Music From Another World by Robin Talley

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher! Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Music From Another World

Author: Robin Talley

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Publication Date: March 31, 2020

Genre: YA Contemporary

Recommended Age: 17+ (love, some language, forced outings TW, some abusive language)

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Pages: 304

Amazon Link

Synopsis: It’s summer 1977 and closeted lesbian Tammy Larson can’t be herself anywhere. Not at her strict Christian high school, not at her conservative Orange County church and certainly not at home, where her ultrareligious aunt relentlessly organizes antigay political campaigns. Tammy’s only outlet is writing secret letters in her diary to gay civil rights activist Harvey Milk…until she’s matched with a real-life pen pal who changes everything.

Sharon Hawkins bonds with Tammy over punk music and carefully shared secrets, and soon their letters become the one place she can be honest. The rest of her life in San Francisco is full of lies. The kind she tells for others—like helping her gay brother hide the truth from their mom—and the kind she tells herself. But as antigay fervor in America reaches a frightening new pitch, Sharon and Tammy must rely on their long-distance friendship to discover their deeply personal truths, what they’ll stand for…and who they’ll rise against.

A master of award-winning queer historical fiction, New York Times bestselling author Robin Talley once again brings to life with heart and vivid detail an emotionally captivating story about the lives of two teen girls living in an age when just being yourself was an incredible act of bravery.

Review: Overall, I thought this was a good book. I loved how the story was told and I thought all of the characters were compelling. The world building was divine and overall I really enjoyed it.

The only issue is that I felt like there were multiple occurrences of forced outings, which can be triggering, and the letters and diary entries did get a bit stale after a bit.

Verdict: It’s pretty good! Definitely recommend!

Devil Shadows and Golden Lantern with Other Stories by Marjan Safiyari

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

 

Book: Devil Shadows and Golden Lantern with Other Stories

 

Author: Marjan Safiyari

 

Book Series: Standalone

 

Rating: 3/5

 

Publication Date: August 31, 2017

 

Genre: MG Fantasy

 

Recommended Age: 10+ (some slightly scary scenes)

 

Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishing

 

Pages: 153

 

Amazon Link

 

Synopsis: A lonely soul searches everywhere for a body to call its own. A lost leaf tries desperately to find his way back to his mother. All the clock hands in the world are stolen and it’s up to one boy to get them back. A brave girl must save her village from the devil shadows that threaten it. All of these stories, and so many more, are to be found in the Devil Shadows and Golden Lantern with Other Stories, as Marjan Safiyari takes us on a wide host of adventures. From dragons visiting space to a sky princess involved in a war with a dusty frog, from sentient pencils to a mouse living inside a wolf’s body, no concept is considered too fantastical to be the basis of an enjoyable and involving story. Devil Shadows and Golden Lantern with Other Stories is a book full of adventurous stories that are entertaining for children and adults alike.

 

Review: I liked this short story book. I thought it was interesting and the idea behind the book is what drew me to it.

 

However, I do think that the writing is too simplistic. It could have used another round of editing in my opinion to make the dialogue and the scenes flow better. I didn’t think that the book was particularly bad, just didn’t suit my needs.

 

Verdict: Not for me, but might be for you!