Jocelyn's Reviews

Millennial, writer, Cowlitz Indian Tribe member, witch, popular culture consumer - through these individual but interconnected essays Washuta has formed a sampling of her very soul. In these funny, poignant, sincere yet self-aware, and at times painfully familiar essays, Stevie Nicks, Twin Peaks, and Red Dead Redemption share equal time with childhood memories, oppressed heritage, adult heartbreak, and magic in ways that will have you demanding more beyond the last page. - Jocelyn

A book about the end of life, the universe, and everything? Right NOW? Pop-culture references and complex scientific concepts (made absolutely relatable and understandable!) aside, physicist Katie Mack is funny, educated, incredibly smart—and will make you feel the same. Mack’s passion will hook you through to the last (hilarious) footnote, leaving you exhilarated for what is still to be discovered (and following @AstroKatie on Twitter) before the end. - Jocelyn

Published in 2016, this slim but powerful volume continues to hold relevance to expand your understanding of race, equality, and paths forward. Jeff Chang writes with clear and fluid prose with rigorously sourced facts to excavate and historically contextualize artifacts of our culture: political correctness to #BlackLivesMatter, Donald Trump, and Beyonce. I started this book thinking I already knew what it had to teach; I closed it humbled and much better educated. - Jocelyn

Moreno-Garcia transplants the tropes and trappings of the classic European gothic romance to 1950s Mexico, creating a vivid novel that comments on the genre while standing on its own as a modern fable. Mysterious, lovely, creepily chilling—but driven by the determination of its indomitable heroine to carry through to the last page. Every person I've recommended this to has likewise devoured it, and immediately called me up to discuss it. - Jocelyn

Elaborate magical heist? Brilliantly realized world inspired by historical Amsterdam, filled with complex characters coming together for the pay-off of their lives—and maybe to save the world? I devoured this novel of criminals and misfits who refuse to accept a world that won’t accept them. A follow-up to Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone series that stands on its own (and may in fact be the best place to start, if you're new to the Grishaverse).. - Jocelyn

This is possibly my favorite contemporary romance. A tattoo artist and a budding CEO, haunted by a shared past, are given a second chance—at love, but more importantly at their own lives. Their story is a taut tale of redemption, betrayal, sex, and romance. With complex characters, sizzling tension, juicy drama, and intricate tattoos (and desert) I finished fully satisfied. - Jocelyn

This debut space opera makes me remember why I love the genre. Interstellar politics, murder, espionage, and the ethics of empire and technology collide in a fascinating world where memory and heritage are suspect in the face of longing for a culture and place not your own. Martine’s characters pull you into a compelling narrative that’s both philosophical and thrilling. - Jocelyn

A vibrant British seaside town is rocked with the mysterious murder. This character-driven mystery kept me turning pages for the secrets and complexities of a community of artists, do-gooders, bird watchers, spiritual seekers—and a haunted detective named Matthew Venn, whose husband may be at the center of everything. I’m ready for the next installment in this new series. - Jocelyn

This incredible novel examines the complexity of the universe and the lives of two teens—immigrant and child of immigrants, both American—on a single day in NYC. A story of love and choices, this book is more consequential than most you’ll ever read, no matter your age. Natasha and Daniel and all the lives they intersect made my breath catch and my mind soar. - Jocelyn

This is one of my favorite Regency Romance series and an excellent choice if you are looking for more after Netflix’s Bridgerton. Riffing off 1980’s rom-coms with a Breakfast Club-inspired linking story, each book in the series is fun, compelling, and deliciously sexy. This one starts the series with library-based friendship, a faked relationship, zero-to-rake makeover. - Jocelyn