Undead Samurai by Baptiste Pinson Wu

Japan, 1625 A new Drum Master has risen, and soon the nation will fall to the curse of Izanagi. Answering the call of his kotsuzumi, dead warriors abandon their peace to once again roam the land of the living, swinging rusty blades and chattering rotten teeth at his behest. Japan’s last hope lies in the hands of the nine warriors gathered by the young daimyō of Owari. To reach Onijima, where the source of the curse’s power awaits, the Nine will not only have to face swarms of undead samurai and waves of shinobi mercenaries but even more dangerous to their mission, their inner demons. Against the undead, the Nine only have two choices, fighting as one or becoming them.

The Aqua Human by J. Elizaga

A teenager in the Pacific during World War II, evades capture by escaping to sea. She survives a tragedy and discovers new physical abilities underwater. Alone, she grapples to survive on land. But under the sea, she finds friendship from the most intelligent marine creatures. Over the decades, Amaya searches for the answer about her mysterious transformation while hiding her secret. But her secret may have finally been captured on film.

The Education of a Wetback by Marcos Antonio Hernandez

He left to seek a future. Can he escape his past to find his fortune? El Salvador, 1979. Young Toño has grand ambitions. But as the second son of a poor farmer, he sees little hope of taking over the family business. And when he catches his secret girlfriend cavorting with her ex at the carnival, he decides the path to riches lies north of the border. Arriving in LA single and desperate for money, Toño works under the table while cohabitating with his fellow immigrants, hoping to earn enough to help his family and attract the right woman. But when his illegal status always results in rejection, the stubborn migrant becomes frustrated at being caught between two worlds. Can Toño break through social barriers and ingrained prejudice to create the future he'd envisioned? The Education of a Wetback is a candid, fictionalized account of one man's true journey into adulthood. If you like insightful Hispanic American literature, engaging characters, and elements of magical realism, then you'll love Marcos Antonio Hernandez's exhilarating quest for freedom.

Where They Burn Books, They Also Burn People by Marcos Antonio Hernandez

They're devoted to God. But will doing the Lord's work lead them into darkness? 1549. Convinced he's destined to fulfill a whispered prophecy, Friar Diego de Landa labors to convert the Maya of the Yucatán Peninsula. Discovering a brutal Spanish landowner persecuting the native population, Friar Diego determines to protect them and punish the cruel man. But when he repatriates thousands of Maya and uproots centuries of indigenous traditions, the priest's obsession may end up destroying them all. 2010. Cortez Vuscar is convinced his father will return if he can grow their church's congregation. Certain he's found his true love and believing they can attract churchgoers together, Cortez sets out to win her from her wealthy and unfaithful boyfriend. But his fascination with the famous literature she's reading infects his mind with a deadly descent into madness... Can these men save their religion without destroying what they love? Where They Burn Books, They Also Burn People is the gripping combination of two books in the Hispanic American Heritage Stories series, based on historical events. If you like indigenous revenge, villain origin stories, and the consuming force of religious fervor, then you'll love this illuminating tale about Catholicism's shadowed past.

The Muse by Amy Ellis

In Georgian London, Elizabeth spends her precious free time painting watercolour flowers at the kitchen table. Art is not only an escape from the monotony of chores but a way to find a suitable husband who can give her security and a stable future. That was all she ever wanted until she met John, a talented painter with connections and patrons, who offered to take her on as a student and model for his new works. Being given the freedom to paint what she likes, Elizabeth is quickly seduced by John’s world: art, beautiful women, wealthy patrons, and the opportunity to earn her own money by becoming London’s premiere erotic portrait artist. But her newfound freedom comes at a cost and when her business is picked up in London’s scandal papers, there’s no way to go back to the stable life she once craved. This novel-in-verse is a scandalous and seductive love story of a young woman thrust into the indulgent world of art, sex, and money.

Ashes by Sharon Gloger Friedman

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A Jewish Family’s Epic of Hope, Tragedy, and Survival Easter Sunday, 1903 ushered in three days of government-sanctioned brutality on the Jews of Kishinev, Russia. In the aftermath of slaughter, rape, and destruction, Meyer and Sadie Raisky escape to New York City with their thirteen-year-old daughter, Miriam. Their home and business gone, reeling from devastating personal tragedy, the Raiskys cling to the promise of a better life in America. But upon arriving in New York City, Miriam and her parents quickly learn that promises are easily broken in the tenements of the Lower East Side. When circumstances force Miriam to abandon the schooling she loves to help support her family, she goes to work at the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, joining other immigrant girls who work long hours for low wages in shocking conditions. Against the backdrop of emerging workers’ rights and women’s rights, Miriam’s social conscience and young womanhood both blossom when she falls in love with a union organizer. Meticulously researched and rich with beautifully drawn characters that bring 20th-century New York City to life, Ashes is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a haunting elegy to the young women whose suffering inspired changes to the working conditions in the garment industry.