Lilian's Favorite Books and DVDs of 2015

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh is an enthralling love story that was inspired by A Thousand and One Nights. The Wrath and the Dawn tells the story of Khalid and Shahrzad. Shahrzad volunteers to marry the boy-king Khalid to seek revenge for the murder of her best friend. As Shahrzad survives in the palace telling Khalid wondrous tales at night she learns that there is much hidden in the palace…

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is my #1 book this year! Mare is a Red blood girl who discovers she has powers. In Mare’s world the only one with powers are the silver blood elites. The king forces Mare to hide in plain sight by pretending to be a long lost silver princess engaged to a crown prince… Meanwhile, Mare is secretly helping the Red Rebellion…

An Ember in the Ashesby Sabaa Tahir is told in the dual perspective of Laia and Elias. Laia is a scholar living under the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia seeks the help of rebel Scholars to save her brother. Elias is the best soldier in the military academy. Elias has a secret, he wants to be free. He and Laia will work together to fight against the empire.             

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas tells the story of the huntress, Feyre who kills a wolf in the woods. Tamlin, High Lord of the faeries comes to seek revenge. Tamlin takes Feyre to the fey world. Feyre begins to develop feelings for Tamlin and she must break a curse or she will lose him forever.                

The Rose Societyby Marie Lu tells the story of Adelina Amouteru who is known by her former friends and enemies as the White Wolf. Adelina has run from Kenettra to start her own society of Young Elites. Adelina’s powers are growing dangerously out of control. Adelina is fueled by her desire for revenge against those who betrayed and abandoned her….

The film Dope is hilarious and clever. “Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the SAT. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself.”