Jocelyn's Reviews

This book is a modern classic of satire and what it means to be human. The apocalypse is coming, and a vivid cast of characters will do battle (well, more cause nuisance to each other) in an attempt to either stop or hinder it. The collaboration of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is seamless, and brilliant creativity and hilarity ensue. Whether you watch the miniseries or not, you won’t regret treating yourself to this book. - Jocelyn

People calls this book a “Pride & Prejudice-like send-up”, and that’s what this is: Kevin Kwan has channeled Jane Austen to write a witty, satirical rom-com told from an American-Born Chinese traversing the rarified (and often ridiculous) air of the upper echelons of Kwan’s native Singapore. Pick this up for the love story, pick it up for the drama, the incredible side characters, or just the crazy richness – this book is guaranteed to transport and entertain. - Jocelyn

A tattoo artist and budding CEO, haunted by their shared past, are given a second change – at love, but more importantly at their own lives. I was pulled in from the start to this taut tale of redemption, betrayal, sex, and romance. With complex characters, sizzling tension, juicy drama, and intricate tattoos (and desert) I finished this book fully satisfied – but ready for Alisha Rai’s next installment. - Jocelyn

Amberlough delighted me and broke me and did it all over again. A Jazz-age alternate world of queer spy-vs-spy shenanigans and cat-and-mouse politics, featuring the rise of a conservative facist government in a diverse and throbbingly alive world. Possibly a little too real in our current real-world, but author Lara Elena Donnelly kept me hoping against reason for the characters, even as she broke me down. Fair warning: you will immediately need to pick up the sequel. - Jocelyn

McBride’s story of self-discovery, determination, and love made me check my privilege, cheer, and cry. She earnestly and intelligently reflects on her life, from coming out as a trans woman, to walking to corridors of power, to falling in love and losing her husband. This compelling read highlights how far we still have to go towards actual liberty and justice for all. - Jocelyn

This is a perfect summer nonfiction read for anytime you want an escape. Finnegan paints with vivid strokes the places and times that shaped his identity as a surfer, from Hawaii to Santa Cruz, to parts few of us will ever hear about, much less see. The passion of a surfer will keep you turning pages that exude salt air and the feel of the ocean beneath a board under your feet. - Jocelyn

If you have any interest in history, social justice, or true crime, and you haven’t already picked up this book, you need to right now. Grann lays a meticulous thriller, but it’s all true. Introducing vivid characters, painting a living landscape, pacing the twists and turns of the mystery, and highlighting the injustices whose effects echo today, this will keep you up reading, and stay with you. - Jocelyn

Lowry won’t just tell you to stop buying coffee. Step by step, this book helped me understand money and the world of money we live in. I now know how you’re supposed to use a credit card, why a 401K is important, and I even changed my Savings account. As soon as I finished, I recommended this to every millennial I know – and now I’m recommending it to the ones I don’t know. - Jocelyn

Claire Thomson has managed to do something new yet obvious in bringing us New Kitchen Basics—a book of staples built around 10 key ingredients everyone will know, but for the 21st-century American kitchen, where comfort food includes tacos, curries, and pho’ as much as it does roast chicken, pancakes, and burgers. Written specifically for accessibility and accompanied by beautiful photos and clear, simple instructions, this is one you will start cooking from right away. - Jocelyn