Here’s all the books I read in October! It was a bit of a slower reading month. I am learning German, and am trying to listen to the language as much as I can, so most of my audiobook time was taken over by the Easy German podcast, which I highly recommend. I think I also hit a bit of a slump after reading You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty because it was such a unique and beautifully written story that I didn’t know where to go from there. Turned out the only thing I could handle was early readers and chapter books I needed to read/research for work. But it was perfect because each of them was so heartwarming and lovely. I loved all of these books so much, so let’s get into it!

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

Goodreads | Bookshop.org | Adult Literary Fiction, Dystopian

I featured this one in my Upcoming Fall Releases I’m Excited About post, and I’m so glad I finally got to it. Set in a dystopian near future, the story follows 12 year old Bird and his odyssey to find his mother, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old.

After years of economic instability, the U.S. adopts a policy called PACT (The Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act) and it changes the entire political landscape. Books are censored and banned, Asian Americans are viewed suspiciously, and children are taken from parents who are assumed to be “un-American”. Bird lives a quiet life with his father, but he feels the weight of his mothers absence and yearns to know more about why she left him and his father. Unfortunately, he has been instructed not to speak of her, his father has destroyed all trace of her and her work in their home and her book of poetry has been taken out of libraries. When he finds a letter from her tucked away in their secret spot, he sets out to find her once and for all. The story is filled with folktales, a network of underground librarians, and an exploration of the “lessons and legacies we pass on to our children”. I found this book so heartbreaking and powerful, and the topics it explores are, unfortunately, extremely timely. A must read.

If you liked A School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan or The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Attwood, then you would enjoy this new release!

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Goodreads | Bookshop.org | Adult Romance Novel

It’s been five years since a fatal accident took Feyi’s husband from her and she’s finally feeling like herself again—she has an art studio in Brooklyn, she’s living with her best friend, and has just started dating again. But a trip with her ~somewhat boyfriend, mostly friend~ to his family house on a tropical island makes it clear that she is into someone who is very much off limits. 

I loved this book so much. It starts out really hot and heavy, and I was honestly surprised by how much more PG it is for the rest of the book. But if you prefer closed door romance and are shocked by the beginning, I would keep going. I really think what Emezi is doing here is amazing. I loved the discussions about grief; I thought she explained so poignantly the ways it engulfs you, and how at first you think you won’t ever feel anything but that grief again, and later as it starts to lift there’s a guilt that comes with realizing the grief is less tangible than it once was. I also enjoyed the exploration of the question, what do parents owe their children? And how can we separate our parents and their role as a parent from the fact that they’re also just human.

If you enjoyed How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole or Seven Days in June by Tia Williams I would give this one a go!

Shirley and Jamila’s Big Fall by Gillian Goerz

Goodreads | Bookshop.org | Middle Grade Graphic Novel, Mystery

In book one Shirley and Jamila meet at a neighborhood yard sale and discover that they could each use each other’s help. Alone, their summers are boring and they often aren’t allowed to leave the house. But together, their mom’s give them a bit more freedom. For Jamila, this means getting to play basketball at the local courts. And for Shirley, this means honing her detective skills. The two form an unlikely friendship and spend their summer cracking a mystery at the local pool. In book 2 Shirley and Jamila’s Big Fall they are at it again when they team up to stop a school bully who uses dirt he finds on classmates to get them to pay him large sums of money. There’s lovely discussions about friendship–what it means to make new friends and how one person can’t be everything for someone else– and of course there’s a case to solve at the center of the story. I love this series and can’t wait for more!

Perfect for fans of From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Jane Marks and The Babysitters Club graphic novel series.

Dinosaurs: A Novel by Lydia Millet

Goodreads | Bookshop.org | Adult Literary Fiction

After a difficult break-up, our main character Gil walks from New York to Phoenix, Arizona where he moves into a new house site unseen. Once there, he discovers his neighbors have a glass-walled house and he can’t help but observe their day to day life. He becomes friends with the boy who lives next door, and soon he is an integral part of the family–coming over for dinners, helping with pick ups and drop offs from Karate practice, and being introduced to their friends. Gil lost his parents at a young age and his grandmother became his guardian. After her death, he was left with such a large inheritance, that he never has to work. He spends his days volunteering and there is a really interesting exploration of the effect this has on his character. There are moments where the plot picks up, but overall the book has a slow pace and often feels quiet and introspective. I loved Millet’s writing and thiswas a great listen on audio.

For read-a-likes, I would say the style of this one reminded me most of Fight Night by Miriam Toews and French Braid by Anne Tyler.

Rica Baptista: Llamas, Iguanas and My Very Best Friend by Janet Costa Bates

Goodreads | Bookshop.org | Transitional Chapter Book (Ages 6-9)

Rica Baptista needs a pet, but her parents are not convinced. She tries to put together a list of reasons why she’d be a perfect pet owner, but the real reason is she overheard her best friend Laini’s mom say that they’re moving away! Since she’s not supposed to know, she can’t tell anyone how sad she feels about this and how much she’ll miss her best friend. Her and Laini try various ways to raise money so that Rica can get the pet she so desperately wants–which honestly is changing every day, some days it’s a llama, a kinkajou, or maybe an iguana? The story is so fun and comes with some beautiful lessons about stepping out of your comfort zone and being kind to others.

Rica is an amazing protagonist, and fans of Judy Moody by Megan McDonald and Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows will love this book!

Reina Ramos Works it Out! by Emma Otheguy pictures by Andrés Landazábal

Goodreads | Bookshop.org | Early Reader (Ages 4-7)

Reina Ramos is psyched when her teacher Mr. Li announces that their class will be hosting a wax museum. Students will get to dress up as a historical figure and come alive when their families visit the classroom. Reina has her heart set on dressing as Mexican painter Frida Kahlo but when her best friend chooses to be her, Reina gets upset. It takes some spilled paint, a little bit of tears, and one perfect flower crown, but Reina and Nora make up and Reina finds a new figure to be– Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa! The book ends with a list of Spanish words that appear in the book and famous people that are featured including Roberto Clemente, Celia Cruz, Frida Kahlo and Ellen Ochoa. 

Perfect for fans of the Confetti Kids Series collection from Lee and Low books and the Yasmin series by Saadia Faruqi 

The Power of the Pearl Earrings by Linda Trinh pictures by Clayton Nguyen

Goodreads | Bookshop.org | Transitional Chapter Book (Ages 6-9)

Seven year old Liz Nguyen loves hanging out with her best friend Rohan, learning Taekwondo, and playing Trung warriors, a game they created inspired by Hai Ba Tru’ng–two brave freedom fighters from ancient Vietnam. That is, until a new boy comes to her class and creates a ‘No Girls Allowed’ club that Rohan joins. Liz starts to doubt herself and her abilities. But, with the help of her family and her special pearl earrings passed down to her from Grandma Noi, Liz begins to remember the long line of powerful women she comes from. Filled with amazing characters and tackling real life issues, this new series featuring Liz and her siblings is sure to be a hit. 

Perfect for fans of the World Travelers series by Raj Haldar and the Princess in Black series by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale with Illustrations by LeUyen Pham. 

And that’s that! If you are interested in any of these books and plan to purchase them, I’ve linked them with my Bookshop.org affiliate link which is a great way to support the blog 🙂

If you’ve read any of these I would love to chat! And if you need some books for kiddos in your life featuring great characters and exciting storylines, I highly recommend these.