We were tagged by @prettyasapic for this getting to know you meme. The other post was getting very long, so we're putting our answers on their own to save your dash. (Also, we're a whole team of reader's advisors, so we have a variety of answers for each question!)

Here we go! If you particularly like someone's answers, we've included everyone's individual rec tag in the tags - you should be able to just click it and see what they've recc'd in the past. Oh, and if anyone else wants to do this, consider yourself tagged :)

📖 Currently reading:

Anne: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

Jae: Dot Slash Magic by Liz Shipton

Susan: A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Robin: Ash by Malinda Lo

Julie: Fela: Music is the Weapon by Jibola Fagbamiye and Conor McCreery

Kate: In Perfect Light by Benjamin Alire Sáenz and The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green (We had to ILL In Perfect Light - don't be afraid to use your library's purchase request service!)

Ashley: The Housemaid series by Freida McFadden. On book 3: The Housemaid is Watching

📺 Last series you watched:

Anne: Percy Jackson & the Olympians

Jae: Percy Jackson & the Olympians

Rec by: Ashley

I’ve recently been reading Danielle Allen’s Curve romance series, and I have not been disappointed. While the books definitely bring the spice, they also feature strong plots and lovable, well-developed characters.

The series centers around a close-knit friend group made up of Jazmyn, Nina, and Aaliyah. Beyond the romance, the books explore important themes such as positive self-image, body positivity, coping with grief, and overcoming body shaming.

Danielle Allen’s writing captures the true essence of thirty-somethings navigating love, friendship, and life while enjoying plenty of laughs along the way.

My favorite aspect of the series so far is the bond between the core friend group. Danielle does an excellent job showing how a powerful sisterhood and strong support system can help you through life’s toughest moments.

Read:

Curvy Girl Summer (Book 1)

Big Girl Blitz (Book 3)

TBR:

Plus Size Player (Book 2)

Note: I read book 3 first because it just came out, and I didn't even know it was part of a series! So then I really liked it and read book 1 and I am now on hold for book 2! They seemingly can be read out of order but you will encounter spoilers if you do.

Here's what's in assistant librarian Ashley's recently-read pile! The links for each title will take you to our catalog where you can learn more about them (and place a hold if you're one of our cardholders!)

If I Ruled the World by Amy DuBois Barnett

Follow Nikki Rose as she faces challenge after challenge as a journalist in the late 1990's in New York. She is a daring and brave character that proves any challenge can be overcome.

The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert

This juvenile fiction title carries a ghostly ambiance as a story within the story unfolds. Main characters Alberta and Eddie uncover the past while overcoming their present.

On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah Scholfield

This Southern Gothic title confused, intrigued, and entertained me all at the same time. Jude escapes an abusive past and carries on a very interesting life within a haunted house within the forest.

Bad Seeds by Mary Monroe

Mary Monroe always finds the perfect balance of humor, reality, and fiction. Louise is a very kind and giving person. She is well-to-do, and she attracts the friendship of Della. Throughout the book, it is evident they should be classified more as frenemies as drama unfolds within their story!

Rec by: Ashley

Tia Williams has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her stories tend to have a sultry depth that is unmatched. I was a bit apprehensive as this new title is targeted toward young adults, but I was not disappointed.

Audre & Bash Are Just Friends tells the love story of two teens, Audre and Bash. Each of them is dealing with heavy personal issues, but those issues are what brings them together.

Bash agrees to be Audre's “fun consultant” as she takes life much too seriously. Through this new arrangement, they both realize they mean much more to each other. The events that unfold are gut wrenching and realistic.

I found myself reminiscing about being 17 again throughout the book! I'm glad I gave Audre & Bash a try, it was a sweet story of young innocent love!

Check out Audre & Bash Are Just Friends

I have been stepping out of my usual genres and reading a tad bit more YA! Here are three good ones that I read recently:

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Xiomara is busy trying to be everything for everybody, but at 15, that's pretty miserable. She is balancing friends, religion, family life, and a crush, but all she really wants to be is a teenage girl who happens to be an amazing poet!

This book is set in Harlem, New York which adds so much flavor to the writing. This book is the recipient of several prestigious awards such as the Printz and the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

My Fairy God Somebody by Charlene Allen

Clae is on a journey to New York to explore journalism. But she is secretly also on a mission to find out more about her family that she suspects lives in New York. Her mother has kept many parts of her father's family a secret from her, and now she is ready to know more about them to ultimately learn more about herself.

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now... by Jason Reynolds

Main character Neon and his girlfriend have been together for two years now. Neon tells a story of his many feelings and thoughts as he navigates hormones, ailing family members, and his beloved family pet. Neon unpacks so many internal thoughts, many of which come across in a humorous way. This is a very honest and candid tale of the curiosity that comes along with love and connection.

Check out these awesome graphic novels reader's advisor Ashley has been picking up for Black History Month!

Read: Kindred by Octavia Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy

This graphic novel was adapted from the book Kindred by Octavia Butler. This story more recently has also been made into a TV series for Hulu. In this twisted tale, Dana is living in the 1970s when she begins having dizzy spells shake her to the core. These dizzy spells lead to her waking up in the 1800s helping a boy who she refers to as “Rufe.” While Dana is not sure what brings these spells on at first, she has an even harder time time trying to figure out how to make it stop.

Ms. Davis: A Graphic Biography by Sybille Titeux de la Croix, art by Amazing Ameziane

The story of Angela Davis is filled with resistance and unwillingness to accept unfair treatment and judgment. She is infamous for being a part of the FBI's Most Wanted List in 1971 due to an incident that occurred where she was accused as the main conspirator.

Reading her story as a graphic novel does not take away the seriousness of her story. I appreciate that the book provides explanations of key events; that is helpful if you are only hearing about some of the events for the first time, as I was. This book was a random find but it sent me down a research hole that made me want to learn more, and that is what any good book does.

Reading: Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound by Dave Chisholm

Miles Davis was an extremely talented musician. He thought outside of the box when it came to his music, so it is fitting that this graphic novel tells his story in an eclectic way.

The story begins as Miles has just gotten a piece of life-altering news in 1982. From there, he reminisces and begins telling his origin story. The artwork and illustrations of this graphic novel are beautiful. The colors truly jump off the page and speak to you, as clear as the words do. The funky art and the insight of Miles' fascinating yet tumultuous life make this book a true learning experience that explores the cool world of jazz and many of its legends.

To-Read: Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History by C.L.R. James, adapted by Nic Watts and Sakina Karimjee

This graphic novel details the Haitian Revolution led by Toussaint Louverture. This graphic novel is based on the play by C.L.R. James, produced in 1936. If you love history, and revolutions, this graphic novel my pique your interest.

This book is a great companion for anyone in the trenches of grief.

Unfortunately, within this past year, I had two major losses nearly six months apart: my grandmother and then my father.

Dealing with these losses has been exceptionally hard. Being the library lover I am, I thought to look up books that touch on grief when I came across Hope Edelman's book.

I must say I was thoroughly comforted reading the honest words of someone else who felt the way I felt. Grief can sometimes be a not so pretty process. Hope approaches the topic with education but also humanity, sympathy and empathy. She states facts such as:

“...an estimated 10 to 15 percent of bereaved individuals will experience what is known as complicated grief, a state in which mourners' pain becomes so intense and so persistent that they can't resume daily functioning...”

While grief can vary from person to person, I think this book can be a great stepping stone to healing as it provides a safe space but also gives tips to help you along the way.

Check out The AfterGrief (available on Libby and in print)

Minna Dubin really lets it rip in this jarring review of motherhood. She says many of the things most moms experience, but are afraid to say out loud. Her hold nothing back approach made me fall instantly in love with her book.

While at points I laughed out loud, other points I couldn't stop nodding my head in agreement.

Dubin mixes her own personal accounts with facts and statistics to back up her claims and shows she is not just writing on emotion, but has thoroughly researched what she is sharing.

Mom Rage is an un-sugarcoated look at motherhood and the many many emotions that come into play mentally, with children but also family, and especially spouses. Bravo to Minna Dubin for her transparency and having the courage to share her deepest thoughts and saying what so many are thinking on a daily basis.

See more of Ashley's recs