Book Club Picks – Rachel Reads & Reviews

Book Club Picks

Author Highlight: Avi

I know this classic children’s author primarly through his historical fiction work though he has dabbled in various genres like fantasy, realism and animal adventure. What makes Avi’s writing so wonderful besides how prolific he is that he cuts to the human emotions and carefully builds his suspense even in the day to day life…
Summer Comics/Manga

Princess Jellyfish by Akiko Higashimura This fun manga follows a group of amars/okuta (women who don’t need men/adult fangirls) as they try to save their building from being sold to greedy developers by creating their own fashion line. Tsukimi is the star of it, and as you can guess from the title, her specific obssession…
DC Ink

Raven by Kami Garcia I believe this is the start of Garcia’s Teen Titans books for DC Ink. Well they were the start for me at least and it gets right into the action of a fatal car crash. Raven has amnesia, and her mother is dead. Luckily, she still has her aunt and cousin…
Author Highlight: Min Jin Lee

You might be noticing the trend of notable authors having generation sprawling sagas. What can I say, I like the subgenre. As such I enjoyed Pachinko a bit more than Free Food but both are well-written tomes exploring themes of immigration, class, and family.
Summer Nonfiction

Popular by Maya Van Wagenen I read this memoir a long time ago for a project in middle school so it was nice to revisit it again. This memoir details Maya’s journey to finding popularity by utilizing a How to be Popular Guide from the 50s by then teen model Betty Cornell (who writes the…
Summer Romances

Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the flux of Pride and Prejudice adaptations and wonder if there can be any new spin to the Jane Austen classic. Well Sonali not only brings a new spin but elevates the classic by further exploring the themes of classism that…
The Dark Artifices Lookback

Ah yes, Clare’s biggest trilogy to date and admittedly my least favorite. Maybe I’m just getting burnt out, or maybe I’m just not connecting to the characters but I won’t be revisiting this series as much as the other two.
Author Highlight: Jen Lancaster

So here’s a new one, she may not be as well known or high profile as authors I’ve put in the notable section but damn if she isn’t funny. And well known in her own mind. I’ve read only two of her memoirs, Bitter is the New Black and Pretty in Plaid but they give…
Book Highlight: K-Pop Revolution

Stephan Lee delivers a highly satisfying sequel/conclusion to K-Pop Confidential with Revolution as Candace becomes the head of big changes in the K-Pop industry and S.A.Y. Entertainment. Or so she thinks? With the bombshell she dropped on live television, Candace’s life is left in what seems to be ruins but with the widespread support she gains…
Book Highlight: Song of the Lioness

Ah, The Song of the Lionness. The quartet that helped put Tamora Pierce on the map as premiere fantasy novelist with a feminist hero for the ages. It also founded the expansive Tortall universe. Since the books have been around since the 80s I’m not going to repeat what happens in them. Everyone has probably…