Description: Jubilee Jenkins is no ordinary librarian. With a rare allergy to human touch, any skin-to-skin contact could literally kill her. But after retreating into solitude for nearly ten years, Jubilee’s decided to brave the world again, despite the risks. Armed with a pair of gloves, long sleeves, and her trusty bicycle, she finally ventures out the front door—and into her future.
    Eric Keegan has troubles of his own. With his daughter from a failed marriage no longer speaking to him, and his brilliant, if psychologically troubled, adopted son attempting telekinesis, Eric’s struggling to figure out how his life got so off course, and how to be the dad—and man—he wants so desperately to be. So when an encounter over the check-out desk at the local library entangles his life with that of a beautiful—albeit eccentric—woman, he finds himself wanting nothing more than to be near her.

Review: Jubilee is deathly allergic to other people. For Jubilee, skin-to-skin contact with anyone else could lead to horrific reactions, even death (the proteins in her skin trigger an extreme intruder alert in her immune system). Unfailing vigilance, ever-present gloves, and self-imposed isolation help Jubilee survive her allergy and school until just before high school graduation. One kiss with a popular guy puts her into anaphylactic shock and results in nine years of seclusion after her mother marries a rich man and moves away. Jubilee adjusts to her agoraphobia since she has been receiving checks to take care of her finances and she spends her time with books and various delivery services.
However with the sudden death of her mother and the liable checks stop, Jubilee is forced to re-evaluate her lifestyle. Self-help for agoraphobia and an old bike bring the protagonist into the orbit of Madison, a high school classmate, and then lead to a job as a library assistant (Side note: it really irritates me when people assume that anyone working in a library is a librarian. There is a clear difference between being a library assistant and a librarian. End of rant.).
  Reclaiming her independence in small steps leads her into contact with Eric, a recently divorced man who has moved with his traumatized and introverted adopted son to Jubilee's New Jersey community. Eric's first-person chapters are interspersed with Jubilee's to personalize all the quirks and hurdles of this most impossible, charming romance. I liked the romance between Jubilee and Eric, but the plot idles and goes nowhere. The realistic situations turns into a Hallmark movie with a perfectly wrapped up bow ending.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language in the book. Recommended for teens and adults.

If you like this book try: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Description: Save the restaurant. Save the town. Get the girl. Make Abuela proud. Can thirteen-year-old Arturo Zamora do it all or is he in for a BIG, EPIC FAIL? For Arturo, summetime in Miami means playing basketball until dark, sipping mango smoothies, and keeping cool under banyan trees. And maybe a few shifts as junior lunchtime dishwasher at Abuela's restaurant. Maybe. But this summer also includes Carmen, a cute poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo's apartment complex and turns his stomach into a deep fryer. He almost doesn't notice the smarmy land developer who rolls into town and threatens to change it. Arturo refuses to let his family and community go down without a fight, and as he schemes with Carmen, Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of Jose Marti.

Review: The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is a warm and at times heartbreaking story filled with family, tradition, and community. Every summer Arturo is looking forward to a Miami summer filled with friends, ice cream, and working at his family’s popular restaurant, La Cocina de la Isla, but his plans get derailed from the start. Carmen, his mother’s goddaughter, comes to visit, and Arturo may have a crush on her. He is confused whether or not he and Carmen are related. His "promotion" at the restaurant is harder than he thought, and worst of all, his family’s plan to expand into an adjacent empty lot seems hopeless when flashy real-estate developer Wilfrido Pipo comes to town with plans of his own.
  Arturo hopes the community his abuela and abuelo loved for so long will support them, and with the help of his family, friends, and the work of Cuban poet and revolutionary hero José Martí, Arturo finds the strength to fight for what he believes in. I absolutely loved this book is organically filled with family and culture without feeling like it is checking a list of requirements. The characters are lively and Arturo's family comes to life and leave you feeling like they are part of your family. The story is also interspersed with letters, poems, and Twitter messages, offers a timely tale of a community steeped in tradition and multiculturalism, working together against encroaching gentrification. Arturo’s is a great narrator and one the reader can easily root for. This is a quick and uplifting read. A great choice for those looking for books to help celebrate Hispanic Heritage month.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina, Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya

Description: Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Review: I often heard the word brutal when describing the Ember in the Ashes series. I use to think this was a hyperbole until I actually picked it up as part of my Ramadan Reading Challenge this summer. Brutal is the perfect adjective for this series. Tahir's strong debut fantasy series opener is set in the Martial Empire, an ancient Rome-like setting. Elias Veturius is the scion of a proud Martial military family and an outstanding soldier, but he dreams of escaping Blackcliff Academy, the elite military academy where he has nearly completed his training as a Mask, and his inevitable future as a ruthless killer. Elias and three fellow students will be facing the Trials, dangerous and rigorous challenges that will determine the next emperor. Laia is a Scholar, one of many oppressed groups living under the rule of the Martials. When nearly all of Laia's family is killed and her brother is arrested for having a sketchbook depicting Martial weapons, she goes to the Resistance in desperation. The rebel leaders plant her as a spy at Blackcliff Academy, where she must pose as the personal slave of the Commandant, promising that in return they will rescue her brother. Though their story lines are told separately in alternate in dual point of views, Elias and Laia interact with one another and converge as they each face treachery and political schemes.
  Tahir's world-building is wonderfully detailed and is set apart from the derivative of lost heirs reclaiming the throne trope in the recent fantasy trends. Though inspired by ancient Rome, Tahir also manages to weave in Middle Eastern/Southeast Asian mythology and culture with the inclusion of jinns and other ghouls as well as the physical descriptions of the characters and the names of places within the Empire. I loved finding these little nods throughout the story. The ebb and flow of the jinns and ghouls are truly creepy and have peeked my interest. We are only just learning about them and I can't wait to see how this aspect of the story develops as the series continues. 
  All of the characters, even minor ones, are fully realized with flaws and strengths. I immediately liked Elias for his strong moral compass and felt horribly when I learned of his harsh childhood. I also appreciated the inclusion of Laia's quiet strength and resilience as she grew from a whimpering, insecure girl into an established woman and Helene's physical strength as being the sole female at Blackcliff. The Commandant is a genuinely evil and frightening villain. She reminded me so much of Darth Vader. There are hints of various romantic relationships, but I am waiting to read more of this series before I start allying myself with teams.
 The author doesn't pull any punches; her descriptions of torture, punishment, and battle are graphic and brutal, and her realistic depictions of the treatment of slaves include rape and physical abuse. I could only read a few chapters at a time because of its dark tones, but each chapter felt like it ended on a cliffhanger so I had to read more to find out what happens next. Luckily, I can catch up with this series and will not have to wait too long for the series finale. I am so glad that I waited for the hype of this series to die down before judging it on its own merits.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong violence, often graphic, in the book. There are also alluded scenes of rape and physical abuse. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir (Ember in the Ashes #2), The Winner's Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski, Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta, Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas,

Description: After everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in Hed, take in that fact. Amidst the mounting tension between the two rivals, a surprising newcomer is handpicked to be Beartown’s new hockey coach.
   Soon a new team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the enmity with Hed grows more and more acute.
   As the big match approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt grows deeper. By the time the last game is finally played, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after all they’ve been through, the game they love can ever return to something simple and innocent.

Review: Backman returns to Beartown, the hockey-obsessed small-town in Sweden, which was rocked was rocked after a junior team member was convicted of rape the previous spring. We are still witnessing the ripple effects of the incident. The Beartown team is in a precarious situation. The hockey club is in danger of being liquidated. General manager Peter Andersson is under intense scrutiny-particularly from one aggressive group of fans who call themselves "The Pack"-and enters into a questionable agreement with slippery local politician Richard Theo in order to save the team. When an unconventional new coach arrives, Beartown's hopes fall on the shoulders of the four remaining hockey star teens who can resuscitate the hockey club and return the town's pride.  untested (and possibly unreliable) teenagers. As tension between Beartown and its rival town, Hed, comes to a boiling point over hockey, jobs, and political squabbles, each member of the community confronts the same questions about loyalty and friendship.
  I read Us Against You shortly after reading Beartown and I enjoyed it a bit more. You can read Us Against You as a standalone but I would not recommend it. Reading Beartown first gives you a better understanding of the community and its characters. Backman keeps his panoramic writing style, but since I had a familiarity with the characters already it did not bother me as much. We do get to spend more time with the characters, but I still selfishly want more. The running theme of loyalty is showcased throughout the story from the troubles of Andersson's marriage, the shame of little brother Leo who feels hopeless in not defending his sister and his sudden interest in violence, and the secret of Benji's sexuality that alienates him from his community. I also liked how the author asked rhetorical questions surrounding masculinity and violence and not shying away from addressing rape culture and homophobia. Definitely pick this one up if you enjoyed Beartown.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language including homophobic slurs, violence, and scenes of bullying. Recommended for older teens and adults.

If you like this book try: The Locals by Jonathan Dee, Girl in the Snow by Danya Kukafka

Description: With the help of some demigod friends, Lester managed to survive his first two trials, one at Camp Half-Blood, and one in Indianapolis, where Meg received the Dark Prophecy. The words she uttered while seated on the Throne of Memory revealed that an evil triumvirate of Roman emperors plans to attack Camp Jupiter. While Leo flies ahead on Festus to warn the Roman camp, Lester and Meg must go through the Labyrinth to find the third emperor—and an Oracle who speaks in word puzzles—somewhere in the American Southwest. There is one glimmer of hope in the gloom-filled prophecy: The cloven guide alone the way does know. They will have a satyr companion, and Meg knows just who to call upon.

Review: The Burning Maze is another enjoyable installment of the Trials of Apollo series.  Old favorite characters from both the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series and the Heroes of Olympians series make an appearance in the story. It is highly recommended to read those series first before reading the Trials of Apollo as they all connect. This time Apollo, Meg, and Grover find themselves in the smoldering ruins of Palm Springs. Fires and drought are putting the dryads in danger, and Apollo knows that the only way to restore the rightful order is to free the oracle hidden below ground in a dangerous labyrinth. The stakes are higher in this book and the villain is vicious, savoring any and all opportunity for cruelty. There are new developments in this new book. Apollo experiences loss and sacrifice firsthand as a mortal, the god loses some of his ego and begins to suspect his punishment is more than a consequence of Zeus’ short temper. We also learn more of Meg's secret past.
  While the tone is much darker in The Burning Maze, there is plenty of Riordan's trademark snarky banter and comedy mixed to balance the story. There is of course a cliffhanger ending which will make me eager for Apollo's next adventure.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence and disturbing images in the story. Recommended for Grades 5 and up.

If you like this book try: The Tryant's Tomb by Rick Riordan (Trials of Apollo #4) coming Fall 2019, Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan, Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan, The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan, and The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani DasGupta

Description: Zarin Wadia is many things: a bright and vivacious student, an orphan, a risk taker. She’s also the kind of girl that parents warn their kids to stay away from: a troublemaker whose many romances are the subject of endless gossip at school. You don't want to get involved with a girl like that, they say. So how is it that eighteen-year-old Porus Dumasia has only ever had eyes for her? And how did Zarin and Porus end up dead in a car together, crashed on the side of a highway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia? When the religious police arrive on the scene, everything everyone thought they knew about Zarin is questioned. And as her story is pieced together, told through multiple perspectives, it becomes clear that she was far more than just a girl like that.

Review: When Zarin and her friend Porus die in a car accident in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, everyone, from the religious police to Zarin's classmates and neighbors, is suspicious. What were Porus and Zarin doing? Was Porus one of Zarin's many romantic liaisons? Only the deceased teens know the truth, and as their spirits hover above the wreckage, they look back on what led up to this point.
  Zarin has been doomed since her illegitimate birth. She is the daughter of an Indian gangster and a bar dancing "loose" Parsi mother. Her origins are a shameful secret to her family and follows her like a black cloud over her head. Raised by aunt and uncle, Zarin moves to Mumbai, India to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for work and hopes of escaping rumors of Zarin's mother's death. In Jeddah Zarin's domineering, abusive, and paranoid aunt fears Zarin will follow the same path as her mother, keeps a tight grip on Zarin, removing all signs of physical femininity from her haircut to her clothes and shielding her from boys and men, to no avail. Zarin defies convention, dating boys and smoking, developing a bad reputation at school. It was only after reconnecting with Porus, a Parsi friend from Mumbai, whomoved to Jeddah for work, that Zarin began to reconsider her behavior—and her capacity for love.
  Bhathena's debut tackles rape culture in Saudi Arabia and for the most part does it quite well. The book addresses double standards and the gender expectations among men and women. Men are expected to demonstrate their masculinity by taking what they want and being aggressive. Women are expected to be "pure" and submissive. The narrative is split between five points of view: Zarin, Porus, Zarin's ex-boyfriend Abdullah; his righteous sister, Mishal, and Farhan, Abdullah's best friend and the popular student on whom Zarin nurses a crush. All of these points of views attempt to give the reader a multi-layered view of Zarin's reputation. Due to the numerous voices, it was hard to distinguish between the many voices and witness character development especially from Mishal and Farhan when they want to repent for their actions. The timeline between past and present jumps around and was confusing to follow.
      What I found troubling with A Girl Like That is the treatment of its Muslim characters. With the exception of the angelic Porus, the Muslim males are stereotyped and one dimensional. Abdullah follows his father's behavior of tossing one girl aside and moves on to the next when he is unable to have sex with her. Farhan takes this behavior to the extreme and uses the date rape drug to make scores on his "man card" even though he seems to be desired by virtually every female he sees. The drug dealer who supplies Farhan is also Muslim. While rape culture is unfortunately not limited to one country, due to the lack of wide range of male characters the book dangerously implies that it is limited to one group of men.
   Similarly, Muslim women are not complex characters either. Mishal is Abdullah's sister who bullies and harasses Zarin by spreading rumors about Zarin around social media and in school. The other female classmates are also bullied for their wayward actions and some are survivors of sexual assault though their stories are not talked about nor are they believed. It is also hinted at several times that Zarin's aunt suffers from mental illness but it is also not addressed in the story. Overall A Girl Like That tackles an important subject and gives the reader a lot to think about. I just wished it was more nuanced, fleshed out, and balanced. 

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: The novel contains graphic descriptions of abuse and sexual assault. Recommended for Grade 10 and up.

If you like this book try: What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold, Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

Description: People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys. Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.

Review: In rural Sweden there is a small town called Beartown where hockey is more than just a sport. For some it is a religion, an identity, and for others it is a means to overcome short comings and aspire to be better. A team of junior hockey players are on the cusp of changing everything for Beartown. If the players can win the championship, the small town may attract new businesses, improve its ailing economy, and recover its dismal sport dignity. Everyone in the town shares a link to the teen players, from the local bar owner to the mother who cleans the rink, is affected whether they win or lose. Star players are raised on pedestals and considered immortal despite their social standing in the community.
  After a night of celebrating a memorable semifinals win, the star player is accused of raping the general manager's daughter. The community must decide between holding the alleged rapist accountable, and thereby forfeiting their chances at success, and overlooking the crime. I was completely taken aback by this book. I was anticipating a regular underdog sports story, a subgenre that I don't read often. This is far from a typical sports story. Backman provides a panoramic analysis of the sexual assault and all the ripples it causes within the community. There is a large cast of characters, some of which you root for and cherish and others that you hate. Due to the size of the cast, I didn't feel like I had a good amount of character development as I would have liked, but enough to make a decision if I found them to be likable or not. The book is very timely, unfortunately, as sexual assault and sports is a common story and in the time of the #MeToo movement. I was not surprised by the outcome of events though angered and frustrated how the survivor of the assault was not taken seriously or believed. I could not help to think that this would make a wonderful TV show as I constantly thought how much this reminded me of Friday Night Lights TV series which I adored. Beartown is a lighthearted book like the author's previous popular works. This is a serious look at how the actions of one or two people can affect an entire town.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language, scenes of bullying, sexual assault, mentions suicide, homophobic slurs and jokes, and underage drug use. Recommended for older teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Us Against Them by Frederick Backman, Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger

Description: Nadia stands at the center of attention in her parents’ elegant dining room. This is the best day of my life, she thinks. Everyone is about to sing “Happy Birthday,” when her uncle calls from the living room, “Baba, brothers, you need to see this.” Reluctantly, she follows her family into the other room. On TV, a reporter stands near an overturned vegetable cart on a dusty street. Beside it is a mound of smoldering ashes. The reporter explains that a vegetable vendor in the city of Tunis burned himself alive, protesting corrupt government officials who have been harassing his business. Nadia frowns.
    It is December 17, 2010: Nadia’s twelfth birthday and the beginning of the Arab Spring. Soon anti-government protests erupt across the Middle East and, one by one, countries are thrown into turmoil. As civil war flares in Syria and bombs fall across Nadia’s home city of Aleppo, her family decides to flee to safety. Inspired by current events, this novel sheds light on the complicated situation in Syria that has led to an international refugee crisis, and tells the story of one girl’s journey to safety.

Review: Nadia is enjoying her birthday with her family and friends when news arrives of Mohamed Bouazizi, a young man who set himself on fire to protest harassment and corruption of government officials in Tunisia. Nadia is not aware of the new's significance, but the elders in her family watch as protests spread from Tunisia throughout parts of the Middle East in what is called the Arab Spring. Soon the Arab Spring comes to Syria as citizens begin to demand their rights and desires for improved living conditions. Instead of optimism the movement promised, civil war breaks out in Syria as multiple factions face off one another. As her family attempts to flee to Turkey and reunite with her father, their home is bombed and Nadia is left behind. With her cat, Mishmish, and the help of an old, mysterious man—Ammo Mazen—Nadia begins the journey.
  After reading a little about the Syrian Civil War, Escape from Aleppo does a better job in explaining the origins and complexity of the civil war. The author is not afraid to touch upon the politics and uses simple terms for young readers without dumbing it down for them. Flashbacks of Nadia’s life before the war are interspersed with those detailing her struggles to find her father. Nadia gains courage and trust throughout her journey, thanks to her companions, all while struggling to understand why there is such sadness and unfairness in this world. There are dark moments in the book such as kids playing in a cemetery that formed a lump in my throat, but there is also a nice balance of kindness and hope too. Though there are moments of unrealistic events in the book that hinder the story, Escape from Aleppo is a necessary reminder and primer of what is happening in Syria and what many people in war town areas of the country live through every day.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is war violence in the book such as planes dropping bombs and guns firing in the book. Recommended for strong Grade 4 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Escape from Syria by Samya Kullab, Refugee by Alan Gratz

Description: Winnie Mehta was never really convinced that Raj was her soulmate, but their love was written in the stars. Literally, a pandit predicted Winnie would find the love of her life before her 18th birthday, and Raj meets all of the qualifications. Which is why Winnie is shocked to return from her summer at film camp to find her boyfriend of three years hooking up with Jenny Dickens. Worse, Raj is crowned chair of the student film festival, a spot Winnie was counting on for her film school applications. As a self-proclaimed Bollywood expert, Winnie knows this is not how her perfect ending is scripted.
  Then there’s Dev, a fellow film geek, and one of the few people Winnie can count on to help her reclaim control of her story. Dev is smart charming, and challenges Winnie to look beyond her horoscope to find someone she’d pick for herself. But does falling for Dev mean giving up on her prophecy, and her chance to live happily ever after? To get her Bollywood-like life on track, Winnie will need a little bit of help from fate, family, and of course, a Bollywood movie star.

Review: Bollywood has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, whether it is through listening to music from Bollywood movies or watching the movies on the weekend. So I was super-excited to read Sharma's debut novel when I saw its title alone. My So-Called Bollywood Life is an adorable romantic comedy filled with humor, drama, family, and of course romance just like a good Bollywood rom-com.
  Vaneeta "Winnie" Mehta is a Bollywood junkie and loves film. She aspires to be a movie critic and study film with a specialty of South Asian films at the prestigious NYU film school. Winnie had a life pretty much planned out. She would go to NYU and eventually marry her best friend and movie buff Raj as it was fated in her janampatri (natal star chart). As we start the book, Winnie's world is turned upside down as she finds out via social media that Raj was hooking up with another classmate while they were on a break. To make things worse, Raj takes over the film festival, Winnie's moment of glory to showcase her skills and passion for film and was to be her key to NYU, and club member Dev is now starting to be interested in her. Remorseful Raj wants to win Winnie back. Needless to say Winnie has to figure out her complicated romance and find a new way to showcase her love of movies. More unsettling, she must decide if she believes in destiny, and if so, what is hers?
  I absolutely loved the inclusion of Bollywood throughout the novel, particularly the dream sequences starring one of Bollywood's mega stars Shah Rukh Khan. Each chapter headings references Bollywood films, which are detailed in the back of the book for those who are unfamiliar and a good starting guide for those who want give Bollywood movies a try. Since I saw all the films listed, I had a fun time making the connections. Those less familiar with the genre may be a little overwhelmed by the movie details that sprinkle the text, but there are plenty things that they will love about the novel that this might be overlooked. Winnie is a solid heroine who is smart, funny, and ambitious. What I loved most about her, apart from the fact that I also use movie and tv references to explain situations when I can't find the right words, is how proud she is of her culture. I also loved her relationship with her family and best friend. There are plenty of romantic and swoony moments too that brought a smile to my face. My So-Called Bollywood Life is a solid and charming debut. I can't wait to see what Sharma writes next.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and crude sexual humor. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon

Description: In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.
   But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

Review: I absolutely loved Miller's debut novel, The Song of Achilles, which is a retelling of Homer's Illiad. Miller had even a fresh voice and allowed me to change my perception of Achilles. Similarly in her next novel, Circe, she returns to Homer and takes a snippet of The Odyssey to give us an unique take on Circe, one of the famous witches in Greek Mythology.
  Unlike Achilles, whose fighting skills and passions are renown, there is not much known about Circe except her lineage and her witchcraft which is mentioned briefly in The Odyssey. This gives Miller a lot to play around and lends the book to be more than a retelling but also a coming of age story about a complex female figure who has to fight to make her own place. Circe is the daughter of the sun god Helios and his wife Perse. Though she doesn't have characteristics or abilities of a goddess, Circe's compassion and soft heart often make her the outcast in her family. She stumbles upon her power as a sorceress by accident when she longs to make a mortal companion immortal, but it goes horribly wrong and she is banished to the island of Aeaea. Watching Circe evolve from a quivering nymph to a formidable figure is fascinating. Her isolation at Aeaea allows her to focus on herself and build her own skills in learning about herbs and potions while surrounding herself with lions and wolves as companions. Before reading Circe, I was under the impression that Circe used her witchcraft as an evil person, but this book presents her in a different light. For Circe, witchcraft is a means for survival both for physical protection (where kindness and hospitality to lost mortal men result in rape) and an identity. In fact, Circe is not deceived by Odysseus as we are told by Homer, but she is well aware of his cunning. Circe’s fascination with mortals becomes the book’s central theme. She is well aware of how men work. She makes Hermes and Odysseus her lovers, but not expecting a fairy tale romance. The birth of her son Telegonus and the surprised ending makes me wonder how The Odyssey would be told differently if Homer was a woman. There are different mythologies also told in the book from the creation of Scylla, Daedulus and his tragic son Icarus, the creation of the maze, and the birth of the Minotaur, but the focus and spell of Circe holds the readers attention. A definite read if you are interested in reading Greek Mythology with a feminist bent to the well told epic poems.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language and violence. Sexual situations are alluded to in the book but not graphically depicted. There is also a rape scene that is mentioned but not graphically described. Recommended for older teens and adults with an interest in Greek Mythology.

If you like this book try: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood, Medea by Kerry Greenwood

Description: Six years ago, Moss Jefferies' father was murdered by an Oakland police officer. Along with losing a parent, the media's vilification of his father and lack of accountability has left Moss with near crippling panic attacks.
  Now, in his sophomore year of high school, Moss and his fellow classmates find themselves increasingly treated like criminals by their own school. New rules. Random locker searches. Constant intimidation and Oakland Police Department stationed in their halls. Despite their youth, the students decide to organize and push back against the administration. When tensions hit a fever pitch and tragedy strikes, Moss must face a difficult choice: give in to fear and hate or realize that anger can actually be a gift.

Review: Moss had witnessed his unarmed father's fatal death at the hands of the police. He is still dealing with tragedy in the form of anxiety and night terrors, but his friends and mother help him through panic attacks. He is not a big fan of protesting as it was not fruitful for his family and only seems to make his anxiety worse. Moss also struggles with his self confidence and body image as a large, gay, African American. His dating life has been nonexistent-until he meets Javier, an undocumented immigrant from a different school, and begins to fall in love.
  Oshiro addresses many issues in his debut novel: racism, police brutality, civil rights, and gentrification to name a few and covers each of these topics well. As Moss begins his junior year at West Oakland High, a school whose student population is predominately made up of African Americans and Latinos, there are very limited resources for students. Students have to use books that are in irreparable conditions or even worse photocopied pages of textbooks for their classes. Due to low test scores on standardized tests (a battle that is unfortunately very common across the U.S.), there are limited grants. Now the school is adding metal detectors and random locker searches. Both new policies cause immediate issues for innocent students.
  Moss's group of friends is affected and they begin organizing. Tragedy strikes during a planned school walk out. Moss's inner demons are awakened and now he must stand up and fight for what is right. I really appreciated this book's honesty and realism in a unresolved, everything tied up in a bow happy ending. The heartbreaking last lines are a call to action. Notably, there are no good models of white ally-ship, putting a sharp eye on white privileged and the title is stronger for this fact. While the book does drag in bits and could have used some editing to tighten some passages, the diversity of this title is its biggest strength: sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, race, disability, and ethnicity are all portrayed in Oshiro's inner-city Oakland setting. This timely title will provoke much-needed discussion and would make an excellent book discussion.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence and language. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, How I resist : activism and hope for a new generation edited by Maureen Johnson

Description: Ebo: alone. His sister left months ago. Now his brother has disappeared too, and Ebo knows it can only be to make the hazardous journey to Europe. Ebo's epic journey takes him across the Sahara Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless sea. But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a reunion with his sister.

Review: Horror stories of immigrants trying to escape in order for a chance at a better life have graced several pages in the newspaper and online. Recent policy changes regarding immigration have reignited the hot topic of immigration in the United States and Europe. While some have welcomed immigrants, others have not.
Illegal is a resonating and timely graphic novel that humanizes an immigrant's plight. The graphic novel is told in two different timelines. In the present Ebo and his brother Kwame along with 12 other people are aboard a leaking dinghy made for six, are desperately trying to reach Italian shores. In the past timeline we are given a road map to all the steps Ebo and Kwame have taken to get to the dinghy: their parents have died, their sole caretaker Uncle Patrick is always drunk and unable to care for them, and their older sister Sisi has made her way to Italy in search of a better life. Both brothers want to reunite with her and get a fresh start. The transition between the two timelines are jarring. There were multiple of times where it took me out of the story. A linear narrative approach would have worked better.
   The brothers have endured a harrowing journey through the Sahara Desert to Tripoli, Libya, hoping to cross the Mediterranean and land as refugees. The horrors Ebo witnesses especially with the cruelties of human smugglers who value money more than human life, dehydration and hunger, as well as the impossibilities he survives constitute a haunting testimony to the human spirit. Though the graphic novel is not based on one particular person, but a composite of people who have endured this journey, it is eye opening, engaging, and will hopefully educate people that refugees are not statistics and no human is illegal.

Curriculum Connection: Social Studies (Current Events/Debate/Government), English, and Art

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some depiction of strong violence and disturbing images. Recommended for Grades 6 and up.

If you like this book try: Escape from Syria by Samya Kullab