The Witch's Heart

The Witch’s Heart
by Genevieve Gornichec
Ace, 2023. 368 pages. Fiction. 

Angrboda's story begins where most witch's tales end: with a burning. A punishment from Odin for refusing to give him knowledge of the future, the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into the farthest reaches of a remote forest. There she is found by a man who reveals himself to be Loki, and her initial distrust of him grows reluctantly into a deep and abiding love. Their union produces three unusual children, each with a secret destiny, who she is keen to raise at the edge of the world, safely hidden from Odin's all-seeing eye. But as Angrboda slowly recovers her prophetic powers, she learns that her blissful life--and possibly all of existence--is in danger. Angrboda must choose whether she'll accept the fate that she's foreseen for her beloved family ... or rise to remake their future. 

I enjoyed experiencing Norse mythology through the lens of a lesser-known, female mythological figure. Through Angrboda’s eyes, we see gods like Loki, Odin, and Thor in an entirely new, more nuanced light. As in Greek mythology, these larger-than-life figures bring about their fates by fighting hard to avoid them, and Genevieve Gornichec throughtfully returns to the theme of cursed foreknowledge again and again. Apart from its final pages describing Ragnorak, The Witch’s Heart is a quiet, gently-paced story with an emphasis on women’s roles in history and myth, agency, and the love of a mother (even a mother of monsters). This is a good pick for anyone interested in feminist retellings of familiar tales.

If you liked The Witch’s Heart, you might also like: 

Circe
by Madeline Miller
Little, Brown and Company, 2018. 400 pages. Fiction. 

Follows Circe, the banished witch daughter of Helios, as she hones her powers and interacts with famous mythological beings before a conflict with one of the most vengeful Olympians forces her to choose between the worlds of the gods and mortals. 

Nettle & Bone

by T. Kingfisher
Tor, 2023. 272 pages. Fantasy 

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra-the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter-has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself. Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince-if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning. On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra's family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last. 

Norse Mythology
by Neil Gaiman 

W. W. Norton & Company, 2017. 304 pages. Fiction. 

Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he presents his fashioning of the primeval Norse myths into a novel, which begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds, delves into the exploits of the deities, dwarves, and giants, and culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and the rebirth of a new time and people. Gaiman stays true to the myths while vividly recreating the characters--the gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to dupe others, and their tendencey to let passion ignite their actions--and making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.

How to Keep House While Drowning

How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing

By KC Davis

Simon Element, 2022. 151 pgs. Nonfiction

KC Davis is a therapist and has found popularity on TikTok and Instagram after posting videos of her messy house. She wrote this book as a way to teach simple strategies to handle everyday responsibilities when they sometimes feel impossible. The first thing is to change the way we think about chores and instead call them "Care Tasks".  She proposes that if you make the everyday care tasks easier, you can improve mental health faster. 

Some of the things she teaches include:

Care tasks are morally neutral
Rest is a right, not a reward
You deserve kindness regardless of your level of functioning
You can’t save the rainforest if you’re depressed
Shame is the enemy of functioning
Good enough is perfect

This book was short, easy to read, and exactly what I needed. Everything KC Davis says makes so much sense to me. It made me look at myself and my responsibilities differently. I love the idea that I can do things that make my life functional and it can look or feel different than someone else. I also like that she made me think about the shame I feel for not getting everything done. Shame gets in the way of so many things in our lives. I highly recommend this book. Her TEDx talk "How to Do Laundry When You're Depressed" is pretty good too!

If you liked How to Keep House While Drowning you may also like: 

Organizing for the Rest of Us: 100 Realistic Strategies to Keep Any House Under Control

By Dana White

Thomas Nelson, 2022, 216pgs. Nonfiction

Dana K. White is a decluttering expert and self-proclaimed recovering slob. She offers sustainable ideas to simplify and manage your home. 

Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be

By Rebecca Kennedy

Harper Wave, 2022. 315 pgs. Nonfiction

Dr. Becky Kennedy provides a groundbreaking guide for parents that offers a new approach to interacting with our children. It focuses more on our connections and the premise that we are all good inside, just sometimes we are a good person, having a hard time. This book doesn't have to do with organizing or cleaning, but it does take away a lot of the shame of being a parent. 

The House That Cleans Itself

By Mindy Starns Clark

Harvest House Publishers, 2013, 239 pgs. Nonfiction

Sometimes you just need to become a detective in your own house and look at your spaces with new eyes. How can you change the space to fit the behavior? Could you change a couple things to create a first impression of clean. This book presents tips and strategies for effective house cleaning and organization. 

AL

Every Day: The Graphic Novel

Every Day: The Graphic Novel
By David Levithan, Illustrated by Dion MBD
Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 198 pages. Young Adult Graphic Novel

A graphic novel adaptation of the groundbreaking, beloved New York Times' bestselling novel about a teen who wakes up in a different body each day and the love that eludes them. Every morning A wakes in a different person's body, in a different person's life, learning over the years to never get too attached, until he wakes up in the body of Justin and falls in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone they want to be with--day in, day out, day after day. But can Rhiannon love someone who is destined to change every day?

The premise of this story intrigued me the first time I heard about the movie adaptation of the original.  And finally getting time to read it, and in graphic novel form, no less, was a real treat!  I've not read the book or watched the movie and I understood what was going on in the story perfectly, though I'm not sure how closely it follows the plot of the original book.  The art style is appealing and matches the story well, the panels are well-spaced and the progression through the story seemed natural.  I really appreciated the representation of the depression one girl feels as a dark haze or smoke-like animal hanging around her; it seemed a very poetic way of depicting it, and did a good job of showing her emotions rather than telling.  The author's exploration of what it means to be human and what it means to be in a relationship is a timeless message, and one I would recommend to anyone feeling detached from the world or looking for deeper meaning in their life.

If you like Every Day: The Graphic Novel, you might also like:

Eleanor & Park

By Rainbow Rowell

St. Martin's Griffin, 2014. 328 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits--smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

I Kill Giants

By Joe Kelly

Image Comics, 2014. 184 pages. Graphic Novel

Barbara Thorson, a girl battling monsters both real and imagined, kicks butt, takes names, and faces her greatest fear.

ERB

In Defense of Witches

In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial

By Mona Chollet
St. Martin's Press, 2022. 304 pages. Nonfiction

Mona Chollet celebrates the witch as a symbol of female rebellion and independence in the face of misogyny and persecution.

Centuries after the infamous witch hunts that swept through Europe and America, witches continue to hold a unique fascination for many: as fairy tale villains, practitioners of pagan religion, as well as feminist icons. Witches are both the ultimate victim and the stubborn, elusive rebel. But who were the women who were accused and often killed for witchcraft? What types of women have centuries of terror censored, eliminated, and repressed?

Celebrated feminist writer Mona Chollet explores three types of women who were accused of witchcraft and persecuted: the independent woman, since widows and celibates were particularly targeted; the childless woman, since the time of the hunts marked the end of tolerance for those who claimed to control their fertility; and the elderly woman, who has always been an object of at best, pity, and at worst, horror. Examining modern society, Chollet concludes that these women continue to be harassed and oppressed. Rather than being a brief moment in history, the persecution of witches is an example of society's seemingly eternal misogyny, while women today are direct heirs to those who were hunted down and killed for their thoughts and actions.

With fiery prose and arguments that range from the scholarly to the cultural, In Defense of Witches seeks to unite the mythic image of the witch with modern women who seek to live their lives on their own terms.

We've all been exposed to differing types of witches in recent pop culture, from the good to the evil. Because of that, how we view witches has shifted greatly in the last several decades; however, to be called a witch at any other time was a death sentence. A single, independent women who thought for herself was often accused of witchcraft and burned. Even a small physical imperfection, such as a birth mark, would place a women on the pyre. (While reading this book, I had the haunting realization that some of my own physical features would have brought me to the witches' pyre.) Knowledgeable women, especially those who were healers and midwives, were seen as a threat to men and were burned at the stake. The historical witch hunts shared in this book are brutal. And unfortunately, we see similar judgements today. Chollet brings to light the sexism and misogyny that still exists. Women might not fear the pyre, but shaming and gaslighting are the punishments of modern day.

With her passionate and intellectual prose, Chollet inspires modern individuals to challenge societal expectations about women's marital status, their parental status, and the definition of beauty. Embrace your long silver locks. Don't feel lesser because you are single. Feel empowered to make your own decision about children. Don't be afraid to be powerful.

Originally published in French with the title Sorcières in 2018, In Defense of Witches was translated into English and published in 2022. Because of her background, there are many references to French writers, philosophers, articles, and people we might not recognize; however, there are still many familiar references.

Feminist who are interested in the history of witch hunts, women's studies, and witchy books will want to delve into this book.

If you like In Defense of Witches you might also like:

Waking the witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power
By Pam Grossman
Gallery Books, 2019. 288 pages. Nonfiction

A whip-smart and illuminating exploration of the world's fascination with witches from podcast host and practicing witch Pam Grossman ( The Witch Wave ), who delves deeply into why witches have intrigued us for centuries and why they're more relevant now than ever.

In this fascinating read that is part cultural analysis, part memoir, Pam opens up about her own journey on the path to witchcraft, and how her personal embrace of the witch helped her find strength, self-empowerment, and a deeper purpose.

A comprehensive meditation on one of the most mysterious and captivating figures of all time, Waking the Witch celebrates witches past, present, and future, and reveals the critical role they have played--and will continue to play--in shaping the world as we know it.

Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes
By Elizabeth Lesser
Harper Wave, 2020. 292 pages. Nonfiction

In her new book, bestselling author Elizabeth Lesser looks to the stories told about women over the ages and how they contribute to persistent misogyny and gender inequality, and offers a path towards framing new stories that honor all people.

Men Explain Things To Me
By Rebecca Solnit
Dispatch Books, 2014. 160 pages. Nonfiction

In her comic, scathing essay "Men Explain Things to Me," Rebecca Solnit took on what often goes wrong in conversations between men and women. She wrote about men who wrongly assume they know things and wrongly assume women don't, about why this arises, and how this aspect of the gender wars works, airing some of her own hilariously awful encounters. She ends on a serious note: the ultimate problem is the silencing of women who have something to say, including those saying things like, "He's trying to kill me!" This book features that now-classic essay with six complements, including an examination of the great feminist writer Virginia Woolf 's embrace of mystery, of not knowing, of doubt and ambiguity, a highly original inquiry into marriage equality, and a terrifying survey of the scope of contemporary violence against women.

JJC

Under the Henfluence

Under the Henfluence

by Tove Danovich

Agate Publishing, 2023. 223 pages. Nonfiction

When Danovich picked up her first flock of chicks, she didn't expect the birds to change her life. She began to wonder: what is a good life for a chicken, anyway? She went in search of the people breeding, training, healing, and advocating for chickens. Danovich reports on the hidden cleverness and irresistible personalities of these birds, as well as the complex human-chicken relationships that have evolved over the centuries. And she shows that the pampered lives of pet chickens are a stark contrast to the living conditions of birds in the meat and egg industry.

Don't read this book if you don't want to become absolutely addicted to chickens. Who knew these creatures were not only fascinating, but also quite adorable, intelligent animals who are just as capable as dogs when it comes to providing companionship? I sure didn't. You'll love the fun facts and personal stories shared by author, Tove Danovich. Oh, and you'll want to buy yourself some chickens.

If you like Under the Henfluence, you might also like...

The Secret Life of Cows

by Rosamund Young

Penguin Press, 2018. 139 pages. Nonfiction

In this affectionate, heart-warming chronicle, Rosamund Young distills a lifetime of organic farming wisdom, describing the surprising personalities of her cows and other animals

The Whole Hog

by Lyall Watson

Smithsonian Books, 2004. 208 pages. Nonfiction

Not all animals are created equal. For a start, pigs have it, sheep don't; that is, that special quality of intelligence, a sense of play, and a gregariousness that make these tragically misunderstood--yet no less endearing--creatures more like us than any other animal. Best-selling author Lyall Watson takes a delightful look at the occasionally amusing, often instructive, and completely admirable qualities of pigs in this indispensable book, not only for everyone interested in natural history but also for fans of Babe , lovers of Piglet, readers of Charlotte's Web and Animal Farm , gourmands and truffle hunters, folklorists, and, of course, believers in meaningful interspecies communication.

The book is filled with both realistic and wonderfully fanciful illustrations of pigs that illuminate everything you could possibly want to know about the extraordinary family of Suids, from their origins and evolution, rich social lives, and combat strategies, to their special relationship with truffles, popularity in art and literature, and increasing use today in cutting-edge medical transplant technology.

NS

Hot Dutch Daydream

 

Hot Dutch Daydream

by Kristy Boyce

Harper Teen, 2023. 290 pages. Young Adult Fiction

No one has ever accused Sage Cunningham of being easily distracted. She has a plan, and she won't be swayed. She'll spend the summer interning in her mentor's lab in Amsterdam, and then she'll be ready for college. All she needs to do to pay for the summer abroad is agree to serve as the au pair for Dr. Reese's three-year-old. Sage has it all down to a science, but she doesn't anticipate the surprise arrival of Dr. Reese's teenage son. Ryland is spontaneous, flirty, and impulsive--everything Sage isn't. He's a talented artist, but he's desperately in need of someone to keep him focused. And as nannying proves harder than Sage had expected, it turns out she might need help too. The two strike a deal. Sage will stop Ryland from going out with a different girl every day, and Ryland will pitch in with his little brother. Spending the summer stuck together is the perfect way to keep distractions to a minimum. Right?

This feel-good novel is much more than your basic teen Rom Com. It is an atmospheric love letter to the city of Amsterdam. Sage is not a boy-crazy girl searching for romance. She is thoughtful and driven, doing cancer research that helps her come to terms with her own father’s lost battle to the disease. Ryland is not a party animal, but a sensitive artist trying to build his artist’s portfolio. This is a really interesting take on the teen romance trope of the girl who doesn’t believe in or have time for love. I highly recommend it. 

If you like Hot Dutch Daydream, you might also like:

¡Viva Lola Espinoza!

by Ella Cerón

Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023. 392 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Book smart teen Lola's summer plans are derailed when she is sent to live with her Grandmother in Mexico City and learns a family secret that changes her life forever.

Picture Perfect Boyfriend

by Becky Dean

Delacorte Press, 2023. 361 pages. Young Adult Fiction

A girl who created a fake boyfriend to impress her family is shocked when the fictional boy shows up on her family vacation to Hawaii.

 

AG

When Crack Was King

When Crack Was King: a people's history of a misunderstood era
By Donovan X. Ramsey
New York: One World, 2023. 427 pages. Nonfiction

This fascinating book caught my eye with its bright, orange cover and then held my attention with its compassionate storytelling and riveting research. It's a report on how crack cocaine decimated the Black community throughout the 1980s and the 1990s in the United States. The author, journalist Donovan X. Ramsey, vividly recalls his adolescence in Columbus, Ohio, with "kids who grew up like me -- poor and Black in the midst of the crack epidemic." In 2015, Ramsey began deeply researching "the facts of crack -- what it was, where it came from, and how it spread." 

The author compassionately profiles four individuals whose lives were affected by crack and, interwoven with these intimately depicted, gritty stories, is the history of Black America from the 1960s to the end of the 20th century. The four individual stories provide readers with a startling portrait of crack's destruction and devastating legacy: Elgin Swift, an archetype of American industry and ambition and the son of a crack-addicted father who turned their home into a "crack house"; Lennie Woodley, a former crack addict and sex worker; Kurt Schmoke, the longtime mayor of Baltimore and an early advocate of decriminalization; and Shawn McCray, community activist, basketball prodigy, and a founding member of the "Zoo Crew," New Jersey's most legendary group of drug traffickers.

Though he acknowledges that survivors of the epidemic (particularly Black and brown people) rarely discuss it, the author shines much-needed light on this searingly traumatic ordeal. Each profile ends with the possibilities of hope and change, and Ramsey also dispenses provocative, convincing commentary on criminal legal system reform, social justice, the failures of drug policy, and the complicated relationship between disenfranchised communities and drug abuse in America. Ramsey shows how crack infiltrated and nearly snuffed out entire marginalized communities while an indifferent government stood by and legitimized its demonization. This book is a crucial reevaluation of the era and a powerful argument for providing historically violated communities with the resources they deserve.

If you like When Crack Was King, you might also like:

Raising Lazarus: hope, justice, and the future of America's overdose crisis
By Beth Macy
Little, Brown and Company, 2022. 373 pages. Nonfiction

This book explores the "new frontier" of the opioid crisis, telling the story of the everyday heroes fighting to stem the tide of drug overdose in communities that are too often left to fend for themselves, and of the activists and relatives of the dead who are still struggling for accountability in America's courts. The author argues persuasively that substance abuse should be treated as a medical condition rather than a crime, and focuses on treatments with the potential to help, emphasizing the efforts of people who are necessarily skirting the law in order to provide aid to those who need it most.

Under the Skin: the hidden toll of racism on American lives and the health of our nation
By Linda Villarosa
Doubleday, 2022. 269 pages. Nonfiction

Villarosa is a journalist who takes a stunning look at the racial disparities in health outcomes for Black and white Americans. Contending that these health disparities, which persist across different levels of income and education, demonstrate "the impact of insidious discrimination associated with the lived experience of being Black in America," Villarosa cites evidence that white physicians prescribe lower levels of pain medication to Black patients, that infant and material mortality rates are higher among African Americans, that Black communities bear greater costs of environmental pollution and climate change than white communities, and that "toxic stress" associated with racism prematurely age Black Americans' immune systems.

Live to See the Day: coming of age in American poverty
By Nikhil Goyal
Henry Holt & Co, 2023. 352 pages. Nonfiction

Goyal is a policymaker and sociologist who digs deep into the coming-of-age stories of three Puerto Rican boys: Ryan, Giancarlos, and Emmanuel, each navigating their way around Kensington, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Philadelphia, the country's poorest big city. Young people in Kensington have low odds of making it to their 18th birthdays. Faced with a wide availability of drugs, violence on the streets and at home, unstable living arrangements, and the near total absence of role models, the three boys eventually drop out of school and search for a stable and crime-free existence. This book is perfect for non-academic audiences curious about and empathetic toward the deeply personal consequences of entrenched poverty.

LKA

Women of Power

Women of Power: the influence of mother & daughter

By Susan Evans McCloud

Cedar Fort, 2022. 136 pages. Nonfiction

Lucy was seventeen when she married Brigham, who forthwith left for the Valley, while Lucy went to St. Louis to work, since, they were still in Winter Quarters, she had nothing else to do. Brigham was quite unhappy when he learned this! One of the remarkable things about Lucy was her sweet temperament strengthened by her spiritual insights. She determined that if she was going to be happy in these circumstances, with all these people and wives, she would have to make herself useful--which she did. Susa was Brigham Young's 41st child. Susa was a poet, a writer, and even a composer. At thirteen she entered the University of Deseret and edited a student newspaper. She learned shorthand and actually recorded the St. George Temple dedication. She founded the Relief Society Magazine and the Young Woman's Journal, which was a remarkable, intimate, but amazingly eclectic publication. Both of these women were instrumental in the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

This is an interesting history of two women who dedicated their lives to their religion, and a glimpse into their triumphs and sacrifices. It is a well-researched biography of a mother and her daughter in the early years of the Mormon church, and it has an old-fashioned and intimate style. There are small sections throughout the book that makes it easy to pick up and read in small doses. As well as the story of Lucy Bigelow Young and Susa Young Gates, we get to know others of the early Utah residents, such as Karl G. Maeser and Emmeline B. Wells. The author has a great love for Brigham Young and his family, having volunteered at the Beehive House for over thirty years, and this affection and familiarity is very present in this book. Recommended for anyone interested in the Latter Day Saint history of Utah, especially that of it's women. 

If you like Women of Power, you might also like: 

A House full of Females: plural marriage and women's rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870

By Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Alfred A. Knopf, 2017. 484 pages. Nonfiction

  

A stunning and sure-to-be controversial book that pieces together, through more than two dozen nineteenth-century diaries, letters, albums, minute-books, and quilts left by first-generation Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, the never-before-told story of the earliest days of the women of Mormon "plural marriage," whose right to vote in the state of Utah was given to them by a Mormon-dominated legislature as an outgrowth of polygamy in 1870, fifty years ahead of the vote nationally ratified by Congress, and who became political actors in spite of, or because of, their marital arrangements. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, writing of this small group of Mormon women who've previously been seen as mere names and dates, has brilliantly reconstructed these textured, complex lives to give us a fulsome portrait of who these women were and of their "sex radicalism"-the idea that a woman should choose when and with whom to bear children.

At the Pulpit: 185 years of discourses by Latter-day Saint Women

By Jennifer Reeder

The Church Historian's Press, 2017. 452 pages. Nonfiction

At the Pulpit showcases the tradition of Latter-day Saint women's preaching and instruction by presenting 54 speeches given from 1831 to 2016, with selections from every decade since the founding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The discourses, given by women both well known and obscure, represent just some of the many contributions of women to Latter-day Saint thought. In addition to being a scholarly history, At the Pulpit is intended as a resource for contemporary Latter-day Saints as they study, speak, teach, and lead. These discourses allow readers to hear the historical and contemporary voices of Latter-day Saint women--voices that resound with experience, wisdom, and authority.

MGB

El Invencible Verano de Liliana

El Invencible Verano de Liliana

por Cristina Rivera Garza
Vintage Espanol, 2023. 302 páginas. Memoria

 
El 16 de julio de 1990, Liliana Rivera Garza, mi hermana, fue víctima de un feminicidio. Era una muchacha de 20 años, estudiante de arquitectura. Tenía años tratando de terminar su relación con un novio de la preparatoria que insistía en no dejarla ir. Unas cuantas semanas antes de la tragedia, Liliana por fin tomó una decisión definitiva: en lo más crudo del invierno había descubierto que en ella, como bien lo había dicho Albert Camus, había un invencible verano. Lo dejaría atrás. Empezaría una nueva vida. Haría una maestría y después un doctorado; viajaría a Londres.

La decisión de él fue que ella no tendría una vida sin él. Hace apenas un año decidí abrir las cajas donde depositamos las pertenencias de mi hermana. Su voz atravesó el tiempo y, como la de tantas mujeres desaparecidas y ultrajadas en México, demandó justicia.

El invencible verano de Liliana es una excavación en la vida de una mujer brillante y audaz que careció, como nosotros mismos, como todos los demás, del lenguaje necesario para identificar, denunciar y combatir la violencia sexista y el terrorismo de pareja que caracteriza a tantas relaciones patriarcales.

Si le gusta «El Invencible Verano de Liliana» le recomendamos:

Donde Somos Humanos

por Reyna Grande
HarperCollins Español, 2023. 343 páginas. No Ficción

Con una introducción del ganador del Premio Pulitzer, Viet Thanh Nguyen, En algún lugar somos humano es una antología de cuarenta y cuatro ensayos y poemas atrevidos, importantes y revolucionarios escritos por inmigrantes, refugiados y Dreamers, incluidos escritores galardonados, artistas y activistas, que iluminan la realidad del día a día de un indocumentado.

Hoy en día, existe un efusivo debate sobre el tema de la inmigración en los Estados Unidos, pero se pierde de vista lo más importante: que los migrantes y refugiados viviendo precariamente en este país son madres y padres, hermanos y hermanas, hijos e hijas; individuos impulsados por la esperanza y el miedo que se juegan la vida con la promesa del sueño americano. Sus historias, sin embargo, caen a menudo en el olvido.

En estos tiempos de inquietudes, agitación política e incertidumbre, esta antología de ensayos, poesía y arte intenta transformar la xenófoba y estereotipada perspectiva colectiva que tenemos sobre los inmigrantes y refugiados en una basada en la justicia y humanidad. Les autores de esta colección alterarán la visión que tienen de sí mismes y de sus respectivas comunidades a través de la narración y el arte para así declarar orgullosamente que, tanto aquí como en cualquier otro lugar, todos somos humanos a pesar de la militarización de las fronteras, la detención masiva y la legislación draconiana y antiinmigrante en los Estados Unidos.

En algún lugar somos humanos revela cómo la alegría, la esperanza, el duelo y la perseverancia nos ayudan a florecer en los terrenos más áridos y en las condiciones más extremas.

La Viajera Nocturna
por Armando Lucas Correa
Vintage Espanol, 2023. 397 páginas. Ficción

Berlín, 1931: La joven poeta Ally Keller da a luz a solas a Lilith, una niña mestiza. Mientras los Nazis ascienden al poder, Ally sabe que debe mantener a su bebé oculta para protegerla de la ideología de la raza aria promovida por Hitler. Pero a medida que Lilith crece, cada vez resulta más difícil protegerla ... Hasta que un día Ally decide poner en marcha un plan desesperado para enviar a su hija a un lugar seguro al otro lado del océano.

La Habana, 1958: Lilith, ya adulta, conserva pocos recuerdos de su madre o de su infancia en Alemania y, aunque ahora está muy ilusionada con su futuro al lado de Martín, un piloto cubano con fuertes lazos con el gobierno de Fulgencio Batista, al estallar la Revolución se encuentra en una encrucijada junto a su hija recién nacida, Nadine.

Berlín, 1988: Nadine se ha convertido en una científica que se dedica a velar por la dignidad de de quienes fueron asesinados por los Nazis. Sin embargo, lleva toda la vida sin afrontar la verdad sobre la historia de su familia. Será su hija, Luna, quien la animará a indagar sobre las decisiones que tomaron su madre y su abuela para asegurar su supervivencia.

Además, Luna deberá aceptar una traición desconcertante que cambiará todo lo que creía saber sobre sus antepasados. Cuatro mujeres de varias generaciones unidas por el sacrificio se embarcan en sus propios viajes de autodescubrimiento y se convierten en testimonios de la fuerza del amor materno.

MEB

Etiquetas: Español, MEB, No Ficción, Memoria, Ficción, Historia

Yours Truly

Yours Truly
by Abby Jimenez
Forever, 2023. 398 pages. Romance

Dr. Briana Ortiz's life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother's running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that's probably going to the new man-doctor who just transferred to her hospital. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter. And it's a really good letter. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny guy who's just terrible at first impressions. Suddenly Jacob and Bri are exchanging letters and sharing lunch dates in the hospital supply closet. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can't refuse.

I'm a fan of romances that start with two people getting to know each other by exchanging letters. Jimenez then ups the ante by adding another favorite trope: the fake relationship. But this book doesn't lean on favorite romance tropes to work its magic. The more Briana and Jacob get to know each other, the more they find they have in common. Both are dealing with heavy problems (Briana is dealing with trust issues after her divorce, as well as the worry of how to help her brother. Jacob is also dealing with the after-effects of a breakup, but more importantly deals with social anxiety). Both people accept each other where they're at, which leads to a very tight, believable bond. Jimenez also adds in some humor with a cast of zany side characters, which guarantees you'll have a lot of fun rooting for Briana and Jacob until the very end.

If you like Yours Truly you may also like:

The Chemistry of Love

by Sariah Wilson

Montlake, 2023. 331 pages. Romance

Hopelessly in love with her boss Craig, cosmetic chemist Anna Ellis pairs up with Craig's CEO half-brother Marco in an attempt to catch Craig's eye. All Anna and Marco have to do is pretend they're falling in love and let the rumors begin. If the experiment in attraction works, a jealous Craig will swoop in and give Anna her happily ever after—if it weren't for one hitch in the plan. There's more to Marco than meets the eye. With every fake date, Anna's feelings are starting to become dizzyingly real.

Would You Rather

by Allison Ashley

Mira, 2022. 314 pages. Romance

Noah and Mia have always been best friends, and their friendship is the most important thing to them. Life is going great for Noah and he's up for a promotion in a job he loves. But Mia's life is on hold as she awaits a kidney transplant. When the chance of a lifetime comes for Mia to go back to school and pursue her dream, it's especially painful to pass up. She can't quit her job or she'll lose the medical insurance she so desperately needs. To support her, Noah suggests they get married—in name only—so she can study full-time and still keep the insurance. It's a risk to both of them, with jobs, health and hearts on the line, and they'll need to convince suspicious coworkers and nosy roommates that they're the real deal.

The Bodyguard

by Katherine Center

St. Martin's Press, 2022. 309 pages. Romance

Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you. But the truth is, she's an Executive Protection Agent (a.k.a. "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker. When Jack's mom gets sick, he comes home to the family's Texas ranch to help out. There's only one catch: He doesn't want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. So Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack's girlfriend as a cover. But the more time Hannah spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem.

MB

Family Style

Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam

By Thien Pham

First Second, 2023. 234 pages YA Comics Biography/Memoir

Told through the lens of meaningful food and meals, this graphic novel chronicles the author's childhood immigration to America where food takes on new meaning as he and his family search for belonging, for happiness and for the American dream.

This autobiography following Thien and his transition from Vietnam to America is a compelling insight into the immigration experience for Vietnamese Americans, and I am sure it shares similarities with other immigrants from a myriad of countries.  It is moving to see the desperation that his family experiences and overcomes over and over again.  We watch how Thien assimilates to American culture and then as he grows older his connection back to his Vietnamese roots.  It is equal parts painful as we read of the vitriol and racism that people spewed at him and his family and hopeful--filled with moments of joy.  A recommended read.

If you like Family Style, you might also like:

Almost American Girl

By Robin Ha 

Balzer + Bray/Harper Alley, 2020. 227 pages. YA Comics Biography/Memoir

A powerful and moving teen graphic novel memoir about immigration, belonging, and how arts can save a life. 

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American

By Laura Gao

Balzer + Bray, 2022. 269 pages. YA Comics Biography/Memoir

Seamlessly toggling between past and present, this funny graphic memoir follows a queer Chinese American's immigration to Texas where she just wants to make the basketball team, escape Chinese school, and figure out why she is attracted to girls.

RBL

All Good People Here

All Good People Here

By Ashley Flowers 

New York: Bantam, 2022. 312 Pages. Mystery 

Everyone from Wakarusa, Indiana remembers the infamous case of January Jacobs, who was discovered in a ditch hours after her family awoke to find her gone. Margot Davies was six at the time and January’s next-door neighbor. In the 20 years since, Margot has moved away and become a big-city journalist, but she's always been haunted by the fear that it could've been her. And the worst part is, January's killer has never been brought to justice. When Margot returns home to help care for her uncle, Wakarusa is exactly how she remembered-- genial, stifled, secretive. When news breaks about five-year-old Natalie Clark from the next town over, who's gone missing under eerily similar circumstances, Margot vows to find Natalie and solve January's murder once and for all. But the police, the family, the townspeople all seem to be hiding something. And the deeper Margot digs into Natalie's disappearance, the more resistance she encounters, and the colder January's case feels.

Ashley Flowers, author and cohost of the Crime Junkie podcast, takes us on a deep dive into a hometown mystery in a way that mirrors her own investigative reporting. Protagonist Margot, in her dogged pursuit for the truth, acts as almost a stand-in for Flowers. While caring for her ailing uncle and trying to keep her flailing journalism career on track, Margot’s motivations are grounded and believable. Flowers excels at creating a protagonist we can relate to, as well as building a cast of supporting characters that are well-developed and feel recognizable in the setting. Wakarusa and its townspeople, with their small town “nothing bad ever happens here” mentality, provide a convincing backdrop for this page-turning mystery. The plot is clearly influenced by the real-life case of Jon Benet Ramsay which only adds to the true crime podcast comparisons. Overall, All Good People Here is a compelling and suspenseful mystery for true crime lovers. 

 If you liked All Good People Here, you might also like: 

Wrong Place Wrong Time 

By Gillian McAllister

William Morrow, 2022. 402 Pages. Fiction 

Can you stop a murder after it's already happened? Late October. After midnight. You're waiting for your 17-year-old son. He's late. As you watch from the window, he emerges, and you realize he isn't alone: he's walking toward a man, and he's armed. You can't believe it when you see him kill a stranger, right there on the street outside your house. You don't know who. You don't know why. You only know your son is now in custody. His future shattered. That night you fall asleep in despair. All is lost. Until you wake and it is yesterday. And then you wake up again and it is the day before yesterday. Every morning you wake up a day earlier, another day before the murder. With another chance to stop it. Somewhere in the past lies an answer and you don't have a choice but to find it. 

All the Dangerous Things 

By Stacy Willingham

Minotaur Books, 2023. 326 Pages. Fiction 

One year ago, Isabelle's life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night. With little evidence and few leads, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her--literally. Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn't slept in a year. Isabelle's entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can't go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster, but his interest in Isabelle's past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason's disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust including herself.

BW