Here's what's working for me: my valentines flowers are still happy, my coffee is exceptionally potent, and I've got a big thick YA novel to get me through till spring break. Every time I read YA I think of it as professional development and I feel like such a boss 💁this one from Libba Bray includes flappers, a POC poet, and the supernatural, but not in an annoying way–I'm here for it 👌

This one operates well within some familiar YA tropes: new school, popular girls, outsider status, parents who can't understand. Lucy doesn't feel like a teenager to me–and I love that, because she's able to see outside of herself in a way few teenagers (adults too!) ever can. I'm gonna pick it hard for POC narratives, no romance, and immigrant MCs. LOVE.

First YA of 2017! I love it so far. It snowed here for the first time this year and nothing shuts the south down like snow. My goal is to read 30 YA this year, and more cozy days like this will sure help!

A great pick for people who didn't like Room and people who did. Bless the Lib Wrights of the world.

The list of Christmas gifts I'm making is almost as long as my tbr pile. This one is great so far–I like it much more than Room. Ever since I started with Tana French, Ireland as a setting has just hooked me. And I'm a sucker for all things mystical and religious.

Finally finished it. I never felt grabbed or pulled–great writing and interesting components of a story, but none of the magic I kept waiting to hook me. Larson also uses phrases like "thought" and "felt" and "sensed" when there isn't historical evidence of those people thinking or feeling and sensing, and that's a nonfic peeve of mine.

This is one of those books I've spent months on. It's not boring–school and wedding plans have gotten in the way–but it also isn't a page-turner for me. I'm about halfway through–Larson is a great writer, I'm just not in love yet, as interesting as it is.