“Echoes of Grace” Guadalupe García McCall

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebooks. Tu Books (Lee & Low). Published August 16, 2022. (Includes “Resources” for abuse against women).

Grace’s older sister Mercy blames her for the death of her young son who was hit by a car while on her watch. Ever since their mother was murdered when they were little girls she and Mercy had been close but, with Alexander’s death, there is now a chasm between them. She blames herself for not being more attentive, as echo-type memories often take her somewhere into the past. These echoes are a gift she inherited from her mother, but their appearances are usually unplanned and unwanted.

Three years earlier, in 2008, Grace was living with her maternal grandmother after running away to Mexico. There she dealt with unwelcome advances from a local, determined to get her to notice him despite her repeated rebuffs. Her echoes are filled with the tortures he put her through, as well as memories of her grandmother beating her and, ultimately, throwing her out of the house.

Between 2008 and 2011, echoes are interwoven as Grace tries to make sense of them. Though her mother’s untimely death seems to tie everything together, it will take a special kind of love for Grace to get the acceptance and help she needs to find out what really happened to her mother.

The back and forth narrative is a natural part of Grace’s story, as she needed to find out where she was going, but couldn’t do so until she knew from where she had come. The lessons she learned from her past will make her future even better.

I predict “Echoes of Grace” is going to be the Young Adult winner of the 2023 Pura Belpré award. You heard it here first!

Highly recommended for ages 16 and older.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Mud lilies” Indra Ramayan

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Cormorant Books. To be published May 17, 2022.

“Mud lilies” is a compelling story of a young girl who survived rape at the age of 14 then, with nowhere to turn, became a prostitute. Over many years Chanie suffered sexual, mental, physical and emotional abuse. When she was arrested, to avoid jail time, she enrolled in a program for troubled youth where she discovered a love for literature and writing. Most importantly she found hope in her teachers and, for the first time in her life, had friends and a plan for her future. She felt accepted and loved, working hard to climb out of the hole where all the people who had used her had buried her body. Unfortunately her meth addict boyfriend and pimps had other plans for Chanie, as they had no intentions of ever letting her be free.

Despite the hatred she felt for herself, Chanie’s teachers, strangers and friends were persistent in showing her that she was important and mattered to them. As Chanie walks through the darkness of her life, her painful steps towards the light will touch reader’s souls.

Highly recommended for Adults.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Parachutes” Kelly Yang

Rated 5 stars ***** Katherine Tegan Books (HarperCollins). 476 p. 2020. (Includes “Author’s note.”)

Seventeen-year-old Dani has one dream – to win an important debate tournament. As a poor scholarship student at the prestigious American Prep School, winning the tournament is her only hope to continue her education. Her single immigrant mother has worked countless hours at multiple jobs to sacrifice for her education so, though she also works as a maid, juggles extracurricular work, and is a top student, she’s determined to get a Yale scholarship to make her mother’s hard work worth something.

Claire is the same age as Dani but her life in Shanghai China is completely different. Her parents are incredibly rich so, she has been raised to have everything she needs and has never wanted for anything. In a streak of rebelliousness she gets a low grade on an important exam, which embarrasses her parents enough to send her to an American school to save face. Claire is mortified when she’s forced to live with Dani and her mom in a small room with a tiny closet in their shabby home.

At school Claire finds her niche with other crazy rich Asians, while Dani is disgusted because Claire is spoiled and doesn’t know how to do her own laundry. Heat rises as Dani’s worries about the tournament lead to getting extra coaching from an overly friendly debate teacher, while Claire’s involvement with a billionaire’s son leads to more than she expected. The collision course the two have been on since they met threatens to derail their relationship, but their hidden strength helps to keep them on track.

Author Kelly Yang incorporates personal experiences in this powerful story of elitism, friendship, heartache and love. Told in alternating voices, Claire and Dani’s stories are compelling. Their story is a fitting addition to Laurie Halse Anderson’s award winning novel “Speak.”

Highly recommended for teens ages 16-18.

 

“A woman of endurance” Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Amistad Press (HarperCollins). To be published April 12, 2022.

In 1836, when she was 18 years old, Keera was captured from the home she shared with her mother in Yorubaland, West Africa. She and hundreds of others were forced onto a ship, where they endured an agonizing ocean crossing. All were beaten and starved, while every man on deck abused the women and young boys. After being sold into slavery and given the name of Pola, she spent years working sugarcane on a plantation in Piñones, Puerto Rico. There she was sexually abused and tortured regularly by individuals and groups of men. Forced to bear children who were taken away as soon as they were born Pola lost her faith in Yemayá, the water goddess who was supposed to give her strength and energy. After 13 years she was desperate enough to escape, but doing so led to recapture, a severe beating that left her almost dead, and resale to another sugarcane plantation in Carolina.

Pola’s new life in Carolina and the roles she plays there are very different from what she experienced at her former plantation, but she is constantly on the offensive. After having been abused for so many years it was very difficult for her to trust others, or to even love herself. The other slaves take her under their wings to help her learn they are her family, and help her get past her former life so she can become the strong, independent woman she was meant to be.

Told through flashbacks and the present time, Llanos-Figueroa’s powerful story of an almost broken woman who worked hard to not let her spirit be fully crushed by her abusers is an amazing read. Learning about slave life in Puerto Rico through Pola’s words in “A woman of endurance” was painful, but it made me proud of my Afro-Latina Puerto Rican heritage. The next time I travel to Puerto Rico I’ll visit Piñones and Loíza with fresh eyes, and look forward to learning more about my Afro-Latina culture through the descendants of Yorubaland who still live on La Isla.

Highly recommended for Adults.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Lies we bury” Elle Marr

Rated 5 stars ***** ebook. Thomas & Mercer. 2021.

Marissa and her sister Jenessa lived with Mama Rosemary, Mama Nora, and Mama Bethel in the small basement of a man named Chet. Three years earlier Mama Nora left, and Mama Bethel went to heaven when Sweet Lily was born. Mama Rosemary has been talking about Escape Day for a long time now that they are seven years old and Chet wants to spend more time with them. The girls aren’t sure what Escape means, but they want to be together as a family.

Twenty years later, memories of her time in the basement still fill Marissa’s mind with pain. She changed her name to Claire and spent most of her life avoiding stalkers, hiding her identity, lashing out at those who called her the devil’s spawn, and feeling as if everything was out of control. To make matters worse, Chet is being released from prison and a new frenzy is churning on social media over her life in his basement.

A few days before Chet’s release, Claire receives a riddle about a body in Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels.  As crime photographer for the local paper Claire has to be present at the scenes, but soon realizes each body is tied to something personal from Chet’s basement. As she struggles to piece together the riddles, Claire finds herself drawn more deeply into her past. With time ticking towards Chet’s release, she and her sisters find themselves embroiled in something that was born in the basement but grew to monstrous size in the twenty years since they left.

“Lies we bury” is told through flashbacks and the present time, skillfully making readers wonder what could possibly happen next to Claire. The surprise ending was definitely a surprise.

Highly recommended for Adults.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

“Jaya and Rasa: A love story” Sonia Patel

Rated 4 stars ***** ARC. Cinco Puntos Press. (Published September 12, 2017). 289 p.

Keilani was a prostitute, caring little for her four children, leaving their upbringing up to her daughter Rasa. She expected Rasa to prostitute herself at age 13 though, unbeknownst to her; she had already had her first sexual experience a year earlier to buy food for her brother and sisters. When her mother abandoned them Rasa had no choice but to keep selling herself for food and to pay the bills. Eventually they were sent to foster homes, where Rasa was sold to a pimp and expected to make him money at high-level parties.

Jaya came from an extremely rich Indian family, but hated how his father looked down on anyone without money and blatantly cheated on his mother. He hated how neither of his parents understood he did not see himself as a girl but as a boy. He wanted them to ask why he cut his hair short and why he hated the dresses they wanted him to wear, but they didn’t care. His love for Nirvana was his only saving grace, until he met Rasa. She was his completion.

In alternating chapters, Rasa and Jaya tell their stories of pain, misunderstanding and struggles to find peace. I wish the ending hadn’t been so rushed. I would have liked to have seen what happened next to them, especially to Rasa.

Recommended for ages 16 and older.

“Follow you home” Mark Edwards

Rated 5 stars ***** ebook. Thomas & Mercer. 2015.

Daniel and Laura were deeply in love, and almost at the end of their European tour. When they returned home they expected to marry and raise a family. Everything changed when their money, tickets and passports were stolen on a Romanian train. Forced off by border guards, they’re left to wander through a dark forest. There they find an abandoned house that reeks of death and what they find is so terrifying it leaves them unable to speak about it when they arrive home, and breaks up their five-year relationship.

Though months have passed, neither has been able to cope with what happened that scary night. Daniel drinks himself into oblivion, while Laura withdrew and believes she sees ghosts. When someone tries to throw her in front of a moving train, and a killer dog attacks Daniel, they begin to realize the events that took place in Romania have returned to haunt them. As Daniel works with a private investigator to figure out what is happening, he will soon find out there is great evil afoot and that both of them have landed in the midst of its sinister web.

From the moment I began to read, I was hooked. Mark Edwards knows how to carefully play out the line of interest in the story, and slowly reel in his captivated readers. It took me only one day to read the book to find out what really happened to Daniel and Laura in Romania. By the time I got to the end of the book my mind was whirling from all the clever story twists Edwards was tossing into the storyline. Well done Mr. Edwards. Well done.

Recommended for Adults.

“Dark Horses” Susan Mihalic

Rated 5 stars ***** ebook. ARC. Scout Press (Simon & Schuster). To be published February 16, 2021.

Roan Montgomery came from a long line of horse racing champions. Ever since she was a little girl she’s followed a strict program outlined by her daddy to get ready for the Olympics. Now that she’s almost 16, she still doesn’t have time for friends or outside school activities but she doesn’t mind. She loves competing and, though her mother hates her, she knows daddy loves her. He’s her coach, advisor, and more.

Things began to change after Will drove her home from school. He was cute, listened to what she had to say, and wanted her to go out with him. She knew daddy would never let her date, but Will was worth the risk. The more time they spent together, the more she knew she could never tell him about the things she did with daddy. The day her worst fears came true was the day her life forever changed.

The more I read the more I kept hoping that, despite his threats, Roan would discover how to tell the world about her daddy. Though she comes across as weak in the decisions she makes, Roan is brave and strong. When she most needs it, that strength comes through to save her life.

Highly recommended for ages 16 and older.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Annie and the wolves” Andromeda Romano-Lax

Rated 3 stars *** ARC. ebook. Soho Pres. To be published February 2, 2021.

As a young girl Annie Oakley endured abuse with a family she called Wolves. In 1901, after she discovers her strange ability to time travel, getting revenge for her past suffering seems to consume her every waking moment.

In 2018 Ruth, a local historian obsessed with Annie’s life, discovers that she can travel through time. Her younger sister committed suicide many years ago, leaving Ruth obsessed with things she could have changed if she’d only had the chance to do so.

The more Annie and Ruth travel through time the worse their health becomes but, eventually, they learn that the present is just as important as the past.

It took awhile to get into this book, as it seemed to drag on and on between Annie and Ruth’s back and forth memories. Eventually things “clicked,” and I got into the storyline. Though it took me awhile, maybe other readers will find themselves “clicking” sooner.

Recommended for Adults.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Find me in Havana” Serena Burdick

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Park Row Books. To be published January 12, 2021.

A rebellion led to a reversal of fortunes for Juana Maria Antonia Santurio y Canto Rodriguez and her five children in their town of Guanajay Cuba. One of her younger daughters was more musically talented than the other so, when Estelita turned 15, she and Mamá left the family behind and travelled to America so she could become a star.

Three years later Estelita was pregnant and, after giving birth to her daughter Nina, her husband wouldn’t let her perform. She wasn’t going to let anyone stand in the way of her career, so Estelita ran away from him. As Nina grew older she resented being forced into boarding school by her grandmother, and longed for time with her mother, but Estelita was focused on men and her career.

Over the years different husbands held her focus as they struggled to maintain a relationship through Nina’s drug fueled teen years. In 1966, before they could fully reconcile, it was too late. Estelita was dead, and Nina was certain her husband had murdered her.

This poignant story is based on the life of Cuban singer and actress Estelita Rodriguez, as told to the author by her daughter. Before reading it I had never heard of Estelita, though I knew the names of her peers Desi Arnaz, John Wayne, Sammy Davis Jr., and others mentioned in the book. During a time when women were supposed to bow to their husband’s wishes, both Mamá and Estelita were cut from a different cloth. Their strength comes out through the pages to inspire today’s women.

Highly recommended for Adults.

I received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.