Title: The Art of Secrets
Author: James Klise
Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Publication Date: April 22, 2014
Format: ARC
Hardcover; 272 pages
Rating: 3.5/5

Saba Khan and her family’s apartment burned down. That’s how it all started. It could have been a hate threat from somebody else, but it could be their own fault too. With friends helping them, they lived in a luxury apartment and Saba studied in a prestigious high school in Chicago. The school started a fund-raising for Saba’s family but then one artwork was revealed to be the work of a famous artist which went missing. Does Saba’s family deserve to have the money after this? James Klise reveals secrets that each character has; and splendid twists that will capture us.

I actually liked this book, contrary to what I expected. At first I was really hesitant about this book since I didn’t like the narration, but it turned out pretty well. The narration wasn’t really my type since I found it hard to understand who was narrating in the first few pages. Throughout the next pages, I understood what the author was trying to do; to have each family member have their own point of view, not just Saba and other people. Even though the narration was new to me since I haven’t read a lot of books that have multiple point of views, it just didn't work for me. I had a hard time understanding the book, because of this writing style.

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Title: Girls Like Us
Author: Gail Giles
Hardcover, 224 pages
Expected publication: May 27th 2014 
Publisher: Candlewick Press

From Goodreads:

We understand stuff. We just learn it slow. And most of what we understand is that people what ain’t Speddies think we too stupid to get out our own way. And that makes me mad. 

Quincy and Biddy are both graduates of their high school’s special ed program, but they couldn’t be more different: suspicious Quincy faces the world with her fists up, while gentle Biddy is frightened to step outside her front door. When they’re thrown together as roommates in their first "real world" apartment, it initially seems to be an uneasy fit. But as Biddy’s past resurfaces and Quincy faces a harrowing experience that no one should have to go through alone, the two of them realize that they might have more in common than they thought — and more important, that they might be able to help each other move forward.

Hard-hitting and compassionate, Girls Like Us is a story about growing up in a world that can be cruel, and finding the strength — and the support — to carry on.