Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
The Daughters of Block Island is an ingenious, psychological thriller that completely subverts the classic gothic novel. When a young woman is murdered inside a haunted island mansion, her long-lost sister must unearth generations of family trauma and dark secrets before she is consumed next.
Finding Me is a raw, autobiography that offers a brutally honest look at growing up Black in America. While tracking her journey from an impoverished childhood to the world stage, the book’s non-chronological formatting and jarring structural organization make it a challenging read.
Eleanor Shearer’s River Sing Me Home is a breathtaking, 5-star historical novel exploring the aftermath of the British Emancipation Act of 1834 in the Caribbean. Following a mother’s harrowing quest across Barbados and Trinidad to find her stolen children, this lyrical narrative beautifully captures the cruelty of slavery and the triumph of redemption. An essential addition for high school libraries exploring global Black histories and diverse perspectives.
Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a lyrical, epistolary novel that masterfully blends fiction and memoir. Written as a letter from a queer Vietnamese-American son to his illiterate mother, this deeply moving text tackles the haunting legacy of the Vietnam War, systemic racism, and intergenerational trauma. It is an exquisite, poetic masterpiece recommended for high school juniors, seniors, and educators exploring identity and equity.
A staggering, brilliant masterpiece for adult minds. Unpacking their identity as an ogbanje (an Igbo spirit-born deity) navigating human flesh, gender transitions, and literary success, Emezi delivers a raw, breathtaking look at spiritual survival.