Artemisia Gentileschi was faced with, in her eyes, an easy option. A life as a nun or a life of making paint for her father’s pieces. As she slowly becomes one of Rome’s talented (and also unknown) painters, she meets a new instructor, an attractive young man who is skilled in the art of painting. But life in 1610 Rome was not easy for a young woman, and as Artemisia is raped by her instructor, she faces more options. Live a life of silence and fear or live a life of truth and judgement from others. And for Artemisia, the option was easy.
As a young child, Celia Bowen meets a world-famous magician who she is told is her father. He teaches her the art of true magic and trains her to compete in a highly dangerous game against Marco, the son of her father’s nemesis. The battle ground consists simply of an elaborate circus, which shows up without warning at night and offers the most magical evening that one could experience. But both Celia and Marco are unaware of the game’s rules and that they are each other’s opponent until they have fallen in love.
The Poppy War follows war orphan Fang Runin, who is known as Rin by her friends, as she studies for the most difficult exam in the Nikara Empire: The Keju, which qualifies students for the top academies in the nation. When she is accepted, there is widespread shock and disbelief as a person of her situation has never qualified before. As Rin prepares for Sinegard, the most elite military academy, the euphoria wears off quickly.
I know this book might be considered to be a kid’s book by some, but even at the age I’m at, I still love it! Stick and Stone Explore and More is the story of the two main characters, Stick and Stone, and the crazy adventures they encounter. In one adventure, they get taken by a Nature Girl and need to find their way home. In their other adventure, they almost get roasted and toasted by a campfire! But Stick and Stone always do everything together, because they’re the best of friends!
Nothing can stop eleven-year-old Katie from living her best life; nothing at all! At least, that’s the case until she goes off to overnight camp with her best friend and she starts getting thoughts that tell her she has to tuck in her sheet just right or else she’ll fall off her bed in the middle of the night. They tell her that if she says the word ‘tongue’ constantly then she won’t have to get tongue surgery. They tell her so many things, that fast forward a few months, these thoughts are all she can think about.
Firekeeper’s Daughter is an amazing young adult thriller that blends mystery, culture, and self-discovery. The novel is about Daunis Fontaine, an 18-year-old girl living in Michigan, who feels torn between two worlds—her mother’s wealthy white family and her late father’s Ojibwe heritage. Though she is deeply connected to the Native community, she is not officially enrolled in the tribe, which confuses her sense of identity.
Restart is a Fiction book by the well-known author Gordon Korman. The story is reflected in Chase Ambrose's identity after he falls off a roof and suffers from amnesia not remembering a single thing about his past life or what type of person he was. His former identity is a well-known bully, popular boy, and star athlete with many people hating him. As he learns to go back to his so-called life, he realizes that he no longer feels connected to that version of himself and finds a new identity.
Naomi is forced to leave her life in the city after a family crisis and ends up in the small town of Knockemout. She soon meets the grumpy and mysterious Knox Morgan who has a reputation for being closed off and the town’s bad boy. Despite their differences, they end up bonding over past trauma and other things they never got over.
Adam and Amelia Wright’s marriage is struggling. In their final attempt to save their relationship, they venture to Scotland on a getaway trip where they stay in an isolated chapel in the woods. Adam has a rare condition that makes it hard for him to recognize faces and Amelia has her own secrets. Their stay at this chapel turns into a game of manipulation and a journey of uncovering the past in unexpected ways.
Millie Calloway has had a rough go at life. She was just released from prison and lost her job and apartment but finds a job being a housemaid for a wealthy family. Nina Winchester, the wife and mom of this family, forces Millie to sleep in the attic that only locks from the outside. Millie then notices Nina’s incredibly wild and erratic behavior. As she stays with this family longer, she discovers the very unusual things that go on behind the scenes.
