The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure is a novel set during World War II. The main character, Lucien Bernard, is an architect in Paris. During this time, architects took any jobs they could get. Lucien receives a job from Monsieur Manet, who is successful and extremely wealthy. Manet asks him to design factories, but little does Lucien know that he will also be asked to design a hiding place for Jews.
Disclose by Joelle Charbonneau is a gripping science fiction thriller that revolves around the discovery of an extraterrestrial message hidden within human DNA. When a renowned geneticist named Jenna stumbles upon this encoded message, she becomes embroiled in a dangerous race against time, as various factions seek to control and interpret the message for their own agendas. As Jenna delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers dark secrets that challenge her understanding of humanity's origins and potential.
Words cannot truly communicate how I feel about this book. Hosseini did a fantastic job with this piece--so much so that I could not accept that it’s fiction. Largely taking place in Afghanistan, we see little Amir’s ups and downs in life--from his relationships with his father to the power dynamic between him and his family servant (aka his best friend). They frequently participated in the annual kite-flying tournaments--Amir was the kite flier while Hassan was the kite runner.
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black is a young adult urban fantasy novel set in a world where vampirism is real and dangerous. After a deadly vampire attack, Tana wakes up to find herself in a Coldtown, a quarantined city where vampires and infected humans coexist.
I just finished Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti, a mystery novel written in the style of four unique characters being interviewed by police about a disappearance that happened the night before. Maylee invited four friends into a spur-of-the-moment camping trip to a creek that is infamous for teenage girls disappearing in it. When Maylee breaks off from the group, the four teens left call the police and are called in for a witness interview.
Dry by Neal Shusterman is a young adult dystopian novel set in a near-future California ravaged by a severe drought. The story follows the journey of several teenagers and their families as society collapses due to the lack of water. Tensions rise, resources become scarce, and desperation drives people to extremes.
Sitlali is a girl in the modern day who wants to cross the border to the US after a gang leader gets interested in her. On the other hand, Calizto is a warrior in Tenochtitlan in the 1500s fighting against the Spanish to save his country. Both want to protect themselves and least want a romantic relationship that would do nothing for them. However, when they discover that the moon conch connects them from different eras, their ideas of love change.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman is a gripping young adult dystopian novel set in a future where death has been conquered, and society is governed by a group of individuals known as Scythes who are responsible for population control. Two teenagers, Citra and Rowan, are chosen as apprentices to a highly esteemed Scythe, but they must compete against each other to secure the position.
Parker is a 12 year old girl who has trouble staying quiet in public places. This causes her to often go on rants about random things; losing potential friends in the process. However, Parker not only has no friends, but is also bullied by Cassandra and her friend group. So naturally, when Parker discovers Camp Care, she sees the summer camp as a getaway from all her troubles. A fresh start, a chance to reinvent herself. Little does she know, her worst enemy Cassandra has been going to the same summer camp for years, and Parker is in the same cabin as her.
The protagonist of Concrete Rose is 17 year old Maverick (Mav) Carter, who is the son of a gang leader. His father being in prison, Mav wishes to fill his father’s shoes, as he desperately needs to provide for his family. Mav feels that the way he must do this is by dealing drugs, as that's exactly how his father had provided for their family. However, everything is quickly complicated when Mav finds out he’s a father. Mav struggles to tell his girlfriend Lisa, as the mother of the newborn is another girl.
