And we’re back online faster, with more power, and better than ever. I’m now producing content off Lavender the Laptop. She has 90’s retro vibe, and I’ve got the feminist and witchy stickers coming in tomorrow. So I’ll probably get sticker happy but I’m happy to have a machine to work from again, and happy to be reviewing this wonderful book You Truly Assumed by Black author Laila Sabreen.
This is also helping me complete one of my Pondathon II challenges,. In addition it’s helping me complete one of my Trope-ical readathon prompts Finally this book is also helping with my Orillium Gear Challenge.
Summary
In this compelling and thought-provoking debut novel, after a terrorist attack rocks the country and anti-Islamic sentiment stirs, three Black Muslim girls create a space where they can shatter assumptions and share truths.
Sabriya has her whole summer planned out in color-coded glory, but those plans go out the window after a terrorist attack near her home. When the terrorist is assumed to be Muslim and Islamophobia grows, Sabriya turns to her online journal for comfort. You Truly Assumed was never meant to be anything more than an outlet, but the blog goes viral as fellow Muslim teens around the country flock to it and find solace and a sense of community.
Soon two more teens, Zakat and Farah, join Bri to run You Truly Assumed and the three quickly form a strong friendship. But as the blog’s popularity grows, so do the pushback and hateful comments. When one of them is threatened, the search to find out who is behind it all begins, and their friendship is put to the test when all three must decide whether to shut down the blog and lose what they’ve worked for…or take a stand and risk everything to make their voices heard.
Review of You Truly Assumed
I really liked this book for several reason; one the three points of view, two the way this book was centered around blogging and the different ways the girls celebrated their faith through their communities and the blog. For me this book brought up what is great about the blogging community, the family aspect, as well as the negatives and how to deal with them.
I think it did a good job portraying what minority bloggers have to deal with, any minority bloggers can of course correct me if I’m wrong but it seems to match up with the discourse I’ve heard from different bloggers of color about their thoughts not being heard. I think this is a must read for all white bloggers. Oh and just a personal favorite I especially I the scene where the piece of cookware is thrown on the floor after seeing the website. Just a personal favorite of mine also I’m a huge fan of the ship that happens in the book. It’s so cute. Those are my two personal opinions. Also, I couldn’t pick a favorite out of the three since I love them all. So don’t ask me to!
It’s the end of the Chopped Readathon, @TheBlindScribe and I are sad that this is over but we really enjoyed our time reading with all of you. As your host we didn’t get much reading done, because again, running readathons is more work than either of us pictured. So we are both crossing the finish line with 2 books each.
I’m sure some our participants however will have wonderful posts that will show up throughout the day now as for the prizes @TheReaderPegniun won our prize for who read the most and will get a twenty euro prize.
Prizes
Meanwhile in the random drawing JenniReads won our US Chopped prize pack of signed books and a $20 however they want it from.
Finally @WordsThatStay1 and @hepatic15 have both won our random drawing twenty euro prize package, we will figure out how they want it delivered as well.
I’m also sending out ARCs to @KittyGamerGirl who is getting an ARC of Arrow to the Moon. As well as @JenniReads getting Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating.
Books We Read
Overall we as a group have read 39 different books. Though I think a couple of people were reading The Kindred.
Also we reached the over 10,000 pages mark like I knew we would, the total number of pages read is 10,682! Along with the total number of hours read at via audio book at 6.7!
You finished a lot of books and hit a lot of prompts so I can’t wait to see what your meals look like when you post your wrapups for this readathon. As sad as we are to see this finish we will be back in July, we aren’t sharing the theme yet, but I have a lot to learn about Google Forms and making announcement videos so expect next time to be bigger and better. And please share with your friends if you enjoyed the readathon, you see how relaxed we are about prompts and such, if you like that please share with someone else you think might enjoy that atmosphere as well.
I do the Trope-ical readathon every year, often multiple times a year and this year I need it especially I’m very behind when it comes to where I should be if I want to hit my reading goal but I always seem to hit all of the prompts on this readathon. I also like it because it has alternate prompts for each thing so I’m putting forward a book for each trope and the alternatives and hoping I get to at least most of them.
As you see I have a few holes if you have any suggestions of good books that fit those categories please let me know in the comments. I also need to consider the group book for fantasy but I will do that in another post. Overall I think this is a pretty good starting point I’m a mood reader so some things may change but I think I have good bone here.
So we’ve come to the most difficult part of the Readathon. The Sweet portion, you’re in for a bit of a challenge but if you’ve made it this far we know you can do it. I’ll show you what I’m reading for this portion of the readathon.
Champagne-A Protagonist with Anxiety
Three months ago, twelve-year-old Alma moved to the town of Four Points. Her panic attacks started a week later, and they haven’t stopped—even though she’s told her parents that they have. She’s homesick and friendless and every day she feels less and less like herself.
But one day she finds a telescope in the town’s junk shop, and through its lens, she watches a star—a star that looks like a child—fall from the sky and into her backyard. I’ve been waiting to read this sweet story for awhile now I’m glad I finally get the chance.
Ring Pops: A book where someone gets married or a wedding shapes the plot.
Rouge Princess
Princess Delia knows she must choose a prince to marry in order to secure an alliance and save her failing planet. But she’d much rather have a shot a true love than an arranged marriage. She’s going to chart her own course in life so she steals one of her family’s spaceship and decides to runaway, only to find a stowaway. But who would have thought a princess on the run from an arranged marriage and a poor stowaway looking to find a better life off planet may be the only ones able to stop a planet wide rebellion.
Nathan likes to spend time with his Nali during the summer in the Navajo Nation. even though he knows he’s in for a pretty uneventful summer with no electricity or cell service. On night when he gets lost in the desert all that when Nathan encounters a Holy Being from the Navajo creation story. A Water Monster and it needs his help!
Eleven-year-old Fiona has just read a book that doesn’t exist.
When Fiona’s family moves to a new town to be closer to her older sister’s figure skating club—and far from Fiona’s close-knit group of friends—nobody seems to notice Fiona’s unhappiness. Alone and out of place, Fiona ventures to the town’s library, a rambling mansion donated by a long-dead heiress. And there she finds a gripping mystery novel about a small town, family secrets, and a tragic disappearance.
Soon Fiona begins to notice strange similarities that blur the lines between the novel and her new town. With a little help from a few odd Lost Lake locals, Fiona uncovers the book’s strange history. Lost Lake is a town of restless spirits, and Fiona will learn that both help and danger come from unexpected places—maybe even from the sister she thinks doesn’t care about her anymore.
For this round @OliviaTempleto6 and I wanted to make this the most fancy and decadent round. Like you were really having elegant dinner. Not to say dessert isn’t also fancy but you will definitely fill up on books here.
Steak and Lobster-an expensive book or one the looks fancy.
The Storyteller
It’s not everyday you learn you might be related to related to Anastasia or that the tragic princess actually survived her assassination attempt and has been living as the woman you know as Aunt Anna. I love the design on the cover and the idea of the book and the idea behind it. That’s why I’m choosing it for this prompt.
The battle or war in this case isn’t directly against a thing or another person, it’s against magic itself and those who practice it. When Josslyn Drake finds herself infected with a dangerous piece of magic in world where it, not only illegal but dangerous and deadly she must ally with the unlikely Jericho Nox, who offers her a deal: his help extracting the magic in exchange for the magic itself. Will deal be worth it or will Josslyn find herself in more trouble than she imagined as she learns about the world, magic and things she never expected.
Spaghetti-Good Friendships or Multiple Points of View
Another Kind
Six not so human kids have been kept in the Playroom, a government facility that was has been protecting them. Or at the very least keeping them safe from the eyes of the judgmental word where some would consider them nothing more than animals. They are at home there until a security breach forces them them into the real world and the path of the Collector.
Can the group band together to thwart the Collectors plans, or will they end of the next part of his collection?
Dark Chocolate Truffles-a book from a darker genre mystery, horror, thriller.
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves
On a frozen wasteland of a planet, a girl is on the run with a wolf who is born to be a killer but bound to be her guide. As they fight to escape ice goblins, giant bears, and a ruthless leader intent on trapping them both, one question drives them relentlessly forward: where do you turn when there is nowhere to hide?
So we just launched our Chopped Romance Dinner Readathon. Now I wanted to be a good host and show you my TBR early.
Appetizers for the Romance Dinner Readathon
Pizza-A comfort read
Flashback by Shannon Messenger
Shannon Messenger’s books are comfort reads of mine I’ve read each of them a number of times. This will probably be my only long book for the readathon though because I will be focusing on you all. In this one the Neverseen hit Sophie and Fitz particularly hard. But Sophie and her friends are never going to give up and decide it’s time to fight back. In this showdown there will be more at stake than ever!
Strawberry-Book with a red cover
In a world where memories can be shared Nova can’t trust her own memories in this thriller, after she meets Kade a boy that makes her question the system and doesn’t seem to trust her.
In this gender bent version of Sleeping Beauty Fi and Shane are two treasure hunters looking to break a curse in Briar Rose’s kingdom as well as pick up some treasure in the process. Billed as a cross between Sleeping beauty and Indiana Jones, this book has everything you want, romance, adventure and possession.
You know how in Bollywood when people are in love, they sing and dance from the mountaintops? Eleven-year-old Sonali wonders if they do the same when they’re breaking up. The truth is, Sonali’s parents don’t get along, and it looks like they might be separating. Dealing with this separation along with her little brother Ronak, Sonali, has a magical twist coming on and it’s about to shake up her life and her family!
This is the Introduction/Welcome post to the Chopped: Romance Dinner Theme Readathon. Your judges will be the lovely @OliviaTempleto6 and myself, @Plaid_Reader. If you’ve ever seen the show Chopped, this readathon will take a similar format, only ingredients will serve as reading prompts. You will have to come up with unique dishes based on the prompts we give you. The readathon will run from February 1st-28th, with a celebration on March 1st.
Your Dishes
How will you create dishes from reading books you ask? Your imagination, based on the books you’ve read and the food in the the prompts imagine a what a meal would look like, you can interpret this any way you like, art, writing, collage, music etc.
The Rounds
Like the real game of Chopped, the game will be broken into three rounds, Appetizer, Entree, and Dessert. You’re welcome to take on the rounds in whatever order you choose but we’ve built them so they get tougher as you go, so you may want to take them in order.
Appetizers
1) Pizza
2) Strawberry
3) Milkshake
4) Leftovers
Entree
1) Steak and Lobster
2) Edible Glitter
3) Spaghetti
4) Dark Chocolate Truffles
Dessert
1) Champagne
2) Ring Pops
3) Baked Alaska
4) Yuzu
You may be asking what all these foods mean and why you’ll have to deal with edible glitter, that’s me @Plaid Reader’s fault, I’m the evil judge. Anyway let me give you an introduction to what these foods mean:
The Prompts
The Prompts
Spaghetti
Good Friendships or Multiple Points of View
Champagne
A Protagonist with Anxiety
Steak and Lobster
An expensive book or one that looks fancy
Ring Pops
A book where someone gets married or a wedding shapes the plot.
Yuzu
A book with a sweet and tart protagonist.
Dark Chocolate Truffles
A book from a ‘darker’ genre horror, mystery, thriller.
Leftovers
A book you started but didn’t finish
Baked Alaska
A book with a surprise
Edible Glitter
A book about magic or a fantasy
Milkshake
Two people must go on a quest
Pizza
A comfort read
Strawberry
Red Cover
The Reading
We will be counting pages and there are cute digital rewards available along the way. So make sure you enter your pages and make note when you finish a book.There may be rewards along the way but however you do just remember everyone is champion no matter how many books you pages or books you read. We’re happy to have everyone here at this readathon.
The Points
Though everyone will get a prize for participating in the readathon. The top 3 readers. I see you people who can take down a 600 page book like nothing, will get a special prize. So keep reading, and enter those pages in our tracker!
The Prize
There will be two winners at the end of the readathon, one US and one international. We will be doing a random draw for both. The US winner will receive a signed copy of A Place at the Table by Laura Shovan and Saadia Faruqi, a lovely middle grade book about food overcoming cultural borders. While the international winner will get $20 in Book Depository credit so long as they ship to your country.
If you have any questions about any of the prompts not cover in the introduction or need help with your dishes please contact your judges on Twitter. We are here to help, not to critique and would love to see TBRs for this Readathon. Also check out our introduction video here.
So while I’m aware that running a readathon saps your energy and you can’t keep up with your own readathon, I’m going to try to keep up with two. I never claimed I was very smart, however so not to make myself completely crazy I’m going to allow myself to double count books. The prompts for the royal readathon are based on the different Disney animals
Khan: A Battle or War
Echoes and Empires
The battle or war in this case isn’t directly against a thing or another person, it’s against magic itself and those who practice it. When Josslyn Drake finds herself infected with a dangerous piece of magic in world where it, not only illegal but dangerous and deadly she must ally with the unlikely Jericho Nox, who offers her a deal: his help extracting the magic in exchange for the magic itself. Will deal be worth it or will Josslyn find herself in more trouble than she imagined as she learns about the world, magic and things she never expected.
Thomas: Romance (Two People Meet and Fall in Love)
Rouge Princess
Princess Delia knows she must choose a prince to marry in order to secure an alliance and save her failing planet. But she’d much rather have a shot a true love than an arranged marriage. She’s going to chart her own course in life so she steals one of her family’s spaceship and decides to runaway, only to find a stowaway.
Aidan was hoping for much just borrowing a few palace trinkets to get off the planet, where he’s from a serving class that is treated like animals, he surely didn’t plan to have to deal with a princess stealing a spaceship. Maybe escaping on spaceship wasn’t the smartest idea but he sure didn’t expect to get kidnapped.
Unfortunately for Princess Delia she doesn’t even get off planet, but these two find their lives intertwined and in a perpetual battle of wits. But they soon find out there is much more at stake than their banter. They find out a rebel conspiracy that could destroy the planet forever together forever and now they must solve it together.
Six not so human kids have been kept in the Playroom, a government facility that was has been protecting them. Or at the very least keeping them safe from the eyes of the judgmental word where some would consider them nothing more than animals. They are at home there until a security breach forces them them into the real world and the path of the Collector.
Can the group band together to thwart the Collectors plans, or will they end of the next part of his collection?
Based on a true story of Laika the first dog to go to space and her human friend Nina. Laika and Nina are both used to having to survive. Laika is used to having to fight other animals on the street until she was taken in by the Soviet Space Nina’s friend moved to America and now she who is facing bullies at school alone. Her whose father is a part of the Soviet Space Program. When the two meet in Nina’s father’s lab they slowly bond thawing their cold hearts and warming till they need each other. But with the Space Race hurtling on, the two will have to hard truths and shocking secrets. But will they find the courage to make their way all the way to the stars?
Nathan likes to spend time with his Nali during the summer in the Navajo Nation. even though he knows he’s in for a pretty uneventful summer with no electricity or cell service. On night when he gets lost in the desert all that when Nathan encounters a Holy Being from the Navajo creation story. A Water Monster and it needs his help!
When a plague hits young Leif’s village he must flee to the water in a cedar canoe in along a wind driven fjord shore he must rely on his wits and his growing trust of the ocean as he goes from one situation to the next unsure of where he’ll end up. With hints of Norse mythology. Gary Paulsen does another wonderfully paced survival story.
It’s not everyday you learn you might be related to related to Anastasia or that the tragic princess actually survived her assassination attempt and has been living as the woman you know as Aunt Anna.
Jess Morgan is getting tired of living to please everyone else but after discovering her late aunt’s diaries, they show her she isn’t the only one trying to hide who she really is.
But what’s the truth was her aunt a Romanov princess or is this some kind of hoax? To help figure it out Jess brings in college student Evan.
But does Jess want to know the truth and what does it mean for her finding her way in life? Either way the mystery will be solved and Jess will learn new things about herself as she uncovers this century old mystery
So that’s it for Royal Readathon Animals expect some of these books to show up in the Chopped Romantic Dinner Edition TBR when it comes out later in the week.
I’m trying to hit 100, I’m at 78 as of the writing of the writing of this post. So that’s 22 books for December. I’ve read 9 books this month, so I don’t think I’m going to make it, however I have to try. Plus I have my 12 Days of Christmas Readathon plus the Reindeer readathon to direct my reading, plus some other readathons will probably pop up that I will join as well. So maybe? Hopefully? If I turn into a book goblin.
Post Regularly
I’ve been good about posting later in the month, but the the first part of the month I tend to neglect. I need to do better about this not only because I have content to post, but because it will help my website numbers. Maybe I should do more posting in advance at the end of the month. For example this November I’m going to try and post of the beginning on December.
Work on my readathons
I’d like to at least finish my readathon and maybe the Reindeer Readathon. I’m probably going to try and somewhat participate in a few others but those two will be my main focus.
Start making plans for the new year
I’m going to spend December thinking about what I what Readathons I want to do in the new year and my reading goals for next year. I’m thinking 100 books next year but could I go 125, can I be one of those people in a few years who reads 200-250 books a year. Can I be a super reader? Does anyone read that much and have tips.
I’m also thinking about Booktube, I’m still not sure if anyone would be interested though, or whether I should wait until I have a better set up for books. I want to get back on Instagram in the new year when I move and have a better set up.
Overall those are my goals for the end of the year, I’m really looking forward to December as it is one of my favorite months of the year and I can’t wait to see what I end up reading.
I’m really excited start on the Reindeer Readathon. I wanted to post my TBR a few days before it started. I’m really getting excited for the Christmas season and trying to hit my reading goal for the end of the year. 100? Can I do it, maybe if not I’m still happy but it would be really nice. How many Christmas Readathons are you doing I have 12 Days of Christmas Readathon which is going to Twitter this year, wish me luck.
Dasher: A novella or a collection of short stories
I’m using a book that I wanted to start in November for IndigAThon, but didn’t get a chance to use.
The Sea Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas
Fifteen thousand years before Europeans stepped foot in the Americas, people had already spread from tip to tip and coast to coast. Like all humans, these Native Americans sought to understand their place in the universe, the nature of their relationship with the divine, and the origin of the world into which their ancestors had emerged. The answers lay in their sacred stories. While this may not be a Christmas book I want to make sure I continue to read native literature even after November.
Dancer-A book by one of your favorite authors, re-reads count
I was planning on re-reading the Keeper of the Lost Cities Series anyway so this is a good chance to start.
The Keeper of The Lost Cities
Twelve-year-old Sophie has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades and doesn’t really connect with the older kids at school, but she’s not comfortable with her family, either. The reason? Sophie’s a Telepath, someone who can read minds. No one knows her secret—at least, that’s what she thinks…
But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she’s not alone. He’s a Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is that, well…she isn’t. Fitz opens Sophie’s eyes to a shocking truth, and she is forced to leave behind her family for a new life in a place that is vastly different from what she has ever known.
But Sophie still has secrets, and they’re buried deep in her memory for good reason: The answers are dangerous and in high-demand. What is her true identity, and why was she hidden among humans? The truth could mean life or death—and time is running out.
Prancer-A book with a travel element (vacation, quest etc.)
Skin of the Sea
A way to survive. A way to serve. A way to save.
Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.
But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi goes against an ancient decree and does the unthinkable—she saves his life. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy the gods.
To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But all is not as it seems. There’s the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. . . .
Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she fails, she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.
Aissa has never felt so trapped and alone even with her sister and friend by her side. Zandria—once her other half—has become cold and inflexible after her time in the Technocrats’ dungeon. Their friend Remy may still side with his father, a Magi leader who refuses to believe his spymaster has turned traitor. And Aissa herself is now an enemy of her Magi people after falling in love with—and binding her heart to—Aro, a Techno prince who puts all their lives at stake.
Aissa is determined to uncover the secrets of the Alchemist Alliance that created her and Zandria’s unique magical powers … as well as learn whether the Alliance’s research holds the key to healing the rift between the Magi and Technocrats after centuries of war. But with her people preparing for battle, it will take more than lost spells and hidden secrets to accomplish her goal. Especially as the bond between her and Aro grows deeper and threatens everything Aissa has ever believed.
These books so far don’t have much to do with Christmas itself but I’m going to try to include at least one Christmas centered story even though I’m fan of fantasy.
Comet-A 5 Star Prediction
Maren’s life has finally gone back to normal. Her sister, Hallie, is doing much better, she’s still allowed to work in her family’s dream shop, and there’s been no sign of Obscura, the evil nightmare thief.
But when Lishta, Maren’s grandmother, finds an ad for a sleepaway camp designed for dreamers, alarm bells start to ring. Lishta’s never heard of the camp directors, and she’s worried and wants to investigate. Maren and Hallie pose as campers with Lishta taking a job as the lunch lady.
Almost right away something seems off. Campers all wake up humming the same song, a whole bunk of girls does their hair the exact same way, and everyone seems to have had the same dream. And things go from bad to worse when Maren discovers most of the camp population has been sleepwalking.
As the girls investigate the camp, Maren and Hallie discover a nefarious plot that could affect the entire world. Maren will have to figure out who’s really behind the camp and stop them from turning more dreamers in sleepwalking zombies, before it’s too late.
I loved the first book in this series so I’m really excited for this one.
Of her two granddaughters, Grandma Yvette clearly prefers Ruby Taylor’s perfect—and perfectly Jewish—cousin, Sarah. They do everything together, including bake cookies and have secret sleep overs that Ruby isn’t invited to. Twelve-year-old Ruby suspects Grandma Yvette doesn’t think she’s Jewish enough. The Jewish religion is matrilineal, which means it’s passed down from mother to child, and unlike Sarah, Ruby’s mother isn’t Jewish.
But when Sarah starts acting out–trading in her skirts and cardigans for ripped jeans and stained t-shirts, getting in trouble at school–Ruby can’t help but be somewhat pleased. Then Sarah suddenly takes things too far, and Ruby is convinced Sarah is possessed by a dybbuk, an evil spirit… that Ruby may or may not have accidentally released from Grandma Yvette’s basement. Ruby is determined to save her cousin, but a dybbuk can only be expelled by a “pious Jew.” If Ruby isn’t Jewish enough for her own grandmother, how can she possibly be Jewish enough to fight a dybbuk?
Amanda Panitch writes with a humorous, irresistible, and authentic voice. This character-driven story with a magic twist about speaking up and finding your place in the world.
Amazon: The Two Wrong Halves of Ruby Taylor
Donner-Book with Red or Green as the Primary Color
Things Finley Hart doesn’t want to talk about: -Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.) -Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer. -Never having met said grandparents. -Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot.)
Finley’s only retreat is the Everwood, a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook. Until she discovers the endless woods behind her grandparents’ house and realizes the Everwood is real—and holds more mysteries than she’d ever imagined, including a family of pirates that she isn’t allowed to talk to, trees covered in ash, and a strange old wizard living in a house made of bones.
With the help of her cousins, Finley sets out on a mission to save the dying Everwood and uncover its secrets. But as the mysteries pile up and the frightening sadness inside her grows, Finley realizes that if she wants to save the Everwood, she’ll first have to save herself.
Blitzen-Do book selection via, online poll, pets picking it etc)
You’ve Reached Sam
Apparently everyone thought I could read this and it is super popular.
Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail. And Sam picks up the phone.
What would you do if you had a second chance at goodbye?
Filled with a diverse cast of characters, the heartache of first love and loss, and the kind of friends that can get you through anything, plus a touch of magic, You’ve Reached Sam will make an instant connection with anyone looking for a big emotional romance of a read.
Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered book about a girl determined to fit in and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father’s shop, and making at least one friend. Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, in a small town in America’s heartland, in 1880. Hanna’s adjustment to her new surroundings, which primarily means negotiating the townspeople’s almost unanimous prejudice against Asians, is at the heart of the story. Narrated by Hanna, the novel has poignant moments yet sparkles with humor, introducing a captivating heroine whose wry, observant voice will resonate with readers.