Anna-Marie McLemoreResenhas

Gr 8 Up—Ciela, a pansexual Mexican American girl, and Lock, a white boy who is new to the community, were
raped at the same party. Ciela pursues a friendship with Lock to help them work through their trauma. This lyrical
book, full of magical realism and layered characters, is an honest and frank look at consent, power, and the
aftermath of assault.

Dark and Deepest Red is a gorgeous and smart magical realist remix of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Red Shoes" that flits back and forth in time (the present day vs the early 16th century) to weave a lyrical fairy tale about generational trauma, the pressure to "pass"/inexpressible identities (Romani, Mexican, and trans, respectively), and the powers of love, empathy, and self-acceptance. As usual, McLemore's lush prose and sophisticated understanding of magic and monstrosity (and their roles in the histories of queer communities, especially those of color) put her work head and shoulders above most YA fairy tale retellings.

I'm presently writing a dissertation on positive reclamations of monstrosity in queer YA (including a chapter on witches/witchcraft) and was desperately looking for more novels with representation of communities of color and/or trans representation, and Dark and Deepest Red absolutely did not disappoint. I'll absolutely be discussing it in one of my chapters... which means I have to restructure my outline! ....yay? It'll definitely be worth it, though, as I cannot recommend this book enough.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book's has an incredibly rich atmosphere, and the colors, and visual details are beautiful. If I could have read it in one shot, I probably would have loved it, but I put it down and never felt compelled to finish it.

This books started slow, but I loved it tremendously. It had the romantic, dreamy, vibe of The Night Circus, and a star crossed love that I am all in for.

I would give this book 3.5 stars as a a review*
I loved the writing of this book. It was so lovely and it captured me from page one. It is very detailed thought and at points i got lost in the details. I thought the world building was crafted so well and I could not see the twists and turns in the story coming. I felt like the pacing was much slower then I wanted it to be but the characters kept me engaged and overall i really enjoyed it. I hope to read more by this author soon!

I would give this book 3.5 stars as a a review*
I loved the writing of this book. It was so lovely and it captured me from page one. It is very detailed thought and at points i got lost in the details. I thought the world building was crafted so well and I could not see the twists and turns in the story coming. I felt like the pacing was much slower then I wanted it to be but the characters kept me engaged and overall i really enjoyed it. I hope to read more by this author soon!

Lore and Bastian have a chance encounter when they are nine. After an incident at school happens, Lore's family moves back near Lakelore and the two cross paths again. Their connection is instant. The narration switches perspective between the two teens who are both dealing with how their brains work and try to make accommodations to function in a world that doesn't always fit them neatly.
The two also deal with things through different kind of art.
Then there is this whole magical realism part that has this glowing world, a lake that comes alive when they are together.

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Actual rating: 4.5/5

I haven't had much luck with circus/performers-themed books this year, so I was a bit scared that I wouldn't like this book, or it just wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, neither of these things happened, and I enjoyed The Weight of Feathers really a lot! The writing was beautiful, occasionally throwing in French and Spanish expressions to reflect the characters' origins. Every chapter opened with a common saying in either French or Spanish and its English translation, which I personally thought was an awesome idea, since I always like seeing what popular sayings are in other languages. I really liked Anna-Marie McLemore's writing style, as she somehow managed to merge a deeply evocative, almost magical tone, with incredibly realistic descriptions and down-to-earth expressions.

This book definitely wasn't plot heavy, as the storyline is actually quite simple and it did remind me of a modern-day, travelling-performers Romeo and Juliet quite often. The star-crossed lovers theme is definitely very prevalent in the novel BUT if you're not a fan of YA romance don't run off just yet! This book also tackles really important themes and issues, like prejudice, superstitions and diversity. And there is also some serious family abuse going on, so it's definitely not a light read. The premise is actually quite simple. The Palomas and the Corbeaus have been at war for years, reaching such a level of hatred that even touching a member of the other family accidentally is considered forbidden, and is considered a means of spreading that family's evil.

So, when Cluck Corbeau saves Lace Paloma from a terrible accident in the town both families are performing in, she is shunned from her family and starts to believe he has cursed her. So she disguises herself as a local girl and joins the rival family in order to get Cluck to lift his curse. But this forces her to actually get to know the Corbeaus and their lifestyle, and learn the difference between fear and prejudice and reality.

I loved the characters! The book is narrated in third person, alternating Lace and Cluck's POVs, and I actually thought this worked really well. We got to see their deepest fears and wildest dreams and I came to care deeply for both of them. But even the secondary characters were really well-done. Even though they lacked the depth of the main characters, they were still interesting to read about, especially in contrast with Lace and Cluck. While the latter two developed enormously throughout the book, the other characters didn't change one bit, but not through any fault of the author. They are static, blocked in their prejudice and traditions and in their role as guardians of the family secrets. They don't grow because, quite simply, they don't want to, and it works wonderfully within the book.

Overall, this was a very good read and definitely an awesome debut! A wonderfully written book tackling very serious issues through a simple storyline and gorgeous characters, The Weight of Feathers is the one YA book you won't want to miss this year! And Anna-Marie McLemore is definitely one author whose new books I won't miss.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Anna-Marie McLemore got on my radar last year, when I was lucky enough to receive an e-arc of her debut novel, The Weight of Feathers, which I absolutely adored and was definitely one of my favourite reads last year. So, when I heard she had another book out, I knew I had to read it!

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Of course, as soon as I received the review copy, I started having doubts: "What if this one's not as good as her debut? What if I hate it after savouring it so much?". You know the kind. But let me tell you right now, no such risk! Not liking it? Pffffttt! I LOVED it!

When the Moon Was Ours is a sweet, original read that somehow manages to fuse relevant themes with a simple, everyday story about two fairly unusual teenagers falling in love. And to top it all off, the deal is sealed by McLemore's gorgeous prose, which makes even the simplest of actions sound like pure poetry. And just like that, I was sold!

What I loved most about this book (as is the case with most books I love, if you think about it) were the characters. Not just the main characters, but the whole cast. Everyone has their own space in the story, be it bigger or smaller, and the role that they play in the book does not limit their existence as an individual character: even the minor ones have their own peculiarities, their background and their position in a way that made me really feel like they were their own person at the sidelines. They were just not the ones we were focusing on in telling this story.

As for the main characters, I loved Miel and Sam to bits. Both of them are really complex people, not just because of their past, but at the same time because they start to realise that they have to start thinking about their future as well. Having to deal with a traumatic past is a challenge in itself, but I really liked the fact that this was not the sole focus of either one of the main characters: your teens are the years when you start figuring out not just who you are, but also what kind of person you want to be for the rest of your life. And because it's so difficult to keep up with everything that goes on around us, resisting pressures from society, family, friends and your own set of expectations, it's also that period of time when you realise it's ok to make mistakes, and that you don't have to be stuck with them forever. The trick is surrounding yourself with people you love and trust, and who respect you and accept you no matter what. And that, I believe, is one of the key lessons anyone can take from this book.

But of course, because it is a tiny gem in the great treasure of YA literature this year, the greatest thing about this book is that any one person reading it can have a different take on it. The author does a fantastic job of incorporating so many different themes and points of view, that there is just something for everyone to keep thinking about for days after having finished the book. You can start with diversity and the acceptance of those people who feel "different", be it because they grow roses from their wrist or because their skin is darker or they speak another language; then you can move on to thinking about what makes us who we are, re-thinking the relationship we have with our bodies; you can start considering just how much pressure are we willing to take from society in determining who we have to be, just for the sake of appearances, letting those expectations of ourselves crush the realities of the wonderful being each one of us can be at the full potential of his or her individuality. And if that's still not enough for you, there are loads of prompts to reflect on family, friends, love and so, so much more...

Definitely a book I will re-read in a while, just to see if there is anything else I can pick up on and one I will absolutely force on gently recommend to everyone I know, When the Moon Was Ours is a complete must-read for this year, and Anna-Marie McLemore is an author to really watch out for!

I've got like a half dozen books by this author on my TBR and finally have read one! I was a bit hesitant, Great Gatsby was never a fave but hey, I loved Morrow's Little Women remix from this line and LW isn't my fave classic either. Turns out I find the 20s and the American Dream much more interesting when everyone's gay and trans ;D. Really loved this story, it's been a week and half since I've finished and I'm still thinking about it.

The audio was really well done. I've listened to a couple things voiced by Avi Roque lately (Hell Followed With Us earlier this month) and they're terrific.

This book had its moments and tending towards the poetic at times, unfortunately it just wasn't for me. The author clearly loves language, but several times I felt as though I lost the strand of the story and the meaning became obscure. To be fair, this does suite a story in which more than one character is transgender. Also, based on the author's note, I got the strong sense that this novel was semi-autobiographical, which adds another layer of interpretation. An interesting book and one I'm certain others will thoroughly enjoy.

Do you want to read a story about an extraterrestrial who thinks she is about to vanish from Planet Earth and wants to win a pageant as a way for people to remember her?

Or a story that talks about the frank disrespect and unfairness bestowed upon the queer and black community?

Miss Meteor, as the name indicates is a pageant in Meteor, a town famous for being named after, YOU GUESSED IT, a meteor. This is the 50th annual pageant and an event of great tourist opportunity for the town.

For the teens however, it is an opportunity to connect with their long separated friends and embrace their identities. It is a pageant that will make them realise that they are important and that they mean something.

I know, I am basically just giving a brief gist of the story but I think it is necessary for us to focus on how important knowing that you matter is.

Miss Meteor is a fast-paced, easy-to-read story exploring various subjects ranging from racial prejudice to queer-phobia, teens finding their confidence to finding a way back to their friends, all intermixed with a fun and heart warming story.

If you are a fan of ‘You should see me in a crown’ and are looking for a similar book, this one is the pick you need.

All the glitter none of the angst.

There's a tendency to see transgender people as their sexuality as opposed to their personhood. This is a book where a fine story is wrapped around two trans characters so well and with such richness and intrigue, that it wasn't long before I mostly forgot the gender aspect (except when it was crucial to that part of the plot), and got wrapped up in them as people. That might not come out as explaining in the best way, but I want to convey that I think this goes a long way toward making such characters highly relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

It’s very flowery - both the writing and the prose.
It’s also very slow going but I did want to know what the dark ominous secret was so I pushed through. It was fine, the romance didn’t feel real though.

I enjoyed this book! The prose was beautiful and I really liked how Daisy was more likable and had more depth in this version. I did think it was a slower paced read, but overall I would recommend to anyone who is interested in retellings.

I enjoyed this book. The prose was gorgeous and lush as usual for McLemore. I particularly loved the descriptions of the world under the lake. I thought that aspect was interesting. However, the book felt very tell and not show. Overall, I would recommend if you like magical realism.

Lita (Estrellita) is a sweet and petite sensitive soul who makes friends with cacti and helps her "aunt" with her brujeria (positive). She's kind of a mini pixie dream girl (get it? cuz she's short and quirky) who wears what she wants and rides a little girl's bike. Lita decides to win the Miss Meteor pageant even though she's short, chubby, brown, and knows nothing about beauty pageants. Knowing this, she calls on Chicky and her MM pageant-veteran sisters to help her enter and win the pageant. Craziness ensues, obviously.

Chicky (Chiquita) is an androgynous loner who hides behind her self-cut bangs and sticks out like a sore thumb from her four older hyper-femme sisters as well as their traditional town. The Quintanillas run a really sweet-sounding diner called Selena's (Selena has the same last name as them) that I wish I could eat at. Chicky and Lita used to be best friends when they were younger, until the white popular mean kids' bullying drove them apart.

Meteor, New Mexico is just as much a character as the girls, with its quirky small-town-ness and yearly cornhole competition-slash-Miss Meteor pageant. The girls' love of their hometown is so strong that you come to love it too. That said, there's a lot of ridiculous racism and homophobia that they have to deal with. Lita gets racist/colorist/sizeist bullying; Chicky gets homophobic bullying. Both girls get love interests, obvi, and have to overcome their insecurities.

I liked this book so much! It gave me such a good feeling at the end. I loved the girls and their love interests and their crazy families and the town. I definitely recommend the book for its representation and themes.

Read the full review, including trigger warnings for this book, at https://fileundermichellaneous.blogspot.com/2022/09/book-review-miss-meteor-by-t...

audiobook teen fiction (~9 hours, multiple narrators). Great Gatsby remix told by Latinx trans male Nicolas who may or may not be attracted to (also trans male) Gatsby. Author is also queer and trans (nonbinary).

Refreshingly, Daisy's character is not a totally selfish ditz; though she does use Nick to help her hide her Latinx background in order to continue passing for a rich white person (and to try to secure Tom as her fiance), she is astute enough to recognize her cousin Nick's identity as a male and takes a very supportive role in that (buying him 1920s side lacers to flatten the bust, deemed a safer and more comfortable option than the elastic he had been using to bind himself). The characters in this teen novel are a bit younger and so unmarried--Daisy is installed in Tom's parents' East Egg home by herself, separate from his residence in NYC and his city girlfriend Myrtle whose garage-operating brothers will be cross with Gatsby by the end of the story.

You may also enjoy: Nghi Vo's The Chosen and the Beautiful, another remix of Gatsby for adult audiences, with a POC main character, queer love triangles, and artfully inserted magical realism.

The Palomas and the Corbeaus are more than traveling circus performers; the two families have magical bloodlines, and as with all magical acts, they have their secrets.

The white-scaled Palomas bury their secrets deep underwater; the black-feathered Corbeaus send them flying up to the highest boughs. One thing that’s not a secret: how much these two families hate each other. Lace Paloma and Cluck Corbeau first meet when she saves him from a beating at the hands of her cousins. After a chemical-rain disaster, Cluck repays the favor but ends up accidentally binding Lace to him and causing her exile from her family. Hoping to cleanse herself of Corbeau “black magic,” she ends up working for them, growing close to the deformed, scarred Cluck. The fabric of lies woven by both their families becomes unraveled, untangling long-standing myths as their own stories entwine. It seems Lace and Cluck are destined to repeat history when an unlikely event leads to answers to questions long left open. Slow momentum early on makes it hard to form attachments to the characters, but readers beguiled by the languorous language—a striking mix of French and Spanish phrases, wry colloquialism, lush imagery, and elevated syntax—will find themselves falling under its spell. The third-person narration alternates between Lace and Cluck, doling out twists and building to a satisfying, romantic conclusion.

A contemporary, magical take on an ever compelling theme. (Urban fantasy. 14 & up)

-Kirkus Review

A YA queer, trans retelling of The Great Gatsby. As this novel ends well for the characters, I suppose that some might argue that it kind of misses out what tGG was trying to say, but that's part of the point of retellings, no? "What if it were this way?" Anyway, I enjoyed it immensely and was cheering through the final chapters.

Boys like us get used to having to lie about everything else just so we can tell the truth about ourselves. If people like us wanted to make something of ourselves in a world ruled by men as pale as their own dinner plates, we had to lie.

A far more optimistic and inclusive take on the 'American dream'. I liked what the original was depicting about chasing riches, class differences and drowning in pools, but this one resonated with me more.
The New York of this novel is filled with people of colour cheating their way into the respect of the white upper class and queer people living happy lives in secret. No, the world is not fair, as Nick and Daisy frequently experience, but they can make a life for themselves and it was a joy to read them do so.
I would have liked to see a bit more about Jay and Gatsby's relationship developing, but this book wasn't incredibly long, so I'll accept it.

Okay so, first of all, I have to admit I did enjoy this. It was such fun to twist everything about The Great Gatsby into something only barely, tenuously connected to the original, but with all the same characters, and while Making It (More) Gay™! So, it was a very enjoyable story, but that quite tenuous connection to all the source material stuff everyone in American high school is guaranteed to have hammered into their psyche is confusing, it almost leaves you wondering why the connection was kept at all. The outright abandonment of the original themes is less "Remix", and more complete renovation.½

Mentioned in a blog post at https://booksbeyondbinaries.blog/2019/12/23/2019-in-review/

This book is featured in a blog post at https://booksbeyondbinaries.blog/2020/09/21/miss-meteor-blog-tour/