The 4th of July celebrations have concluded, you finally have time for yourself, and you can now resume your hobbies and introvert needs (celebrating independence was the whole point of the holiday after all, wasn’t it?). You can finally return to that book that’s been collecting dust over the vacation. Or, you can start something new, and we have plenty of suggestions.
Check out Bookstr’s Three to Read, the three books we’ve picked for you to read this week!
OUR HOT PICK
GODS OF JADE AND SHADOW
Synopsis:
The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.
“Simultaneously heartbreaking and heart-mending, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a wondrous and magical tale about choosing our own path.”—Kevin Hearne, New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles
The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.
Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.
In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.
Why?
Silvia Moreno-Garcia, critically-acclaimed author of Signal to Noise, returns with her latest novel that successfully interweaves fantastical elements with Mexican folklore and mythology, while also taking a nostalgia trip to the Jazz Age of the 1920s. Moreno-Garcia’s epic can be considered a modern retelling of Cinderella, but with an even more expansive and imaginative setting. The newest iteration of the classic fairy tale is immersive with its cultural embellishments and is one to look forward to when it reaches shelves on July 23rd.
OUR BEACH READ
TEEN TITANS: RAVEN
Synopsis:
When a tragic accident takes the life of 17-year-old Raven Roth’s foster mom–and Raven’s memory–she moves to New Orleans to recover and finish her senior year of high school.
Starting over isn’t easy. Raven remembers everyday stuff like how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can’t remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. And when impossible things start happening, Raven begins to think it might even be better not to know who she was before.
But as she grows closer to her new friends, her foster sister, Max, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she’s ready to face what’s buried in the past… and the darkness building inside her.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and first-time graphic novel artist Gabriel Picolo comes this riveting tale of finding the strength to face who you are and learning to trust others–and yourself.
Why?
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and artist Gabriel Picolo deliver an emotional and exciting new tale with fan favorite Teen Titan, Raven. The Teen Titans have experienced a pop culture resurgence in recent years, after making an impression on young audiences everywhere back in 2003 with the beloved animated series, and now with the hit Titans TV show on DC Comics’ streaming service. Here, Raven takes center stage. Garcia’s and Picolo’s graphic novel expands upon Raven’s comic book origins and coming-of-age trials, in which she finds trust and love while also combating the adversities of her dark past. Take this read with you for your next ride to the beach for a larger than life adventure.
OUR DARK HORSE
ALPHA GIRLS
Synopsis:
An unforgettable story of four women who, through grit and ingenuity, became stars in the cutthroat, high-stakes, male dominated world of venture capital in Silicon Valley, and helped build some of the foremost companies of our time.
In Alpha Girls, award-winning journalist Julian Guthrie takes readers behind the closed doors of venture capital, an industry that transforms economies and shapes how we live. We follow the lives and careers of four women who were largely written out of history – until now.
Magdalena Yesil, who arrived in America from Turkey with $43 to her name, would go on to receive her electrical engineering degree from Stanford, found some of the first companies to commercialize internet access, and help Marc Benioff build Salesforce. Mary Jane Elmore went from the corn fields of Indiana to Stanford and on to the storied venture capital firm IVP – where she was one of the first women in the U.S. to make partner – only to be pulled back from the glass ceiling by expectations at home. Theresia Gouw, an overachieving first-generation Asian American from a working-class town, dominated the foosball tables at Brown (she would later reluctantly let Sergey Brin win to help Accel Partners court Google), before she helped land and build companies including Facebook, Trulia, Imperva, and ForeScout. Sonja Hoel, a Southerner who became the first woman investing partner at white-glove Menlo Ventures, invested in McAfee, Hotmail, Acme Packet, and F5 Networks. As her star was still rising at Menlo, a personal crisis would turn her into an activist overnight, inspiring her to found an all-women’s investment group and a national nonprofit for girls.
These women, juggling work and family, shaped the tech landscape we know today while overcoming unequal pay, actual punches, betrayals, and the sexist attitudes prevalent in Silicon Valley and in male-dominated industries everywhere. Despite the setbacks, they would rise again to rewrite the rules for an industry they love. In Alpha Girls, Guthrie reveals their untold stories.
Why?
Silicon Valley is currently home to the most influential, innovative, and contemporary minds of our time. In today’s age of the inventor and entrepreneur, it is important to know that anyone can succeed, regardless of circumstance or background. Acclaimed journalist Julian Guthrie highlights the stories of four brilliant tech juggernauts whose names are not Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or Elon Musk, and who have shaped the technology landscape in spite of insurmountable odds with their companies. This collection of previously untold stories about these pioneering women is described as Hidden Figures meets The Social Network, and is even being made into an upcoming TV series!
All In-text Images Via Amazon.
Featured Image Via PhotoCollage
