Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao

Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed Chloe and Drew's fake relationship as she brings him home for the holidays. The reader can understand why this happens; Chloe's parents' expectations are ludicrous! No wonder she can't be herself. The inner conflicts of Chloe and Drew are totally understandable and I rooted for them. Recommended!

View all my reviews

Finally Seen by Kelly Yang

Finally Seen by Kelly Yang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When Lina Gao leaves her grandmother in China to finally live with her parents and little sister who went to America 5 years ago, Lina is hit with many things---this new country is strange, her family did not tell her the truth about their life in America, they may lose their home, their father works tirelessly for an organic farmer who is harsh and merciless and this causes fights between her parents. As Lina struggles in school, she meets friends and foes. I really liked the teachers who supported Lina and helped her find her voice. I also loved how Lina sees her family and is able to finally be seen by her mother, father and sister. A must read!

View all my reviews

Fever by Mary Beth Keane

Fever by Mary Beth Keane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this very very sad book for November Albright College Zoom Book Club. Mary's life as an immigrant was far from easy and when Mary becomes the 1st known healthy carrier of Typhoid, her life is irreparably changed. I ached for Mary as she was judged, shunned, and imprisoned on North Brother for 3 years but really her whole life because she was hunted by Dr. Soper who was not a dr. but a medical engineer. A must read, but Mary was tough but she had a rough life.

View all my reviews

Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods, #1) by Chloe Gong

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A retelling of Antony and Cleopatra, also like Hunger Games, I loved the story of Calla and Anton, not so much August. I also liked the jumping of bodies, that made me want to sail through this lucious book of daring, danger, and backstabbing. Can't wait for #2!!!

View all my reviews

Crook Manifesto (Ray Carney, #2) by Colson Whitehead

Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This 2nd in the Ray Carney series is a historical panorama of the 70s in Harlem with Ray who has been on the straight and narrow but soon circumstances turn Ray back to his crooked ways. I loved this look through Carney's eyes (with narrator Deon Graham doing such an awesome job) as lawlessness, murder, mayhem, and seediness happen in Harlem.

View all my reviews

Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango

Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this debut novel in verse which do well with middle school and YA with the issues (PTSD, death, grief, anger, mental illness) Iveliz presents. Iveliz has a journal which the reader knows is from her heart and since her father's death, which she blames herself for, she is suffering, feels she can't talk to anyone (especially Mami) and even though she looked forward to a newer better year in 7th grade, she has run ins with friends and family and school. I rooted for Iveliz to share her burdens with others like her psychologist, friend Amir and her grandmother. A must read!

View all my reviews

The Elephant Girl by James Patterson and award-winning author Ellen Banda-Aaku

The Elephant Girl by James Patterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this sad, poignant story about a young African girl, her love of elephants, her loss, and her redemption. Jama relates to animals, less so with her friends, family and villagers. When poachers try to kill a mother elephant Jama has become attached to, the villagers & the rangers do not understand when the fearful elephant, trying to protect her baby, stampedes and kills Jama's mother. What transpires is an insightful, uplifting story for Jama who only wants to take care of elephants and expose the poachers. this is an issue that happens time and time again in Africa and other countries as the elephants are poached for their tusks, rendering baby elephants orphans and terrifying the natural order of the elephants. A must read!

View all my reviews

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved so many of the women characters in this historical fiction novel about women who suffer at the hands of society and are sentenced to jail in London's Newgate Prison, only to be sent to Australia because they are deemed a menace to society. Also the whites have pushed put the Aboriginal people and one of their own, Mathinna, becomes a focal part of this story with Evangeline and Hazel. There was terror going by boat from London to Australia, not only seasickness but sailors who rape the prisoners. You will be riveted by this story of strong female friendship, survival, and hardship! A must read!

View all my reviews

In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo

In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great debut novel! The author uses her experiences coming to America to craft a story about Anna and her parents as they leave Taiwan for California. Her father thought he had a partner in a Dino's store selling ribs and burgers but his "friend" ditched him. Anna struggles in school where she is bullied and made fun of - never telling her parents because they are dealing with bullies too in their store- breaking windows, messing up their tables, spilling ketchup & salt on the floor. Referring to America as the beautiful country, Anna and her parents find it anything but! Struggling this family decides to leave but that will prove difficult trying to sell a store that does not make a profit. This is a must read about the perseverance of an immigrant family who experiences racism often but through a few friends, church and the will to succeed slowly but surely they craft a life---will they stay or will they leave? You must dear this book to find out! Highly recommended!!! And there is a sequel, I will definitely be reading it too!!!

View all my reviews

Twin Cities by Jos Pimienta

Twin Cities by José Pimienta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Twins, Fernando & Teresa live in Mexicali, Mexico but in the fall they will be going to different schools for the first time ever with Teresa crossing the border to a private school. There is the normal brother and sister drama but it reaches a hostile roar---will Fer & Teresa ever be close again? I learned alot about the different sides of the border and I loved the illustrations!

View all my reviews

Last Violent Call by Chloe Gong

Last Violent Call by Chloe Gong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved these two novellas with the reappearance of Roma and Juliette and tying Foul Lady Fortune with the original Chloe Gong books, The Violent Delights & Our Violent Ends! I can't wait to read the next book, Foul Heart Huntsman because the suspense is killing me about this dangerous chemical weapon that Orion's mother created---and how it manipulates people to follow commands, even killing themselves! I love the romance, horror, and sinister evil these characters fight! You will too!

View all my reviews

The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat & illustrations by Joanna Cacao

The Tryout: A Graphic Novel by Christina Soontornvat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this because it was a Nerdie Award Winner for 2022 and it was such a great middle school graphic novel with awesome illustrations by Joanna Cacao! Based on Christina's life (she is Asian American) like her best friend Megan, life gets chaotic when they decide to tryout for the cheerleading team in 7th grade. There are those friends who are supportive and other students with their racist remarks. Readers will love the fierce inner musings of Christina as she questions everything while falling in love with cheerleading, making new friends, and chasing dreams. Highly receommended!!!

View all my reviews

All My Rage by Sabaa

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a haunting must read! I could not stop listening to narrators Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan, and Kausar Mohammed as the tale of 2 teens who have grown up together and life comes crashing down when Misbah, Sal's mother dies, his father is drinking, and secrets Sal is keeping from Noor break them apart. The racism, the abuse, and secrecy were so profound and sinister, that the regret the characters suffer is just so sad. A must read for all!

View all my reviews

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An amazing novel in verse about a young Asante boy in 1860 who does not understand the many things his parents and grandparents will not explain---you are too young to understand. How will Kofi get answers, deal with his evil cousin, goofy best friend and long for the girl, Ama? I was gutted as I read every page of this must read book---a journey about a boy, a village, history, and the truth.

View all my reviews

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (The Vanderbeekers, #1) by Karina Yan Glaser

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book so much! The kids are adorable; their parents are very likable because they are involved. The many neighbors and friends of the Vanderbeekers are thoroughly enjoyable and even enemies become friends. I am definitely going to be reading this series of an interracial family living in Harlem with all their pets; and I am getting copies of the book for my granddaughter she will LOVE it!

View all my reviews

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Narrated by Chris Reilly, Mungo is a a young teen living in hell with a mother who leaves & disappears from the family. Mungo has a sister and brother (Hamish is dangerous, a gang leader who hates Catholics & gay people) and life is bleak until he meets James, who is a Catholic (not good) and gay (not good) and they forge a friendship where James raises his beloved pigeons, talk about a future that includes them and accepts them. It was very hard to listen to this book---neglectful parents, violence, rape, fighting, and so much dysfunction it made for a difficult read and because of my mind at this time, I really did not enjoy either of Douglas Stuart's books like I wanted to...

View all my reviews

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book, writer, etc...but the totally depressing topics, the Glasgow dialect made it difficult for me to gush about loving this book. I am now listening to Young Mungo, so we will see if the narration makes it easier to enjoy... Shuggie's life is so dismal- his mother drinks and she becomes abusive to her family and gets on the phone and crank calls people who have wronged her, goes thru men, is totally irresponsible and leaves her children hungry and disillusioned. As this continues, the older children plot to leave...and poor Shuggie is left to watch over his mother, hungry, cashing her child support checks and missing lots of school. I ached for Shuggie and all the difficulties he encounters, will he be able to escape this life?

View all my reviews

What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris

What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This debut novel is a coming of age story about 2 African American sisters sent to live with their grandfather after their drug addict father is found dead and they lose their home. As their mother enters a treatment facility to deal with her depression, KB and her sister Nia wonder why they are dumped with this grandfather who is mostly silent and reads the bible. Told from KB's POV; she is 11 years old and has experienced much turmoil in her short life---and she has many questions that no one seems to want to answer. As she navigates the summer--she gets to know her grandfather, falls out with her beloved sister, and goes back and forth in her feelings about everything. I rooted for KB as she tries to make sense of what she knows, what she finds out, and how she moves on.

View all my reviews

New From Here by Kelly Yang

New from Here by Kelly Yang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again Kelly Yang has me turning those pages and just loving Knox's family as they quickly move from Hong Kong to California at the onset of the corona virus. The biggest problem is that Knox's beloved dad must remain behind due to his job. He was really the one who cooked, cleaned, and picked up Knox, his brother, Bowen and sister, Lea from school. This book really got all the feelings of hopelessness, fear, and racism that occurred during Covid. Yang's writing is authentic with Knox and his family dealing with so so many issues that happened (this story is autobiographical, see Author Notes). I loved this book, but I also felt the sadness, fear, anger, greed, the characters dealt with on a daily basis in their new home and school and neighborhood. Knox finding out he has ADHD is such a shock but explains alot too, now he really needs to work on not blurting things out. There was also humor---I loved the whole LinkedIn part where the kids miss Dad so much they hatch a plot to get him to the US, have a yard sale to sell things but also get his father the needed contacts for LinkedIn. There was so much growth between their mom and her children; in Hoing Kong she was always working---in the US she had to do wash (remember to wash!!!) but for all her failings, the kids helped her out by taking on more responsibility. They may have had their fights and conflicts, but this family was very service oriented---even when they got more money or food---they shared with others. Like all of Kelly Yang's book, this is a must read---it shines a light on families, other nationalities, and what we have all gone through since Covid!

View all my reviews

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another MUST READ from Ruta Sepetys; I have read and loved all her historical fiction books and this one was particularly hard to read, like Cristian Florescu I was forced to bear witness to the horrors of 1989 Romania and dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife for 24 years. Just like The Fountains of Silence, Cristin and all the Romanians live in abject fear and watch as the world is left in the dark about the horrors (starvation, forced to be informants against friends and family, monitored by security 24/7 ). Cristian's family has been held hostage by Ceausescu's spies, his mother and father have changed, his philosopher grandfather continues to rail and speak out (Cris loves his fight and honesty). When he is approached and forced to spy (hence the title!!!) he is determined to outwit them, but at every turn, the spies know what is going on...as Cris is plunged into self loathing, doubt and fear---he grows closer to Lilliana Pavel (whom he has cared for from afar for years). Cris is forced to spy on the American ambassador) VanDorn family son, Dan. After seeing Dan's notebook, Cris begins his own notebook of thoughts and poems, I loved this coping mechanism, and how he decides to use it. The informer top secret files were interspersed and were totally awful---who was undermining Cris and reporting back to Paddle Hands? This is such an important read for all; it is another example of people in history suffering under Communism, under a dictator that prospered while he sowed fear amongst his people. Such a thoroughly researched book, and I needed the epilogue and author notes for further knowledge.

View all my reviews