I will warn you in explaining why I like the characters I have to SPOIL THE BOOKS. If you have an issue with that please turn around now they are all great books and great characters again.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1)Jameela Mirza
In Hena Khan’s take on Little Women Jameela is the Jo like character. I particularly like her attitude when it comes to facing challenges. You can see there is a kernel of Jo’s personality in there but Jameela is all her own, Hena Khan as always does a great job working in faith and culture and how important it is to her characters and she did the same with Jameela. I think my favorite thing about Jameela is her interactions with her sisters.
(Jameela is I believe supposed to be pictured in the plaid shirt)
2)Molly Nathans
I like Molly because she is one of the best portrayals of OCD that I’ve read, she’s honest and her rituals mean a lot to her. There is a lot riding on other people not finding out about her rituals. This book is important for teens with OCD, it shows her not being able to keep up with her rituals and her eventual breakdown, it also shows her getting help and being supported by her family, therapists and friends. I think her story is important because there are a lot of teens with OCD who need to read that they aren’t alone.
3)Aventurine
I like Aventurine because she breaks traditions both human and dragon. She sets her own path in life plus her refusal to give up even after being turned down by the two best chocolate houses in town show her fighting spirt. Finally once she get to be family with The Chocolate Heart her fierce protection of it is admirable. Plus who doesn’t support someone whose main interest in life is chocolate?
(Aventurine is pictured on the cover)
4)Mimi Mackson
Do I like heroines obsessed with baking? Maybe, but Mimi is smart she see’s past a spell meant for her, rescues her family, and outsmarts an immortal being. The fact that she’s also an awesome baker, I mean that’s just props to her.
(Mimi is pictured on the front cover)
5)Mia Tang
Mia was strong in the first novel, Front Desk securing the Calavista motel from the corrupt Mr. Yang. But thing novel finds her digging deeper having to help her found family when they are nearly torn apart after a racist law and racist politician come up for Governor, Mia sticks to her values, and makes sure immigrants know they are welcome at the Calavisita and that’s what makes her one of the best female characters I’ve read this year.
6)Edie
I loved Edie journey to understand who she is and where she fits. She’s strong and even though she doesn’t understand exactly what is missing at the beginning of the book she still knows there is something about herself she can’t define. Once she finds out about her grandmother, she has questions for her family and who how she fits in. But she doesn’t back down, when she finally learns the truth about her family past she deals with tragic past in her own way and finds take in that past and blend it with family present to make a brighter future. She’s one of the most complex and well written characters I read this year so there was no question she’d make the list.
(Edie is pictured on the cover)
7)Lizzy Sherman
Lizzy may not make the best decisions, going into an abandoned house, having a girl live in her closet, but she has a good heart, at first she just wants the best for her mom and baby sibling, and eventually she wants the best for the girl she helps rescue too. She’s got a big heart even if she isn’t always thinking about her choices in advance and that’s why she makes the list.
(Lizzy is supposed to be up in the window playing with the cat)
8)Clover Martinez
Clover Martinez’s literal refusal to give up even when she thinks she’s the last person on earth, and her shaping the Area 51 group into a real team both show her leadship skill, her general awesomeness and refusal to give up also she goes one on one with an alien plane it’s super awesome, just like her.
Come back tomorrow to see who we picked out for 9 Lords a Leaping!
I’m going to put forward the fact that a lot of these books are good because they are cliffhangers. But some are good for different reasons because they are sweet or the problem gets resolved, I’ll explain why I like the ending with each one. So I will be spoiling endings as such SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!
1)Greystone Secrets #2: The Deceivers
Summary
This book is a mystery that will keep you guessing till the very end. After the first book, which I reviewed here both the Greystone kids and Natalie’s moms are trapped in the alternate world.
Everything in the other world is different, like a mirror image only darker, Evil. When their mother tried to fix an accidental kidnapping of kids with the same life details as the Greystone kids, a mix up that was caused by their mother trying to keep them safe. Their mother got trapped along with an ally, and Ms. Morales, Natalie’s mom.
Now the four kids must use all their skills from bravery to kindness to rescue everyone. But to pull of the rescue they have to go back to a world where telling the truth can be illegal and everything is done in code. Chess worries he’s not brave enough to face this other world and Emma wonders if she can crack the codes she needs to get them through this mess, and Finn, well he’s not sure if he can pretend to be okay.
As for Natalie it feels like they jumped to the past not another universe and the world contains some lies she wishes were true, but when faced with the truth will she know what to believe. The second book in this series doesn’t disappoint with the mysteries and the codes.
And examines the power of truth to twist the world.
Why I Liked the Ending:
Okay I need the third book right now. I love the ending because it was a great cliffhanger. You didn’t know who was evil until the end and secrets that were kept in the first book came to light and the fact that they are going back totally rocks! Can’t wait to read number 3!
Natalie’s mother is suffering from depression, and Natalie is suffering too because she doesn’t know how to fix her mom. She has ideas as to why all of this has happened. Her mom is (was) a botanist and got fired, sending her into her depressive state.
Natalie is angry at her dad for trying to pretend everything is okay, and even though she doesn’t want to admit it, she’s angry at her mom, because she feels like she wasn’t good enough, and that if her mom loved her she wouldn’t be depressed.
All this is set against the backdrop of Natalie’s seventh-grade science class. Natalie’s science teacher wants them to find a research question. When Natalie struggles he suggests that she enter an egg drop competition. Natalie is reluctant at first but realizes there is prize money attached and that this might be the solution to fix her mom.
Her mom’s botany work focused on miraculous Cobalt Blue Orchids–flowers that survive against impossible odds. The one they had at their house has died and Natalie is sure seeing the flowers will inspire her mom to want to be an active part of life again.
Natalie’s friend Twig is the first to sign onto the team, soon called Operation Egg, along with a new boy from India named Dari. With their help Natalie might just have a chance of winning the contest and helping her mom, but what happens when things fall apart like broken eggs?
Having friends around to pick up the piece help Natalie learns that talking about things can start her on a journey of healing and that with help. Her family might never put the pieces back the same way, but that they might slowly but surely begin to heal with or without the Cobalt Blue Orchid.
Why I Liked the Ending:
Natalie has been dancing around her mothers depression the whole book, she can’t get a straight answer from her dad. Even though her hunt for the rare flower was really a hunt to get her mom back she got to finally talk to her mom about her mental health in the end and the two managed to regain a bit of a connection.
3)Skyhunter
Summary
The central character is Talin, who is a refugee from another nation, she’s also a Striker. A member of an elite force of fighters. They are the last defense for the only nation that has managed to stay free from the the Federation: Mara.
Talin might not be exactly welcome in Mara but she knows first hand to horrors of the Federation, they are a war machine with technology way beyond anything the other nations have, they leave nation after nation at their feet and are the architects of a terrifying army of mutant beast known only as Ghosts.
But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front to Mara’s capital, Talin senses there is more to him than he’s letting on. He may be a spy, but she thinks he’s something else and is willing to go toe to toe with her fellow Strikers about it.
But only one thing is clear the Federation is coming for a fight, and Talin is ready to fight to the death alongside her fellow Strikers. But will this new prisoner be the key in saving them all? Or destroying them?
Why I Liked the Ending:
Another cliffhanger that left me literally googling the release date for the next book the minute I finished spoiler alert it’s still like 10 months away. But seriously the cliffhanger was killer, killer.
4)Three Keys
Summary
Mia thinks she’s going to have the best year ever. She and her parents are finally out from under the thumb of the controlling Mr. Yao and get to run the Calivista Motel the way they see fit, which includes helping out immigrants.
She also gets to run the front desk with her best friend Lupe, and she’s finally getting somewhere with her writing. But sixth grade it turns out isn’t exactly what she expected. It’s an election year and her teacher openly supports the anti-immigrant candidate who is running to the point she asks them to write about things like why immigration is bad.
Plus the teacher doesn’t think her writing is all that great, and unlike her teacher last year she finds herself receiving Cs instead of the As she thinks she rightly deserves.
But school isn’t Mia’s only problem, she’s a businesswoman too and the motel is struggling, in part because they are helping immigrants. The investors are threatening to pull back and sell their shares if Mia doesn’t do something, but Mia doesn’t want to give up on her values.
Especially with a new immigration law that is looming that if it passes will threaten the everything and everyone in Mia’s life.
5) Measuring Up
Summary
Twelve year old Cici loved her life back in Taiwan, especially the time she spent with her grandmother, or A-má. But when her family moves to Seattle so she can have better opportunities she has to leave her grandmother and friend behind.
It’s difficult and she has the usual problems fitting in at school, she quickly makes friends. Though she’s not sure how much of her Taiwanese life to show them.
Now she only needs one thing to make her happy being with her A-má on her seventieth birthday. It doesn’t seem possible. It’s too much money for them all to visit her, but Cici cooks up a plan to bring A-má to her by winning the grand prize in a kids’ cooking contest to pay for A-má’s plane ticket! There is just one problem Cici only knows how to cook the Taiwanese food she learned with her grandmother.
But after her pickled cucumber is mocked at lunch she is determinted to learn to cook the American way by channeling her inner Juila Child? Through cooking can Cici find a winning recipe to reunite A-má, while also showing both sides of her new self.
This is Lily LaMotte’s debut graphic novel.
Illustrator An Xu an Ignatz-nominated cartoonist and illustrator working in Baltimore.
Why I Liked the Ending:
Because it showed the importance of not giving up, I also loved seeing the friendship between the two girls and the mixing of the cultures.
6) The Henna Wars
TW: Being Outed
Nishat was ready to come out to her family, or so she though, she wasn’t ready however for being iced out, being barely spoken to or being spoken about. She want to keep her family but she doesn’t want to hide who she is, and if the thought things were a problem when she was a lesbian theoretically. When childhood best friend Flávia walks back into her life and her school she falls for her instantly.
But things seem to get all tangled up, especially when Flávia and Nishat both decide to compete to showcase their talents as henna artists in a school competition to make your own business. Nishat calls cultural appropriation, Flávia doesn’t buy it. It doesn’t help that Flávia cousin is Nishat’s arch rival who has made fun of her for years.
But even as they claim to hate each other they can’t seem to break their connection. And when someone outs Nishat and Flávia each must make their own choices about whether their potential relationship will work out or whether they will let things fade to rumors.
Will Nishat go back in the closet to please her family, will Flávia fight for the girl she likes?
Why I Liked the Ending:
Cute ending where the girl gets the girl and her family is supportive, come on you all, this had to make the list.
My favorite pair was Red and Talin from Skyhunter. Of course some of her fellow Strikers were great pairs too so they get an honorable mention. For those of you who haven’t read Skyhunter,
Skyhunter
So I’ve never been able to get interested in any of Marie Lu’s other books. Nothing against her the plots just never spoke to me. Skyhunter made up for it.
Summary
The central character is Talin, who is a refugee from another nation, she’s also a Striker. A member of an elite force of fighters. They are the last defense for the only nation that has managed to stay free from the the Federation: Mara.
Talin might not be exactly welcome in Mara but she knows first hand to horrors of the Federation, they are a war machine with technology way beyond anything the other nations have, they leave nation after nation at their feet and are the architects of a terrifying army of mutant beast known only as Ghosts.
But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front to Mara’s capital, Talin senses there is more to him than he’s letting on. He may be a spy, but she thinks he’s something else and is willing to go toe to toe with her fellow Strikers about it.
But only one thing is clear the Federation is coming for a fight, and Talin is ready to fight to the death alongside her fellow Strikers. But will this new prisoner be the key in saving them all? Or destroying them?
Review
So I’ve found that a lot of authors in general have a hard time writing male leads I actually give a damn about. I give a damn about what happens to the male lead here. She also does a great job with the men in Talin’s Striker group. Really Lu makes sure I care about everyone. And when it’s time to hate people, and believe me there is plenty to go around she make it so I hate who I’m supposed to, but I have complex emotions about everyone and that’s just really good writing.
I really like a lot of the characters in the book especially Talin’s mother. How the issue of PTSD is dealt with is masterful as well.
To give the book anything less than 5 stars would be a crime, sequel now please.
I’ve been in some mysterious pain which has slowed me down a bit reading wise. But I’m still doing the best I can to make it to 75 before the end of the year. Here are some of my picks for end of November into December.
1)
Summary
Gelya is a Vessel, a girl who channels the word of the One True God through song. Cloistered with the other Vessels of her faith, she believes—as all Ovinists do—that a saint imprisoned Elath the Great Demon centuries ago, saving humanity from earthly temptation.
When Gelya stumbles into a deadly cover-up by the Ovinists’ military, she reluctantly teams up with Tavik, an enemy soldier, to survive. Tavik believes that Elath is actually a mother goddess who must be set free, but while he succeeds in opening Her prison, he inadvertently turns Gelya into Elath’s unwilling human vessel.
Now the church that raised Gelya considers her a threat. In a race against the clock, she and Tavik must find a way to exorcise Elath’s presence from her body. But will this release stop the countdown to the end of the world, or will it be the cause of the earth’s destruction?
And as Tavik and Gelya grow closer, another question lingers between them: What will become of Gelya?
Notes
So I’m about half way through this book and it’s super interesting I love the way the different interpretation of faiths is desplayed and how they are fighting. I also really like Gelya as a character, she’s a perfect introduction to the world having spent her whole life in a convent. Tavik is too but in a different way beacause I feel like he’s spent his whole life doing something that hasn’t really given him time to see the world.
I’d like to learn more about Gelya’s background hopefully this book covers it, if not I hope there is more than one book. I’d also like to say I like the interaction between Tavik and Gelya. I’m not a fan of romance and while they hit at the edges of being romancey mostly they just show a good friendship.
2)Ghost Squad
Summary
Shortly before Halloween, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, cast a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits, wreaking havoc throughout St. Augustine. Together, they must join forces with Syd’s witch grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town and Lucely’s firefly spirits before it’s too late.
With the family dynamics of Coco and action-packed adventure of Ghostbusters, Claribel A. Ortega delivers both a thrillingly spooky and delightfully sweet debut novel.
Notes
I’ve actually seen Claribel A. Ortega speak twice about the book it’s just been idling on my TBR. Now is the time to get to it.
3)The Dragon Warrior
Summary
As a member of the Jade Society, twelve-year-old Faryn Liu dreams of honoring her family and the gods by becoming a warrior. But the Society has shunned Faryn and her brother Alex ever since their father disappeared years ago, forcing them to train in secret.
Then, during an errand into San Francisco, Faryn stumbles into a battle with a demon–and helps defeat it. She just might be the fabled Heaven Breaker, a powerful warrior meant to work for the all-mighty deity, the Jade Emperor, by commanding an army of dragons to defeat the demons. That is, if she can prove her worth and find the island of the immortals before the Lunar New Year.
With Alex and other unlikely allies at her side, Faryn sets off on a daring quest across Chinatowns. But becoming the Heaven Breaker will require more sacrifices than she first realized. . . What will Faryn be willing to give up to claim her destiny?
Notes
I really like Faryn as a hero so far, there have also been some scenes that made me tear up already. I’m maybe a third of the way through, I can’t wait to see where this goes or where the sequel is going. I also love the way the gods just show up randomly as they like it, I know it’s Chinese New Year so they have extra power, but the scene where the one god just showed up at the table during the big dinner to announce the Heaven Breaker was one of my favorites.
4) This is Not a Ghost Story
Summary
I am not welcome. Somehow I know that. Something doesn’t want me here.
Daffodil Franklin has plans for a quiet summer before her freshman year at college, and luckily, she’s found the job that can give her just that: housesitting a mansionfor a wealthy couple.
But as the summer progresses and shadows lengthen, Daffodil comes to realize the house is more than it appears. The spacious home seems to close in on her, and as she takes the long road into town, she feels eyes on her the entire way, and something tugging her back.
What Daffodil doesn’t yet realize is that her job comes with a steep price. The house has a long-ago grudge it needs to settle . . . and Daffodil is the key to settling it.
Notes
This creepy book has a unique voice that draws me in especially after watching the Haunting of Bly Manor earlier in the year. Also don’t read this book if you want a reliable narrator, to be exactly sure what happened or like linear narratives. The book is perfect for me as I like fiction with none of those things, but it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Is Daffodil crazy is the house messing with her, do we know? Whose real? What’s real? All questions the book is still examining about halfway in.
5) Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices
Summary
Once Upon an Eid is a collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid! Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology will also include a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations.
The full list of Once Upon an Eid contributors include: G. Willow Wilson (Alif the Unseen, Ms. Marvel), Hena Khan (Amina’s Voice, Under My Hijab), N. H. Senzai (Shooting Kabul, Escape from Aleppo), Hanna Alkaf (The Weight of Our Sky), Rukhsana Khan (Big Red Lollipop), Randa Abdel-Fattah (Does My Head Look Big in This?), Ashley Franklin (Not Quite Snow White), Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (Mommy’s Khimar), Candice Montgomery (Home and Away, By Any Means Necessary), Huda Al-Marashi (First Comes Marriage), Ayesha Mattu, Asmaa Hussein, and Sara Alfageeh.
Notes
Oh my goodness this book! You would think with stories so diverse I couldn’t like them all, but somehow I’ve liked every single one I’ve read. It’s the sweetest book I’ve read recently, this book tells the story of all kinds of Muslims from newly converted to refugees, to some with different family situations. Each story is a little gem of happiness, even if their is sadness they are right to sum it up with the word joy. A beautiful work so far, I’m about halfway through and I can wait to keep reading.
Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy (The Chronicles of Never After, 1)
North Pasadena, is the perfect town. The sun shines every day, the grass is always the perfect green, there even isn’t any bullying at Filomena Jefferson-Cho progressive school. Still she feels a little down an out about her sleepy suburban town. Until one day when she is walking home something strange happens.
Filomena is being followed by a character from her favorite book series, Jack Stalker. He’s one of the heroes in the Thirteenth Fairy series, a book series that Filomena loves about a brave girl with her ragtag group of friends who save the world from an evil enchantress.
Filomena figures she must be dreaming or something, but Jack insists he’s real and he also needs Filomena to follow him at once. Filomena soon finds herself in a magical world of evil fairies and and beautiful princesses. But Filomena must find the truth behind the fairy tales if she wants to save herself and the kingdom of Westphalia from an evil queen and her armies.
MELISSA DE LA CRUZ is the #1 New York Times,#1 Publisher’s Weekly and #1 Indie Bound bestselling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for readers of all ages, and edited the inspiring anthology of true stories, Because I Was a Girl. She grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. At Columbia University, she majored in art history and English. Melissa de la Cruz lives in West Hollywood with her husband and daughter.
Zima’s wolf family has long feared humans–especially witches–but when her family is threatened Zima must seek the help of the infamous Baba Yaga.
But Baba Yaga’s help never comes for free, and it just so happens she need a wolf keen nose for the plan she’s brewing. Before Zima knows what’s happened the witch has cast a body switching spell and run off into the wood in her body, leaving her in Baba Yaga’s.
Just as Zima’s getting this all sorted out a young village girl named Nadya is also seeking Baba Yaga’s help, and when she meet Zima (as Baba Yaga) the two realize they have a common enemy. But with danger closing in Zima must unite the wolves, the witches and the villagers against an evil that seeks to threaten them all.
Karah Sutton has loved Baba Yaga, ballet, and blini ever since she had to do a research project on her Russian heritage in the third grade. Her hunger for adventure inspired her to move from Kentucky to New Zealand, where it was rumored she would find talking trees and the occasional wood elf. Karah spent four years as a bookseller before she turned to writing her own fiction. A Wolf For a A Spell is her first novel.
Visit her online at KarahSutton.com or follow her on Twitter @Karahdactyl
Pauliina Hannuniemi is a Finnish illustrator with her Bachelor of Arts from Metropolia UoAS. This is her first book.
Eleven-year-old Thom Ngho just wants to fit in at her middle school. It’s kind of hard to do that when you’re keeping a secret. Thom secret is big she’s strong like super duper strong. Freakishly strong.
Soon Thom finds herself swept up in an ancient and fantastical world of demon and dragons. But magic can’t cure everything and when she tries to make a deal with the trickster god the Monkey King to get rid of her super strength, she might realize she’s in over her head.
Van Hoang earned her bachelor’s degree in English at the University of New Mexico and her master’s in Library Information Science at San Jose State University. Girl Giant and the Monkey King was her debut novel. She was born in Vietnam, grew in up Orange County, California, and now resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two dogs.
So I hit my goal for Year of the Asian Readathon. I’d signed up for lowest tier which was the cute little Philippine tarsier which represented reading 1-10 books by Asian authors. I didn’t think I’d get there since I was so far from hitting the goal last year but I did a really good job of focusing on Asian author among other diverse authors this year.
I’m already on the next level which is the awesome Indian cobra it represents 11-20 books, not sure I’ll get past this level considering how much of the year we have left but I’ll try.
The Books
Here are some of the books I read to get to my goal.
Skyhunter
So I’ve never been able to get interested in any of Marie Lu’s other books. Nothing against her the plots just never spoke to me. Skyhunter made up for it.
Summary
The central character is Talin, who is a refugee from another nation, she’s also a Striker. A member of an elite force of fighters. They are the last defense for the only nation that has managed to stay free from the the Federation: Mara.
Talin might not be exactly welcome in Mara but she knows first hand to horrors of the Federation, they are a war machine with technology way beyond anything the other nations have, they leave nation after nation at their feet and are the architects of a terrifying army of mutant beast known only as Ghosts.
But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front to Mara’s capital, Talin senses there is more to him than he’s letting on. He may be a spy, but she thinks he’s something else and is willing to go toe to toe with her fellow Strikers about it.
But only one thing is clear the Federation is coming for a fight, and Talin is ready to fight to the death alongside her fellow Strikers. But will this new prisoner be the key in saving them all? Or destroying them?
Twelve year old Cici loved her life back in Taiwan, especially the time she spent with her grandmother, or A-má. But when her family moves to Seattle so she can have better opportunities she has to leave her grandmother and friends behind.
It’s difficult and she has the usual problems fitting in at school, she quickly makes friends. Though she’s not sure how much of her Taiwanese life to show them.
Now she only needs one thing to make her happy being with her A-má on her seventieth birthday. It doesn’t seem possible. It’s too much money for them all to visit her, but Cici cooks up a plan to bring A-má to her by winning the grand prize in a kids’ cooking contest to pay for A-má’s plane ticket! There is just one problem Cici only knows how to cook the Taiwanese food she learned with her grandmother.
But after her pickled cucumber is mocked at lunch she is determined to learn to cook the American way by channeling her inner Julia Child? Through cooking can Cici find a winning recipe to reunite A-má, while also showing both sides of her new self.
This is Lily LaMotte’s debut graphic novel.
Illustrator An Xu an Ignatz-nominated cartoonist and illustrator working in Baltimore.
So it would be fair to say that I loved Front Deskby Kelly Yang. This book would get 6 stars if I could give them out, it has the heart, importance, and love of Front Desk like times a million and its issues are timely with the world today. It’s going to be one of my favorite books of the year I can already tell, another feat of brilliance by Kelly Yang.
Summary
Mia thinks she’s going to have the best year ever. She and her parents are finally out from under the thumb of the controlling Mr. Yao and get to run the Calivista Motel the way they see fit, which includes helping out immigrants.
She also gets to run the front desk with her best friend Lupe, and she’s finally getting somewhere with her writing. But sixth grade it turns out isn’t exactly what she expected. It’s an election year and her teacher openly supports the anti-immigrant candidate who is running to the point she asks them to write about things like why immigration is bad.
Plus the teacher doesn’t think her writing is all that great, and unlike her teacher last year she finds herself receiving Cs instead of the As she thinks she rightly deserves.
But school isn’t Mia’s only problem, she’s a businesswoman too and the motel is struggling, in part because they are helping immigrants. The investors are threatening to pull back and sell their shares if Mia doesn’t do something, but Mia doesn’t want to give up on her values.
Especially with a new immigration law that is looming that if it passes will threaten the everything and everyone in Mia’s life.
So I’ve never been able to get interested in any of Marie Lu’s other books. Nothing against her the plots just never spoke to me. Skyhunter made up for it.
Summary
The central character is Talin, who is a refugee from another nation, she’s also a Striker. A member of an elite force of fighters. They are the last defense for the only nation that has managed to stay free from the the Federation: Mara.
Talin might not be exactly welcome in Mara but she knows first hand to horrors of the Federation, they are a war machine with technology way beyond anything the other nations have, they leave nation after nation at their feet and are the architects of a terrifying army of mutant beast known only as Ghosts.
But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front to Mara’s capital, Talin senses there is more to him than he’s letting on. He may be a spy, but she thinks he’s something else and is willing to go toe to toe with her fellow Strikers about it.
But only one thing is clear the Federation is coming for a fight, and Talin is ready to fight to the death alongside her fellow Strikers. But will this new prisoner be the key in saving them all? Or destroying them?
Review
So I’ve found that a lot of authors in general have a hard time writing male leads I actually give a damn about. I give a damn about what happens to the male lead here. She also does a great job with the men in Talin’s Striker group. Really Lu makes sure I care about everyone. And when it’s time to hate people, and believe me there is plenty to go around she make it so I hate who I’m supposed to, but I have complex emotions about everyone and that’s just really good writing.
I really like a lot of the characters in the book especially Talin’s mother. How the issue of PTSD is dealt with is masterful as well.
To give the book anything less than 5 stars would be a crime, sequel now please.
Twelve year old Cici loved her life back in Taiwan, especially the time she spent with her grandmother, or A-má. But when her family moves to Seattle so she can have better opportunities she has to leave her grandmother and friend behind.
It’s difficult and she has the usual problems fitting in at school, she quickly makes friends. Though she’s not sure how much of her Taiwanese life to show them.
Now she only needs one thing to make her happy being with her A-má on her seventieth birthday. It doesn’t seem possible. It’s too much money for them all to visit her, but Cici cooks up a plan to bring A-má to her by winning the grand prize in a kids’ cooking contest to pay for A-má’s plane ticket! There is just one problem Cici only knows how to cook the Taiwanese food she learned with her grandmother.
But after her pickled cucumber is mocked at lunch she is determinted to learn to cook the American way by channeling her inner Juila Child? Through cooking can Cici find a winning recipe to reunite A-má, while also showing both sides of her new self.
This is Lily LaMotte’s debut graphic novel.
Illustrator An Xu an Ignatz-nominated cartoonist and illustrator working in Baltimore.
Review
Because I’m a very amature baker I love books about food and this one brought the recipes to life. I also loved the friendship Cici has with someone in the competition and how food was used as bridge between her old life in Taiwan and her new life in American.
I also loved the result when the judges mocked Cici’s final meal then tasted it. Another favorite scene of mine is when she finally brought her friends to her house.
Overall this is just a sweet book with an important message about culture. Whether it’s the fact that American often lump cultures together or the struggle of immigrants to find to right mix of being their home culture and “American” this book covers it with a deft hand while still making a sweet story.
Now we’ve established I’m not the hugest reader of Young Adult but some of these look really good. Also the Factory Witches of Lowell has a super cheap pre-order making it almost a crime not to buy.
The Factory Witches of Lowell
Seriously, it’s a book about maybe queer witches and class warfare, sign me up.
They’ve got abominable working conditions, unsympathetic mill owners and hard hearted managers. The mill girls at Lowell know when enough is enough. They are going on strike, but with everything against them they may have to rely on their secret weapon: a little bit of witchcraft to be sure no one leave the picket line.
The women of Lowell, Massachusetts aren’t asking for much. They just want their freedom, in the form of fair wages, decent room and board. And a chance to escape the cotton mills before the lint clogs their lungs, but when Boston owners decide to raise the worker’s rent.
The girls go on strike. Their ringleader is Judith Whittier, she may be new to Lowell but she’s no stranger to the picket line and the class warfare that goes with it. She’s already seen one strike fold and she’s intent to never see one fold again. Fortunately her best friend-and maybe first love?-Hannah has a gift for the dying art of witchcraft.
I’m in no way affiliated with the book or author but seriously the Kindle is like$4
The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling
Anna Chiu got a lot on her plate and that’s not just because she help’s out at her father’s restaurant. When she’s not helping there she’s looking after her brother and sister or her mother whose debilitabing mental illness making it impossible for her to get out of bed.
When she meet her father’s new delivery boy Rory, he is a welcome distraction and a look into what being a normal teen could be like, even though she knows truly that things aren’t right at home. But when her mother finally does get out of bed and her condition worsens Anna and her family question everything they understand about themselves and each other.
Themes of culture, mental illness and family are balanced with a sweet romance. For a feel good read with and important message.
The Surprising Power of a Good Dumping will be released November 10th
Soulswift
In Gelya world she is a Vessel, a girl who channels the word of the One True God through song. She lives cloisted with other vessels of her faith, and she believes, —as all Ovinists do—that the world was saved when a saint imprisoned Elath the Great Demon centuries ago, saving humanity from earthly temptation.
But things are never that simple and when Gelya stumbles into a deadly cover-up by the Ovinist’s military she find herself reluctantly teamed up with Tavik, an enemy solider to survive. Tavik, belives Elath is actually a mother goddess who must be set free, but while he manages to open her prison he accidently turns Gelya into Elath unwilling human vessel.
Now the Ovinists are after them and they are in a race against the clock, she and Tavik must find a way to exorcise Elath’s presence from her body. A lot is on the line, but they aren’t sure what. If they are successful will they stop the countdown to the end of the world, or will they be the cause of the earth’s destruction.
Finally as Tavik and Gelya spend more time together another question remains, once Elath is exocised what will become of Gelya?
I still working diligently towards my goal for Year of the Asian Reading Challenge. My original goal was 10 books I’m at 6 at the moment and working on two at the current moment so I think I should at least hit my goal and hopefully surpass it. For this I went with classic picture book The Name Jar. Although publish in 2001 it still remains relevant plus it a cute story about identity and choosing to be yourself under pressure.
The Name Jar
Summary
Though the book is older it deals with the timeless challenge that immigrant children coming to America face. After all being the new kid is hard enough, what about when no one can pronouce your name.
Just having moved from Korea Unhei is just anxious that the American kids will like her so when it comes time to introduce herself on the first day she tells the class she will choose a name by the following week. The class is fasinated by the girl with no name and decide to help her with suggestions by filling a glass jar with names to pick from.
But while Unhei tries on all these names, none of them quite feel right. Meanwhile she runs into one of her classmates in her neighborhood and he discovers her name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing the jar has mysteriously disappeared.
Encouraged by her new friend Unhei chooses her own Korean and helps everyone pronouce it Yoon-Hey.
Review
This held up very well for being an older book. I also love the connection that Unhei has with her grandmother and the use of name stamps. I’d have to compare it with other children’s books from the time but her friends encourage Unhei’s agency in a way that you see now but I’m not sure if so much so back then. Worth looking into.
I’m going to give it a four out five just because it’s aged a little.
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