2018 Best Fiction for Young Adults

February 20, 2018February 16, 2018 | Tasha

YALSA has announced their list of Best Fiction for Young Adults for 2018. The impressive list also offers a Top Ten, which you can see below:

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Guide, #1)

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic (Grisha Verse, #0.5, #2.5, #2.6)

The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo, illustrated by Sara Kipin

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

Sparrow by Sarah Moon

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

What Girls Are Made Of by Elana Arnold

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

February 19, 2018January 29, 2018 | Tasha

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman (9781442472457)

This is the sequel to the award-winning first book in the Arc of a Scythe series. It continues the story of Citra and Rowan. Citra is completing her apprenticeship under Scythe Curie when they find themselves being hunted down. Rowan meanwhile is doing the hunting, taking out scythes who are hiding illegal activity. He kills as Scythe Lucifer and has become a legend of sorts. As the time for the Winter Conclave comes about though, something far more sinister is rising up and just in time for when the MidMerica scythes gather.

I often have issues with second books in series, a kind of sophomore slump. Shusterman though does not miss a step here. He brings readers right back into his sharply drawn world. It is the writing itself that does this. He has a particular tone and style evident here as he writes of beloved characters and introduces new characters to root for. They are all marvelously complexly drawn, the heroes full of darkness and the villains full of righteousness. The character of the Thunderhead itself is also wonderfully created, its voice wise and also full of questions.

The book is one that will keep readers guessing throughout. Even as they know something is coming, it is not clear what it is or what that will mean. There are layers here that reveal, foreshadowing that is deftly written, and an ending that is so fast and wild that you almost can’t turn the pages quickly enough.

Beautifully crafted and written, this is a worthy successor to the first. And that is saying something! Appropriate for ages 14-18.

Reviewed from copy provided by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross

February 12, 2018 | Tasha

The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross (9780062471345)

Brienna has never known who her father is, only that he is from neighboring Maevana. When her grandfather takes her to Magnalia House and has her accepted as a student of passion, Brienna discovers a new home. Among the handful of other students, Brienna discovers sisters as well as her own interest in history. As Brienna gets ready to master her passion for knowledge and leave Magnalia House, her plans go awry and she doesn’t complete the graduation ceremony and find a patron. Instead, her flashbacks of memories from a mysterious ancestor tie her closely to those who would restore a queen to the throne of Maevana and dethrone the imposter king. As war brews, Brienna becomes the linchpin to a plan that takes her into the heart of her homeland of Maevana and the dangers of political intrigue generations in the making.

Ross has deftly woven a story set in medieval times with glimpses of magic. Her story is firmly feminist, calling for queens to sit on thrones, the power of magic in women’s hands, and the ability of women to create plans that are daring and effective. The world created here is tightly drawn, two neighboring nations with differences in cultures that come together in Brienna. Ross also incorporates the fall of a queen and the resulting ramifications of her loss. It’s beautifully drawn, some of it revealed only towards the end of the novel to complete the picture.

Brienna is an incredible protagonist. She is humble and yet clearly bright and gifted, just with different gifts than the school for passion may be looking for. Her ability to plot and plan, learn to use a sword, and adjust her reactions to political turns shows how clever she is. There is a lovely romantic tension in the book as well, kept quite proper and reserved and yet smoldering at the same time.

An intelligent and well crafted teen novel filled with political intrigue and a woman who will lead the way to change. Appropriate for ages 13-17.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and HarperTeen.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

February 5, 2018January 8, 2018 | Tasha

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (9781626723634)

Released February 13, 2018.

While Prince Sebastian’s parents are busily searching for a bride from him, he is hiding a secret from everyone. He hires a dressmaker, Frances, to make his wardrobe for him, including dresses that are stunning creations. They allow him to become Lady Crystallia, who soon becomes a Paris fashion icon herself. As Frances gains fame as the Crystallia’s dressmaker, Sebastian’s secret becomes much harder to hide and soon the two have to choose between keeping the secret and allowing Frances to follow her dreams.

This graphic novel by Wang, who did In Real Life with Cory Doctorow, has created a graphic novel that embraces people exploring their gender identity while also incorporating a beautiful romantic nature to the entire book. Throughout there is a feeling of connection between Frances and Sebastian, one that goes beyond fashion. The fashion adds a layer of self expression for both of them, of triumph and discovery as well.

Wang’s art captures Paris at the dawn of the modern age. Filled with gowns, horse-drawn carriages and grandeur. It also has a humor in it, one that allows readers to chuckle at absurd situations and one that creates truly human characters for readers to connect with deeply.

Beautiful, layered and modern, this graphic novel embraces gender identity and gorgeous dresses. Appropriate for ages 12-15.

Reviewed from copy provided by First Second.

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

January 31, 2018January 8, 2018 | Tasha

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton (9781484728499)

Released February 6, 2018.

Camellia and her sisters were born Belles. They are children of the Goddess of Beauty and given talents that let them bestow beauty on other people. The people of Orleans are born with gray skin and red eyes and must be transformed by Belles. Each generation, one Belle is chosen to be the Queen’s favorite. Camellia knows that she is destined to be the favorite, just as her mother was. But it is not that simple as one of her sisters is selected over her, because Camellia has refused to be confined by the rules. When the favorite position is offered later, Camellia jumps at the chance to take her sister’s place. But behind all of the beauty and opulence there is darkness, hidden truths and poisonous hatred. Can Camellia survive in court? And if so, how will she be asked to break the rules now?

Clayton has written a stunning first book in a trilogy. She has crafted a claustrophobic world of glitter, dazzle and beauty that is conveyed with fine detail and a sense of wonder. Throughout though, she has laced the story with pain, intrigue, lies and a sense of foreboding of the darkness to come. There is a finely wrought sense of unease even as the Belles make people beautiful.

Camellia is a great heroine, complicated and naive. Seeing the court through her eyes allows readers first to see the beauty only and then steadily as Camellia comes to understand the power struggles in court, to see them along with her. The pacing of the novel is slow at first and then downright breakneck at the end. I look forward to the rest of the series showing us more of the world that Clayton has created.

A mesmerizing first novel from an incredible new talent. Appropriate for ages 13-17.

Reviewed from ARC provided by Disney-Hyperion.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

January 29, 2018January 8, 2018 | Tasha

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (9781250147905)

For all of Alice’s seventeen years, she and her mother have been moving from one place to another. Her childhood is a blur of long car rides, the novels she read in different places, and the love of her mother. When Alice tries to ask about people like her grandmother, a reclusive author of a book of fairy tales that has a strong cult following, her mother won’t answer. So when they get news of her grandmother’s death in her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice longs to go. When her mother disappears, Alice and her classmate Finch set out to rescue her from the Hinterland, the setting of her grandmother’s book. Can Alice and Finch survive the dangers of a fairy tale world made real?

As a longtime fan of fairy tales, I loved this book. I particularly appreciated the fanged and bloody approach to these stories, ones that have echoes of traditional tales but are also entirely unique. Albert bridges Alice’s grandmother’s book into the novel cleverly, offering glimpses of the stories but never giving them all to the reader or to Alice. They are tantalizing peeks at the stories that are warnings mixed with welcomes. The entire novel is like this, beckoning readers in but also offering cruelty as a reward.

Alice is an equally fascinating figure who is deliciously flawed, filled with an anger that hovers just under her skin. She sees her mother as the one person she has in life, thanks in large part to their nomad lifestyle, as they flee the dangers that suddenly appear. The writing throughout the book is incredibly beautiful, angry and fiery. Albert weavers new metaphors with an ease that is deceptive, creating magic in the real world before moving on to do it in a fairy tale as well.

A great read, this blend of fairy tale and horror is completely intoxicating. Appropriate for ages 13-17.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Netgalley and Flatiron Books.

The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis

January 24, 2018December 18, 2017 | Tasha

The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis (9780062659002)

Evan Panos has been dealing with physical and emotional abuse from his mother since he was five years old. Now at almost 18, he is simply trying not to let his different worlds collide. At summer Bible Camp, he has his first kiss with a boy, who then comes to his small town to visit, something that makes Evan very nervous in case his mother discovers the kiss. Then there is his long time best friend, Henry who has suddenly become very hot over the summer. Evan pours his emotions into his art and his notebooks where he meticulously documents his mother’s abuse, his father’s inability to step in, and his own isolation and fear. As his mother becomes even more suffocating and cruel, Evan has to find a way forward that will allow him to survive and maybe even fall in love.

Surmelis grew up in a very similar strict Greek family as a gay boy who was shunned for being who he was from a very young age. The writing here is strong and powerful, particularly during the scenes of abuse, the way that time slows down and then rushes forward again, the terrifying switches from kindness to cruelty and violence, the warning signs far in advance that still don’t allow the abuse to be avoided. It is chilling, violent and gut wrenching.

The character of Evan is multidimensional and complex. The extensive secrets he is hiding and the horrible abuse could have defined him as a character, but instead they serve to show even more clearly his intelligence, artistic nature and ability to forgive. Even as his mother is hurling insults at him, readers will know who he really is and will never question him the way that he questions himself. He is a vital character, one who survives and moves forward despite being trapped for so long.

An important look at the abuse suffered by gay teens at the hands of their families, this teen novel is riveting. Appropriate for ages 16-18.

Reviewed from e-galley received from Edelweiss and Balzer + Bray.

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

January 15, 2018November 29, 2017 | Tasha

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed (9781616958473)

Maya is a young documentary-film maker who longs to go to NYU for college, but her traditional Indian parents want her to go to college much closer to home, even better if she can live at home while she attends school. As a senior in high school, Maya spends her time making short documentary films and hanging out with her best friend, Violet. She has a crush on a boy at school, Phil, someone whom her parents would never approve of. When she meets a very appropriate boy though, the spark just isn’t there. Meanwhile, something awful is about to happen and when it does, Maya finds her family and herself a target of hate crimes and Islamophobia. Maya will have to find a way to make her plans for her future come true at the same time she stands up to others who would silence her.

This teen novel is wonderfully readable. It invites readers into Maya’s world, demonstrating the way that she sees her experiences through the lens of films. Readers will also learn about Indian culture, but the focus is on Maya as an individual. She struggles with parental expectations and the hate crimes of modern America. Though at times it has the feel of a Bollywood romance, there is no softening of the hate that is aimed at Maya and her family, much to the author’s credit.

The book reads at first as a pure romance, with a bit too much blushing and twinkling eyes. It really gains strength when the suicide bombing happens and Maya’s family is targeted due to their last name. The pace at this point turns from dreamy romance to drama and tension. The violence towards Maya and her family has repercussions deep into Maya’s future plans that force her to make a very difficult decision. While the book eventually returns to a more romantic tone, the tension never truly disappears again.

Deftly plotted and well written, this book is an important look at diversity in America. Appropriate for ages 13-17.

Reviewed from e-galley received from Edelweiss and Soho Teen.

2017 Top Teen Books

January 10, 2018December 16, 2017 | Tasha

#NotYourPrincess edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale

Beautiful, angry and insistent, this collection of the voices of Native women belongs on the shelves of every library serving teens.

Akata Warrior by Nnedi Okorafor

Start with the first in the series, because you don’t want to miss a moment of this intoxicating blend of fantasy, horror and Nigeria.

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

Complex and riveting, this debut novel is one that is dazzling, deep and dark.

American Street by Ibi Zoboi

Beautifully written with strong characters and danger, this book is exceptional.

At the Edge of the Universe by Shaun David Hutchinson

I hope you find it just as compelling and wondrous as I did. Enjoy!

City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

A thriller of a teen novel, this book has a unique setting and one dynamic female protagonist bent on revenge.

Crossing Ebenezer Creek by Tonya Bolden

An important book on a little-known episode during the Civil War, this book is intensely personal and a dangerous mix of romance and horror.

Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens

Complicated and incredibly poignant, this novel for teens rocks.

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Perhaps one of the greatest things about this book, though there are many great elements is Zappia’s portrayal of introverts. There is a coziness here, a feeling of safety in the pages, as if they are forming a critical spot for introverts to bloom, just like an online community.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

This is an exceptional teen novel and definitely one of the best of the year.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

This debut novel is breathtakingly honest, searingly angry and exactly what we need right now. I can’t wait to see what this author does next!

Honestly Ben by Bill Konigsberg

A powerful and wildly funny look at sexuality, this novel makes me hope that future books in the series will be told from the perspectives of the other friends in the group.

A List of Cages by Robin Roe

A stunning debut novel that is deeply moving and wondrously hopeful.

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert

A very special book for teens, this book is diverse and filled with moments of triumph and pain.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Moving and deep, this verse novel is one of the best. Get this into the hands of teens, particularly reluctant readers who will discover they love poetry after all.

Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Engrossing, intelligent and incredibly rich, this novel for teens is truly exceptional.

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

This book raises its voice for feminism and fighting back. It’s a book for all genders and all libraries.

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

Powerful, strong and filled with writing that calls for action, this book is simply stellar.

Release by Patrick Ness

A successful and sexy mix of LGBT realism and magic, this novel is a delight.

A Single Stone by Meg McKinlay

Strong writing and a delicious tension make this book a stand out teen fantasy.

Solo by Kwame Alexander

Throughout the book, there are questions asked that are deep, about wealth and poverty, about privilege and race, about addiction and recovery, about parenting and failure. This is a rich book filled with lots to discover and discuss.