Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a realistic fiction novel. The book follows the character Kya as she navigates growing up alone and apart from the rest of society. The novel details her journey and her constant growth of knowledge through the highs and lows of friendships, romantic relationships, work, etc. She lives in an area called “the Marsh” and enjoys her lifestyle being one with the wilderness.
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a Young Adult Fiction book. Speak, told by Melinda Sordino, is about facing the traumas of high school. Before Freshman year, Melinda goes to a party, in which she calls the cops. Therefore, no one talks to her, not even her best friend. At that party, an older guy raped Melinda, so when she goes back to school, she is continually haunted by the guy. But, when she learns to speak for not only herself, but many other teenagers, things change.
The story of love, heartbreak, betrayal, and reunion between the two main characters, Connell and Marianne. Told over the course of a few years, readers follow their journey through high school and college as they navigate their ever-changing relationship. I really wanted to like this book. After everything I had heard about Sally Rooney, I had high expectations for this book, and unfortunately, I feel like it didn’t quite live up to the hype. Normally I am a big fan of romance, but this one just didn’t cut it for me.
The House on Mango Street is the coming of age story of a young Latina girl named Esperanza as she grows up with her family in a predominantly white Chicago. We get to see her struggles with friends, family, school, money, racism, and much more. What I love about this story is that it is told in vignettes. Each vignette is a unique portion of Esperanza’s childhood, each with its own lesson and message that can be applied to the lives of the reader.
Navigating Early is a story about two boys who meet at a boarding school and decide to go on an adventure through the Appalachian Trail in hopes to heal from past issues. This book was a beautiful read. If you like hearing people engage in deep conversations about any subject under the moon, you will enjoy this. I know I did for sure.
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, illustrates a hopeless boy who runs away to New York City. After Holden, the main character, gets kicked out of school and his home, he figures out the best option would be to run away from his home and try to find hope somewhere else. He experiences a cycle of the same emotions over and over again, which makes the book seem boring. However, through all of Holden’s mental instability, there are rare moments of growth.
John Knowles' A Separate Peace is a coming-of-age story that recounts the friendship of two boys during World War II. Gene is brilliant and introverted, while Phineas is charismatic and popular. As the two boys suffer under the pressures of war, their jealously will attempt to overcome their friendship. This book appears to be a simple story, but it's filled with symbolic meaning.
Eliza is a pro at writing poetry. She is so good, that boys in her school ask her to ghostwrite love notes for their significant others. At first, she doesn’t mind using her talents for others, but when Theo Moses, a guy she likes, asks her to write a love letter for his girlfriend Lila, she contemplates what is good for her and what isn’t. What happens next? Read more to find out!
Meri Miller is a teen living in Soldotna, Alaska, (aka the middle of nowhere). She desires traveling to big cities, like LA. Since she is in her senior year, she expects her plans to run perfectly, but when troubles arise in her family and life, she must face the world as she knows it.
Little Dog knows his mother cannot read, her education put to an abrupt end after the destruction of her schoolhouse by a napalm raid in her native Vietnam. So when he addresses this letter to his mother, he speaks not only to her but also to himself, straining to break free of his past. The words and phrases he knows his mother cannot understand spill out like secrets, truth, or something that lies somewhere in between.
