Alex Volkov is a man with a dark past and an even darker heart. His past is filled with trauma and tragedy that forced him to be closed off. However, when he is forced to look after his best friend’s sister, he begins to feel foreign emotions. Ava Chen tries to see the good in everyone, even a man who never shows kindness. They shouldn’t want each other, but they cannot resist. Secrets unravel and the past threatens to pull them apart.
The story of five boys (and several animals) within a small home, learning to cope with the death of their mother, the absence of their father and life in general. Honestly, I should be surprised that Zusak manages to write masterpiece after masterpiece. I picked this up after having read his previous two books, The Book Thief and I Am The Messenger and falling in love with his writing style.
A young woman, during a moment of desperation, makes a deal with the devil. Eternal life, but at a cost she didn’t yet know. When it’s done and she realizes she’s been cursed to be completely forgotten by everyone she meets the moment she leaves their eye sight, she is forced to live a solitary life over centuries.
They Both Die at the End is an emotional rollercoaster that explores life, death and the power of human connection. With its beautifully created characters and thought-provoking beliefs, this novel is both heartbreaking and inspiring. The story follows two teenagers, Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio who live in a world where people are notified on the day they will die. They both receive alerts on the same day.
This popular Tiktok book will bring you to tears. It follows Autumn, a high schooler who loves her boyfriend and has the best friend group. Except it's not perfect, there's someone always on Autumn's mind, and that is her childhood best friend Finn. Autumn and Finn are neighbors and their moms are best friends. They spent every single moment together when they were younger but something caused them to fall out of touch.
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow is a deeply emotional realistic fiction novel that follows the life of Charlie Davis, a 17-year-old girl struggling to rebuild her life after experiencing severe trauma and loss. I have read this book over and over again, wishing I could experience the emotional roller coaster of reading it for the first time.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a young adult romance about two teenagers, Hazel and Augustus, who fall in love while dealing with cancer. Hazel is a survivor, and Augustus has his own health struggles. The book explores tough topics like illness and loss, but also showcases the beauty of life and love, even when it doesn't last long. I give this book four stars because it was a very emotional but satisfying read. This book made me empathize for Hazel and Augustus because of their unfortunate fate.
The Ugly Cry: A Memoir is a heartfelt, humorous nonfiction novel that revisits the author’s childhood. Raised by her fiercely independent grandmother in New York, Danielle has a life filled with unexpected challenges and hilarious lessons. The memoir dives into Danielle’s experiences growing up in a busy family environment, including her mother’s absence, struggles with racism as a Black girl in a white town and the resilience she had.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a heart-wrenching story told from two perspectives during World War II. The book follows Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a blind French girl, and Werner Pfennig, a German orphan. While trying to escape ongoing German occupation, Marie-Laure and her father reside on the coast of France. Meanwhile, Werner’s intrinsic talent for engineering radios ultimately causes the two characters to cross paths in Saint-Malo.
Normal People by Sally Rooney follows the relationship between Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan. Spending their youth in a small-town in Ireland, the two find themselves to be polar opposites in high school, Connell, a popular jock, and Marianne a quiet outcast. However, they discover that their interests align perfectly, sparking a relationship.
