Down to the Bone

This one was, to say the least, a little afield from what I normally read. when I do pick up YA books, they usually have either wizards or dystopian futures in them. Down to the Bone has neither of those; just a teenaged girl trying to navigate the tricky paths of love, sexuality, and identity in a Cuban neighbourhood in Miami.

What really sold me on this book was the culture that it's steeped in - from the food, to the language, to the way the characters interact with each other, their faiths, and their sexualities, it all feels very real, and very grounded in a real place. I always appreciate that in a book - when you feel like you've visited a place by having read about it.

The main character, Laura, is interesting as well - she's very strong in her beliefs in most things, like environmentalism and vegetarianism, but when it comes to her dealing with her attraction to other girls, she's completely unsure of herself, which adds an interesting dimension to her.