Oscar Hokeah’s debut novel welcomes the reader into the life and community of Ever, a Kiowa-Cherokee-Mexican boy growing up in a native community in Oklahoma. Told from the perspective of several family members; each voice is authentic and unique. Powerful, gritty storytelling. As a reader, I honor this book and look forward to sharing it. …
This was bonkers in the best way possible. After not getting accepted to her dream college, “perfect Perla Perez” devises a plan to change their mind before her parents find out. Of course, it involves lying to them and everyone else she knows that she did get accepted, that she is living in the dorms, …
This has become one of my favorite books! The characters are so vivid and compelling, it’s impossible not to cheer for e and year from their succcess and happiness. The narrative surprised me in delightful ways, and I was swept along through the nuanced exploration of tradition and what it means to be strong. –Mikah, …
Here is Oliva Matthews’s Against the Currant, a Spice Island Bakery Mystery. It’s got a West Indian bakery, an earnest baker who has everything she’s ever wanted, and a disgruntled rival who seems likely end up in some sort of romantic entanglement—except he turns up dead before any smooching can happen. Well, that’s awkward. We …
Justina Ireland caught my attention with a duology set in an alternate history where the Civil War ended early… due to the dead rising from their graves after Gettysburg. It shouldn’t have worked. Hell, I’ve been tired of zombies (and their myriad knockoffs) for years and I went in with a jaundiced eye. But Ireland …
We loved Stacey Abrams’ first kids book (Stacey’s Extraordinary Words), and the second one is just as wonderful! –Beach Books, Seaside, OR Share the magic of books all year round with choices from Beach Books and other independent bookstores.
What happens when inner-city kids suddenly awaken with a unique supernatural ability? Will they be able to elevate their people in the social hierarchy, protect each other from power-hungry moguls, and successfully navigate their evolving identities? I don’t know, because this is the beginning of what seems a very intricate plot and very interesting characters. …
Ford is a graceful, empathetic storyteller, and he is at his best here. This tale is loosely based on a real Chinese woman who came to the US in the mid-1800s and was briefly popular on stage, where audiences cheered her on as an exotic novelty. It was not a happy life. Across generations and …
A short but lingering novel… Elisa Shua Dusapin’s debut novel is ripe with atmosphere and a haunting sense of liminality. A young woman living in the tourist town of Sokcho befriends the enigmatic French graphic novelist who visits unconventionally in the dead of winter. She hopes to show him Sokcho’s barren truth, but finds herself …
Vampires were wiped out twenty years ago in the Reaping…or were they? Readers ages 8-12 (who aren’t afraid of monsters or the dark) will LOVE this hilarious and spooky story of four kids navigating a terrifying world– many of the book’s themes reminded me of life during lockdown. Recommended for readers ages 8-12. –Becky, Secret …
