A Psalm for Lost Girls
by Katie Bayerl
Publisher: GP Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: March 14, 2017
A PSALM FOR LOST GIRLS by Katie Bayerl is a provocative story about religion, grief
and sisterhood. Told in alternating perspectives, the narrative
features sisters Callie and Tess de Costa, two sisters from New Avon,
Massachusetts. When Tess begins hearing a voice in her head warning
of terrible doom, she is able to relay these messages and prevent
catastrophes. Soon, those in her town are convinced that she is a
saint. However, when Tess dies unexpectedly and a missing girl
appears at one of her shrines, the case for her sainthood only grows.
The story follows Callie and Tess’ secret boyfriend, Danny, as they
try to protect Tess’s memory and trace the kidnapper of the
abducted child. This story is a compelling mix of fast-paced mystery
and poignant reflection on the all-consuming nature of grief. While
the plot is obviously a bit dark, the religious elements that are
woven in give it a sense of hope, and Callie’s bond with her sister
is inspirational and feels authentic.
Stranger Than Fanfiction
by Chris Colfer
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 28, 2017
STRANGER THAN FANFICTION by
Chris Colfer is a coming-of-age novel that makes deeper connections
to friendship, sexuality, and the true meaning of fame. The story
follows four friends obsessed with Wiz Kids, a hit television series
starring actor Cash Carter. As a joke, the friends invite Carter on a
road trip, but when he accepts, they find themselves immersed in a
narrative that reveals hidden truths about Carter and each other.
While I thought that this novel was well-written overall, I felt that
some of the characters could have used more development. The
storyline incorporated a diverse cast of characters in terms of race
and sexuality, but it did sometimes feel as if certain stereotypes
were reinforced rather than disproved. Overall, though, this was a
book with a light plot and some more rich insights. I would caution
readers that it contains repeated, explicit references to alcohol,
sex, and drug use, so it is probably most appropriate for more mature readers.
Confessions of a High School Disaster
by Emma Chastain
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: March 7, 2017
Adjusting to high
school can be hard... Especially when you fall in love with a senior
who has a seemingly flawless girlfriend, have parents who are
splitting up but can't admit it, and are the lead in the school
musical. CONFESSIONS OF A HIGH SCHOOL DISASTER by Emma Chastain is
told by Chloe, a lovable but flawed high school student. Throughout
this witty, hilarious diary of an ordinary teenager, we follow her as
she navigates friendship, the role of family, and most difficultly,
love. I thought it was very interesting for the book to be written
from her perspective as a diary so we get to see her life day by day,
without one detail missing. This book was very well written.
Goodbye Days
by Jeff Zentner
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 7, 2017
GOODBYE DAYS, Jeff
Zentner's sophomore novel, takes a look at the ramifications of
sorrow, loss, and how to move on. Carver, Eli, Blake, and Mars had
been thick as thieves since they were barely teenagers; they formed an
inseparable group entitled the "Sauce Crew" by the members
themselves. Yet, when three of the foursome meet their untimely end the summer
before senior year due to a car crash, Carver, the lone survivor, is
faced with the blame. Mere moments before the crash, Carver texted
Mars, the driver of the car, asking where they were since he was
waiting to be picked up by the other three, and that text was found
open on Mars's phone at the wreck. Facing a legal battle brought on
by the judge father of one of his friends and struggling with his own
grief, Carver finds support in his family and what few friends he has
left, including the former girlfriend of one of the victims, and
tries to make peace with the loss of his friends through a series of
memorial "Goodbye Days".
This book was a bit
unusual to me; it had a strange mix of beautifully crafted and
powerful sentences next to choppy and awkwardly phrased dialogue, but
it still managed to get its point across. While I couldn't understand
exactly why Carver was being blamed for the accident, rather than
Mars who was actually driving the car, his struggle with his losses
and mental health felt raw and honest. The goodbye days, while
emotional, felt a bit cheesy and unrealistic, but they were the main
way that the perspectives and backstories of both the victims and
their families was introduced into the story, and for me, that was
the best part of the novel. Overall, I enjoyed this book for its
dynamic character relationships and fresh take on the classic YA
friend/family death trope. I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys
books like LOOKING FOR ALASKA or 13 REASONS WHY.
Girl Code
by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: March 7, 2017
GIRL CODE by Andrea
Gonzales and Sophie Houser is a documentation of Andy and Sophie’s
initiation into the world of coding, and their unique experiences as
they created video games and lasting friendships. Andy and Sophie’s
uplifting attitude during their adventures sends out a positive
message about what women can achieve when they set their minds to
something. The reader will find herself rooting for Andy and Sophie
as they face many trials involving coding, as well as those
encountered in typical teenage life. If you are interested in coding,
this book is great because it discusses many different concepts and
opportunities for young coders. Likewise, if you don’t know much
about coding, this book is a great introduction and showcases two
girls who knew nothing about coding and the ways they learned to
create things they never would have imagined. The reader should keep
in mind that GIRL CODE is a record of Andy and Sophie's experiences
rather than a story. Therefore it doesn't have a typical climax or
exposition. I found some parts of it a bit hard to follow, but
overall it was a very positive message and will encourage the reader
to achieve their goals.
City of Saints and Thieves
by Natalie C. Anderson
Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: January 24, 2017
CITY OF SAINTS AND
THIEVES is the action-packed story of Tiny, a refugee from the Congo
and a formidable thief. For years, Tiny has been planning to avenge
her mother, who was murdered by her lover, but when the opportunity
arises, things don't go to plan. Tiny must travel through Africa to
discover the real story, accompanied by none other than the
murderer's son...who is also Tiny's childhood best friend. This story
contains a riveting plot with a good pace and well-developed
characters, and is a great new spin on the Ocean's Eleven "thief
on a mission" storyline while also addressing several important
global issues, such as the refugee crisis and systemic poverty.
Overall, a great read.
Splinter
by Sasha Dawn
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Publication Date: March 1, 2017
SPLINTER by Sasha
Dawn is a mystery novel about Samantha Lang trying to figure out what
happened to her mother after her disappearance ten years ago, trying
to avoid the obvious conclusion that her dad is guilty. Samantha
tries to play the role of a detective, finding out clues on her own.
I really enjoyed this book, which is basically a puzzle. It is fun to
try to think about what really happened, piecing together bits of
information as they appear. Throughout the book, many of the clues
that are revealed cause you to re-form your own opinion of what
really happened. For each new piece of evidence, you are forced to
decide how, or if, you should use the new information. I found this
book to be engaging and suspenseful, and I would read other books by
this author. Although it's a different genre, this book reminded me
of THE MARTIAN. I would recommend this book to fans of THE MARTIAN,
and also to those who like to solve or play with puzzles.
