- Mindwalker by A.J. Steiger
Light: GREEN
Recommendation: Recommended
2. Make It Messy by Marcus Samuelsson
A YA adaptation of Marcus Samuelsson’s memoir, Yes, Chef: A Memoir, Messy tells the story of Samuelsson’s life from his birth in Ethiopia to his adoption by a Swedish couple to his early adventures as a chef-in-training to his first big triumph: taking over as head chef for Aquavit restaurant in New York City. It is not entirely clear why a YA version of Samuelsson’s memoir was necessary, but it is a very quick, fascinating read. It’s almost too quick: it addresses, but glosses over, Samuelsson becoming a father at the age of 19 to a girl he barely knew and does not really address Samuelsson’s meeting with his Ethiopian family (which is evidently gone into in depth in Yes, Chef). This particular title seems aimed at encouraging adolescents to work hard in pursuit of their dreams. It would be a good choice for schools with high English language learner populations as well as budding chefs. It should also work well at the middle school level.
Light: GREEN
Recommendation: Recommended.
3. First There Was Forever by Juliana Romano
Lima and Hailey have been best friends since they were children, but have been drifting apart since the beginning of their sophomore year of high school. Their relationship is thrown into even more turmoil when Lima begins a secret relationship with Nate, the boy Hailey has had a powerful, unrequited crush on for several years. The novel succeeds in dissecting the ways in which intense, all-consuming female friendships often implode under their own weight, particularly when young men are involved. Unfortunately, too much is made of Lima’s beauty and “perfect” family and Hailey smacks too much of the damaged, self-destructive “manic pixie dream girl” type. A character describes Lima as “having no personality” and this too often feels like it’s true. That said, it’s a decent, fast beach read, particularly for fans of relationship-based “chick lit.”
Light: GREEN
Recommendation: Recommended
4. Even When You Lie to Me by Jessica Alcott
Charlie is a smart, ambitious girl who admits that she is not a “pretty girl” and has little experience with boys. When a good-looking, charismatic teacher named Mr. Drummond turns out to be her senior English teacher, Charlie’s burgeoning sexuality and Mr. Drummond’s lax moral boundaries leads down dangerous territory until a line is eventually crossed. Never a victim, Charlie understands the complexity of her own feelings toward Mr. Drummond (and his for her), and even though she knows she should probably stay away, she can’t bring herself to do it. Even when she sees Mr. Drummond clearly for the person he is--an imperfect, emotional man with serious boundary issues--the urgency of her own desire and search for validation from an adult figure makes staying away impossible. The book excels in capturing the messiness of human frailty. Mr. Drummond is not the charismatic all-knowing adult he seems to be, but a man who uses teaching as a platform for seeking his own kind of validation. The material is handled deftly, and Charlie is a mostly likable, believable character. The subject matter is unfortunately very timely. Not nearly as explosive as the similarly-themed Boy Toy by Barry Lyga, this a well-done book on a tricky topic. With careful discussion, could be a good choice for a student book club.
Light: GREEN
Recommendation: Recommended.
5. Backlash by Sarah Darer Littman
The novels starts out with Lara’s suicide attempt after an online relationship with a boy named Christian turns into an exercise in humiliation. Lara’s suicide attempt and its fallout for her family, friends, and larger social circles forms the core of the book. The tension in the book is not what Lara has done, but why, and who is to blame for what has happened to her, revealing the uglier side of human nature and the careless cruelty that some teens engage in without stopping to consider the consequences not only to others, but to themselves. Bullying and suicide are extremely topical themes and these are well-handled by the author, who makes a solid attempt to get into the mind of someone who bullies and the kinds of family dynamics that go into shaping both bullies and their victims. Well-written and thought-provoking, this would be a good book for launching discussions of bullying, the (mis)use of social media, body image, suicidal ideation, and dysfunctional family dynamics.
Light: GREEN
Recommendation: Recommended.
6. Manic Pixie Dream Girl by Tom Leveen
Tyler Darcy has had an unrequited crush on Becky since his freshman year of high school, despite his relationship with his girlfriend, Sydney. Told from Tyler’s point-of-view, this novel provides insights into the mind of a certain kind of teenage boy. Unfortunately, that insight doesn’t make Tyler--mercurial, disloyal, and self-absorbed--particularly compelling. Also unfortunate: Becky, the “manic pixie dream girl” of the title...isn’t. She’s an enigma, a focus for Tyler’s fantasies. She’s given a bit of a “bad girl” vibe (she’s a bit of a slut!), but otherwise, not much information is given about her, even when Tyler finally gets to know her. In fact, girls are given rather short shrift in the book. The reader rarely hears Becky’s voice and aside from her looks, what makes her so charming to Tyler isn’t particularly clear. Also ignored is Sydney, an attractive, smart, caring, understanding, can-do girl who is treated poorly by Tyler. In fact, the reader is never really clear why Sydney has much interest in himand may root for Sydney to dump the whiny, self-involved guy. In fact, the book would have probably been far more interesting if told from Sydney’s point of view. This book can only be recommended for the fact that it is a quick read and might help some girls (and some guys) understand why some teenage boys act the way they do.
Light: YELLOW
Recommendation: Tentatively recommended.
7. Drowning Is Inevitable by Shalanda Stanley.
Living in the Louisiana backwoods, Olivia is a small-town girl haunted by the suicide of her teenaged mother three days after Olivia’s birth. When Olivia’s best friend Jamie lashes out against an abusive alcoholic father with disastrous consequences, Olivia’s first thought is to grab her tight-knit circle of friends--Jamie, boyfriend Max, Jamie’s nascent girlfriend, Maggie--and run to New Orleans. The novel wants to be Southern gothic and succeeds in creating for the reader a sense of the protectiveness of a small town where everyone knows you and your history and also how it stifles you by not letting you escape that history. The book strains a little too hard to build that Louisiana Gothic flavor. Olivia’s oddly intense, yet non-sexual relationship with her male best friend Jamie, not to mention her relationship with Max, the intense, brooding boyfriend whose appeal for Olivia is never really explained sometimes strains credulity. The ending begins to feel a bit tedious after too many bad choices are made and the proverbial noose begins to tighten around the characters’ necks. That said, readers will appreciate the interesting dynamic between the four teens and Olivia’s unrelenting sense of loyalty. It’s also nice to see a book with teenaged female friends that does not end in the far-too-common cattiness and betrayal.
Light: GREEN
Recommendation: Recommended.