Category Archives: Young Adult

Review: Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn

Title: Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In Erin Hahn’s Never Saw You Coming, sometimes it takes a leap of faith to find yourself.

Eighteen-year-old Meg Hennessey just found out her entire childhood was a lie. So instead of taking a gap year before college to find herself, she ends up traveling north to meet what’s left of the family she never knew existed – all while questioning the ideals she grew up with.

While there, she meets Micah Allen, a former pastor’s kid whose dad ended up in prison, leaving Micah with his own complicated relationship with faith. The clock is ticking on his probation hearing and Micah, now 19, feels the pressure to forgive – even when he can’t possibly forget.

As Meg and Micah grow closer, they are confronted with the heavy flutterings of first love and all the complications it brings. Together, they must navigate the sometimes-painful process of cutting ties with childhood beliefs as they build toward something truer and straight from the heart.

Review:

Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn is an engaging young adult romance with a topical storyline.

Eighteen-year-old Meg Hennessey’s gap year is turned upside down when she learns a huge secret about her life. She was homeschooled growing up and very involved in an ultraconservative church whose attitudes toward women she now questions. In order to distance herself from her parents, Meg heads to the Upper Peninsula in order to meet family she never knew existed. Her great-grandmother welcomes her with open arms as does her uncle James. But it is her chance meeting with nineteen-year-old Micah Allen that results in the most changes in her life.

Micah has been in his own crisis of church for several years. His faith in God never wavered but his faith in church institution did following the poor treatment lack of support of his family’s former congregation. Micah worships in his own way but he has yet to come to terms with the precipitating event that turned him away from going to church. His relationship with his family is a little strained under the weight of an expectation that he is unfairly burdened with. Micah is immediately intrigued with newcomer Meg and their lives intersect in a very unexpected way.

Until recently, neither Meg’s faith nor her relationship with her parents has ever been tested. She has always been a dutiful daughter but in light of new information, she rightly feels betrayed. Meg is hoping this trip away will help provide some clarity about her relationship with her parents and her now complex views on religion. Always extremely sheltered, Meg takes baby steps away from her strict upbringing as she decides her own viewpoints about the more extreme versions of her former church. She is also slowly feeling her way in her burgeoning romance with Micah.

Never Saw You Coming is a charming coming of age young adult novel. Meg and Micah are multi-faceted characters whose romance is very sweet. The UP is a wonderful backdrop since so much of Micah’s personality is tied to his love of the outdoors. The elements of faith are understated but religion is an integral part of Meg and Micah’s lives. Their less than positive experiences will resonate with readers who have questions about certain aspects of more conservative doctrine.  The story-line is well-executed and Erin Hahn brings this thought-provoking young adult novel to a heartwarming conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Erin Hahn, Never Saw You Coming, Rated B, Review, Romance, Wednesday Books, Young Adult

Review: Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield

Title: Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In this sweeping debut, Asha Bromfield takes readers to the heart of Jamaica, and into the soul of a girl coming to terms with her family, and herself, set against the backdrop of a hurricane.

Tilla has spent her entire life trying to make her father love her. But every six months, he leaves their family and returns to his true home: the island of Jamaica.

When Tilla’s mother tells her she’ll be spending the summer on the island, Tilla dreads the idea of seeing him again, but longs to discover what life in Jamaica has always held for him.

In an unexpected turn of events, Tilla is forced to face the storm that unravels in her own life as she learns about the dark secrets that lie beyond the veil of paradise—all in the midst of an impending hurricane.

Hurricane Summer is a powerful coming of age story that deals with colorism, classism, young love, the father-daughter dynamic—and what it means to discover your own voice in the center of complete destruction.

Review:

Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield is a complex family-centric young adult novel.

Eighteen-year-old Tilla is excited and nervous about spending two months in Jamaica with her dad. She and her nine-year-old sister Mia live full-time in Canada with their Jamaican-born mother. Their father splits his time between Canada and Jamaica but recently, he has not returned to visit them. Tilla’s expectations about her dad are low because of his history of breaking promises. She is also old enough to remember the constant arguments between her parents.

As soon as their plane lands, Tilla’s hope for a different version of her father are dashed when he takes her and Mia to the country. He then leaves them with their relatives and returns to the city. Mia immediately makes a connection with her cousins while Tilla is confused by the resentment and abuse she experiences at the hands of family members. With a hurricane bearing down on the island, Tilla weathers her own storm as discovers shocking secrets and endures a heartbreaking assault.

Tilla is uncomfortable for much of her time in the country. Her aunt makes no effort to hide her antipathy towards her. Tilla is also confused by the family’s adulation of her father. She is also stunned to witness colorism and racism throughout her visit. Tilla is delighted to be reunited with her cousins but she is shaken to realize the depths of their hostility. After experiencing a horrific betrayal, Tilla wants to return home and put the harrowing ordeal behind her.

Hurricane Summer is a well-written young adult novel.  The characters are interesting but they are a little underdeveloped. The Jamaican countryside springs vibrantly to life and it is very easy to visualize the various places Tilla visits. The storyline is engaging but a bit slow paced. Asha Bromfield deftly handles a number of sensitive topics. Due to the subject matter, I recommend this young adult novel to older teenagers.

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Filed under Asha Bromfield, Contemporary, Hurricane Summer, Rated C+, Review, Wednesday Books, Young Adult

Review: The Last Secret You’ll Ever Keep by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Title: The Last Secret You’ll Ever Keep by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Mystery
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Bestselling author Laurie Faria Stolarz returns with The Last Secret You’ll Ever Keep, a thrilling novel of an eighteen-year-old girl’s search for answers and what she finds instead.

Four days…
Trapped in a well, surrounded by dirt, scratching at the walls trying to find a way out.
Four days of a thirst so strong, that when it finally rains, I drink as much as possible from the dripping walls, not even caring how much dirt comes with it.

Six months…
Since my escape. Since no one believed I was taken to begin with – from my own bed, after a party, when no one else was home…
Six months of trying to find answers and being told instead that I made the whole incident up.

One month…
Since I logged on to the Jane Anonymous site for the first time and found a community of survivors who listen without judgment, provide advice, and console each other when needed.
A month of chatting with a survivor whose story eerily mirrors my own: a girl who’s been receiving triggering clues, just like me, and who could help me find the answers I’m searching for.

Three days…
Since she mysteriously disappears, and since I’m forced to ask the questions: will my chance to find out what happened to me vanish with her? And will I be next?

Review:

The Last Secret You’ll Ever Keep by Laurie Faria Stolarz is an intriguing young adult mystery. Although this newest release is a companion to Jane Anonymous, it can be read as a standalone.

Several months after being kidnapped, Terra is desperate to prove to herself and everyone that she was, in fact, taken from her bedroom. Everyone, including her Aunt Dessa, initially believes her story. But after not finding any evidence to back up her claims, Detective Marshall, Dessa and her friends arrive at the conclusion she is not being truthful. Having lost her parents in a fire that she survived, Terra has a troubled history including stays in psychiatric hospitals. Now on medication and undergoing therapy, Terra turns to the online support group Jane Anonymous where survivors share their stories and offer support. She has formed a bit of a friendship with Peyton whose experience closely matches her own. While still trying to prove she is not lying about what happened to her, Terra is also concerned for Peyton’s safety. Will Terra find the evidence she needs to prove she is not lying? And is her worry for Peyton warranted?

After losing her parents, Terra moves in with her aunt. She struggles to come to terms with her loss and she clings to the few items rescued from the fire. Terra attends an alternative school where she has a small circle of friends. She and a friend attend a sorority party and leaving early, she decides to walk home after meeting college student Garret. With a heightened sense of fear, Terra is relieved to arrive home. After locking up and going to bed, Terra is startled awake by a man in her bedroom who then kidnaps her. For four long days, she is left by herself in a well. After managing to escape, Terra tries to cope with a myriad of issues arising from the kidnapping.

The people she meets in the Jane Anonymous forum are supportive of each other. Terra is especially close to Peyton who fears her kidnapper is planning to take her again. As Terra attempts to keep to her daily routine, she spends a great deal of time on the forum commiserating with the others and chatting privately with Peyton. She is also trying to balance her job as she works to get her high school diploma. She is also obsessive about finding the well where she held captive.  Unable to sleep, Terra is already on edge when the situation with Peyton takes a dangerous turn and she contemplates trying to locate her on line friend in real life.

Moving back and forth in time, The Last Secret You’ll Ever Keep is an engaging mystery with an unreliable narrator. The storyline is interesting but the first half is a little slow moving. The pace picks up in the last half as Terra becomes more desperate to find where she was held. With a shocking plot twist, Laurie Faria Stolarz brings this compelling young adult mystery to an edge of the seat conclusion. An enjoyable read that I recommend to older teen readers.

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Filed under Contemporary, Laurie Faria Stolarz, Rated B, Review, The Last Secret You'll Ever Keep, Wednesday Books, Young Adult

Review: Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher

Title: Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: 296 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Sparks fly between two teens as they grapple with grief, love, and the future in this unforgettable debut novel sure to entice fans of Jandy Nelson and Jennifer E. Smith

Eighteen-year-old Amelia Griffin is obsessed with the famous Orman Chronicles, written by the young and reclusive prodigy N. E. Endsley. They’re the books that brought her and her best friend Jenna together after Amelia’s father left and her family imploded. So when Amelia and Jenna get the opportunity to attend a book festival with Endsley in attendance, Amelia is ecstatic. It’s the perfect way to start off their last summer before college.

In a heartbeat, everything goes horribly wrong. When Jenna gets a chance to meet the author and Amelia doesn’t, the two have a blowout fight like they’ve never experienced. And before Amelia has a chance to mend things, Jenna is killed in a freak car accident. Grief-stricken, and without her best friend to guide her, Amelia questions everything she had planned for the future.

When a mysterious, rare edition of the Orman Chronicles arrives, Amelia is convinced that it somehow came from Jenna. Tracking the book to an obscure but enchanting bookstore in Michigan, Amelia is shocked to find herself face-to-face with the enigmatic and handsome N. E. Endsley himself, the reason for Amelia’s and Jenna’s fight and perhaps the clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along.

Ashley Schumacher’s devastating and beautiful debut, Amelia Unabridged, is about finding hope and strength within yourself, and maybe, just maybe, falling in love while you do it.

Review:

Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher is an endearing young adult novel of healing.

Amelia Griffin and Jenna Williams are best friends who are enjoying their last summer before college. Their first adventure is a book conference where Amelia will finally get to meet her favorite author N. E. Endsley. She is devastated when he abruptly cancels his appearance. After Jenna makes a startling confession, Amelia is absolutely furious. Her anger soon turns to regret and sorrow after Jenna’s death in a car accident. After receiving a package from a bookstore in Michigan, Amelia decides to go to the small town of Lochbrook to try to figure out who sent her the book and why. A week in the magical town not only helps her work through her grief. Amelia also finds love but will someone else’s expectations for her future prevent her from following her heart?

Amelia’s life drastically changes when her parents divorce. After a chance meeting at the local bookstore, she and Jenna are soon inseparable.  Amelia’s home life is miserable so she is thrilled Jenna’s parents’ treat her as part of their family. After Jenna’s death, Amelia is grateful for their support  as she tries to find meaning in the unexpected gift of a special book.

Amelia’s journey to Lochbrook contains many surprises and delights. She is enchanted with the quirky but inviting bookstore and her warm welcome by the store’s owner. Amelia is also delighted by her unanticipated new friendships. She is quite charmed by a new acquaintance but with the weight of expectation hanging over her, Amelia is faced with an untenable decision.

Amelia Unabridged is a heartwarming young adult novel with a great cast of eccentric characters. Amelia is a well-rounded young woman who is easy to root for. The secondary characters are well-developed and likable. The storyline is engaging which makes for a fast-paced read.  With a late in the story conflict, Ashley Schumacher brings this delightful novel to a heartfelt conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this marvelous novel to teen and adult readers.

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Filed under Amelia Unabridged, Ashley Schumacher, Contemporary, Rated B+, Review, Wednesday Books, Young Adult

Review: The Project by Courtney Summers

Title: The Project by Courtney Summers
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 339 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From Courtney Summers, the New York Times bestselling author of the 2019 Edgar Award Winner and breakout hit, Sadie, comes a sensational follow-up—another pulls-no-punches thriller about an aspiring young journalist determined to save her sister from a cult.

“The Unity Project saved my life.”

Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo’s sister, Bea, joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there’s more to the group than meets the eye. She’s spent the last six years of her life trying—and failing—to prove it.

“The Unity Project murdered my son.”

When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with Bea once and for all. When her investigation puts her in the direct path of its charismatic and mysterious leader, Lev Warren, he proposes a deal: if she can prove the worst of her suspicions about The Unity Project, she may expose them. If she can’t, she must finally leave them alone.

But as Lo delves deeper into The Project, the lives of its members, and spends more time with Lev, it upends everything she thought she knew about her sister, herself, cults, and the world around her—to the point she can no longer tell what’s real or true. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn’t know if she can afford not to.

Welcome to The Unity Project.

Review:

The Project by Courtney Summers is a poignant young adult novel that is full of suspense.

Bea Denham is heartbroken when her parents die in a car accident. Her younger sister Lo survives the crash but she is in critical condition. Bea is looking for a miracle when she encounters Lev Warren, the charismatic leader of The Unity Project, in the hospital chapel.  Lo survives her injuries but she has a long road to recovery ahead of her. Bea is supportive but when their great aunt steps in to help them, she spends less and less time with her sister. Lo leaves the hospital and not long after, she loses Bea to Lev and The Unity Project.

Six years later, Lo is now working at a digital magazine with hopes of eventually becoming a journalist. She has never given up on she reuniting with Bea, so after witnessing a tragic event, she decides to investigate the Project. Lo believes it is a cult and she is determined to find Bea and answers about the Project. She begins by attending a public event in which Lev’s speech is designed to  bring in new members. However, after being unceremoniously removed by his assistant, Lo tries to figure out her next move. She also continues trying to reach out to Bea.

Bea’s part of the storyline unfolds in a series of flashbacks. Her feelings about Lo following the accident are complex as she joins Lev at the Project. She never stops missing Lo but she is soon distracted by Lev and their efforts to recruit more members into their fold.  As her circumstances evolve over the years with Lev, Bea reflects on her choices.

The Project is an engrossing young adult novel with an engaging storyline. Lo and Bea are well developed, sympathetic characters. Lo’s research into the Project takes an unexpected turn yet she never stops trying to find Bea. With shocking twists, Courtney Summers brings this emotional novel to a bittersweet yet gratifying conclusion.  I enjoyed and recommend this unique young adult novel to adult and teen readers.

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Filed under Contemporary, Courtney Summers, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Suspense, The Project, Wednesday Books, Young Adult

Review: One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite

Title: One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction
Length: 316 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A shockingly powerful exploration of the lasting impact of prejudice and the indomitable spirit of sisterhood that will have readers questioning what it truly means to be an ally, from sister-writer duo Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, authors of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine.

ISN’T BEING HUMAN ENOUGH?

When teen social activist and history buff Kezi Smith is killed under mysterious circumstances after attending a social justice rally, her devastated sister Happi and their family are left reeling in the aftermath. As Kezi becomes another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality, Happi begins to question the idealized way her sister is remembered. Perfect. Angelic.

One of the good ones.

Even as the phrase rings wrong in her mind—why are only certain people deemed worthy to be missed?—Happi and her sister Genny embark on a journey to honor Kezi in their own way, using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. But there’s a twist to Kezi’s story that no one could’ve ever expected—one that will change everything all over again.

Review:

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite is a poignant young adult novel.

After turning eighteen, Kezi Smith defies her parents when she takes her activism off the internet and into the streets. She and her best friend Ximena Levinson are protesting the recent murder of a Black man when Kezi is arrested. Upset and certain she is being wrongly detained, Kezi is manhandled while in police custody.  In the aftermath of chaos at the station, she is dead and her family is left grieving.

Kezi’s younger sister Happi deeply regrets their last exchange.  While Kezi’s short life is celebrated, Happi is left to deal with her conflicted feelings on her own.  But that changes when her older sister, Genny, convinces her to embark on the trip Kezi planned to take along Route 66 to commemorate the various stops from a treasured copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book. Although a reluctant companion on the journey, Happi unexpectedly finds peace both within herself and her sometimes turbulent relationship with Kezi.

Kezi is a star student with a bright future ahead of her after graduation. She is an extremely popular YouTube sensation with a huge following. She uses her platform to draw attention to social injustices and hopefully enact change.  Kezi does not like being at odds with her parents, but she refuses to give up the opportunity to join the protest. But she cannot foresee how much very wrong things will go as she comes to the aid of a fellow protester who is exercising his first amendment rights.

Happi is the complete opposite of her older sister. Although they were once very close, their relationship is a bit strained. Happi feel in love with acting and she is pursuing her dream of becoming an actress. She is prone to skipping school and partying just a little too hard on occasion. Her last interaction with Kezi haunts her as she tries to come to terms with the reality of Kezi’s death.

One of the Good Ones is thought-provoking young adult novel which deftly handles an all too frequent reality in America today. The characters are exquisitely developed with realistic human foibles and surprising strengths. Happi and Genny’s road trip turns intensely personal at one heartbreaking stop along their journey. With a very shocking plot twist,  Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite bring this incredible novel to a very unexpected conclusion.  An educational and sometimes heartrending novel that I greatly enjoyed and HIGHLY recommend to older teen and adult readers.

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Filed under Contemporary, Fiction, Inkyard Press, Maika Moulite, Maritza Moulite, One of the Good Ones, Rated B, Review, Young Adult