Breathless by Jennifer Niven

 

“Before: With graduation on the horizon, budding writer Claudine Henry is making plans: college in the fall, become a famous author, and maybe--finally--have sex. She doesn't even need to be in love. Then her dad drops a bombshell: he's leaving Claude's mother. Suddenly, Claude's entire world feels like a lie, and her future anything but under control.

After: Claude's mom whisks them away to the last place Claude could imagine nursing a broken heart: a remote, mosquito-infested island off the coast of Georgia. But then Jeremiah Crew happens. Miah is a local trail guide with a passion for photography--and a past he doesn't like to talk about. He's brash and enigmatic, and even more infuriatingly, he's the only one who seems to see Claude for who she wants to be. So when Claude decides to sleep with Miah, she tells herself it's just sex, nothing more. There's not enough time to fall in love, especially if it means putting her already broken heart at risk.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Claude's story of endings and new beginnings literally broke my heart but put it back together in just the right way. With her world completely ripped out from underneath her just before her high school graduation, the story counts down the days leading to the end of their life as a family to the days she spends with her mom on the small remote Georgia island that her mother's family has ties to. When Jeremiah Crew drops into her life, an entire world of new beginnings opens up for both of them.

This book broke me more than the author's All the Bright Places and I think that the narrator's voice really conveyed Claude's voice. One can always hope for a future epilogue.

Visit Jennifer Niven’s website.

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

 

“If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.

If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.

For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.

But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.

Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?” - taken from Goodreads.com

Linh and Bao’s families own rival Vietnamese restaurants and the teens have avoided each other for years. When fate brings the two of them together, they soon realize that the family feud runs much deeper than either one suspected. A unique story about family history and self-discovery. 

Visit Loan Le’s website.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

 

“Keep the secret. Live the lie. Earn your truth.

As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. Daunis dreams of studying medicine, but when her family is struck by tragedy, she puts her future on hold to care for her fragile mother.

The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, certain details don’t add up and she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into the heart of a criminal investigation.

Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, but secretly pursues her own investigation, tracking down the criminals with her knowledge of chemistry and traditional medicine. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home.

Now, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she'll go to protect her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book was phenomenal and definitely lives up to all of the hype. Daunis Fontaine is fearless, despite everything she faces. The author dives deep into the Native American culture of the Ojibwe community in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. For maximum enjoyment, go into this book without knowing a whole lot about it. Definitely will remain one of my all-time favorites.

Visit Angeline Boulley’s website.

Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron

 

“Follow a black teen as she finds her place among a family of women gifted with magical abilities.

In the Jim Crow South, white supremacy reigns and tensions are high. But Evalene Deschamps has other things to worry about. She has two little sisters to look after, an overworked single mother, and a longtime crush who is finally making a move.

On top of all that, Evvie’s magic abilities are growing stronger by the day. Her family calls it jubilation—a gift passed down from generations of black women since the time of slavery. And as Evvie’s talents waken, something dark comes loose and threatens to resurface…

And when the demons of Evvie’s past finally shake free, she must embrace her mighty lineage, and summon the power that lies within her.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I had high hopes for this book but was only slightly disappointed by the fantasy aspects. This story leaned more towards the historical uncurrent of being an African American living in South Carolina in 1962, the height of the Jim Crow era. I plowed through the book to see how Evalene would master her abilities at jubilation(magic). Unfortunately, the ending broke my heart.

Visit Kara Lee Corthron’s website.

Blessed Monsters by Emily A. Duncan (Something Dark and Holy book 3)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Wicked Saints, and Ruthless Gods, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher on the first book.

“The girl, the monster, the prince, the queen.

They broke the world.

And some things can never be undone.

They must unite once more to fight the dark chaos they've unleashed—but is it already too late?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This final installment started extremely slow for me. After about 150 pages into the book, the story really begins to pick up as our characters soon realize what their actions have caused. In a  battle to save literally everyone and everything, all of the pieces of the story begin to fall into place. So glad that I did stick with this series.

Visit Emily A. Duncan’s website.