Hide With Me
by Sorboni Banerjee
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: November 6, 2018
HIDE WITH ME by Sorboni Banerjee is about a seventeen year old named Cade who finds a badly injured girl in the fields behind his house. She is clearly dying and she asks Cade to hide her. Throughout her recovery we find out about her life and how she got to this point. I had a fun time reading this book. The plot was entertaining and fast moving. The development of the connection between Cade and the girl (who is referred to as Jane Doe) was written very well. I liked the fact that the book was written from the perspective of Cade and Jane Doe. It added different layers to the book that I enjoyed a lot.
Folded Notes from High School
by Matt Boren
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: April 3, 2018
FOLDED NOTES FROM HIGH SCHOOL by Matt Boren follows Tara, the biggest mean girl at South High. She seemingly has everything: a gorgeous jock boyfriend, best friend, and she’s the star of her school theater department. But this year there’s a new freshman, Matthew. She’s having fun being his mentor, almost like his older sister, but then it gets complicated when she starts feeling things she never thought she was capable of... but there’s nothing she wouldn’t do to keep her status as queen bee.
This book is written in the witty slang of high school notes being passed between the South High students, which I thought was very clever and is easy to relate to. The story was fun and light; definitely recommend!
All We Can Do Is Wait
by Richard Lawson
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
ALL WE CAN DO IS WAIT by Richard Lawson follows the different perspectives of a group of teenagers in the aftermath of a horrible tragedy. In a hospital waiting room in Boston, five strangers wait to hear news of their loved ones, and find solace in each other. Though taking course over a single night, their diverse pasts are explored, leading to realizations and breakthroughs on behalf of the characters. More than just a disaster story, ALL WE CAN DO IS WAIT sheds a light on the effect of the relationships we have with others and the idea of unity in the face of catastrophe.
Lawson brings energy and excitement into each page, yet is able to keep the narrative grounded in reality. Each character is vastly different and allows for a multitude of experiences to be shown, and are all relatable in their own ways. The revelations that occur throughout the story are done in the most realistic and effective ways, creating dimensional portrayals of characters rather than used simply for dramatic effect. However, all the events are merely a backdrop to the connections they create with each other, the real star of the story. I loved this book and the way it conveyed emotions and relationships, and would highly recommend it!
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.”
A Million Junes
by Emily Henry
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: May 16, 2017
A MILLION JUNES by Emily Henry offers a stunning imaginary world and a story with so many layers it's almost hard to keep track. June has always been interested in the Angerts. Ever since she was little her father’s only rules were “stay away from the Falls” and “stay away from the Angerts”. But now that her father is dead she’s determined to hate them- heeding her dad’s wishes. But when she meets Saul Angert, no matter how hard she tries, there's something that draws them together. As they spend more time together, Saul and June begin to learn more about each other’s pasts and the curse between their two families. As they piece the mystery together they realize they are in danger too and have to stop the curse before it's too late.
Emily Henry has managed to bring together mystery, love, and fantasy gracefully into one story. I felt the author’s writing style allows for the readers to imagine the beautifully described scenery clearly which is something that some other books don’t do as well. Her characters are well developed and the interactions they have over the course of the book impact who they are by the end of it. The love story holds the rest of the plot aloft and is very sweet and honest. The book visits the past of June’s family often which is a bit confusing because her father, grandfather, and great grandfather are all named Jack. The author still manages to differentiate them, it is just a bit disorienting. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to kids who like fantasy elements and a pure love story.
The Valiant
by Lesley Livingston
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: February 14, 2017
THE VALIANT by
Lesley Livingston is a creative retelling of the Spartacus story from
a female's perspective. It is about a girl named Fallon who is the
daughter of a king. She gets captured and sold into slavery. Where
she finds herself at an all female gladiator training school. The
book is well-written, with a multitude of creative names(though
sometimes difficult to pronounce). I really enjoyed the plot and I
had recently watched the movie Spartacus. Halfway through the book
is when I found out it was a retelling of Spartacus and it was a
pleasant surprise. I highly recommend this book!
Empress of a Thousand Skies
by Rhoda Belleza
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Rhoda
Belleza’s debut novel, EMPRESS OF A THOUSAND SKIES, follows Rhee,
the last in line for the Ta’an throne, as she sets out to avenge
her family -- who died in a “mysterious accident” years prior -- meanwhile, Aly, a reality star from war-ravished lineage, must
survive after being blamed for Rhee’s “assassination.”
In
space.
Yes,
this is a Sci-Fi Novel, and while I’m admittedly not a huge fan of
the genre, EMPRESS OF A THOUSAND SKIES definitely avoided the tropes
that typically push me away from The Final Frontier. The world
Belleza sets up is clearly defined, and allows her to explore themes
of cultural and racial tension, without being unpleasantly overt.
Rather than getting lost in names that sound like meaningless
keyboard-smashes, I was able to understand the differences that came
with being a Kalusian or a Fontisian, and the implications behind it.
I’d mark EMPRESS OF A THOUSAND SKIES as a book that, regardless of
genre-bias, I could recommend to anyone. You want a book dealing with
racial tensions? Yep. You want a 16-year-old warrior-princess? Yep.
You want a book with actually foreshadowed plot twists??? Yep!
If
you’re in a reading-slump, I’d definitely
suggest picking up Empress of a Thousand Skies. It’s fast-paced,
fun to read, and sure to entertain!
Mirror In The Sky
by Aditi Khorana
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: June 21, 2016
Beautifully written by Aditi Khorana, MIRROR IN THE SKY allows
both the characters and readers to think about all the “what-ifs” life has to
offer. Just as Tara Krishnan is settling into her junior year of high school,
NASA releases news of Terra Nova, Earth’s mirror planet. Tara, along with the
rest of the world, starts to consider the weight of her life choices, wondering
what life is like for the alternate version of herself on Terra Nova. Soon, she
begins to notice slight changes in her everyday life – her mother seems distant
and Tara finds a new group of friends within the school’s resident popular
clique. With everything up in the air, all Tara knows is that her life on Earth
will never be the same. Tara and her family members had a genuine and authentic
voice that readers will easily be able to relate to. Without being too laden
with scientific details, the plot was believable and mainly revolved around the
main character’s social circle.
