Untitled Flashcards Set

General Book Summaries (Genre, Plot, Key Themes)

Recursion – Blake Crouch

Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Summary: A scientist develops a technology that allows people to rewrite their memories, but the consequences spiral into chaos as reality itself begins to unravel.

Key Themes:

• Memory & Identity

• Time & Reality Manipulation

• The Ethics of Science

Long Story Short: Memories and Science

Killers of the Flower Moon – David Grann

Genre: True Crime, History
Setting: Oklahoma
Summary: A gripping investigation into the murders of Osage Nation members in the 1920s, revealing a sinister conspiracy tied to oil wealth and the birth of the FBI.

Key Themes:

• Systemic Racism & Injustice

• Greed & Corruption

• Native American History

Long Story Short: Crime and History

We Deserve Monuments – Jas Hammonds

Genre: Contemporary YA, LGBTQ+
Summary: Avery, a biracial teen, moves to a small Southern town and uncovers long-buried secrets about her family’s past and racial tensions in the community.

Key Themes:

• Racism & Generational Trauma

• Family & Self-Discovery

• LGBTQ+ Identity

Long Story Short: Race and Dark Past

Check & Mate – Ali Hazelwood

Genre: Contemporary Romance, YA
Summary: Mallory Greenleaf, a former chess prodigy, reluctantly returns to the game and finds herself competing (and clashing) with the world’s best player.

Key Themes:

• Women in Competitive Spaces

• Rivalry & Romance

• Second Chances

Long Story Short: Chess and Romance

The Silence That Binds Us – Joanna Ho

Genre: Contemporary YA
Setting: California
Summary: May, a Chinese American teen, faces racism and grief after her brother’s suicide, leading her to challenge the stereotypes imposed on her community.

Key Themes:

• Mental Health & Suicide

• Racism & Activism

• Family & Cultural Expectations

Long Story Short: Race and Grief

Darius the Great Is Not Okay – Adib Khorram

Genre: Contemporary YA
Summary: Darius, a Persian American teen struggling with depression and self-acceptance, visits Iran for the first time and forms a life-changing friendship.

Key Themes:

• Mental Health & Identity

• Cultural Heritage & Belonging

• Family Relationships

Long Story Short: Nationality, Relationships, and Mental Health

The Drowned Woods – Emily Lloyd-Jones

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Setting: Kingdoms of Wales
Summary: A water diviner joins a band of misfits on a quest to destroy a magical well controlled by a tyrant, inspired by Welsh mythology.

Key Themes:

• Power & Corruption

• Found Family

• Revenge & Justice

Long Story Short: Water and Magic

Shatter Me – Tahereh Mafi

Genre: Dystopian, YA
Summary: Juliette, a girl with a deadly touch, is imprisoned by a totalitarian regime that wants to use her as a weapon, but she seeks freedom an d love.

Key Themes:

• Power & Control

• Identity & Self-Acceptance

• Love & Rebellion

Long Story Short: Power and Confinement

Enter the Body – Joy McCullough

Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Verse
Summary: Shakespeare’s tragic heroines—Juliet, Ophelia, and Cordelia—gather in an underground space to share their untold stories and challenge their fates.

Key Themes:

• Feminism & Agency

• Rewriting History

• Power & Voice

Long Story Short: Shakespeare and Death

They Both Die at the End – Adam Silvera

Genre: Dystopian, LGBTQ+
Summary: In a world where people receive a warning on their last day alive, Mateo and Rufus meet through an app and decide to live their final hours to the fullest.

Key Themes:

• Death & Living Without Regrets

• Friendship & Love

• Fate vs. Choice

Long Story Short: Death and Relationships

Accountable – Dashka Slater

Genre: Nonfiction, Social Justice
Summary: A true account of a high school scandal involving a racist Instagram account and the ethical dilemmas surrounding accountability and privilege.

Key Themes:

• Racism & Privilege

• Accountability & Consequences

• Social Media & Ethics

Long Story Short: Race and Social Media Influence

Victory. Stand! – Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, Dawud Anyabwile

Genre: Graphic Memoir, Sports, Civil Rights
Summary: Olympic athlete Tommie Smith shares his story, leading up to his iconic Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics and the backlash he faced.

Key Themes:

• Racial Injustice & Activism

• Sports & Protest

• Sacrifice for Change

Long Story Short: Sports and Adversity

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me – Mariko Tamaki

Genre: Graphic Novel, LGBTQ+
Summary: Freddy Riley struggles in a toxic on-again, off-again relationship with her popular girlfriend Laura Dean while learning about self-worth.

Key Themes:

• Toxic Relationships

• Self-Discovery & Growth

• LGBTQ+ Love & Friendship

Long Story Short: Relationships and Self-Worth

Burn Down, Rise Up – Vincent Tirado

Genre: Horror, YA, Mystery
Summary: Raquel discovers a terrifying urban legend connected to missing people in the Bronx, leading her to a sinister alternate dimension.

Key Themes:

• Gentrification & Systemic Neglect

• Horror & Survival

• Family & Community

Long Story Short: Legends and Dark Mystery

Educated – Tara Westover

Genre: Memoir
Summary: Tara Westover, raised in a survivalist family with no formal schooling, fights for her education and eventually earns a PhD at Cambridge.

Key Themes:

• The Power of Education

• Family & Independence

• Overcoming Adversity

Long Story Short: Strange Childhood and Education

With the Fire on High– Elizabeth Acevedo

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary book
Summary: It tells the story of Emoni Santiago, a teenage mother of Puerto Rican descent, and her senior year at a Philadelphia high school. The novel focuses on Emoni's enrollment in a culinary arts class and her subsequent journey of self-discovery.

Key Themes:

• Coming of Age

• Identity 

• Teen parenthood

Long Story Short: Teen Parenting, Nationality, and Education