fiction

Swan maiden Hilde sacrifices her magical wings to seek freedom in the human world, but when her pact with an upstart baron takes her the court of Ludwig II, she struggles to fit in, and only Jewish artist Franz, who has the power to paint souls, can help her escape her newfound prison.

As a child in Beijing in the 1970s, Lai lives with her family in a lively, working-class neighborhood near the heart of the city. Thoughtful yet unassuming, she spends her days with her friends beyond the attention of her parents: Her father is a reclusive figure who lingers in the background, while her mother, an aging beauty and fervent patriot, is quick-tempered and preoccupied with neighborhood gossip. Only Lai's grandmother, a formidable and colorful maverick, seems to really see Lai and believe that she can blossom beyond their circumstances. But Lai is quickly awakened to the harsh realities of the Chinese state. A childish prank results in a terrifying altercation with police that haunts her for years; she also learns that her father, like many others, was broken during the Cultural Revolution. As she enters adolescence, Lai meets a mysterious and wise bookseller who introduces her to great works--Hemingway, Camus, and Orwell, among others--that open her heart to the emotional power of literature and her mind to thrillingly different perspectives. Along the way, she experiences the ebbs and flows of friendship, the agony of grief, and the first steps and missteps in love. A gifted student, Lai wins a scholarship to study at the prestigious Peking University where she soon falls in with a theatrical band of individualists and misfits dedicated to becoming their authentic selves, despite the Communist Party's insistence on conformity-and a new world opens before her. When student resistance hardens under the increasingly restrictive policies of the state, the group gets swept up in the fervor, determined to be heard, joining the masses of demonstrators and dreamers who display remarkable courage and loyalty in the face of danger. As 1989 unfolds, the spirit of change is in the air.

"It's the summer of 1987 in Swift River, and Diamond Newberry is learning how to drive. Ever since her Pop disappeared seven years ago, she and her mother hitchhike everywhere they go. But that's not the only reason Diamond stands out: she's teased relentlessly about her weight, and since Pop's been gone, she is the only Black person in all of Swift River. This summer, Ma is determined to declare Pop legally dead so that they can collect his life insurance money, get their house back from the bank, and finally move on. But when Diamond receives a letter from a relative she's never met, key elements of Pop's life are uncovered, and she is introduced to two generations of African American Newberry women, whose lives span the twentieth century and reveal a much larger picture of prejudice and abandonment, of love and devotion. As pieces of their shared past become clearer, Diamond gains a sense of her place in the world and in her family. But how will what she's learned of the past change her future?"--Provided by publisher.

"The end of Daya Keane's junior year in Escondido, Arizona, is anything but expected. And it starts when her longtime, swoon-worthy crush, Beckett Wild, actually talks to her at a party neither of them should've been at. But as Daya's best friends, Stella and B'Rad, are quick to point out, smart, cute, artistic Beckett is also the poster girl for the wildly popular youth group at Grace Redeemer, the megachurch Daya's mom prays at and pushes her daughter to attend. Amid the concert-worthy light shows, high-energy live band, and pastor preaching to love thy neighbor so long as thy neighbor 'gets right with God' first, Daya struggles to find her place in a house of worship that doesn't seem to create space for someone like her. Then again, she never planned to fall this hard for a girl like Beckett Wild. Now Daya has to decide how far she's willing to surrender to Beckett's world of Grace Redeemer, and who she's willing to become to be with her"--Provided by publisher.

Joaquin Zoido is out and proud of it. And while he knew his dad and sister, Carmen, would be super supportive, he wasn?t quite ready for them to surprise him with a queercea?era, a coming out party to celebrate him. Between all the talks of tastings and venues, and the chirping of his family?s RSVP texts, the question of who will be his chambel?n is on everyone?s minds. What Joaquin is decidedly trying to not think about is whether his mom is going attend or if she?s finally replaced him with her favorite godson, Felix?the boy who made Joaquin realize he was gay and who was his first kiss. But when an impromptu lie snowballs into a full-fledged family-group-chat rumor, every Zoido from Texas to Mexico starts believing that Felix is not only Joaquin?s chambel?n but also his brand-new boyfriend. To avoid the pity and sympathies of an ill-timed breakup, Joaquin and Felix strike a deal?they?ll stay fake boyfriends until the party. Yet, as the day draws nearer and old feelings spark anew, Joaquin will have to decide whether a picture-perfect queercea?era with a fake boyfriend is worth giving up the chance of something real.

Accompanying her mother on a gap-year visit to New Delhi after a beloved aunt's death, Noreen rediscovers her cultural heritage alongside a handsome youth before their growing feelings trigger a family scandal.

After the deadly 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, Eddy Smallbone must navigate the ruins of his hometown along with the ruins of his person a life. A Catholic-school dropout, Eddie is trying to break free from his eccentric uncle and mourn the death of his dog. Eddy starts a pet-sitting business, and meets an extraordinary cast of characters. Meanwhile, his former girlfriend is back in town and his best friend is suffering from a mysterious illness. As Christmas approaches, Eddy is forced to face the ghosts of his past in order to find a way forward.

""Jacqueline Bravo can't understand why she's being called to the principal's office and is shocked to learn her mother hasn't paid her tuition at St. Bernadette High School in three months! Now Sister Mary Grace is threatening to kick her out and even recommends a vocational school until she gets married. Finances have been tight ever since Jacqui's father was killed in Vietnam. She is determined to win the alumni scholarship to UCLA, and there's no way she will transfer to a public or vocational school in her senior year--never mind get married! But she doesn't want her younger siblings to have to leave St. Patrick's either; her sister is already hanging out with unsavory boys and Jacqui knows it would only get worse at the local school. So, she starts looking for a way to earn money and help make ends meet. Without telling her mom, Jacqui gets a job at a local restaurant. She struggles to manage school and work, volunteering with an organization fighting to improve the barrio and new friendships, including with a boy she has had a crush on forever. When the police come to the restaurant looking for a former waitress who is now missing, Jacqui gets pulled into the mysterious goings-on. Why does the owner want her to cross the border into Mexico to buy supplies? Is what people say about drugs being sold there true? Introducing teens to the struggles of women and Mexican Americans for equal rights in the 1970s, this novel deals with death and grief, relationships among family and friends and the importance of believing in your community--and yourself!""--Amazon.

Tells the story of forty-seven Ronin, or renegades, who plotted against the Japanese emperor to avenge the honor of their fallen master, Lord Asano, who had attacked the Japanese court in a fit of anger.

"A ruthless murder. A magical herb. A mysterious manuscript. When Nardeen's home is stormed by angry men frantically in search of something--or someone--she is the only one who manages to escape. And after the rest of her family is left behind and murdered, Nardeen sets out on an unyielding mission to bring her family's killers to justice, regardless of the cost"--Provided by publisher.