Shadow and Bone – Leigh Bardugo
Recently I read the first installment in the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. The book follows Alina Starkov, an orphan and cartographer in the Kingdom of Ravka. While crossing a dangerous area of darkness called the Fold Alina, she displays incredible power and is whisked off to a place called the Little Palace. There she meets other grisha (the name of those who harbor magic similar to Alina’s) and grows closer to a mysterious, powerful figure named the Darkling. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and think it is a great read for all young adult fans. The trilogy as well as its companion series, Six of Crows, is currently being adapted into a TV show set to release on Netflix in April 2021..
The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
Suicidal Trigger Warning: In the book, the protagonist, Nora Seed, filled with regrets from the past and fear of the future, takes her own life only to find herself in a library filled with books. Every book in the library embodies a different life based on the choices she had made. As she goes through the books, and the story picks ups, there are minuscule life lessons the author slips in, and only if you look past the regrets, the fear, and the uncertainty, it gives you a perspective on life.
The Making of Asian American – Erika Lee
The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee is an incredibly insightful novel detailing the unknown and forgotten history of Asians in America. Erika Lee touches upon topics like the model minority myth, violence, and harmful government policies against Asian Americans, as well as the individual struggles of each Asian ethnicity. In view of the recent attacks on them throughout the past year, this novel gives a great perspective on the normalization of anti-Asian racism and how they are depicted among other races within the United States..
The Gifts of Imperfection – Brené Brown
We all strive to be perfect at one point, pushing ourselves over the limit and totally breaking down. The feeling of never being enough always persisted as we continue to stress ourselves over this. The Gifts of Imperfections by Brené Brown forces us to recognize our imperfections and accept them. Instead of working ourselves to the bone to try and achieve so-called perfection, we should accept ourselves as who we are. With my personal struggles of being vulnerable and never being satisfied with myself, I was able to come to terms with these hindrances. I found that beating myself up over these ideals won’t make me a better person or do better in my endeavors. I found my own self-worth and value by accepting the words in this book. Always remember you’re enough and you’re doing well on your current path of life.
In Five Years – Rebecca Serle
Dannie Kohan’s life is certain. Today she will ace her interview at the best law firm in New York City. Afterward, she and her boyfriend David will get dinner at the Rainbow Room and he will propose. What Dannie didn’t expect is to fall asleep that night and wake up five years in the future. In the hour she spends in 2025 she sees a life that looks nothing like the one she’s striving to achieve. She’s in a different apartment, with a different man, with a different engagement ring on her finger. When she wakes up back in 2020 she attempts to put the whole experience behind her, that is until the future she thought was nothing but a bad dream begins to look more and more like a reality. In this story about love, loss, and discovering what will truly make you happy, Dannie will find that we often meet our destiny on the road we take to avoid it.