The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince has the most gorgeous cover!

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

When Jude was only seven years old, she witnessed the brutal murder of her parents.  It is only after this that she learns her older sister is not human and that the world of Faeries exists.  

This books was so good.  Finish in one sitting good.  

There was a time where the very words "Young Adult" meant a book was an automatic no.  Then, I became a Librarian.  I have since learned the error of my ways and Young Adult is fun.  It's even more fun when you mix magic, faeries, tough young women, and teenage hormones.  

Jude is strong and intelligent.  Faeries are spoiled and look down on humans.  Jude's journey through the royal court and the intricacies of behavior and expectations was both a coming of age story and one of determination to leave oppression.   

I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see what Holly Black comes up with next.

The Book of Unknown Americans

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez was part of the 2017 Illinois Reads event.  It was on my list to read before the November event...and it just now made it to the top of the pile. 

I wish I had read this sooner.  

This book follows the lives of families who came to the United States to create a better future for themselves.  We meet Alma and Arturo.  Parents of a daughter who suffers a traumatic brain injury as a teenager and needs specialized schooling.  We also meet Mayor, a young man who sees beyond Maribel's struggles to the amazing person beneath.  There stories are interwoven with the other families who live in the same apartment complex.  The book takes you through many facets of their lives, each family struggling with everyday problems that makes their story as relatable as the next.  

Grab tissues for the ending.  You'll need them.