Raeleen Recommends:
- The Deep by Rivers Solomon: Extremely original, with a fascinating mythology about mermaids who are descended from enslaved African women who were thrown overboard slave ships while pregnant. LGBTQ+ rep and is heavily influenced by music!
- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon: BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL FANTASY. Complex world, while still being easy to understand, so a great starting point for fantasy newcomers, if you’re brave enough for the 800+ page count. It’s diverse, action-packed, and by the end you will be fully in love with the main characters.
- Miracle Creek by Angie Kim: If you love courtroom dramas and Celeste Ng’s novels… You will absolutely adore this. There’s a tragic accident, plenty of secrets, and a Korean-American family stuck in the middle of it all. A must-read!
Ariel Recommends:
- So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson: This is a book about how to be a good human online. Especially right now when we’re all staying home and spending so much extra time online it’s so important that we think deeply about how we communicate online and how we treat one another! Plus it’s so fascinating and funny!
- Indian Horse by Richard Wagemese: Well, what can I say. This book is astonishingly beautiful and brutal. I remember it was assigned for one of my classes and (because how often does school reading go well?!) I wasn’t really looking forward to it. But then I started it. And absolutely couldn’t put it down. I read it in a sitting or two and was utterly absorbed into this gorgeous and devastating tale. Get it!!!!
- The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang: AW MAN! This book is such an absolute gem. (And I’m also convinced that I look like the main character???) The bond between the main characters and the personal journeys that they both go through are so touching and fun. The art style is beautiful and if you’re anything like me the moment you finish it you’ll want to start right over. I really wish more people read graphic novels and this is such a great place to start!
Check out the full list of books here!
