The Belles
by Dhonielle Clayton
Publisher: Freeform Books
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
This book is set in a cursed society where beauty is of the utmost importance; social status is expressed by who has the latest trends on everything from skin tone to waist size. Clayton’s THE BELLES tells the story of Camellia, a Belle with the power to turn the people of New Orleans beautiful. After Camellia is chosen as the royal Belle, she slowly discovers the dark secrets of the Belle world and the royal family. This book was full of plot twists and exciting surprises that had me thoroughly engaged in Camellia’s world.
Overall, I quite enjoyed reading this and I thought the undertones of social commentary on the impossible beauty standards of today’s society are especially impactful for young adult readers.
Ink
by Alice Broadway
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
The story of INK lies in a world where life stories are documented on one’s skin, including every important step towards or away from the soul weighing ceremony at the end of one’s life. Leora struggles between the expectations of society and upholding the legacy of her father when she discovers the hidden mark of a traitor on her father’s neck. Now that he has passed away, Leora slowly uncovers the secrets of her past and the true history of the town of Saintstone.
With layers of romance, family, friendship and self acceptance, there were aspects of Leora’s life that I found very easy to relate to and that helped build a connection to the book. It certainly is a reflection of today’s society, and the need for stability and order, despite the dark secrets protected by the people you would least expect.
