Ivy's Reviews

Through the years, Neil Gaiman has written on so many subjects, from books to politics to music. This book is worth the price of admission if only for his perspective on genre writing. Collecting these writings together provides a masterclass in how to write non-fiction: widely and often. - Ivy

Fisher was an actress, geek icon, and a professional screw-up who held nothing back from her audience. She called herself the product of “Hollywood incest” and never failed to find the humor in life. My nerdy little heart reveled in every moment. The secrets are as juicy as expected. More importantly, it’s full of the wit and self-deprecation we expected from our foul-mouthed princess. - Ivy

For four hundred years to be Irish in Ireland was a crime. Its people, stubborn to a fault, did not take to fetters gently. Thomas Francis Meagher ached for a free Ireland though he spent most of his life in exile. Just in time for the Easter Rising centennial, Egan writes about Meagher with a fervor to match the man’s need for freedom. Meagher’s almost unbelievable life lit a fire in me. - Ivy

Refugee stories are massively important right now. This graphic memoir explores connecting the past to the present and the long, intergenerational shadow it can throw. The Buis left the fallout of the Vietnam war, but never imagined the lasting impact such trauma would have on their life in America. Drawn in an intensely personal style, I couldn’t help but be pulled into their story. - Ivy

Bri wants nothing more than to be a rapper, but finds herself in the spotlight after a violent confrontation with her school’s security guards. In the aftermath, she finds herself and her actions misinterpreted at every turn. But Bri must figure out who she actually is before she can finally get her “come up.” I found this amazing follow-up to The Hate U Give endlessly compelling. - Ivy

This "queer King Arthur in space" doesn’t disappoint. For the first time in 41 cycles of Arthurs, Merlin finds his Arthur is a girl, Ari. An evil corporation called Amazon—sorry, Mercer—walled off her homeworld and Ari alone escaped. A decade later, she accidentally crashes on Earth and discovers a mysterious sword stuck in a tree, kickstarting the biggest Arthur quest yet. I loved this fresh, engaging update to the Arthur legend and its beautiful blend of science fiction and fantasy. - Ivy

It is impossible to overstate the impact Star Wars and the women in the galaxy far, far away had on my life. When Princess Leia raised her face in defiance of Darth Vader, my little girl heart swelled. A woman could be a princess and a badass; there was no need to choose. Since then the Star Wars universe has expanded to include many more powerful women. I can’t wait to dig into this beautiful homage to women’s strength. - Ivy

A historian with many interests—from Jane Franklin to Wonder Woman—Jill Lepore here explores the very origins of our country. At a time when it feels like the foundation is crumbling, it’s important to look back and understand how the United States was formed. Lepore has a deftness with language that is always a delight to read. The pages of These Truths breezed by pleasurably. Ivy

If you’ve ever driven Highway 5 late at night, you know there is something ethereal about the long stretch of road when it is blanketed with stars. Joseph Fink evokes the same feeling in his newest novel, Alice Isn’t Dead. After the supposed death of her wife, Keisha—certain Alice is still alive—abandons her life to become a trucker and search for the missing Alice, and runs afoul of a sinister and horrifying organization. Strange and glorious, this book will leave you changed. - Ivy

Don’t miss our event with Joseph Fink on November 15th.

Reading The Last Unicorn is like drinking a warm cup of cocoa on a rainy night, so it was lovely to read this wonderful first draft and see the origins of the book. So many things changed before the story became the book we know, but the writing in this early version is so entrancing it’s hard to believe this wasn’t the final adventure. There is so much to delight in, both in the familiar and the new. - Ivy