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Not unlike Disney's "Mulan", Rain, daughter of a Neshu grandmaster and a Neshu fighter herself, is unwilling to let her twin brother and father leave to fight in the war. Especially because when she'd been little, she and her brother had fallen sick, and Rain was accidentally given the medicine reserved for the family's only son- leaving her brother with slight cognitive scars. Certain that her brother won't return from the battlefield, Rain disguises herself as a man and goes in his place, making every move to remain undiscovered including taking a powder to hide her monthly bleed. Many...

Jay Reguero, a Filipino-American high-school senior, is living a comfortably mundane life in Michigan. When he learns of his cousin and childhood best friend Jun's murder as a part of Duterre's drug war, regret and a thirst for truth propels him to travel to Manila to discover the truth of Jun’s suspicious death. This poignantly written novel about identity, loss, and heritage will touch hearts everywhere - a must-read for any age!

As one of the "hyphenated" (Peruvian-American), this book touched my heart. The guilt the main protagonist feels for his comfortable life in America and...

The Woman Upstairs

Claire Messud

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4

Rated by

Lisa A.

“Nobody would know me from my own description of myself; which is why, when called upon (rarely, I grant) to provide an account, I tailor it, I adapt, I try to provide an outline that can, in some way, correlate to the outline that people understand me to have -- that, I suppose, I actually have, at this point. But who I am in my head, very few people really get to see that. Almost none. It's the most precious gift I can give, to bring her out of hiding.”

After Beverly's dog runs away she knows that she needs to leave, to get away from her drunk mother, her kind friends, and her dead dog. She doesn't know where she's going, but when she gets to a crooked little house by a crooked little sea, Beverly knows it is where she is going to stay, even if she won't admit it to herself. Beverly wants to keep to herself, but who knows if she will be able to keep away from the people who want to befriend her. The kindness inside of the book that is shown by all of the characters is super compelling. Although there is enough conflict to make the plot,...

A shooting in Portland mall leads to several teenagers being trapped with only 3 means of potential survival: they may run, hide, or fight back. However, they all are guarding big secrets, and tensions in the group run very high. They all must be willing to put their differences aside and work together against the odds if they want to stay alive. The cover did a very good job of capturing my attention, and reflected the overall fear the characters felt very well. The multiple perspectives in the book are really fascinating, so you can see into the different characters mindsets, which makes...

This is top-notch science fiction--it takes today's scientific advancements and speculates how they might play out in the future, considering legal, ethical, and practical ramifications along the way. The book does this over the course of six lightly connected stories, each progressively further in the future. The topic is gene editing and body modification.

Three Women

Lisa Taddeo

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4

Rated by

Lisa A.

I have feelings about this book. It’s graphic. Sometimes maybe too much so, though it bothers me I would say that. The subject is clear: female desire. But in truth, there’s nothing clear about desire. We want what we want—or don’t—for reasons we sometimes don’t know, for reasons that stem from harmful situations or events. I guess what I’m saying is that it’s complicated—desire is complicated, sex is complicated, and the implications of sex and how sex affects us throughout our lives is complicated.

The Assassins of Tamurin

S. D. Tower

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4

Rated by

Anne G

The Assassins of Tamurin is on my top ten favorite adult books for young adults list. I read this Asian-influenced fantasy for the first time nearly 15 years ago, and I have probably read it at least that many times since. The Canadian author made me fall in love with the characters, even the characters I think I hate. Everyone in this fantasy fiction is detailed, alive, and real.

The Secret History

Donna Tartt

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3

Rated by

Megan K.

Donna Tartt has been on my radar for quite awhile, and I finally picked up The Secret History at the recommendation of multiple coworkers. To be honest, I finished this novel over a week ago, and I am still unsure how I feel. I was unimpressed with much of the book, but something about it is still stuck in the back of my brain. The entire book is a psychological analysis of the six main characters before and after murdering their friend.

Just Ella

Margaret Peterson Haddix

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4

Rated by

Anne G

“Why did everyone like that story so much when it wasn’t true? Why was everyone so eager to believe it? Was it because, in real life, ever after’s generally stink?”