poetry – The Bookish Mutant

The Bookish Mutant’s Books for Disability Pride Month (2023 edition) ♿️

Posted on July 7, 2023 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Friday, bibliophiles!

Here in the U.S., July is Disability Pride Month! Although I’ve seen some more recognition for it in the past few years, I find myself saying this over and over—disability issues are left behind in intersectional feminism far too often. The larger representation in media of disabled people as otherwise white and cishet, the lack of accessibility at many pride events, and the hurdles that most disabled students have to go through in order to get accommodations at school is proof. And yet, around 27% of Americans have some sort of disability—myself included. As the literary world has slowly shown more stories with disabled characters, it’s more important than ever to uplift disabled voices.

Like some of my other themed lists this year, I’ve decided to expand it beyond YA, because I’d be remiss if I didn’t include some of the amazing Adult and MG reads with disabled rep over the years. I’ve separated all of these recs by age group, and included their genres, my rating, and the type of disability rep.

(SHOUTOUT TO NOT IF I CAN HELP IT, I FINALLY HAVE A MORSEL OF SPD REP)

for my lists from previous years, click here:

2022 (+ on having SPD and the lack of representation)
2021

Let’s begin, shall we?

THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S BOOKS FOR DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH (2023 EDITION)

YA:

Forever is Now – Mariama J. Lockington | Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance | anxiety, agoraphobia | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester – Maya MacGregor | Paranormal, LGBTQ+ | Autism | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Social Queue – Kay Kerr | Realistic Fiction, Romance | Autism | ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Queen of the Tiles – Hanna Alkaf | Realistic Fiction, Mystery, Thriller | anxiety, PTSD | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
You’re Welcome, Universe – Whitney Gardner | Realistic Fiction | Deaf | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Breathe and Count Back from Ten – Natalia Sylvester | Realistic Fiction | hip dysplasia | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling – Lucy Frank | Realistic Fiction, Novels in Verse | Crohn’s disease |⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Art of Saving the World – Corinne Duyvis | Sci-fi, Fantasy, LGBTQ+ | anxiety, endometriosis |⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Immeasurable Depth of You – Maria Ingrande Mora | Paranormal, LGBTQ+ | anxiety, OCD, ADHD |⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

ADULT:

Meru – S.B. Divya | Sci-fi, LGBTQ+, Romance | sickle-cell anemia | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An Unkindness of Ghosts – Rivers Solomon | Sci-fi, LGBTQ+ | Autism | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Outside – Ada Hoffmann | Sci-fi, LGBTQ+ | Autism | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Noor – Nnedi Okorafor | Sci-fi | prosthetic limbs (cybernetic) | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
She Who Became the Sun – Shelley Parkey-Chan | Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance | amputee | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Final Strife – Saara El-Arifi | Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Romance | amputee | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Seven Devils – Laura Lam & Elizabeth May | Sci-fi, LGBTQ+ | Autism, prosthetics | ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Chameleon Moon – RoAnna Sylver | Dystopia, Fantasy, Sci-fi, LGBTQ+ | Autism, anxiety, PTSD | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Get a Life, Chloe Brown – Talia Hibbert | Realistic Fiction, Romance | chronic illness (fibromyalgia) | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

MIDDLE GRADE:

El Deafo – Cece Bell | Graphic Memoir | Deaf | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The War That Saved My Life – Kimberly Brubaker Bradley | Historical Fiction | twisted foot | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not If I Can Help It – Carolyn Mackler | Realistic Fiction | SPD | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Have you read any of these books, and what did you think of them? What are your favorite books with disabled rep? Let me know in the comments!

Today’s song:

That’s it for this year’s Disability Pride recs! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (2/28/23) – Nothing Burns as Bright as You

Posted on February 28, 2023February 28, 2023 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles! I refuse to believe that February is almost over…

I didn’t know that Ashley Woodfolk had come out with a new book until very recently, and I ended up picking it up more on a whim than anything. But Nothing Burns as Bright as You quickly became my favorite read of this month, and easily the best of Woodfolk’s work that I’ve read. Raw, visceral, and consistently powerful, Woodfolk’s prose is great, but her poetry is something else entirely.

Enjoy this week’s review!

Nothing Burns as Bright as You – Ashley Woodfolk

Written in verse, Nothing Burns follows two unnamed girls, best friends who slowly but surely realize that they’ve become something more. But when one’s actions begin to toe the line of their relationship, their love—and their lives—fall in jeopardy. The foundation that once sustained their relationship has begun to crumble, but whether it can be glued back together will be decided in the blink of an eye.

TW/CW: racism, homophobia (some religious homophobia), substance abuse, sexual harassment

I kind of love the feeling when a book you just picked up on a whim hits you harder than you ever could have anticipated. I just thought “oh, it’s Ashley Woodfolk, I liked her last book, what could go wrong,” and the next thing I know, I’m highlighting every other line on my Kindle. Nothing Burns as Bright as You is just that powerful, a poignant story of the complexities of a toxic relationship.

Woodfolk’s prose is already excellent, as evidenced in When You Were Everything and several of her short stories, but her poetry hits a note so resonant that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Every line is nothing short of genius—clever and observant, but nothing short of raw and painful. Nothing Burns as Bright as You is a heart laid bare for all to see, unflinching in the complicated, nuanced realities it depicts.

It would be easy to romanticize the events of Nothing Burns as Bright as You, but Woodfolk knew exactly how to avoid it; it’s a story about falling so hard in love that you lose yourself, but it’s also about coming to terms with loving somebody who drags you through the mud, who breaks you down even when they promise to love you. Setting fire to a dumpster outside of a high school is the perfect set-up for a coming-of-age romance, but a coming-of-age romance this isn’t…and is. The emphasis should be on the coming-of-age part; it’s about learning to heal from somebody that you thought loved you, and grappling with the fact that love isn’t black and white, and like a fire, it can give you warmth, but also consume you to the point of no return.

Even when both of the protagonists went unnamed, their personalities and stories shone through in every page. Despite the fact that it made writing my summary here a little tricky, the character study is vibrant enough that you don’t need names to tell each character apart—their clashing personalities come through in every relentlessly beautiful line. It’s so important to tell more inclusive love stories, but the reality is that not everything is quite so neat and simple—sapphic love isn’t always sunshine and roses. We need our stories of queer Black girls falling in love, but we need our stories of queer Black girls growing from complicated, toxic relationships almost just as much.

All in all, a startlingly raw and beautiful story of the complexities of queer love and being with somebody to the point of danger. 4.5 stars!

Nothing Burns as Bright as You is a standalone, but Ashley Woodfolk is also the author of When You Were Everything and The Beauty That Remains, and has also contributed short stories to collections such as Blackout, A Phoenix Must First Burn, and several others.

Today’s song:

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH THIS IS SO GOOD I LIKE IT EVEN MORE THAN MOST OF CRACKER ISLAND????

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (8/16/21) – The Seventh Raven

Posted on August 16, 2021 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, bibliophiles!

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme created by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do to participate is pick a book from your Goodreads TBR, and explain why you want to read it.

I don’t remember where I first heard about this one, but the concept of a fairytale retelling written in verse immediately caught my eye! This one has lowish ratings on Goodreads, but I’m still willing to take a chance.

Let’s begin, shall we?

GOODREADS MONDAY (8/16/21) – THE SEVENTH RAVEN by David Elliott

Amazon.com: The Seventh Raven eBook : Elliott, David, Cai, Rovina: Kindle Store

Blurb from Goodreads:

And these are the sons
Of good Jack and good Jane
The eldest is Jack
And the next one is Jack
And the third one’s called Jack
And the fourth’s known as Jack
And the fifth says he’s Jack
And they call the sixth Jack
But the seventh’s not Jack
The seventh is Robyn

And this is his story

When Robyn and his brothers are turned into ravens through the work of an unlucky curse, a sister is their only hope to become human again. Though she’s never met her brothers, April will stop at nothing to restore their humanity. But what about Robyn, who always felt a greater affinity to the air than to the earth-bound lives of his family?

David Elliott’s latest novel in verse explores the unintended consequences of our actions, no matter our intentions, and is filled with powerful messages teased from a Grimms’ fairy tale. Stunning black-and-white illustrations throughout by Rovina Cai.

So why do I want to read this?

Raven Bird GIF - Raven Bird Corvid - Discover & Share GIFs

Plenty of fairytale retellings have come and gone in the YA market, but The Seventh Raven stands out to me in a number of ways. First off – I’ve never seen a fairytale retelling in poetry form! It’s such a unique take on the genre, and I’m eager to see how Elliott pulls it off.

Second, I’m not familiar with the fairytale it’s based on (The Seven Ravens, the Brothers Grimm), so this will be my first time experiencing it in a retelling. This book sounds appropriately dark for a Grimm retelling, and I love the idea that there is always someone who prefers the “curse” to the life they once led. Plus, I loved Rovina Cai’s illustrations in Elatsoe, so I’m excited to see her illustrations in The Seventh Raven!

In conclusion: I’m here for a retelling-in-verse of a dark fairytale that I’m not familiar with!

Peaky blinders 102 spitting friedrich GIF - Find on GIFER

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week’s Goodreads Monday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Books

YA Reads for National Latinx Heritage Month

Posted on September 16, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Wednesday, bibliophiles!

As some of you may have known, National Latinx Heritage Month started yesterday (September 15th), and ends on October 15th. So for the occasion, I figured that I would compile a list of some YA books of all genres! (All of the books listed are #OwnVoices in that respect.) As someone who’s half Latinx, this month is definitely close to my heart, and I always love seeing latinx characters on the YA scene.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S YA READS FOR NATIONAL LATINX HERITAGE MONTH

The Poet X, Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

GENRE: Poetry/novels in verse, contemporary fiction, romance

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one was recommended to me by a friend, and it’s easily one of the best–if not the best, period–novels in verse that I’ve ever read. I know it’s gotten quite a lot of hype in the past few years, but I can say with certainty that it deserves it all.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Hardcover) | Politics and Prose Bookstore

GENRE: Contemporary fiction, LGBTQ+, romance, coming-of-age

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s been years since I’ve read this one, but it’s such an important novel–not just in the Latinx representation, but in the LGBTQ+ representation as well!

Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic, #1), Maya Motayne

Amazon.com: Nocturna (9780062842732): Motayne, Maya: Books

GENRE: High fantasy

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Although I wasn’t as big a fan of this one as some of the others on this list, I loved the Latinx inspired world/magic system! One part that stood out to me was the fact that all the spells were Spanish verbs, which…okay, not gonna lie, took some of the surprise away from what the characters were about to do when I understood the words, but it’s an interesting aspect. And you can’t deny how gorgeous that cover is…

When the Moon Was Ours, Anna-Marie McLemore

Amazon.com: When the Moon Was Ours: A Novel (9781250058669): McLemore, Anna-Marie: Books

GENRE: Fantasy, fiction, magical realism, LGBTQ+

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I swear, Anna-Maria McLemore can do no wrong. Her prose is so beautiful, and it’s wonderfully diverse as well. There isn’t a book by her that I wouldn’t recommend, though I haven’t read Dark and Deepest Red or The Weight of Feathers yet…

Fire With Fire, Destiny Soria

GENRE: Urban fantasy, fiction, LGBTQ+, paranormal, romance

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I recently received this one as an eARC, and I don’t regret it! Both of the main characters are mixed race (half Latinx/half white), and Dani is bisexual! It’s the first time in a bit that representation in a book got me THAT excited. Plus, there’s the general fantasy fun of butt-kicking girls teaming up with butt-kicking dragons.

With the Fire on High, Elizabeth Acevedo

Amazon.com: With the Fire on High: From the winner of the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2019 (9781471409004): Acevedo, Elizabeth: Books

GENRE: Contemporary fiction, realistic fiction, romance

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another powerful tale from Elizabeth Acevedo, another gorgeous cover! This book is not only guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings, but guaranteed to make you REALLY hungry.

They Both Die at the End, Adam Silvera

Amazon.com: They Both Die at the End (9780062688514): Silvera, Adam: Books

GENRE: Contemporary fiction, science fiction, LGBTQ+, romance

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Absolutely worth a read, but it’s one of those books that you have to be in a good, stable mood to read. I mean, they tell you exactly what’s going to happen, but it’s no less rough…[sniffles]

Wild Beauty, Anna-Marie McLemore

Amazon.com: Wild Beauty: A Novel (9781250124555): McLemore, Anna-Marie: Books

GENRE: Fantasy, magical realism, LGBTQ+, fiction, romance

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This was my first exposure to McLemore, and it’s left a lasting impression on me to this day. It’s the kind of prose that makes you smell flowers and grass and want to dance through fields of colorful wildflowers.

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Have you read any of these novels? What did you think? Are there any other great books by Latinx authors that you recommend? (Everybody’s putting Cemetery Boys on their lists…I still haven’t gotten around to reading it, but I have it on hold at the library…)

Another announcement before I go–guess what else started yesterday? Bisexual visibility week! Bi visibility day is September 23rd, so I’ll be compiling another list, this time for books with bisexual protagonists and authors. Stay tuned!

Today’s song:

That’s it for this post! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Books

My 5-Star Reads of 2019

Posted on December 28, 2019January 2, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hi there, everyone!

As 2019 (and this decade) draws to a close, I’ve decided to make a comprehensive lists of all of my 5-star reads for this year, and, by proxy, my favorite books that I’ve read this year. Most of these are what’d you’d expect, if you’ve scoured my book tags and reviews, but I know there’s a few that I haven’t talked much about. These are in chronological order of when I read them, though their actual rankings vary a fair bit.

Now, without further ado…this year’s 5-star lineup!

KING OF SCARS–LEIGH BARDUGO

Bardugo’s veritable masterpiece, all at once a rollicking adventure and an exploration of internal conflict, was my first 5-star rating of this year. And…Nikolai. ‘Nuff said.

Read my review here!

THE ILLUMINAE FILES TRILOGY–AMIE KAUFMAN and JAY KRISTOFF

I mean, I read all of these in the span of a few months, and I gave all three books five stars…

For good reason, I think. I doubt that we’ll ever come across a trilogy quite like this in a very long time.

Read my review (Illuminae) here!

NEVERWHERE–NEIL GAIMAN

I’ve been a fan of Gaiman’s work for some time, but I chose this one for an English project, and I fell so in love with the fantastic world-building, as well as each and every character.

Find it on Goodreads here!

ONCE & FUTURE–AMY ROSE CAPETTA and CORI MCCARTHY

A feminist, LGBTQ+ retelling of the legends of King Arthur…need we say more? A wonderfully fast-paced space adventure, reminiscent of Captain Marvel.

Find it on Goodreads here!

HONOR BOUND–ANN AGUIRRE and RACHEL CAINE

Even more daring than its predecessor, Honor Bound is a complex space opera to die for.

Find it on Goodreads here!

TENNYSON: POEMS–ALFRED TENNYSON

Yes, I was/still am that kid who sits in the corner reading depressing, 19th century poetry. Do I regret it? Absolutely not.

Find it on Goodreads here!

AURORA RISING–AMIE KAUFMAN and JAY KRISTOFF

You’ve already sing praise of this one innumerable times, so I’ll just leave it at this: I FOUND MY DREAM BOOK, PEOPLE. THIS IS EVERYTHING.

Read my review here!

THE PIONEER--BRIDGET TYLER

An inventive, heart-pounding sci-fi adventure, The Pioneer was very nearly flawless, and I’m itching to get my hands on the sequel next spring! 😀

Read my review here!

AN ANATOMY OF BEASTS–OLIVIA A. COLE

Delving deeper and growing even twistier than its predecessor, A Conspiracy of Stars, this novel is dazzlingly well-thought out, the prime example of what speculative sci-fi should be.

Find it on Goodreads here!

THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES–RAY BRADBURY

Did I mention how much I love sci-fi? No?

Ray Bradbury is a talent to be reckoned with, able to deftly weave together a thought-provoking story in the span of under 100 pages with ease.

Also, I was today years old when I realized that the hand on the cover has six fingers.

Find it on Goodreads here!

SOUL OF STARS–ASHLEY POSTON

The epic conclusion to the Heart of Iron duology, Poston deftly wraps together a complicated universe of familial bonds and political intrigue. Love, love, love, LOVE…

Read my review here!

FAHRENHEIT 451–RAY BRADBURY

Again, Ray Bradbury. I rest my case.

Find it on Goodreads here!

SPARE AND FOUND PARTS–SARAH MARIA GRIFFIN

A futuristic Frankenstein for the modern age, this is a grossly underrated writing, atmospheric and poetic.

Read my review here!

THE DEMON WORLD–SALLY GREEN

The pulse-pounding sequel to The Smoke Thieves, Green delivers an even more potent punch of her signature world-building and fantasy action.

Read my review here!

HOUSE OF X/POWERS OF X–JONATHAN HICKMAN

The newest installment in the legendary X-Men mythology, Hickman weaves a mythical and symbolic world, with a hopeful conclusion and the potential of many mutant tales to come.

Find it on Goodreads here!

LIKE A LOVE STORY–ABDI NAZEMIAN

Would you look at that…I think this is the only historical fiction in this post…

A hearstring-tearing and poignant coming-of-age LGBTQ+ novel. So many feels. INFINITE feels.

Read my review here!

THE TOLL–NEAL SHUSTERMAN

The conclusion to the unforgettable Arc of a Scythe trilogy, this novel is solid proof that Shusterman is a sci-fi author to be reckoned with.

Read my review here!

Man. What a year this has been…

Have you read any of these novels, and what did you think of them? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

Have a lovely rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!