What if the grand story of the Odyssey was written from the perspective of his wife, Penelope who was left for twenty-one years? The Penelopiad is a heart-wrenching tale showing the actual truth. The truth that was hidden away to keep the glorious and heroic Odysseus in the spotlight. Songs and backstories scattered throughout the book telling a deeper meaning than what The Odyssey ever showed to its audience.
Life for an Irish girl changes after she is taken by her father to live with unfamiliar relatives– the Kinsella’s. Unaccustomed to the feeling of love and affection, she learns what a real family is all about with her relatives. Growing closer and closer each day of staying there, the little girl slowly becomes attached to what she now calls her real family.
The Mill House Murders is about a masked man who, after a tragic accident, lives in a secluded house with his wife, the butler, and the housekeeper. Once a year, four other people are allowed to enter the house- an art dealer, a professor, a director of a hospital, and a priest at the masked man's family temple. In 1985, one man is murdered, another disappears, and a priceless painting is stolen. The police close the case, but it doesn’t add up.
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall is a captivating tale set in a fantasy world where a young gender-fluid pirate named Flora rescues a captive mermaid, Evelyn, from a cruel imperial ship. As they navigate the treacherous seas together, their fates become entwined with a secretive witch, the mysterious Lady Blaine, who has her own agenda.
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, is set in a utopian society where humans are bred to belong to different classes. The highest class is Alphas, which are bred to be the most intelligent and good-looking members of society, while lowly Epsilons are made for labor. Life in this society is only about pleasure without any deeper meaning. Soma is used to keep those in this society happy and passive.
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is the story of Victor Frankenstein and the creation of his monster. Victor Frankenstein is an obsessive scientist who dedicates himself to creating life. When his plan succeeds, it sends Victor and the monster he created down a path of violence that endangers not only Victor, but his family and friends.
After almost no progress for two years and nine months, Ophelia finally is able to track Thorn’s trail on the ark of modernity, Babel. With the help of her friends, Gail, Fox, and Archibald, Ophelia reaches Babel under the false name of Eulalia. As she meets the ark of the twins, Pollux and Helen, Ophelia enrolls at the conservatory of the Good Family with the aid of Ambrose, a young ecstatic boy, in order to find Thorn and discover who God really is.
The Missing of Clairdelune is the second installment of The Mirror Visitor, right after A Winter’s Promise. Ophelia visits the Court of Farouk, a family spirit with immense power, for protection of her family in exchange for reading Farouk’s ancient Book. However, there seems to be a misunderstanding as she is later appointed Vice-Storyteller.
Starfish by Lisa Fipps is about a girl named Ellie who is in 6th grade and is getting bullied by the kids at school because she is obese. At home her mom is her biggest bully. She verbally abuses Ellie and says that she is too big and needs to lose weight, so now Ellie feels like she needs to lose weight for her mom to love her again. Ellie's mom also forces Ellie to try a new diet every week so that she loses weight.
Monique, a journalist is recruited to interview the famous actress, Evelyn Hugo, for an auction. When Monique goes to interview Evelyn, she learns that she is actually going to interview Evelyn to write Evelyn’s biography. Monique hears Evelyn’s story from the beginning to the end and learns about her glamorous, secretive, and shocking life including the stories behind Evelyn’s seven husbands and Evelyn’s actual paramour. After learning about the secrets that Evelyn has kept from society, Monique learns that her life is connected to Evelyn’s as well.
