I am so happy to share that #TheDavenports has made the Indie Best Sellers List! 😆 Thank you @Indiebound & @penguinteen for your support! This story of four strong young Black women would not have reached so many readers without Indie booksellers! Thank you so much! 💛
THE DAVENPORTS is an @nytimes bestseller! Debuting on the list is an absolute wildest dream come true!! This began as a journey to write the book I wanted to read. Along the way, it became the story I wish I had as a young reader. One a younger me needed and I’m so happy to share it with you! 💛💛💛
Had a fantastic time discussing #TheDavenports with fellow debuts Mae Coyiuto and Lila Riesen! We discussed strong female leads, the pressure of making your family proud, and the importance of living for yourself.
Click here to register and watch!
Afghan-American Mafi’s sophomore year gets a whole lot more complicated when she accidentally exposes family secrets, putting her family back in Afghanistan in danger in this smartly written YA debut.
Sixteen-year-old Mafi Shahin is well-aware that life is not always fair. If it was fair, her parents might allow her to hang out with a member of the male species, other than her cat Mr. Meowgi. If it was fair, her crush and basketball hottie Jalen Thomas might see her as more than just her brother’s kid sister. And if it was fair, her baba’s brother and wife would be able to leave Afghanistan and come to America.
Life might not be fair—but she can make it a bit more even. Working as the Ghost of Santa Margarita High, Mafi serves dollops of justice on her classmates’ behalf as the school’s secret avenger. They leave a note declaring the crime and Mafi ensures the offender receives an anonymous karmic-sized dose of payback. Keeping her identity as the Ghost a secret sometimes means Mafi has to lie. But as those lies begin to snowball both at school and at home, even compromising their family’s secret past and putting their relatives back in Afghanistan at risk, Mafi is forced to decide how she wants to live her life—trying to make the world more fair from the shadows or loudly and publicly standing up for what’s right.
When Dimple Met Rishi meets Loveboat, Taipei in this hilarious YA rom-com about a Chinese-Filipina girl in Manila whose father sets her up on a marathon of arranged dates in hopes of convincing her to stay close to home for college.
“A sweet and refreshing story about family, first love, and chasing your dreams. The way Coyiuto writes romance will completely sweep you away.” —Dustin Thao, New York Times bestselling author of You’ve Reached Sam.
Chloe knows what it takes to be the perfect Liang daughter—stay in Manila, study business management, and join the family company. But when she unexpectedly gets off the wait list for USC, her dream of becoming an animator in the United States is suddenly within reach.
Before she goes, her auntie insists on planning a traditional debut for Chloe’s eighteenth birthday. And while a party with all her friends and family sounds like the perfect send-off, the huge production her auntie wants—complete with ball gowns and a choreographed dance number—makes Chloe want to pass out from stage fright.
To make matters worse, her father, intent on finding Chloe the perfect escort for the party, keeps setting her up on one awkward kaishao—or arranged date—after another. Why does her dad suddenly care so much about her love life? And what happens when she actually starts to fall for one of the guys, only to have to leave at the end of the summer?
At home in the Philippines, Chloe has her future all planned out for her. In America, nothing is certain. With a career in animation far from guaranteed, Chloe must decide if following her dreams is worth everything—and everyone—she’ll be leaving behind.
Gr 8 Up–Set in 1910, this novel offers readers a glimpse inside the lives of a wealthy Black family from Chicago, the titular Davenports. This novel centers around three teens in the family: Olivia, John, and Helen, along with their friends and associates. Debut author Marquis weaves the characters’ stories in such a way that leaves readers anticipating the next chapter each time.
This book includes romance, politics, activism, family relationships, and the journey from childhood to adulthood. Will the characters get married to please their parents? Will they follow their own dreams and interests? Growing up means discovering who you are and sometimes making painful decisions. The author’s skilled descriptions give readers a real connection to the characters. This is a well-written novel, sure to please fans of historical fiction, romance, and Chicago history. Young adults and adults alike will learn from and enjoy this novel.
VERDICT: Recommended for all collections. —April Crowder
School Library Journal
Join me Wednesday, January 11th and 7pm to discuss The Davenports with River Bend Bookshop‘s Kaitee Tredway!
It will be a lovely (spoiler free) chat about swoony romances, dynamic young women, and an overlooked era of Black history.
The event is free, but registration is required. You can find the link below. AND you can pre-order your signed and personalized copy of The Davenports with your ticket or through the River Bend website.
I am so incredibly excited that the American Booksellers Association has chosen The Davenports to be the Kid’s Indie Next No. 1 Pick for Jan./Feb. 💛 Independent booksellers create a safe space for booklovers and ideas that cannot be stressed enough. They allow expression and curiosity to grow and are instrumental in getting books into the hands of readers. Thank you so much @americanbooksellers and @penguinteen for championing #thedavenports! Thank you, Gabriella, for the lovely blurb! I am truly honored.
Krystal Marquis 