I love a good cooking duel and this was great! The artwork was adorable and I loved the found family aspect of this!
Off Menu by Oliver Gerlach, (List Price: $24.99, little bee books, 9781499815030, October 2024)
Reviewed by sarah dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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Both horror and mystery, this book gave me chills and made me question how we define “monster.” It combines supernatural and real-life horror to tell a story about trauma, protection, and the bonds of girls. I was constantly trying to piece together how all the screamers were connected if the past had any impact on the current, and if the terrors inside St. Bernadette’s were real. Hanna Alkaf’s use of multi-perspective drove the story in a way that I really enjoyed. The girls felt real and I related strongly to Rachel and her constant drive to be a perfect daughter. I also loved that the book was set in Malaysia. It’s not an area I’m familiar with, so I enjoyed researching some of the phrases and other cultural references. For anyone who has an interest in mass hysteria events, old buildings full of secrets, or the ways in which trauma impacts protection, The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s is the perfect fit.
The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf, (List Price: $19.99, Salaam Reads, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781534494589, September 2024)
Reviewed by Ashley White, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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Reviewing That Librarian is a tad unfair because I have worked with Amanda Jones for years, but that being said, I genuinely did not know how bad things had been for her, and this memoir is an urgent call for decorum as much as it is one against censorship. But first, let’s backtrack. This is a memoir and a call to action. Jones is a librarian in the Deep South whose argument at a public library meeting in favor of following standard library procedure in reporting possible content issues within the library was used as a cudgel to attack librarians and educators who wanted to maintain library norms. They were threatened and abused in both public and private. Jones and other librarians within my parish had their characters relentlessly attacked online by groups ostensibly acting to protect childhood innocence. That Librarian not only chronicles these online shenanigans but Jones’ career and journey to award-winning librarianship, as well as the toll these character assassinations took on her personally and professionally. Jones moves through her own political education as well as religious conviction as she engages the legal system in an ongoing defamation case against the folks who repeatedly insist she is actively working to groom children sexually despite all evidence to the contrary. Amanda Jones’ story is one filled with humor and heart (and a healthy dose of snark) that will enlighten and infuriate you, but don’t worry, she ends her story with two messages: ways in which you can work to fight censorship in your own community and the mantra “don’t let anyone dull your sparkle.“ That Librarian is a powerful, truth-telling memoir that is strongly of the moment, and it absolutely deserves your time and attention.
That Librarian by Amanda Jones, (List Price: $29.99, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639733538, August 2024)
Reviewed by Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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I knew based on the cover alone that I would love Here Lies A Vengeful Bitch. From the found family of ghosts to her awful ex, Gun, I’ve been obsessed with this book. I gasped and giggled and felt Annie’s rage right alongside her. It’s not often that a book keeps me guessing, but I truly did not see the ending coming!
Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch by Codie Crowley, (List Price: $18.99, Disney Hyperion, 9781368099905, August 2024)
Reviewed by Eden Haymon, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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Slow Dance is a beautiful tale of humans being human. It’s funny and poignant and heartbreaking, sometimes all at once. It gave me the same emotions I get from watching old home movies…a weird mixture of joy and sadness all wrapped up in nostalgia and a clear, sharp feeling of how much things have changed while also nothing has really changed at all. If you like seeing the flaws of humanity and having faith in them anyway, this book is for you.
Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell, (List Price: $28, William Morrow, 9780063380196, August 2024)
Reviewed by Victoria Herrmann, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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This was such a beautiful graphic novel. The ending was so bittersweet. Authors Samuel Tear and Mar Julia ripped my heart out and put it back together with this story of a daughter not knowing who her family is and spending a summer learning, growing, and watching her new life.
Brownstone by Samuel Teer, Mar Julia (Illus.), (List Price: $18.99, Versify, 9780358394747, June 2024)
Reviewed by Sarah Dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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Battles defending honor and fighting sexism, this graphic novel has it all. Set in samurai times with a modern twist, The Worst Ronin shows the progression of a young girl learning how to fight for her life and a worn-down drunken warrior learning how to be kind.
The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, (List Price: $18.99, HarperAlley, 9780358464938, May 2024)
Reviewed by Sara Dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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A poem, a prayer, a plea to the universe. Beautifully illustrated and sure the be a beloved gift.
May You Love and Be Loved by Cleo Wade, (List Price: $18.99, Feiwel & Friends, 9781250873958, May 2024)
Reviewed by Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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Crosley moves through multiple griefs in this memoir. The theft of heirloom jewelry, the loss of her dearest friend, and ultimately the loss of life as we knew it with the swift coming of the Covid-19 pandemic. Always insightful and frequently funny, this memoir was a joy to read even as the subject matter stung. One turn of phrase had me gobsmacked: \’Ego, as it turns out, is depression\’s comorbidity.\’ How could you not want to spend a couple hundred pages with an author that can deliver a line so clever, cutting, and deep in self awareness.
Grief Is for People by Sloane, (List Price: $27, MCD, 9780374609849, February 2024)
Reviewed by Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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An October Read This Next! Book
History, family, community, and the all encompassing power of life in the face of brutality are abundant in Ward’s work, no less here in Let Us Descend. I was floored by the story of Annis, a young woman enslaved and sold down to a Louisiana plantation. Through her connections (both physical and spiritual), Annis builds a life and a future beyond loss. With a slight twist of magical realism and always brilliant prose, Jesmyn Ward has delivered another amazing novel and gift to readers.
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward, (List Price: 28, Scribner, 9781982104498, October 2023)
Reviewed by Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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The Wolf Suit is an absolutely charming picture book about anxiety through the eyes of a sheep in wolf’s clothing.
The Wolf Suit by Sid Sharp, (List Price: $19.99, Annick Press, 9781773217208, October 2022)
Reviewed by Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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Goliath sets us down on a not-so distant future Earth destroyed by disease, climate change, and war. Those left behind to inherit the skeletal remains of society fight each day to survive as they watch their communities waste away. As dark and grim as the world is, though, Tochi Onyebuchi gives us characters fully alive with voices to lend to the fight against racism and gentrification. On every page is a deeply profound honesty and poignant thoughtfulness that cannot and should not be ignored. I am once again blown away by the magic of his words and the power of his stories. Everyone needs to read Goliath.
Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi, (List Price: $16.99, Tordotcom, 9781250782953, January 2022)
Reviewed by Sophie Giroir, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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White Tears/Brown Scars is an eye opening book for anyone like me who has not experienced racism on a daily basis. As a white woman, I felt I was the perfect audience for what Ruby Hamad had to say. While discussing race and racism is an uncomfortable topic for many people, Ruby shows us the importance of remaining calm, seeing, and hearing the concerns of our BIPOC colleagues, friends and neighbors. I truly appreciated this book.
White Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad, (List Price: $16.95, Catapult, 9781948226745, October 2021)
Reviewed by Sophie Giroir, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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Antiquity Grey is born into the life of an outcast. “Grey-shamed” by the rulers of her city, and bullied by other members of her community, she is determined to prove her worth. With the help of friends and former enemies, she takes on the greatest threat of all; The Imperium. This was a fast-paced thrill ride through a climate-changed world filled with giant robots and bad guys with swords and laser guns. Myth and tech collide, creating the perfect recipe for a science fantasy adventure.
The Tempered Steel of Antiquity Grey by Shawn Speakman, (List Price: $28, Grim Oak Press, 9781944145699, November 2021)
Reviewed by Sophie Giroir, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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The Handmaids Tale meets Lord of the Flies in The Grace Year. I feel like this one flew under the radar but it is truly an amazing coming-of-age story. This is probably the best new YA Dystopia we’ve had in the past few years.
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett, (List Price: $10.99, Wednesday Books, 9781250145451, October 2020)
Reviewed by Katherine Downey, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
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