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MJ's Reviews

You Only Live Once, David Bravo by Mark Oshiro

Ahh, middle school: a time of growth, bullies, talking dogs, and time travel. No? Just me and David Bravo on those last two? This delightful, character-driven story of 11-year-old David is sure to entertain not only middle-grade readers but those of all ages. Mark Oshiro crafts complex characters who manage to be relatable even as they deal with a more fantastical side of life. This work touches on issues of identity, relationships, and responsibility.

—MJ

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You Only Live Once, David Bravo By Mark Oshiro Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780063008151
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: HarperCollins - September 20th, 2022

First Generation: Recipes from My Taiwanese-American Home by Frankie Gaw

This is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I’ve seen. There are so many gorgeous photos illustrating the tantalizing and accessible recipes you can make! Follow Frankie Gaw’s personal narrative while you make the perfect Red Pepper Scallion Pancakes (my personal favorite) for your next get-together, or maybe learn a new way to fold a dumpling. First Generation covers so many aspects of cooking—not just the ingredients, but the stories we create while using them.  —MJ

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First Generation: Recipes from My Taiwanese-American Home [A Cookbook] By Frankie Gaw Cover Image
$32.50
ISBN: 9781984860767
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Ten Speed Press - October 25th, 2022

Thinking 101: How to Reason Better to Live Better by Woo-kyoung Ahn

I am a big fan of critical thinking; it should be a required course! Luckily, Woo-kyoung Ahn has taken the wisdom she gathered from years of experience researching and teaching a class at Yale on the topic and compiled it in Thinking 101. This book is an accessible look into our own psychology. Deeply examine your own thought processes and learn to think better and to live better by doing so.

—MJ

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Thinking 101: How to Reason Better to Live Better By Woo-kyoung Ahn Cover Image
$28.99
ISBN: 9781250805959
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Flatiron Books - September 13th, 2022

Fen, Bog and Swamp: A Short History of Peatland Destruction and Its Role in the Climate Crisis by Annie Proulx

Pulitzer Prize–winning author Annie Proulx, best known for Brokeback Mountain and The Shipping News, has written an informative book about the history of the destruction of peatland, a wetland ecosystem found in every country in the world that provides one of the most effective means of removing some of the abundant carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. For all the environmentalists and ecologists out there—professional or amateur—Fen, Bog and Swamp is a rallying cry.

—MJ

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Fen, Bog and Swamp: A Short History of Peatland Destruction and Its Role in the Climate Crisis By Annie Proulx Cover Image
$26.99
ISBN: 9781982173357
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Scribner - September 27th, 2022

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

If you’re looking for your next cozy holiday romcom, look no further. A fake engagement leads to tomfoolery as our protagonist accidentally falls for her fake beau’s sister—antics ensue! A classic setup with an LGBTQ twist, Kiss Her Once for Me had me wishing for a snow-filled window ledge to sit on, occasionally gaze out while sipping my tea and enjoying the cute, romantic, silly story.

—MJ

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Kiss Her Once for Me: A Novel By Alison Cochrun Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781982191139
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Atria Books - November 1st, 2022

The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night (The Night Eaters Book #1) by Marjorie Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda

Lush illustrations meet masterful storytelling in this horror graphic novel by Marjorie Liu (winner of the Eisner and Hugo awards), working here as part of a power duo with artist Sana Takeda. Luckily, She Eats the Night is the first in a trilogy; I don’t think I could have lived without more of this story about twins Milly and Billy, who struggle to keep their restaurant afloat—and face a night of horrors beyond their imagination. I could spend hours admiring the colors that bring this story to life. 
—MJ

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The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night (The Night Eaters Book #1) By Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda (Illustrator)
$24.99
ISBN: 9781419758706
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harry N. Abrams - October 11th, 2022

Magnolia: Poems by Nina Mingya Powles

Cerebral, gorgeous, and personal, this collection is one that you might feel deep in your gut. It can be hard to believe this is the author’s debut poetry collection. Powles is an award-winning writer of many forms, and their poetry is sure to join the ranks of their other writing. Read “Night Train to Anyang,” my favorite in this collection.  
—MJ

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Magnolia: Poems By Nina Mingya Powles Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781953534217
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Tin House Books - August 16th, 2022

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

If you like tense, atmospheric horror, you will bathe in the friction emanating from the pages of The Honeys. I found myself immersed in the character of Mars, our genderqueer narrator who must figure out what happened to their twin sister, Caroline. The shiny, bucolic veneer of the lifestyles of the rich and influential might be hiding something altogether different. This novel reads like an LGBT Pretty Little Liars meets summer camp… if that camp was Midsommar. —MJ

 

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The Honeys By Ryan La Sala Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781338745313
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: PUSH - August 16th, 2022

Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel Written by James Howe & Andrew Donkin

Parents rejoice! Our beloved cat and dog detective duo are back, this time fully illustrated. Bunnicula was one of my favorites as a child, a little spooky but mostly silly. Donkin and Gilpin do a great job adapting this 1979 classic and breathing new life into a series that stands the test of time. Amazing for any child who loves to live on the creepy side of life, even those with a low scare tolerance! —MJ

 

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Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel (Bunnicula and Friends) By James Howe, Andrew Donkin, Stephen Gilpin (Illustrator) Cover Image
$12.99
ISBN: 9781534421622
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Atheneum Books for Young Readers - August 30th, 2022

Knocking Myself Up: A Memoir of My (In)Fertility by Michelle Tea

The beloved Bay Area local Michelle Tea has come back with a memoir surrounding her experiences trying to get pregnant later in life. Grab your turkey basters and settle in for a funny, witty, and ever-authentic account on the journey to parenthood. I am currently pregnant so this book hit home for me, but everyone can find something to relate to in this book; be they a parent, pregnant, or child-free. —MJ

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Knocking Myself Up: A Memoir of My (In)Fertility By Michelle Tea Cover Image
$28.99
ISBN: 9780063210622
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Dey Street Books - August 2nd, 2022

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