It's been ages since I've been around here, but I'm intending to be fully BACK.

I just finished this one last night and loved it. It covers the story of the Black Panther Party from the reasons it was created to its creation to its complicated journey to its dissolution. It includes biographical info on the key figures and covers important events. Surprisingly thorough for a comics history under two hundred pages. Highly recommended!

#BHM

This is a great little horror graphic novel that deals with grief, family, friendship, and intergenerational trauma, all with compelling characters, stylish art, interesting lore, and a great spooky atmosphere. I only wish it had been longer. Definitely recommended!

The story is engrossing, the characters are relatable, the magic is vibrant, the poetry flows, and it's super Jewish. It was basically everything I wanted. Definitely recommended.

I do kind of hate the cover after reading the book (as one of the protagonists is gender nonconforming and would only dress like the cover image as a disguise not as herself), but this book was super cute and fun and I really enjoyed it. The protagonists are relatable and funny, the adventure was interesting and exciting, and I enjoy the side characters a lot too. Looking forward to continuing the series. Definitely recommended!

I listened to the LA Theatre Works production of Fabulation, and it was fantastic. This was my first experience with the plays of Lynn Nottage, but it won't be the last. It was genuinely funny and surprisingly heartfelt starring an unlikable protagonist that you can't help but root for. The cast for the audioplay was great too.

"In the next twenty seconds, I will experience a pain in my chest so severe that I've given it a short, simple, ugly name. Edna."

"A criticism that needs to insist that literature is not only "universal" but also "race-free" risks lobotomizing that literature, and diminishes both the art and the artist."

Women in Art features lots of women I was interested in learning about, but it was deeply problematic. It deadnames the only trans person included, uses vaguely ableist language when talking about disabled artists, and has a few smaller issues. I wanted to love it but it just didn't deliver. The parts that I liked were almost enough, but I just couldn't with the transphobia. It needs a sensitivity reader / edit, but as stands I can't recommend it.

This book has a super sweet story, some tasty looking recipes, and some of the best art Juana Martinez-Neal has ever done (which I say as someone who has always enjoyed her work). Definitely recommended, and one of my favourites of the year.

I recently got a new phone and forgot to set Litsy back up, which is awful, but I'm back now! Wooo! I'm currently rereading Tessa Dare's entire Spindle Cove series, in order, including the novellas. Super great to revisit a favourite I haven't touched in a while!

Great to be back, folks!

Our latest spooky season Lite Reads pick is The Veldt by Ray Bradbury! This dark 1950 sci-fi short story is about a family living in an automated house in which the children become increasingly obsessed with their nursery, a virtual reality room. You can find a link to read the story or hear it in the full intro post, link below. Let me know what you think of this one in the comments!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-W6

This is a really quick, fun read! It's only about a hundred pages.The story is cute, the dialogue is funny, and it made for a great little mood booster. Recommended for anyone in need of something light in the vein of Poorly Drawn Lines.

You can now read the full review for our most recent #LiteReads selection, In The Cave of the Delicate Singers by Lucy Taylor! Link below. I personally loved this creepy horror story. Be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-UW

You can now read the full Lite Reads review of out most recent selection, The True Story of "Faccetta Nera" by Igiaba Scego, translated by Antony Shugaar (link below). I personally thought this short nonfiction was informative, insightful, and shed light on topics I'm not well versed in (Italian culture/history is not my strong suit). I'm eager to hear what others had to think, so be sure to let me know in the comments!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-UD

We're officially ready to wrap up our current Lite Reads pick, There Are Ghosts Here by Dominique Dickey. I really enjoyed it as a dark and spooky story on a surface level and for its themes when explored thoroughly. You can read my full review through the link below. Be sure to let me know what you thought about the story in the comments! New selection tomorrow.

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-TX

This stunning poetry collection actually has pulled me out of something of a poetry slump. Every poem in this collection is excellent, Simpson truly has a gift for weaving beautiful and moving poetry. Highly recommended.

Lite Reads is back from a summer hiatus! Our new selection is There Are Ghosts Here by Dominique Dickey. This dark and ghostly short story follows two cousins after they've each faced a terrible loss. You can find links to read or listen to the story through the full intro post (link below). Be sure to let me know what you think when you've had the chance to read it!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-TG

I absolutely love everything I have read from Talia Hibbert, and this is no exception. It is funny, heartfelt, and sexy. The characters are deeply relatable. I love it. Can't wait to read the last book in the trilogy and more from the author in general.

I've really enjoyed everything I've read from Talia Hibbert and this is no exception. This novella is sweet, sexy, funny, and packs a surprising emotional impact considering its length. I look forward to reading other books from the series & more from the author in general.

(Also the kindle was a bday gift a few months ago. I am delighted to be able to catch up on my digital backlog with it because it's MUCH easier to read on than a phone)

Is there a Courtney Milan book I haven't loved so far? No. There is not. The Duke Who Didn't is especially good though, I love the characters and the community and the story being told. Everything about this was great and I can't wait to see more introduced into the series. Recommended for sure!

I finally read Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang! I ended up really loving both books, although I did wish the second book was a touch longer. It was a fascinating story about a time and place (1899 China) I only have basic background knowledge of, and I didn't feel lost. It also made both sides really sympathetic. Overall, they are a moving and engaging pair of books that I would definitely recommend.

Some of the stories in this really stood out as particularly good, and I liked the variety of cultures represented, but it was overwhelmingly cisnormative & heteronormative, and I felt like the illustrations were also very overwhelmingly light-skinned even though they featured many stories where the characters wouldn't have been or at least didn't need to be. I didn't hate it or anything but it would be hard to recommend.

I read the original edition several years back and loved how it covered multiple types of disease, epidemic history, and the science and history of epidemiology. The new edition has an added chapter on covid as well as updated information in the other chapters to cover stuff that we've learned and that has happened since the original edition was released. It is really informative and interesting, and more relevant than ever. Recommended!

This series has honestly been the perfect set of comfort reads and this is no exception. It's fun, funny, steamy, sweet, and full of adventure. This one is the first that pulled me out of the story a bit by putting in more specific historical details (everyone is wearing kilts two centuries too soon, the plague happened just a little while ago but the king is in his twenties which means the plague shouldn't be coming for another decade, and so on)

Our Work Is Everywhere: An Illustrated Oral History of Queer and Trans Resistance by Syan Rose is a fantastic and short graphic nonfiction read featuring dozens of contributors discussing the ways that they have been involved in queer community, activism, and resistance. The text is sometimes a little difficult to read in my opinion, but it is overall a really great book and well worth the read.

While this short graphic nonfiction provides a decent intro to the events of the Tulsa Race Massacre, where it really shines is in the before and after. It provides excellent detail on how the community of Greenwood and the famous Black Wall Street came to be and of the work that was put into restoring the community in the decades following the massacre. An informative and accessible intro for sure.

First of all, RIP to the illustrator Floyd Cooper who passed away just last month.

This was a surprisingly informative and thorough picture book exploration of the Tulsa Race Massacre. It is emotionally devastating and powerful, with beautiful language and images. I would definitely recommend it for all ages 7+ looking to be better informed on this heinous part of history. Even as an adult, I learned from this.

My Footprints by Bao Phi, illustrated by Basia Tran, is a really cute picture book that offers up a very sweet portrayal of a girl finding ways to cope with being bullied at school through imagination, culture, and family. The art is especially cute as well. I don't know if I enjoyed it as much as Bao Phi's previous picture book A Different Pond, but it was still very good and I'd recommend it.

I love everything I've read from both David A. Robertson and Julie Flett so hearing that they were doing another collab was just absolutely golden news. This is a beautiful story with gorgeous art, and I have a big soft spot for kid's stories about these tender grandparent-grandchild relationships. Highly recommended!

My first novel from Kerrigan Byrne after repeated recommendations! I definitely enjoyed this first experience, I found myself really charmed by it all, even when it was dark. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

The Mothers of Xsan series continues to be an excellent learning resource with gorgeous art. The Frog Mother does a wonderful job sharing information about the lives of columbia spotted frogs, the ways nature is a part of human life, and the ways that the animals that live in and around the Xsan are a vital part of the lives and culture of the Gitxsan people. Wish these had been around when I was a kid as I would have loved them then too.

This middle grade nonfiction is a really interesting and fun take on world history. It's a great look at a variety of times and places throughout history and the importance of rivers to various cultures and civilizations. I enjoyed it and learned from it for sure.

This middle grade graphic novel is a really moving and engaging portrayal of some of the ways Jewish children survived in hiding during the Holocaust. The way photography was incorporated into the story was really interesting too. Recommended!

This was a great dark fantasy short story with wonderful twists and turns. I hope you enjoyed it despite the delays in my wrapping it up. We will be taking a hiatus from Lite Reads until the fall (September 12) but this was a great one to end for the summer on.

#LiteReads #shortstory #shortstories #shortstoryclub

Danez Smith is one of the best poets out there right now and Homie (their most recent collection) is fantastic. I had really high hopes as I've loved their work in the past, and this definitely met and surpassed them. Highly recommended.

Our new #LiteReads selection is Circus Girl, The Hunter, and Mirror Boy by Neon Yang! Chosen with the end of Asian Heritage Month/Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the beginning of Pride Month in mind, this 2019 fantasy story has links to read it through our full intro post (link below). Be sure to let me know what you think of it once you've had the chance to read it!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-S2

We've wrapped up our #LiteReads selection, Mani Pedi by Souvankham Thammavongsa. I personally enjoyed the story and I'm eager to read more from the author. The full review is available now (link below). Be sure to let me know I the comments what you thought of this one.

Our new selection will be available tomorrow, chosen with the end of AHM/AAPIHM in mind, as well as with the beginning of Pride Month in mind.

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-Qh

I'm a big fan of everything I've read from both Tasha Spillett-Sumner and Michaela Goade, so hearing that they were doing a picture book together had me really excited. I Sang You Down From the Stars is everything I hoped for and more. The story is as sweet as can be, offering up all the love of a mother for a baby and the ways culture can bind us. The rhythm is gentle and pulls you in. The art is absolutely stunning. Highly recommended!

Our new #LiteReads selection is Mani Pedi by Souvankham Thammavongsa! This 2015 short story was featured as part of Thammavongsa's award winning 2020 collection How to Pronounce Knife. Mani Pedi is about a former boxer who takes up work at his sister's nail salon. You can find the link to read the story in the full blog post (link below). Be sure to let me know what you think of this new AHM Lite Reads pick!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-Qf

You can now read the full #LiteReads review of Exhalation by Ted Chiang! My apologies for the delays. I personally really enjoyed this story, which was my first experience with the author. You can read my full review on the blog (link below). Let me know in the comments what you thought of it.

New selection shortly.

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-Pc

The author and I both lost relatively young parents to cancer at relatively young ages. I related so deeply to this book in so many ways. She captures the sad, funny, awkward, and more. I knew I was going to relate to it from the intro when she talked about how uncomfortable cracking dead mom jokes makes people, and as someone who has cracked my share of dead dad jokes, YES. This is one of the most relatable books on grief/loss I've ever read.

Our new #LiteReads selection is Exhalation by Ted Chiang! This award winning science fiction short story about air breathing mechanical beings was chosen with #AAPIHeritageMonth / #AsianHeritageMonth (varies based on country) in mind. You can find links to read the story through the full intro post (link below). Be sure to let me know what you think of it once you've had the chance to read it!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-Pd

Okay so I love historical romance. I love comic books. I am queer and love seeing stories about lesbians and bisexual women and other sapphic folks. The fact that an ff historical romance graphic novel exists is pure bliss. Patience and Esther by S.W. Searle ended up living up to my lofty expectations. I am so happy for having read this. It is sweet, sexy, fun, and beautifully illustrated. A new favourite for sure.

This picture book filled my heart with an overwhelming amount of joy. It's so wonderful to see kidlit with kids who love themselves, their family, their culture, and their ethnicity. The illustrations are breathtakingly gorgeous. Highly recommended and a new favourite.

We have wrapped up our #LiteReads selection Letter From the Dust Bowl by Caroline Henderson! This letter is a fascinating look into the events of the height of the Dust Bowl and the mindset and emotions of those living through them. It is also a fascinating look into a man-made environmental crisis of the past while we are experiencing yet another man-made environmental crisis. Let me know in the comments what you thought!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-Ov

This was a great conclusion to this series! I had a ton of fun along the way and I felt like the events of this final chapter really made it worthwhile. Recommended for fans of fantasy comics!

Chosen with #EarthDay in mind, and our first letter, our new #LiteReads pick is Letter From the Dust Bowl by Caroline Henderson! This is a real letter an Oklahoman wrote in 1935, only weeks after Black Sunday. We get to see some of the impact on communities, hopes for the future, and action taken to alleviate these problems. The full blog post includes a link to read the letter as well as links to extra resources.

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-Ou

You can now read the full Lite Reads review (link below) for our most recent pick, Pearls On a Branch by Najla Jraissaty Khoury! I found it super interesting to explore this Arabic folk tale originally told by women to women, even if it wasn't all completely to my own person tastes. Be sure to let me know in the comments! New selection shortly.

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-NX

Our new #LiteReads selection is Pearls On a Branch by Najla Jraissaty Khoury, translated from Arabic to English by Inea Bushnaq! This short story is based on an oral tale from Lebanon about a girl who asks her father for "pearls on a branch" when he makes the pilgrimage to Mecca and what ensues. You can find a link to read the story for free in the full blog post. Let me know what you think once you've read it!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-NY

You can now read the full review for our Lite Reads selection Whom My Soul Loves by Rivqa Rafael over on the blog! My apologies for the delays, I've been dealing with a flare. I personally really enjoyed this story, and I hope you'll let me know in the comments what you thought!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-Nt

#LiteReads