Pearl of the Sea

by Anthony Silverston, Raffaella Delle Donne, and Willem Samuel 4 stars A heartwarming story of friendship, family, forgiveness, and moving forward. With the looming threat of not making rent and having to move away from the sea, Pearl gives in to the temptation of illegal abalone poaching. But during her dives, she makes a strange…

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Be Gay, Do Comics

Featuring Dorian Alexander, Archie Bongiovanni, Sage Coffey, Shelby Criswell, Dylan Edwards, Julia Bernhard, JB Brager, Rosa Colon Guerra, Max Dlabick, Trinidad Escobar, Mady G, Alex Graudins, Binglin Hu, Shing Yin Khor, Kazimir Lee, Melanie Gillman, Levi Hastings, Robyn Jordan, Maia Kobabe, Matt Lubchansky, Mariah-Rose Marie, Jason Michaels, Sfe R. Monster, Breena Nunez, Elisabet Run, Ria…

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Grace Needs Space! by Benjamin A. Wilgus

Illustrated by Rii Abrego 3 stars A sweet, gentle story. Grace lives on a space station with her mother, Evelyn. But she longs for exploration and adventure. So when she plans to accompany her mom, Kendra, on a trip to Titan, she can’t wait. But when Kendra gets caught up with work, Grace take matters…

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Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

by Mariko Tamaki Illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell 2 stars A slow-paced story about what happens when the power of love works against you and how it can overshadow other aspects of your life. Freddy loves Laura Dean. But their on-again-off-again relationship leaves her confused and wondering, is it worth staying with someone you love if…

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The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz

5 stars Warning: this book comes with all the feels and will make you seriously crave a grilled cheese sandwich every time you pick it up. I’ve read so many great books this year, but this one is my absolute favorite so far! A delightful blend of humor, cheese puns, general quirkiness, and romance. Such…

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Transmogrify!: 14 Fantastical Tales of Trans Magic

Edited by g. haron davis Stories by Saundra Mitchell, Sonora Reyes, RenĂ©e Reynolds, A. R. Capetta, Cory McCarthy, Francesca Tacchi, Ayida Shonibar, Nik Traxler, g. haron davis, Jonathan Lenore Kastin, Mason Deaver, Ash Nouveau, Cam Montgomery, Dove Salvatierra, and Emery Lee 5 stars Generally with anthologies, there are some stories that resonate with a reader…

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Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball by Jason June

5 stars I went into this expecting a simple, easy-going romance read, but was pleasantly surprised. It tackled a lot of issues with insight and humor. The fabulous femme teen, Riley Weaver knows joining the Gaybutante Society will help him on his journey to podcast stardom. But when he makes a bet with Skylar, who…

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Billie Jean!: How Tennis Star Billie Jean King Changed Women’s Sports

by Mara Rockliff Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley 4 stars A fantastic and inspiring biography picture book about the career of Billie Jean King. The book focuses mainly on King’s tennis career with a little more about her personal life included in the backmatter. Throughout the story, King is faced with sexist remarks, questions, and treatment….

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Dungeon Critters by Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter

5 stars Action, adventure, mystery, drama, humor, and a bit of adorable romance. This Dungeons-and-Dragons-style book has it all! Enter the fantasy world of an unnamed kingdom and join a group of friends on their quest to discover the truth behind an odd plant. This book was so much fun. Filled with supportive friendships, action…

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Heartstopper: Volume Four (Heartstopper #4) by Alice Oseman

5 stars Another fantastic volume in the Heartstopper series. This one is heavier than the previous volumes. While the others tend to be sweet with a hint of hardship, this one really focuses on the hardships of life and relationships. It deals with some serious topics including mental health, specifically eating disorders and references to…

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