Recently @KirkusReviews!

I'm working at getting back on track here at Bookshelves of Doom—for whatever reason, the ongoing conversation about sexism in the YA world hit me really hard emotionally, so I needed to take some ostrich-time (yes, I know they don't really hide their heads in the sand, but you know what I mean)—but I have continued to post as usual at Kirkus.

Most recently, I wrote about Bone Gap, by Laura Ruby:

It’s a warm book, clearly written with love. But it’s also full of rage, and that rage belongs entirely to the female characters—rage about cultural assumptions and expectations, rage about the idea that a woman’s identity is defined by the men in her life, rage about being judged entirely by one’s appearance, rage for being treated as a possession, as a THING that can be OWNED. It’ll be a cathartic read for some and an eye-opening one for others.

As well as Not Otherwise Specified, by Hannah Moskowitz:

It’s not a new premise, but due to the strength of Etta’s voice and the complexity of the various relationships and issues and characters, Not Otherwise Specified reads fresh but also comfortable, tells a story that questions as well as affirms, that comforts without platitudes, that has a musical theater story arc but still feels realistic.