Rage Becomes Her by Soraya Chemaly is a fantastically written non-fiction, exploring anger as a transformative emotion. The author uses anecdotes from her own life as well as researched studies.  I would recommend this book for fans of  We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and  Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis.

By Tori Cooper

Sadie by Courtney Summers is a gripping cutting edge story about a 19 year old girl who hunts down her younger sister’s killer. This novel alternates between two haunting perspectives. First is Sadie—armed with a switchblade, grief and a trail of meager clues—who follows a trail of dark secrets to complete her ultimate quest for revenge. The second is a man named West McCray, the host of a true crime podcast, who investigates Sadie’s disappearance and retraces her steps every few chapters. Uniquely blending a road trip thriller with a Serial style investigative podcast, it is an edge of your seat mystery that is a must-read for fans of A Good Girls Guide to Murder, One of Us is Lying and The One who Got Away. 

By Poppy Newman

The plot of The Book of Form and Emptiness follows a boy named Benny who, after his father’s sudden death, goes through a spell of deteriorating mental health. He begins to hear voices of objects around him as if they are alive, and he can’t seem to tune them out. After his mother develops a hoarding problem, the conditions of his mind only worsen. The incredibly interesting thing about this book is that it is told mostly from the perspective of the book. As if the book is actively following around Benny and telling his story, or at least that’s what Benny believes. Benny spends a lot of his time in the library instead of at school, where he finds clues left by a girl who calls herself the Aleph. Eventually he is able to meet her, and she teaches him many things about life, truth  and sadness. This story doesn’t exactly have a happy ending, or a sad one. But the plot feels so incredibly raw and real that it seems as if–as you read it–you begin to truly understand the different realities that people live, and how strongly they believe that their reality is correct.

By Beatrice DeFalco

The 13 ½ Lives of Captain Bluebear is a novel by German author Walter Moers, and one of my favorite books of all time. Bluebear, the main character (and last of his kind), goes on a journey of self-discovery and survival, making lifelong friends and enemies during his journey. From Malestorm to the city of Atlantis to the Eternal Tornado, Bluebear travels across almost the entire continent of magical Zamonia. Along the way, he meets a whole cast of characters that are each unique and different from the last. This ranges from sentient waves, grotesque ghosts, old men, and kind dinosaurs that each play a role in helping Bluebear find his way in the world. Combined with detailed illustrations by the author and masterful worldbuilding, this book truly is a masterpiece of fantasy and adventure. 

By Lena Von Ruden

The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart is an amazing book filled with wonder and imagination. It is the story of how four unusual children find each other through a series of tests created by the peculiar and highly intelligent Mr. Benedict, and together find a way to change the world. This wonderful book is full of trials, riddles, and peculiar people. It is a unique and funny book that is a great read for any audience.

By Maggie Miller

Goldpan