Reviews by Tag: identity

Love and Gelato, written by Jenna Evan Welch follows Carolina (nicknamed Lina), a young girl who loses her mother to pancreatic cancer. Upon her death, her mother sends her to Florence, Italy to live with her supposed “father”, Howard. When she arrives, she is unpleasantly surprised to learn that she will now live in a graveyard. With everything seemingly going wrong, she plans to run away until she finds a journal her mother left behind that changes everything.

Gregorio's novel None of the Above follows Kristin Lattimer, a teenage girl who has it all: many caring friends, a loving boyfriend, and a promising athletic career. That is until Kristin discovers that she is intersex, causing her to spiral into a full-blown identity crisis while she also suffering from the discrimination of her classmates. This novel contains scenes of sexual assault, and discrimination against queer identities which may be triggering for some readers. 

The House on Mango Street is a novel written by Sandra Cisneros. The novel depicts the life of 12-year-old Mexican Esperanza, who grew up in a Hispanic neighborhood in Chicago. This book goes through many themes like identity, poverty discrimination. In the story, she shows small parts of her life and others to go through all of these themes. She talks about her home and the changes she goes through each time she moves.

Rick Riordan’s second book in the Percy Jackson series, The Sea of Monsters, continues the story with Percy and his friends finding trouble with the tree protecting Camp Half Blood when they try to return. Realizing this, they try to get a quest, however Percy’s nemesis Clarisse gets the quest instead. Percy decides to sneak away from Camp Half Blood anyways with Annabeth and his half-brother Tyson.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth is the second book in the dystopian Divergent series. Tris’ city has always been made up of five factions, but when two of the factions team up to target another, the future of the city becomes uncertain. After Tris and Tobias ended the attack, they were forced to flee, hiding from the government leaders who would kill them for their acts of insurgence.

Celaena Sardothien has made her way to the city of Wendlyn to seek vengeance against the King of Adarlan. Heartbroken and full of rage, Celaena stumbles around Wendlyn, drinking and fighting every person she meets. When Prince Rowan Whitethorn of Doranelle finds Celaena, he brings her to Queen Maeve. Maeve claims that in exchange for answers about the Wyrdkeys, Celaena must learn to master her fire magic by training with Rowan. Meanwhile, in Adarlan, Aedion Ashryver, Chaol, and Dorian begin working on a plan to free magic in the kingdom.

Hilo: Waking the Monsters dives into Hilo's inner turmoil as he faces monstrous threats and struggles to maintain control. His friendships with D.J. and Gina are put to the test as shadows close in, forcing Hilo to confront his darkest fears. Hilo: Waking the Monsters plunges into darkness and suspense as Hilo faces inner turmoil and monstrous threats! Judd Winick crafts compelling character arcs, exploring Hilo's vulnerabilities and relationships. D.J.

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters plunges readers into a perilous quest, expanding the world of Greek mythology while deepening character relationships. Riordan's vivid storytelling brings legendary creatures to life. The introduction of Tyson, Percy's half-brother, adds warmth and humor. Percy's summer is disrupted when Camp Half-Blood's magical borders are threatened. He soon discovers that the only way to protect the camp is to retrieve the Golden Fleece, a powerful artifact with healing properties.

In The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Percy Jackson continues his journey as the son of Poseidon. He goes back to Camp Half-Blood where he learns that it is under attack with monsters. So, Percy and his friends again set out on another adventure to save the world! 

Divergent is a dystopian novel that offers a mix of action, romance, and social commentary. It is set in a future Chicago where society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to a specific virtue: Abnegation (selflessness), Amity (peace), Candor (honesty), Dauntless (bravery), and Erudite (intelligence). The protagonist, Beatrice "Tris" Prior, grew up in Abnegation but has always felt out of place.