So I’m pretty sure there is no way I can finish four books in a long weekend. But I’m going to try anyway. I’m trying to meet the four Easter Readathon prompts so here is my attempt.

Easter Prompt Number 1: Spring-y Books:Starfish

Ellie wore a whale bathing suit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party. Since then she’s been bullied about her weight, to get by she’s come up with the Fat Girl Rules which include “no making waves”, “avoid eating in public” and don’t move so fast that your body jiggles. Ellie has found her safe space, her swimming pool, a place where she feels weightless in a fat obessed world.

In the pool she can strech out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants, she can also get away from her pushy mom who thinks crititizing Ellie’s weight will motivate her to diet.

Thankfully Ellie’s Dad, therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina understand her and love her for who she is. With this support, Ellie might be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and be a Starfish in real life, by being her own fabulous self.

I picked this book for the readathon because swimming reminds me of spring and summer and I love seeing a fat-positive middle-grade book.

Amazon: Starfish

Author

Lisa Fipps is an award-winning former journalist, current director of marketing for a public library, and an author of middle-grade books. Starfish is her debut novel. 

Easter Prompt 2: A book about new beginning: Sweet and Bitter Magic

Tamsin is the most powerful witch of her generatation. But after she commits the worst magical sin, she’s exiled by the ruling Coven and cursed with the inability to love. She can feel love though, but only if she takes it from others.

Wren is a source, she’s a rare person who is made of magic. But she can’t access it herself. Sources are required to train in secret with the Coven as soon as they discover their abilities but Wren is her ailing father’s only caretaker, so she’s spent her life hiding her secret so she can care for her father.

The two cross paths when a magical plague begins to ravage the queendom. Wren’s father falls victim, so to save him Wren proposes a bargin. if Tamsin will catch the dark witch responsible for creating, the Wren will give Tamsin her love for her father.

But love bargins are tricky and the two have a long journey ahead, that is if they don’t kill each other first.

Author

Adrienne Tooley grew up in Southern California, majored in musical theater in Pittsburgh, and now lives in Brooklyn with her wife, six guitars, and a banjo. In addition to writing novels, she is a singer/songwriter who has currently released three indie-folk EPs. Her debut novel, SWEET & BITTER MAGIC, is out now. Her second novel, SOFI AND THE BONE SONG, will release in 2022.

Easter Prompt 3: A Book Less than 250 Pages: Lumberjanes Volume 16

It took me awhile to find something this short for the readathon, what I was planning to use was 6 pages too long. So I went with the next volume of my favorite comic.

We find the ‘Janes again in this as Mal tries to prove her bravery…but ends up stranded in the Land of Lost Things!

DINOSAURS, DANGER & DIMENSION-HOPPING AND …OH MY!

Mal wants to try being braver, but when she recruits Ripley to help her face her fears, the project goes a little out of hand. As most things with Ripley do, and Mal ends up in a place she should really be afraid of, The Land of Lost Things. Stranded on her own in a pocket universe where dinosaur still roam the earth and time is a little wonky will Mal be able to find her way back to camp? On the other side of the portal Molly, April, Jo, and Ripley are worried about finding and saving Mal, but in their attempt they may get lost as well.

Authors

Writers Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh (Super Cakes) and artist AnneMarie Rogers present the newest collection of stories from the New York Times bestseller and multiple Eisner Award and GLAAD Award-winning series where you’re never lost as long as you hold onto the ones you love most!

Collects Lumberjanes #61-64

Easter Prompt 4; Pastel Cover: The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre

I’d been wanting to include this in my readathon list. I love the colors and I just thought this sounded liked a fun concept.

Melody McIntyre, is a stage manager with a plan for everything.

What she doesn’t have is luck in love, everytime she falls for someone during a school drama performance the relationship and the show both go south. So Mel has sworn of any relationships until their production of Les Mis is over.

Of course the best laid plans, Mel didn’t count on Odile Rose, a rising star in the acting world autitoning for the spring performance. Or for Odile to be sweet and funny or care as much about the play success as Mel does.

Which means that Melody McIntyre’s only plan now is trying desperately not to fall in love

Author

Robin Talley (she/her) is a queer author who grew up in southwest Virginia and now lives in Washington, D.C., with her wife and their rambunctious kiddos. She did digital communications work for LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, educational equity, and other progressive causes for fifteen years before she turned to writing full-time, and is now the New York Times-bestselling author of seven novels for teen readers, including The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre, Music From Another World, Pulp, and As I Descended.