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.
American Street
by Ibi Zoboi
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: February 14, 2017
AMERICAN STREET is a
brilliantly written, courageous novel that explores familial and
romantic relationships, religion, and the true nature of the American
Dream. Fabiola Toussaint is a Haitian immigrant who finds herself
unexpectedly alone in an unfamiliar country after her mother is
detained by US Customs Officials. Fabiola’s cousins welcome her
into their Detroit home and teach her the ways of American society,
but she longs for the comforting presence of her mother. Ultimately,
Fabiola is faced with a choice that threatens to shatter the bonds
she has made in her new life. Aspects of Fabiola’s religion were
woven into the plot, with characters and symbols from Haitian
religion making appearances on the gritty streets of Detroit. This
unique setting enhances the reader’s understanding of Fabiola and
the relationships she has with her mother, cousins, and a new love
interest. As far as the writing goes, Ibi Zoboi is, quite simply, an
amazing author. This novel was her debut, but I will personally be on
the lookout for any other books that she publishes in the future,
because her writing style was so compelling and her message was
universally relatable. Each of her characters were beautifully
crafted, with layers of identity that slowly emerged as the novel
progressed, but I especially enjoyed reading about Fabiola--she was
strong, compassionate, moralistic, and flawed. As I read this book,
it reminded me a bit of THE OUTSIDERS, and I would highly, highly
recommend it.
