TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo

This debut novel tackles several issues that are rarely discussed in YA due to the stigma and shame surrounding it, and that’s why it is needed. TJ Powar is the school’s reigning debate champ alongside her cousin, Simran. She’s also considered one of the prettiest girls in school, scout-impressing soccer player and one half of the school’s power couple. So yeah, her life’s pretty great even though she’s starting to feel more of a pull to her debater side than her soccer dreams.
But that’s not the inciting incident.

That would be when after her big win, the school newspaper takes a pic of her and Simran side by side which then produces a cruel meme pointing out Simran’s body hair, calling her a male, a gorilla and worse. Though Simran tries to let it slide, TJ can’t. Suddenly, she cannot unsee the unfairness and cruelty that people think Simran is ugly just because of body hair. That even her boyfriend looks at her in disgust when she mentions that she hasn’t had a Brazilian yet.

So inspired by her debating experience, she resolves not to shave because The House Believes Believes That TJ Powar can be her hairy self and still be beautiful.

There starts an eye-opening experience from friends shunning her to her boyfriend dumping her as well as TJ’s own conflicting feelings regarding her beauty and her dedication to her belief.

Deo doesn’t shy away from exploring the double standards regarding body hair. How it directly relates to views of gender- an shaved boy is considered more feminine and a hairy girl looks manly. That part of it is influenced by the corporate beauty industry where shaving products don’t even show the hairy skin because it’s just too ugly. That it’s considerd unhygenic and unprofessional among a whole host of reasons in order to perpetuate the myth. That POC are disproportionately affected with their body hair being more coarse, more visible etc.

But don’t worry, it’s not advocating for everyone to go free with their armpit hair but highlights its all related to what feels good for a person themselves though we shouldn’t cruelly calling others gorillas in the meantime.

Deo also takes full advantage of the debating extracurricular TJ is involved in, not only setting up a sweet romance but discussing the various types of debates and an impressive speech regarding how outer beauty/first impressions is more important to inner beauty (though it shouldn’t be) and the corrolating effects on the industry and self esteem of the population as a result.

Deo does a good job in creating a believable character arc for TJ, one involving her own selfishness and world revolving around her mindset, as well as her competitive nature that nearly torpedos her relationships. She opens her mind which is something I can always get behind in a protagonist. However, the focus is mainly on her friends and romance. There is an intriguing familial subplot involving her mother’s estrangement with her aunt that is minorly resolved (and reflects the topic of the book) but I wanted a bit more to be done there.

Another minor nitpick is that the book is mainly in third person. Maybe it’s because I’ve been reading so many first person or third person omiscent book but just the third person narrative felt simplistic. Although I was able to ignore that as the plot sucked me in.

Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina

This was a fascinating read about the infamous 1977 New York blackout that left the city in total darkness and chaos as looters, fires, murders abound. Son of Sam is terrorizing the city. New York is broke. And Nora’s life is about to be blown apart.

Nora is excited to graduate and turn 18 and with good reason as her home life is a literal powder keg thanks to her pyro little brother Hector and her mother who enables him. Medina does a wonderful job in describing the gritty dirtiness of the city at the time period and the clustraphobia of the small apartment Nora lives in as she tries to avoid the land mine that is her brother and his violent rages. Hector with all the landmarks of a future psycho is clever yet awful and adds to the suspense with his looming presence building and building. You can understand Nora’s fear as well as her guilt because even though she sees the signs, he is still her little brother. While she’s not as blatant as her mother, she places the blame in drugs, in his sleazy friends, even her parent’s lack of discipline before facing the truth. Hector is going to hurt someone unless she does something.

While there is guilt and fear at home, there’s also fear outside because of the Son of Sam threat as he seems to target brunettes with their boyfriends. What a great time to start falling in love with her co-worker at the deli, Pablo whose richer upbringing makes her feel even more ashamed and secretive of her home life.

While the blackout is undoubtedly the big climax, all the threads leading up to the event kept me engaged and the supporting characters were affable and given enough depth such as Stiller, the black power feminist who encourages Nora to speak out; Sal, the deli owner and Nora’s boss; Kathleen, Nora’s best friend whom she feels a silent distance because of their divergent home lives and the lies Nora builds up to hide Hector’s badness.

I cannot emphasize what a great job Medina does in bringing the era of the 70s to page from the second wave of feminisim entering in the corners of Kathleen and Nora’s lives, the disco fever, the Carrie craze and all that. It was fascinating because as well-known as the blackout is (at least according to Medina’s author’s note), I never heard about it. Maybe it’s a New York history thing. But that combined with the bits of dust that is Nora gathering her life amidst her family responsibilities and secrets, it makes one great read.

Playing with Myself by Randy Rainbow

You may know him from his Youtube fame, satirizing the worst eras in America’s political history and the hypocritical, insane politicians that populate the highest seats in government. All with his signature pink glasses and extensive knowledge of musical theatre he can put a hilarious spin on the worst of the worst.

Here, he brings that humor with a dollop of self awareness as he discusses his familial life including the fact that Trump is his father (it makes sense in context), dealing with being cancelled, teaming up with his idols, how musicals and humor shaped his life from early childhood and yes, his name really is Randy Rainbow.

Readers who are familiar with his work are more likely to enjoy this insight to Randy’s life and times but I think others might enjoy it even without the context because he really is that funny. Plus he can be very heartfelt and inspiring as he relates to the symbolism of his pink glasses and encouragement for people to follow their passions.

We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story by Frank W. Baker and John with guidance from the Goldberg family.

Holocaust Remembrance Day was this month and if you’re looking to remember try this graphic novel based on the story of real survivors, . had said that he felt he had survived so their story can be shared and the world would never forget. Thus inspiring Frank and John as they were honored by the family to put their story in print. This book is best for middle schoolers as it details the horrors and inhumanity of their experience without getting too horrifying. For those who are more educated they will be able to read between the lines of what else experienced. Nonetheless, the emotion is palpable and is a good primer highlighting why it’s important to keep learning and listening to remember those who cannot speak.

Other books I read this month that I’ve already reviewed or written down my thoughts elsewhere in this blog.

Because I was a Girl edited by Melissa de la Cruz, Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls #1-6 by Meg Cabot, Secrets of My Hollywood Life #1-6 by Jen Calonita, Drama! #1-4 by Paul Ruditis, Dumplin #1-3 by Julie Murphy, Flirt Club by Cathleen Daley, Life Starring Me by Robin Wasserman, Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass, Generation Friends by Saul Austerlitz, How to Be a Heroine, and Take Courage by Sam Ellis, Golden Girls Forever by Jim Colucci, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, and The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo, Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina, When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon, Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

Archie’s Camp Tales, Introducing Katy Keene, Archie vs the World

Marvel Adventures: Avengers Invasion, Fantastic Four: New York’s Finest, Black Widow and the Avengers, Spiderman and the Avengers, Fantastic Four: Monsters, Moles, Cowboys & Coupons