River is a young half Ojibwe teenage girl living in Ontario, Canada, with her white mom and stepdad. Having just finished high school and feeling lost in herself she decides to spend the summer with her indigenous father and grandmother. Throughout the story readers see River go through a journey of self-discovery and acceptance. 

 I was looking to read more books by BIPOC authors and came across this one on a whim in the library one day. As someone who is very uneducated about indigenous life and culture in North America, I found the topics in this book to be very thought provoking. All of the main points of indigenous culture were  introduced in the way that made you go and look further into the topics and educate yourself on some of the both more beautiful and less joyful experiences of indigenous people. I felt that some of the storylines were either rushed or left unfinished, but the characters were easy to follow and kept me engrossed in what was coming next. I hope to continue reading works by indigenous peoples and continue educating myself on some of the issues I am not as aware of as I should be, and overall this was in my opinion a good read. 

Rating: 3/5

-Camryn

Tramp in Flames by Paul Farley is a series of short stories. Each new story comes with its own plot and introduces new characters. Even though most of the stories are only a page or two in length, Farley is able to masterfully develop each storyline and character. The reader definitely feels like they know each individual character intimately and are able to understand the strifes that they go through. Farley likes to use more cryptic language in his works- really making his readers think about what is happening and connect the dots for themselves.

I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t have a lot of time to read. The book itself is relatively short, but if they don’t want to commit to the whole book, they can just read one or two stories. All of the short stories can stand alone and their short length makes them optimal for short reading sessions.

-Davina

The glow of the lights, the evolution of a person; this is what Last Night at the Telegraph Club embodies.  Following Lily, a young Chinese-American girl, in San Francisco, Malinda Lo truly immerses you into the world of the past.

Lo connects the world of the past, with the world of self growth and love.  As the book is set during the Red Scare and the rise of communism, Lily’s world is turned upside down.  The US government began targeting Chinese Americans to try to contain communism, and Lo brings together the fiction with the past.  Along with the Red Scare, the past was not always positive towards queer people – especially queer youth.  This brings us to the Telegraph Club.  An out-of-place club where queer women can gather together and be themselves.  This is what starts Lily into her self-exploration.  A friend in Lily’s classes, Kath, is the first one that Lily can talk to about the Telegraph Club.

Now, I won’t spoil the entire book, but it truly is an amazing read.  The tension between Lily and Kath, and the pain of family and the past; it truly is well written.  I would highly recommend this book, but be warned – you will feel emotions.

-Luka