TITLE: House of Hollow

AUTHOR: Krystal Sutherland

PAGE EXTENT: 304

PUBLISHER: Hot Key Books (HarperCollins India)

GENRE: YA Gothic Thriller, Magical Realism

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

SOURCE: Received a copy from HarperCollins India in exchange for an honest review.

The Hollow sisters – Vivi, Grey and Iris – are as seductively glamorous as they are mysterious.

They have black eyes and hair as white as milk. The Hollow sisters don’t have friends – they don’t need them. They move through the corridors like sharks, the other little fish parting around them, whispering behind their backs.

And everyone knows who the Hollow sisters are. Because one day the three Hollow sisters simply disappeared. And when they came back, one month later, with no memory of where they had been, it was as if nothing had changed.

Almost nothing, Apart from, for example, the little scar that had appeared in the hollow of their throats … and a whispering sense that something is not quite right about them, despite (or maybe because of) the terrible passion to be with them that they can exert on anybody at will…

A thrilling, twisting, novel that is as seductive and glamorous as the Hollow sisters themselves….

Okay. Before I begin this review, I will tell you how reading this book will go: you will pick it up with a lot of expectations(because duh, everybody seems to love this book), you will fall head over heels in love with the intoxicatingly beautiful writing style that will suck you into the wormhole that’s this book, turn pages at the speed of light as you read your way through this haunting beauty, and then you encounter that BANGER of a plot twist which will leave you gasping, you’ll close the book to collect your thoughts for a moment and you’ll continue to read frantically until you’re done! Please pick this one up when you have a lot of time on your hands because it will grasp you in its shimmering claws and not let you go! 🖤

Three sisters: Grey, Vivi and Iris disappeared to God-knows-where and returned a few days later with no memory whatsoever and with their eyes and hair changed and a moon-shaped scar on their necks. Now, ten years later, the eldest sister Grey, who also happens to be a fashion mogul, disappears once again and it’s up to Vivi and Iris to unravel the mystery and figure out what’s going on, and there’s a mysterious stalker on the prowl. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot because it’s best if you go in unawares!

Set in London, this book has a gothic, dark vibe that will immediately transport you into this richly imagined contemporary fantasy with a hint of magical realism that is so luscious and addictive you will crave for more as you make your way through! Believe me when I say this: this book is the epitome of “unputdownable”.

The Hollow Sisters will mesmerize you from the very beginning. Grey is a big shot fashion designer with her own couture line, House of Hollow; Vivi is a band member with a zany vibe(piercings, tattoos and whatnot) who also happens to be queer(yay!) and Iris gives you major Elle Fanning vibes! Weird things happen around these sisters and weirder things begin to happen when Grey goes missing. They team up with Grey’s current boyfriend, Tyler Yang(one of the hottest book boyfriends ever) as they embark on a quest to find Grey and bring her back! On this quest, they find answers not only to Grey’s current disappearance but also about what happened to them years ago. Brace yourself for some mind-blowing revelations! 🤯😱

Krystal has managed to effortlessly blend many genres into this one! Is it a mystery thriller? Is it a fantasy? Is it magical realism? Is it gothic contemporary? Is it horror? Figure that out for yourself haha. Krystal leaves the book open-ended and I honestly feel that’s one of the best parts of this book!

I think I have given you enough information to pique your interest hehe. And if you still have doubts about picking this one up, all you have to do is read the first page and the book does the rest for you!

What are some of the most genre-bending unique books you’ve read? Let me know in the comments below!

TITLE: The Darkness Outside Us

AUTHOR: Eliot Schrefer

PAGE EXTENT: 397

PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins)

GENRE: YA Dystopian Sci-Fi, LGBTQ+ Fiction

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

SOURCE: Received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from Katherine Tegen Books in exchange for an honest review.

They Both Die at the End meets The Loneliest Girl in the Universe in this mind-bending sci-fi mystery and tender love story about two boys aboard a spaceship sent on a rescue mission, from two-time National Book Award finalist Eliot Schrefer.

Two boys, alone in space. Sworn enemies sent on the same rescue mission.

Ambrose wakes up on the Coordinated Endeavor with no memory of a launch. There’s more that doesn’t add up: evidence indicates strangers have been on board, the ship’s operating system is voiced by his mother, and his handsome, brooding shipmate has barricaded himself away. But nothing will stop Ambrose from making his mission succeed—not when he’s rescuing his own sister.

In order to survive the ship’s secrets, Ambrose and Kodiak will need to work together and learn to trust each other . . . especially once they discover what they are truly up against. Love might be the only way to survive.

It’s no surprise that we’ve all read books that have put us in reading slumps, some in great ways, others in not-so-great ways. But have you ever read a book that gives you a GODDAMN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS and makes you question everything you’ve known about life and existence in general? AND IT MINDFUCKS YOU SO BAD YOU END UP THINKING ABOUT IT FOR DAYS ON END? Well, THIS is that book for me.

When I first came across this book on Instagram and saw that cute gays-in-space vibe happening on the cover, I wanted to get my hands on a copy immediately and enjoy a book set in space where two boys do cute stuff and make out (and everything else) in space. I WAS WRONG. SO BLOODY WRONG.

Ambrose Cusk wakes up on a spaceship with absolutely no memory of how he ended up there and meets the broody, no-nonsense Kodiak Celius who ALSO has no memory whatsoever except the fact that they are on a rescue mission to Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, after Ambrose’s sister activated a distress beacon at the colony. At this point, you might ask me HOW a book with just two men on a spaceship can be any degree of interesting because there is nothing to do on a spaceship but exist, HOLD THAT THOUGHT. Because if there is one book that makes THAT VERY THING super interesting, it’s this one.

This book might have a slow start but after a point in the book, it’s just cannonball after cannonball of mindfuckery that will leave you gasping and confused and shocked and stunned and astonished and petrified and everything in between! NOTHING is what it seems and believe me, YOU ARE IN FOR ONE HELL OF A RIDE!

And of course, there is some swoony and steamy romance but the idea of love between the two characters was what took me by surprise! After the torment meted out at Ambrose and Kodiak, and after everything they have been through together, the love that blossoms in the face of adversity is something you’ll never forget! I honestly think Eliot has mastered the art of making his characters fall in love and making the readers fall in love with them falling in love! 😭 Before you know it, you’ll end up loving these two munchkins in a metal piece hurtling through the vast expanse of space and there will be a “space” for these two in your heart forever!

It doesn’t escape my mind just HOW MUCH RESEARCH has gone into this book! Writing a sci-fi novel is no mean feat. It’s fiction yes, but everything has to be factually and scientifically right and kudos to Eliot on that one! There was a sentence in the book where it said ‘vein’ instead of ‘artery’ for checking one’s pulse but I won’t let that one small error make me change my rating(which is a hundred stars I guess?😂)

And have you ever seen character growth in an OS? Well, the OS that runs the spaceship has “some” character growth. Good or bad? Read the book and decide for yourself because I’m still in the process of figuring it out too! 🙈

Well, in short, this book was definitely OUT OF THIS WORLD! (Dad joke alert 🚨) Sorry I just had to. 😂👊🏾

So, what in the Solar System are you waiting for? Give yourself a dose of high-octane sci-fi thriller that is bound to give you some tachycardia and a ton of gasps!

Have you read any Science Fiction books that you love? Let’s discuss in the comments!

TITLE: Pumpkin

AUTHOR: Julie Murphy

PAGE EXTENT: 336

PUBLISHER: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)

GENRE: LGBTQ+ Fiction (YA Contemporary)

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

SOURCE: Received a copy from HarperCollins India in exchange for an honest review.

Return to the beloved world of Julie Murphy’s #1 New York Times bestselling Dumplin’—now a popular Netflix feature film starring Jennifer Aniston—in this fabulously joyful, final companion novel about drag, prom, and embracing your inner Queen.

Waylon Russell Brewer is a fat, openly gay boy stuck in the small West Texas town of Clover City. His plan is to bide his time until he can graduate, move to Austin with his twin sister, Clementine, and finally go Full Waylon so that he can live his Julie-the-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-music-Andrews truth.

So when Clementine deviates from their master plan right after Waylon gets dumped, he throws caution to the wind and creates an audition tape for his favorite TV drag show, Fiercest of Them All. What he doesn’t count on is the tape getting accidentally shared with the entire school. . . . As a result, Waylon is nominated for prom queen as a joke. Clem’s girlfriend, Hannah Perez, also receives a joke nomination for prom king.

Waylon and Hannah decide there’s only one thing to do: run—and leave high school with a bang. A very glittery bang. Along the way, Waylon discovers that there is a lot more to running for prom court than campaign posters and plastic crowns, especially when he has to spend so much time with the very cute and infuriating prom king nominee Tucker Watson.

Waylon will need to learn that the best plan for tomorrow is living for today . . . especially with the help of some fellow queens. . . .

“No matter how hard I try – and I’ve tried plenty – it’s everywhere. The way I walk. The way I talk. I didn’t wake up and pray to be a walking gay billboard.”

OHMYGOSH. Not once did I think I would relate to this book on a WHOLE NEW LEVEL. I mean, yes, it has a gay protagonist who is sassy and flamboyant but I didn’t think Waylon would be THIS relatable! This is my first Julie Murphy book and I’m so glad I picked it up!

Waylon is one of my favorite queer characters in YA. And oh boy, isn’t he SO DAMN HILARIOUS! I found myself bursting into fits of laughter from time to time thanks to Waylon’s sarcasm and crackling sense of humor! WAY TO GO QUEEEEEN! 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾

Oops. I just realized I didn’t say what the book is about. Waylon is a fat gay senior from Clover City, Texas who plans to make it big in Austin along with his sister Clementine(who also happens to be gay and in love with her girlfriend Hannah). But when Clementine plans to move to Georgia for college without Waylon’s knowledge, Waylon suddenly feels clueless and shoots a video in drag on a whim. When the video goes viral at school, somebody nominates Waylon for Prom Queen and Hannah for Prom King as a sick joke but instead of backing down, they decide to run for the spot instead! What follows is a warm, fuzzy tale brimming with queer characters, a super hot dude, a sassy grandma and a whole lot of drag! 🌈🦄

“I’m in drag. Because drag is more than makeup and gowns and bodysuits and tucking and sequins and wigs. Drag is about what you exude. Drag is a choice.”

This is the first time I’m reading a book that discusses the art of drag and needless to say, it piqued my curiosity! I ended up Googling and reading the history of drag and added all available drag shows to my Netflix list right away! Waylon has one of the best character arcs in YA and I couldn’t help but fall in love with how wholesome his character is!

I have read a ton of books with gay protagonists but this was the first time I read a book with a fat gay protagonist and I was hit with some hard revelations. There is a lot of toxicity in the gay community and it’s usually the ones with chiseled abs and perfect muscled bodies who receive all the hype. Why does one have to be the textbook definition of perfect in order to survive being gay? What does ‘perfect’ even mean? Why can’t someone just be gay and comfortable with their bodies? Waylon’s journey from being insecure about his body to owning it like a queen and being comfortable with it serves as an inspiration to so many fat queer kids around the world! Julie, thank you so much for showing us how there is no definition of perfect but it’s one that you define for yourself!

Though the slowburn romance between Waylon and Tucker was adorable and fun to read and made me go all giggly and blush, the friendship between Hannah and Waylon that bloomed over the course of the story was the highlight for me! As they run for Prom King and Queen respectively, they begin to open up to each other and towards the end, it leaves you with a sense of satisfaction!

Oh wait, how did I forget this!? Waylon’s grandmother is a WHOLE MOOD. Have you ever seen a grandmother who dresses up and paints her nails and puts on makeup TO GET HER SINK REPAIRED by her grandkids? Well, Waylon’s granny does. She has to be my favorite side character in this book! And the rainbow prom dress you see on the cover? Yes. This goddess made it. Give me a granny like Waylon’s and I’ll die a happy man. 😌

“When the world isn’t selling what you’re looking to buy, you just have to take it upon yourself to cut your own pattern.”

It didn’t escape my notice how well homophobia was handled in this story! And the tasks assigned to the nominees were so much fun!

I could honestly go on and on and on about how much and why I love this gem of a book! But it’s best if you discover it for yourself! If you’re wondering if you should have read the first two books in order to be able to read this one, fret not! I haven’t read the first two either and I had no problems whatsoever. What are you waiting for? Waylon and his sass and his fancy heels are waiting for you!

Have you read any books with plus-sized MCs? Let me know in the comments below!

TITLE: Today Tonight Tomorrow

AUTHOR: Rachel Lynn Solomon

PAGE EXTENT: 384

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster

GENRE: YA Contemporary, #ownvoices Jewish rep

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

SOURCE: Received a copy from Simon & Schuster India in exchange for an honest review.

The Hating Game meets Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by way of Morgan Matson in this unforgettable romantic comedy about two rival overachievers whose relationship completely transforms over the course of twenty-four hours.

Today, she hates him.

It’s the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school, clashing on test scores, student council elections, and even gym class pull-up contests. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she’d love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time.

Tonight, she puts up with him.

When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle, a farewell tour of the city she loves. But after learning a group of seniors is out to get them, she and Neil reluctantly decide to team up until they’re the last players left—and then they’ll destroy each other.

As Rowan spends more time with Neil, she realizes he’s much more than the awkward linguistics nerd she’s sparred with for the past four years. And, perhaps, this boy she claims to despise might actually be the boy of her dreams.

Tomorrow…maybe she’s already fallen for him.

Did I move Seattle from #6 to #2 on my priority list of cities to pursue my Post Graduate Residency in the US after reading this book? Did I get an intense urge to go to Seattle right away after reading this book? Did I giggle into the night and blush like a tomato while reading this book? YES. YES. AND YES.

Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been academic rivals in highschool right from their freshman year, both intent on staying one step ahead of the other. So, what happens when Neil is named Valedictorian? Rowan doesn’t want to give up. She wants to beat him one last time in the city-wide Scavenger hunt, Howl that’s conducted every year as a farewell gift by the junior years! What follows is a fast-paced, fun-filled, thrilling race across Seattle all set over the course of one day!

The fact that there was great character development in this book in 24 HOURS was what BLEW my mind! I am awed by how Rachel managed to give us two of the best well fleshed-out characters in YA! This goes on to say how all of us have multiple layers, a myriad of problems, but the world only sees what we choose to show.

The banter between Rowan and Neil was something I was constantly looking forward to in the book! It was super-snarky, super-hilarious and had me howling with laughter time and again! As we progress with the story, we begin to see Rowan and Neil open up to each other and trust each other with their vulnerabilities and tucked-away secrets. Enemies-to-lovers is probably my favorite YA trope of all time, because what’s better than knowing somebody’s weaknesses and shortcomings but still choosing to love them all the same!?!? This was seamlessly executed with UTTER PERFECTION. * chef’s kiss*

Being an #ownvoices book for Jewish rep, I love how this book gave us an insight into Jewish family dynamics, Jewish traditions (the Shabbat dinner is one of my favorite scenes in this book), while also addressing issues such an anti-Semitism and erasure of cultures. I love discovering new cultures and traditions and this book had me intrigued! The casual queer rep was something that made me happy as well.

If there’s one thing I want everybody to take away from his book, it’s that ANYBODY CAN READ ANY BOOK, irrespective of age or gender. Rowan is into romance novels and is afraid to accept it because of how trashed the genre is, and Neil is obsessed with a Middle Grade series right from his childhood and has reread the series multiple times! Life’s all about breaking stereotypes, innit?

I’m someone who has a thing for people who are amazing at what they do, and Neil is now on my list of Top 10 Favourite Book Boyfriends of all time! He is such a cinnamon roll. There were multiple instances where I wanted to jump right in and give him a nice, warm hug. Fictional characters like Neil are what give me sky-high expectations of my future(currently non-existent) boyfriend and I’m SO NOT ashamed of it! 😂

Not only did this book make me go all giggly and pink, it also made me watch city tour videos of Seattle on YouTube! I LOVE the fact that this book is a love letter to this amazing city and how Seattle forms the foundation on which this rom-com is built. Rachel has perfectly infused the essence of Seattle into this story and i can’t help but gush about how I’m falling in love with this city! Remember the old saying, “Books help you travel to far away places without leaving the comfort of your chair”? That’s EXACTLY what this book did and more!

I have this horrible habit of turning my reviews into a rant every single time and if you’ve read all the way up till here, I guess it’s pretty obvious at this point that I’m basically shoving the book in your face and forcing you to read it, because THAT’S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO!

If you’re in the mood for a super-adorable, fluffy rom-com which also doubles as a thriller and has some of the best character growth in YA, and if you want to read late into the night and giggle and blush and sniffle and go awww a thousand times, this is the book you should be picking up next! Believe me, you’re in for a wild, wild ride through Seattle(emotionally too)!!!

Do you have any YA contemporary recommendations for me? Let me know in the comments!

TITLE: Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow

AUTHOR: Benjamin Dean

PAGE EXTENT: 352

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster UK

GENRE: Middle Grade, LGBTQIA+ Fiction

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

SOURCE: Received a copy from Simon & Schuster India in exchange for an honest review.

The rainbow-filled, JOYOUS debut from a hugely exciting new talent. Perfect for 9+ readers and fans of Lisa Thompson, Elle McNicoll and Onjali Rauf’s bestselling THE BOY AT THE BACK OF THE CLASS.

My name’s Archie Albright, and I know two things for certain:

1. My mum and dad kind of hate each other, and they’re not doing a great job of pretending that they don’t anymore.

2. They’re both keeping a secret from me, but I can’t figure out what.

Things aren’t going great for Archie Albright. His dad’s acting weird, his mum too, and all he wants is for everything to go back to normal, to three months before when his parents were happy and still lived together. When Archie sees a colourful, crumpled flyer fall out of Dad’s pocket, he thinks he may have found the answer. Only problem? The answer might just lie at the end of the rainbow, an adventure away. 

Together with his best friends, Bell and Seb, Archie sets off on a heartwarming and unforgettable journey to try and fix his family, even if he has to break a few rules to do it…

FAIR WARNING: THIS REVIEW IS ALL ABOUT MY SCREAMING IN GAY ABOUT HOW AMAZING THIS BOOK IS AND WHY YOU SHOULD PICK IT UP! PROCEED WITH CAUTION! 🌈🌈

Have you ever read a book and this warm feeling takes over you and you just want to hug the book tight to your chest and rant about the book to anyone and everyone you see? CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE MAKE A THROW PILLOW WITH THIS BOOK COVER ON IT BECAUSE I WANT TO CUDDLE THIS BOOK SO BAD?

Archie Albright is a 12-year-old biracial middle-schooler from England who knows something’s not right between his parents because they have been acting all weird and distant and are constantly fighting and bickering. Archie ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time and hears something he isn’t supposed to: his dad is gay. This comes as a shocker to him and he makes it his mission to find out more and help his dad out! And what does he do? HE GOES TO THE LONDON PRIDE PARADE!

THIS BOOK WAS PURE JOY. There is not a single boring moment in this book and the fast-paced plot had me racing through the book in one sitting! Archie’s honest, sarcastic, witty voice had me giggling from time to time and I couldn’t help but wonder how Benjamin hit bulls-eye with this narration by perfectly getting into the mind of a middle-schooler!

“Adults really are dim, Bell said quietly, grabbing a consoler as I fired up the console. “I can’t believe we leave them in charge of things.”

SAME GURL. SAME. I CAN’T EITHER!

And if you have read my earlier reviews of Middle Grade books, you’ll notice how I’ve stressed upon the fact that Middle Grade books showcase FRIENDSHIP AT ITS BEST! Archie and his two best friends, the ever-so-cautious, rule-abiding Seb and the diving-headlong-into-adventure, excuse-me-what-are-rules Bell, form the PERFECT TRIO! Amazing friendships are what draw me to Middle grade and this book gave me EXACTLY what I wanted, not in spoons, but in SPADES!

I love Middle Grade. I love queer fiction. If you ask me, this book is a match made in heaven! Benjamin’s descriptions of the London Pride Parade made me SUPER DUPER jealous of Archie! I spent a good half hour Googling the London Pride Parade after reading this book and I now have the Parade on my bucket list! Thanks, Benjamin! 😂😒❤️

The ending was emotional to the T. I was smiling and sniffling and giggling and wiping my eyes all at once and trust me, YOU NEED THIS BOOK IN YOUR LIFE. PERIOD.

If you have a Middle Grader in your life and you want to introduce them to the LGBTQIA+ community, this book is what you should be gifting them! It should come as no surprise that this book is brimming with queer side characters! Drag queens, a lesbian couple, a non-binary person, well you get the point. And the best part? The reader goes on a journey of discovery with Archie as he learns more about the queer community at the Parade and doesn’t feel info-dumpy one bit. In short, this book is the PERFECT info-tainment you could get your hands on! And since the queer community is something everybody should be aware of, I low-key hope this book gets on the Required Reading list at schools because this book is ESSENTIAL.

Okay, rant over. I’m telling you once again: PICK UP THIS BOOK! IT’S SUPER DUPER CUTE AND SUPER DUPER GAY AND HAS ONE OF THE BEST COVERS EVER! (Yes, I’m a sucker for covers too, if it isn’t obvious already hehe).

What are you waiting for? Get your hands on a copy of this book, read it in one sitting, and UNLEASH THE GAY! 🏳️‍🌈

Have you any Middle Grade queer books? Let me know in the comments below!

TITLE: The Girl and the Ghost

AUTHOR: Hanna Alkaf

PAGE EXTENT: 280

PUBLISHER: HarperCollins India

GENRE: Middle Grade, #ownvoices

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I am a dark spirit, the ghost announced grandly. I am your inheritance, your grandmother’s legacy. I am yours to command.

Suraya is delighted when her witch grandmother gifts her a pelesit. She names her ghostly companion Pink, and the two quickly become inseparable.

But Suraya doesn’t know that pelesits have a dark side—and when Pink’s shadows threaten to consume them both, they must find enough light to survive . . . before they are both lost to the darkness.

TW: bullying, dysfunctional families, death

Nobody is ever really ready for goodbye. But sometimes you need to bid farewell to the things holding you back so that you can move forward.

THIS BOOK MADE ME SOB. And NOT the happy kind. The next time somebody dismisses Middle Grade books as “childish” or “too silly” I will make it my mission to make them read this book. I am someone who gets emotional while reading books and sheds a tear or two, but very few books have made me UGLY CRY, and this book is one of those.

The Girl and the Ghost follows Suraya, a Malaysian Muslim girl, who inherits a pelesit from her grandmother, who also happens to be a witch. Suraya has been perceived to be eccentric and weird by the society around her and she has never had a lot of friends. When the pelesit extends an arm of friendship, Suraya pounces on the opportunity and befriends the pelesit.

Over time, the friendship between Suraya and Pink (the expression of horror on the pelesit’s face when she names him Pink was GOLD ) mutates into something toxic and dark. What started out as friendship between Suraya and Pink morphed into obsession and jealousy when Suraya made a new (human) friend in a Japanese girl Jing Wei. Read the book to find out the rest!

Hanna perfectly conveys this message through her book: no matter how long the duration of the friendship, it has the possibility of turning toxic at any point and how we sometimes put up with it because we love the friend with all our heart and don’t want to let them go, so much that we give ourselves excuses to preserve the friendship. This right here is a very important message and Middle Grade books are the perfect medium to convey the same to young readers. Kudos to Hanna for writing this riveting tale!

The child’s song wrapped the ghost in a tender weave of comfort and belonging and glorious wonder, sweet and innocent and intoxicating.

Hanna’s writing style is BEAUTIFUL. Lush, lyrical and smooth, Hanna’s writing draws you in from the very first page and doesn’t let you leave until you close the book, sobbing. Her writing is like biting into fresh Pandan cake, you just want more and more!

“Carries around a Chanel wallet that she says is real.” Jing snorted. “Someone should tell her Chanel isn’t spelled with two l’s.”

The light humor provided by the chirpy, bubbly, ever-so-excited Jing lends comic relief to an otherwise serious story and balances out the different elements. I love to read about strong female friendships in books and I was super glad and happy when Suraya made a friend. And what do friends do? Stick with us through thick and thin and do not leave our side, no matter what! And that’s PRECISELY what Jing did! Believe me when I say this, this book is staying with you for a long, long time.

This book takes you on a journey to the Malaysian countryside. Vibrant descriptions of green paddy fields, Malaysian cuisine, Malaysian lingo and the whole vibe in general transport you to the kampungs of Malaysia and you can’t help but want to travel to Malaysia to witness this scenic beauty for yourself! This bittersweet, poignant story is richly inspired by Malaysian folklore and features spirits from Malaysian mythology: polongs, bajangs, langsuirs to name a few. This book is Malaysian at heart and I love the fact that Middle Grade readers get to learn about different cultures early on, thanks to amazing #ownvoices books like this one.

If you’re in the mood for an atmospheric, heart-warming, touching and thought-provoking tale, go ahead and pick up this one! Gentle reminder: keep a tissue box handy!

Have you read any #ownvoices Middle Grade books? Let me know in the comments and we can discuss!

TITLE: The Best at It

AUTHOR: Maulik Pancholy

PAGE EXTENT: 336

PUBLISHER: HarperCollins India

GENRE: Middle Grade, LGBTQIA+ fiction, #ownvoices

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

From actor Maulik Pancholy comes an incredibly charming, heartfelt middle grade debut about Rahul Kapoor, a gay Indian American boy coming into his own in a small town in the Midwest.

Rahul Kapoor is heading into seventh grade in a small town in Indiana. The start of middle school is making him feel increasingly anxious, so his favorite person in the whole world, his grandfather Bhai, gives him some well-meaning advice: Find one thing you’re really good at. And become the BEST at it.

Those four little words sear themselves into Rahul’s brain. While he’s not quite sure what that special thing is, he is convinced that once he finds it, bullies like Brent Mason will stop torturing him at school. And he won’t be worried about staring too long at his classmate Justin Emery. With his best friend, Chelsea, by his side, Rahul is ready to crush this challenge. . . . But what if he discovers he isn’t the best at anything?

Funny, charming, and incredibly touching, this is a story about friendship, family, and the courage it takes to live your truth.

Eleven years ago, while I was in Middle School, I had quite a rough time figuring out my sexuality. I knew I was different from the other dudes around me, but couldn’t really put a finger on it. I used to enjoy hanging out with the girls in class for the simple reason that I didn’t feel like a fish out of water around them. I was made fun of and mocked at for my evidently effeminate mannerisms and I tried so hard to blend in with the other boys in class, even to the extent of pretending to be interested in basketball (I am not interested in sports whatsoever) and IF THERE IS ONE THING I WISH I HAD WITH ME BACK THEN, IT IS THIS BOOK.

The Best at It follows Rahul, a 12-year-old gay Indian-American middle-schooler from Greenville, Indiana, who is trying to figure out his forte, all while coming to terms with his sexuality. After a heartfelt conversation with his grandfather, Bhai (more on him in a while) Rahul decides that he wants to excel at something and along with his bestie(aka hype queen) Chelsea, tries a variety of activities to figure out what his jam his, some with disastrous consequences as well! And yes, not to mention navigating puberty, first-time crushes and Middle School.

If you take a look at my bio on Instagram, you’d notice that I love Middle Grade/Queer/#ownvoices books and when I discovered that this one is Middle Grade AND Queer AND #ownvoices, I knew this was right up my alley! Little did I know this cute, charming Middle Grade book would take me all the way back to middle school on one déjà vu-filled rollercoaster ride! It’s not frequently that we come across protagonists we relate to on a whole new level, but Rahul’s story reminded me so much of my own that I couldn’t stop flipping the pages and I devoured this book in one sitting!

I love how this book is so Indian AND American at the same time! Nandita Auntie from the Auntie Squad is SUCH A MOOD. I was constantly looking forward to the Auntie Squad scenes and Rahul’s depictions of theirs, and it was all so annoying and endearing at the same time! Maulik perfectly manages to capture the essence of Indian families, along with a Western twist!

“Do you think it’s strange we always end up in boys’ bathrooms doing each other’s makeup?” She puckers her lips.

“Absolutely not,” I saw with a smile. “Being different is what makes us fun, remember?”

Rahul’s best friend, Chelsea, is probably the BEST HYPE QUEEN of all time. Chelsea is that one friend who sticks with you through thick and thin and never ever leaves your side, no matter what. Give me a Chelsea and I’ll die a happy man.

In fact, he’s the one who insisted I cann him “Bhai”.

When I asked him why, he said, “Because you should always be able to tell me anything that’s on your mind, as though I’m your older brother.”

Rahul’s relationship with his grandfather, Bhai was one of my favorite aspects about this book! If there is one book that allows its side characters to shine, it’s this one! Rahul and his grandfather share an amicable relationship right from the very first page and trust me on this, their super-adorable bonding sessions will make your face crack a smile every single time!

Mental health rep in Middle Grade is not something I have come across often, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE how Maulik has hit the right chords when it comes to depiction of mental health disorders. As someone living with anxiety and obsessive compulsive tendencies for quite some time now, I could resonate with Rahul throughout the book and had a lot of OHMYGOSH THIS IS HOW IT STARTED FOR ME TOO moments!

While Rahul’s story is full of hilarious shenanigans and marriage-obsessed Indian aunties, it also manages to address a few serious issues such as bullying, homophobia (internalized as well), discrimination, stereotypes, outing, mental health disorders and racism, all while making it suitable and understandable for Middle Grade readers.

There are a ton of other things I want to say; honestly, my mind is brimming with thoughts on this book right now, but this is a review and not an essay and to keep it short: PICK UP THIS HILARIOUS, CHARMING, BUT ALSO A TEARJERKER OF A BOOK! And if nobody has told this to you yet, IT IS OKAY TO BE A NERD! NERDS ARE FUN! I am a nerd, Rahul is a nerd and we’re all proud to be NERDS!

And Maulik, in case you’re reading this, please consider this a petition to write a sequel to this ADORKABLE story, but set in the future, maybe Rahul’s junior year of high-school! With some cute, fluffy romantic moments! * wink wink* And I am pretty sure you’d be the best at writing the sequel too! (excuse my lame puns haha)

Do you love reading Middle Grade books too? Hit me up in the comments and let’s discuss! And while you’re at it, send some recommendations my way! Hehe!

TITLE: The Secret Life of Debbie G

AUTHOR: Vibha Batra

ILLUSTRATOR: Kalyani Ganapathy

PAGE EXTENT: 296

PUBLISHER: HarperCollins India

GENRE: YA Contemporary Graphic Novel

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret Life of Debbie G is the story of a sixteen-year-old who becomes an online sensation overnight. Except, it’s her online persona that hits big time. Set in contemporary times, where the number of likes/ comments/ shares/ DMs/ followers determine a teenager’s sense of self-worth, the story takes a close look at how social media influences their behaviour and affects their emotional health. Equal parts poignant and fun, this is a bittersweet coming-of-age story.

TW: Divorce, separation, outing, homophobia, bullying, fat shaming, slut shaming

“I’d been angry a long time. At life in general. At my parents in particular. I’d held on to my anger for so long that it had become a part of me. That’s the thing about rage, it consumes you from within, leaves you hollow. It’s like a parasite that needs a host to live off. Once it infects you, it takes over your mind, impairs your judgment slowly but surely, until eventually you can’t tell right from wrong, friend from foe.”

The Secret Life of Debbie G is probably one of the most relatable books I’ve read of late. This coming-of-age graphic novel follows 16-year-old Soundarya (who, for the record, hates her name and prefers to go by Arya. We are soulsisters, gurl.) who hails from a South Indian family and attends a posh school in New Delhi. She is a plus-sized teen who is unapologetic and embraces her curves (Yay for rep!) This heartfelt story is all about how her plan to get back at the bullies and meanies at school makes her an online sensation in an instant, and how things start going downhill! I don’t want to divulge too much of the plot here. Read the book to find out more!

It amazed me how Vibha Batra has effortlessly managed to step into the mind of the current Gen Z teenager with just the right dose of modern phrases and lingo! Considering how the illustrations are the mainstay of a graphic novel, Kalyani Ganapathy’s illustration style paired with Vibha’s quirky writing made this a joyful and quick reading experience! Arya’s deadpan sarcasm had me giggling!

Arya’s maternal grandparents are your typical judgmental Indian grandparents and had me rolling my eyes multiple times. Vibha has managed to perfectly capture Indian family dynamics, while also dealing with issues such as divorce, separation, remarriage and most importantly, finding love all over again.

Arya’s relationship with her mother, Aishwarya is one of my favorite mother-daughter relationships in YA. Aishwarya, a divorcee, is portrayed as a strong, broad-minded, independent woman with a modern outlook who wants to bring out the best in the people around her. The sub-plot of her falling in love all over again and marrying her new-found love interest shows how such events have to be normalized and how the stigma following the same has to be erased from the society we are a part of.

Nickster and Rucksack (a.k.a Nikhil and Rukhsar) are super endearing and I was constantly looking forward to their hilarious banter with Arya throughout the book! Rukhsar, a budding TV star and Nikhil, who has found a new partner (not talking more about this here because hey, spoilers), are Arya’s two besties and they own storylines highlight some of the evils prevalent in our society.

Most importantly, this book conveys how social media and want for online fame(followers, likes, comments etc.) can have an adverse effect on one’s mental health and emotional wellbeing, and also shows how we might go to extreme lengths for popularity and fame and how things can come crumbling down. In short, the perils of social media and what becoming prey to social media might make us do.

Batra doesn’t shy away from the harsh truths of life and addresses a myriad of sensitive issues in this book, viz. slut-shaming, fat-shaming, divorce, bullying, outing, homophobia to name a few.

This would have been a solid 5-star read for me, if not for the abrupt ending and the absence of a trigger warning. Since this book deals with sensitive issues, I would have appreciated a trigger warning in the beginning. Being someone who has dealt with outing and extreme homophobia, I found those scenes a bit triggering. Trigger warnings are extremely important in books that deal with sensitive topics.

The ending was very abrupt and seemed choppy to me. Had the book been wrapped up on a better note, with some healing time, it would have been the perfect graphic novel for me.

If you’re in the mood for a quick read and want to roll your eyes at judgmental uncles and aunties and relate to how everything was about looking and doing ‘cool’ stuff back in school, pick this one up. Trust me, you’re in for a rollercoaster ride!

Are you a fan of graphic novels too? If you have any recommendations for me, drop them in the comments!

TITLE: Punching the Air

AUTHORS: Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

PAGE EXTENT: 400

PUBLISHER: HarperCollins India

GENRE: YA Contemporary (Verse)

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

From award-winning, bestselling author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five comes a powerful YA novel in verse about a boy who is wrongfully incarcerated. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Walter Dean Myers, and Elizabeth Acevedo.

The story that I thought

was my life

didn’t start on the day

I was born

Amal Shahid has always been an artist and a poet. But even in a diverse art school, he’s seen as disruptive and unmotivated by a biased system. Then one fateful night, an altercation in a gentrifying neighborhood escalates into tragedy. “Boys just being boys” turns out to be true only when those boys are white.

The story that I think

will be my life

starts today

Suddenly, at just sixteen years old, Amal’s bright future is upended: he is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison. Despair and rage almost sink him until he turns to the refuge of his words, his art. This never should have been his story. But can he change it?

With spellbinding lyricism, award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam tell a moving and deeply profound story about how one boy is able to maintain his humanity and fight for the truth, in a system designed to strip him of both.

“All because
we were in the wrong place
we were in the wrong skins
we were in the wrong time
we were in the wrong bodies
we were in the wrong country
we were in the wrong
were in the wrong
in the wrong
the wrong
wrong”

What happens when you are in the wrong place at the wrong time? AND you’re black? You can guess the answer. To end up in prison for a crime you didn’t commit.

Punching the Air is a powerful novel written in verse that follows Amal Shahid, a black Muslim teenager who is sent off to a juvenile facility for a crime he didn’t commit and why? The answer is pretty obvious. He is black. This book heavily draws inspiration from the life of Yusef Salaam, who was also wrongly convicted in the Central Park Jogger Case back in 1989 and is now one of the members of the “Exonerated Five”. (Want to know more about it? You’re just a Google search away.)

Brimming with hard-hitting metaphors and imagery, this novel in verse is narrated from Amal’s perspective and is scattered with illustrations throughout that amplify this novel’s impact. This gut-wrenching novel deals with racism, police brutality, bullying, blind discrimination against the Black community and hate. This book will open your eyes to the unfairness of the situation in the world today and will make you want to stand in solidarity with the Black community!

Amal is an innocent teenager who is in art school and loves painting and poetry. This book goes on to portray how someone who should be enjoying his high school years while pursuing his passion and his crushes (wink wink) is serving a sentence in jail out of sheer injustice and racism.

Does the brutality end once the person is behind bars? Not at all. This novel sheds light on the fact that racism, brutality and bullying are prevalent IN prison as well. GAH WHY IS THE WORLD SO UNFAIR?

“How dare you say such a thing, Amal?
You are not alone in this fight
I’m here with you always
Your struggle in my struggle
Your hurt is my hurt
I’m hurting because you’re hurting, Amal- ”

I was looking forward to the visiting day scenes as these show the heartwarming interaction between Amal and his mother and how powerful and strong a woman Amal’s mother is. A simple hijab-clad woman with a heart of feathers and a will of steel! The friendship that blossomed between Amal and Kadon in prison was bittersweet!

I think this is the perfect time to pick up this book. With the #blacklivesmatter movement and recent incidents of police brutality and racism, there has never been a better time to pick it up! Ibi and Yusef have definitely packed a punch with this one! It might take all of 2 hours to read but it will leave a mark on your soul! You just CANNOT stop thinking about this book and you’ll end up wanting to hug Amal and tell him it’ll all be okay.

“Yusef and I wanted people to know that when you find yourself in dark places, there’s always a light somewhere in that darkness, and even if that light is inside of you, you can illuminate your own darkness by shedding that light on the world.”

PLEASE PICK UP THIS BOOK. This book is a NEED.

In short, Punching the Air punches you in the gut and leaves you gasping for air!

What are some of your favorite novels in verse? Let me know in the comments below!