December has been a great month for my reading. Part of that was just my focusing on my arcs and library books. Though I didn’t beat my November numbers mostly because I was busy during the holidays.
I started out the month with a good number of manga. I really enjoyed Honey Lemon Soda even though it was a simple story it was very cute. Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku, was a cute tale about opposites attracting. The manga focused on defying stereotypes that you believe about yourself. It also focused on how preconceived notions of others can harm your relationships with people.
Himawari House was an engaging tale about being an exchange student in a foreign country. It focuses on the lives of five or six students from different backgrounds. It also highlights the effort required to adapt to a new language. Additionally, it emphasizes the routine adjustments needed.
Go With the Flow and Look on the Bright Side were an engaging duology. Both books talked about the importance of having menstrual products available in schools. They also focused on the general lack of discussion around menstruation. I found it to be very informative about not only the politics of menstruation. But also informative on some of the other health issues for people with uteruses, such as endometriosis
Huda F Are You? is an engaging graphic novel. It continues author Huda Fahmy’s series about her life and family as a teenager. In this volume, she begins to focus more on dating. She explores the challenges of being a Muslim woman in this context.
Breathe was an interesting dive into the specifics and safety when it comes to binding your chest. It was most non-fiction and gave important tips when it came to safety and dysphoria. I got this loan from the Queer Liberation Library and will be anticipating reading more of their books.
Mascot was a book that I had intended to read in November but instead it got pushed off till December. This novel was told in verse. Novels in verse are some of my favorites. This novel focuses on the perspective of six different students who are coming to terms with a racist mascot. The novel is artful in the way it deals with the different student perspectives. It also addresses both sides of important social issues.
The review of Banned Together should be up soon. It is an amazing anthology which focuses on the importance of fighting censorship. It focuses on the way students and authors are dealing with book bans. There were some great pieces in this book and it was one of my favorites for the month.
This Princess Kills Monsters was a astounding subversive fairy tale. I love the way the author twisted and shaped the different fairy tales into something new and interesting. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes strong female protagonists and varied and complex casts.
Girlmode focused on a young woman who was transitioning and moving to a new city. It dealt with the problems she encountered when it came to boys. It also dealt with her expectations about being a girl as well as others expectations of her.
Finally The Six was a stirring tale about the first six female astronauts in the NASA space program. It told the stories of their first space flights. And it addressed the challenges that they faced both from within the program and from society at large.
I’d say this month has been pretty productive when it comes to reading. I can’t wait to see what next month brings. What were some of your favorites from this month? Share your favorites in the comments.
Rose's Book Garden 