Survivors of PEACE (Secrets of PEACE Book 3) by T.A. Hernandez

Survivors of PEACE is the final book in the thrilling YA dystopian trilogy, Secrets of PEACE! Sent to me by the author, this installation is released today! The PEACE Project has fallen, and the Republic has risen. With a nation desperately trying to heal, chaos and terrorist attacks are frequent. When an old friend comes to Zira asking for her help in tracking down terrorists, Zira, Tripp, and Jared are glad to help. However, they soon find themselves getting into much more than they bargained for in a final battle for democracy.

What I loved most about this book was how all the characters held each other up and supported each other. Tripp dealt with overcoming his addiction, and it was sweet how the whole group held him up. Zira suddenly must lead a team of special operatives for the federal government, and everyone welcomes her! Unlike in previous books where there's cruelty on every page, there's acceptance and love on every page of Survivors of PEACE, and that's amazing. There was an overall hopeful tone, which I really loved.

Even though they don't have to blindly follow orders from Ryku anymore, it is obvious that the horrors left their mark. While their country is moving forward, the characters must forgive themselves for what they've done in the past and be able to move on with their lives, too. I enjoyed how Zira and Jared fought their inner demons in addition to fighting Ryku and terrorism. Something I found special was how Survivors of PEACE brought up real-world issues and the fundamentals of democracy, as well as equality. I felt that this book wrapped up the series nicely.

I highly recommend that you read this series!

Read my review of the previous book in this series, Renegades of PEACE!

Title: Survivors of PEACE
Author: T.A. Hernandez
Publisher: Sanita Street Publishing
Pages: 281
Series: Yes, Book 3 of 3
Rating: 5 Stars
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Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert

Little & Lion is a YA realistic fiction book about struggling with sexuality and mental illness that I got from my school library. Suzette's stepbrother, Lionel, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She leaves her boarding school to come home and support him, only to fall in love with Lionel's girlfriend. Lionel has stopped taking his pills and made Suzette promise not to tell their parents, swearing that he'd no longer love her. Now he's trapped in a downward spiral, and she must find a way to fix her mistake and save her family before it's too late.

I truly loved this book! Anyone who has a family member or friend who's struggling with an illness needs to read this book. This serves as a guide as to what to do in response to alarming situations. I love how this book tackled stigma on mental illness, and disapproval of one's sexuality. An added bonus was the fact that Suzette is African American while Lion is white. The author packed in every controversial issue she could think of, which was amazing. What I loved most about this book was how it combined multiple issues into a beautiful, intense story.

I do not blame Suzette for her mistakes, and more than anything I love characters that mess up and aren't perfect. It's boring to read about people who are normal and never make a mistake. I was surprised that both characters had their own stories and their own problems. They both wanted the acceptance of others, and didn't stop to love themselves. Suzette was trying to understand what it meant to be bisexual while Lionel was trying to understand what it meant to be bipolar. I loved how both characters were on separate journeys but were united in their efforts. Little & Lion is an honest book that I highly recommend!

Title: Little & Lion
Author: Brandy Colbert
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 330
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

Born a Crime is a truly inspiring autobiography that I read at my school at the advice of my favorite teacher. Before he became a world-famous comedian, Trevor Noah had to get through apartheid in South Africa. Born to a Swiss father and a Xhosa mother, Trevor Noah’s birth was illegal. He struggled to find his place in a world that didn't want his "kind". Noah enlightens readers with through his funny, optimistic approach to his in life poverty, oppression, abuse, and how he escaped and became molded into the man that he is today.

This is one of the best books I've ever read, and I cannot wait to read it again! Trevor Noah is a huge inspiration. Throughout his childhood, he was able to turn desolate situations into opportunity and fun. His positivity and lightheartedness is incredible, and it is obvious that he is well-suited as a comedian. I admire Noah for defying the laws of society and becoming his own person.

He had the perfect balance of intense, alarming moments and topics (like colonialism) while also being lighthearted and optimistic. Of course there were awful scenes of ridicule, but he never got mad at the bullies- just smiled and cracked a joke. This story contains major trends of people being afraid of what they don't understand, the main basis of hate crimes and segregation. However, Trevor's fearlessness and passion for being himself inspires readers- if there isn't a place for you in society, make your own, and always face an obstacle with optimism.

I highly recommend this book!

In case you have no idea who this guy is, he has his own TV show, the Daily Show With Trevor Noah on the Comedy Central television station. After reading this book I've started watching him- he's hilarious!

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah's website

His YouTube Channel

Title: Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
Author: Trevor Noah
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Pages: 304
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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Split by Swati Avasthi

Split is a YA realistic fiction book about the aftermath of abuse. After his father beats sixteen-year-old Jace Witherspoon and throws him out, he leaves behind his mother and drives to the home of his older brother, Spencer, who managed to escape years before. Jace is able to start at a new school and slowly build a new life, but both boys will soon learn that they can't keep running from their father- and their secrets.

I loved this emotional roller coaster! This is the definition of a love-hate relationship. Yes, their father is abusive and horrendous, but there were still happy times, which sometimes can overpower the bad. That's really the huge internal conflict, whether to miss him or hate him. The cycle of abuse is nearly impossible to get out of, and while I really don't like the outcome, not everyone can have a perfect ending.

What I loved the most about this book was how realistic it was in the sense that everybody is broken. Nobody is perfect and there was no perfect solution to the problems and the huge mistakes that the characters made. Jace struggled with that quite a bit, haunted by the fear that he is turning into his father. This story is not a happy one, however it is full of hope and love that readers will remember for weeks.

I recommend this book!

Title: Split
Author: Swati Avasthi
Publisher:  Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 280
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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