A ranking of the best and the bummers in fiction in the years 2021, 2020, and 2019. Hey. I had some catching up to do.

4 / 5 Stars. Ugandan expulsion of Asian immigrants in 1972. Dramatic, personal, complex, and nostalgic.

2.5 / 5 Stars. YA sci-fi novel boasts an appropriate tone and humorous moments, but fails to sensitively depict its diverse characters.

James appears weary, put-upon, and done with my crap. Not really. James is one of the most gracious, patient people you will ever meet.

Brown’s commitment to give young adults a story with real meaning is exactly the lofty height to which all YA authors should aspire.