Pleasant Nights

Title: My Father, the Panda Killer

Author: Jamie Jo Hoang

Genre: YA

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

Great coming-of-age story about Jane, born in America to Vietnamese parents, who balances being a typical teenager with the expectations of her father. However, the alternate storyline is of her father traveling to America as a child.

Jane is a great character who struggles with her Vietnamese culture, especially the abuse she suffers when she steps out of line, and can’t wait to go to college. But she struggles with that because she would leave her little brother behind.

You also see the struggles her father goes through with his travels from Vietnam to America: pirates, starvation, and yes, the murder of a panda. I enjoyed this story, and I can imagine how it will resonate with Vietnamese-American teenagers.

Title: Incidents Around the House

Author: Josh Malerman

Genre: horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I’m a Josh Malerman superfan. I’ve read just about everything of his. See my reviews for Spin a Black Yarn, Daphne, Pearl, Goblin, Malorie, Inspection, A House at the Bottom of the Lake, Unbury Carol, Black Mad Wheel, and Bird Box. And I’m pleased to say this one is his finest work since Bird Box. I absolutely loved this one.

Bela lives at home with her Mommy, Daddo, and Other Mommy, who lives in her closet and wants Bela to let her into her heart. When Mommy and Daddo finally believe Bela that Other Mommy is real, they attempt to get OM to leave Bela alone. They try leaving the house, trying to get an exorcism, and driving far away, but nothing works. OM seems to be able to follow Bela everywhere.

This book is terrifying. There’s nothing gross or gory about it. But it’s so suspenseful from beginning to end. OM is so scary in how Bela describes her. The parents trying to protect Bela but continually failing is heartbreaking. But this book will stay with me for a long time.

Title: Most Ardently

Author: Gabe Cole Novoa

Genre: historical romance

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

This book was a delight. One book in the “Remixed classics” series, this story takes Pride and Prejudice and makes Elizabeth Bennett, the traditional heroine, into a transgender man, Oliver. Sadly, not many people know who Oliver truly is and still refer to him as a woman, who he most certainly isn’t.

Thankfully, a few great people in Oliver’s life know who he really is, but when he meets Mr. Darcy as both Elizabeth one day and Oliver the next, Oliver worries that Mr. Darcy will only know who he is required to be, not who he truly is. The back-and-forth between Oliver and Mr. Darcy is a lot of fun and Oliver is just as wonderful is Elizabeth in the original book.

After hearing about this series, I’ll be reading more of them. A lot of fun and important for young adult readers!

Title: Zig-Zag Boy

Author: Tanya Frank

Genre: memoir

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

Beautifully written story of a mother caring for her mentally ill son, who at 19, develops psychosis. Zach lives a normal life until one day he feels people are watching him. At that point, his life unravels. His devoted mother does all she can for him while giving him the support he needs to manage his own life.

They live partly in the US and partly in the UK, so navigating the health systems differed greatly. Tanya clearly loves her son but cannot hold his hand for the rest of his life. So, as difficult as it was, she had to let him figure things out on his own. This book was really well-written, and I was captivated by their story. Excellent book.