Book Reviews

Young Adult Books Reviewed by Mrs. Salo

My Review

This novel starts off as a story about a likeable, independent Muslim teen trying to follow her dreams and heart, but becomes darker when an apparent hate crime occurs miles away. The Indian/Muslim culture is interesting and the romance is sweet. Maya does make one decision that I found either out of character or out of place, but maybe I thought this because I don't think like a teenager. Students who read When Dimple Met Rishi, the Love and Lies of Rukhasani Ali, and Darius the Great would like this book.

Love, Hate & Other Filters

Samira Ahmed (2018)

3.81 · Goodreads Rating details · 10,155 ratings · 2,232 reviews

A searing #OwnVoices coming-of-age debut in which an Indian-American Muslim teen confronts Islamophobia and a reality she can neither explain nor escape—perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Jacqueline Woodson, and Adam Silvera.

American-born seventeen-year-old Maya Aziz is torn between worlds. There’s the proper one her parents expect for their good Indian daughter: attending a college close to their suburban Chicago home, and being paired off with an older Muslim boy her mom deems “suitable.” And then there is the world of her dreams: going to film school and living in New York City—and maybe (just maybe) pursuing a boy she’s known from afar since grade school, a boy who’s finally falling into her orbit at school.

There’s also the real world, beyond Maya’s control. In the aftermath of a horrific crime perpetrated hundreds of miles away, her life is turned upside down. The community she’s known since birth becomes unrecognizable; neighbors and classmates alike are consumed with fear, bigotry, and hatred. Ultimately, Maya must find the strength within to determine where she truly belongs. (From Goodreads)

My Review

I liked this book because I found it so realistic. A teacher who lives in Indianbrook assured me that the description of the way of life on a First Nations reserve was accurate. My favourite quote was a page long speech an elder made about the apocalypse having already happened. I liked how the native community was able to band together and use traditional ways to survive without outside help. It was a very positive read compared to some other books I have read about First Nations people living on reserves. Students who read The Rule of Three trilogy, The Smell of Other People's Houses and Marrow Thieves would like this book.

Moon of the Crusted Snow

Waubgeshig Rice (2018)

3.93 · Goodreads Rating details · 4,367 ratings · 793 reviews

A daring post-apocalyptic thriller from a powerful rising literary voice

With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow.

The community leadership loses its grip on power as the visitors manipulate the tired and hungry to take control of the reserve. Tensions rise and, as the months pass, so does the death toll due to sickness and despair. Frustrated by the building chaos, a group of young friends and their families turn to the land and Anishinaabe tradition in hopes of helping their community thrive again. Guided through the chaos by an unlikely leader named Evan Whitesky, they endeavor to restore order while grappling with a grave decision.

Blending action and allegory, Moon of the Crusted Snow upends our expectations. Out of catastrophe comes resilience. And as one society collapses, another is reborn. (From Goodreads)

My Review

I had not read a Stephen King book in years and was pleasantly surprised how much I liked the story and the characters of this book. I didn't like the brutality of the first scene and didn't see why Luke's parents had to be killed in his kidnapping but the reason for their murder was explained later in the book. I liked how the kids in the story forged loyal friendships made even stronger when they have to endure similar punishments. What was really happening at the Institute came out slowly through Luke's eyes and the enormity of it was shocking. The story picked up at the end leading to an unpredictable, fast action conclusion. Students who like Stephen King novels (especially It, I am told) would like this book.

The Institute

Stephen King (2019)

4.21 · Rating details · 90,418 ratings · 10,937 reviews

In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis's parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents—telekinesis and telepathy—who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, “like the roach motel,” Kalisha says. “You check in, but you don’t check out.”

In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extranormal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along, you get tokens for the vending machines. If you don’t, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute.

As psychically terrifying as Firestarter, and with the spectacular kid power of It, The Institute is Stephen King’s gut-wrenchingly dramatic story of good vs. evil in a world where the good guys don’t always win. (From Goodreads)

My Review

I enjoyed this book but it was hard to get past the idea that there could be a religious school trying to teach sexual orientation conversion therapy in the 1990's when the book was supposed to take place. The fact that the misguided staff at this school were never made out to be villains but were actually likeable in some ways was hard to accept. The main character, Cameron is strong-willed, funny and believable. Her relationship with her grandmother is sweet. The main romance between Cam and Coley becomes less important as the story went on, and the story goes on and on as it is a long book. I liked the friendship between Cam and her two irreverent best friends at the school. Students who read We are Okay, and The Loves and Lies of Rukhsana Ali would like this book.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Emily M. Danforth (2012)

4.03 · Rating details · 34,951 ratings · 3,781 reviews

When Cameron Post's parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief they'll never know that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief doesn't last, and Cam is soon forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth and her well-intentioned but hopelessly old-fashioned grandmother. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and leaving well enough alone (as her grandmother might say), and Cam becomes an expert at both.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful, pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. She and Cam forge an unexpected and intense friendship--one that seems to leave room for something more to emerge. But just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to "fix" her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self--even if she's not exactly sure who that is.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules. (From Goodreads)

My Review

This is a hilarious read. The dialogue is very witty. I liked Norris' close relationship with his mom and the references to Canadian sports teams and experiences unique to Canada. It was interesting to see Norris try to fit in at his new school in far away Texas. The description of his constant sweating in the relentless heat is repeated in a comical way. The stereotypes he projects on groups of students don't end up being true for the people he gets to know. Norris’ quick, snarky comebacks and comments in his journal are funny but ultimately get him in trouble. It is a sweet romance with some unexpected twists. Students who liked Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl, and Darius the Great is Not Okay and its sequel would like this book. This is also a Teen Readers Choice Award book for 2020.

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager

by Ben Philippe (2019)

3.80 · Rating details · 3,244 ratings · 718 reviews

Norris Kaplan is clever, cynical, and quite possibly too smart for his own good. A black French Canadian, he knows from watching American sitcoms that those three things don’t bode well when you are moving to Austin, Texas. Plunked into a new high school and sweating a ridiculous amount from the oppressive Texas heat, Norris finds himself cataloging everyone he meets: the Cheerleaders, the Jocks, the Loners, and even the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Making a ton of friends has never been a priority for him, and this way he can at least amuse himself until it’s time to go back to Canada, where he belongs.

Yet, against all odds, those labels soon become actual people to Norris. Be it loner Liam, who makes it his mission to befriend Norris, or Madison the beta cheerleader, who is so nice that it has to be a trap. Not to mention Aarti the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, who might, in fact, be a real love interest in the making. He even starts playing actual hockey with these Texans.

But the night of the prom, Norris screws everything up royally. As he tries to pick up the pieces, he realizes it might be time to stop hiding behind his snarky opinions and start living his life—along with the people who have found their way into his heart. (From Goodreads)

My Review

This book shares the same setting as The Hate U Give (Garden Heights) and refers to events that happened in that book, but it is less dark. Bri is tougher and angrier than Starr and her life is hard. It's hard watching things go bad for her. The author's skills as a rapper and hip hop artist come out in this book. Bri always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the story shows how easy it is for this to happen to you if you happen to be black. Her family bonds were strong as were her ties to her best friends. The dialogue as in THUG is snappy. Students who liked THUG, Solo, or The Poet X will like this book.

On the Come Up

by Angie Thomas (2019)

4.30 · Rating details · 50,830 ratings · 7,918 reviews

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill.

But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral . . . for all the wrong reasons.

Bri soon finds herself at the center of a controversy, portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. But with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri doesn’t just want to make it—she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.

Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn’t always free.

My Review

This book made me laugh and cry. The friendship between Darius and Sohrab is life-changing to Darius and gives him the confidence to overcome his depression and self-doubts. The details of the Persian culture that Darius is introduced to for the first time made me feel like I had visited Iran. This book is about family too, and the relationship Darius forms with his grandparents is sweet. You will love the character, Darius as he changes right before your eyes. A sequel called Darius the Great Deserves Better is coming out in August 2020.

Darius the Great Is Not Okay

(Darius The Great #1)

Adib Khorram (2018)

4.27 · Rating details · 11,114 ratings · 2,602 reviews

Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran.

Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He's about to take his first-ever trip to Iran, and it's pretty overwhelming--especially when he's also dealing with clinical depression, a disapproving dad, and a chronically anemic social life. In Iran, he gets to know his ailing but still formidable grandfather, his loving grandmother, and the rest of his mom's family for the first time. And he meets Sohrab, the boy next door who changes everything.

Sohrab makes sure people speak English so Darius can understand what's going on. He gets Darius an Iranian National Football Team jersey that makes him feel like a True Persian for the first time. And he understands that sometimes, best friends don't have to talk. Darius has never had a true friend before, but now he's spending his days with Sohrab playing soccer, eating rosewater ice cream, and sitting together for hours in their special place, a rooftop overlooking the Yazdi skyline.

Sohrab calls him Darioush--the original Persian version of his name--and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he's Darioush to Sohrab. When it's time to go home to America, he'll have to find a way to be Darioush on his own. (less)

My Review

I loved how this book made me feel so embarrassed for the main character's actions. It was cringe-worthy. This book is sad but funny in places. Neither narrators are very likable from the start but we learn to like them and feel for them when we see their struggles. It was great to see Evan's life improved so much from a few little lies and heartbreaking to see things unravel all at once. It had great dialogue, which was to be expected as it was written by the creators of the musical production of the same name. I would love to see the musical.

Dear Evan Hansen

Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul (2018)

4.02 · Rating details · 26,099 ratings · 3,874 reviews

From the show's creators comes the groundbreaking novel inspired by the Broadway smash hit Dear Evan Hansen.

Dear Evan Hansen,

Today's going to be an amazing day and here's why...

When a letter that was never meant to be seen by anyone draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family's grief over the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell, that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend.

Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore--even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor Murphy's parents, with their beautiful home on the other side of town, have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his closest friend. As Evan gets pulled deeper into their swirl of anger, regret, and confusion, he knows that what he's doing can't be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be?

No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose. And a website. He's confident. He's a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. Until everything is in danger of unraveling and he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself.

A simple lie leads to complicated truths in this big-hearted coming-of-age story of grief, authenticity and the struggle to belong in an age of instant connectivity and profound isolation. (less)

My Review

This sequel to the Handmaids Tale read more like a YA novel in part because two of the three narrators were teens. It filled in more details about life in Gilead and provided a backstory to help explain the actions of a main character in the first book. The pace of this book was much faster than A Handmaids Tale and it accelerated faster to an exciting conclusion. Students who read this book may want to read Vox.

The Testaments

(The Handmaid's Tale #2)

by Margaret Atwood (2019)

4.21 · Rating details · 152,890 ratings · 16,885 reviews

When the van door slammed on Offred's future at the end of The Handmaid's Tale, readers had no way of telling what lay ahead for her--freedom, prison or death. With The Testaments, the wait is over.

Margaret Atwood's sequel picks up the story more than fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead. In this brilliant sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, acclaimed author Margaret Atwood answers the questions that have tantalized readers for decades. (Goodreads)

"Dear Readers: Everything you've ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we've been living in." --Margaret Atwood

My Review

I simply could not put this book down. The main characters who were supposed to be stereotypes all proved to be more complicated and real than expected. It was interesting how these unlikely friends band together to solve this mystery. A sequel called One of Us is Next came out in the Fall of 2019. Students who liked Pretty Little Liars (the books or TV series) or 13 Reasons Why will like this book.

One of Us Is Lying

by Karen M. McManus (2017)

4.06 · Rating details · 167,494 ratings · 22,666 reviews

The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.

Pay close attention and you might solve this. On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

My Review

This is a sweet romance with realistic dialogue. It was an eye opener showing what it is like to live with cystic fibrosis. At times it was a little corny, but it was still a sweet and sometimes sad read. Students who liked A Fault in Our Stars and Everything Everything will like this book. The movie was excellent as well and very much like the book. This is not surprising as the book was written based on the screenplay.

Five Feet Apart

by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry, Tobias Iaconis (2018)

4.18 · Rating details · 62,326 ratings · 8,289 reviews

In this moving story two teens fall in love with just one minor complication—they can’t get within five feet of each other without risking their lives.

Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

My Review

This was my favourite book by historical fiction author, Sepetys, but only by a tiny margin. All of her books are good. You can find them (Shades of Grey, Out of the Easy, and Salt to the Sea) in our historical fiction section. Sepetys is known as a crossover author but this book feels slightly more adult.

This is a sweet romance between American Daniel and proud Madrid-born Ana who come from different worlds. It is also a mystery made more interesting by many secrets and multiple points of view. The strong ties of families play an important role in the story and some events are heart-breaking.

I felt transported back in time to Spain after the civil war when people were horribly oppressed by dictator, Franco. This is not a well known time in history. Sepetys does an incredible amount of research for her books, and there are pages of references and even a glossary of Spanish words.

The Fountains of Silence

by Ruta Sepetys (2019)

4.32 · Rating details · 16,693 ratings · 3,327 reviews

A portrait of love, silence, and secrets under a Spanish dictatorship.

Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming promise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of an oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother's birth through the lens of his camera.

Photography--and fate--introduce him to Ana, whose family's interweaving obstacles reveal the lingering grasp of the Spanish Civil War--as well as chilling definitions of fortune and fear. Daniel's photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of difficult decisions to protect those he loves. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city.

Includes vintage media reports, oral history commentary, photos, and more.

My Review

Monday’s Not Coming is a suspenseful read with some unexpected twists. We get to know the character, Monday through her best friend, Olivia’s memories and we share Olivia’s frustration when no one seems to care that a black girl has gone missing. It is a story about their unique friendship but also about the limitations of it. While these friends were able to help each other, their friendship couldn’t fix systemic wrongs and prejudices.

While some students found the book confusing with it’s back and forth timeline, I thought the twist it revealed was the best part of the book. The story gets dark as it goes on, and this makes me recommend it as a mature read. Students who liked Sadie and If You’re Out There, will like this book. This is a 2020 Teen Readers Choice Award Book.

Monday's Not Coming

by Tiffany D. Jackson (2018)

4.18 · Rating details · 11,928 ratings · 2,558 reviews

Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried. When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year’s rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now Claudia needs her best—and only—friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday’s sister April is even less help.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone? (From Goodreads)

My Review

Sweep is a sweet imaginative fantasy with beautiful writing. While it is fiction, there is some basis of truth in its description of the abuse of young chimney sweeps in Victorian London, and the ancient myth of golem-like monsters. Nan is a strong independent character that we see grow up under the hardest conditions, and we feel better when she has a friend and protector like Charlie, and a cast of other characters that see her value. The details of this fantasy world, like the rooms Nan and Charlie make in their home are rich with description and feeling. This book is both sweet and sad. While Nan loses so many people who are important to her, she never gives up hope. Students who liked The Girl Who Drank the Moon and The Night Gardener would like this book.

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster

by Jonathan Auxier (2018)

4.48 · Rating details · 5,062 ratings · 1,193 reviews

For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on "climbing boys"--orphans owned by chimney sweeps--to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless and brutally dangerous. Eleven-year-old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived--and a girl. With her wits and will, she's managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again.

But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature--a golem--made from ash and coal. This is the creature that saved her from the fire.

Sweep is the story of a girl and her monster. Together, these two outcasts carve out a life together--saving one another in the process.

My Review

There seems to be a trend in YA mysteries lately to be dark such as Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson, Sadie by Courtney Summers, and I know You Remember by Jennifer Donaldson, but Ryan bucks the trend here. The comparison of this book to Sadie is more for the telling of the stories through podcast transcripts than anything else. Even then, it is the protagonist in this book and not a third party narrator doing the broadcasting as in Sadie. I like how Delia (Dee) tells Sarah about her role as the Seeker on Radio Silent early rather than keeping it a secret too long as in Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia. This avoids problems later and helps to even out the imbalance in their relationship.

This is a great mystery with twists and turns, with the second half picking up the pace more than the first. I think this is common in mysteries as there tends to be action and danger the closer the protagonist is to solving the mystery. In my mind, things escalated a little too quickly in one scene. I might have had to suspend my disbelief in some things that went down as well.

I like how the title of the book refers to Dee’s podcasts and also foreshadows important clues that help Delia solve the mystery. Listen carefully readers. I didn’t find the side stories of other missing people cases that interesting but they did serve the purpose of showing the good that was coming out of Dee’s podcasts. You wouldn’t want those stories to distract readers from the central plot.

The dialogue between Sarah and her friends is realistic. It is witty and funny at times. There were a few examples of girls sounding too mean but I have seen that in other books and in TV shows like Riverdale. Maybe teens have come to expect that. I hope people aren’t that mean in real life.

I liked how the sweet relationship between Dee and Sarah, although a little rushed at the onset, is widely accepted by everyone. I can’t remember reading about a same sex couple at a high school dance in a YA novel where there wasn’t at least a negative remark or joke made, or the characters themselves are anxious about how they will be accepted. Dee’s hippy stay-at-home dad and more serious mom are also very encouraging. Actually Dee’s parents aren’t very memorable otherwise as they play only very minor parts in the story.

I wish Dee’s best friend, Burke had played a larger role in the second half of the book. He was replaced in part by Sarah. Then there were some minor characters that disappeared without any explanation.

I was a little disappointed that the book didn’t take place in Canada, but some of Ryan’s books do, so I will have to seek them out. Realistic mysteries such as One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus and those mentioned above have become popular at HERH, so I am going to check out Ryan’s other mystery, Keep This to Yourself too. I am definitely going to add a copy of I Hope You’re Listening to our collection.

I Hope You're Listening

by Tom Ryan (October, 2020)

3.87 · Rating details · 23 ratings · 22 reviews

EVERY MISSING PERSON HAS A STORY.

In her small town, seventeen-year-old Delia “Dee” Skinner is known as the girl who wasn’t taken. Ten years ago she witnessed the abduction of her best friend, Sibby. And though she told the police everything she remembered, it wasn’t enough. Sibby was never seen again.

At night, Dee deals with her guilt by becoming someone else: the Seeker, the voice behind the popular true crime podcast Radio Silent, which features missing persons cases and works with online sleuths to solve them. Nobody knows Dee’s the Seeker, and she plans to keep it that way.

When another little girl in town goes missing, and the case is linked to Sibby’s disappearance, Dee has a chance to get answers with the help of her virtual detectives and the intriguing new girl at school. But how much of her own story is she willing to reveal in order to uncover the truth? (From Goodreads)

Grown

by Tiffany D. Jackson (September 15, 2020)

4.62 · Rating details · 66 ratings · 35 reviews

Korey Fields is dead.

When Enchanted Jones wakes with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night, no one—the police and Korey’s fans included—has more questions than she does. All she really knows is that this isn't how things are supposed to be. Korey was Enchanted’s ticket to stardom.

Before there was a dead body, Enchanted was an aspiring singer, struggling with her tight knit family’s recent move to the suburbs while trying to find her place as the lone Black girl in high school. But then legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots her at an audition. And suddenly her dream of being a professional singer takes flight.

Enchanted is dazzled by Korey’s luxurious life but soon her dream turns into a nightmare. Behind Korey’s charm and star power hides a dark side, one that wants to control her every move, with rage and consequences. Except now he’s dead and the police are at the door. Who killed Korey Fields? All signs point to Enchanted. (From Goodreads)

My Review

Grown is a fast-paced, descriptive read and a mystery with twists and turns. We know the ending at the start but must fill in the details with flashbacks and narration from the present. In classic Jackson style, we start to question the reliability of the narrator, Enchanted and there are some shocking details that emerge at the very end. Jackson uses short sentences and paragraphs, snappy dialogue and repetition (run, think, “it’s not me”, “three exits, no windows, bathrooms on the left”) to build up suspense until the final twist in the last chapter. She chillingly writes about multiple stab wounds: “Only that much blood can paint a room red.”

This is a disturbing book about the abuse of power and the vulnerability of young girls and particularly black girls, and it contains all the feels. Jackson is a master of describing emotions. We feel the love when Enchanted first meets Korey and she says: ”I feel lighter, my chest an egg cracked open, sunny yolk spilling out, leaking love all over the room”. Later she describes “... [a] fresh wave of love wash[ing] over [her] head”. Jackson writes with hyperbole in a way that reminds me of E. Lockhart’s writing style when she describes Enchanted’s feeling of being trapped: “A fish hook pierces my back and I reel away from him”. In a similar kind of remark, Enchanted says: “I pull the knife out of my back and take a deep breath. ‘Ouch..’.”, when she is hurt by her best friend’s honesty.

We feel Enchanted’s despair, when she says: “I feel like fall. I am a heap of dead leaves, blacked, moist, reeking of mold. Rotting apples, dying grass, early darkness chasing away the sun”. While Enchanted likens herself to Ariel, the mermaid and there are many references to Disney movies, this is no Disney story. It’s a mature read with descriptions of sex, child abuse, violence and drugs. Fortunately, there is some hope at the end when Enchanted says: “I feel like spring. I feel like a plant being brought back to life, blooming and growing. The smell of sweet flowers, fresh earth, and new beginnings mixed with lemon icy and the fierce love of a mother and father.”

Although this is a serious topic, there is a little comic relief in witty, sometimes sarcastic one-liners. (My personal laugh out loud moment was over Enchanted’s grandma’s dead turtle.) This book will appeal to reluctant readers because of its short chapters (a whopping 90 chapters) and quick dialogue interspersed with narration in the form of group texts, witness statements, interrogation interviews, meeting minutes and facebook posts. Students who enjoyed Monday's Not Coming would like this book.

The Cousins

by Karen M. McManus (December 1, 2020)

4.27 ·

Rating details · 230 ratings · 83 reviews

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You'll never feel the same about family again.

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised . . . and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point--not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious--and dark--their family's past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over--and this summer, the cousins will learn everything. (From Goodreads)

My Review

I must confess I am a huge Karen McManus fan. I found Cousins to be a cross between One of Us is Lying and Two Can Keep a Secret with the multiple points of view from the former book and dark family secrets from the past in the latter. It is both a family drama and mystery about revenge and greed, with unexpected twists. The title of the book is a little lackluster but I can understand why the author didn’t want to put a number in the title (even though there were conveniently three cousins) and be locked into numerical titles forever. Although I like the multiple POV format and the way it fleshes out characters and their thoughts, I found myself having to flip back to the beginning of the chapter to see who was narrating at times. Throwing in untitled chapters from a character in the past was an effective way to give a first hand glimpse of what had happened a couple of decades earlier. It was interesting how the actions from one generation impacted the next.

Aside from the first scene in the book, which in my opinion added nothing to the story and made me strongly dislike one character from the start, I found the book fast-paced. I did end up liking that character later, and the newly formed bonds between cousins is one of the things I liked most about the book. I liked how clues came from various places including old photos, microfiched newspapers, and first hand accounts like in old whodunits. These clues led to an exciting scene with a dramatic rescue where all was revealed. There was some sweet romance in the story as well, and it wasn’t overdone. McManus likes to save the last twist for the very end, and here it was both unexpected and chilling. Students who liked McManus' other mysteries, will gobble this book up.

My Review

I sometimes have trouble getting into a fantasy book where a complicated world is introduced but I had no problem getting into this fast-paced adventure with witches and witch hunters. The characters are what drew me in from the start. In particular, I liked Louise who was such a strong female protagonist. She was tough, witty, and resourceful. At first I found her enemy turned lover, Reid to be dull and snivelling and no match for her, but he shrugged off his prickly, stiff manner and proved to be both playful and loyal. The banter between Louise and Reed was witty and sometimes laugh out loud funny. The friendship between Lou and Coco was also heartwarming as was the friendship between Ansel and the rest of the main characters.

The early French setting and occasional French words helped to make this fantasy world more relatable and real. There was an interesting combination of church and witch history in this rich fantasy. The profanity and steam sex scene in this book would make it more appropriate for mature teens. Maybe hearing the f bombs out loud in the audio book made them more pronounced, but they were strategically placed for comic relief and shock value. Readers who liked Six of Crows and Sarah Maas books would like this book.

Serpent & Dove

(Serpent & Dove #1)

by Shelby Mahurin (2019)

4.14 ·

Rating details · 40,228 ratings · 8,237 reviews

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

Into White

by Randi Pink

3.20 ·

Rating details · 842 ratings · 242 reviews

When a black teenager prays to be white and her wish comes true, her journey of self-discovery takes shocking--and often hilarious--twists and turns in this debut that people are sure to talk about.

LaToya Williams lives in Birmingham, Alabama, and attends a mostly white high school. She's so low on the social ladder that even the other black kids disrespect her. Only her older brother, Alex, believes in her. At least, until a higher power answers her only prayer--to be "anything but black." And voila! She wakes up with blond hair, blue eyes, and lily white skin. And then the real fun begins . . .

Randi Pink's debut dares to explore provocative territory. One thing's for sure--people will talk about this book. (From Goodreads)

My Review

Into White is both a hilarious and serious read. The author uses magic realism to show Toya what her life would be like if she was white. I found it strange that Toya did not seem very surprised to meet Jesus for the first time. She was obviously religious so I thought she would be shocked and a little more deferential. She is more surprised by the change in the colour of her skin and hair. This was an eye opener to black life experiences and white privilege, even if some examples of white stereotypes seemed too extreme. In fact, the white people are shown to be one dimensional and in many cases shallow and mean. This is a book about family, and especially about the strong bond between Toya and her brother, Alex. Toya's parents have a lot of character and obviously love each other even though they are always fighting. There are definitely laugh out loud moments but also moments that will make you think about more serious issues such as race and class. One reason to listen to the audiobook is to hear Toya with her southern accent talk in her black voice and white voice. Students who liked The Hate U Give will like this book, although this is a lighter read.

The Enigma Game

by Elizabeth Wein (November 2020)

4.18 ·

Rating details · 121 ratings · 71 reviews

A stunning new historical novel from New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Wein, featuring a beloved character from the award-winning Code Name Verity; for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.

A German soldier risks his life to drop off the sought-after Enigma Machine to British Intelligence, hiding it in a pub in a small town in northeast Scotland, and unwittingly bringing together four very different people who decide to keep it to themselves. Louisa Adair, a young teen girl hired to look after the pub owner's elderly, German-born aunt, Jane Warner, finds it but doesn't report it. Flight-Lieutenant Jamie Beaufort-Stuart intercepts a signal but can't figure it out. Ellen McEwen, volunteer at the local airfield, acts as the go-between and messenger, after Louisa involves Jane in translating. The planes under Jamie's command seem charmed, as Jamie knows where exactly to go, while other squadrons suffer, and the four are loathe to give up the machine, even after Elisabeth Lind from British Intelligence arrives, even after the Germans start bombing the tiny town . .

My Review

This amazing historical fiction novel taking place in Scotland during WWII seemed more of a (YA/Adult) crossover than YA fiction, maybe because only one of the main characters/narrators was a teen. I was never a fan of Code Name Verity (because of its torture and ending) but loved Rose Under Fire. I would have to say I liked The Enigma Game more than Rose Under Fire. The book was very atmospheric. I loved the cold dark setting of remote Scotland contrasted with the cozy warm pub where much of the story, and scenes before and after flight missions take place. The World War II setting becomes more intense as the bombing gets closer. The main characters and the relationships between them are what carries this novel. I loved the warm friendship and love between brave 15 year old Jamaican-born Louisa and fiesty 82 year old ex-opera singer, Jane. Louisa, Jane, and volunteer driver, Ellen and Flight-Lieutenant Jamie make an effective team that cracks the code of messages from the Enigma Machine. The air battle scenes are fast-paced and harrowing. There is tragedy at the end which is heartbreaking. While this is plainly a work of fiction, the author clearly has done a tremendous amount of research on World War II fighter planes and air battles, and other events during this time period.

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