Tag Archives: realistic

The Queens of New York by E. L. Shen

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Glamor, hearts of gold, summer, dumplings, Broadway, scholarships, this book has it all.

E. L. Shen’s Queens of New York revolves around Jia Lee, Ariel Kim, and Everett Hoang. The trio each being their own specialties to the group: Everett is the future Broadway star, all shiny lights and melodic voice. Ariel is the genius, brainy scholar who just recently lost her sister to a drowning incident she strangely knows nothing about. And Jia, she’s like the skin of dumpling, keeping them all together.

When the three best friends split up for the summer—Ariel to San Francisco to pursue her STEM interest, Everett to a performing arts school in Ohio, and Jia remaining back at home, all of the problems in their lives become apparent.

Without each other for constant support and distractions, the girls are forced to face their fears head-on. With their leaps of faith come new discoveries and closure.

This novel shines a light on Asian-American representation, racism, and economical disadvantages. For one, the offhanded racist comments that Everett experienced from an authoritative figure at her academy. Jia’s family’s dumpling house restaurant responsibilities that restrict her from bringing up her dreams of college and an education that her family can’t afford.

I appreciated how these very real concepts did not detract from the storyline, only added to the characters and the reader’s understanding of them.

Overall, The Queens of New York was a novel that I enjoyed reading. It proves that there is more than just flashy skyline buildings, unrelenting crowds, and bustling taxis to New York; There are big hearts and even bigger dreams.

The Queens of New York by E. L. Shen is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

BOOK REVIEW – Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret by Judy Blume

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(NO SPOILERS)

I read this book on a car ride to a drive in theater to watch the new Indiana Jones (Dial of Destiny). I hated the book. The movie was good.

The book, Are you There, God? It’s me, Margaret by Judy Blume is a coming of age story about Margaret, a pre-teen girl trying to fit in when her family moves from New York City to New Jersey. She struggles with finding her religion and growing up as a girl. 

I didn’t have to commit many hours to reading — I finished in about two. 

There’s themes of religion and social relationships and menstruation, but overall, it was an enjoyable read!! I don’t think I’d read it ever again, though, because I don’t particularly tend to enjoy Judy Blume. However, it felt real in terms of familial relationships.

In short, I struggle in finding my identity in many areas, such as sexuality, gender, and religion. I’m told what I am by many people, including my parents, but sometimes it doesn’t feel right. Margaret struggles with the same thing — her family argues about what religion she would convert to. I related to it, but again, Judy Blume is not my favorite author. And this was not my favorite book.

Anyways, this book apparently has been banned in a few places due to its take on religions including Christianity and Jewishism. I’m Catholic, a branch of Christianity, but even then, many characters in this book made me feel super angry. The parents discussed religion in poor ways, and basically, I disliked the parents. I disliked the family.

HOWEVER. There were many weird moments in the book that made me throw it across the room. There were practices that the main group of girls went through in order to appear more feminine. AND they were ecstatic about receiving their first periods. I. I cannot. I couldn’t; I literally skipped over every instance they hung out. There was also a girl they disliked because of a rumor that she used her beauty and big breasts to “go behind the school to kiss two boys.” WHAT.

Additionally, these girls had a teacher. A male teacher. A first-time, perverted teacher. There were phrases and instances where I felt like the teacher held their gaze too long on these tiny tweens, he made Margaret uncomfortable, and his eyes always went back to the girl who was early developed. Overall, ew. Overall, please stop, I don’t want kids to reflect on these themes in a positive way. 

I rate this book ½ a star. But hey, at least Indiana Jones was kind of good. 

Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret by Judy Blume is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Deepest Roots by Miranda Asebedo

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Miranda Asebedo’s The Deepest Roots is a powerful novel that proves that friendship is an unbreakable force.

Rome, Lux, and Mercy are three girls of Cottonwood Hollow, born with magical abilities that seem to only attract evil. Rome is a Fixer—she can repair broken objects and understand mechanisms well, Lux can charm men into believing they love her, and Mercy’s magic conjures up an abundance of any item.

Rome is the main character of the story. She and her single mother struggle to pay the rent in their shabby, run-down trailer. Money is hard to come by and each day is a struggle. The support she receives from Lux and Mercy give her the strength to help her through these challenging times.

I enjoyed reading this book because of its realistic events and obstacles. Rome’s difficulties and responsibilities are authentic and add to her character’s budding independence. Mercy and Lux are two incredible friends to Rome that support her through thick and thin, even though they may not always get along.

This novel was a definite page turner. I enjoyed reading each page. However, throughout the book, there were a few crude concepts; Lux’s Mom’s abusive boyfriend and the unwanted attention Lux receives with her powers. Even in the dark times of Lux’s life, Rome and Mercy were there to rescue her—The hardships Lux faces only strengthen the girls’ bond.

Eventually, the three close friends learn that their powers are no curse rooting them to the ground; They are a precious opportunity to grow.

The Deepest Roots by Miranda Asebedo is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Loveless

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In this day and age, romance seems to just be a part of everyone’s everyday life. This is the case for Georgia Warr, the main character of the book Loveless by Alice Oseman. Written in 2020, and published under Scholastic Press, this book follows her as she tries to make her way through her first year of university life, with only her two best friends, Pip and Jason, by her side.

The book itself opens with her at an after-prom party, where we learn very quickly that she has never had a crush on anybody, and is quite frankly scared of the idea of intimate romance. After a disastrous event involving her thought-to-be crush, her favorite jean jacket, and a bonfire, Georgia is left to question whether she will ever find someone she actually loves. When she gets to university, she discovers that she is roomed with a girl named Rooney, who she instantly idolizes. The way that she is able to socialize and flirt with other people with seemingly no effort at all has Georgia at a loss. She also meets her “college parent,” Sunil.

Georgia is desperate to learn Rooney’s ways, and they end up bonding over a shared love of theater, and especially Shakespeare. This leads to her, Rooney, Pip, Jason, and Sunil forming a Shakespeare Soc of their own. 

We follow Georgia as she manages her friendships, relationships, and eventual realization of being aromantic and asexual. 

Widely regarded as very good aro/ace representation, I have seen many people recommend this book. It helped me personally learn more about how different people identify and go about the world, and even realize some things about myself. All in all, this was a very good read that I highly recommend you check out if you have the time.

Loveless by Alice Oseman is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

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Sixteen-year-old Aza Holmes wasn’t expecting to be investigating the disappearance of billionaire Russell Pickett, but a hundred thousand dollar reward is looming and her best friend Daisy is ready to solve the mystery. Aza and Daisy become acquainted with Russell’s son Davis, and together, they collect evidence and gather information to figure out what truly happened to Russell Pickett.

But within this external conflict lies Aza’s true endeavor as she struggles as a student, friend, and daughter. Aza struggles with OCD and anxiety, causing her to get lost in what she calls her thought spiral. She is consumed by paranoia of death by bacterial infection and is unable to live in the present and form real relationships with her loved ones.

Throughout the story, Aza struggles in finding herself and getting better, even when it seems impossible. As her world spins out of control, Aza loses her grip and regains it, learning how to cope with the uncontrollable storms of mental illness.

Turtles All the Way Down is an absolutely heart wrenching, raw, real, and painful story that accurately portrays mental illness. As Aza strives to separate from her intrusive thoughts, readers find that healing from mental illness isn’t a linear journey where one can simply choose to get better. The novel is realistic in its portrayal of life, love, friendship, illness, and healing. Overall, I loved Turtles All the Way Down, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes to read thought-provoking realistic fiction stories that allow them to look at life with a different lens.

-Lam T.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

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If I Stay by Gayle Forman was actually more meaningful and emotional than I initially thought it would be. I borrowed this book after reading the synopsis and found the idea of experiencing life through a comatose state intriguing.

Mia Hall has a promising path ahead of her filled with Julliard, standing ovation, and her skills as a cellist. After a terrifying car accident occurs and leaves her all alone in the world, she is able to see her own life unfold from afar—as a spectator.

She sees her body transported to a hospital and all the aftereffects of the traumatic event. Her friends and family are all there to support her as she remains in a hospital bed, broken and unconscious.

The times where she goes back into her memories and rediscovers the moments that she had forgotten made me realize just how fleeting life can be and how we must treasure what we have in the present with the people around us.

There were a few sections of the novel that made me tear up, because the encouragement and understanding that her friends and family showed her during their visits made me feel for them, too.

I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for Mia to lose touch with reality and to watch as the people she loves will her to keep living. She has to make a difficult decision: to stay in the world, where she doesn’t know if she can manage every day, or to let herself go and let down everyone she knows.

If I Stay was an eye-opening novel that made me see life differently. The unexpected can happen at any time, and I now know that one should not let life pass them by.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review: Jane Eyre

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To be honest, the book, Jane Eyre was a really complicated read with its dense sentence structure, its use of old English language, and difficult vocabulary. It is also difficult trying to connect with the history background of the 19th century.

Overall, Jane Eyre’s personality is very straightforward and she has an independent and hopeful attitude that I really enjoyed, especially since she went through so many hardships when she was young (such as being abused by her aunt, surviving at the strict and harsh Lowood School).

From the beginning of the book to the end, you can see a lot of maturation and moral growth from Jane Eyre. She became much more independent and was seeking for someone to be loved unconditionally. Jane seeks for a feeling of identity and worth in addition to romantic connection.

Ever since her parents died, she was looking for love in her aunt, she found none. In her teachers, she found none. Until, she met Mr. Rochester while being governess at Thornfield who she seemed to connect with and understand.

She finally began to feel that unconditioned love, until she found out on the day of her wedding that Mr. Rochester still had a wife. She fled to the countryside and eventually found that she had cousins (St. John, Diana, and Mary) and her Uncle who had passed away had left her a fortune.

She goes back to Mr. Rochester, only to find that he is blind and has lost one of his hands (Thornfield was burned down and he got injured trying to save everyone from the fire that his wife had caused). Rochester professes his love for Jane Eyre, and they live pretty much happily ever after!

This story is a great read if you want to feel the deep emotions and feelings that Jane Eyre narrates. It also helps you understand more about the hypocrisy and injustice of the 19th century social classes.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review: Solitaire by Alice Oseman

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Tori Spring enjoys blogging and sleeping… and that’s pretty much all she enjoys these days. Tori, a sixteen-year-old Year 12 student, is a chronic pessimist with few friends and little to no sources of happiness.

But when she follows a trail of Post-It notes to the computer lab, where she meets the mysteriously eccentric Michael Holden, she receives a message from a group called Solitaire that plots to take over the school.

Throughout the story, we follow Tori as she makes and breaks her friendships, struggles with her mental health, balances her schoolwork, learns to trust other people, and finds the motivation to get out of bed every morning. On top of everything going on in Tori’s life, she continually tries to be the best sister she can be to her brothers, Charlie and Oliver.

I absolutely loved this book, though it was a lot darker than many books I’ve enjoyed in the past. Nevertheless, I may go so far as to call Solitaire my favorite book as of now. Alice Oseman crafts a haunting, realistic, beautiful story in the mind of an imperfect main character. As usual, Alice Oseman includes lots of LGBTQ+ representation in Solitaire as well as in her other novels, which I strongly recommend as well!

Solitaire also introduces the characters Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, who appear in the Netflix series Heartstopper. However, Solitaire may not be enjoyable for fans of Heartstopper, as it is much deeper and darker and does not work out to be a perfect happy ending. Solitaire is not a love story, the main conflict takes place inside Tori as she tries to figure herself out.

I loved that this book wasn’t like what I usually read—nothing like the cliche love story with nice characters that have a happy ending. I liked that Tori had good days and bad days, and I enjoyed diving into her introspective thoughts. I found Solitaire to be much more realistic to life, and I truly enjoyed this amazing book.

Happy reading!

-Lam T.

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

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Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson is a nonfiction novel that takes readers through the author’s journey of creating his own law firm and and defending his clients. Stevenson works with racial minorities, disabled people, women, and children who have been wrongfully convicted or treated cruelly in prisons. The novel mainly revolves around the case of Walter McMillian- an innocent black man who was blamed for the murder of a teenage girl named Ronda Morrison. However, the author still shares dozens of other cases that involve different groups of people.

Personally, I found this novel very eye-opening, as it informed me of the situations involving our country’s justice system and current prison conditions. It caused me to rethink the conditions in which someone should receive a capital punishment, as well as whether or not the death penalty is considered inhumane. I was also impressed by the several themes in the novel that could be applied to not only my own life, but society as a whole. For example: It shouldn’t be okay to judge someone without considering the situation they are currently in, or what they have been through in the past.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about criminal justice and law. Although there are some legal terms that require extra research to understand the meaning of, the overall plot is very easy to comprehend, especially with the clear, detailed descriptions of each case.

-Aysha H.

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Jane Anonymous: A Novel by Laurie Faria Stolarz

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I have to say after reading this book I felt sad yet relieved. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I truly loved every bit of detail and description that was carefully poured into each and every chapter. It felt as if I was a part of the story myself. The feeling of betrayal of being unheard of by many others. Those who you thought you could trust. Imagine you’re being secretly watched for years and had no clue. That whatever evil has been following you creeps up behind you without any realization. Until it’s too late. It has you.

In this book we follow a teenage girl who’s wrapping up high-school with a job at her local jewelry store. She works from early morning to night. The jewelry store she works at is located near a dark forest with the surveillance cameras out of service. One night as Jane is closing the store getting ready to leave a man appears at the door. Begging for a minute. He claimed that all he needed was to buy a ring for his wife’s anniversary. Jane felt bad and unlocked the door. Little did she know this would be her biggest regret.

The man is dressed nicely. Hair styled back. His appearance charming enough to fool those around him. Just as the man chose a ring for his “wife” Jane offers him a small bag to put it in. She turns her back. The man jumps over the counter grabbing and pulling onto Jane. He forces a bag over head and drags her out of the shop effortlessly. He then shoves her into his trunk. Jane is screaming hysterically. No one can hear her. She dropped her phone in the store. The man tied the sack tight enough for her screams to be muffled. The trunk door locks. The engine is engaged. and the car zooms off into the distance. Into a land of insanity.

Jane’s phone is blowing up. Her mother and father are worried. Her best friend is calling her now worried. They were supposed to meet later. Jane never showed up. The shop is empty and everyone knows something is off. With anxiety overflowing the parents they inform the cops. A search is sent out only to find no trace of Jane.

Throughout the 6-7 months with her kidnapper Jane seems to believe she isn’t the first. She thinks she isn’t alone. But even at desperate times your thoughts may trick you. Will Jane make it out alive in one piece? Or does she seem to grow towards her kidnapper? Does she remember who she is after all this time? I have to say the ending will have you rethinking everything. You must be aware after reading you should always check your back. You never know when it’ll be your time.

-Hannah W.

Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.