Weekend Pick for November 1, 2024

Weekend Pick for November 1, 2024

Let me introduce our guest contributor for the month of ​November. This month's book suggestions will be provided by Dr. Rebecca Chatham-Vazquez, an assistant professor and the director of English Education at North Dakota State University, and here students, Dariana Gunderson,  Abby Moe, and Lexy Nelson.

Dariana Gunderson

​The first suggestion is brought to you by Dariana Gunderson, a senior at North Dakota State University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in English Education with a minor in Creative Writing. She also is the current President of the English Honor Society, and she co-leads a creative writing group on campus. She is originally from Taylors Falls, Minnesota. She has been reading books since she was a little kid and has been writing about as long as well. Her go-to genre is fantasy and romance. Her favorite days are when she is able to curl up on the couch with a good book and one of her four cats by her side. 

The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs

​​Need a perfectly spooky new read as you transition from October to November? The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs (Mohawk) is the book for you! In her debut novel, Isaacs weaves Native American folklore with teenage drama. I was originally drawn to this book because it was brand new, just released from Heartdrum. Not only did the cover appeal to me, as it is very spooky looking, but also the description. I wanted to branch out with my reading genres as well, so I wanted to try reading a horror novel.

Cheryl Isaacs

The Unfinished follows Avery an Indigenous teenage athlete whose curiosity really kills the cat (almost literally). When Avery takes the wrong turn down a trail in the woods, she is faced with a mysterious force that haunts her and starts causing people to disappear. The mysterious force, known as the black water, is something only known in Avery’s Kanyen’keha:ka relatives’ tales. However, Avery knows nothing about these stories as she is disconnected from her Indigenous heritage. When her best friend, Key, has also gone missing, Avery has to make a difficult, life altering decision: listen to her Kanyen’keha:ka relatives and lose her best friend forever or risk everything and save Key.
            

This book is full of twists, turns, and teenage drama. You will be at the edge of your seat while reading this book just wondering what is going to happen next.
 
​You can read the full synopsis of this book on Cheryl Isaacs website at https://cherylisaacs.ca/books/ .