The Library of Legends by Janie Chang
This was definitely a book that had me at the cover. Then when I read the front flap blurb, I had to read it. A legendary library? Heck yes! Sadly, I was a bit disappointed in the story. I finished it because I wanted to see what happened to the main characters but it was not quite as magical and legendary as I had hoped it would be. It's China, 1937. Japan is invading China, and slowly swallowing cities and moving inland. The Communist party is gaining some momentum and is recruiting young students. Lian is a young student at Minghua University in Nanking, and they've been ordered to leave the city for safety--a thousand miles away, across China. They'll have to walk at night to keep themselves safe from Japanese bombers, and they have a great treasure that must be delivered safely: the Library of Legends. Volumes of China's history of legends and folklore; a five hundred year old priceless collection that would be an immeasurable loss to the Chine...