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All YA Coverage

YA FictionYA

Tea leaves and life lines

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

For 16-year-old Marnie Wells, reading tea leaves is a party trick—a kooky hobby she picked up from an old book of her grandmother’s. And although Marnie doesn’t take her tea-leaf reading seriously, the kids at her high school sure do. Matt Cotrell, a popular athlete whose best friend, Andrea, disappeared last year, is particularly interested in Marnie’s hobby.

Matt begins to seek out the introverted Marnie for fortune telling, but is it really to help find Andrea? Marnie isn’t sure, even as she and Matt spend more time together. But anonymous emails, a missing drug dealer and suspicious circumstances at a party compound the mystery, placing Marnie in the center of it all.

Marnie is a cynical and perceptive character, but she struggles to fit in. Grappling with her sense of identity, Marnie longs to escape the rundown home she shares with her troubled brother and loving grandmother. And she’s unsure how to navigate her new romance with Matt—a boy she doesn’t wholly understand.

Emily Arsenault, known for weaving haunting tales in adult mysteries, brings her knack for subtle suspense to a younger audience in this rewarding YA debut.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the July 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

For 16-year-old Marnie Wells, reading tea leaves is a party trick—a kooky hobby she picked up from an old book of her grandmother’s. And although Marnie doesn’t take her tea-leaf reading seriously, the kids at her high school sure do. Matt Cotrell, a popular athlete whose best friend, Andrea, disappeared last year, is particularly interested in Marnie’s hobby.

YA FictionYA

Heavy is the head that wears the crown

Review by Diane Colson

As the second volume in Kiersten White’s And I Darken series (a retelling of the Vlad the Impaler legend) begins, the ferocious Lada has fled the Ottoman Court with a band of warriors, determined to fulfill her destiny and secure the throne of Wallachia. Left behind is her brother, Radu, who is still yearning for the attentions of Sultan Mehmed, despite Mehmed’s unabated lust for Lada.

As part of his scheme to expand his empire, Mehmed sends Radu to Constantinople to gather intelligence for a planned invasion. Radu and his wife, Nazira—who has left behind her own same-sex lover—are thrust into a dangerous game of intrigue in the court of Constantine. Meanwhile, Lada’s bloodthirsty drive for power is tempered by unexpected affection for an ally. Nevertheless, she remains true to her dragon nature, outmatching her opponents through a merciless combination of cunning and brutality.

White skillfully interweaves the cultural and political norms of 15th-century Eastern Europe with contemporary empathy by switching up gender roles and maintaining a smoldering undercurrent of romantic tension.

The storylines of Lada and Radu do not directly intersect in this middle volume, which allows readers to bond with each sibling and their respective entourages. This installment is highly recommended for both teens and adults interested in alternative histories flush with imaginative twists.

 

Diane Colson is the Library Director at City College in Gainesville, Florida.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our Q&A with Kiersten White for Now I Rise.

This article was originally published in the July 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

As the second volume in Kiersten White’s And I Darken series (a retelling of the Vlad the Impaler legend) begins, the ferocious Lada has fled the Ottoman Court with a band of warriors, determined to fulfill her destiny and secure the throne of Wallachia. Left behind is her brother, Radu, who is still yearning for the attentions of Sultan Mehmed, despite Mehmed’s unabated lust for Lada.

Mystery & SuspenseYA FictionYAMystery

Shades of gray

Review by Jennifer Bruer Kitchel

Set in early 1940s New England, Emily Bain Murphy’s debut novel, The Disappearances, follows 16-year-old Aila Quinn and her younger brother, Miles. The two are struggling after the recent death of their mother, Juliet, and their father’s departure to fight in World War II. Left alone, they must travel to their mother’s mysterious hometown of Sterling, Connecticut, to stay with family friends.

When they arrive, Aila discovers the townspeople have been suffering “Disappearances” every seven years. These fantastical losses include the ability to smell, to see the stars and to see their own reflections. Aila and Miles don’t understand why everyone blames their mother until Aila begins to unravel Juliet’s mysterious past. Why was she able to break free of the curse? Why did Juliet leave notes in a book of William Shakespeare’s works?

Bain deftly weaves these threads together as Aila discovers not only her mother’s secrets but also her own identity. By setting the novel in a time before the internet, Bain thoroughly conveys the sense of strange isolation of Sterling’s residents and their troubles. In the end, The Disappearances is a delicious mix of mystery, fantasy and romance.

 

Jennifer Bruer Kitchel is the librarian for a Pre-K through 8th level Catholic school.

This article was originally published in the July 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Set in early 1940s New England, Emily Bain Murphy’s debut novel, The Disappearances, follows 16-year-old Aila Quinn and her younger brother, Miles. The two are struggling after the recent death of their mother, Juliet, and their father’s departure to fight in World War II. Left alone, they must travel to their mother’s mysterious hometown of Sterling, Connecticut, to stay with family friends.

Science Fiction & FantasyYA FictionYAScience Fiction

Sly satire with heart

Review by Jill Ratzan

Ten teenagers. One soundstage made to look like a spacecraft. Plus a questionable scientific agency, a maniacal producer and a dozen or so corporate sponsors. What could possibly go wrong?

Told in transcripts of audio and video recordings, blog posts and other documents obtained by a disgruntled intern, Waste of Space follows an eponymous reality show. Documents show the daily power struggles, challenges and romantic trysts of the “Space­tronauts,” along with the personal confessions they’re encouraged to record, the highly edited results that appear on TV and the increasingly frantic conversations that occur among various behind-the-scenes partners.

Discerning readers might initially get frustrated by the clichés, including the show’s instant and intense social media popularity and the overt product placement. But as these elements fall away or twist in on themselves, the characters are revealed to be more than they seem. Readers will come to see that Waste of Space is a satire skewering every element it seemed at first to glorify.

Author Gina Damico, best known for her humor/horror hybrids like the recent Wax, taps into a cultural zeitgeist of advertising saturation, Hunger Games spin-offs and self-mocking tales like Joss Whedon’s movie The Cabin in the Woods. A bit of real emotional power sneaks in with the mockery, leading readers to question the lines between realistic fiction, science fiction, magical realism and parody.

 

This article was originally published in the July 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Ten teenagers. One soundstage made to look like a spacecraft. Plus a questionable scientific agency, a maniacal producer and a dozen or so corporate sponsors. What could possibly go wrong?

YA FictionYAHistorical Fiction

A rollicking summer adventure

Review by Justin Barisich

BookPage Teen Top Pick, July 2017

Jumping from country to country across 18th-century Europe, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue follows a bisexual lad on a raucous adventure of self-discovery.

Henry “Monty” Montague was lucky enough to be born into one of England’s wealthy noble families, and now that he’s come of age, it’s time to make his grand tour across the Continent. It’s a year-long trip he’s assuming will be nothing but fun times, fast love and excessive libations with his biracial best friend (and secret love) Percy—until his unforgiving father saddles them with Monty’s boring sister, Felicity, and a killjoy tutor employed to keep them in line. Nevertheless, while attending a royal party in Paris, Monty insults and steals from the former prime minister, disgracing his family name.

As punishment for wasting his last chance to redeem himself, Monty and his motley crew are ordered home, but their carriage gets attacked by highwaymen with ties to the French crown. Once they escape, Monty, Percy and Felicity must learn about themselves, each other and the world around them to survive a trip that’s become far more than they bargained for.

Award-winning author Mackenzi Lee adeptly addresses vital themes in her historical novel, including women’s rights, racial biases, domestic abuse and LGBTQ struggles—issues that today’s society is still struggling with. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is such a stellar piece of young adult fiction that it could easily entertain the adult reader as well.

 

Justin Barisich is a freelancer, satirist, poet and performer living in Atlanta. More of his writing can be found at littlewritingman.com.

This article was originally published in the July 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Jumping from country to country across 18th-century Europe, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue follows a bisexual lad on a raucous adventure of self-discovery.

YA FictionYA

A teen relates to Russian lit

Review by Diane Colson

Filmmaker-in-training Tash Zelenka is adapting Anna Karenina into a contemporary web series titled, “Unhappy Families.” Sure, it’s a challenge, but Tash loves her Tolstoy. With her best friend, Jacklyn (Jack), as co-producer and a cast of talented teen actors, Tash revels in translating Tolstoy’s words and characters into modern parlance.

When a famous vlogger calls “Unhappy Families” an “undiscovered gem,” subscriptions leap from a few hundred to more than 40,000. Success, however, brings unintended consequences. Tash’s new preoccupation with fame distances her from Jack, and she also gets involved in an online flirtation with a fellow vlogger, which carries potential complications should the two meet in person.

Tash is heteromantic asexual, meaning she is susceptible to romantic attraction but completely disinterested in sex. This story is intensely focused on Tash’s process of self-discovery. Her beloved “Unhappy Families” is suddenly the focus of thousands of comments on YouTube, which causes her to question her creativity. Issues related to family life, friendship and romance are well-developed, explored through natural conversations among characters and through Tash’s proclivity for introspection. Readers who like the honesty of Jenny Han’s novels, combined with the creative, quirky characters in Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun, will love this heartwarming novel. While it’s not necessary to have read Anna Karenina to appreciate the story, some familiarity with the characters and plot will definitely enhance the reading experience.

 

Diane Colson is the Library Director at City College in Gainesville, Florida.

Filmmaker-in-training Tash Zelenka is adapting Anna Karenina into a contemporary web series titled, “Unhappy Families.” Sure, it’s a challenge, but Tash loves her Tolstoy. With her best friend, Jacklyn (Jack), as co-producer and a cast of talented teen actors, Tash revels in translating Tolstoy’s words and characters into modern parlance.

YA FictionYAGothic Fiction

A moody, gothic tale for teens

Review by Annie Metcalf

The new gothic horror series from Madeline Roux (Asylum) begins with House of Furies, a creepy orphan tale full of occult creatures and gore. Louisa Ditton has always been different, making people uncomfortable without understanding why.

After making her escape from an abusive school, Louisa is surviving by telling fortunes on the street when an old crone offers her employment at a boarding house. A wary Louisa accepts the position, and enters the strange world of the Coldthistle House. A full staff and its proprietor, Mr. Morningside, live at the grand house. When Louisa discovers the mysterious, dark purpose of the house and its inhabitants, she wants to leave immediately, but discovers she is supernaturally bound.

Louisa is also concerned about one of the boarders, a young man named Lee, and is determined to protect him from the staff’s odd brand of justice. The better Louisa gets to know Lee, the more convinced she is that he needs saving; the better Louisa gets to know her fellow staff, the more she suspects that Coldthistle is the first place she has ever belonged.

Though Louisa’s voice and the narrative pacing are a bit uneven, the eerie atmosphere and occult mythology of her world sufficiently propel the reader forward. The tale may have benefited from more proof of Louisa’s strangeness and loneliness, but the reveal of her true identity is indeed satisfying. For teens who won’t shy away from a dark, gory and gothic story, House of Furies is a promising beginning to a series that could go in fascinating directions.

The new gothic horror series from Madeline Roux (Asylum) begins with House of Furies, a creepy orphan tale full of occult creatures and gore. Louisa Ditton has always been different, making people uncomfortable without understanding why.

YA FictionYA

A summer teen romance with a touch of magic

Review by Jill Ratzan

Sam wants a boyfriend. But having exhausted all known possibilities (specifically his ex-boyfriend and now best friend, Landon), he feels like he’s out of options. Maybe, he muses, he should give up on love entirely and focus on his creative writing instead.

When his other best friend Meg, a practicing Wiccan, suggests a love spell, a skeptical Sam decides to give it a try. He composes a “Perfect Ten” list of the top 10 characteristics he wants in a beau and burns the list at midnight in a spooky cemetery ceremony.

Enter a parade of prospects, including a sexy French exchange student, a quiet and intense painter, a just slightly dangerous lead guitarist . . . and Landon, who wants another chance. Could any—or all—of these suitors be Sam’s Perfect Ten? Or is the whole idea of a Perfect Ten list the wrong way to think about finding the right guy in the first place?

Rather than being an angst-ridden story about coming out, Perfect Ten is a romantic comedy that happens to be about boys dating boys. Don’t think too much about where the line falls between realism and campy wish-fulfillment here: Like its literary godparent Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, the point of L. Philips’ lighthearted story isn’t to reflect reality so much as to enhance it. A fun, sweet and sexy summer read for anyone who’s ever sought (and maybe even found) that special person, perfect or not.

Sam wants a boyfriend. But having exhausted all known possibilities (specifically his ex-boyfriend and now best friend, Landon), he feels like he’s out of options. Maybe, he muses, he should give up on love entirely and focus on his creative writing instead.

Mystery & SuspenseYA FictionYAMystery

Murder in detention

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

If John Hughes turned The Breakfast Club into a murder mystery, it would be this delicious page-turner. Five teens enter detention, but only four come out. Simon, who runs a gossip app, dies from a suspiciously timed allergic reaction. He has made a lot of enemies in his San Diego suburb, but none with more motive than these four: Bronwyn, the straight-A good girl; Cooper, the unassuming baseball star; Nate, the drug-dealing slacker; and Addy, the enviable pretty girl. At first glance, they seem like high school clichés, but each is hiding a life-altering secret they’d do anything to protect. Either they’re all innocent, or one of them is lying, and it’s up to readers to find out.

Told in four alternating points of view, One of Us Is Lying is more than just a feisty whodunit—it’s an insightful look at high school life. Nothing drags in this fast-paced story, so give it to even the most reluctant reader and dare them not to devour it in one sitting.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the June 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

If John Hughes turned The Breakfast Club into a murder mystery, it would be this delicious page-turner.

RomanceYA FictionYA

A charming romantic comedy

Review by Sarah Welch

As the daughter of the most in-demand wedding planner in town, Louna Barrett is an expert on romance. When it comes to love, however, tragedy has left her closed off to the possibility. But when a client’s obnoxious yet charming brother, Ambrose, joins the wedding-planning team, he encourages Louna to give epic love another chance.

Bestselling author Sarah Dessen is known for her captivating stories of self-discovery, resilience and first love. In Once and for All, she creates a rich cast of characters and a vivid backdrop, deftly portraying not only budding romances but also evolving friend and family relationships. The real magic of the novel is the tug of war between the whimsy of Louna’s summer job orchestrating lavish weddings and her grief for her lost first love.

While there are Easter eggs sprinkled throughout for longtime fans (an appearance from Auden West, visits to Jump Java), Once and for All stands on its own, promising to delight first-time Dessen readers as Louna learns to believe in second chances.

 

This article was originally published in the June 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

As the daughter of the most in-demand wedding planner in town, Louna Barrett is an expert on romance. When it comes to love, however, tragedy has left her closed off to the possibility. But when a client’s obnoxious yet charming brother, Ambrose, joins the wedding-planning team, he encourages Louna to give epic love another chance.

YA FictionYAHistorical Fiction

Torn between two worlds

Review by Justin Barisich

Set in feudal Japan, Flame in the Mist unveils the dark secrets of notorious families, narrates their bloody battles and follows the journey of one young woman with the power to alter the empire.

Mariko is the only daughter of the noble and prominent Hattori family. And at 17, she’s off to the imperial city to meet her future husband—the emperor’s son—for their arranged marriage. But Mariko’s caravan is attacked in the dark forest by the infamous bandits known as the Black Clan, and they slay everyone except for her—their target. Mariko manages to escape, both with her life and a newfound thirst for revenge. After tracking the Black Clan for days, Mariko disguises herself as a young farm boy and gains their trust. She’s determined to learn why they wanted her dead, find their weaknesses and destroy them from within. But she never expected the Black Clan to value her intellect or offer her the freedom she’s never had. She also didn’t expect to fall in love with a ruthless murderer.

As author Renée Ahdieh did with her debut, The Wrath & the Dawn, Flame in the Mist explores a young woman’s power and strength to effect great change in a patriarchal society. And the realistic stories, fascinating culture and complex relationships of Ahdieh’s fictional characters—explored in actual, historical settings—are completely enrapturing.

 

Justin Barisich is a freelancer, satirist, poet and performer living in Atlanta. More of his writing can be found at littlewritingman.com.

This article was originally published in the June 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Set in feudal Japan, Flame in the Mist unveils the dark secrets of notorious families, narrates their bloody battles and follows the journey of one young woman with the power to alter the empire.

YA FictionYA

Shifting between future and past

Review by Anita Lock

BookPage Teen Top Pick, June 2017

A teenager gets a blast from her past as she faces the future in Jodi Lynn Anderson’s latest novel, Midnight at the Electric.

The year is 2065. Sixteen-year-old Adri Ortiz has been chosen to join a group of young scientists who will be living and working on Mars. As an only child who was orphaned at an early age, Adri is surprised to learn that her distant cousin, 107-year-old Lily Vega, would love to have her stay in her Kansas home during Adri’s three months of training for the mission. Adri is skeptical about her relationship with this kindly old woman until she finds a journal and letters from more than a century ago.

Anderson divides her plot into sections, contrasting Adri’s life against the lives of two women from different eras: Cathy Godspeed, who experienced both the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma, and Lenore Allstock, who lived during the aftermath of World War I. Although completely engrossed in Cathy’s journal entries and Lenore’s letters, Adri doesn’t anticipate the impact these women will make on her own life.

Although Adri is a talented, burgeoning scientist, she can often be apathetic. But Anderson plops her protagonist into emotional, three-dimensional stories that expand her heart and connect her to her lineage. Anderson seamlessly shifts between all three narratives as she connects the dots and draws her audience into an engaging, inventive story. This charming coming-of-age tale will have readers hooked from beginning to end.

 

This article was originally published in the June 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

A teenager gets a blast from her past as she faces the future in Jodi Lynn Anderson’s latest novel, Midnight at the Electric.

YA NonfictionYAMemoir

An inspiring, resilient young voice

Review by Anita Lock

“They slashed my people with their machetes. They set my people on fire. They shot my people in the head.” Native Congolese Sandra Uwiringiyimana reflects back to the August 2004 massacre in Gatumba, Burundi, that took the life of her 6-year-old sister and mother in the opening passage of her new memoir, How Dare the Sun Rise.

Emotional numbness and sleepless nights follow for Uwiringiyimana and her remaining family as they struggle to live. Two years later, a United Nations resettlement program sends Uwiringiyimana and her family to live in the United States. But assimilating to “the land of opportunity” turns out to be a wake-up call for Uwiringiyimana, especially when others define her by the color of her skin. In order to embrace her true identity, Uwiringiyimana will have to face her deepest fears.

Uwiringiyimana and award-winning journalist Abigail Pesta have joined forces to produce a gutwrenching yet highly inspiring read. Together they offer a glimpse into a sparsely publicized, horrific event along with an intimate portrayal of a child who was born into war. Eye-opening chapters brim with Uwiringiyimana’s plight as a refugee, and she finds herself caught between two cultures amid her determination to make a difference in the world. Uwiringiyimana captures it best when she states, “We must not fall prey to the kind of thinking that separates us.” How Dare the Sun Rise sends a powerful message to the tenacity of the human spirit.

“They slashed my people with their machetes. They set my people on fire. They shot my people in the head.” Native Congolese Sandra Uwiringiyimana reflects back to the August 2004 massacre in Gatumba, Burundi, that took the life of her 6-year-old sister and mother in the opening passage of her new memoir, How Dare the Sun Rise.

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