Michelle Zauner, a Korean-American woman, reflects on her imperfect yet beautiful relationship with her mother before she passed away from cancer. She copes with grief by learning how to cook Korean dishes in hopes of reconnecting with her Korean heritage, and feeling closer to her mother. If you like books discussing love and grief, parental relationships, life as a first generation immigrant child, you will enjoy this book.

This book follows Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, as she nears puberty during the 1940s in Lorain, Ohio. With her newfound friends Claudia and Frieda, she learns the truth behind her poverty, 'ugliness' and misfortunes in life. If you enjoy books that explore themes of beauty, conformity, race, gender etc. you will enjoy this book. A theme in this book is how external forces affect internal struggles, because the girls battle-