In 1930s Chinatown, the murder of a Chinese-American movie starlet becomes ammunition for those that would like to shutter Chinese-owned businesses, and tear down the apartment buildings housing Chinese-Americans.  When the local cops don't seem interested in solving the murder, and even go so far as to accuse and arrest an innocent man, two sisters must push back against societal and traditional norms in order to see justice done and save the neighborhood and the people they love.  This mystery is set in the very real historical context of L.A.'s Chinatown during the depression era.  Told in alternating perspectives with clear and distinct voices, the story unfolds clue by clue, twist by turn, until the surprising, edge-of-your-seat conclusion.

When "nice, pretty Maddie Price" disappears, everyone in the community treats it as a runaway case.  But former best friend turned social pariah Jo-Lynn Kirby has a feeling there's more to the story.  The only way to learn more about what happened to Maddie is to somehow infiltrate the upper echelons of her high school's social groups - the very group of students that shunned Jo when her nude photos were leaked the previous year.  And so begins a fake dating scheme with former fling and only true friend, Hudson.  Together they begin to unravel the mystery at the core of Maddie's disappearance and simultaneously unravel the many carefully constructed strands holding together a web of deception that will rock the entire community.  Exploring themes of privilege, misogyny, power, and abuse, this story is an impactful, twisty story well worth reading.

Mercy, Louisiana is on the verge of the apocalypse- a devastating hurricane wiped out part of the town’s populace, and brought in an algae bloom that mutates any sea life it touches.  Nhung “Noon” Lê and her mother spend their days shrimping and searching for Noon’s father and brother who, according to her mother’s family lore, were not killed in the hurricane but were turned into sea creatures instead.  When the exploitative harbormaster tasks Noon and her mom with bringing him a rumored creature that’s credited with the disappearance of the remaining residents, and sends his daughter with them to ensure they don’t run, Noon finds herself grappling with monstrosity in regards to herself, her trauma, and her body. 

When Jack Torrance gets a job as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, he and his family -protective wife Wendy and young son Danny- think it’s just what they need to get their lives back on track.  But all is not as it seems with this luxurious hotel– Jack finds himself manipulated by the allure of the hotel, Danny’s psychic abilities allow him to see the truth of their new living space, and Wendy is doing all she can to keep her struggling family together.  A classic book from the master of horror himself, Stephen King’s story of a haunted family will stay with you for years to come.  

The principal of an elite charter school for boys is murdered and three students of color are quickly pegged as the prime suspects.  Though they don’t know each other well, the three teens come together (along with a few friends and family members) in order to dig into the crime and clear their names before it’s too late.  Excellently paced mystery, told through multiple voices with some great reveals along the way.  It's a fabulous mystery with a thought-provoking social justice heart.  

Born into one of the founding families of affluent Amontillado, Ohio, Tress Montor had everything– that is, until her parents disappeared while driving her best friend Felicity Turnado home from a sleepover.  Now she lives with her outcast uncle, shunned by the town and wanting answers more than anything.  Tress finally hatches a plan to get those answers, and it all hinges on Felicity Turnado -rich, popular, hasn’t spoken to Tress since her parents disappeared, and hiding a dark secret- cooperating.  And if she doesn’t?  Well, it wouldn’t be the first time someone disappeared in Amontillado.  The first in a duology, this thriller inspired by the macabre works of Edgar Allen Poe will leave you guessing until the very last page.  

Nine girls growing up in a cult have created a small, safe community with one another.  They've found a way to keep themselves somewhat separate from the rest of the group - they even have a lock on their cabin door.  But when one of them goes missing, rifts and relationships are exposed, and secrets are uncovered.  Their knowledge and trust of one another is tested, their faith in the leaders of the cult is examined, and their desire for choice and freedom is brought to the fore.  What becomes increasingly clear is that each of the girls has secrets they would rather keep to themselves, and no two girls believe or want exactly the same thing.  This atmospheric novel-in-verse will keep readers intrigued by the mystery, and will inspire discussion with some of the questions it raises about solidarity, willful subjugation of others, and the ways that those who feel powerless may seek a kind of power through their treatment of others.