Love, Hate, and Other Filters

Maya is an Indian Muslim teen who lives in suburban Chicago.  She's a senior who's applied to colleges and is ready to start the next chapter of her life.  But her vision of that future is different from what her parents want. 

Maya, who loves film, and never goes anywhere with out her camera, dreams of going to NYU to study film, but she knows her parents won't have it.  She's been accepted but hasn't told them yet.  And right now, she wants to just work at the bookstore and spend time with Phil, the boy she's crushed on since middle school.  Phil and Maya end up spending time together over spring break, and this new friendship is something Maya never imagined would finally happen at this point senior year. 

Maya's parents, however, would love for her to stay closer to home for college and to date and eventually marry a Muslim boy from a good family and background. 

Then, a horrible tragedy occurs and Maya's plans are turned upside down.  This book was incredible.  Each chapter begins with some small snippets from another plot line, and Maya narrates the chapters.  She's a smart, strong young woman dealing with a lot, when the tragedy adds even more to her plate.  This book shows readers what Maya as a young Muslim teen in a less diverse community has to deal with on a daily basis.  Maya's struggles with her parents highlight the tensions that come when the new generation wants something different.  This book shows readers how Maya deals with her normal life but how she has to deal with so much more because of some people's hatred for her religion.  Ahmed's book is incredible and I am also very interested in her next book, out March 2019, called Internment.  

Royals

Well, friends, I will admit that we did watch the Royal Wedding this summer.  Harry and Meghan are awesome.  I loved the wedding and the American preacher and all the celebration.  Sorry, but it's cool and fun and yay love!!

If you liked the royal wedding, too, then you will like this quick, fun read by Rachel Hawkins.  I have read some really heavy stuff this summer, and so I was excited to read a more fun, lighthearted book.

Daisy Winters works the Sur-N-Sav and is trying to enjoy her summer, but that's pretty hard when her ex-boyfriend has ruined it by selling their prom pics to the paparazzi.  And life is just different for Daisy because for the last few years, her older sister Eleanor has been dating the Crown Prince of Scotland.  If dating the prince caused enough trouble, there's even more when Daisy finds out her sister and the prince are now engaged.  Daisy ends up spending time in Scotland and learns a lot about her sister, herself, and the wild royal world. 

Daisy does her best to navigate the royal events as best she can.  But Sebastian, the other wild prince, makes that hard because he and his buddies, the Royal Wreckers as they are called by the tabloids, always keep things stirred up.  Except for Miles, who keeps a lower profile and tries to help Daisy out when he can. 

I enjoyed this book a lot.  It was fun and all the characters kept me entertained.  I like books that allow you to travel to new places, and this one does that.  Though it's completely fictional and a very American view of Royal life, it's still very entertaining and fun.