Julie C. Dao’s YA novel Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is set in an East Asian-inspired fantasy world that is mysterious, exotic and magical.
There’s been much talk about building a wall to keep “the bad hombres” out of the U.S. The Border, by Steve Schafer, questions who those bad hombres are.
Author Mitali Perkins has the ability to bring readers of all backgrounds together. You’ll want to read her novel You Bring the Distant Near more than once.
Melissa Bashardoust’s Girls Made of Snow and Glass is a reimagining of Snow White that pays homage to the original but makes a mark of its own.
Josi S. Kilpack’s All That Makes Life Bright is a fictionalized look at Harriet Beecher and Calvin Stowe’s first 18 months together as a married couple.
Girl with the Red Balloon is an intense and, at times, very dark, book. What makes it work is compelling material — both real and imagined.
A gender fluid lead with an appetite for revenge makes Linsey Miller’s Mask of Shadows an intense and compelling YA read.
When Dimple Met Rishi is unexpected and funny and lovely. Author Sandhya Menon has created complex characters that make you want to root for them.
Nancy Campbell Allen’s The Secret of the India Orchid is a fast, easy and clean read. Multiple mysteries throughout add a nice balance to romantic elements.
I would read Kara Connolly’s No Good Deed again. I’d even recommend it as a light, quick-paced escape. Just don’t think too hard when reading it.