Luster, by Raven Leilani

Luster, by Raven Leilani, follows a passionate artist and black woman in her mid-twenties, Edie. In the course of her struggle to find work and make a living, Edie meets a married man, Eric, who she begins a relationship with. After being discovered, Edie is invited by Eric’s wife and eventually comes to live in his home with the wife and their black adoptive daughter. Eddie maintains a strained, tentative relationship with the wife, but comes to care deeply for the daughter, taking an older sister role in the girl’s life. Luster deals with themes like race, sexuality, and womanhood in an entangling, yet intriguing way.

I don't know if it was the narration or the characters themselves but besides Edie, they all felt very one dimensional and unrealistic. I could barely connect with them. I also didn't enjoy the mix of drawn out and short sentences. I kept getting more lost and by the end of the novel everything was strange and confusing (but stream of consciousness books have always been hit or miss for me). Overall I did like how the author's portrayal of racism and the class divide in relationships made me uncomfortable/anxious but the static writing style left some ideas underdeveloped or forgotten. This was similar to an Ottessa Moshfegh novel as it evokes very uneasy feelings but I thought the subject matter and characters were more akin to Sally Rooney’s work. If you enjoyed either of those author’s books then I urge you to give Luster a try!

Reviewed by Sam, Grade 10

Glendale Central Library

Tokyo Ghoul Volume 4, by Sui Ishida

 

Kaneki meets Shuu Tsukiyama, dubbed "The Gourmet" because of his bizarre and nasty preferences. Kaneki discovers more about Rize's death or what it implies about being a one-eyed ghoul. Later on, he gets to know more about Shuu and they start to hang out until a problem happens. He was rumored to be pals with Rize. Kaneki is duped into a perilous scenario in which he must express his inner demons to survive in order to learn so much about an unraveling scheme for which Rize might be murdered. The half-human, half-Ghoul discovers why his new acquaintance is known as "The Gourmet" the hard way.

The reader is closely followed by Kaneki as he tries to figure out what caused Rize's death. Regardless of the futile search, Kaneki has clearly decided that he would no longer accept his fate as a half-Ghoul. He begins to discover far more than his due proportion about the realm of the Ghouls. The plot becomes highly complicated, and the reader is required to follow a number of distinct threads. However, the manga is well-written, making it simple to follow the various sub-plots that run concurrently with the main plot. There's a lot of gore, action, suspense, and suspense in Tokyo Ghoul Volume 4, by Sui Ishida.

Reviewed by Natali <3, Grade 10

Glendale Central Library  

Tokyo Ghoul Volume 2, by Isui Ishida

 

Volume 2 of Tokyo Ghoul engages us in the world of the Ghoul. We saw Ken Kaneki's transition into the first half-human, half-ghoul in the previous book. Therefore he should figure how to live in both worlds and survive. His first move will be to get a job at the Ghouls' coffee shop. He meets other Ghouls and learns more about his new form through his profession. He also learns that he isn't the only Ghoul who is unable to hunt. Others visit the shop to obtain food packages or a separate room in which to enjoy their meals.

In fact, I suppose I'll have to read this series while I'm at home just to avoid getting lost on public transportation. Since reading Death Note, I haven't read a manga that has kept me so engrossed. The story is entertaining and well-written, by Isui Ishida. I haven't found any plot holes, and I don't feel the need to go back and forth to figure out what's going on. The pictures are simple and straightforward, with just the proper amount of information.

Reviewed by Natali <3, Grade 10

 

Heartless, by Marissa Meyer

Catherine, Cath, a young queen to be, has only one dream, to start a bakery with her maid and friend Mary Ann. Her passion for baking, although admirable, is discouraged by her stern mother who pushes her for royal obligation-to be married off to the King of Hearts. Feeling suffocated at the lack of control over her own life and the nearing rumors of a proposal by the King, Cath runs into a mysterious, yet familiar, Jest. With a newfound determination of living for herself and the rush of secrecy and new relationships, Cath lets fate lead her way. After all, the only thing left at stake is her heart

In my opinion, Heartless, by Marissa Meyer, itself was difficult to truly get into at first, but once I was a few pages in I was completely engaged. The wonderland plot line seems overused, but this book surpasses every interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. I also recommend picking up the book when you’re emotionally prepared for it. After I was done with the book, I felt like I had to give myself at least a two-week break before I could pick up another book. I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially if you’re one to enjoy a spin on classics.

Reviewed by AK, Grade 11

Grandview Library

Before the Coffee Gets Cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Before the Coffee Gets Cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a Japanese novel about a mysterious little café in Tokyo. There is a legend that anyone who sits at a designated seat in the café will be able to contact a person in the past. However, this opportunity comes with a list of rules to be carefully followed. The most important (and possibly most heartbreaking): they must leave the past and return to the present before their coffee gets cold. This story focuses on four customers, each with their own reasons to travel to the past, whether that is to overcome a regret or receive closure from a meeting.

I rated this book a ⅗ stars. I didn't really have a problem with the story, it was more so the writing that I didn't enjoy. I expected a lot from this book both from reviews and just being interested by the premise, and while I got emotional while reading it, the writing felt childish (but this may just be the translation..) to the point where nothing really resonated and I got over any sadness fairly quickly. I usually love books that are the simple-language-yet-emotionally-gripping type but this one just wasn't hard hitting in the same way! I think the writing undermined the lessons and impact that this book could have. Still, it was an easy and interesting read so I recommend it to anyone interested in a fantasy short story collection!

Reviewed by Sam, Grade 10

Glendale Central Library

Anya's Ghost, by Vera Brosgol

 

The graphic novel "Anya's Ghost" is about a teenage who is a Russian immigrant, moved to the U.S at a young age, therefore she believes she's more American than Russian. The novel is about her life as an "outsider" due to her heritage, or well this is how SHE feels in compare to the other kids at her school. She want's to fit in, be a normal American teenager, which leads her to make some unwise decisions. As a result of her decisions she finds a well which unknowing to her lays the bones of a girl, she befriends the ghost, and they go through high school's hardships together. However, things may not seem so perfect as they seem in this friendship.

"Anya's Ghost" is an AMAZING novel, written by Vera Brosgol. I couldn't put it down, not to mention it's a quick read for those who have trouble reading long books. The art style is simple yet the details are amazing. I really enjoyed it. However, I would have to say the plot line is what most intrigued me! The plot line along with the characters are very relatable, mostly due to Anya's strive to "fit in" even with her insecurities of her heritage and body. I love how it also gives subtle message of positive body imaging, meaning that even though Anya isn't a skinny, she learns to accept her body and not bother about the expectations of a "perfect" American teenager. Lastly, the plot twist at the end had me shocked for days, I never expected it, and boy was it worth it! Overall, I really loved this novel and would totally recommend it!

Reviewed by Initials, Grade 10

Glendale Central Library