Book Review - The Gay Icon’s Guide to Life by Michael Joosten

 

The Gay Icon’s Guide to Life by Michael Joosten is a witty, illustrated collection of life lessons, sass, and inspiration drawn from legendary LGBTQ+ icons, offering readers fabulous advice for navigating the world with pride and confidence. The book features over 70 quotes from a variety of iconic figures.

It’s more of a coffee table book than one meant to be read cover to cover. Each page pairs a quote with an illustration of the person who said it, making it a great resource for anyone in need of a little inspiration or an emotional pick-me-up. It was a quick read—I finished it in under an hour—and found it both fun and uplifting. Some of the quotes really resonated with me, and it’s the kind of book I’ll keep nearby for the days when nothing seems to be going right.

Book Review - Mapping the Darkness: The Visionary Scientists Who Unlocked the Mysteries of Sleep by Kenneth Mille

 

Mapping the Darkness: The Visionary Scientists Who Unlocked the Mysteries of Sleep by Kenneth Miller chronicles the groundbreaking work of pioneering scientists who transformed our understanding of sleep, revealing its vital role in health, memory, and human consciousness. A century ago, our knowledge of sleep was extremely limited; it was often considered a passive state of "nothingness," and some scientists even saw it as a habit people should try to eliminate.

In 1938, a scientist and his assistant spent a month in a dark cave in Kentucky, an experiment that made headlines across the nation. This unusual study changed the way both the public and scientists thought about sleep. The first dedicated sleep lab was founded by Nathaniel Kleitman in the 1920s at the University of Chicago, where he conducted sleep and sleep deprivation experiments on research participants—including himself. His cave experiment paved the way for other breakthroughs in the field. For example, Kleitman mentored Eugene Aserinsky, who discovered REM sleep and revealed that the brain remains active during dreaming.

As someone who suffers from insomnia, I picked up this book hoping to find tips to improve my sleep. It started off interesting—I enjoyed learning about the different types of experiments scientists performed to better understand the brain. I’ll admit that some of the scientific terms went over my head, and I found myself glazing over those sections. At times, I also found the book a bit dry and tedious due to the detailed focus on the history of sleep science. I think readers with a strong interest in the history of sleep research would appreciate this book more than I did.

Book Review - In Limbo by Deb J.J. Lee

 

In In Limbo by Deb J.J. Lee, a Korean American teenager navigates the pressures of identity, mental health, and family expectations in a deeply personal memoir. Deborah (Jung-Jin) Lee has always known she’s different from her peers ever since her family emigrated from South Korea. She often feels like she doesn’t fit in. Her teachers mispronounce her Korean name, her English isn’t perfect, and her classmates tease her for her appearance—especially her eyes, which look different from theirs.

As high school draws to a close, the pressure to get into a good college and maintain strong grades begins to take a toll on Deb. To make things worse, her friendships are shifting, and she feels like her friends are leaving her behind. School becomes a place of alienation, but home offers no relief. Tensions with her mother escalate, and Deb begins to feel like she’s spiraling out of control.

I thought the graphic novel was okay. It's difficult to critique someone’s real-life experiences, so I approached it as if it were a fictionalized story. I had a hard time connecting with Deb at times. The narrative would occasionally jump back and forth, making it hard to follow certain events. Sometimes the story hinted at deeper issues but didn’t fully explore them, and some events seemed to happen abruptly without enough buildup.

That said, I sympathize with Deb and saw parallels between her experiences and my own. When my family moved from South America, I was also teased for my unique name. It was difficult to balance my heritage with my new American identity and to feel like I truly belonged. Deb also explores emotional trauma in her relationships with friends and family, and I could relate to some of those struggles.

While the illustration style was appealing, I personally would have preferred a more colorful palette. 

Book Review - Hulk Teach! by Jeffrey Brown

 

In Hulk Teach! by Jeffrey Brown, the Hulk takes on the challenge of substitute teaching a classroom of students, learning as much about patience and teamwork as the students themselves. Bruce Banner is a brilliant scientist, but when he loses control of his emotions, he transforms into the superhero known as the Hulk—often causing more destruction than intended.

After his latest outburst, the Hulk is sentenced to community service and assigned to teach a group of unruly middle school students. As the kids constantly test his patience, Bruce finds himself transforming into the Hulk on a daily basis. The question becomes: can Bruce learn to manage his anger and help the students succeed?

This graphic novel feels like the kind of idea I might have imagined as a kid—it’s fun to picture someone with serious anger issues navigating a classroom full of chaos. While the story has entertaining moments and humorous situations, it follows a fairly straightforward plot without any major twists or surprises. I think younger readers, especially those who enjoy Marvel characters, will have fun with this light-hearted and imaginative read.

Book Review - Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick

 

Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick is a novel that intertwines the lives of two teenagers who spend a transformative summer together. Sixteen-year-old Danny is sent to Rome after his mother takes a temporary job at a museum. She travels the world restoring old books, leaving Danny to explore the city alone and not having anywhere to call home. Bored and restless, Danny’s summer takes a turn when he hears someone calling his name. Following a series of clues, he meets another boy his age named Angelo.

Danny and Angelo quickly become inseparable, spending every moment together as Angelo introduces Danny to his beloved city. As they wander through Rome, Angelo shares stories about its history and culture, and gradually, their personal narratives begin to intertwine. A romantic bond forms between them, but both fear what will happen once summer ends.

The book started off fine, and I appreciated the early illustrations—they were beautifully done and added to the atmosphere. However, I ultimately found the story dull and slow-paced. It often felt like I was reading a textbook rather than a novel. Despite my efforts to stay engaged, I struggled to connect with the characters, who came across as one-dimensional. Although the book is relatively short, I ended up putting it down with about 50 pages left because it simply didn’t hold my interest. There were long stretches where very little happened, and although the story had two narrative threads, neither felt fully developed. Overall, the plot felt scattered and underwhelming.