Breath of the Dragon follows the story of 16-year-old Jun, who is an aspiring martial artist. He wants to enter the top-tier Guardian’s Tournament, both for personal glory, and to restore his family’s honor. But when his father forbids him from the tournament, Jun has to find another way to enter.
This Song Is (not) for You is a realistic fiction young adult novel that follows three young musicians, Ramona, Sam, and Tom through their senior year of high school. They meet at auditions for a prestigious music university and become fast friends. Starting a band is just the natural course of nature, so is Sam and Tom both falling deeply in love with Ramona. As they navigate the various family hardships they are all facing, the band evolves into something new and unique.
If He Had Been With Me, written by Laura Nowling follows the point of view of the main character Autumn throughout her experiences growing up. She and her mother live right next to Aunt Angelina (who is Autumn's mothers’ best friend) and her son, Phineas. Autumn grows up alongside Finny and they are inseparable best friends. Something happens when they reach middle school that complicates things however, so they begin to grow apart.
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin is thought to be semi-autobiographical, being based on Baldwin's own life. James Baldwin, in case anyone doesn’t know, is a renowned author (and my favorite author) best known for his works, Giovanni's Room and If Beale Street Could Talk.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt mainly takes place at the elite Hampden College, a liberal arts university in Vermont. The novel follows Richard Papen as he leaves his poor California home and joins a tight-knit exclusive group of students studying Classics at the school taught solely by Professor Julian Morrow.
The Naturals follows protagonist Cassie Hobbes, a gifted 17 year old girl, who has a knack for reading people. Ever since she was a kid, Cassie had a special ability to look at a person and know their whole life story. When the number of cold cases began to rise, Cassie finds herself in contact with the FBI as they plan a special task force with other teen “naturals.” Seizing the opportunity to put her profiling abilities to use, Cassie finds herself thrown into a world of danger and mystery.
Daphne Vincent, an enthusiastic librarian in Waning Bay, Michigan, felt perfectly settled into her new life with her soon-to-be husband Peter Collins. That is, until her fiancé realizes his love for his childhood best friend, Petra. Devastated, Daphne moves into the apartment of Petra’s ex-boyfriend Miles Nowak, whom she believes will understand her situation. Daphne and Miles begin to bond over their shared breakups, hatching a plan to get back at their exes while navigating their new lives.
If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang is a fun, contemporary romance that dives into the struggles of class privilege and academic pressure. Alice Sun, a Chinese-American scholarship student at her Beijing international boarding school, feels invisible among her rich and influential classmates. To make matters worse, her parents have just confessed that they cannot afford tuition, even with the scholarship.
Jane Austen adaptations might be one of my favorite forms of media. I’ve watched everyone you could get hold of, but by far my favorite will always be Pride and Prejudice 2005. This movie was an adaptation of Jane Austen's famous novel by the same name and follows Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy and their troublesome, frustrating, and utterly swoon worthy romance. Elizabeth Bennett comes from a large family with little means, while Mr. Darcy comes from a noble and wealthy family with a large estate.
