If you don’t know me, you probably don’t know how seriously I take my coffee. I’m what one would call a “coffee snob.”
I worked as a barista for almost 4 years, managed a specialty shop at 18, and then worked at Peet’s and Starbucks. So like….I really like coffee. When I found this tag created by BangadyBangz on YouTube, I knew it had to be done.
BLACK COFFEE: a series that is tough to get into but has hardcore fans
Unpopular opinion: The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. Now this isn’t to say that I don’t like this series because I do. But it did take me almost 2 full books to care about it. The Lost Hero was one of the longest books I’ve read, and The Son of Neptune took me 2 tries and 300 pages before I was hooked. I know. It’s blasphemy. This series has fans that are even more die-hard than Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Now that I am into the story, I can see why, but dang! Did everyone go through this??? Was I just the odd one out?
PEPPERMINT MOCHA: a book that gets more popular during the holidays
Aside from the obvious answer written by [redacted], I’m going to go with The Shining by Stephen King. I feel like this is the token winter thriller. A family trapped in hotel over the winter while slowly going crazy inside, AND having evil forces at work through their child? Yeah. That’s a spooky yet wintery atmospheric book if I’d ever seen one.
HOT CHOCOLATE: favorite children’s book
Dinosaurs before Dark by Mary Pope Oseborn. The Magic Treehouse series has always been a favorite of mine. It’s so nostalgic and informational. They are fantastic.
DOUBLE SHOT OF ESPRESSO: a book that kept you on the edge of your seat
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. I listened to the audiobook last year, and I couldn’t stop listening. It was extra creepy because I would listen to it at work where I sit at a desk by myself at 4am. The Turn of the Key is a thriller where the main character, Rowan, takes a nannying job at a luxurious estate in Scotland. The story opens with Rowan writing to a lawyer from prison where she was convicted of the murder of one of the children under her care. She swears she is innocent. The letters tell her side of the story living in the creepy house and all it entails.
STARBUCKS: a book you see everywhere
Lately, Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender. Since it came out about a month ago, I haven’t been able to scroll through Twitter without seeing at least 2 posts about it. Felix Ever After follows Felix Love as he struggles with self-acceptance which hasn’t been an issue for him since he transitioned and came out. He is proud to be a Black, queer, transgender man. When he begins to get harassed through anonymous messages and posts of his deadname and pre-transition pictures, Felix then decides to get revenge. During is revenge plot, he begins to redefine who he is and how he feels about himself.
THAT HIPSTER COFFEE SHOP: give a book by an indie author a shoutout
The Anti-Virginity Pact by Katie Wismer. I haven’t read this one yet, but I am so hyped to! I had this e-ARC on Netgalley, but I didn’t download it in time, so now I’m stuck waiting on my pre-order to arrive. This book is about a preacher’s daughter, Meredith, who is an atheist who makes a pact with her friends to lose her virginity before they graduate high school. Meredith has always been the shy girl, but after her pact gets out, she gains the reputation as the school “slut.”
OOPS! I ACCIDENTALLY GOT DECAF: a book you were expecting more from
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. This was not for me. I was expecting this to be an incredible love story between Achilles and Patrocles, but ugh. It took forever and a half, and I ended up DNFing it. I didn’t unhaul it yet, so it may get another chance, but I’m not sure.
THE PERFECT BLEND: a book/series that was bittersweet but ultimately satisfying
Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart. This one was a difficut one for me. I loved this book, but it broke my heart reading about the spiral that Dunkin went down and the bullying Lily faced. Lily and Dunkin is about two 8th graders who become friends despite being outcasts. Lily is a transgender girl just getting comfortable expressing who she is to everyone around her. Dunkin is the new kid trying to fit in while learning to handle his Bipolar Disorder. This was such a heavy subject matter that wrapped up in such a real and beautiful way.
Okay! That’s it! As always, I tag anyone reading this !
Love always,
ej.
ejreads 