Staff Book Recommendations

Gianna Marie Montesclaros: The Flight Girls

The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar is a moving historical fiction novel that shines a light on the courageous women pilots of World War II. The story follows Audrey Coltrane, a skilled young pilot who dreams of owning her own airfields and resists the idea of marriage until she finds herself stationed in Hawaii in 1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Audrey’s life and priorities are forever changed as she joins the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program, flying planes across the U.S. to help the war effort. Along the way, she forms deep friendships with other female pilots and faces both love and loss in a time of uncertainty.

Review: Noelle Salazar does an incredible job of bringing history to life with strong female characters, heartfelt storytelling, and vivid descriptions that make you feel like you’re right there in the cockpit with Audrey. The novel not only highlights the bravery and determination of women during wartime but also explores themes of independence, love, and resilience. It’s an emotional and inspiring read that balances romance, friendship, and history in a seamless way.

I highly recommend The Flight Girls because it is such a powerful reminder of women’s strength and courage in history, a story often overlooked. The characters are relatable and inspiring, the friendships are beautiful, and the writing is captivating from beginning to end. If you love books about strong women, historical fiction, or stories that blend heart with history, this is definitely a must-read!

Leann Gabrielle Vergara: The Adversary

The Adversary is a piece of non-fiction written through the perspective of author Emmanuel Carrère and the letters of Jean-Claude Romand on his case, originally called Class Trip. Through trials, testimonies, and letters, Carrère puts together the story of the secret life of Romand. Jean-Claude Romand is found to be the sole living member of his family after their house erupts in a fire, but is later under suspicion when it is established that his family was already found dead inside, along with his parents being fatally shot in their home. Though his closest friend, Luc, believes that Romand is under attack due to his international work at the World Health Organization, it is discovered that he has never been there, and the perception of the hard-working father and high-profile WHO employee is shattered. 

Review: As someone who has a fascination with forensic science and psychology, The Adversary was a perfect read, as it gave an authentic experience of putting the story together in chronological order through bits and pieces. With Romand’s letters and Carrère’s perspective of the trials, Carrère psychologically manipulates the audience into being unaware of which side they should morally be on. The audience is left in the dark as they are unable to tell what is real and what is a lie, with only access to specific pieces and perspectives of the story. Carrère’s work highlights the importance and interest that journalism holds within society and the spread of knowledge. Though it is difficult to go in-depth with this review without too many spoilers about the ending, I encourage multiple readings of The Adversary to truly understand the situation from beginning to end. I definitely recommend this book if the combined power of journalism and forensic science is of any interest!

Kaia Matsubara: The Joy Luck Club

The Joy Luck Club is a powerful novel by Amy Tan that emphasizes the notion of Asian cultural aspects, such as expectations, respect, and appreciation of one’s own identity and culture, all while trying to make one's parents proud. It is a collection of many tales in one book that are told from the daughters of four mothers who developed a tight-knit bond and club: the Joy Luck Club. It focuses on family drama and the difficult yet touching and heartfelt relationship between mother and daughter, symbolizing the importance of family. This book is a very moving story of Chinese identity and living your own life as you also live by your family’s core values and societal or traditional lifestyles. Each story is unique and told from a different perspective and contains special themes on acceptance, grief, trauma, love, and insecurities. Together, they learn to deal with it and try to understand one another in a way they never thought they could have before. Either way, you really feel what the characters are feeling and will be carried away after every narrative. 

Review: I highly recommend it because it embraces Asian culture and is perfectly relatable for me, yet told in an emotionally dramatic way. I wanted to read it personally because, as someone who’s Asian and for anyone else who is, they would probably relate to or understand it on a level, as it describes the short stories in a way that connects to you deeply and gives a wider perspective on adolescent Asian life, but also themes on coming-of-age and maturing in life’s struggles. It talks about themes that grown-ups will understand too, since it shows the views of both sides of a family, between parent and child, including the challenges of growing up Asian and the respect and morals you hold to yourself based on your parents’ ideals, and that influence or sort of pressure on you.  It really pulls on your heartstrings for every chapter, and you can connect with it on an emotional level if you are like any of the characters because of the troubling, descriptive relationships of each family as they work through innocence, conflict, and adulting when going through unfair moments or “lows” getting in the way of their lives. Even if you aren’t Asian, everyone will most likely relate to at least a couple of the stories in there, if not many, that talk about facing life’s struggles that we all go through with an open mind and heart, while trying to possess important traits. So it is perfect for anyone in the teenage and young adult life stage to read. I was really pleased with the ending as I thought it had a satisfying finish.

Sara Gamini: Don’t Let the Forest In

Don’t Let the Forest In is a gothic horror novel by the author C.G. Drews. It follows the story of a boy named Andrew in his last year of high school. Andrew is a writer with an affinity for short horror stories, and his best friend Thomas is an artist who likes to draw scenes from the stories that Andrew writes. When the year begins, Andrew notices both Thomas and his twin sister Dove acting very strangely. He and Thomas are usually very close together, but Thomas seems to be avoiding him. Dove has been avoiding him, too. He also notices Thomas leaving their room in the middle of the night and coming back early in the morning. Whenever Andrew approaches Dove, she seems very suspicious and tries to speak to him as little as possible, which is a far cry from her usual behavior. At first, he assumes that the two of them have something going on with each other, but he soon realizes this is not the case when one night Thomas comes back into their room smelling strongly of blood. Don’t Let the Forest In is a young adult novel, but there are somewhat graphic descriptions of murder and torture, so if you are sensitive to that sort of thing, it would be best to avoid. 

Review: This book was the first book I ever read in the horror genre, and I enjoyed it very much. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is trying to get into horror, or if you have already read horror. I couldn’t put this down, and ended up finishing it in less than a day since it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. 

Khoi Crow: Heaven Official’s Blessing

Heaven Official’s Blessing is a series of books written by the author Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. It follows the protagonist Xie Lian and his travels in the three realms: heaven, mortal, and ghost. Although it is in the romance genre, it is mainly action-oriented, while the romance is on the back burner. It is rooted in Chinese mythology, with a heavy focus on gods and ghosts, along with the hierarchy associated with it. There are eight books in total translated from Chinese to English. This series is rated 18+ and is not recommended if you are sensitive to strong language, as it is the only reason the series is rated that way. In 2020, the series got an animation, having two current seasons and a potential third on the horizon. So if you aren't a fan of reading the whole series, then I would highly recommend watching the animated show.

Jacob Cuares: Rebound

Rebound by Kwame Alexander is a sports novel in verse that explores complicated themes like grief and healing as it follows the story of Charlie Bell, a 12-year-old boy who is sent far away to his grandparents’ house and forced to cope with the sudden death of his father. Struggling to cope with the pain of losing a loved one, Charlie makes irrational decisions and destroys his relationship with his mother. With the help of his grandparents, Charlie rediscovers his father’s interests, using basketball and his dad’s old comic book collection to help deal with his grief. During his time away from home, Charlie slowly heals, improving at the sport, making new friends, and mending the relationship with his mom. Basketball serves as an important metaphor for life, teaching Charlie how to rebound from setbacks and become a star.

Review: I picked up this book expecting the story to completely revolve around basketball;, instead, Kwame Alexander uses basketball more as a metaphor, incorporating it into the story so that it fits perfectly with the key themes of death and grief in such a way that you could know absolutely nothing about basketball and still enjoy the book, but still understand and appreciate its presence as a basketball fan. Since it is a “novel in verse,” almost the entire story is told through poetry, and there are many pages that I found especially beautiful. Kwame Alexander also does a beautiful job with the dialogue, particularly portraying the broken relationship between a mother and her son well in a way that I find myself relating to. Rebound also got quite emotional at times, conveying Charlie’s feelings through poetry, in depth. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through change or loss, or just trying to find their identity. Ultimately, Rebound isn’t really a basketball story like I thought it would be when I picked it up in the school library, but perhaps that’s what makes it such a good one, because after all, in the game of basketball, it is what happens off court that matters the most.

Myles Cline: The Alchemist

The Alchemist is a novel written by Paulo Coelho that uses a folktale style of writing to carry its theme of searching for one’s own destiny. It follows a shepherd boy named Santiago who has a recurring dream of finding a treasure in a ruined church. He learns from a fortune teller that it could be a prophecy, and he ultimately decides to sell his sheep and go on a journey to Egypt, where he thinks the treasure really is. When he finds the alchemist, Santiago learns about how to find his true self and connect with “the soul of the world.” To spoil the ending would be a shame since it is a little bit of a twist ending, so I will move on to the review. 

Review: This book is more of a self-help book than literature, according to The New York Times, but in my personal opinion, the story is immensely engaging and worth reading just for that. The book gave me a whole new perspective on what a “personal legend” really is and how easy it is to squander your own dreams. But it also taught me that the only thing keeping anyone from achieving their dreams is the fear of failure, and once you get past that, you can do anything. The values that this book teaches are essential to self-fulfillment, and I would recommend this book to anyone.

Mahlani Tanap: All the Bright Places

All the Bright Places is a book written by Jennifer Niven that shows the life and different perspectives of two people: Violet Markey, who has just recently lost her sister in a car accident, and Theodore Finch, who has his own struggles at home. They meet unexpectedly at a difficult part in each of their lives. But when they are paired up together for a school project, they begin a journey that helps them see the world, and themselves, in new ways. This book has themes such as grief, friendship, love, and mental health; showing how small connections and moments can make the biggest impacts. 

Review:

This book has opened my eyes to a whole new perspective of how to view both the good and bad things. It may have started a little bit slow, but it very quickly got me to be entirely immersed in the story. As the book may have some sensitive topics relating to mental health, I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who may be triggered by some of the topics. This book shows and represents mental health behind the curtain, where no one is watching. Since it is Suicide Awareness Month, I think that All the Bright Places is a great book to gain representation and understanding of the struggles of mental health. I would highly recommend watching the movie after reading the book, as with most book-based movies, it can’t fit every detail into it. Overall, I would rate it a 9/10. 

Michelle Chambers: I Hope This Finds You Well

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue is a novel that follows Jolene, an overworked administrative worker who accidentally sends a blunt email, gaining access to her coworkers' private inboxes and helping them anonymously with their problems. Having recently gone through a tragedy, she has become emotionally guarded to protect herself, and throughout the story, she works on dealing with conflict and handling her emotions. 

Review: I liked how this book focuses on vulnerability and personal growth as some of the main themes. As the characters develop, they feel authentic and easy to relate to, which makes the book feel compassionate and heartfelt. The main characters' struggles, especially with anxiety, felt real and easy to relate to. I expected something more lighthearted, but this book has the perfect mix of being a fun read and having depth. 

LiLi Tanap: Not Quite Dead Yet

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson is a mystery about 27-year-old Jet Mason, who gets attacked on Halloween and finds out she only has a week to live because of a head injury. Instead of doing a dangerous surgery, Jet decides to use her last days to solve her own attempted murder. With help from her childhood best friend, Billy, she starts digging into her family and the small town she grew up in. As time runs out, Jet starts finding secrets that someone really doesn’t want her to know about and realizes someone is willing to do anything to stop her from finding out what really happened.

Review:

This book was one of the books that got me into thrillers, and I really enjoyed it. The story kept me interested the whole time, and I wanted to know what would happen next. There were a lot of twists that surprised me, and it made the book hard to put down. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes mystery, suspense, or is just starting to get into thrillers.

Kian De Alwis: The Wizenard Series: Training Camp

The Wizenard Series: Training Camp by Kobe Bryant is a story filled with symbolism and themes of personal growth. This is the first book of the series, and it follows a character called “Twig.” He is the underdog of his basketball team, and his main struggles relate to his lack of confidence, underwhelming talent, and fear of failure. At the beginning of the story, he is at his lowest point in terms of belief in himself. He is on a path to stay the same player and person he is for the rest of his life. However, when a new coach comes in, he forces the players to partake in unorthodox training and drills that show Twig that he really can be something amazing if he keeps his focus on improving his skills without focusing on mistakes or negativity around him. While Twig doesn’t become the best player on the team right away, his mindset at the end of the story has completely shifted, and he trusts himself both on and off the court. 

Review: I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a life-changing story. What makes this book and series so special is that the characters and team are symbolic of Kobe Bryant himself. When he was a young teen, he was exactly like Twig. His journey to the pinnacle of both life and basketball all kicked off in a very similar fashion to Twig’s personal growth in this story. The true meaning of having a Mamba Mentality is highlighted in this story through tales of hard work, perseverance, and the mentality to never give up. For me personally, this book completely changed my perspective on life, and that’s why I believe it would be an amazing read for people of all ages, backgrounds, and literary interests.

Sophia Rasson: The Goldfish Boy

The Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson revolves around 12-year-old Matthew Corbin, who has a severe case of OCD. Due to its severity, he spends most of his time in his room, refusing to explore the outside. Instead, Matthew stares outside his bedroom window to see the life around him that he chooses to miss. As he spends every passing minute looking outside, the story takes a turn when he is the last person to have seen his neighbor. Teddy, who had gone missing, leaves his family in distress, looking for their missing toddler. Matthew realizes he can help piece together clues from when he last saw him, outside his window. Throughout the story, he tries to battle his OCD and help the police solve the case. Eventually, Matthew starts to connect with the other neighbors who come together and solve the case. With Matthews' careful observations and new interactions with others, he can find Teddy and return him to his family. This book covers topics like loneliness and redemption. It also shows the importance of friendship and courage while facing difficult challenges at a young age. In the end, Matthew reconnects with the world, showing perseverance and personal growth. 

Review: I highly recommend this book because it has a compelling mix of emotions, mystery, and life lessons that impact readers of all ages. It gives insight into real mental health conditions, while showing that it really can get better. This book also has a mysterious side to the story, leaving the reader to wonder what happened to Teddy. What makes this book stand out even more is the author's ability to balance heavier themes with resilience and hope. It encourages reflection and self-change, showing readers that some struggles are not clearly visible. Its message leaves a lasting impression on whoever chooses to read it.