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A Curse So Dark And Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Eighteen for the three hundred twenty-seventh time, Prince Rhen despairs of breaking the curse that turns him into a beast at the end of each day until feisty Harper enters his life.

If you're a fan of fairy-tale retellings (specifically Beauty and the Beast), then have I got a recommendation for you.

After his grandfather's death, a young man must prove how deep his love of books really is when a strange cat asks for his help to save books that are being abused. As the young man journeys with the cat, he not only finds the courage to stand up to the adversaries that bar his path, but also to start living life again.

I Hear the Sunspot (2017) is a touching, heartwarming manga about the relationship between two male college students. Kohei, who is hard of hearing and knows he may eventually become deaf, deliberately keeps everyone at arm’s length because he is tired of the insensitive ways people often react to his disability. Taichi, who is struggling to make ends meet, sees Kohei’s ad looking for a notetaker to help him in class and agrees to take the job in exchange for lunch every day.

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco is a book full of thrilling twists. There are the mysteries of the paranormal that are explained as they go through. As it also mentions Italian culture and talks of food with accurate descriptions of them.

This thoughtful poetic writer is applicable for our times, opening the reader to compassion and a system understanding of oppressive systems. Their approach to social activism is inviting and ingenious. 

-Teen Reviewer

A lesser known title in Jane Austen's collection of novels, Mansfield Park is certainly a wild ride and does not disapoint in all that is ridiculous and full of drama. Heroine Fanny Price is born to a poor family with many, many siblings, and is taken in by her aunt and uncle who can afford to give her a proper, respectable upbringing. Her experience in her new home, Mansfield Park, is something to be desired as her family members constantly treat her as their servant, entertainment, and charity case, while they behave in the most selfish, unobservant way possible.

If you enjoy poetry, I recommend this collection of classics. There are a variety of long and short poems as well as a plethora of authors and topics. 

-Teen Reviewer

Meg's science fiction journey to find her father is a thoughtful read. It's use of quantum physics and theology is an interesting mix. I highly recommend it and the series it is part of. One of my favorite books and authors. 

-Teen Reviewer

The Hate U Give is a really great book. Angie Thomas did a really good job writing a fictive setting on current events. I think everyone should at least try to read this book.

The whole Twilight series is great if you like pulp fiction. It may look really long but you get lost into the story easily. It's fun to read on vacation or just laying outside in the summer. 

-Teen Reviewer

I personally enjoyed The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I think that the plot was very engaging and the characters added to the story. The dream-like feel added to the setting and made it a very great book to escape into.

Frankly in Love was definitely one of the books of 2021 that I enjoyed the most. At first glance, the book seemed like it is nothing more than a fake-dating romance, but soon unraveled to be more of an exploration of conflicting cultural identities. Romance definitely takes a back seat to the drama being Korean American brings for Frank Li, who feels enormous pressure to be one or the other because of rising expectations.