An Unconventional Family
Rebels Like Us is a series of stand-alone novels that chronicle the lives and loves of the now adult children of Casa de Esperanza, a former orphanage based in Los Angeles, California.
The Arendt-Garcias are inspired by my own multicultural family and the stories and environments that impacted us the most.
As a sociologist, I want to understand and convey the social causes and consequences of romantic love, family conflict, deviant behavior, and racial and gender identity. Pride and Prejudice would have been a fitting title for this series!
Like it does in real life, music and artistry is the glue that holds it all together. We are a creative bunch—and so are the Arendt-Garcias.
![Casa De Esperanza](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Casa-De-Esperanza.jpg)
![Casa De Esperanza](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Casa-De-Esperanza.jpg)
“Music is what feelings sound like, a language everyone understands. A song can be a rescue vessel, a seductive lover, or sentimental treasure, adding color and spice to everyday life.”
![Credit: Jasmine Tookes & Tobias Sorensen](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jasmine-Tookes-and-Tobias-Sorensen-150x150.jpg)
![Credit: Jasmine Tookes & Tobias Sorensen](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jasmine-Tookes-and-Tobias-Sorensen-150x150.jpg)
Lumiana
Take a look behind the scenes of my debut novel: the inspiration behind it, truth vs. fiction, fun facts, and bonus content.
![Book Cover of Jaya by Alex Benkast](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Ebook-Cover-Jaya-Alex-Benkast-2018-ommjtdxjpi15qp56lvf826nzokonaak96ersj2dpi0.jpg)
![Book Cover of Jaya by Alex Benkast](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Ebook-Cover-Jaya-Alex-Benkast-2018-ommjtdxjpi15qp56lvf826nzokonaak96ersj2dpi0.jpg)
![woman wearing red blouse](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Jaya-cropped-ommjtdxjpi15qp56lvf826nzokonaak96ersj2dpi0.jpg)
![woman wearing red blouse](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Jaya-cropped-ommjtdxjpi15qp56lvf826nzokonaak96ersj2dpi0.jpg)
![woman sitting on rock](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/rocking-it-ommjtft8363qdx2gaw8h766wvcfdporpuo2rhmax5k.jpg)
![woman sitting on rock](https://www.alexbenkast.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/rocking-it-ommjtft8363qdx2gaw8h766wvcfdporpuo2rhmax5k.jpg)
The Music
PlayLists
My novels are as much an ode to music as they are a musical journey across time and genres. Each chapter is named after a song that represents what the characters are going through, so you can experience the story musically.