Tanya Talaga’s — Seven fallen feathers *****

Canadian Journalist, Tanya Talaga chronicles the lives and deaths of seven First Nation teens in Thunder Bay who lost their lives after moving from remote Ontario communities to attend secondary school in the city.

In this non-fiction account, we learn about life in Thunder Bay for First Nation teens, about the Aboriginal parents and their communities who come together to search for the children when they first disappear, and their contact with police and how the Thunder Bay police handle each case.

This is a well written, must read for all Canadians so we grasp the systemic racist culture within the police force as well as the government and communities at large.

Sara Bird’s — Above the East China Sea *****

Luz James feels lost. She’s been shifted from pillar to post since childhood because of her mother’s job. Now she’s in Okinawa, a tiny group of islands that belong to Japan. She’s already lost the grandmother she loved, but when she loses her closest friend, her sister, Luz can’t hold it together. She hangs out with a group every night to get high. On one of those nights she wanders off and encounters something that leads her on a path to discover her unknown family and the Okinawan women whose secret she discovers.

This is not only a great tale, but the historical setting with flashbacks to a young Okinawa school girl during the war reveals a lot about the Japanese and their prejudice towards the people of these islands.

Jane Johnson’s — The sea gate

Rebecca is disappointed that Eddie, her boyfriend of ten years hasn’t even made it to her mother’s funeral. Afterwards, at her mother’s flat, she sorts through a pile of mail while her brother and sister-in-law pack up her belongings. Amongst the mail is a letter from Olivia requesting help.

Rebecca remembers visiting Olivia in Cornwall as a child and decides to visit her relative. When she arrives, she learns aging Olivia is in hospital with a broken leg and her house is in shambles. Will Rebecca stay to help Olivia get her house in order so she can return home? What will she do about Eddie if she stays? What will she discover when she sorts through Olivia’s belongings? And what is it that Olivia wants to hide by ordering Rebecca to get the basement blocked up?

lan Duff’s — Both sides of the moon *****

Alan Duff’s— Both Sides of the Moon *****

Because Jimmy’s father is a Pakeha and his mother Maori, he struggles to discover where he fits in. After his mother leaves to live with another man, Jimmy turns more to his uncle who tells his about his Maori family history. This is a heart wrenching read, but a telling narrative of a family caught between two cultures.