Saleena's picks for Feb 2023

 

I really enjoy Alice Oseman's writing style and this story sounded like fun; and it was.  I was Born for This starts with a fangirl who calls herself Angel (real name Fereshteh) who has just graduated high school and is in London finally meeting her BFF, Juliet with whom she has been friends for years but hasn't actually met in person.  The running off to London isn't something Angel's parents are happy about, but they just don't understand Angel's obsession with the boy band The Ark or how important going to a meet & greet and a concert is to her.  The story alternates POV with Jimmy, who is one of the members of The Ark.  Jimmy is struggling with anxiety, pressure from social media & publicity people to conform to a particular way of being (which adds to the anxiety) as well as his early outing as transgender via an Instagram pic (accidentally showing the testosterone meds) by a bandmate.  

I thought that this would be a silly story, but in true Oseman fashion, there are many depths....Jimmy is struggling to be truly himself while in a spotlight that wants to force him to be whatever the record company has decided, or what his fans want him to be.  Angel is realizing that by pinning her entire identity to this band, she is missing out on things as well as the fact that what "everyone knows" about a band doesn't make it true.   I really enjoyed seeing both of these characters interacting and learning and growing.  I also like that Angel's religion and Jimmy's gender, while mentioned and part of their character; are not in any way central to the actual story arc which basically is for each of them to find their own truth and their own strengths.   Highly recommend this story.

Do you love a good twisted fairy tale?  Then don't miss Cinderella is Dead.  This takes the idea of the classic fairy tale and turns it into a fantastical dystopic horror story.  In Bayron's story, girls are now required to essentially reenact Cinderella's story, showing up to a ball in a gown and hoping to be selected for marriage by virtue of their beauty (they get no choice in attending or in their marriage options).  Sophia hates the lack of choices as well as the way everyone just follows along, too afraid to dissent.  She is determined to make her own way and when she runs away and hides in Cinderella's mausoleum, she finds others who wish to rebel.  She also begins to discover the extent of the horrors hidden away in the castle and what happens to all of the girls who aren't selected. 

 This story was exciting and engaging, bringing in classic elements and pointing out the problematic parts if they were actually reality......I love a good "girl power" story!  Bayron also touches on elements of being the outsider, LGBTQ feelings as well as the dangers of questioning authority (and the rewards).  Definitely worth a read!

Ok, yes....I read TWO Oseman books this month....but this is a quick novella that follows up on Nick and Charlie from the Heartstopper series and I had to see what was happening.

This book focuses on Nick's excitement at going away to university, while Charlie still has another year of school to get through and the continuing issues of communication that they are working through.  Charlie's anxiety and worries are coloring his ability to be happy for Nick and Nick doesn't understand Charlie's worries (mostly because neither of them have really talked about any of the worries/changes coming).  I love that Oseman is addressing this very real part of young love and is emphasizing the need for communication for a healthy relationship.  I loved this book, but since I adored the comic series, it's not a big shock.  If you haven't read Heartstopper, definitely want to start there as this is not a stand alone book.