Review: Sorry For Your Loss

Sorry For Your Loss
by Jessie Ann Foley

Publisher: Harperteen
Publication Date: June 4, 2019

SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS is a poignant and endearing story about grief, family, and expression. Pup Flanagan is one of eight siblings, so he’s used to being ignored. When Patrick, his older brother, dies, Pup is left to grieve while his family tries, in their own ways, to forget their pain. Lost and flunking his photography class, he throws himself into capturing the painful and miraculous things in his life through the lens of the camera.

Foley masterfully tackles the bond between loss and creation. The reader follows Pup as he forges new relationships and watches others fall apart, all the while trying to find beauty in the dissolution and idiosyncrasies in his life. Pup’s connection with his siblings is a driving force of the plot. His family acts as a barrier, safety net, catalyst, and home for Pup as he attempts to survive high school and protect his only other brother, Luke, from himself. Despite family craziness, Pup is grounded in his photography and a sweet classmate who invites him into her own life. As Pup collects artifacts of his life through his photography, we see him learn how to navigate life and come to terms with Patrick’s passing while dealing with Luke’s self-destruction. The final pages reveal Pup’s portfolio, an expression of what he holds dear and how he sees and loves the people in his life. Art provides Pup the painful revelation and the catharsis he needs. This book was very touching and insightful. The ending, especially, was very moving and profound (it might have even drawn tears). I highly recommend this book to those looking for a wonderful realistic fiction book with a focus on grief and art.

Review: Leah on the Offbeat

Leah on the Offbeat
by Becky Albertalli

Publisher: Balzer & Bray / Harperteen
Publication Date: April 24, 2018

LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT by Becky Albertalli, a sequel to her bestselling book SIMON VS. THE HOMOSAPIENS AGENDA, follows Simon’s best friend Leah Burke through her senior year of high school as she navigates friendship, love, and life. Unlike her friends, Leah doesn’t come from a wealthy family, and lives only with her 35-year-old mother. She’s bisexual, though she’s only told her mom, and loves to draw, though she’s afraid to show people her art. Relationships begin to strain and tensions are high as Leah and her friends prepare for prom and college in their last semester of high school, especially as she becomes closer with one of them and realizes their feelings for each other are stronger than Leah knew.

This was a book I really enjoyed reading. There were so many lines that made me laugh out loud, along with some sweet moments. Leah’s inner (and often outer) voice is sarcastic, cynical, and very explicit. Although she could be uncomfortably blunt sometimes, I found her comments were usually funny and relatable. I liked that the teenagers actually spoke like teenagers, something that I haven’t found very often in the world of YA. There were some parts and plotlines that bothered me a bit, because they felt awkward and out of character. However, Albertalli’s writing fits the story’s tone so well, it keeps the reader moving and involved. This book doesn’t have one clear arc. Instead, it weaves through Leah’s experiences, in a very real way. Life doesn’t have a clear plot, and this book reflects that. It really captures the feeling of knowing that one stage of your life is ending, and everyone is going in different directions. For anyone looking for a coming-of-age book with queer romance and plenty of snark, LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT is for you.

Review: Girls of July

Girls of July
by Alex Flinn

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: June 4, 2019

In the month of July, four girls sharing a cabin in the Adirondack mountains go from strangers to close friends. There’s Meredith, a hardworking student who may be a little stressed out; Britta, a talkative drama queen who came to get away from it all; Kate, a socialite hiding away from her family’s scandal; and Spider, an aspiring filmmaker with chronic pain who feels isolated from other teens. When Spider and her grandmother rent out rooms in their summer home to Meredith, Britta, and Kate, there’s plenty of tension between the different personalities. Over their month together, the girls learn not to judge others by their first impression and become good friends.

GIRLS OF JULY is a very character-driven book. Each girl has her own character development, for example, Meredith learning there’s more to life than perfect grades and it isn’t the end of the world to be imperfect. Accompanying the main four is a cast of side characters, with their own development and stories. They get some focus, but in a way that reflects the main characters’ development rather than distracting from it. There are some parts that feel a little tropey, such as the bonding-through-telling-deep-personal-stories-over-the-campfire, but they fit with the story and aren’t too cheesy. The girls have their individual plotlines with points of intersection that keep the book interesting without over the top drama. I wouldn’t call it groundbreaking, but it is an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable story.

Review: The Meaning of Birds

The Meaning of Birds
by Jaye Robin Brown

Publisher: Harperteen
Publication Date: April 16, 2019

From the moment they met, Jess and Vivi were inseparable. Vivi helped Jess with her anger and taught her to channel it into art. Jess’s whole future was planned with Vivi. But in their senior year of high school, that all fell apart when Vivi suddenly died. Jess is lost in her grief and anger and falls into self-destructive patterns. She can’t turn to art, because it reminds her of Vivi. All that comes out is anger and pain. Luckily, Jess meets a mentor who helps her find a new outlet for her emotions. THE MEANING OF BIRDS tells Jess’s story in the present peppered with flashbacks to her past with Vivi in an emotional journey of grief and healing. 

Jess has anger issues and doesn’t always make smart choices, which is exacerbated by losing her girlfriend. This is nicely juxtaposed with scenes of how Vivi helped her with those flaws, which helps the reader empathize with Jess’s loss. Their relationship was really cute and sweet, although Vivi’s character seems a little flat to me. I like Jess’s stylish and fierce best friend Cheyanne, but it bothered me how Jess doesn’t always respect her disinterest in dating. After Jess pushes Cheyanne away in anger, Jess starts to hang out with their mutual friend Levi more. He’s nice and helps her with some issues, but his character annoys me. I don’t like how Jess knowingly leads him on, but after Vivi’s death, she makes some really stupid mistakes. Overall, I did enjoy reading this. I like Brown’s writing style and the pacing of the book. THE MEANING OF BIRDS is a sad but lovely story about grief, love, and ultimately, healing. 

Review: Through the White Wood

Through the White Wood
by Jessica Leake

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: April 9, 2019

THROUGH THE WHITE WOOD takes place in a world similar to our own recent past with a few key differences: superpowers and occasional magic. When Katya’s powers intensify beyond her control, she is outcast by her village and turned over to the Prince, who has an evil reputation. Katya befriends others with powers, and they help her try to gain control over her own. I really enjoyed this book. As one who loves reading about people with superpowers, the plot was not too shocking and was a bit predictable, but it was still a really enjoyable story. 

Review: The Disasters

The Disasters
by M. K. England

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: December 18, 2018

THE DISASTERS by M.K. England is most definitely described perfectly by its summary; “The Breakfast Club meets Guardians of the Galaxy.”Jam packed with enough action and awkwardness to put a high school to shame, THE DISASTERS is a fast-paced science fiction adventure that follows the story of four Ellis Space Station Academy “rejects,” Nax, Zee, Rion and Case. Many years in the future, Earth has colonized countless planets within and without its solar system, and getting into Ellis Academy is a one-way ticket to reaching them all. However, when the Academy is suddenly taken over by mysterious terrorists and wiped of all life, Nax and his fellow misfits are lucky enough to escape. But are they lucky enough to outrun the countless dangers coming their way?

With its hilariously engaging characters and well-written plot, THE DISASTERS is definitely worth the read; England does a fantastic job keeping the anticipation going, and I especially like how the characters are written and how they interact with each other. Each character is different in their own way, ranging from polished diplomat, to hotshot pilot, to witty genius. Rion, Nax, Case, and Zee get along in ways that just feel so human; their healthy and supportive friendship deserves appreciation.

All in all, if you are looking for an exciting winter read to enjoy by a hot fireplace, M.K. England’s THE DISASTERS would go perfectly with fuzzy socks and some hot cocoa!

Review: This Splintered Silence

This Splintered Silence
by Kayla Olson

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: November 13, 2018

Lindley Hamilton is the captain of the space station Lusca, a job she’s always wanted but never knew she would get so soon. Now, because of the deadly virus that killed all of the station’s adults including her mother, Lindley must run the ship as their struggle to survive intensifies. Still, Lindley believes that the worst has passed, and while they still must figure out a way to not run out of food and to communicate with Earth, morale remains high. That is, until a member of the surviving second generation dies from what looks like the same virus, the very virus the second generation thought they were immune from. Struggling to survive, Lindley must find a way to save the station before it’s too late, especially when clues point to one of their own being the killer.

Spooky, suspenseful, and powered by an amazing female main character, THIS SPLINTERED SILENCE is not a book to miss. From page one, I was sucked into Lindley’s story. The author blends past and present beautifully together, making everything seem like it's happening in real time. I loved how Olson continued this throughout the book, mentioning memories of Lindley’s mother, a character we never meet but who feels just as well constructed as any other character. This masterful storytelling is also present through the setting of the book, the space station Lusca, and the struggles it faces. Olson builds a well-thought-out world around this little station and makes sure that there are no gaps for plot holes. Everything that she mentions is carefully described and accurate to what people in that position might be dealing with. Often when books are set in space like this one, everything seems beautiful and technologically perfect. But for Lindley and her crew that is not the case, and I feel like this little dash of realism in this sci-fi novel makes it so readers can relate and immerse themselves in the story much better than they might have otherwise.

Throughout the whole book, the characters struggle with real problems while dealing with the space station. Working through these problems are Olson’s cast of characters, each more realistic than the last. At the top of the list is Olson’s main character, Lindley Hamilton. It was hard not to love Lindley from the start. A scientist in her own right, Lindley is the recently-promoted captain of their station, the role her mother used to occupy until a few weeks ago. This is a fact that Lindley doesn’t let readers forget as the story progresses. She does this through subtle things: mentioning her mother’s secret stash of chocolate, and stories about the sky she used to tell Lindley. I love how Olson didn’t do this in a way that was annoying or repetitive. Instead, she does it with grace and sadness, in a way that makes Lindley’s grief feel real. Often when books deal with grief, they force the idea of it down the reader’s throat, but in THIS SPLINTERED SILENCE that is not the case.

If you love realistic-seeming sci-fi where disease and deadly secrets lurk behind every corner, you will not be let down with THIS SPLINTERED SILENCE. This sci-fi thriller is perfect for people looking for a good spooky read.

Review: Your Own Worst Enemy

Your Own Worst Enemy
by Gordon Jack

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: November 13, 2018

It’s election season, and three candidates are putting everything on the line to win student body president in the charming new novel by Gordon Jack, author of THE BOOMERANG EFFECT. There is Stacey, the goody two shoes, overly-confident, and compost-friendly candidate, who, until recently, thought she was running unopposed. That’s when Julia Romero comes in, the rebellious new girl from Canada whose last-minute decision to run has caused a major flurry amongst the school. Finally, there’s Tony, the voice of the little guy. When he’s not stoned, he’s actively campaigning to bring back his favorite chocolate milk to the school cafeteria. What’s going to happen next? Well, you’ll just have to read it to find out.


YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY is a delightful and hilarious take on high school politics. Not only is it laugh out loud funny, at times it eerily reflects the politics of today. I finished this 400+ page novel in just under a week, wrapped up in the lives of the characters and desperate to find out how they would get themselves out of each well set up disaster. YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY is a light and easy read that, while sometimes falling into YA cliches, keeps itself set apart from the crowd with wit and humor that we could all use a bit more of in politics.

Review: The Poet X

The Poet X
by Elizabeth Acevedo


Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: March 6, 2018

Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut novel THE POET X tells the story of a young Dominican high-schooler living in Harlem, named Xiomara, who must tread the line of expectations and expression. Her mother expects her to obey the order of the church, but Xiomara has so much she yearns to say. 

THE POET X is a fantastic verse novel that covers topics relevant to teens today, like how to live for yourself instead of others. For those who are a fan of poetry, Acevedo — an experienced slam poet — delivers on all fronts! The verse is beautiful, and anyone can see a bit of themself in Xiomara. It might not be the typical YA novel, but THE POET X is an unprecedented must-read! 

Review: The Queen's Rising

The Queen's Rising
by Rebecca Ross

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 6, 2018

In this fantastic debut by author Rebecca Ross, Brienna is a girl whose only wish is to master her passion of knowledge and to be chosen by a patron. But after years of studying her passion--just one of five including art, music, dramatics, wit and knowledge--she is left without one. But when strange memories begin to appear and a secretive man offers her patronage, she knows that nothing good could come of it, especially when he takes her along to overthrow the king of a rival kingdom and restore the queen.

Wow, was the writing in this book amazing! Filled with eloquent sentences and immersive scenes, it was a constant struggle to put the book down. Everything that the author wrote felt fleshed out and real, making me truly feel like I was in the book with the characters. Her amazing world building went along great with this as she created neighboring kingdoms with one at the brink of civil war. Despite this being a fairly common setting, Ross found a way to breathe new life into it with hints of magic and great history that felt complete and very much real.

Another aspect of this novel that I really enjoyed was the plot. Despite it being one that is often replicated (a girl with faint ties to royalty finds out that she is key to taking down the corrupted government) the author still finds a way to put in several twists that will take readers by surprise. For example, her unique idea of passions brought a new dimension to the book as the main character struggles to master something that comes easily to most, a thing not often seen in books about royalty where the main characters are often naturally gifted at everything. 

Not only that, but Ross also finds a way to differentiate the characters of her story from those in similar books! Going along with her familiar plot with a new twist, her characters were a new take on the typical cast of fantasy characters. The menacing second-in-command to the king is no longer one-minded, the passionate tutor is no longer the absent-minded teacher, the main character who doesn’t fit in doesn’t brood all day about her life and the rising queen is not obsessed with her looks more than her people. I loved each of these twists on the typical characters because it made the story feel so much more real as the characters no longer had flat and basic ambitions and goals. Instead, it made the reader constantly question what the characters might do next as they were  unpredictable yet easy to follow through the tale.

I would recommend this book to fantasy lovers looking for a new twist on a familiar tale. For those looking for amazing world building and royal deceit, you will not be disappointed with this book. Fans of immersive writing like Sarah J. Maas' will be instantly in love with Rebecca Ross’s storytelling abilities as she spins a tale that you will not be able to put down.

Review: When My Heart Joins the Thousand

When My Heart Joins the Thousand
by A.J. Steiger

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 6, 2018

WHEN MY HEART JOINS THE THOUSAND by A.J. Steiger is a beautiful story following Alvie on her journey to finding herself and honestly trying to just make it to her 18th birthday in one piece. She’s never fit in, and she really doesn’t care. She’s scared to care. Her only friend is a bird at the zoo she works at, Chance. But, when she meets a boy, her world is different. HE is different. 

As she gets closer to him and hears about his estranged past, she must decide if it's worth it to her to have him in her life. I thought this was beautifully written and although it was sad, it was easy to relate to and truly feel like you are in the story with these heart wrenching positions they find themselves in. 

Review: Literally

Literally
by Lucy Keating

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: April 11, 2017

In LITERALLY by Lucy Keating, Annabelle is a character by Lucy Keating— as in, she is aware of that fact. After a class lecture by Keating herself, Annabelle discovers that everything she’s known her whole life… is just for a book Keating’s about to write. LITERALLY has a very interesting concept, yet the way it is delivered does not stray too far from the genre’s tropes. Cute and fun, LITERALLY is the perfect read for anyone who just wants a nice, familiar YA romance novel. Guaranteed to have you smiling throughout your read, it's perfect for everyone, whether you are green to the genre, or an experienced veteran looking for something comfortable!

Review: Long May She Reign

Long May She Reign
by Rhiannon Thomas

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 21, 2017

LONG MAY SHE REIGN by Rhiannon Thomas is the story of a girl named Freya who is 23^rd in line to be queen, but is suddenly made queen after a deadly banquet where hundreds of people die, including the king and all of those in line before her. So she's instantly elevated to the throne, and now has to fight death threats, people who think she's the murderer, and a council that doesn’t listen to her. She also has to solve the mystery of who poisoned the entire court.

What I really liked about this book is how the author had this young girl be smart and powerful at the same time. She's science-y and loves to solve problems, and is so unlike many of the girls that you see in a court setting. She also has to fight her council: because she's a young girl and they think she's easy to manipulate, she has to prove herself to them.

The book takes a very feminist approach to many of the problems that females might have faced in the court setting back in the day, and lets us follow the story of a girl who wants to defy the expectations of what a queen is. I would recommend this book to lovers of medieval fiction, and those who are looking for a powerful feminist book to read.

Review: The Boomerang Effect

The Boomerang Effect
by Gordon Jack

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: November 8, 2016

THE BOOMERANG EFFECT by Gordon Jack is about a troubled teen named Lawrence Barry. He becomes addicted to weed so he can fit in with his friends. But after he does a prank, the school puts him in a mentorship program instead of expelling him. Someone starts vandalizing the school during Homecoming week and everyone thinks it's Lawrence. Lawrence and Spencer (his mentee) have to clear Lawrence's name. While all this is happening, Lawrence has to figure himself out. Overall, I thought this was a great book. It covered some pretty deep topics but stayed a light and funny book. I liked the writing style. The plot was well thought out and it kept me reading. It was a great debut book for Gordon Jack and I hope to read more of his books in the future.