Half a Life Apart - by Shannon C F Rogers (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Liezel Palad DeJesus is ready for college, despite what her nosy school counselor thinks. Liezel doesn't need help. She's always understood her role in a family of Overseas Filipino Workers: to make the most of her US education, get a job, and support the extended clan.

But as political winds shift and fear rips through their immigrant community, Liezel's grandmother makes the decision to self-deport. Suddenly, Liezel's thoughtful plan to live at home with her while attending the local college evaporates. Her lola has been her entire world since she came to the US at five, and she barely knows her mother, who lives on the opposite end of the globe. Liezel has always hoped they'd reunite someday, but that dream feels as far away as her mother herself.

Suddenly everyone is asking Liezel what she wants to do- but that's not a question she thought she was even allowed to ask. And when things change for Liezel again - in a big way - she's forced to make a decision that could affect the rest of her life.

Moving, powerful, and written in Roger's signature prose, this is an unmissable and timely YA novel.

Review Quotes

Praise for Eighteen Roses

"Rogers' lush, vivid storytelling brings Albuquerque alive... This should absolutely not be missed." ―Booklist (starred)

"Rogers attentively depicts issues surrounding race, gender, parental responsibility, divorce, and self-esteem via Lucia's numerous relationships" ―Publishers Weekly

"Rogers' sophomore novel features rich, deep representation of Filipino experience in the U.S. as well as strong character development...Beautiful, relatable, and full of emotion." ―Kirkus

Praise for I'd Rather Burn than Bloom
"Readers who relish deep character development will appreciate Marisol's messy evolution toward self-forgiveness...Heart-wrenching and heart-filled."
-Kirkus (starred)

"A fast-paced narrative....A realistically messy and enjoyable character growth that one can't help but empathize with."
-Publishers Weekly (starred)

About the Author

SHANNON C.F. ROGERS is a multiracial American writer of Filipinx and European descent. Her debut novel, I'D RATHER BURN THAN BLOOM, won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Youth Literature in 2024. She is also the author of EIGHTEEN ROSES. Shannon's writing has appeared in Bodega Magazine, Newfound Journal, and on stage with Tricklock Company, Lady Luck Productions, and the UNM Festival of New Plays. She earned her B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of New Mexico and her MFA in Writing For Young People at Antioch University Los Angeles. She has served school communities in Albuquerque, Chicago, and NYC, and now lives in Brooklyn, NY.