Say You'll Remember Me
by Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: January 29, 2018
Elle has spent her entire life being perfect. Her parents are well-off and successful, her father is the governor, and she has had everything in life handed to her. There’s a lot of pressure not to screw up when you’re born with so many advantages—especially because she is very much in the public eye, and her father’s reputation is at stake. Drix, on the other hand, has already come dangerously close to destroying his life. He’s ready to put his (wrongful) arrest behind him, but the only way to do that is to be the governor’s example for his new Second Chance Program. As much as he’d like to disappear from the spotlight, he can’t. When Elle and Drix meet by chance, their chemistry is overwhelming. But they both know their young love will have to withstand pressures from all directions.
Katie McGarry’s easy, conversational writing style draws readers in. Her characters are definitely “types,” but she avoids making them clichés. I found the way she allowed the romance to build slowly—building suspense—to be refreshing. I also liked that she didn’t allow romance to completely dominate her novel; the characters are interesting beyond who they are in relation to each other. SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME is ultimately light-hearted and fun, but it doesn’t shy away from heavier issues.
The Authentics
by Abdi Nazemian
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: August 8, 2017
THE AUTHENTICS by Abdi Nazemian is a powerful story of identity, self-discovery and friendship. Protagonist Daria Esfandyar and her three best friends call themselves “the Authentics” because, unlike everyone else in their Beverly Hills high school, they know who they are and don’t try to hide it. Daria, for one, is incredibly proud of her Iranian American heritage. But after being assigned a genealogy project at school, Daria realizes that she may not be as authentic as she once thought. As she begins to discover who she really is, Daria is forced to question everything she once thought was true about her family, her friends, and herself. I loved reading about the interactions between Daria and her friends as she navigates through this tumultuous time in her life. Her friends are all compassionate and supportive, but also deeply flawed, which made them very relatable. I also really enjoyed the focus on Daria’s changing relationship with her mother throughout the story; it added complexity and nuance to the plot and delivered some very emotional, heart-wrenching moments. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone seeking a coming-of-age story with flawed, relatable characters.
A Land of Permanent Goodbyes
by Atia Abawi
Publisher: Philomel Books
Publication Date: January 23, 2018
A LAND OF PERMANENT GOODBYES by Atia Abawi is more than just a historical fiction book - it’s a journey. Narrated by the omniscient ‘Destiny’, A LAND OF PERMANENT GOODBYES chronicles the riveting journey of Syrian teenager Tareq, starting from the moment when everything he knows and loves literally implodes around him. From that point on, he becomes a refugee from the war torn country he loves so much. Alongside his father and little sister, the only surviving members of his family, Tareq must put his life in danger time and time again in an attempt to find refuge for himself and his family in Europe.
From the very first chapter, I fell in love with A LAND OF PERMANENT GOODBYES. It is undoubtedly the kind of book that will rip your heart out, stomp on it, and yet still leave you begging for the story not to end. Throughout the course of Tareq’s journey, I was enthralled with the colorful and beautifully realistic array of characters Abawi described, stunned by the honest scenes of hopelessness and desperation, and hypnotized by the kindness shown by some as well as the hatred shown by others. Tareq’s journey was incredibly moving and difficult to put down due to the authors suspenseful writing and smooth transitions. Ultimately, A LAND OF PERMANENT GOODBYES was a captivating novel that was written with such precision and emotion that it will likely become a bar for all future historical fiction novels for me.
The Last Girl on Earth
by Alexandra Blogier
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: January 23, 2018
THE LAST GIRL ON EARTH by Alexandra Blogier is about a teenager named Li. She is a human living on an alien planet with beings that look just like humans but aren't. These beings have killed all other humans. Li must struggle to survive.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. At first I thought it seemed very cheesy. But as I got into it, I started to really enjoy it. I really liked the plot and the author did a good job of keeping the book moving. There were plenty of plot twists and I couldn't put this book down!
Truly Devious
by Maureen Johnson
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: January 16, 2018
TRULY DEVIOUS is about murder and a girl. Not murder of a girl, or at least not the main character. Stevie Bell, a “true-crime aficionado" has never stood over a dead body in her life. But she has wanted to for a long time. She gets her chance a few months into her first semester at Ellingham Academy, a famous private school. ...Famous for exceptionally bright, genius-like students, and an unsolved accident involving a kidnapping and quite a few blunt objects. Stevie Bell wants to figure out exactly what happened.
I liked TRULY DEVIOUS, because I like hidden things and big twists and awesome women. Pix and Stevie and Vi all remind me of different aspects of myself. I think I’d want to go to Ellingham despite the murder, because I liked the way things are run. The faculty all seem very nice and understanding, but completely miss out on figuring out the murder, and it seemed kind of funny that it took a high school student to figure it out. I enjoyed the flashbacks to the past. I actually liked the current characters less than the precurrent characters; the precurrent characters seemed more alive to me.
Zenith
by Sasha Alsberg & Lindsay Cummings
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: January 16, 2018
Androma Racella, also known as the Bloody Baroness, is one of the most feared mercenaries in the Mirabel Galaxy. But when a routine mission goes awry, she and her ship’s all-girl crew are put to the test. Paired with a ruthless bounty hunter from Andi's past, they must complete a dangerous mission or face being locked up for good. Yet as they embark on this journey, across the galaxy toils the queen of Xen Ptera who will stop at nothing to exact revenge to those who have destroyed her people.
This book can easily be one of my favorites of 2018, and the year has barely begun. So many aspects of this story influenced my decision, so I would first like to begin with the characters. While you begin the book feeling like several characters are just straightforward and one dimensional, there is so much growth and character development all through the book. Andi is not your typical statistical badass, Dex is not your typical bounty hunter, the queen seeking revenge does not do so without an understandable cause, and the loyal pilot Lira doesn’t just follow orders. I loved that the authors took these characters and made them into something new. Not only did this enhance the story, but it made reading it so much more fun because you never knew when someone will do something or something will happen!
Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the plot. Starting out like SIX OF CROWS, but in space, it changed from what I thought would be a copy of another tale into something much better. The authors purposely hid origin stories and dispersed them throughout the book, giving them to us bit by bit as we learn more about our characters. And during several parts of this book, I constantly found my mind wandering towards where I though the plot would go or towards what I thought would happen. Yet almost every time this happened, I was proven wrong. I loved this aspect of ZENITH, because the authors were always giving you the unexpected plot twists.
Lastly, the universe that ZENITH was set in was also amazing. Filled with galaxies and alien worlds and beautiful technology: the authors succeeded so well in their world building. I loved how everything felt so complete as the authors made sure that every fact was backed up with more content as they created religions and other characteristics for each of the peoples discussed. They stayed away from our regular images of beauty as each race has different skin tones, attributes, and quirks, creating a truly diverse world. For example, Andi is riddled with barely-hidden metal implants across her body, something that so many would find ugly; yet in ZENITH she is called beautiful.
Overall, I would recommend this book to sci-fi and fantasy lovers alike as this book includes everything from magic to high-speed space travel. Fans of books like SIX OF CROWS and NEVERNIGHT will enjoy this book.
Love, Hate & Other Filters
by Samira Ahmed
Publisher: Soho Teen
Publication Date: January 16, 2018
LOVE, HATE & OTHER FILTERS by Samira Ahmed tells the story of Indian-American, Muslim protagonist Maya Aziz, who is struggling to reconcile her own dreams of filmmaking with the expectations placed upon her by her parents, such as marrying a suitable Muslim boy or attending college close to home. These concerns seem almost trivial, however, when an act of terror is committed and the primary suspect happens to share Maya’s last name, she has to discover ways to cope with the rapidly surfacing Islamophobia in her community and discover those who are truly there for her. In the story, she also faces a choice between two boys, which was a bit predictable and fluffy but enjoyable nonetheless. Despite not being Muslim myself, I found Maya very easy to identify with because of her authentic, articulate voice. I could relate to her feelings of uncertainty about the future and thought that her insights were beautiful, thoughtful, and reflective. My favorite character by far was Maya’s fiercely loyal best friend Violet, who offers Maya invaluable advice and perspective throughout the novel. Overall, the subject matter was highly topical and I would definitely recommend the novel to anyone seeking a refreshing, well-written narrative that deals with some very prevalent issues in politics right now.
Rookie on Love
edited by Tavi Gevinson
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
Tavi Gevinson founded Rookie, an online magazine, in 2011. ROOKIE ON LOVE is an anthology featuring essays, comics, and poetry – each with a focus on the subject of love. The pieces in both the magazine and anthology are all either written by teenagers, or adults who are writing to teenagers. Coupled with this unique detail, ROOKIE ON LOVE presents a diverse look at the different ways of defining and thinking about love. With such a wide range of styles and angles included in the anthology, readers will be able to relate and connect to at least one of the 46 pieces (and likely many more than that). They say not to judge a book by its cover, but as a fan of Rookie magazine and the Rookie yearbooks, I expected a lot from the cover art of ROOKIE ON LOVE; I was not disappointed. While I recommend reading the entire anthology, some of my favorite essays included “On Love and Associated Leavings,” “Karma,” “Memory is an Angel Who Can Fly No More,” and “The Most Exciting Moment of Alma’s Life.”
Ink
by Alice Broadway
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
The story of INK lies in a world where life stories are documented on one’s skin, including every important step towards or away from the soul weighing ceremony at the end of one’s life. Leora struggles between the expectations of society and upholding the legacy of her father when she discovers the hidden mark of a traitor on her father’s neck. Now that he has passed away, Leora slowly uncovers the secrets of her past and the true history of the town of Saintstone.
With layers of romance, family, friendship and self acceptance, there were aspects of Leora’s life that I found very easy to relate to and that helped build a connection to the book. It certainly is a reflection of today’s society, and the need for stability and order, despite the dark secrets protected by the people you would least expect.
A Taxonomy of Love
by Rachael Allen
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
A TAXONOMY OF LOVE by Rachael Allen follows the blooming romance between Spencer, a young boy with Tourette’s who seeks to explain life through various scientific diagrams (taxonomies), and Hope, the girl who moves in next door. Told through time-jumps, we catch a glimpse of various points in their lives, and see them truly grow throughout the book. Despite how much time is covered in the novel, there’s a certain intimacy between the reader and the characters that’s often hard to achieve in novels with this sort of style; however, Allen manages it brilliantly. If you’re looking for a cute romance with quirky storytelling, be sure to give A TAXONOMY OF LOVE a read!
Nice Try, Jane Sinner
by Lianne Oelke
Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
In NICE TRY, JANE SINNER, Lianne Oelke tells the story of 17-year-old Jane Sinner as she begins to complete her high school degree at a local community college. In an effort to move out of her parents’ house and win a car, Jane auditions for a campus reality show called House of Orange. Through HOO, Jane finds an unexpected opportunity to work through personal and family struggles. The novel is written in a series of journal entries and conversations with Jane’s made-up therapist, Dr. Freudenschade, which immediately gives readers unique insight into Jane’s character. Jane is witty and cynical (without sounding obnoxious or rude) which gives the book a fresh feel; her personality and tone match the fast-paced dialogue and diary entries that move the novel forward. Oelke balanced this cynicism impressively with a more serious discussion of mental health throughout the story, which never felt forced or unnatural. Overall, NICE TRY, JANE SINNER offers an original premise and is a great read.
Husky
by Justin Sayre
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Publication Date: September 22, 2015
In Justin Sayre’s debut novel HUSKY, Davis is a teen who’s in the final days of his last summer before high school, and worries about what he'll be perceived as (if he'll be known as “husky”), as well as whether the friendships he’s had since he was young will hold strong as they grow up. Davis loves opera, his mom, and by the end of the novel, you’ll love Davis. He feels like a genuine kid you’d want to be friends with, and protect at all costs. The humor in HUSKY stems from Davis’ one-hundred-percent authentic voice, which makes you feel like you’re being told a story by a close friend, rather than reading a novel. If you’re looking for a sweet, coming-of-age story, and a protagonist that you’ll want to root for the entire time, HUSKY is right up your alley.
Meet Cute
edited by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
MEET CUTE, a romantic anthology with contributions from top YA authors, tells the stories of 14 different couples, starting and ending at their beginnings. From the classic to the creative, each author takes his or her own spin on the infamous "meet-cute", or the way in which two people meet. A wide range of settings and characters are represented, including sci-fi worlds, typical high school environments, unlikely pairings, and several LGBTQIA+ relationships. The outcomes faced by the couples differ from romantic to sorrowful, as many of the authors are aware of the cheesiness and impossibility of actual meet cutes, and choose not to have a happy ending, which is surprisingly refreshing and grounding. New twists on old tropes make these stories exciting and unique, and there are definitely a few shocks in store.
I really enjoyed this short story collection, and would highly recommend it to any YA reader. There wasn't one story that I didn't like, and they were diverse enough to stay interesting. The only problem I had was with how short some of them were and how abrupt the endings could be, but that was the premise of the collection (in a way) so I was already expecting that to be the case. I'm a big anthology fan in general, and this one was no exception. Even the stories that didn't have the most fairytale type endings were still uplifting, making this a perfect light--yet still meaningful--read.
Batman: Nightwalker
by Marie Lu
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
BATMAN: NIGHTWALKER is about young Bruce Wayne who's just turned 18 and received access to his trust fund. After an accident on the night of his birthday, he is sentenced to do community service at Arkham Asylum, where he meets a mysterious inmate. Bruce must extract information from her in order to solve the mystery of an anarchist group named the Nightwalkers.
I really enjoyed BATMAN: NIGHTWALKER. Like the other books in this DC Icons series, the origin story of the hero is retold and remade. While not straying too far from traditional Batman lore, we see some elements taken from different continuities of Batman, as well as some original elements. One aspect that I really enjoyed was the Easter Eggs hidden in the book. While rarely referencing it directly, certain phrases give a nod to Batman lore. Those who are not too familiar with Batman will likely not understand the references, but will not lose anything as the references do not do not contribute much to the story. Also like other books in the DC Icons series, this book takes place in what seems to be present day (2017) which presents some interesting changes to the character, mainly how Wayne Enterprises has been renamed to “WayneTech,” which focuses on futuristic technology by today’s standards.
I really liked this book and would recommend it to any Batman fan, or to someone who just wants a quick hero story to read.
The Cruel Prince
by Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black tells the story of Jude, a young girl whose parents were murdered while she and her two sisters were whisked away to the High Court of Faerie. Yet despite this, Jude still wants nothing more than to fit into this mysterious world. But many of the Fey despise humans, and none more than prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest prince. To prove her place among the Fey, Jude must defy him and prove her worth all while navigating through royal conspiracies and a kingdom approaching civil war.
When I first began this book, I thought it was slow and wanted to put it down. But boy was I wrong. Both the characters and the plot develop so much during the course of this book and it was for the better. The book ends in a way that you don’t at all expect, and frankly the title does this book wrong. This book is such a great example of showing instead of telling. Everything had great detail and many layers; at times you think one thing would happen, but something else entirely is going on. Several YA cliches are at play in this book, yet the author finds a way to twist them in new ways. I loved the way that Mrs. Black wove in the magic of this world with our world to give a depth to things that we might not have previously thought about. Many books featuring magic often dismiss many things about the real world, yet she does not shy away from it.
If you are looking for a magical tale of political intrigue filled with great characters and an ever-changing plot, you won’t be let down with this book. If you can last through a slow beginning, you will be happy that you stuck with it. I would recommend this book for older readers because of a few scenes of violence. I can’t wait for book two!
