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.
We Are All That's Left
by Carrie Arcos
Publisher: Philomel
Publication Date: May 15, 2018
WE ARE ALL THAT’S LEFT by Carrie Arcos is an unflinching look at the terror of war and in contrast, the lasting power of love. The story switches back and forth between the life of Zara in present-day Rhode Island and the childhood of her mom, Nadja, in the midst of the Bosnian War two decades prior. After a terror attack at a local farmer’s market leaves Zara injured and her mom in a coma, Zara races to find out more about her mom’s hidden past and to rebuild her life on an unstable foundation.
In WE ARE ALL THAT’S LEFT, Arcos has intricately woven together two unique but related storylines. The characters are believable and the plot is set at an excitingly rapid pace, keeping the story going while still advancing the character development. The story and writing of WE ARE ALL THAT’S LEFT make it into a thrilling, remarkable novel with a powerful message of love and all of the forms it can come in. I recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction, gripping storylines, or strong heroines.
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.
Crazy Messy Beautiful
by Carrie Arcos
Publisher: Philomel Books / Penguin Random House
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
CRAZY
MESSY BEAUTIFUL is an unconventional story that deeply examines the
meaning of true love. The story follows Neruda Diaz, named after
famous poet Pablo Neruda, as he attempts to find the passionate love
described in his namesake’s work. However, as Neruda’s personal
relationships grow more complex, he is forced to reevaluate his
previous perceptions of what love really is.
While this story is set
up like a very traditional YA romance, the plot was more nuanced than
I had originally anticipated. First of all, the story is more of a
coming of age story than a love story: by starting to experience life
instead of simply witnessing it or drawing it, Neruda matures vastly
and gains understanding beyond the confines of romance. While I
appreciated that this book was not especially clichéd, I would still
definitely say that it is more of a light read. I would recommend
this book to anyone looking for a story that’s somewhere in the
middle of the spectrum of extreme playful romance to extremely
serious literature.
