Reviews – Bookbed

Bookbed reviews: ‘Girlhood: Teens around the World in Their Own Voices’ by Masuma Ahuja

by KB Meniado At 15, I moved to another city to go to college. I don’t remember it being such a difficult of an adjustment for me, as I was then coming from a melting pot. But I do recall how apparent the differences in experiences and perspectives was among the students, especially those around…More

Bookbed reviews: ‘Interior Chinatown’ by Charles Yu

by Jodesz Gavilan THE STORY From the infinitely inventive author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe comes a deeply personal novel about race, pop culture, immigration, assimilation, and escaping the roles we are forced to play.Willis Wu doesn’t perceive himself as a protagonist even in his own life: he’s merely Generic Asian Man.…More

Bookbed reviews: ‘Between the World and Me’ by Ta-Nehisi Coates

by Jodesz Gavilan THE STORY “This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it.” In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his…More

Bookbed reviews: ‘Rebel Girls Lead: 25 Tales of Powerful Women’ by @rebelgirlsbook

by KB Meniado THE STORY Rebel Girls Lead: 25 Tales of Powerful Women celebrates the incredible and inspiring stories of 25 women leaders in politics, business, sports, activism, and more, all written in fairy tale form. It is part of the award-winning Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series. Reach for new heights with Vice President…More

Bookbed reviews: ‘A Natural History of Empire’ by Dominic Sy

by Jodesz Gavilan THE STORY Fraying at the edge of a life lived uselessly, an old man ponders over things that were and things that may have been. A vanishing guerilla, a knife fight across the ocean, a chat with a friend come back from the dead. In these tales of doubles, delusions, and self-deceit,…More

Bookbed reviews: ‘Stand Up, Yumi Chung!’ by Jessica Kim

by KB Meniado THE STORY One lie snowballs into a full-blown double life in this irresistible story about an aspiring stand-up comedian. On the outside, Yumi Chung suffers from #shygirlproblems, a perm-gone-wrong, and kids calling her “Yu-MEAT” because she smells like her family’s Korean barbecue restaurant. On the inside, Yumi is ready for her Netflix…More

Bookbed reviews: ‘Exhalation: Stories’ by Ted Chiang

by Jodesz Gavilan THE STORY This much-anticipated second collection of stories is signature Ted Chiang, full of revelatory ideas and deeply sympathetic characters. In The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate, a portal through time forces a fabric seller in ancient Baghdad to grapple with past mistakes and the temptation of second chances. In the epistolary…More

Bookbed reviews: ‘Wing of the Locust’ by Joel Donato Ching Jacob #WingoftheLocust

by KB Meniado Filipino mythology was something I hadn’t been reading plenty of, and not because of a lack of offering but energy (for shame), but this year has allowed me to explore a few facets of our prehistoric origins and found the experience both fascinating and well, guilt-ridden. So when I was offered the…More

Bookbed reviews: ‘Meet Me By the Sea’ by Taltal Levi

by KB Meniado THE STORY When a spunky little girl finds that her parents are too busy to play, she decides to visit her favorite place on her own. The familiar path lightens her step and her heart. And along the way she discovers a wonderful surprise. Taltal Levi’s spare text and delicate pastel-hued illustrations…More

Bookbed reviews: ‘Furia’ by Yamile Saied Méndez

by KB Meniado THE STORY An #ownvoices contemporary YA set in Argentina, about a rising soccer star who must put everything on the line—even her blooming love story—to follow her dreams. In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life. At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her…More