Joseline was born and raised in the Bay Area and has always had a love for books. She drinks way too much coffee. She never leaves the house without a book in her bag. And, you can always count on her to have hot sauce. She recently graduated from SFSU with a degree in Latina/o Studies.
She reads widely from children’s literature to epic fantasies to romance to poetry and everything in between. Some of her favorite authors include Silvia Moreno Garcia, Ocean Vuong, Leigh Bardugo, and Ottessa Moshfegh. When she is not working or has her nose in a book she loves to write, knit/crochet, and watch reruns of Friends.
“I was looking for a miracle, but I got a story instead, and sometimes those are the same thing.”
― Maggie Stiefvater, All the Crooked Saints
The Nature of Witches blew me away. I was immersed in the world from the very first page and I did not want to leave. We follow Clara an Everwitch whose magic is tied to all the seasons: Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring. The world’s climate begins to falter and become dangerously erratic. Clara is their only hope for survival. But she wants nothing to do with her magic.
Her magic kills. Her magic destroys. And she is going to put an end to it before anyone else gets hurt. Until Sang, a soft and kind Spring witch comes into her life and shows her that her magic is a gift rather than a curse. Clara is left with the biggest decision of her life. To embrace or to let her magic go?
An absolutely stunning debut with a raw beauty that overwhelmed me in the best possible way. Griffin has a magical way with words. This book is magic. If you love witches, nature, and sweet botanist boys that make your heart melt then this is a book you don’t want to miss.
Down Comes the Night is a haunting debut full of sorrow, loss, and love. Dark and atmospheric, this world demands to be felt in your bones. Every sentence propels you to flip page after page and immerse yourself in the visceral beauty of the world Saft created. This book is a story of healing, letting yourself love, and be loved. You won’t want to put this book down!
A dark, eerie, and gritty world that is wholly immersive and captivating. A cast of characters full of heart, strength, and resilience. Fable's journey in this unforgiving world will leave you breathless and wanting more.
Lobizona is a masterpiece. Weaving Argentinian culture with lush magic, the land of Septimus is full of secrets. Garber writes about the hardships of being "other" in America. Manu is longing for a place to call home yet her mere existence is illegal. A stunning, magical, and powerful story. --Joseline
Children of the Land opens up with ICE paying a visit to Hernandez's home. They are looking for his father that has already been deported years earlier. This scene encapsulates the immense fear immigrants carry with them everywhere they go. This book talks about the trauma of displacement, the dehumanizing immigration system, and what it truly means to be living the American Dream. --Joseline
This book absolutely destroyed me. I cried the ENTIRE time. It was beautifully written and such a haunting subject matter. It sheds the light of the current immigration crisis and the mass groups of people making the dangerous journey to America in order to provide a better life for themselves and their family.
I will be thinking about this book for the rest of my life. May we remember those lost souls searching for a better life. Que Dios los tenga en sus brazos. --Joseline
A rich story inspired by Bolivian culture and its politics. Full of beauty, loss, revolution, and hope. Ibañez writes characters you love with your whole heart. Don't read on an empty stomach or you'll want to eat the words off the page! --Joseline
This is the first horror book I've ever read. I get scared easily and boy this was SPOOKY. Totally worth any potential nightmares I will have.
The imagery, the writing, the characters, the atmosphere was GORGEOUS. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. Guillermo del Toro NEEDS to adapt this into a movie.
Brilliant. Scary. Atmospheric. Love, love, love it! --Joseline
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Eric Bittle, former figure skater & vlogger goes to Samwell University on a hockey scholarship even though he’s never played hockey before. What could go wrong?
He navigates his freshman and sophomore year at Samwell by trying not to get checked in the rink, baking a lot of pies, and trying not to get distracted by his very attractive yet moody captain Jack.
Whether you are a hockey fan or not, you will ABSOLUTELY fall in love with this graphic novel and all of the characters.
Being Mexican-American, this book is very special to me. I finally felt seen and heard through Sanchez’s voice.
It is a book about finding your identity when you come from two different worlds and you feel like you don’t belong in either.
A magical world set in 18th century Cairo full of djinns, princes, and thieves. This is an amazingly crafted world with unforgettable characters.
I did not want to put this book down and neither will you!
