malcolm's List

Mr. Malcolm’s List

by Suzanne Allain

Jove, 2020. 244 pages. Fiction

Move over, Mr. Darcy, there's a new man in town . . . It is a truth universally acknowledged that an arrogant bachelor insistent on a wife who meets the strictest of requirements-deserves his comeuppance. The Honorable Mr. Jeremy Malcolm is searching for a wife, but not just any wife. He's determined to elude the fortune hunters and find a near-perfect woman, one who will meet the qualifications of his well-crafted list. But after years of searching, he's beginning to despair of ever finding this paragon. And then Selina Dalton arrives in town . . . Selina, a vicar's daughter of limited means and a stranger to high society, is thrilled when her friend Julia invites her to London. Until she learns it's part of a plot to exact revenge on Mr. Malcolm. Selina is reluctant to participate in Julia's scheme, especially after meeting the irresistible Mr. Malcolm, who seems very different from the arrogant scoundrel of Julia's description. But when Mr. Malcolm begins judging Selina against his unattainable standards, Selina decides that she has some qualifications of her own. And if he is to meet them he must reveal the real man behind . . . Mr. Malcolm's List.

This is a delightful Regency romp. I enjoyed the historical detail that supported the Regency romance. The writing is breezy and fun, the romance is beguiling and not too silly, steamy but not too spicy. It was a huge escape from my daily life and that is just what I needed. 

If you like Mr. Malcolm’s List, you might like:

The Letter from Briarton Park: A Novel

by Sara E. Ladd

Thomas Nelson, 2022. 326 pages. Fiction

In Regency England, one letter will alter a young woman's fate when it summons her to Briarton Park--an ancient place that holds the secrets of her past and the keys to her future.

 

The Merchant and the Rogue

Shadow Mountain, 2021. 352 pages. Fiction

Russian-born shopkeeper Vera Sorokina and Irish-born penny dreadful author Brogan Donnelly join forces to take down a criminal enterprise that is threatening shopkeepers in South London in 1865. Along the way, the two find love and romance as they fight for a chance for their own 'happily ever after.

 

We Were Dreamers

We Were Dreamers

by Simu Liu

Harper Collins Publishers, 2022. 289 p. Biography

We Were Dreamers is the superhero origin story of Simu Liu, Marvel Cinematic Universe's first leading Asian superhero, who grew up torn between China and Canada, until he found the courage to dream like his parents before him. Witty, honest, inspiring and relatable, We Were Dreamers weaves together the narratives of two generations in a Chinese immigrant family who are inextricably tied to one another even as they are torn apart by deep cultural misunderstanding.

I can't tell you how much I love this book. Simu Liu's story is incredible and full of unexpected twists and turns. He's proof that you can change for the better and that when one door opens another door closes. If you can, I'd recommend listening to Simu narrate it via the Libby app. He brings a whole knew depth to emotion and really makes it feel like you're experiencing life right there with him.

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Deaf Utopia

by Nyle DiMarco

Harper Collins Publishers, 2022. 317 p. Biography

A heartfelt and inspiring memoir and deaf culture anthem by Nyle DiMarco, actor, producer, two-time reality show winner, and cultural icon of the international deaf community.

Finding Me

by Viola Davis

Harper Collins Publishers, 2022. 304 p. Biography 

In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever. This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn't always see me.
 

Crying in H Mart

by Michelle Zauner

Alfred A. Knopf, 2021. 239 p. Biography 

In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever.  From the indie rockstar of Japanese Breakfast fame, and author of the viral 2018 New Yorker essay that shares the title of this book, an unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean-American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity. In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up the only Asian-American kid at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother's particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother's tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the east coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, performing gigs with her fledgling band--and meeting the man who would become her husband--her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother's diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.

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