Review: Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park
by Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: February 26, 2013

Love stories are the hardest stories to write. The pitfalls are common, deadly, and all too easy for authors to stumble into: clichés, unrealistic dialogues, two-dimensional characters. Rainbow Rowell’s ELEANOR AND PARK is a love story of the highest order, and not just because she avoids the pitfalls. She succeeds because she draws characters so realistic that by the end you not only understand why they love each other—you love them too.

Eleanor is poor, heavyset, from a broken family, and “weird”—the kind of girl who was destined to be unpopular from the moment she stepped into the bus on her first day of tenth grade. Park is half-Korean, half-white, and at war with himself. It’s no surprise to any reader that they rescue each other; what’s by turns sweet, beautiful, and tragic is how they do it. The book is not about what happens to them, it’s about them. 

What I like most about ELEANOR AND PARK is that it’s no fairytale. It’s about 16-year-olds with adult problems. It’s gritty and at times vulgar. It’s real.

Review: Pretend She's Here

Pretend She's Here
by Luanne Rice

Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: February 26, 2019

Emily feels Lizzie everywhere. It’s been nearly a year since her best friend died, and she still feels her presence so strongly that she talks to her out loud. But when Lizzie’s parents come back into town to speak to her, Emily finds herself questioning if she can trust them—or anything she thought she knew. From established YA author comes a captivating story of loss and danger. I enjoyed Luanne Rice’s twisty, fast-paced style, and I thought she gave appropriate attention to the grief without allowing it to derail the primary plot. In Rice’s deft hands, PRETEND SHE'S HERE is a thrilling blend of suspense and tragedy.

Review: Hey Kiddo

Hey Kiddo
by Jarrett Krosoczka

Publisher: Scholastic/Graphix
Publication Date: November 13, 2018

HEY, KIDDO is the true story of one family’s struggle with addiction. Jarret Krosoczka’s mother is a heroin addict who signed away her parental rights when her son was a toddler. He’s been raised by his grandparents—tough-talking, whiskey-drinking, no-nonsense people who grew up during the Great Depression. He’s never known his father and he thinks he never will, until one day he gets a letter in the mail…

HEY, KIDDO is a courageous and honest memoir of Krosoczka’s childhood. It’s definitely not a light-hearted read, but it’s no depressing slog, either. The author injects humor, sweetness, love, and passion, and brings it all to life through his gorgeous sepia-toned illustrations. HEY, KIDDO is a triumph. It will probably also leave you on the ground, sobbing incoherently, slightly broken. But it will be worth it. 

Review: Confessions of a Teenage Leper

Confessions of a Teenage Leper
by Ashley Little

Publisher: Penguin Teen
Publication Date: September 11th, 2018

High school senior Abby Furlowe lives a charmed life in Texas. Beautiful, popular, and the star of the cheerleading team, she’s the envy of the school. But when she starts experiencing a series of concerning and unexplainable symptoms, it seems everything she values—including her life—may be threatened.

CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE LEPER captures the shallow reality of high school. The book will appeal to anyone who wants to get in touch with the angst and vanity of teenage girlhood. Although I think the author relies too much on cheerleader clichés—the story of a stuck-up blonde who’s only able to empathize with the outcasts after she becomes one is nothing new—I found reading about leprosy to be fascinating. Overall, it’s a funny and interesting exploration of the fragileness of the identities we construct for ourselves.

Review: Finding Yvonne

Finding Yvonne
by Brandy Colbert

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 7, 2018

Eighteen-year-old Yvonne is at a crossroads. A violin prodigy, she’s always known she wanted to be a musician. But lately she worries she’s falling out of love with the instrument. She has another decision to make: Her almost-boyfriend Warren is a safe and familiar option; Omar, his polar opposite, is exciting and dangerous and a musician, but Yvonne fears he isn’t telling her everything. To make matters worse, lately her dad’s been more interested in getting high than he’s been in spending time with her. Just when it seems like her life is spinning out of control, she falls pregnant. 

FINDING YVONNE is a moving read. It’s a compassionate coming-of-age-story about teenage friendship, romance, and big decisions. Brandy Colbert deftly handles some of the weightier subject matter. She’s able to keep the book a relatively light-hearted read. 

Review: The Fall of Innocence

The Fall of Innocence

by Jenny Torres Sanchez

Publisher: Philomel Books
Publication Date: June 12, 2018

When 16-year-old Emilia was a child, she suffered a traumatic attack. In the years since, she's done her best to relegate her memory of those terrifying hours to a forbidden corner of her mind. Recently, she's found it harder and harder to ignore her pain. And when new information about the attack comes to light, she's forced to reconsider everything she thought she knew. 

THE FALL OF INNOCENCE is a heavy, unflinching journey into the depths of a girl's emotional turmoil. The author's tone is reflective and almost distanced. It's as if she wanted to give the reader time to contemplate. Ultimately, her beautiful, haunting prose does the brutal subject matter justice. 

Review: Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe
by Preston Norton

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: June 5, 2018

From the moment I read the unforgettable opening lines of Preston Norton’s debut, I knew NEANDERTHAL OPENS THE DOOR TO THE UNIVERSE was a book unlike any other.

Cliff Hubbard’s nickname, “Neanderthal,” pretty much sums up the way his fellow students at Happy Valley High School see him: huge (he’s 6 and a half feet and 250 pounds) and vaguely subhuman (he’s decidedly unpopular and this is high school, after all). Then Aaron Zimmerman, a football player and bully, has a spiritual experience after nearly dying in a car wreck. When he returns to school he claims God has given him a list of things to do to make Happy Valley a better place. It involves sexy drug dealers, computer hacking, the GSA club, Cliff’s older brother’s suicide…and Cliff himself.

The plot is just as wacky as it sounds, and Norton’s original, irreverent voice complements it perfectly. He weaves together expected YA elements—romance, angst, commentary on the heinous world of high school—with sharp, witty, John Green-esque dialogue. NEANDERTHAL OPENS THE DOOR TO THE UNIVERSE is hilarious, meaningful, and touching.

Review: The Window

The Window
by Amelia Brunskill

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: April 3, 2018

When Jess’s twin sister, Anna, dies suddenly, everyone from her parents to the police are all too willing to write it off as a tragic accident. But Jess knows something else was going on that night. Jess knows she is being lied to. She decides to investigate the night of Anna’s death herself. As Jess learns more about the truth, she begins to question if she really knew Anna at all. 

THE WINDOW traces the sickening downward spiral of a teen girl whose demons are invisible to everyone else in her life. The plot is steeped in sex, drinking, rule-breaking, and general teenage recklessness. This guarantees that readers won’t be able to put it down. Although the author resorts to the occasional clichéd turn of phrase, the thrilling, rapid-fire plot twists more than make up for it. Ultimately, THE WINDOW ends up as more of a soap opera than the layered psychological thriller that Brunskill was going for; but it’s still certainly worth reading for anyone in the mood for a novel with secrets, melodrama, heartbreak, and sinister undertones. 

Review: Finding Felicity

Finding Felicity
by Stacey Kade

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: March 20, 2018

Caroline Sands has never had a friend. She’s had people she could chat with and people she was friendly with, but has yet to find anyone who could register higher than a distant acquaintance. When her stressed-out single mother began to worry for the state of her social life, Caroline made up friends for herself, stealing their names from characters out of the old 90s T.V. show Felicity. Now she’s moving halfway across the country to college. It’s an opportunity to transform herself into the outgoing, popular person she’s always wished she could be.

FINDING FELICITY is a refreshing take on the coming of age trope. Like most YA novels, there’s angst, interfering parents, and A Boy, but the book doesn’t quite follow the predictable course I figured it would at the beginning. It’s an interesting look at loneliness and isolation in the two places where friends are a hugely important part of your life—high school and college. Introverts will relate to Caroline’s struggle to navigate social dynamics. Ultimately, FINDING FELICITY is a sweet, mostly light-hearted book on friendship and belonging.

Review: The Last to Let Go

The Last to Let Go
by Amber Smith

Publisher: Margaret K McElderry Books
Publication Date: February 6, 2018

When 16-year-old Brooke Winter arrives home from school one day to see her abusive father dead and her mother holding the murder weapon, she cannot begin to fathom all the ways her life is about to spiral out of control. Over the next year, she struggles to come to terms with her father’s death and her mother’s involvement in it. But she must also deal with all the problems, big and small, that characterize the life of your average 16-year-old: first kisses, first loves, breakups, schoolwork, friends. But she is not, and will never be, your average 16-year-old. For how long can she keep up the charade? 

Despite the dark subject matter, THE LAST TO LET GO is not a depressing read. It is funny, sweet, and ultimately hopeful. The author, Amber Smith, ensures the plot is not overshadowed by violence and despair. Brooke is a well-drawn character, complicated and multidimensional. She makes decisions that are so frustrating you will find it hard to keep reading, but you’ll also be so invested in her that you’ll force yourself to turn the pages. Smith’s prose flows easily. THE LAST TO LET GO is a completely worthwhile read.

Review: Say You'll Remember Me

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.

Review: The Afterlife of Holly Chase

The Afterlife of Holly Chase
by Cynthia Hand

Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: October 24, 2017

Holly Chase is dead. Kind of. For the past five years, she’s been stuck in a limbo working for Project Scrooge as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past. This year’s assignment is different from the rest, though. For one, he’s super cute…

THE AFTERLIFE OF HOLLY CHASE is a delightful twist on A CHRISTMAS CAROL. It’s the perfect fun and easy YA novel. Cynthia Hand has a distinctive style. Though her characters can sometimes border on clichés, she makes up for it with witty dialogue and plot twists. The novel will appeal to anyone who’s in the mood for some Christmas romance, humor, and ultimately heartbreak. 

Review: They Both Die at the End

They Both Die at the End
by Adam Silvera

Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: September 5, 2017

Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio know they are slated to die today. They don’t know how or exactly when, but sometime in the next 24 hours, they will meet their end. They resolve to make the best of their last day together and figure out just how much living they can fit in before they die.

THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END is beautiful, funny, and ultimately devastating. The author, Adam Silvera, succeeds at creating characters that are incredibly real and complex. Mateo and Rufus’s personalities carry the novel, and you will come to adore both of them. One of the best things Silvera does is he explores the darkness of Mateo and Rufus’s fate but does not let it overtake the entire novel, as authors are sometimes tempted to do; he still makes plenty of room for witty humor and hints of romance. This book is a 384-page rollercoaster that will whisk you away to an alternate universe, make you fall in love with the characters, and then leave you sobbing—and it’s absolutely worth every minute. 

Review: It's Not Like It's a Secret

It's Not Like It's a Secret
by Misa Sugiura

Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: May 9, 2017

11th-grader Sana Kiyohara has only recently moved from her small Midwestern town to California, but she’s already acquired her fair share of secrets. Her mother’s constant criticism is wearing her down, her father’s probably having an affair…oh, and she’s got a huge crush on a gorgeous girl at her new school.

This sweet, funny, captivating coming-of-age novel is a fantastic read. The author’s lively, conversational style grabs your attention and doesn’t let it go; I read the entire book in one afternoon. The characters are honest and sympathetic. Readers will find themselves cheering Sana on as she navigates high school life.

Review: The Heartbeats of Wing Jones

The Heartbeats of Wing Jones
by Katherine Webber

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: March 14, 2017

Fifteen-year-old Wing Jones is shocked and devastated when she learns her older brother, Marcus, was the drunk driver in a crash that killed two people. He’s fighting for his life in the hospital with a coma, leaving Wing to deal with the wreckage he’s caused. Her family is grieving, their house is under risk of foreclosure, and her bullies, armed with the news of Marcus’s accident, have become intolerable. Wing begins to cope with her stress, anger, and sadness by running. When her crush spots her on the track one night, he’s astounded by her incredible pace. She is one of the fastest young female runners in Atlanta, but when the opportunity arises to sprint professionally, she’s plagued by self-doubt. Does she have what it takes?

This gripping novel explores the issues of coming-of-age and self-discovery. The author succeeds at creating incredibly realistic and touching characters. The romance is masterfully weaved in; it’s not the point of the book and it’s not overdone, but the scenes that include it are written perfectly. Katherine Webber’s crisp, conversational style is engaging.

Review: Ten Miles One Way

Ten Miles One Way
by Patrick Downes

Publisher: Philomel Books
Publication Date: March 21, 2017

Q and his girlfriend, Nest, are walking through their small town. As they walk, Nest narrates and tells him everything: about her life, her parents, her dreams, and her struggles with bipolar disorder. TEN MILES ONE WAY is a touching and beautifully written novel that confronts mental illness. Patrick Downes draws Nest’s character superbly; she is so realistic, it is almost as if you could reach out and touch her. This book brings readers to tears. You will be thinking about it for days after you finish the last page. I highly recommend TEN MILES ONE WAY.

Review: The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give
by Angie Thomas

Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: February 28, 2017

Starr Carter watched in horror as the police shot her black friend Khalil three times during a routine stop. Khalil died at the scene. Weeks later, Starr would like nothing more than to be left to grieve in peace, but her nightmare is just beginning. As the only witness to the shooting, everyone—including the police—is eager for Starr to explain exactly what went down that night. To make matters worse, Starr needs to strike a delicate balance between the two worlds she lives in: While her friends at her rich, primarily white private high school sneer at Khalil as a “drug dealer”, her poor black neighborhood sees him as yet another victim of police brutality. How can she appease both sides? Is she brave enough to stand up for what is right? 
THE HATE U GIVE is a beautiful, touching, and witty story that confronts the issue of racism. I was captivated from the first page. The author, Angie Thomas, has an easy conversational style. The book will stay with you long after you finish. 

Review: Allegedly

Allegedly
by Tiffany D. Jackson

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: January 24, 2017

When Mary B. Addison is nine years old, she is arrested for an unthinkable crime: the murder of a three-month-old baby. Her horrific act of cruelty shocks even the most weathered detectives and child development experts. Her crime makes headlines all over the world and inspires dozens of books. She is sentenced to juvenile hall and later, a group home. But did she really do it?
Five years after baby Alyssa’s death, Mary is about to become a mother herself. When the state attempts to force Mary to sign over her parental rights, she knows she must fight back.

ALLEGEDLY is a gripping novel that explores issues of race, mental health, and the criminal justice system. Mary’s relationship with her boyfriend and her love for her unborn child is incredibly real and touching. The author succeeds in creating characters that come alive. Readers will be unable to put it down.

Review: The Amateurs

The Amateurs
by Sara Shepard

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: November 1, 2016

THE AMATEURS by Sara Shepard is about Seneca Frazier, an amateur detective. She’s obsessed with a message board, Case Not Closed, dedicated to investigating unsolved cases. So when a friend from Case Not Closed, Maddox, offers Seneca a chance to stay in his guesthouse and work on a particularly gruesome murder committed in his affluent hometown of Dexby, Seneca jumps at the opportunity. In Dexby, Seneca connects with the murdered girl’s younger sister and two of Maddox’s friends.

The team gets to work interrogating suspects in a case the police deemed unsolvable. They soon find themselves unearthing the town’s darkest secrets. Behind the façade, the well-off residents of Dexby are hiding drug problems, affairs, and a serial killer. To make matters worse, the murderer is alive and well, and he’s watching the sleuths’ every move.

THE AMATEURS is a fast-paced, engrossing novel. It’s full of romance, suspicion, and danger. The characters are believable, and readers will feel intensely invested in them. The plot twist at the end is shocking. Fans of PRETTY LITTLE LIARS will love another fun, fast read from Sara Shepard.

Review: Pushing Perfect

Pushing Perfect
by Michelle Falkoff

Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: October 25, 2016

In PUSHING PERFECT by Michelle Falkoff, Kara has strived to be perfect her entire life. She’s gotten straight A’s, been a star student, and met her parents’ absurdly high expectations time and time again. Her ultimate goal is to be accepted to Harvard University where she can finally be free of her parents’ suffocating pressure. The only roadblock in her way is the SATs. It’s the one thing that terrifies her the most. So when a new friend mentions an illicit drug, Novalert, Kara thinks it might be the perfect thing to calm her mind on test day.

Her decision to buy and take Novalert sets in motion a chain of events that will threaten her future and expose her darkest secrets. A Blocked Sender gets their hands on a picture of Kara handing over money for the drugs and Kara soon realizes that she can’t trust anyone, not even the people she thinks are her friends. She must unravel a complicated web of lies, secrets, and blackmail.

This fast-paced, unpredictable novel will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Michelle Falkoff’s characters are realistic and likable, and you will find yourself invested in Kara’s story. Full of suspense and mystery, Pushing Perfect is a page-turner. Readers will be shocked by the plot-twist at the end!