coming of age

Annie, another LQ contributor, works for a publishing company in Minneapolis and asked if one of us would be interested in reviewing the YA novel Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield. Everyone else wrote back and said they’re not fans of …

This novel is about identity, growing up, complicated relationships, and wandering the country to discover and rectify old secrets, among other things. I thought it was really well done! In The Lauras, Alex’s mom pulls Alex out of bed in …

I’ve been meaning to read Swing Time by Zadie Smith since it was released late last year to rave critic reviews. I really wanted to love this, especially since I gave it as a Christmas present last year without having …

LQ contributor Janna just posted a review roundup, and I thought that was a great idea for these three books that I’ve finished but haven’t yet reviewed! So, thanks Janna 🙂 I loved two of these, but really didn’t care for …

Sometimes, writing book reviews is hard. I have a lot of feelings about the book or maybe none at all. I hated the book, but don’t feel like dissecting why. I loved the book and just don’t know how to …

I wanted to like this, I really did, especially because this story is regional and was published by a local publishing house, University of Minnesota Press. Zeke Caligiuri is currently serving a 34-year sentence for robbery and second-degree murder. Caligiuri …

The Story The Pearl That Broke its Shell by Nadia Hashimi takes place in Afghanistan and jumps between two characters, Rahima, and her great-aunt, Shekiba. Rahima’s story takes place in 2007 when at age 9, she embraces the custom of …

This book has a beautiful cover. I’m a sucker for a beautiful anything, but especially a well-designed book jacket. So after reading the description for this one — and then seeing the cover — I was ready to dive in. …

Why: Road to Paradise by Paullina Simons piqued my interest because my friends and I took a road trip the summer after high school, just as Shelby sets out to do. (Shout out to our fearless LQ Leader, Joli for sitting in …

In a story that’s at once sprawling and hyper-local, Anna Quindlen renders an immensely likable main character. Our narrator is a girl, bound-and-determined to both hold on to the dearest things, and to shake off the oppressive habits of her family’s …