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Peréz, Ashley Hope
3 Reviews
(3)
YA
Two teens, Mexican American Naomi and African American Wash, fall in love and struggle to keep their relationship secret in racist 1936 east Texas. This novel weaves in the forces that led up to the 1937 New London school explosion, a tragedy rooted in the era's violent abuse against minorities. A poignant, potent, and provocative historical drama steeped in well-researched factual details.
Reviewer: Rita Soltan
(4)
YA
After getting into a drug-dazed gang fight, Azael wakes up in a detention facility unlike any he has been to before. Denied all contact with the outside world, Azael spends his days observing an unfamiliar female inmate, Lexi, and trying desperately to remember what occurred during the incident. Although the gritty voice and intriguing story builds suspense, the clichéd revelation is disappointing.
Reviewer: Randy Ribay
(4)
YA
Seventeen-year-old Marisa puts her dysfunctional, nearly poverty-ridden family above everything, including her passion for AP calculus. Struggling to help support her family, have a social life, and pursue her dream of studying engineering in college, she nearly loses herself--until the too-tidy ending. Pérez's perspective on Mexican American culture in Texas is authentic; the gritty setting and hard-knocks characters carry the story.
Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen
3 reviews
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