Category Archives: Fiction

Coral by Sarah Ella

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The book Coral, by Sarah Ella, is an emotionally heart-wrenching story about a girl, a boy, and a mermaid. The girl, Brook, has extreme depression and anxiety. She is put in a facility to help her cope with it, though she doesn’t think it will help. She isn’t planning on staying long anyway, she wants to kill herself. The boy, Merrick, has a hard time with his father, the owner of a very successful company in San Francisco. His father is controlling and is too hard on Merrick and mean to his little sister, Amaya, and his mother. When Amaya tries to kill herself, Merrick feels it’s his father’s fault. He feels like he isn’t in control of his own life. The mermaid, Coral, is different than everyone else around her because she has the Disease. The Disease is emotions. Mermaids are supposed to be soulless creatures who kill sailors. She stands out in a society where blending in is vital. She feels even more alone when her oldest sister, the only one who really understands her, is at risk of being taken away by the Red Tide. When all three meet, they must save each other in order to truly understand themselves. Merrick must talk Brooke off the ledge. Brooke must help Coral see that she is not alone in the world. Coral must help Merrick understand that his father might not be the problem.

I really liked this book a lot. I thought the view that the author took on mental illness was really interesting and made it easier to understand. There was a quote in the book that I couldn’t find but it was along the lines of; you wouldn’t tell a cancer patient to just get over it, so why do people tell this to people with mental illnesses? I have firsthand experience with this because I have anxiety and depression and I have been told to “get over it”. It really helps to have a good support system of family and friends who you can rely on to be there for you and help you through the hard stuff. Brooke feels very alone until she meets Hope who helps her by reminding her that “You are not nothing, and neither am I”.

Coral, by Sarah Ella, is magnificent and definitely tear-inducing. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a mental illness or wants to learn more about what it’s like to live with mental illness every day. I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes an emotional love story, and mermaids.

One of Us is Next by Karen McManus

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I went into One of Us is Next with high hopes, but still, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I liked One of Us is Lying (book one). In the end, I think that I liked the sequel even better thanthe debut hit. With a caveat. If you are looking for a fast paced thriller, then this isn’t for you. However, if like me you enjoy a slower, more introspective story that tends toward looking at motives and relationships rather mostly clues, this is the book for you. This is not to say that it is devpid of suspense— simply that it is not a major element of the book untilt he final third.

In book one we followed the Bayview Four, as they came to be called, but  One of Us is Next revolves around an almost entirely new set of characters. Almost, because one third of the trio that make up our POV characters is Maeve, Bronwyn’s little sister who was instrumental to the wrapup of the first book. The other two are Knox, Maeve’s former boyfriend and current best friend, and another girl, Phoebe. Still, McManus manages to create a new cast of characters, that intersects with our old ones (who have matured off page, but still feel organic and right).

Ever since the exoneration of the Bayview Four, copycat gossip blogs and apps have been popping up at Bayview high, although none have managed to get a foothold. Until now. But when the students of Bayview get a collective text, it isn’t a juicy piece of gossip— it’s a game. Here’s how it works: one student gets a text, and they have twenty-four hours to choose, Truth or Dare. Pick dare and you get a task and fourty-eight hours to complete it (and document it), pick Truth— or don’t pick at all, and you get one of your secrets revealed to the entire school. Phoebe is first, and she elects to ignore it. After all, the only secret that could hurt her— well, no one could know that. Except, somebody does. And they tell the entire school. With one text, Phoebe’s life (already half in ruins after the death of her father) is upeneded, and she is just the opening act. After Phoebe’s worst secret is revealed, and her life upended, everyone knows to choose Dare. Except Maeve, who wants no part of it. But when Maeve refuses to choose, she’s not the one who pays the price.

After two terrible truths, who wouldn’t pick dare? But after Bayview is shaken by a second death, the game stops. But the question remains, who was playing that terrible game with them? And was the death of that student just a tragic accident, or is there something else going on? Pairing her excellent character building with a captivating new mystery and a powerful critisism of gendered roles and sexual pressures on teens, McManus has written a sequel that more than lives up to its predecessor.

 

When You Ask Me Where I’m Going by Jasmin Kaur

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When You Ask Me Where I’m Going by Jasmin Kaur is a powerful novel that grasps our heart and doesn’t let go. Jasmin uses a mixture of prose, poetry, and illustrations to unravel what it means to be seen, as an immigrant woman in a world that does not want to. Throughout this novel I felt my heart ache, and my brow furrow through the struggles and pain of these women. This book strips away our hardened skin to show what we all are inside; vulnerable.

While the book doesn’t follow a plot in the traditional sense, we experience snippets of stories within the poems that give insight into a world different from our own. Jasmin covers heavy topics such as sexual assault, mental health, feminism and immigration. I admire Kaur’s courage to acknowledge and put words to the suffering and hardships of immigrant women, something that tends to be hidden away and swept aside. However this novel bares the truth, forcing us to confront the issues held at hand.

When You Ask Me Where I’m Going seems to be written as almost a stream of consciousness, flitting from one idea to the other with barely any transition or indication of separate thoughts. Her poems are essentially long run-on sentences with either no punctuation, or punctuation where it wouldn’t normally belong. While it may be confusing at times, in the end it adds to the strength of the piece as a whole. The constant flow of writing keeps our minds constantly engaged, and heightens the emotion and empathy we feel towards these women.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It addresses issues that some would rather not face. However I encourage all to read it as Jasmin’s message is one that everyone should hear told in a beautiful and mesmerizing way.

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

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Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera was a fun, light, feminist story. The protagonist, Juliet, is gay and Puerto Rican, and the book mainly focuses on her attempts to reconcile those different parts of her identity. Juliet grew up in the Bronx, but by the time the story starts she is in college, and about to start an internship with the author of her favorite book Raging Flower: Empowering Your Pussy by Empowering Your Mind. Juliet mainly faces emotional issues in this book, a lot of them relating to feminism’s traditional whiteness and Juliet’s struggle to reconcile her feminist side with her Puerto Rican side.
The night before Juliet leaves the Bronx, she comes out to her family, to mixed reactions. The very next day, she is on her way to Portland, Oregon, a place so foreign to her, her family can’t remember what city she’s going to. There is a lot of initial culture shock when she reaches her destination. The majority of people are white, the lgbtq+ community is out and proud, and almost everyone is a hippie. There are things Juliet doesn’t like about Portland, and there are things she doesn’t like about the Bronx, and as she compares the two cities, she discovers her identity and what kind of environment she likes to be surrounded by. As you probably could tell, the book is based heavily on setting, which I found unusual and refreshing. The book is also set in 2003, which I thought was an unnecessary and strange choice, since the author didn’t take advantage of the time period at any point in the book. There were so few placing details, in fact, that I forgot the book wasn’t set in the present for the majority of the time I was reading it.
Most of the characters were well-developed and interesting, but most of them were fairly unrealistic. Juliet’s 14-year-old brother reads the Animorph series, which is meant for elementary schoolers. Harlowe, Juliet’s idol, and the author she is interning with, is a hippie to a degree so extreme, it would be near-impossible for a real person to reach it. Other than that, the characters seemed realistic, and almost all of them were a person of color or a member of a minority group. This book was delightfully diverse, with a ton of people of color and lgbtq+ representation.
Juliet Takes a Breath was very contemplative and conversational. Juliet muses on indirect and unintentional racism she experiences in Portland, and whether she can find a sense of community with people who make so many mistakes and seem so inconsiderate. The writing style was unique, almost a train of thought. It was rambling but charming, and fit Juliet’s narrative perfectly. It took a lot of the emotional weight away from the story, so most of the time I was reading it I just felt entertained, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It was fun but not life-changing, although I do think this could be a very meaningful book for some people. I think everyone, although especially Latinas, who have recently discovered their sexuality, or are trying to work up the courage to come out could appreciate this book. I would also recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about social liberalism or likes reading stories about culture shock. Overall, Juliet Takes a Breath was a fun, though not very deep book, that mostly discussed what it means to balance different aspects of your personality.

The End and Other Beginnings by Veronica Roth

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The End and Other Beginnings is a collection of six short stories (two from the Carve the Mark universe) written by Veronica Roth. All of them are set in the future, with all kinds of sci-fi fantasy technology. Some are more realistic than others, but all of them draw you in and leave you wanting more. Roth successfully writes six journeys, setting the scene, addressing the conflict, and sewing up the ends in the shorter amount of space than usual. But these stories feel like their own, drawing you in and letting you live in that world. Her writing is effective and beautiful, bringing in love, hatred, loss, and friendship. Her characters find the true meaning of the feelings they possess without previously knowing what was going on in their minds.
This collection is an interesting read, perfect for any sci-fi lovers and Veronica Roth lovers because it stays true to her previous writing, just taking on a different pathway. Roth makes us realize that despite the non-human beings and massive technological advances possible for the future, humans will always have the same set of problems

Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall

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Sara finds herself alone and stricken with grief after after her older sister and favorite person, Becca, runs away from home with her boyfriend. Sara knows she is never coming back, and some people doubt if she’s still even alive. After a year of feeling helpless, Sara soon starts dreaming about a girl. A girl named Lucy Gallows, said to have disappeared in Sara’s town years before by escaping down a road in the middle of the forest. Sara knows she has to follow the road and get to Lucy in order to save her sister.
Kate Alice Marshall writes an incredible story about the road and its games, bringing in sacrifice, love, loss, and truth. The relationships between the characters mend and break, never failing to stay interesting. The road itself is scary and unpredictable, forcing the things on it to make impossible decisions. Marshall’s writing brings this fictitious legend alive and allows her readers to truly be present on the road with the characters. The detective-case setup of the story and frequent plot twists create a book that is very difficult to put down.
Rules For Vanishing is a riveting story perfect for anyone who wants a bit of horror mixed with suspense and thrill. Great for anyone interested in small-town myths come to life, and mystical worlds with dangers lurking beneath.

When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall

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When We Were Lost, by Kevin Wignall, tells the story of a group of high schoolers going on a trip to Costa Rica. The main character, Tom, is a bit of an outsider. He doesn’t have any friends and prefers to be by himself, but he was persuaded to go on the school trip by his teachers and guardian who were concerned about him not being social enough. He set off on the trip not planning on making any new friends, just trying to explore and get it over with. But when the plane crashes in an unknown thicket of wilderness, he is forced to collaborate with his classmates in a duel with the jungle for life or death. He surprisingly comes out of his shell and sees people in a new light. He and his classmates stumble blindly through the dangerous wilderness, just trying to survive, whether it be the breaks in the relationships of the survivors, or the physical challenges within the jungle.
Wignall writes a meaningful story with characters finding themselves in the deep danger but peacefulness of the jungle. Secret talents are showcased, friendships are made, and lives are lost. Tom and his newfound friends discover how truly grateful they are for being alive, and that every little detail matters when it comes to an environment like this. An adventurous journey built for fans of Lord of the Flies, survival stories, and adrenaline-rushing thrills.

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

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Oh My Gosh!!! I am still not over how obsessively good this book is. Besides being a retelling of the “Twelve Dancing Princesses” – A classic fairytale by the Grimm brothers in which twelve sisters, each more beautiful than the last, dance all night, wearing out their shoes by morning despite being securely locked up in their room by their father – this book is a whole new outlook to the plot with gruesomely horrifying twists and turns, mind games that’ll keep the mind churning, and illustrations that will make your bones chill to the core.
Annaleigh, the fifth oldest among twelve sisters, is now second in line to her father’s inheritance after the deaths of her older sisters – four consecutive deaths, one after the other – the most recent being Eulalie, who plunged to her death from a cliff, when (as rumor has it) she was running off to elope with her lover. However, Annaleigh does not believe that her family is cursed – as believed by the townspeople – but acts of murder by someone who is out to eliminate her and her sisters, one by one. But who? On top of that, the sisters end up discovering a magic door that transports them to wherever they wish to go, allowing them to attend lavish balls and dance with handsome men till their shoes wear out.
When things start to get out of control, with the girls addicted to sneaking out and dancing till sunrise and having no clue on how to find the killer who, as it seems, is now after Annaleigh herself – Annaleigh is just about losing her mind, or so it seems… However, there seems to be a lot of, “Is this real, or not” going in. Determined to find the killer of her sisters, Annaleigh will
do anything to protect and prevent any more of her sisters from sharing the same fate, even at the cost of her own sanity!

We Used to Be Friends by Amy Spalding

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“We Used to Be Friends” by Amy Spalding is a capturing story that tells of one of the best types of companionship – the kind between best friends. Kat and James have been best friends since kindergarten. They’re now in their senior year of high school and have gone through many ups and downs together. Some aspects of their lives are looking great. Kat has a girlfriend named Quinn and is applying to her dream colleges. James is running track and field and is happy living with her father. But there is some conflict. Kat’s mother passed away a few years previously, and her father has started dating again. James is tired of being known as “Kat’s friend,” and her parents have also recently divorced. She also broke up with her long-time boyfriend and is confused about college. Kat tries desperately to force a friendship between Quinn and James with no luck. Will their differences end their friendship together? Told in both perspectives throughout different points of senior year, “We Used to Be Friends” shows what is needed for a friendly pair to survive.

I enjoyed watching Kat and James’ friendship change, though sometimes I got a little bored and unengaged. It also got very confusing at times because of the different perspectives and different times of senior year that it jumped to at every chapter. Despite these slight faults, I otherwise thoroughly enjoyed the novel.

I definitely would recommend this book to anyone looking for realistic fiction or friendship stories. People who are fans of dual-perspective novels are in for a treat. Have fun!

Hope is Our Only Wing by Rutendo Tavengerwei

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Hope is Our Only Wing by Rutendo Tavengerwei is a capturing book set in Zimbabwe. Shamiso’s father, a journalist, recently died while their family was living in England. Shamiso’s world is turned upside down.
She moves with her mother to Zimbabwe, a foreign country with new customs and culture. As well as dealing with her grief, her mother is now struggling to make ends meet. Feeling like nothing good could ever become of her life, she meets Tanyaradzwa at her new school. Tanyaradza is a cancer patient in remission. Shamiso is unsure of Tanyaradzwa at first, but she soon finds mutual trust in Tanyaradzwa, something none of her classmates had to offer. Shamiso and Tanyaradzwa’s battles with death give way to an unexpected friendship as they help each other deal with life’s challenges.

I was completely sucked into this novel. Rutendo Tavengerwei has an amazing descriptive voice. It seemed as though I was there, in Shamiso’s world, experiencing her daily life. I was amazed at the way she crafted the story, though I did think the plot moved a little fast. It was hard to keep up with each new event. Despite this, the storyline was strong and the book was thoroughly enjoyable.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes realistic fiction. It was also interesting to learn about life in Zimbabwe, so anyone interested in that subject could get an insightful taste, along with a great story. Hope is Our Only Wing is truly one to remember.