The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - 389 pages

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Summary (From Goodreads)

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the `80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn's story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways.

Review

I read this one for the Anything Goes Book Club.  There were definitely some twists I didn't see coming, particularly regarding why Evelyn chose Monique specifically to be her biographer.  The pacing was a bit slow for my liking, but if you like morally grey characters and complex interpersonal relationships, this is the book for you!  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 35 - 37

My Hero Academia, Volume 35 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 36 - 200 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 37 - 200 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

Hard to believe we're already moving into the final arc!  The battle's only just beginning and things are already ramping up in a hurry.  I'm excited to see how things turn out!  

My Hero Academia, Volume 34

My Hero Academia, Volume 34 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

Something about this one irked me a bit.  We're introduced to what could have been an amazing character with connections to All Might, and a unique and powerful Quirk, too.  She's made all but irrelevant barely halfway through this volume.  On a narrative level, I can understand the circumstances that might have led to these events, but I'm of the opinion that this wasn't very well-executed.  The lack of significant reaction from the main characters - especially All Might - along with the actual events and the "consequences" thereof, make her actions feel next to meaningless at this point.  Introducing her earlier might have done her better justice.  

Lights Out: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds

Lights Out: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds - 48 pages

Jessica Stremer, Bonnie Pang (Illustrator)

Summary (From Goodreads)

Based on the real-life Lights Out movement, this inspirational picture book shows how even the smallest of actions, like flipping a switch, can make a big difference in helping migrating birds.

When the seasons change and it’s time for a flock of sparrows to move on, a map made of stars guides their way. But when they reach the city, light pollution masks the map and confuses the birds. One sparrow becomes separated from the flock. A girl rescues the lost sparrow and decides to take action so this doesn’t happen again.

She rallies a group of friends, and together they encourage people all over the city to help the sparrows by turning off their lights at night. But will the city be ready by the time the flock return?

Review

A nice story (rooted in real life, of course!) with a good amount of helpful information for anyone looking to learn more and take action.  The additional information is explained in a manner accessible to younger readers, so I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in nature, the environment, and conservation!  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 31 - 33

My Hero Academia, Volume 31 - 216 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 32 - 224 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 33 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

It's been a bit since we had a segment dedicated to developing Izuku and All Might's characters, and I honestly feel like some of this was a long time coming.  While the recent revelations concerning One For All and its users have definitely increased the amount of pressure on Izuku by a substantial amount, some of his ideologies have been foreshadowing this for some time now.  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 26 - 30

My Hero Academia, Volume 26 - 200 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 27 - 184 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 28 - 184 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 29 - 184 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 30 - 200 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

Much of the events in these volumes are focused around one major confrontation between the Paranormal Liberation Front and the protagonists and their allies.  That said, I wouldn't say the pacing has been negatively impacted, as there's plenty of intense action.  The events of this arc make for a much darker tone going forward.  The revelations in volume 30 in particular seem set to precipitate the collapse of the current hero-centric society.  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 24 & 25

My Hero Academia, Volume 24 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 25 - 200 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

These two were a lot more villain-centric, giving us some much-needed insight into -- and development of -- the characters of this series' most recurrent antagonists.  I'm not the type to believe that every literary villain needs some kind of tragic and relatable backstory, but I think what we get here definitely fits the vibe of this series.  It falls in line with the prevalent themes of how society treats its members who fall outside what's considered the norm, who's responsible for "saving" people if/when they need it most, and the ramifications of a society built around a class of professional "heroes."  

My Hero Academia, Volume 22 & 23

My Hero Academia, Volume 22 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 23 - 198 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

I thought it was neat to have this compare and contrast dynamic between the events of the joint training arc in these volumes, and the sports festival from the beginning of the series.  We get to see all the progress made both by class 1-A, and their rivals in class 1-B.  I was also glad to see the return of Shinso; I'd been worried he was just going to be used to make a point early on in the series about flaws in the U.A. system, before being removed from the story entirely.  

My Hero Academia, Volume 19 - 21

My Hero Academia, Volume 19 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 20 - 200 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 21 - 200 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

It's hard to believe I'm already halfway through this series!  The pacing is still medium to fast, balancing reflection and exposition with sequences of more intense action.  I'm glad each of the students in class 1-A (and beyond) get some time in the spotlight to showcase their growth and development as competent heroes.  I think I prefer this approach, rather than solely focusing on Izuku, or even just a handful of characters.  I can't really pick a favorite hero thus far, but I'd say my favorite villains are probably Gentle Criminal and La Brava.  I thought their arc did a good job at showing that even if someone has a Quirk that objectively seems like it could make them a great hero, they could still be dealt a bad hand by society and their peers, leading to them being cast aside and marginalized.  

Cesaria Feels the Beat by Denise Rosario Adusei

Cesaria Feels the Beat - 40 pages

Denise Rosario Adusei, Priscila Soares (Illustrator)

Summary (From Goodreads)

Cesaria is going to perform for the seaside Carnival. She skips past the beach barefoot, dressed in her favorite peacock leotard.

But when her dance director tells her she must put on her shoes to go on stage, Cesaria signs, “Peacocks don’t wear shoes!”

You see, Cesaria hears the music through the soles of her feet, but no one seems to understand…

…That is, until all the dancers take off their shoes, and learn to feel the music, just like Cesaria.

Review

A nice story about experiencing the world through another point of view.  The author includes a story in the back about her deaf cousin that inspired her to write this book.  

The Scooter Twins by Dorothy Ellen Palmer

The Scooter Twins - 32 pages

Dorothy Ellen Palmer, Maria Sweeney (Illustrator)

Summary (From Goodreads)

Melanie and Melvin may be twins, but they couldn’t be more different. Melanie is LOUD and Melvin is quiet. Melvin likes frogs and Melanie loves MOTORCYCLES! When the twins learn that they will get their very own mobility scooters, Melanie is excited to race to school, but Melvin is worried he’ll fall ― and that people will stare. And there’s a Grandma can’t afford the scooters without selling one of Mom’s treasured paintings, one of the only things the twins have left to remember their parents. In the process of getting their scooters, Melanie and Melvin have to navigate challenges that people with disabilities face on a daily rudeness from a store clerk and products that aren’t made with kids in mind. But in the end, Melanie and Melvin choose scooters that are just right for them and make moving through their neighborhood a new adventure. 

Review

This one was as informative as it was bittersweet.  To my knowledge, the author is herself a mobility scooter user.  

Craft Roach by Rachel Burke

Craft Roach - 34 pages

Rachel Burke, Daniel Gray-Barnett (Illustrator)

Summary (From Goodreads)

Craft Roach makes the other bugs 
feel very tense and stressed.
Standing out? Being seen? 
They do not think it best.
 
But Craft Roach sees things differently,
has more than just an inkling –
that crawlies wouldn’t be so feared,
if all of them were twinkling …

Review

An adorable story about being yourself, with a cute craft at the end!  

Little Brown Nut by Mary Auld

Little Brown Nut - 28 pages

Mary Auld

Summary (From Goodreads)

Little Brown Nut starts small, with a large fruit falling from the tallest tree in the Amazon rainforest. Inside is a little brown Brazil nut, surrounded by 20 others. It sits and waits for an agouti, a rodent with teeth so strong that it can free the nut from its hard casing. The story of the Brazil nut tree and the agouti is told clearly and carefully, with facts about germination, photosynthesis, seed dispersal. 

Review

I liked that beyond just elaborating on the life cycle of a tree as it relates to the Brazil nut specifically, this book also included facts about the ecosystem in which the tree is found.  It also touches on how human cultures and livelihoods intersect with these trees and the nuts they produce, and conversely the impact humans have on these trees.  

My Hero Academia, Volume 14 - 18

My Hero Academia, Volume 14 - 208 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 15 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 16 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 17 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 18 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

The Shie Hassaikai Arc reached its conclusion here and good grief these books can be emotional when they want to be!  I'm glad we got some more insight into All Might's character and motivations, rather than him remaining as the semi-distant mentor figure whose eventual decline would herald dark times for Japan and the world as a whole.  Also, I thought all the interactions between Eri and Mirio were really endearing!  

Dive!: The Story of Breathing Underwater

Dive!: The Story of Breathing Underwater - 48 pages

Chris Gall

Summary (From Goodreads)

How do you breathe underwater? What tools can we use to go deeper and deeper into the oceans? And...what's down there?

Two-thirds of our Earth is covered in ocean, yet only 5% of it has been explored.

DIVE deep into our long history of sea exploration to learn why, how, and when humans have dived, and uncover our biggest questions about what hides in the Earth's deepest waters.

Review

I've never been diving, but I still found this an interesting and informative read!  

My Hero Academia, Volume 13

My Hero Academia, Volume 13 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

I liked the worldbuilding added by the provisional licensing exam.  It's nice to see them acknowledge how a hero's job might not only involve combat against a villain, but also require search and rescue and a suitable "bedside manner" when interacting with those being rescued.  

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Volume 1

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Volume 1 - 304 pages

Naoko Takeuchi

Summary (From Goodreads)

Teenager Usagi is not the best athlete, she's never gotten good grades, and, well, she's a bit of a crybaby. But when she meets a talking cat, she begins a journey that will teach her she has a well of great strength just beneath the surface and the heart to inspire and stand up for her friends as Sailor Moon! 

Review

Although I'm familiar with the premise and have run across my fair share of memes and references, I'd never actually gotten the chance to read this series, let alone watch the anime based on it.  Honestly, I found myself really enjoying it!  There's no shortage of camp, as is the norm for the magical girl subgenre, and the characters are each endearing in their own way.  I can certainly tell this was designed with a younger audience in mind, but it manages to be relatable on some level without trying too hard.  

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

How to Solve Your Own Murder - 358 pages

Kristen Perrin

Summary (From Goodreads)

It’s 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances’s night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be.

In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances’s lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer?

As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt’s fate instead of her fortune.

Review

I read this one for the Anything Goes Book Club.  The pacing was decent enough, and though this mystery was definitely of the cozier variety, it still managed some more gripping, suspenseful moments.  

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs - 40 pages

Mo Willems

Summary (From Goodreads)

Once upon a time, there were three hungry Dinosaurs: Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur . . . and a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway.

One day--for no particular reason--they decided to tidy up their house, make the beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures. And then--for no particular reason--they decided to go...someplace else. They were definitely NOT setting a trap for some succulent, unsupervised little girl.

Definitely not!

Review

This was a delightful and funny retelling of a classic fairy tale!  I'd recommend this to anyone who likes humorous, subversive takes on old favorites.  

My Hero Academia, Volumes 9 - 12

My Hero Academia, Volume 9 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 10 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 11 - 207 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 12 - 192 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

The stakes have definitely been raised!  It's nice to see a good balance between the school and training-centric chapters and the villain-centric ones.  It helps maintain a steadier pace and keeps the plot and characters from stagnating.