My Reading Week #IMWAYR- April 1, 2024

In 2024, I’ve read 113 books so far.

The breakdown is:
7- Adult novels
1- Adult non-fiction
18- Graphic novels
14- Middle Grade novels
67- Picture Books and Board Books
6- Young Adult novels
of which
15- Nonfiction Picture Books
15- Audio Books
7- Books by Filipino Authors and/or Illustrators
22- Books by LGBTQ+ Authors and/or Illustrators

Our Nipa Hut: A Story in the Philippines by Rachell Abalos
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Readers who enjoyed Virginia Lee Burton’s The Little House and Phoebe Wahl’s The Blue House will want to pick up Our Nipa Hut as the dwelling is as much of a character as the people and needs to be taken care of as it does so much for us. Set in the Philippines during a heavy storm, a father and daughter do everything in their power to make sure their house remains standing by the end of it. The illustrations are lively and full of little details to delight in. This book also includes backmatter material about nipa huts, the Philippines, and climate change.

Rise of the Knight by Rey Terciero
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting retelling of Don Quixote to introduce kids to the novel. I decided to read this one since I had just watched a stage production based on the novel so I figured it’d be the perfect time to do so. I didn’t realize Rey Terciero is also Rex Ogle. And apparently, this is just the first book in a new series.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The two main characters are not likable and it felt like a lot of their problems could have been solved if they just took the time to talk to one another. But, that’s easier said and done and hardly how it is in real life. And, like real life, they are messy and their situations are messy. And, as readers, we want to yell at them to stop doing certain things but like watching a train wreck it’s hard not to watch (or, in this case, read) what happens next. Some things were predictable- or maybe inevitable. This novel somehow reminded me of Will & Grace (toxic friendship) and A Little Life (the unnecessary and constant- to avoid specific spoilers- bad things happening) and Ready, Player One (for obvious reasons).

While I haven’t really made the case for why anyone should read it- and, in fact, this novel isn’t for everyone-, I did get into it. I enjoyed being immersed in the gaming world (despite the fact I don’t play any games and most controllers nowadays have too many buttons for my liking). I thought the format was clever. Maybe I learned to appreciate the complicated and complex relationships the characters had with one another, with themselves, and the people they’ve met. And it made me emotional at parts. Part seven really got me and I was trying to keep my composure while reading it in a public place.

This book definitely encourages conversations and I’m dying to hear what people think of it.

You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!