Category Archives: Nonfiction

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

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What if it’s Us, by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli, is magical. It tells the story of Arthur, a high school student who lives in Georgia but is spending the summer as an intern in New York, and Ben, a New York native spending the summer in summer school. Their sweet, romantic-movie meetup is incredible. Neither of them can believe it. Somehow, in the chaos of the huge city, the universe managed to put them together in the same place, at the same time. They knew they had to make the universe’s wishes come true. Their desperation to find each other is adorable and admirable. Everyone is rooting for them, and the lead up is amazing. This story is two boys, finding love and a perfect summer in the magic of New York.
Silvera and Albertalli write this book with familiar and comfortable characters. They feel so real and relatable, making them even more lovable. Every character is unique; every interaction special. There are laugh-out-loud moments, and serious moments, and very romantic moments. Everything an amazing story needs. This book makes everyone believe in love. All different kinds of love. It is about taking chances, and do-overs, and forgiveness. A great story for anyone and anytime.

Our Year of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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Our Year of Maybe, by Rachel Lynn Solomon, is not just a love story. This is a story with such deep, raw emotion, and real, human characters. It is about Sophie and her neighbor Peter. They have been best friends since they were babies. But Sophie’s crush on Peter makes things all too real. Her secret crush, that is.
Peter has a deadly kidney disease and miraculously, Sophie is a match. She donates one of her kidneys to her neighbor, her love, her Peter. She wants them to become closer; to be physically bonded by matching kidneys. Her love for him is overwhelming and she needs an answer from his part of the relationship. The transplant has complicated everything, and Sophie is not sure if it’s good or bad.
Rachel Lynn Solomon is such a talented writer. She tells an unheard of story with fierceness and truth, breaking ground on an example of a not-so-perfect romantic tale. This is one of the best YA romance books ever, because of its intriguing language and elements of stone-cold truth. A must-read for any romance novel lovers!

Shiver by Maggie Steivater

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Romeo & Juliet meets Twilight in the woods of New England.
Grace was saved from a wolf attack by one of its own when she was a child. After watching each other from a distance for years, she and the wolf are reunited when a local teen is attacked. Grace’s wolf is injured and appears as a human on her doorstep. Grace’s alienation from her parents sets the stage for this romantic mystery that will have besotted readers carrying the book everywhere, hoping to sneak in just one more chapter.
Readers who enjoy a little paranormal enhancement in their narratives will love this gripping spin on doomed love as told from different characters viewpoints. The characters are complex and relatable and it seems appropriate to root for the wolves who somehow seem to normally live among us.
Shiver is still one of the first books I think of when someone asks me for a book recommendation with adventure and romance. My daughter and I raced through the series together and have since devoured the rest of Maggie Stiefvater’s offerings. Shiver is the first of its Trilogy but Stiefvater has another series, The Raven Cycle, and stand alone titles, The Scorpio Races and All the Crooked Saints. The different series and stand alones are quite distinct in subject matter from each other but I loved them all!

An Enchantment of Raven by Margaret Rogerson

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Have you ever read a book with such vivid imagery that when you close your eyes you can almost imagine you are inside its world? My favorite of those books is An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson. Enchantment is set in a lush world of magic and monsters that— in tandem with sweeping world building and compelling characters— makes for a brilliant book. I am not usually a fan of romance stories, but An Enchantment of Ravens drew me in and held on until the very last page.
At seventeen, Isobel is the best portrait artist in generations, and her reputation grows with every passing year. Since childhood, Isobel has painted for the Fair Folk, a powerful race that lusts after human craft.
Isobel is used to having creatures that could murder her in an instant sipping tea in her living room. But when she hears from one of her clients that the Autumn Prince— a powerful Fair One not seen in Whimsy for centuries— is coming to meet her, she’s shaken. But Rook (the Autumn Prince) is not what she expects from a Fair One, and certainly not what she’d expect from one of their princes. He’s nearly human. But just as they grows comfortable towards one another— fond, even, she makes a terrible mistake. Isobel paints human sorrow in his eyes, an unforgivable weakness among his kind. Furious, Rook spirits her off to the Autumn court to stand trial, setting off a whirlwind of adventures and a forbidden romance that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

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Born a Crime. From first glance you might assume that Trevor Noah grew up with a “normal childhood” taking place in The United States; however, by looking a little closer, you will quickly find that his childhood was anything but ordinary. Growing up as a mixed child during the apartheid, Trevor Noah was burdened from birth with the challenge of trying to fit in, even when nobody wanted to accept him.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read, especially if you are struggling to find your place in the world. Through this book, Trevor shares his story not only encouraging others to share theirs, but to prove that just because you don’t feel like you fit in now doesn’t mean that you won’t be successful.

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

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After months of waiting, the time has finally come to welcome into the world What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera. The long awaited collaboration between two of the best authors of queer YA more than lives up to both author’s previous books. While Albertalli’s light and cheerful style gives the story a rom-comesque feeling (while still flipping the genres usual stereotypes), Silvera’s chapters ground the book, giving it a thoughtfulness and dimension needed to balance it.
When Arthur accompanied his parents to NYC for the summer he had three goals: make friends at his internship, explore the city, see Hamilton. But now his parents are fighting, one of his best friends won’t text him, and there has been no sign of Lin Manuel Miranda. To top it off he was too clueless to get the name of the cute guy he met at the post office.
Meanwhile, Ben has his own set of problems. His friend group splintered after a couple of breakups, his boyfriend cheated on him and his best friend has all but abandoned him for his latest romance. Oh, and he has to attend summer school. With his ex.
With the help of craigslist, their friends, and plenty of internet stalking via instagram they may find each other, but what then? Will they work together, and what happens when Arthur has to leave at the end of the summer?

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

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Maybe you have seen the current buzz about Netflix’s latest movie, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. However, most people do not know that this movie was based on a book of the same name! To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is actually part of a trilogy written by the fantastic Jenny Han. This book is one of my all-time favorite because of its wonderful characters, great plot and writing, and representation.
This story’s fantastic plot had me finishing the book within the day I picked it up. The concept of the love letters is pure genius, and the originality of the idea pulled me in and kept me engaged. Han put a fun spin on the classic love triangle, and the deft writing allows the story to be fresh and interesting rather than clichéd. The story is wholesome without being boring, and endearing without being sickly sweet. Han’s writing has a general warm and homey mood to it, which in turn strengthens Lara Jean’s character.
As soon as I read the first page, I instantly fell in love with the protagonist, Lara Jean Song Covey. Lara Jean is one of the most kind, caring, and warm-hearted characters I have ever read about. I admire her sweet nature and her love for her family. She truly values those that are close to her, and will be there to support them. Peter Kavinsky was the next character that I enjoyed reading about. He has this almost childish air about him, and his charisma easily charms any reader. He is playful and easygoing when with his peers, and he enjoys living in the moment and appreciating the little things. With his confidence and big heart, it is no wonder that he is such a beloved character. Kitty Song Covey was the last character that I loved getting to know. Her humor provides an excellent source of comic relief among the drama, and she adds so much to her family and to the story. She always has something clever to say and makes the dynamic between the characters more fun and lighthearted.
Furthermore, this book is one of my absolute favorites because of its representation. The story is centered on a teenage Korean-American girl, whose sisters and mother are also Korean. Although I am not Korean myself, I am Chinese and therefore Asian. I rarely see stories (books, movies, television shows, or otherwise) that star Asian leads and Asian stories. Seeing an Asian girl on a book cover made me feel incredibly overjoyed because I was able to see myself in the book I was reading. Reading this book helped me understand why representation matters so much, and it is because representation tells people that their stories matter and do not hold less importance than others.
I highly recommend reading this book and seeing the adaptation on Netflix (this post is not sponsored; I just really enjoyed the movie). Not only would you be reading and watching a cute love story unfold, you would be supporting representation of thousands of people who are finally seeing themselves in books and movies. Please go support this amazing work of literature, as well as the equally amazing Asian representation!

Wait For Me by An Na

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Wait For Me by An Na is definitely on the top ten of my reading list. It’s a compelling novel about love and carving your own path in life. The main character, Mina, has a deaf sister who she has to take care of and a mother breathing down her back about getting into Harvard. Along the way, she meets Ysrael. Yes, I know that a lot of love stories are similar and they all kind of encompass the whole “happily ever after” thing. But Mina and Ysrael’s relationship is so heartwarming and just amazing in general. An Na creates a story that you don’t want to end. You want the story to keep spinning and the character’s relationships to keep blossoming and unpacking. I have read many many books before, most of them being completely magical and amazing. But this book surpasses all of them. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is in for a real adventure.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

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Several months ago, a friend of mine sent me a book for my birthday: Caraval. In retrospect, I should have picked it up much sooner. Caraval has become one of my favorite YA books to date, and its sequel- Legendary is, if possible, even better. In her amazing debut Stephanie Garber redefined fantasy in this twisting tale seeped in dark magic and unexpected revelations.

Scarlet Dragna lives on the Isle of Trisda with her sister Tella and their cruel father. For years Scarlet has written letters to Legend, master of the magical circus-game of Caraval, begging him to come to Trisda. Now engaged and ready to escape Trisda with her sister, Scarlet finally recieves a reply from Legend- and three tickets. Now Scarlet must make a choice: marry the man her father chose for her, or run away to attend Caraval with Tella and the handsome young sailor who has offered his help in exchange for a ticket.

Our Stories, Our Voices

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Our Stories, Our Voices, a
collection of essays and anecdotes about “injustice, empowerment, and growing up female in America” by 21 YA authors, is an incredible assortment of empowering pieces that truly describe both the large and small struggles of growing up as a woman in the U.S.
Each story presents a different outlook, as each woman has a different background and grew up with contrasting world views and distinct religious views. These essays explore everything from rape to racism, from gender to feminism, and from faith to weight.
Each piece finishes with an empowering message which encourages young people to believe that their voices and words really do matter and that they can make a difference, no matter how small they feel. Though there are many stories in this book preaching the
same message, it doesn’t seem repetitive. Instead, each note of empowerment strengthens the last one, encouraging young women (and others) that they really matter and that they can stand up for what they believe. This is such an important book for women all
over America, and even around the world, to read and connect with. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs encouragement in believing that they matter or anyone who wants to read stories of women overcoming discrimination of every type.

By: Aisha Saeed, Alexandra Duncan, Amber Smith, Anna-Marie McLemore, Brandy Colbert, Christine Day, Ellen Hopkins, Hannah Moskowitz, I. W. Gregorio, Jaye Robin Brown, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Julie Murphy, Martha Brockenbrough, Maurene Goo, Nina LaCour, Sandhya Menon, Somaiya Daud, Sona Charaipotra, Stephanie Kuehnert, and Tracy Deonn Walker