Jax's Reviews

Do you find yourself longing to be one of those DIY people who can make anything? Are you a crafter already wanting to branch out? Look no further than this charming book, the perfect inspiration to “Make It!” Fans of the show will enjoy the forward by Nick Offerman and the profiles on past contestants, and anyone interested in crafts will enjoy the various crafting techniques taught here. So get out there and create!

What can I say? I love this queer Chicano chef and this cookbook! Castillo’s fun and delicious recipes are presented alongside stories of his life and family, making the book a joy to cook from. I also appreciated how easy the recipes were to use and how patiently Castillo explains how to do things. If you’ve never cooked Mexican food, this is the perfect primer, and if you’re looking for some playful variations on these flavors, you’re in for a real treat. 

This ambitious book is the perfect starting place for anyone who is curious about spirits south of the border. Each section deals with a different source: agave, sugarcane, and grape. Mix gives the history behind these delicious drinks as well as information on the ethics of buying them, and doesn’t shy away from the less savory aspects of the drinks. While most of her cocktails match her status as world-class bartender, there are a few (hello, caipirinha) that are a simple and elegant, the perfect introduction to these amazing spirits. ¡Salud!

In this new autobiography, the incomparable Jennifer Boylan defines the chapters of her life by the dogs she has owned. She writes of them and herself with overwhelming tenderness, hilariously wry skepticism, and brutally frank honesty. I loved meeting all of her dogs, and through them getting to know the different versions of herself she has experienced. If you’ve never read Boylan before, this is a wonderful introduction, and who doesn’t love a good dog?

Can something painful be funny? Can you really only have one slice of pizza? Can something that feels horrible turn out to be wonderful? Can fish text? Birbiglia asks these questions and more in his honest, funny, and emotionally fraught exploration of parenthood and what it has meant to him and to his wife. Fans of his will appreciate the new stories, as well as poems from his wife, and if you don’t know anything about this awkward sleepwalker, I encourage you to check him out.

To call this book beautiful is an understatement: this lovely fable’s illustrations are breathtakingly gorgeous, pulsing with such life and detail I felt I discovered something new each time I looked at them. The story itself—of how stars ended up in the sky—is simple yet elegant and has the cadence perfect for putting a young one to sleep. Take a look for yourself and you’ll discover the wonder of the night sky all over again.

Rivers Solomon seems to consistently bring something fresh and completely unprecedented to the genre in a most magnificent way. I’ll let you read the back of the book for the plot, as there’s so much going on—from the Middle Passage to magical mer-people to shared memories and the strength of one young person to save her people. Solomon pulls it all off with aplomb. It’s a little book that packs a lot of punch about historical trauma and the ways we integrate our history into our lives, and helps us think about what history we are responsible for carrying. I can’t stop thinking about this one. - Jax

Erin Morgenstern (The Night Circus) has crafted an amazing cocktail of magic, secret societies, and the power of the written word. Moving between timeless fables and a very current story of a young queer man of color trying to understand his own story, it explores the thirst in us all for the fantastical. Take this leap; you won’t regret having drawn on your courage. - Jax

Read our interview with Erin Morngenstern in our 2019 Winter Newsletter.

Don't miss our event with Erin Morgenstern at a Literary Masquerade on November 12th, 2019.