In many ways, Binti resembles the kind of "exceptional child goes to exceptional school" story that has become popular in the post-Potter age. But Nnedi Okorafor's Afrofuturist novella has much more to offer readers than a trite fantasy. It's the story of 16-year-old Binti, a member of the Himba people, who defies her family's wishes … Continue reading Binti: A Review
Claire Hutchet Bishop's The Five Chinese Brothers moves to the Pacific Northwest in this YA mystery from M.J. Beaufrand. Useless Bay introduces readers to the Gray quints --- four brothers and sister Pixie --- and the Shepherds: an ultra-wealthy family who vacation near the Grays' home on Whidbey Island. When two members of the Shepherd … Continue reading Useless Bay: A Review
A Gilmore Girls-related cookbook might have been the talk of 2016, but it wasn't the only TV show-inspired recipe volume to come out last year. Twin Peaks U.K. Festival founder Lindsey Bowden's Twin Peaks cookbook, Damn Fine Cherry Pie: And Other Recipes from TV's Twin Peaks, is a must-have for any fan of David Lynch's … Continue reading Damn Fine Cherry Pie: A Review
As the world continues to mourn the untimely death of Star Wars actress and writer Carrie Fisher, fans --- myself included --- have clamored to read the books she left behind. Fisher's final memoir, The Princess Diarist recounts her affair with co-star Harrison Ford on the set of the first Star Wars film in 1976. … Continue reading The Princess Diarist: A Review
Books about damaged people in painful situations have the tendency to read as lurid, even prurient. Although A List of Cages will make you feel many, many things, Robin Roe's debut novel handles its subject matter with care and authority. When Adam, a caring high school senior, is assigned to escort a younger student to … Continue reading A List of Cages: A Review