Ruei's Reading Corner

My last post of the year! I started my blog over a year ago and I'm so so happy I did. In the middle of a pandemic, I felt kind of lost but my blog has helped me get past this difficult time. These following books are the ones I've this year that stood out to me. This year, I read a total of  62 books! Out of the 62, these are the ones I would definitely recommend. Also, can we just stop for a minute and take in how beautiful all these covers are? Anyways, happy reading! 1. Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher. It's an amazing debut novel. The details that the author writes are just so good and completely shocked me. I got an ARC of the author's newest book and I'm so excited to read it! Review here

Title:  Tokyo Ever After Author:  Emiko Jean Publisher:  Flatiron Books Release Date:  May 18, 2021 Pages:  336 Izumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in—it isn’t easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, it’s always been Izumi—or Izzy, because “It’s easier this way”—and her mom against the world. But then Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity… and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess. In a whirlwind, Izzy travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always dreamed of. But being a princess isn’t all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight. Izzy soon finds herself caught between worl...

Title:  You've Reached Sam Author:  Dustin Thao Publisher:  Wednesday Books Release Date:  November 2, 2021 Pages:  304 Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes. Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail. And Sam picks up the phone. In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the ...

Title:  Iron Widow Author:  Xiran Jay Zhao Publisher: Penguin Teen Release Date:  September 21, 2021 Pages:  400 The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain. When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​ To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower ...

The following books are upcoming releases for December. There are tons of new books being released each month, but these are the top ones that caught my eye. They are not ranked by number but displayed randomly. Can't wait for them to come out, happy reading! 1. The Big Reveal by Jen Larsen is releasing December 7, 2021. Synopsis: Addie is a talented dancer, a true-blue friend, fat, fierce, and driven. When she's accepted into the prestigious dance program of her dreams, she thinks nothing can bring her down—until she realizes she doesn't have enough money to go. Refusing to give up, Addie and her friends decide to put on a top-secret, invitation-only burlesque show to raise funds. But word soon gets out, and the slut- and body-shaming begin. Has Addie been resisting the patriarchy, or playing right into its hands? Perfect for fans of Jennifer Mathieu and E. Lockhart, The Big Reveal asks hard-hitting feminist questions while reveling in some of life's greatest joys: cha...

Title:  These Violent Delights Author:  Chloe Gong Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry Books Release Date:  November 17, 2020 Pages:  464 The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery. A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal. But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if...

Title:  Our Violent Ends Author:  Chloe Gong Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry Books Release Date:  November 16, 2021 Pages:  512 The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution. After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on the warpath. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less. Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure. Then a new monstrous dange...

These are the upcoming releases for November 2021. There are many new books being released each month, but these are the top ones that caught my eye despite not having much time to keep up with books and what not. They are not ranked by number but displayed randomly. Can't wait for them to come out, happy reading! 1. A Rush of Wings by Laura E. Weymouth is releasing November 16, 2021. Synopsis: Rowenna Winthrop has always known there’s magic within her. But though she hears voices on the wind and possesses unusual talents, her mother Mairead believes Rowenna lacks discipline, and refuses to teach her the craft that keeps their Scottish village safe. And when Mairead dies a sinister death, it seems Rowenna’s only chance to grow into her power has died with her. Then, on a fateful, storm-tossed night, Rowenna rescues a handsome stranger named Gawen from a shipwreck, and her mother miraculously returns from the dead. Or so it appears. The resurrected Mairead is nothing like the old on...

I haven't been posting much because of school but I'm back! This time with books that are upcoming releases for October 2021. There are many new books being released each month, but these are the top ones that caught my eye despite not having much time to keep up with books and what not. They are not ranked by number but displayed randomly. Can't wait for them to come out, happy reading! 1. The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker is releasing October 12, 2021. Synopsis: Death is her destiny. Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can. When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to ca...

Title:  It All Comes Back to You Author:  Farah Naz Rishi Publisher:  Quill Tree Books Release Date:  September 14, 2021 Pages:  432 After Kiran Noorani's mom died, Kiran vowed to keep her dad and sister, Amira, close--to keep her family  together . But when Amira announces that she's dating someone, Kiran's world is turned upside down. Deen Malik is thrilled that his brother, Faisal, has found a great girlfriend. Maybe a new love will give Faisal a new lease on life, and Deen can stop feeling guilty for the reason that Faisal needs a do-over in the first place. When the families meet, Deen and Kiran find themselves face to face. Again. Three years ago--before Amira and Faisal met--Kiran and Deen dated in secret. Until Deen ghosted Kiran. And now, after discovering hints of Faisal's shady past, Kiran will stop at nothing to find answers. Deen just wants his brother to be happy--and he'll do whatever it takes to keep Kiran from reaching the truth. Though the...

Title:  You'd Be Home Now Author:  Kathleen Glasgow Publisher:  Delacorte Press Release Date:  September 28, 2021 Pages:  400 For all of Emory's life she's been told who she is. In town she's the rich one--the great-great-granddaughter of the mill's founder. At school she's hot Maddie Ward's younger sister. And at home, she's the good one, her stoner older brother Joey's babysitter. Everything was turned on its head, though, when she and Joey were in the car accident that killed Candy MontClaire. The car accident that revealed just how bad Joey's drug habit was. Four months later, Emmy's junior year is starting, Joey is home from rehab, and the entire town of Mill Haven is still reeling from the accident. Everyone's telling Emmy who she is, but so much has changed, how can she be the same person? Or was she ever that person at all? Mill Haven wants everyone to live one story, but Emmy's beginning to see that people are more than they ...

The following books are upcoming releases for September 2021. There are many new books being released each month, but these are the top ones that caught my eye. They are not ranked by number but displayed randomly. Can't wait for them to come out, happy reading! 1. Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach is releasing September 14, 2021. Synopsis: Eliza Quan is the perfect candidate for editor in chief of her school paper. That is, until ex-jock Len DiMartile decides on a whim to run against her. Suddenly her vast qualifications mean squat because inexperienced Len—who is tall, handsome, and male—just seems more like a leader. When Eliza’s frustration spills out in a viral essay, she finds herself inspiring a feminist movement she never meant to start, caught between those who believe she’s a gender equality champion and others who think she’s simply crying misogyny. Amid this growing tension, the school asks Eliza and Len to work side by side to demonstrate civility. But as they get...

Title:  The Witch Haven Author:  Sasha Peyton Smith Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers  Release Date:  August 31, 2021 Pages:  448 In 1911 New York City, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet—her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there. Before she can be condemned as a murderess, two cape-wearing nurses arrive to inform her she is deathly ill and ordered to report to Haxahaven Sanitarium. But Frances finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all: it’s a school for witches. Within Haxahaven’s glittering walls, Frances finds the sisterhood she craves, but the headmistress warns Frances that magic is dangerous. Frances has no interest in the small, safe magic of her school, and is instead enchanted by Finn, a boy with magic himself who appears in her dreams ...

Title:  Take Me with You When You Go Authors:  David Levithan & Jennifer Niven Publisher:  Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers Release Date:  August 31, 2021 Pages:  336 Subject: You. Missing. Ezra Ahern wakes up one day to find his older sister, Bea, gone. No note, no sign, nothing but an email address hidden somewhere only he would find it. Ezra never expected to be left behind with their abusive stepfather and their neglectful mother - how is he supposed to navigate life without Bea? Bea Ahern already knew she needed to get as far away from home as possible. But a message in her inbox changes everything, and she finds herself alone in a new city - without Ez, without a real plan - chasing someone who might not even want to be found. As things unravel at home for Ezra, Bea confronts secrets about their past that will forever change the way they think about their family. Together and apart, broken by abuse but connected by love, this brother a...

Title:  I Believe in a Thing Called Love Author:  Maurene Goo Publisher:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers Release Date:  May 30, 2017 Pages:  336 Desi Lee believes anything is possible if you have a plan. That’s how she became student body president. Varsity soccer star. And it’s how she’ll get into Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds guidance in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It’s a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Steps to ...

Title:  Beyond the Ruby Veil Author:  Mara Fitzgerald Publisher:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers  Release Date:  October 13, 2020 Pages:  288 Cunning and unapologetic, Emanuela Ragno is a socialite who plays by her own rules. In her most ambitious move yet, she’s about to marry Alessandro Morandi, her childhood best friend and the heir to the wealthiest house in Occhia. Emanuela doesn’t care that she and her groom are both gay, because she doesn’t want a love match. She wants power, and through Ale, she’ll have it all. But Emanuela has a secret that could shatter her plans. In her city of Occhia, the only source of water is the watercrea, a mysterious being who uses magic to make water from blood. When their first bruise-like omen appears on their skin, all Occhians must surrender themselves to the watercrea to be drained of life. Everyone throughout history has obeyed this law for the greater good. Everyone except Emanuela. She’s kept the tiny omen ...

Title:  How We Fall Apart Author:  Katie Zhao Publisher:  Bloomsbury YA Release Date: August  3, 2021 Pages:  352 In a YA thriller that is  Crazy Rich Asians  meets  One of Us is Lying , students at an elite prep school are forced to confront their secrets when their ex-best friend turns up dead. Nancy Luo is shocked when her former best friend, Jamie Ruan, top ranked junior at Sinclair Prep, goes missing, and then is found dead. Nancy is even more shocked when word starts to spread that she and her friends--Krystal, Akil, and Alexander--are the prime suspects, thanks to "The Proctor," someone anonymously incriminating them via the school's social media app. They all used to be Jamie's closest friends, and she knew each of their deepest, darkest secrets. Now, somehow The Proctor knows them, too. The four must uncover the true killer before The Proctor exposes more than they can bear and costs them more than they can afford, like Nancy's full schol...

These books are upcoming releases coming sometime in August 2021. There are many books releasing this month, but these are the top ones that caught my eye. The books are not ranked by number so they are displayed randomly. Can't wait for them to come out, happy reading! 1. As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson was released August 5, 2021. Synopsis: Pip's good girl days are long behind her. After solving two murder cases and garnering internet fame from her crime podcast, she's seen a lot. But she's still blindsided when it starts to feel like someone is watching her. It's small things at first. A USB stick with footage recording her and the same anonymous source always asking her: who will look for you when you're the one who disappears? It could be a harmless fan, but her gut is telling her danger is lurking. When Pip starts to find connections between her possible stalker and a local serial killer, Pip knows that there is only one choice: find the person threatenin...

Title:  When We Were Strangers Author:  Alex Richards Publisher:  Bloomsbury YA Release Date:  July 27, 2021 Pages:  304 Seventeen-year-old Evie Parker is devastated in the wake of her father’s sudden death. But she knows something her mother doesn’t: the day of his heart attack, her dad was planning to move out. After finding his packed bags, an impulsive Evie puts everything away, desperate to spare her mom more heartache. To make matters worse, Evie soon learns the reason her father was going to leave: he had been dating his twenty-two-year-old receptionist, Bree, who is now six months pregnant. Desperate to distract herself, Evie signs up for a summer photography class where she meets a motley crew of students, including quirky and adorable Declan. Still, Evie can’t stop thinking about her father’s mistress. Armed with a telephoto lens, she caves to her curiosity, and what starts as a little bit of spying on Bree quickly becomes full-blown stalking. And when...

Title:  You Have a Match Author:  Emma Lord Publisher:  Wednesday Books Release Date:  January 12, 2021 Pages:  320 A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget. From the beloved author of  Tweet Cute  comes Emma Lord's  You Have a Match , a hilarious and heartfelt novel of romance, sisterhood, and friendship... When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front. But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister. When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a...

Title: XOXO Author:  Axie Oh Publisher:  HarperTeen Release Date:  July 13, 2021 Pages:  352 Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets mysterious, handsome Jaewoo in her uncle’s Los Angeles karaoke bar, it’s clear he’s the kind of boy who would uproot her careful plans. But in a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure…before he disappears without a word. Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, she’s shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where she’s enrolled for the semester. And he’s not just any student. He’s a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world—and he’s strictly forbidden from dating. When a relationship means throwing Jenny’s life off the path she’s spent years mapping out, she’ll have to decide once and for all jus...

Title:  Majesty Author:  Katharine McGee Publisher:  Random House Books for Young Readers Release Date:  September 1, 2020 Pages:  374 Is America ready for its first queen? Power is intoxicating. Like first love, it can leave you breathless. Princess Beatrice was born with it. Princess Samantha was born with less. Some, like Nina Gonzalez, are pulled into it. And a few will claw their way in. Ahem, we're looking at you Daphne Deighton. As America adjusts to the idea of a queen on the throne, Beatrice grapples with everything she lost when she gained the ultimate crown. Samantha is busy living up to her "party princess" persona...and maybe adding a party prince by her side. Nina is trying to avoid the palace--and Prince Jefferson--at all costs. And a dangerous secret threatens to undo all of Daphne's carefully laid "marry Prince Jefferson" plans. A new reign has begun.... Buy it on  Barnes & Noble  or  Amazon   

So instead of doing individual reviews on each single book, I'm just going to pick out parts of the book that stood out to me to post.  It could be a quote, something I learned, something I found interesting etc.  The following five books are honestly all great and I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to read them through HOSA. For those that don't know what HOSA is, it's an international competition for the Health CTE for those that want to pursue a career in the medical/health field. Anyways, happy reading! Title:  Epic Measures: One Doctor. Seven Billion Patients Author:  Jeremy N. Smith Publisher:  Harper Wave Release Date:  April 7, 20 15 Pages:  352 Moneyball  meets medicine in this remarkable chronicle of one of the greatest scientific quests of our time—the groundbreaking program to answer the most essential question for humanity: how do we live and die?—and the visionary mastermind behind it. Medical doctor and economist Christ...