I can't remember how many young adult books I read in 2025, but there were just three books that stood out to me. The White Lotus I've recommended The White Lotus to more readers than I can count! A powerful work of historical fiction, what makes it stand out is the way in which the feisty protagonist Arali stands out without seeming oddly anachronistic. She develops slowly and believable, with circumstances shaping ehr character. Although I don't read mystery much, everything about the story drew me in--the sensitive storytelling, the believable characters, and the compelling plot. Book review With the Fire on High Elizabeth Acevedo's storytelling is stunning. I love how she tackles difficult subjects head-on, layering courage with love as she touches upon a range of themes. With the Fire on High is about a … [Read more...]
Life’s Magic Moments
Some books come your way in the most unexpected of ways. Ruskin Bond’s Life’s Magic Moments was never on my reading list—not for any reason except that there is always so much I want to read that I have to pick and choose what I make time for. But this beautiful, hardbound book, with its gorgeous pages came to me, and it sat on my shelf for a while unopened. It promised something gentle and lovely. How could it stay unopened for long?And so, I found myself picking it up. Before I knew it, I was smiling, feeling all those magical moments Ruskin Bond’s words bring to life. What is it that makes us write? What makes us create art? A sense of yearning, beauty, wonder, and magic. In little snippets, Bond describes these moments—fresh water when you’re parched, the suddenness of a wildflower growing in a pot in your window, earthworms wriggling in the soil … And of … [Read more...]