Fiction
The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt
Reinhardt, D. (2010). The things a brother knows. Random House Children’s Books.
Plot Summary
This is the story that begins with a family that has been anxiously waiting for the eldest son, Boaz, to return home from war in the Middle East. Hi Israeli family knows the hardship of war but are still not prepared for the change they see in Boaz. When he returns home a hero, he is clearly troubled and unable to immediately adapt to civilian life. He shows secretive, isolating behavior and, aside from noise associated with obvious nightmares at night, remains silent within his bedroom. His younger brother, Levi, uncovers a plan that Boaz has been hiding that includes mapping a distant walking route. When questioned, Boaz insists he is going to hike the Appalachian Trail, but Levi intuits that this is a lie. With the help of his best friends, Levi sets out to find Boaz on his journey so that he is not alone, and so Levi can put his mind at ease regarding his brother’s safety. The journey becomes not just a planned trip for Boaz, but a journey the brothers embark on together that could ultimately heal the divide that has grown between them. While the town celebrates Boaz for his military service, Levi struggles with knowing the true effects the war has had not just on Boaz but on the entire family.
Critical Evaluation
For those who have experienced deployment first-hand, it is common to find that a return home does not bring a military assignment to a close. The Things a Brother Knows gives a sweeping description of how post-traumatic stress becomes a daily trial for both soldiers and families alike. As Boaz isolates himself upon his return from combat, his younger brother, Levi, watches the family try to make concessions for Boaz’ altered personality and internal wounds. The parents are happy that Boaz has returned, but Levi can’t understand why no one is addressing the obvious weight that has descended upon the home. Levi reaches out to Boaz’ former girlfriend for help, only to find she has moved on to another relationship, further adding to a sense of despair for his brother’s recovery. When it becomes clear that Boaz has a plan to leave on a walking excursion and claims to be traveling the Appalachian Trail, Levi questions his destination and embarks on an investigation into Boaz' true plans with the help of his friends. An adventure ensues that inadvertently bands the family together in an unexpected way, and Levi wonders if there is hope for salvaging his family as he has always known it to be.
This story is set in a Boston suburb that welcomes soldiers as heroes. The characters of the book include Boaz and Levi’s Israeli family members, a former girlfriend of Boaz’ who herself became exasperated with the growing figurative and literal distance, and two close friends of Levi’s who seem to keep him grounded. The story is told from Levi’s point of view, and portrays his inner thoughts of confusion, frustration, resignation, and resilience to what he sees happening with his brother. It also touches on the past experiences of family members that had been required to fight for the Israeli military in some capacity, and their confusion surrounding Boaz’ choice to join the Marines after they had immigrated to the United Stated to flee such an obligation and so much more. The theme of this book seems to be acceptance and peacemaking in a time of incomprehensible psychological turbulence. While the story is quite serious, the tone somehow remains lighthearted due to the inquisitive banter amongst Levi and his two best friends.
This book is written with heart and gusto for the celebration of veterans and is an important read for young people to understand the pain that veteran and military families experience in the aftermath of deployment. It is an exceptional story that uses a voice that assumes intelligence in the reader.
Reader’s Annotation
Levi has grown accustomed to a life without his older brother, who has spent three years deployed for combat with the Marines. Upon his brother’s return, Levi must accept that while he appears physically unharmed, he is suffering internally. Levi contemplates his brother’s choices and labors over ways to mend their tattered and distant relationship.
About the Author
According to the book jacket and her website, Dana Reinhardt lives in San Francisco and is the author of such young adult novels as A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life, Harmless, How to Build a House, and one adult novel, Tomorrow There Will Be Sun. While she does not have a full bio on Amazon, she does indulge readers in an interview of FAQ’s, in which she shares her writing style, previous endeavors, and most common pastimes.
Reinhardt is a law school graduate and worked as a documentary film producer on PBS’ Frontline and for Peter Jennings at ABC. Her writing awards include the Best Books for Young Adults for A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life and The Sydney Taylor Award for Teen Readers for The Things a Brother Knows.
Genre
Young Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Literature
Booktalking Ideas
PTSD in the military and subsequent veteran support. The dichotomy of supporting our troops while opposing war violence.
Reading Level: 12-16 years
Interest Age: 14-17 years
Challenge Issue: anti-military sentiment.
Why I Chose This Book:
This perspective is an impassioned complaint since the issue of war can be so polarizing. My defense to this challenge would be that the story does not depict anti-military sentiment as the Marine is not ostracized, he is a celebrated hero. I would also emphasize that the book is pro-veteran, and calls attention to veteran support.
I included this book in my collection because I believe it deals with the unseen effects associated with combat veteran PTSD. It is widely known that veterans themselves can suffer long-term trauma after returning from deployment, however family dynamics are not always considered when reflecting upon a soldier’s return to civilian life. I think this book gives accurate insight into the common but sometimes hidden grief of returning military heroes and the journey ahead for their loved ones as well. The author tells the story with moments of light humor between friends, feigned ambivalence from lead characters, and stinging anguish from those closest to Boaz. It is a very relatable writing style for teens and adults alike.
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Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
Lord, E. (2020). Tweet cute. St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
Plot Summary
Tweet Cute is a light, witty read for those who are entertained by romance and teen dramas. Set at a private high school in Manhattan, one student, Jack, decides he wants to put his app development skills to use and create a private, anonymous chat app for his high school classmates. Under chat handles to hide their identities as the app intends, Jack meets a girl and the two slowly start falling for each other. In real life, he is working hard at his parent’s small business, and rivaling with a large chain restaurant over accusations of stolen recipes. This rival ensues over Twitter, as his classmate, Pepper, oversees the Twitter account for her mom, the CEO of the chain. The rivalry becomes an all-consuming competition as the Twitter posts go viral, which is only made more complicated by the fact that Jack and Pepper are unknowingly locked in an anonymous online flirtation that is about to reveal itself as much more than friendship.
Critical Evaluation
A modern-day Montague vs Capulet feud between a small grilled cheese sandwich shop and a big chain burger joint becomes the talk of Twitter as two teens hash out accusations of recipe theft. Pepper is the daughter of the CEO of Big League Burger and the secret behind the company’s Twitter account. Jack is the son and employee of his parents’ mom n’ pop shop that boasts secret ingredients in their wildly popular grilled cheese sandwiches. When Big League Burger swipes the family recipe for their new grilled cheese sandwich on the menu, the Twitter war begins. Unbeknownst to Pepper and Jack, they are rivals on the street but are falling in love online. Each are operating the Twitter accounts for their respective businesses but have also crossed paths on an anonymous chat appt that Jack developed for his high school to use by way of private social media.
The story is set at a private school on the upper east side of Manhattan. The characters are witty, likeable, and ambitious in their own ways. It’s a typical boy-meets-girl romcom where a misunderstanding occurs and hilarity ensues, but the storyline is fast-paced and eventful. Chapters alternate between first person narrative from both Pepper and Jack’s perspectives. The story adds even more of a cheesy element to the grilled cheese theme with the main characters’ names being Pepper and Jack, leading to the cutesy combined couple’s name “Pepperjack.” Supporting characters give the sense of a realistic high school experience as they fuel the drama behind the Twitter war. Also present are the parents and siblings of the main characters. As the story progresses, family issues are revealed that had otherwise been hiding beneath the surface.
The theme of this romance is modern communication in a digital world and self-awareness in traditional teen trials. Not only do we see Pepper and Jack reflect on their choices, mistakes, and goals for their futures, the supporting characters do the same. The story wraps up with a neat bow at the end, but leaves the reader feeling motivated to do a bit of self-reflecting as well. The tone of the book is light, what some would call a “beach read,” but allows for a teen reader to immerse themselves in a low-stakes competition with characters that come across as very believable. It is a feel-good story in which one can escape for a bit of flirtatious banter and relatable teen challenges.
Reader’s Annotation
Jack and Pepper are two high school classmates who find themselves entangled in a Twitter war of posts between their parents’ restaurants. Little do they realize, they are falling for one another in a You’ve Got Mail sort of oblivion as they begin a teen romance over an anonymous chat app developed by Jack, himself.
About the Author
According to Amazon.com, link Emma Lord is a digital media editor and writer living in New York City, where she spends whatever time she isn’t writing either running or belting show tunes in community theater. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in how to tilt your computer screen so nobody will notice you updating your fan fiction from the back row. She was raised on glitter, lots of love, and a copious amount of grilled cheese.
Ms. Lord was also a lifestyle editor for the digital magazine, Bustle, where she covered news in food, drinks, social media, technology, health, career and theme parks. Much of her writing is inspired by movies and other works. Her Wikipedia page states that Tweet Cute was in fact inspired by the movie You’ve Got Mail, and her novel When You Get the Chance was inspired by Momma Mia!
Genre
YA romance, romcom, YA fiction.
Booktalking Ideas
A.) Has social media use affected teens’ way of connecting with others in face -to-face interactions?
B.) How do high parental expectations affect the way teens make decisions and/or recognize unethical choices?
Level: 12-18 years
Challenge Issue: LGBTQ+
Why I Chose This Book:
I included this book in my collection because it is an entertaining romcom that is relatable for teens. It is a modern hetero love story that exists freely alongside same-sex affections. It is a teen novel that does not make a spectacle of differences in sexuality and displays only the joys and struggles of realistic high school dramas, which include rampant social media use, college prep, first loves, friend groups and attempts at meeting parental expectations.
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Boulley, A. (2021). Firekeeper's daughter. Henry Holt & Co.
Plot Summary
Residing in a town rife with prejudice, Daunis Fontaine battles a series of traumatic events while both remaining true to her ancestry and serving as a confidential informant for the FBI. Her very makeup is of two separate cultures, and Firekeeper’s Daughter tells her story with grit and raw emotion as she is forced to make a choice: serve her tribal community or threaten some of the few familial relationships she cherishes. Because she has always experienced the chasm between dual cultures, she grasps at ways to stay connected to both – an increasingly fleeting endeavor. Daunis has plans for her future, but her world unravels as she becomes swept up in an undercover operation as she helps piece together the source of a lethal concoction of crystal meth, a drug that has brought the tribal community to its knees. Her grief is compounded when she experiences profound loss and feels the ties to her tribal network fray as she spars with feelings of guilt and resentment for those around her. Despite it all, Daunis maintains hope and moves forward with a resilience seen only in those who have no time to wallow. Her survival depends on it.
Critical Evaluation
This story is rich with meaning for a teen reader. For a young woman to find her way in the world is a victory in and of itself. For that young woman to be straddling two worlds as half-Native to a tribe that is looked down upon by members of her white side of the family, not wholly belonging to either culture, is a trial to overcome. Faced with impossible choices, Daunis Fontaine must determine what is her best course for a better future. As a skilled hockey player and college-bound teen, she suddenly becomes witness to a murder/suicide and finds herself immersed in an undercover operation with the FBI. Because the drug trade is secretive but motivated in her tribal community, Daunis’ safety is repeatedly sacrificed. Her intentions are to avenge the murder weapon that killed her uncle, but when the truth behind his death becomes apparent, Daunis needs to choose what is most important to her.
Her story is set in a tribal area of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Poverty in and around the reservation is prevalent, and drugs are a way of life for many. The friends and family members close to Daunis are affected by the presence of meth, directly or indirectly. The story is told from her point of view, and the theme is that of loyalty, grief, resilience as Daunis makes the painful struggle through healing from profound loss. As one reads this story, it feels fast paced and dramatic, with little time for Daunis to recover from one trauma to the next. The tone is suspenseful and heavy, wrought with tension, and casts a dreariness over what should be a beautiful existence matching her cultural heritage. It speaks of realism and a harshness that is common in poverty-stricken communities.
Author Angeline Boulley brings a lifetime of knowledge for the Ojibwe tribe depicted in this book. The richness with which she writes and her love of her ancestry shines through in the way she honors her tribe as the community represented in the story. This is a book that every teen should read for exposure to Native American culture and for an example of strength in overcoming hardships.
Reader's Annotation
Firekeeper's Daughter is the tale of a half-native young woman clinging to her tribal community as she attempts to aid in an undercover operation while facing the mounting grief of continual loss. Her world is shaken by lies, violence, and the drug trade when she is forced to rely on her wits to stay committed to her purpose and survive.
About the Author
According to her website, Angeline Boulley is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She has participated in Indian education at the tribal, state, and national level, and was the Director for the Office of Indian Education (OIE) at the U.S. Department of Education. She is now a full-time author and the winner of several awards for Firekeeper's Daughter, including the 2022 Printz Award and the 2022 YALSA Morris Award.
Angeline Boulley's Wikipedia page reports that Firekeeper's
Daughter was named one of the top 100 young adult novels of all time by
Time magazine, was a New York Times best seller, and has been adapted
into a miniseries by Higher Ground.
Genre
YA fiction, Crime fiction, YA romance.
Booktalking Ideas
Native ancestry, drug violence, young love, grief, poverty, and familial ties. How do these elements affect a community? Would an indigenous community be more susceptible to these issues?
Reading Level: Grades 10-12
Interest Age: 14-18 years
Challenge Issues: suicide, drug addiction/trafficking, rape, racism.
Why I Chose This Book:
I chose this book for my collection because teens should have access to diverse backgrounds and cultures in literature. While events in the book portray murder/suicide, rape, and drug use, it is important to include these elements for the purpose of telling a story that involves hope and resilience while noting the dangers of drug violence and mental health affected by addiction. Learning of danger through storytelling is as old as fairy tales. Additionally, a story depicting racism and intolerance allows for the narrator to explain the shortsightedness of racial hate and the effects it can have on a community.
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Teen Killers Club, Book 1 by Lily Sparks
Sparks, L. (2020). Teen Killers Club. Crooked Lane Books.
Plot Summary
Signal Deere is the 17-year-old heroine of this novel. She is imprisoned, then invited to a camp for teenage assassins after being convicted of her best friend, Rose’s, brutal murder. The camp is a secret government-sponsored boot camp for training killers to “not get caught” and do the government’s bidding. Signal joins this group of real teen murderers, but she is innocent. She is determined to find Rose’s real killer, but to do so she must survive the camp in order to escape prison and find out more about what happened to her best friend. She bunks with these teen villains, but over the course of their training, Signal finds the human side of each of them, and even finds a love interest among them. Meanwhile, the camp is showing itself to be a Hunger Games type of war field, and each camper must try to escape the dangers that are meant to befall them. This assassin training quickly begins to derail Signal’s escape plan, which is all the more critical because Rose’s real killer is still lurking on the outside…
Critical Evaluation
“In both prison and high school, I’ve been a total loner.” – Signal Deere
There is a term for teen prisoners who have been deemed the most dangerous killers. They are Class A’s, and this novel by Lily Sparks shares a most original storyline that places these Class A prisoners in a sleep-away camp to turn cold-blooded killers into would-be assassins. Signal Deere is the newest prisoner to the group, but that isn’t the only thing that sets her apart. Signal is innocent of the crime she has been convicted of, but in order to be a part of this camp, she must pretend to be a killer. This is not because she wants assassin training. It’s because she sees her participation leading to an escape opportunity. If she can set out on her own to find the person who really committed the crime she’s been convicted of, she can exonerate herself and avenge her best friend’s murder.
This novel is set primarily in a heavily guarded camp that introduces threats and obstacles for the campers to try to outsmart. These threats are deadly, however, so the campers must be willing to go to any lengths to survive the training. The characters of the story are well-developed and believable – not just as troubled teens but as hardened killers as well. Signal has an internal battle of inherently trusting the people she becomes close to and guarding her safety because of what she knows them to be capable of. Because of Signal's values as a human being, her empathy for others shines through, slowly melting the tough exterior of the others, which could cause them to band together against the authority figures of the camp. The story is told from Signal’s point of view, and the reader is able to track her analytical struggles, confusion, and whip-smart inner thoughts.
The theme of Teen Killer’s Club is self-reflection and moral rehabilitation. These teens have been dubbed psychopathic killers, but when looking at them more deeply, and on an individual level, we see a more human side that was otherwise hidden by labels and convictions. This is a dark and thrilling read with elements of romance by way of a love triangle, and is such an original plot it is easy to be surprised by the turn of events throughout the story.
I would include this book in my mini-collection to satisfy readers who have graduated from novels similar to Hunger Games and are still mesmerized by death-defying adventures with a macabre tone.
Reader’s Annotation
Signal Deere has been convicted of her best friend’s murder, but she’s innocent and determined to track down the real killer. When she’s given the opportunity to leave prison for a government training camp for teen assassins, she believes this is a way to break out and avenge Ruth’s murder…until she finds the camp has more sinister motives, and she may die trying to save herself, and the others.
About the Author
According to the book jacket, Lily Sparks grew up hiking, writing, and counseling summer camp in Norwalk, Connecticut. She went to UCLA for an art degree and ended up spending all her time writing. She's developed TV projects for MTV, FX, and Amazon and written for the CW's Reign and Paramount's Heathers.
A brief interview with Shoutout LA reveals that Ms. Sparks feels that she could not have written Teen Killers Club, a story about teen killers training to be assassins while at a sleep-away camp, had she not been a camp counselor herself. She develops characters for he stories by drawing upon her past employment experiences such as hotel front desk agent, product designer, and Trader Joe’s cashier.
Genre
Crime Fiction, YA Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, YA Romance.
Booktalking Ideas
A.) Growing empathy: can empathy be taught?
B.) Is there a possibility for criminal rehabilitation at a young age, any age, or not at all?
Reading Level: Grades 8-12
Interest Age: 13-17 years
Challenge Issues: LGBTQ+, teen violence, bad boy teen romance.
Why I Chose This Book:
I included this book in my mini collection because I feel that teens like fast-paced page-turners, and this novel is not as formulaic as some love stories tend to be. The goal is to keep teens reading, so drama occurring in a book is necessary to hold interest. The violence that occurs is relevant to the storyline and sets the stage for the story to unfold. The presence of homosexual relationships/interest in the book is, statistically, a realistic representation of sexuality within any group of people. Finally, the bad boy love interest is what almost every teen encounters. Having a character like this in a teen novel can inspire readers to imagine the manipulation and negativity that can be avoided in a cautionary tale rather than being drawn to such a dating risk.
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Thomas, A. (2021). Concrete rose. Balzer+Bray.
Plot Summary
Maverick is a typical teenager starting his senior year in high school, making time for friends, a girlfriend, and family. His home life is somewhat unconventional, as his father is incarcerated, his mother is in a secret relationship, and he, himself, is involved in the gang/drug dealing legacy left to him by his father. He manages to live a relatively carefree teenage life, that is until a series of events suddenly occur. He learns he is the father of a baby born to his best friend’s girlfriend, he survives the shooting of his cousin, and he is suddenly the sole parent of his child, abandoned by the mother. Maverick becomes an adult overnight, working to support his son while still attending school. With the serious responsibilities he must assume, his stress leads to decisions that produce more problems, and he must find ways to prioritize fatherhood as a child himself. It seems there is no rest in site, and Maverick must prove to himself that he is capable of a better life.
Critical Evaluation
Thomas writes an all too true scenario for many teens. Her protagonist is almost instantly likeable, and the reader can easily have a soft spot for him. His new predicament is described in a way that lets the reader understand how difficult issues can be compounded when resources are limited. Maverick may be the son of an incarcerated gang legend, but his involvement with the gang is minimal as he deals small time drugs to make ends meet for his mom. Suddenly Maverick must become the adult he thought he would become later in life. He’s a new father, and he’s only seventeen. Amid these changes, he loses his cousin to a gang shooting, and has little time to grieve. Juggling school, a part time job, the loss of his cousin, and the care of an infant, Maverick feels the weight of the world, and with stress comes poor decision-making. He finds that his difficult situation is made to feel more dismal with the result of a few impulsive choices, and his responsibilities intensify. Can he be the man his own father couldn’t be, and take a safer path for his family, or will he stay on the wrong side of the law to make swift gains through gang affiliation?
Set in an urban neighborhood, Concrete Rose signifies the strength and dedication required for owning responsibilities that appear insurmountable. Told in first-person point of view by Maverick, the story brings the reader into the mind of a young man in a bewildered state of mind, determined to be the father his son deserves. The characters of the story all seem to represent a form of support for Maverick, but still show confidence that he will endure on his own. The theme is similar to the adage, “it takes a village..” and this is what Maverick is realizing when it comes to parenthood and daily struggles. While the subject matter is quite serious, the tone implies wonderment and an inquisitive attitude on the part of Maverick as he embarks on this unexpected journey. Author Angie Thomas lets the story accelarate with surprises that instill emotions in the reader alongside Maverick. Tension is unavoidable as events unfold, but there is a tenderness present in each character that connects the reader to Maverick’s well-being. This is a must-read for high school students.
Reader's Annotation
Once a carefree teen looking forward to his senior year, Maverick is suddenly thrust into adulthood with the revelation that he is a father to an infant placed solely in his care. After a series of missteps and impulsive decisions, he realizes that the only choice is to succeed, and sets his focus on accepting guidance for the benefit of his child.
About the Author
Angie Thomas' website shares that she was born and raised in Mississippi, but now calls Atlanta her home. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She can also still rap if needed.
Angie is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Myers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books. Her debut novel, THE HATE U GIVE, started as a senior project in college. It was later acquired by the Balzer+Bray imprint of HarperCollins Publishers in a 13-publisher auction and debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, winning the ALA’s William C. Morris Debut Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (USA), the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize (UK), and the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis(Germany). THE HATE U GIVE was adapted into a critically acclaimed film from Fox 2000, starring Amandla Stenberg and directed by George Tillman, Jr.
Genre
YA fiction, YA romance, urban fiction.
Booktalking Ideas
A.) Is it difficult to understand how Maverick makes the same mistakes over again, or is it forgivable, knowing he is just coming to understand real consequences at his age?
B.) How would life be different for Maverick if even one of the people in his support system were not a part of the story?
Reading Level: Grades 9-12
Interest Age: 14-17 years
Challenge Issues: Teen parenting, sex, gangs, drug dealing, gun violence.
Why I Chose this Book:
I chose this book for this mini-collection because it deals with the hard realities of life and the unavoidable responsibilities that must be met in order to succeed. I also chose this book because I think it highlights the importance of community and the attitude of perseverance that propels an individual forward.
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The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
Thomas, K. (2018). The cheerleaders. Delacorte Press.
Plot Summary
In the town of Sunnybrook, the cheerleaders keep dying. So many, in fact, that the squad disbanded to assuage the pain of missing the deceased. Two girls killed in a car accident, then two more murdered by a next-door neighbor, and finally a suicide. It was Monica’s sister that ended her own life, and five years later, she’s feeling the haunting of the cheerleaders’ memory. Clues start to reveal themselves surrounding the deaths, and Monica begins to wonder what secrets are being kept. She’s found connections that link her stepfather to an old cell phone containing messages that cast doubt on what everyone believes to be true, and Monica’s new friend at school seems to know more than she should. Monica is attempting to heal from her own unrelated, emotional event that occurred as the school year began, but begins her own investigation into what happened, hoping to reveal the truth.
Critical Evaluation
The story opens with Monica, a high school student in the town of Sunnybrook, recovering from an abortion for an unplanned pregnancy resulting from statutory rape. Her mother is cold in her approach to the situation, but efficient, and this could be due to residual grief. Five years prior, Monica’s sister died by suicide, and that was only one of the cheerleader deaths that plagued the town that year. First, two deaths by car accident, and two more by murder. The suspected killer is a neighbor, and the town is still trying to heal. But in the midst of Monica’s personal crisis, she begins noticing clues that cast doubt on the events that led to all of these deaths. Thomas writes with a harried and fast-paced voice that draws the reader into the mystery, and with such a relatable protagonist, it's easy to care about the events in the story. The emotions and intrusive thoughts experiences by Monica help the reader feel more connected to her as a leading character.
Set in a quaint town that would normally feel sheltered from such mysterious happenings, The Cheerleaders appears to be a horror story at first glance of the book cover, but is more of a suspenseful whodunit with a very likeable protagonist. The book also has a Boo Radley-type neighbor and due to Monica’s suspicions, she must enlist the help of friends while trying to outsmart those who are keeping secrets. Told from Monica’s point of view, we gather from her innermost fears and beliefs that she has misgivings about what she uncovers, and it’s clear she almost doesn’t want to know the answers. The theme of the book is grief and loss, but Kara Thomas weaves a sense of resiliency into the story as the town is recovering from the deaths, and Monica herself is recovering from loss in a different sense. It is apparent that life must move forward, but not without a sense of closure for the introduction of new evidence in the case. The tone of the writing is somewhat heavy when touching on the loss of young community members but hurried in terms of solving a dangerous mystery. This is more of a fast-paced crime fiction read but does deal with serious issues that many teens face in their personal lives. This might not be on high school reading lists but could still offer satisfaction for a mystery lover.
Reader’s Annotation
Monica is a high school student dealing with some very heavy issues, and has already experienced personal loss within her family that has yet to be resolved. When clues are exposed that cast doubt on the cause of the cheerleader deaths in her town from five years prior, Monica is tasked with uncovering the truth, which may shake up an already grieving town.
About the Author
Kara Thomas has her own website highlighting that she is the author of The Darkest Corners, Little Monsters, The Cheerleaders, and That Weekend, Barnes and Noble's YA Book Club Pick for July 2021. Thomas’ books have been sold in multiple languages and have been nominated for the International Thriller Writers Award. In 2013, she wrote and developed the pilot The Revengers with Rashida Jones and Will McCormack for The CW. She lives on Long Island with her husband, son, and rescue cat, where she spends way too much time on Reddit Unresolved Mysteries trying to solve cold cases.
Goodreads shares that Thomas is also the author of the Prep School Confidential series from St. Martin's Griffin under the pen name Kara Taylor. She has written for Warner Brothers Television and currently writes full-time.
Genre
YA fiction, Suspense, mystery, crime, thriller.
Booktalking Ideas
Did Monica receive the support she needed for her abortion? For the crime of statutory rape?
Did these issues need to play a bigger role in the story, and did solving the mystery at hand serve as a distraction from Monica’s personal troubles?
Reading Level: Grades 9-12
Interest Age: 14+
Challenge Issues: statutory rape, abortion, violence.
Why I Chose This Book
I chose this book because I think teens are drawn to the darker side of literature at times, and The Cheerleaders is written with respect for its readers’ intelligence. There is not as much gratuitous violence as I had assumed based on the synopsis. In fact, I feel that the main character was shown as intelligent, human, and resilient. I think this is a good book for teens to read for not only entertainment but empowerment as well.
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Coben, H. (2014). Found. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers.
Plot Summary
Found is the third book in the Mickey Bolitar series, the YA spinoff of the Myron Bolitar series. Mickey’s custody is entrusted to his uncle, Myron, after his father was killed in a car accident and his mother was not able to care for him. Found continues the story of Mickey, his three best friends, and their involvement in a secret foundation that saves the lives of missing children. The teens make efforts to recover from the trauma of life-threatening events while they try to solve the mystery of why Mickey’s dad was murdered, and whether he’s still alive after all. While attempting to find answers to this mystery, Mickey is saddled with locating his friend Ema’s online boyfriend who seems to have gone missing, helping a fellow basketball team member with a risky habit, and finding out how it all connects as the shocking conclusion stops everyone in their tracks.
Critical Evaluation
Mickey Bolitar returns in the third book of Harlan Coben’s trilogy for young adults, and after reading this installment, I can see why readers are fans of Mickey. Beginning his sophomore year having been placed on the Varsity basketball team, all would appear normal. But Mickey’s life is anything but. His father has been killed, his mother is hospitalized in a mental institution, one of his friends is paralyzed from a threat on Mickey’s own life, and besides having his small friend group, school is the only normal thing he knows anymore. Mickey is not a two-dimensional high school character. Coben has made him somewhat rejected on the team, being a sophomore, and when the opportunity to fit in presents itself, Mickey decides to do what he thinks would make him a good teammate and helps a fellow player out of a bind. Little does he know, he’s committed a crime in the process, and now that teammate has dirt on him. Meanwhile, his best friend has been carrying on a secret online relationship, but when her online boyfriend goes missing, she enlists Mickey’s help in finding him. Coben describes a teen who easily finds himself in scenarios where people-pleasing becomes a lesson, which is essentially peer pressure for most teenagers.
Set in a nondescript town between New York and New Jersey, Found tells the spinoff story of Myron Bolitar’s nephew (from Coben’s adult fiction series) as he navigates teen detective work for an organization that rescues children while attempting to have a normal high school experience. His best friends are a motley crew of a geek, a popular girl, and a goth who become loyal to one another during their harrowing adventures. Told from Mickey’s point of view, the story is fast-paced and full of mysteries. The theme of the book is loyalty, as Mickey makes choices to help those who rely on him when they need a companion. Coben writes with a pained tone of a teen who suddenly has the weight of the world on his shoulders, doesn’t want to overburden his uncle Myron (who now has guardianship), and feels the guilt of his friends’ injuries that were meant for him. This trilogy is an excellent introduction to YA thrillers and has a Netflix series to match. Coben seems to understand teenage thought processes and social hierarchies as the character interactions feel realistic, even during extraordinary action scenes! Found is a quick read that will keep a YA reader interested.
Reader’s Annotation
Mickey’s start of his sophomore year is bittersweet as he’s placed on the Varsity basketball team, but is still mourning the death of his father, shouldering the guilt of injuries to his friends from a threat on his own life, and hoping his mother will recover from trauma so she can take care of him again. But distractions from these issues occur that lead to questions surrounding his father’s death, and if any of it was a sinister cover-up?
About the Author
Harlan Coben has over 80 million books in print worldwide, and is the #1 New York Times author of thirty- five novels including Win, The Boy from the Woods, Run Away, Fool Me Once, Tell No One and the renowned Myron Bolitar series. His books are published in forty-six languages around the globe.
Coben is the creator and executive producer of several Netflix television dramas including Stay Close, The Stranger, Safe, The Five, The Innocent and The Woods. He is also the creator and executive producer of the Prime Video series Harlan Coben’s Shelter, based on his young adult books featuring Mickey Bolitar. Coben is the winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award – the first author to win all three.
Genre
YA fiction, mystery, thriller, romance.
Booktalking Ideas
What makes a better teammate: one who keeps a friend out of trouble to keep the team on top, or one who let's that friend endure his own battle? Given what Mickey knew at the time, were his actions in the warehouse break-in warranted?
Reading Level: Grades 7-9
Interest Age: 12-15 years
Challenge Issues: Performance enhancing drug use, violence, online dating.
Why I Chose this Book
I chose this book because many of the topics mentioned affect teens in regard to perceived social obligations. Doping, social media, and team dynamics are issues that teens face in high school, and Found works these issues into the plot while providing subtle moral guidance.
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Jackson, H. (2020). A good girl's guide to murder. Random House Children’s Books.
Plot Summary
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder features Pip as the protagonist of the story. She lives in a town that is still haunted, five years later, by the murder of a popular high school student, Andie, and the resulting suicide of her boyfriend, Sal. Pip knew Sal as she was growing up and feels there is more to the story to what he has been accused of. She decides to make this the topic of her senior Capstone investigation project, and soon finds that secrets have been kept about the murder. When she starts revealing things about the case, she becomes a target herself, and isn’t sure how she’s supposed to protect herself. Where are the danger is coming from? Is Sal really guilty, or was he framed? Pip endures threats and violent harassment as she comes closer to the truth, and what she finds is shocking to the grieving town.
Critical Evaluation
Pip is beginning her senior year in the town she grew up in, but for five years her community has been grieving the missing and murdered teen, Andie Bell. Andie’s then boyfriend, Sal, had dies by suicide and was the assumed murderer, but Pip believes there is more to the story. She begins an investigation for a podcast and makes the task her senior project, hoping to uncover what law enforcement missed. But her endeavors are not without strife, as dangers lurk around every corner when she begins to find clues that lift suspicion off Sal. Jackson describes an over-achieving high school student who readers can warm up to for her practical sense of these leftover clues.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is not the average whodunit thriller. Set in a quiet town that has seen hardly any violent crime, the events of the story are all the more disturbing for the community, and Pip serves as the voice of reason for a crime that didn’t get the full investigation it deserved. From her point of view, the story is told through detailed interviews of the town’s inhabitants close to the victim, and the unraveling of Pip’s own safety and security. While this is a fast-paced thriller, the theme has much deeper aspects of teenage life, including shame, anxiety, identity within peer groups, and an unhealthy obsession with the desire to excel. The book has a serious, almost breathless, tone as Pip becomes a victim of crime herself while remaining devoted to the completion of her investigation. Holly Jackson writes for YA readers with respect and understanding for what it means to feel the need to live up to high standards, regardless of the outcome. Including this book in a YA collection is important as it holds the reader’s attention while subtly touching upon social topics that many teens experience. Including a presumed suicide in the book is a nod to mental health and coping with a personal crisis scenario that is a familiar issue for the teen population. Jackson writes an entertaining novel that is relatable to teens as the characters are navigating friendships, future plans, and social stressors while committing to the demands of educational responsibilities and family obligations. While the ending is a dark and frightening twist, the reader feels supported by the author’s stable tone. This book likely became a best seller for this reason.
Reader’s Annotation
As a missing and murdered teen remains a tragedy for a small town, Pip, a high school senior, has never felt right about the investigation’s outcome. For her senior project, she embarks on her own series of interviews as she searches for what might be the truth behind such a heinous crime.
About the Author
Penguin Random House shares that Holly Jackson started writing stories at a young age, completing her first (poor) attempt at a novel when she was fifteen. She graduated from the University of Nottingham, where she studied literary linguistics and creative writing, with a master’s degree in English. She enjoys playing video games and watching true-crime documentaries so she can pretend to be a detective. She lives in London. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is her debut novel.
Jackson has followed up with two sequel novels and one prequel novella: Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020); As Good As Dead (2021); and Kill Joy (2021) respectively. Apart for Good Girl, Bad Blood, all books were published by Electric Monkey. Good Girl, Bad Blood was shortlisted for the YA Book Prize in 2021. In 2022, Jackson released her first standalone novel, Five Survive.
Genre
YA fiction, thriller, crime, suspense, mystery.
Booktalking Ideas
Some people feel that true crime podcasts are informative and encourage safety awareness for listeners, and others feel they are disrespectful to victims’ families. What do you think of true crime podcasts?
Reading Level: Grades 9-12
Interest Age: 14-17 years
Challenge Issues: Violence, murder, suicide, animal cruelty.
Why I Chose This Book
I chose this book for my mini-collection because it is an apt story for current times in true crime reporting and is given rave reviews by teen and adult readers alike. While the content includes topics of murder and suicide, it is approached with respect by the author, and the characters are realistic.
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McManus, K. (2017). One of us is lying. Delacorte Press.
Plot Summary
Meet the students at the prestigious prep school, Bayview High. When five of them gather for detention one day, a sudden and suspicious death occurs, and Simon, the school’s villainous gossip, is now the topic of every conversation. His murder could have been committed by one of the remaining four in detention, as all had motive to kill. Simon was on the verge of posting their secrets online for the entire school to see. These four suspects, however, seem clueless about who could have committed the murder, and a search for answers begins as the possibility of a fifth unknown suspect emerges. In this spicy whodunit, the group of what seem like randomly selected students all race to prove who is responsible while defending their own innocence. The problem is, they can’t prove their innocence without exposing their own secrets, and no one, it seems, will escape unscathed.
Critical Evaluation
Bayview High’s detention room slowly fills with five of its students, a Breakfast Club-like scene with the different types of people in the room. McManus makes clear the dynamics of the group within the first few pages, and the intrigue begins here. Simon is the school’s gossip, a purveyor of secrets, and operates a blog that shares these secrets with the rest of the school. But no one, it seems, knows that these are the last few moments of Simon’s life, as he falls to the ground, the victim of an apparent poisoning. The scandal intensifies as the remaining four students -Addy, Cooper, Bronwyn, and Nate - become suspects in his death; each of them have a secret that Simon would have exposed, and therefore, a motive. But these four students claim they have no reason to be in detention. A set-up seems the most practical defense, but by whom? Law enforcement is investigating, but Bronwyn’s sister Maeve begins her own sleuthing for the truth. Who had the most to lose, and who had the opportunity to commit the crime? McManus spins a fast-paced, modern drama of deceit, mystery, and accusatory language. Readers can decide their favorite characters since the novel reads like a soap opera, and the stormy romantic relationships give the story a bite for readers who like couples' drama.
Set in the suburbs of southern California, this first book of the One of Us is Lying trilogy draws readers in with the hot gossip of Bayview High, and Simon’s blog, About That, is the main source. His death is a shock, but his murder is rife with suspects. Each of the four remaining students in detention tell their story from first person point of view, and texts between them all give a bird’s eye view of the story as well. The theme of the book is secrets and reputations marred by gossip, and the presumption of guilt over a cover-up. The tone is that of a teen drama with characters immersed in solving a mystery. Suspicion and intrigue are at every corner, and no one can really be trusted. The use of text messaging throughout the book gives a realistic edge to the story, since this is the mode of communication used so widely by teens. The gossip is familiar to anyone who has spent time in high school hallways and text chains. McManus writes a masterful suspense series with a twist that leaves readers satisfied with the surprising ending, and glad they got their hands on all three books!
Reader’s Annotation
At this prep school in southern California, gossip breeds throughout the hallways, and not without the help of Simon Kelleher's blog. When he dies mysteriously during an unsupervised detention session, the remaining students become suspects when it is revealed Simon had queued their secrets to be posted on his blog.
About the Author
According to her website, Karen M. McManus is a #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult thrillers. Her work includes the One of Us Is Lying series, which was turned into a television show on Peacock and Netflix, as well as the standalone novels Two Can Keep a Secret, The Cousins, You’ll Be the Death of Me, and Nothing More to Tell. Karen's critically acclaimed, award-winning books have been translated into forty-two languages and have sold more than seven million copies worldwide.
Penguin Random House Australia interviewed McManus and reports that she earned a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Journalism, and was inspired to write for young adult fiction after reading The Hunger Games.
Genre
YA fiction, thriller, mystery, suspense.
Booktalking Ideas
Is social media hurting teens?
Is it worth having as a way to connect when it can also be weaponized as a way to ruin reputations?
Reading Level: Grades 9-12
Interest Age: 14+ years
Challenge Issues: Social media, murder.
Why I Chose this Book
I chose this book for my mini-collection because McManus was able to get a lot of teens reading again. Her series speaks to middle school and high school students because of the collective fear of secrets exposed, social media use, and online bullying. This series gives readers a sense of control as the characters own their reputations, their secrets, and their power in solving an intricate mystery together.
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Sepetys, R. (2022). I must betray you. Philomel Books.
Plot Summary
Set in communist Romania, 1989, this historical fiction novel tells the story of Cristian Florescu, a 17-year-old blackmailed informant for government surveillance. Cristian does so in exchange for medicine for his grandfather, but over time begins to feel the guilt of conspiring with the dictatorship that his grandfather despises and for secretly informing on an unsuspecting family. This is a family of Americans, and since they employ his mother as a housekeeper, Cristian has access to their home and personal conversations. He begins to see that the Americans’ dealings are harmless and starts questioning his role. However, if Cristian divulges the agreement he has made with the government, it could mean death or imprisonment for himself. His battle within is heightened when he sees communism coming to an end in neighboring countries. Which is the lesser of two evils: risk the lives of others, or risk his own by exposing the regime for what it is?
Critical Evaluation
The year 1989 marked a time of political unrest for Romania under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceauşescu, and for Cristian Florescu, this unrest became the turning point in his teenage life. Sepetys describes the impossible choice of a teen being blackmailed to take care of his family, and readers can only imagine this predicament. The heavy feeling of possibly trading one or more lives to save himself and his loved ones is such a frightening possibility for readers made all the more daunting by the fact that this actually occurred in history. But what can Cristian do but fulfill his obligations to the regime? His own life is at risk if he abandons his mission, but others could suffer if he continues spying. Ultimately Cristian orchestrates a plan that he hopes will inform the American government of what Romanian life has become. His actions have brutal consequences, but with his life spared, he is convinced later in life to publicly share his experiences in hopes of mitigating his lingering guilt. Sepetys brings to life the deep struggles of oppression, and readers can see there is no simple solution.
This novel is romantic at times, tragic throughout, and redemptive overall. The transformation that occurs for Cristian’s beliefs illustrates the methodical oppression administered by the Romanian government at the time. The tension shifts as Cristian keeps secrets for the people he is supposed to be informing on and instead makes it a priority to try to expose the regime. The theme of the novel is betrayal and chosen consequences. The lack of trust amongst an entire population of people under Ceauşescu’s rule is the product of a tyrannical dictatorship, and Sepetys writes with the knowledge of a researcher who studied not only government facts but Romanian emotion as well. The anxious tone of the book has a confidential element that brings the reader in as a complicit participant in Cristian’s dilemma. The story reflects the notion that in some instances, there is no perfect solution, and an individual must decide what outcome is the most honorable. As a historical fiction piece, this novel is moving, infuriating, informative, and thought provoking. To be able to read about a historical event and feel compassion for people who lived through the experience is how history should be taught. This is an unforgettable story because of the research woven into a compelling storyline – a must-read for high school students!
Reader's Annotation
Blackmailed into becoming a secret informant for the Romanian government, Cristian Florescu must provide intel on an American family who he becomes fond of over a short time. He struggles between preserving his own safety by remaining loyal to the regime and aiding in the dismantling of the Communist dictatorship at the risk of losing everything and everyone he holds dear.
About the Author
Sepetys was bestowed the Cross of the Knight of the Order by the President of Lithuania for her contributions to education and memory preservation and was recently honored with a postage stamp containing her image. She is extremely proud to be of Baltic heritage, even if that means she has a name no one can pronounce. She lives with her family in the hills of Tennessee.
Genre
YA historical fiction, mystery, thriller.
Booktalking Ideas
Nationalism, government corruption, blackmail, loyalty to government vs family.
Reading Level: Grades 7-9
Interest Age: 12-17 years
Challenge Issues: Politics, lies, anti-government sentiment.
Why I Chose this Book
This book belongs in every library and on any required reading list for teens. Historical fiction aids in both informing readers about an event while solidifying the facts with the significance of the outcome. Characters represent a connection to those who lived through such events and adds weight to the effects of the experience. This story tells of life in Communist Romania, allowing readers to grasp the research in a meaningful and memorable way.
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Patterson, J. & Raymond, E. (2022). The girl in the castle. Grand Central Publishing.
Plot Summary
In present day New York City, Hannah is a bright, young woman with high intelligence and wit. She is also a psych ward patient, committed for hallucinations and delusions and often sedated for her frantic episodes. Jordan is a psych student interning at the hospital, and after spending some time observing Hannah, begins to question whether Hannah is truly suffering from mental illness. She reports of visiting her “other life” as a peasant in the year 1347, starving and trying to save more of her family members from dying. She has committed the crime of theft by trying to steal food from the castle, and she and her sister are sentenced to hang along with her love and a group of friends. If she stays trapped in the present, she is safe, but will feel the guilt of letting her family die. If she travels back in time, she may not escape her fate.
Critical Evaluation
Hannah is living between two worlds – and no one believes her. In present day Manhattan, she is an eighteen-year-old unhoused woman committed to a psych hospital, experiencing hallucinations that take her back to her other world: medieval England, 1347. In this time period, she is a starving peasant, watching her siblings die of malnutrition and disease, and aims to do something about it. Under their war cry, “Fed or dead,” she and a group of young townspeople sneak into the castle to steal food to save their families, and if caught, the sentence is hanging. In a violent struggle, Hannah’s group is caught, and she is forced to witness the death of her sister and her betrothed. But her outspoken nature is noticed by the baron, and he spares her life for his amusement. There is an important message in this novel, and the authors express this subtly. Because meanwhile, as Hannah travels between present day and the past, an intern at the hospital takes notice of her. Unlike the rest of the staff, he stops asking what’s wrong with her, and instead starts asking what happened to her. This uncovers the true nature of Hannah’s mental confusion, and the reality is no better than her hallucinations. For readers to understand the gravity of being misunderstood, this book illustrates the need for empathy in circumstances outside of a person's control.
Patterson and Raymond spin a gripping tale of survival, a mental health crisis, romance, and torment. The characters between the two worlds begin to resemble one another the closer Hannah is moved toward the source of her hallucinations. Told from both her point of view and Jordan, the hospital intern, the story reveals much about the significance of empathy and understanding for those suffering from mental illness. The theme of the story is identity, trauma, and human connection. This is displayed in both of Hannah’s worlds as she must take on the role of hero and savior while grieving her losses and opening up to those she begins to trust. The romantic element makes this book a good choice for any reader as it is not overplayed above the other plot points, but still adds to the intrigue. The tone of the book has a desperate, frantic speed at times, and contemplative at others. The character development is layered heavily by the discovery of very tragic events that overshadow the illusions that Hannah allows. This makes for worthwhile suspense and mystery!
Reader's Annotation
A
psych patient, a medical intern, and a mystery of how one young woman
lives in two worlds. Hannah’s consciousness travels between a present-day psych hospital stay and her starving family in medieval times, but
Jordan knows from his studies that there is a reason Hannah escapes in
her mind to the family she must save, and he’ll go to any length to free
her from being trapped in between.
About the Authors
Emily Raymond is reputed American novelist of romance, young adult,
fiction, and fantasy stories. She has written several mind-blowing books
in her writing career, including Hello Goodbye, First Love, Expelled, etc.
Raymond has written most of her books in collaboration with writers like
James Patterson, Brian Slits, Shan Serafin, and Maxine Paetro. Her young adult books have been written as a
ghostwriter by her. One of Raymond’s books has featured on the number
one spot of the New York Times bestsellers’ list.
In her may collaborations with James Patterson, Raymond is the one who does most of the writing part, while Patterson helps with the plot outline and word-building as he is the senior-most among the two. Raymond is popular for coming up with exciting scenes, excellent lines, great characters, and good stories. She hopes to continue doing the good work in all her future novels. As of today, Raymond resides in Portland, Oregon with her family. She continues to write even today and is currently busy with the development of her latest novel.
Genre
YA historical fiction, mystery, thriller.
Booktalking Ideas
Was it an act of goodwill, or a violation of medical ethics, for Jordan to dig for information on Hannah and ignore HIPAA restrictions? Would Hannah have had the same outcome without the exposure of her past?
Reading Level: Grades 9+
Interest Age: 14+ years
Challenge Issues: Mental illness, suicidal ideations.
Why I Chose this Book
I chose this book for my mini-collection because it is an empathetic introduction to mental health issues and depicts psych patients as human and relatable. It is also a moral dilemma for Jordan, the intern, as he has to choose between medical privacy ethics and the ineffective prescribed treatment for Hannah. This is a interesting topic for young adults as they begin to face making choices on their own.
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Barnes, J.L. (2020). The inheritance games. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Plot Summary
Avery and her sister Libby are barely living paycheck to paycheck.
Libby is Avery’s guardian as her mother passed away and Avery must
continue through high school with a part time job and a beat-up car that
she must sleep in at times to get away from Libby’s abusive live-in
boyfriend. She spends her free time playing chess in the park with an
unhoused man that must let Avery buy him a meal if he loses a game. And
then one day, Avery learns she has inherited billions from a stranger,
and is now the sole heiress to this man’s fortune. The puzzle is that
the man had several next of kin family members, and they each inherited
only a small sum in comparison to Avery. The mystery to solve is why
Avery? How was she chosen? And what was the purpose? Thus begins The Inheritance Games.
Critical Evaluation
Barnes weaves a tale of mistrust and greed amongst privileged surviving family members of an esteemed billionaire, Tobias Hawthorne. Avery is a junior in high school, unknown to any Hawthorne, and has just learned that she is the single heiress to the Hawthorne fortune, estate, foundation, and all assets owned by Tobias. Hawthorne has set requirements that she must adhere to if she is to receive her inheritance. Everyone around her has reason and opportunity to cause her harm, including those she trusts most. To learn why Avery, a perfect stranger to the Hawthorne brothers, inherited their birthright, she and the grandsons have been left clues as to how she is connected to them all, and why Tobias disinherited his entire family. Barnes allows readers to form their own theories as to why decisions were made.
The Inheritance Games is a series that continues with family secrets, death defying adventures, and more mysteries to be solved. Set in New Castle, Connecticut, the story is told from Avery’s first-person point of view as she grapples with the surprise of a lifetime, and the curse she never would have expected. The characters of the book are a bit two-dimensional as they all seem to have set perimeters of their personalities, but the theme of the book is interesting. Family loyalty, secrets, and romance are heavy throughout the story, as well as questions of how to honor the wishes of those that pass away. The tone is rather cynical due to the threats that surround Avery, the wealth lost by the family, and broken romantic relationships. I feel that this book would not hold the interest of a lot of teens because the story seems to move slowly with a lot of repeated dialogue, but I can understand that the premise is new and different for a YA mystery. The first book did not entice me to read further in the series because I didn’t feel personally connected to any of the characters, but readers who like the drama of romance and deceit may enjoy this story.
Reader's Annotation
Avery has never known wealth, is grieving the death of her mother, and relies on her sister, Libby, for guardianship. When she suddenly inherits the fortune of a billionaire, she is thrown into a world unknown, becomes a target for murder, and is tasked with solving the mystery of why she is the chosen heiress instead the billionaire’s blood relatives.
About the Author
Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed young adult novels. She has advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science, including graduate degrees from Cambridge University, where she was a Fulbright Scholar, and Yale University, where she received her Ph.D. in 2012. Jen wrote her first published novel when she was nineteen-years-old and sold her first five books while still in college.
In additional to writing YA novels, Jen has also written original pilot scripts for television networks like USA and MTV, and she is one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of fandom and the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination more broadly. Jen is an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma, where she holds a dual appointment in Psychology and Professional Writing.
Genre
YA fiction, mystery, romance.
Booktalking Ideas
Would all the money in the world be worth the loss of trust for loved ones, your safety, and protection from the public eye?
Reading Level: Grades 7+
Interest Age: Ages 12+
Challenge Issues: LGBTQ+, attempted murder.
Why I Chose this Book
I chose this book because teens gravitate towards books that are part of a series, and this particular storyline seemed intriguing. It was not as fast-paced as what I normally prefer, but for fans of moody, young romance and combined efforts in solving a mystery, this would be a good pick!
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Noni, L. (2021). The prison healer. Clarion Books.
Plot Summary
At the death prison, Zalindov, prisoners are not meant to survive more than a few years. Torture, violence, disease, and starvation are what the prison initiates as punishment, and a sentence to Zalindov is indefinite, even for children. 17-year-old Kiva Meridan was captured ten years prior and has somehow outlasted the common sentence. Her father was a prisoner as well as the Prison Healer, and upon his death, Kiva is assigned the position, having been taught ways of healing by her father. One day, the Rebel Queen, Tilda Corentine, is captured and sent to Zalindov to await her four Trials by Ordeal, which are designed to kill. But Tilda is sick with an unknown illness, and demands are made for Kiva to heal her in time for the trials. What she learns in the process is shocking and leads to events that await the reader in the sequel to follow.
Critical Evaluation
Kiva Meridan is a 17-year-old prisoner in the death prison, Zalindov, but by virtue of her own wits, she has survived an astonishing ten years inside the prison walls whereas most prisoners don’t live past a few years. Noni writes of conditions that are bleak and abusive, and while Kiva is a valuable asset as the Prison Healer, she is not exempt from the harsh treatment. As she faces assault, depression, and grief of losing her father who was her predecessor as Prison Healer, Kiva keeps a single goal in mind: the simply survive. To stay mentally strong, she forges no relationships and keeps everyone at bay. She cannot become attached as death comes for everyone in this prison. Here, Noni does an excellent job of creating a realistic response to trauma.
One day, the leader of the rebellion is captured and brought to Zalindov, where she will await the Trials by Ordeal – the nearly impossible challenges are designed to kill but believed to be a way to prove innocence if completed successfully. This leader is Tilda Corentine, the Rebel Queen, and she has arrived so ill that Kiva is tasked with finding a remedy that will allow Tilda to withstand the trials. To further complicate matters, a devastating plague is sweeping through the prison, and greater loss overwhelms her as she cannot save every infected prisoner. New developments make Kiva question everything she knows and how she chooses to focus her energy. She strikes a deal with the prison warden- if she takes the Rebel Queen’s place in the trials and succeeds, both she and the queen will walk free. After the first book of this trilogy, the story is just getting started…
The Prison Healer is a dystopian suspense told from Kiva’s point of view. The relationships she tries to avoid persist as she cannot ignore the need for her healing talents, and the satisfaction of feeling needed fuels her motivation to survive. The theme of the novel is survival and prevailing in the face of royal oppression. The tone is dark and carries an impending doom, until the magic of what is possible is discovered, and Kiva begins to see what she always believed at heart – that she may have a life to live outside the prison walls. Lynette Noni writes a page-turning saga of romance, fantasy, and hope in the most dismal of settings. This is a trilogy I would recommend to all readers of YA fiction.
Reader's Annotation
Kiva Meridan is imprisoned in the death camp, Zalindov, and serves as the prison healer. When she is told to save the life a new inmate so a trial can commence, she upholds her obligation but learns of new familial bonds and a possible way to be freed.
About the Author
Noni describes her inspiration for the Prison Healer series in a publisher’s interview:
“In early 2019 I was travelling overseas and I met a young woman who had grown up in a war-torn impoverished country. When she was a teenager, her father had been seen shaking hands with a member of an opposing religious faction, and because of that, her entire family had been sent to prison—for five years.
The injustice of her tale remained with me long after our brief meeting, as did her survival mentality during the most horrific years of her life. She inspired me, reminding me of how little I know of the world outside of my own safe, comfortable bubble.
A few months later, I visited Fremantle Prison in Western Australia, which is now a heritage site and open for tours. This prison has an entire underground tunneling network where the inmates were forced to labor for hours on end, digging the passageways in order to supply water for the nearest township. I walked through those tunnels and, in some cases, paddled a canoe through the ones that are still partially submerged. It was an unforgettable experience, enough that when I left, a story began to take root in my mind: a story of injustice, of facing the odds time and time again and doing whatever was required to survive—at any cost.
And so, The Prison Healer was born.”
Genre
Fantasy, YA fiction, suspense, romance.
Booktalking Ideas
What thoughts or beliefs do you rely on to stay positive in difficult times?
Is it easy to understand why Kiva pushed others away in her time at the prison?
Reading Level: Grades 7-9
Interest Age: Ages 12+
Challenge Issues: Self harm, sexual assault, addiction, gore, torture.
Why I Chose this Book:
I chose this book for my mini-collection because fantasy novels are an escape from the pressures associated with daily life. This trilogy is masterfully written for both teens and adults, in my opinion, and serves as a captivating survival story that takes place in what feels like a faraway land but with a very realistic cast of characters. For readers who appreciated The Hunger Games, this is a perfect, more complex story of persistence through tribulation.
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Rektok, R. (2021). Ski weekend. SparkPress.
Plot Summary
For Sam, a ski weekend with a group of people she isn’t completely fond of is a disaster in and of itself. But she’s agreed to chaperone her younger brother, Stuart, so she joins the group on the trip. Along the way, they find that roads are closing due to a blizzard, but they know of backroads that remain open. As they take the treacherous route along the mountain, their SUV crashes, leaving them stranded with no food supply and death a very real possibility for them all. In the time they are stuck in the snow, danger awaits as they venture out to look for help but have to return to the vehicle after Stuart becomes seriously injured. His injury turns into infection, and it’s not just his life in danger. The teens are forced to strategize their survival and work together toward a rescue, but a fortunate outcome does not seem likely.
Critical Evaluation
Much to Sam’s chagrin, she and her brother Stuart are joining a group of fellow high school students on a ski weekend in the northern Sierra mountains, and it’s a group Sam wouldn’t normally socialize with. But her brother, who has scoliosis, is only allowed to go if Sam can keep an eye on him, so she agrees to accompany him and his best friend Gavin, his girlfriend, Lily, and two others from her school, Hunter and Britney. As they ascend the mountain, they come upon road closures in preparation for a snowstorm, but they know of open backroads, which carry them into even more dangerous conditions that lead to a car crash on the side of the mountain. Stranded, hungry and trying to keep themselves and Gavin’s dog alive, the group decides to brave the cold and try to find help on foot. But a serious injury threatens Stuart’s safety even further, and they are forced to return to the vehicle. Here, they spend days brainstorming ways to seek help while the little food they have dwindles to nothing and Stuart comes down with a fever. Ross describes in her storytelling how a group must start a bond in order to work together, how Sam finds she is surprised that Britney and Hunter are not the two-dimensional stereotypes she believed them to be.
To be in close quarters with others who are trying to live through a dire situation is nerve racking enough, but the isolation in the snow with no resources to satisfy hunger or injury is what spells doom. The elements are the enemy, which they cannot outwit, but Sam remains practical and hopeful. She knows not everyone will be alive by the end, but she vows to stay positive in order to raise morale. The plot intensifies when more devastating events occur. If they are to make it to safety and survive, they will be changed forever.
Ross adds light-hearted banter during a very panicked situation, which bothers some readers, but I find it helps reveal the dynamics between members of the group. The story is told from Sam’s point of view, who harbors some judgements in the beginning, but quickly sees she is among peers who are more alike than different. The theme of the book is having faith and open-minded collaboration for achieving a goal, and the tone is both tender and distressing, but reflects revelation and acknowledgement for who people can turn out to be.
Reader's Annotation
Six teenagers take
a trip in the northern Sierras for a ski weekend but find the roads are closing
due to a snowstorm. When they take a backroad to continue their trip, they
crash their SUV and become stranded with no cell service or food, leading to likely
death within their group.
About the Author
Rektok Ross is the pen name of Liani Kotcher, a trial attorney turned award-winning and bestselling author, screenwriter, and producer. An avid reader since childhood, Liani writes exactly the kind of books she loves to escape into herself: exciting thrillers with strong female leads, swoonworthy love interests, and life-changing moments. She graduated from the University of Florida School of Journalism and obtained her juris doctorate at the University of Miami School of Law. Originally from South Florida, she currently splits her time between San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas with her husband, step kids, and her dogs. She is the recipient of several awards, including the American Fiction Awards, IAN Book of the Year Awards, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, the Chanticleer Dante Rossetti Book Awards, and Women Writing the West.
Her debut young adult thriller "Ski Weekend" was a Barnes
& Noble and Amazon National Bestseller, named a “best book of the
year" by Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, Parade, BookRiot, Yahoo!
Life, Brit + Co., BookTrib, and J-14, and is currently in development
for a major motion picture.
Genre
YA fiction, thriller, suspense.
Booktalking Ideas
Survival skills, risk taking, and moral choices, and group dynamics in a life threatening situation.
Reading Level: Grades 8-12
Interest Age: 14-18 years
Challenge Issues: Death, stereotypes, driving risks.
Why I Chose this Book:
I feel this book is a good choice for my mini-collection because the story shows the importance of friendships during teen years. The bonds that are made during the ordeal are reflections of how teens view social ties as a priority, even in stories containing life threatening scenarios. It also serves as a cautionary tale and as a survival story, which are the kind of novels many teens are drawn to for an escape.
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Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Brown, J. (2009). Hate list. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Plot Summary
Valerie is living a normal life as a high school student with her boyfriend, Nick, and a group of friends. Her parents may fight a lot, and she’s given the nickname “Sister Death” for her goth appearance, but overall, feels comfortable in her skin. To deal with her frustrations she starts a list of things she hates, and not just her parents fighting and algebra, but certain people at school as well. Nick becomes fascinated with the list. His moods become darker, his conversations grow sinister. One day, Nick pulls out a gun and targets the people whose names appear on the Hate List, shooting anyone who falls in his path before turning the gun on himself in a shocking school shooting that Val never anticipated, but for which she will be implicated. The novel explores the aftermath of the many casualties and injuries inflicted, and Val’s reintroduction to the community as the person most closely associated with the shooter.
Critical Evaluation
This book was published in 2009, and sadly, school shootings have only been on the rise since. Protocols have been put into place that unfortunately date this novel due to newer developments in school shooting response. However, I don’t believe this book was a commentary on ways to avoid or respond to school shootings, but more of an account of who is left with the blame and guilt after such an atrocity occurs. Val is not only recovering from a bullet wound herself, but having to heal emotionally from the trauma, the shock, and the grief of losing the person closest to her while also experiencing immense guilt for not knowing how to recognize the signs.
Told from her point of view, Val exhibits classic grieving behavior and a new fear of attachment. The dynamics between she and her mother, her therapist, and guidance counselor are symbolic of the types of responses she receives from the outside world – anger or bewilderment, intrigue, and sympathy. The majority of the story takes place in either her school or home, which indicates the shrinking of her world after the shooting. Brown exhibits knowledge of trauma-based interpersonal relationships as shown by the interactions Val experiences with various characters who were affected by the event, and the shame she feels for missing her boyfriend, the shooter. I think this story is a bit slow and drawn out but does well to explain the confusion of someone who bears the weight of loving someone with a mental illness. Val was so focused on her infatuation and comfort with Nick that she was blind to the oddities of the violent words he chose, and therefore left grappling with the fact that he acted upon them. She is also feeling lonely and robbed of the ease she found in their relationship, which she cannot openly express for fear of reprisal.
The themes of the book are anger, retaliation, grudges, death, and misunderstood behavior. While expressing frustration on paper can be healthy, combining these frustrations with another person’s vitriol is not, and can lead to dangerous outcomes. The tone of the book is somber and introspective as Val is suffering loss while also offered continuous support from professionals, surprising alignment with some of the survivors, and acceptance of what she deserves, which is to feel absolved of wrongdoing. This story is an advisory for the harm that can come from words, and the lasting effects of bullying, but also one of strength and resiliency.
Reader's Annotation
Valerie and Nick are high school sweethearts, but considered to be outcasts, and struggle with bullying. When Nick commits a murderous school shooting, Val is left to pick up the pieces, and allay suspicions that she was involved.
About the Author
Jennifer also writes middle grade novels — her debut novel, Life on Mars, was the winner of the 2017 William Allen White Children’s Book Award. She also writes women’s fiction under the name Jennifer Scott. Jennifer writes and lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area.
Genre
YA literature, crime fiction.
Booktalking Ideas
School shooting fears and signs of danger, mental health issues, and anti-bullying strategies. What might deter violent acts in school?
Reading Level: Grades 10+
Intereste Age: Age 15+
Challenge Issues: Suicide, school shooting, self-harm.
Why I Chose this Book:
I chose this book because it deals with a very taboo subject that teens should be able to discuss. It is also an empathetic look at what can happen to those who are guilty by association, and how an entire community can be shattered by a school shooting. I believe this book also serves as a cautionary tale. For teens to read it would mean a heightened sense of awareness.
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