L-L-L-Little Reviews #62: May 2024

Here are the books I read this past month that were not part of scheduled reviews.

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu
Published by Candlewick Press on March 5, 2024
Genres: MG Realistic Fiction, Poetry
Pages: 528
Source: the publisher
Format: Hardcover
My Rating:
Goodreads
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Revered teacher, librarian, and story ambassador John Schu explores anorexia—and self-expression as an act of survival—in a wrenching and transformative novel-in-verse.
But another voice inside me says, We need help. We’re going to die.
Jake volunteers at a nursing home because he likes helping people. He likes skating and singing, playing Bingo and Name That Tune, and reading mysteries and comics aloud to his teachers. He also likes avoiding people his own age . . . and the cruelty of mirrors . . . and food. Jake has read about kids like him in books—the weird one, the outsider—and would do anything not to be that kid, including shrink himself down to nothing. But the less he eats, the bigger he feels. How long can Jake punish himself before he truly disappears? A fictionalized account of the author’s experiences and emotions living in residential treatment facilities as a young teen with an eating disorder, Louder than Hunger is a triumph of raw honesty. With a deeply personal afterword for context, this much-anticipated verse novel is a powerful model for muffling the destructive voices inside, managing and articulating pain, and embracing self-acceptance, support, and love.

My Review:

Okay, if you know me I don’t read much if any novels in verse. If there are a lot of words my brain trips over having to slow down and read in the pattern of the poetry. My brain doesn’t work that way when I normally read novels. However this was one that had a topic I was really interested in, and since the publisher sent me a copy, I was very intrigued to read it. So I brought it to school, and read a little bit every day that I had a few spare minutes at my desk. It was a long read, but since some of the pages were just about 10 or so lines spread out, that made it go faster. Such a great topic, made me cry, made me feel so much just with the words and the poems. Even though it is middle grade, I will be adding it to my high school library collection as I think my students could enjoy it just as much.

Maybe This Time by Cara Bastone

Maybe This Time by Cara Bastone
Narrator: Zoe Chao, Noah Reid
Published by Audible Originals on May 2, 2024
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance, Adult Science Fiction
Length: 05:45
Source: Audible Plus
Format: Audiobook
My Rating:
Goodreads
Buy on Amazon, Buy on Audible

Finding true love is only a matter of time in this heartfelt and hilarious romantic comedy, starring Zoë Chao (The Afterparty), Noah Reid (Schitt’s Creek), and a full cast!
Romance can be a little complicated when you get sucked into a wormhole. Just ask high school English teacher June Flint. One little solar flare happens and suddenly you find yourself 85 years in the future. Eighty-five years from your dream job. Your ailing mother whose only companion in this world is you. Your favorite stuffed-crust pizza from DeLucia’s on Sunday nights.
But when June’s cell phone inexplicably picks up a signal, she’s able to call back to the present—more specifically, four weeks before she accidentally time traveled. Problem is, the phone can only call one number: her work nemesis, gym teacher Mikey Shannon.
Now future June must help Mikey befriend present-day June to keep her from disappearing. But present-day June doesn't even want to be in the same room as Mikey, let alone become besties. And Mikey isn’t exactly...talkie. Yet he’s spending hours a day with future June on the phone, and even more time trying to befriend present-day June. Volunteering with June at school, check. Facing his fear of roller coasters to make June smile, check. Adopting a puppy and letting her name it. Check.
But what does succeeding in the present mean for future June, and for the serious feelings she and Mikey are starting to catch for one another? Stopping time travel is one thing—but can they stop themselves from falling in love?
Available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.

My Review:

I have pretty much adored almost all of these fun audiobook by this author, and this one was no different! I loved the added sci-fi aspect of time travel too. And honestly it had a lot in it that made me think right now, both about my own family as well as my own life and goals. With both June and Mikey being teachers, that really hit with my own work situation in several ways. Then June’s mom had Alzheimer’s, so with my stepdad dealing with his dementia slowly getting worse before he just recently passed, it also hit with that too. The banter was also great. And I loved how June said “sports-players” and Mikey had to correct it to athletes. The push up conversation was hilarious as well. I definitely will say this is probably going to be one of my favorites for the year!