Review: The Art Of Being Normal

The Art Of Being Normal 
By Lisa Williamson 

Publication Date: May 31, 2016
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux 

THE ART OF BEING NORMAL is told from the perspective of two transgender teenagers – Leo Denton and David Piper. Leo is new to Eden Park School, and wants nothing more than to start over and move on from his past identity as Megan Denton. Meanwhile, David is having trouble telling his parents that he identifies as a girl and beginning his transition into life as Kate. The two meet and eventually befriend one another, finding comfort in their shared experiences. The author struck a good balance between realistically writing about the struggles that a transgender teen may face, and keeping the story uplifting and hopeful. Although the novel does have gender identity as a major theme, it focuses more on the general idea of being open to and accepting diversity, making the story relatable for almost anybody. The engaging plot line and lovable characters make THE ART OF BEING NORMAL a great choice for any teen looking to get a basic understanding of issues in this realm, or simply somebody looking for a good story.

Review: This Is The Part Where You Laugh

This Is The Part Where You Laugh 
By Peter Brown Hoffmeister 

Publication Date: May 17, 2016
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books For Young Readers 

THIS IS THE PART WHERE YOU LAUGH is a funny, irresistible, yet dark and gritty novel that will have you hanging on the edge of your seat. Travis’ only goals for the summer are to stay out of trouble, hone his basketball skills for the next season, and search for his homeless mother. He is handed the opposite when his best friend, Creature, is attacked by a gang member, throwing Travis’ whole world off kilter. This book is not for the faint of heart. It addresses drug abuse from the heart-wrenching perspective of a teenage boy who grew up with an unstable mother and now lives in a very poor environment. Travis’ actions aren’t always justified, and he finds himself involved in more than one fight by the end of the novel. The author chooses to use short, choppy language that fits nicely with the way the story line is played out. I would recommend this book for adventurous readers. 

Review: Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories

Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories
Edited by Stephanie Perkins

Publication Date: May 17, 2016
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin 

In SUMMER DAYS AND SUMMER NIGHTS, twelve of YA's biggest stars contributed short summer related romances to this anthology. Wonderfully edited by Stephanie Perkins; a perfectly fitting end of year read as spring slowly turns into summer. Each author brought their own personality and writing style to their story, however the different tones and moods cohesively merged into a fun and easy reading experience with something to offer all readers. No matter what your interests are- cutesy feel-good love stories, fantasy, LGBTQ relationships, horror, grand romantic gestures, futuristic technology, family drama, or sci-fi- you'll be able to find a chapter in here that you'll enjoy. It also allows for the reader to pick and choose what they want to read and skip the stories that don't interest them. The shortness of the stories compared to most novels was actually beneficial, as the plots had to move forward quickly, without the unnecessary backstories and side stories that are often so tiring in other books. I really loved reading this book because I got to both read stories from some of my favorite authors as well as discover some new ones and I never got bored of a story because they were over so quickly. 

Review: The Problem With Forever

The Problem With Forever 
by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

Publication Date: May 17, 2016 
Publisher: Harlequin Teen 

In THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER, Mallory Dodge has had a rough life in the foster system. She's had a hard time trusting people and speaking up but now finds herself with loving, adoptive parents. Encouraged to spend her senior year in a traditional high school (rather than homeschooling), she unexpectedly runs into Rider, a boy who once lived in the same foster home. They have a history and their relationship flourishes because of their past ties. Mallory and Rider are extremely likeable characters with well written chemistry. Armentrout does a nice job showing not only Mallory, but several other characters learning from their past experiences to start shaping their futures. 

Review: The Blood Between Us

The Blood Between Us 
by Zac Brewer 

Publication Date: May 3rd, 2016 
Publisher: Harper Teen 

THE BLOOD BETWEEN US is a dramatic, suspenseful novel that ultimately explores the role of family in adolescence. Protagonist Adrien has been forced to contend with his fiercely competitive sister, Grace, for his entire life. But when he receives news that his adoptive parents have died in a lab accident, the fragile bonds between them shatter and they separate for years. After being forced to return to the same boarding school, Adrien begins to suspect Grace’s involvement in their parents deaths, and becomes determined to discover the truth. This story was both fast paced and realistic, with enough character development to provide authenticity and depth and enough suspense to keep the plot interesting. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a realistic mystery. 

Review: The Incident On The Bridge

The Incident On The Bridge 

By Laura McNeal

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: April 26th,2016

Thisbe Locke was last seen standing by the side of the Coronado Bridge, leading to an inevitable conclusion--suicide. However, Thisbe’s sister Ted doubts this story, and sets out on a mission to figure out what really happened to Thisbe. THE INCIDENT ON THE BRIDGE by Laura McNeal is a novel that integrates mystery and suspense into a believable, highly developed storyline. I enjoyed this book not only because of the captivating writing style, but because of plot twists that make the story unpredictable. I also enjoyed that this book offered alternating perspectives between children and adults in the community, which provided an interesting contrast between the often angsty teenage perspectives and the more mature, less open-minded adult perspectives. This novel grappled with many issues that teenagers face today, such as romantic relationships and depression, while accurately capturing teenage perspectives on these issues. 

Review: This Is My Brain On Boys

This Is My Brain On Boys 

by Sarah Strohmeyer

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publication Date: May 10th, 2016

THIS IS MY BRAIN ON BOYS is about Addie Emerson, a senior in high school who doesn't believe in love, at least not for herself. She thinks she has figured out a scientific way to make people fall in love with each other, but then a mysterious boy comes into the picture and Addie's world is turned upside down. The book was a little confusing in itself because everything happened so fast, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. THIS IS MY BRAIN ON BOYS, was a pleasant surprise because I usually don't like books in this genre. I also enjoyed the straight to the point writing style. The plot was nicely developed with quite a few twists, which came at times you wouldn't expect them to. I recommend this to people who like warm and funny books.