Good Reads & Views

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
YA Fiction

What’s it about: Teenager Belly has spent every summer she can remember at Cousins Beach. Summers are for family, laying by the pool, playing on the beach, and crushing hard on Conrad. This is the first summer that Belly is old enough to hang out with the older kids and she’s ready to show how grown up she’s become. Besides Conrad, there is his brother Jeremiah who has always been just a friend to Belly, but this summer everything could change.  

Why you might like it: If you have read Jenny Han’s To All the Boys, I’ve Loved Before, this series will not disappoint. This is young love in its finest form set during the summer and perfect to lounge by the pool with.  

Good to know: The first book has been turned into a TV series on Amazon Prime and season 2 started July 14.

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Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
YA Fiction

What is it? A riveting page-turner featuring an Indigenous teen dealing with issues of predatory colonialism, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), first crushes, and family secrets.

What it’s about: Boulley returns to Michigan’s Sugar Island and the Firekeeper family ten years after the action of her hit thriller Firekeeper’s Daughter in this gripping stand-alone YA novel. A jeep accident wrecks Perry’s plans to spend the summer fishing; she owes her Aunt Daunis for car repairs and now she’s stuck working a summer internship at the tribal museum. Despite her original resistance, Perry becomes engrossed in issues related to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) when she learns that a local collector is using legal loopholes to unjustly retain Anishinaabe artifacts and remains. A daring plan to repatriate these artifacts takes a dangerous turn and leads to a connection to local missing and murdered women.

Why you might like it: Characters are vividly drawn--Perry is delightfully snarky and self-aware and supporting characters are experiencing realistic, complicated life challenges. Critical issues like MMIW, sexual assault, grooming, and cultural heritage ground this fast-paced yet thought-provoking heist narrative.

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Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
YA Fiction

What it’s about: Girl in Pieces is both heart wrenching and redemptive. As soon as I picked up this book, I didn’t want to put it down…except to take some breaks when my heart felt wrecked. It was beautifully written and truly gives an accurate depiction of mental health and what it’s like to struggle with self-harm, depression, sexual abuse, and alcoholism.

Is it for you? It reminds you that sometimes bad things happen in life, but with supportive friends you can overcome pain and heartache to embrace life to its fullest.

You might also like: You’d Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow

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Heartstopper (Volume One & Two) by Alice Oseman 
YA Graphic Novel 

What’s it about: Life has been hard for Charlie (an openly gay kid at an all-boys school). After he came out, he was bullied and treated poorly by his classmates. With the help of his friends and family, he was able to overcome it. After getting to know an upper classman, Nick, Charlie joins the rugby team and the two boys become fast friends. Charlie begins to have feelings for Nick and questions whether Nick (who is questioning his sexuality) feels the same in return. This is a sweet story of finding out who you are and young love.  

Good to know: This graphic novel series has been adapted into a TV show on Netflix. Season 1 follows volumes one and two and has a lot of the same heart and humor of the graphic novel series.  

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From Blood and Ash  by Jennifer Armentrout
YA Fiction

What it’s about: The Maiden is revered and hidden from society before her Ascension, the most important day of her life. Her every move is controlled by the Duke and Duchess, even her own powers. Aching for freedom and excitement she sneaks away and comes face to face with a handsome young guard, little does she know he will eventually change her entire course and everything she was taught to believe. Meanwhile, rumblings of unrest in the Kingdom and the constant threat of The Dark One loom and threaten the lives of everyone.  

Tell me more: The first book in this on-going fantasy series provides subtle tension and suspense to propel the storyline with a wonderful slow burn romance that creates a delectable mix. It provides a unique twist on the usual vampire and werewolf paranormal, making this a layered and unexpected fantasy.  

For fans of: Sarah J Maas and Laura Thalassa. 

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American Royals (#1) by Katherine McGee
YA Fiction

What it’s about: Imagine if instead of America winning the Revolutionary War and setting up a Democracy, they instead created their own Monarchy. In American Royals, this is exactly what happens. For two and a half centuries, the House of Washington has reigned over the American people. The King is sick and that leaves heir to the throne Princess Beatrice and twin spares Samantha and Jefferson to step up. Will Princess Beatrice be up for the momentous job of being America’s first Queen? 

Why you might like it: This is for anyone who is fascinated with the British Royals. The Washington siblings (Beatrice, Samantha, and Jefferson) are all teenagers and have a lot of drama in their lives outside of being royalty. Nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fiction 2019.  

Series Alert: American Royals is the first in the series. Book two is Majesty, book three is Rivals and a book four (untitled) is scheduled to come out sometime in 2023.  

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A List of Cages by Robin Roe
YA Fiction 

What it’s about: Robin Roe did a fantastic job of writing a heart-wrenching yet charming novel centered around the friendship between two teen boys. Adam is a senior in high school who is well known by many of the students and teachers. Julian is a freshman at the same school who deals with constant bullying. The story is beautifully written bringing out such depth of compassion and bravery. That a life changing friendship could come from betrayal and tragedy is a miracle. 

Why you might like it: If you enjoy realistic fiction books with well-developed characters, written from a dual narrative perspective, you’ll love this book. 

You might also like: Everybody Sees the Ants by A. S. King

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You’d Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow
YA Fiction

What it’s about: This is a heart wrenching story of teenage drug addiction and its effects on one family. The story of Emory and Joey explains how much you can love an addict and how desperate you are to help but it isn’t enough. The struggle Emory feels in trying to be happy with her life while helping an addict.

Is it for you? This is a story of addiction, but also a story of healing. The book and its rawness display a family’s love for an addict and the battle it can take to get them help. I highly recommend it to anyone struggling with addiction or who has a loved one with addiction.

You might also like: Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

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The Lucky Ones by Liz Lawson
Fiction

What it’s about: The Lucky Ones is the tragic story of a girl who was the only survivor of a school shooting while her brother was killed, and a boy whose life was altered forever once his mother, a defense attorney, took the shooter's case.

Why you might like it: It's a story of mental health and people trying to do the right thing amidst devastating circumstances. It is both a heart wrenching and uplifting read.

You might also like: Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

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The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson
YA Fiction

What it’s about: The Agathas is a captivating mystery set in small-town coastal California. The story is told from two different points of view. The first person’s point of view is Iris (written by Glasgow), a hard-working, financially struggling teen eager to elude a complicated and perilous home life; the second person is rich girl Alice (written by Lawson), who is struggling to deal with the relationship between her former best friend, Brooke, and ex-boyfriend, Steve, as well as the consequences of her own social fallout.

Is it for you? If you like reading brilliantly developed and authentic characters who deal with their pains and problems in realistic ways, then you should read this book.

You might also like: You’re so Dead by Ash Parsons

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