Weekly Reads: A Heart in a Body in the World

I had thought that A Heart in a Body in the World was on the long list for my SD Teen Choice book list for the upcoming school year. It's about a runner, so of course I opted to read it. Midway through the book, I went to jot down some notes, and I couldn't find it on the list. So I must have gotten it confused for another book. Regardless, this one received a Printz Honor this past February and from page 3 I was hooked.

The story is revealed slowly. You, as the reader, know that Annabelle is running because of *some big catastrophic event* but you don't know what. As she makes her way across the country, we get flashbacks to her life before, and things are revealed. I had a hard time "devouring" this book, as I typically do, because I didn't want to read the big scary event. But it was so well written and amazing, and everyone should read it. Seriously.

My rating: 5 stars

Summary from goodreads:

When everything has been taken from you, what else is there to do but run?

So that’s what Annabelle does—she runs from Seattle to Washington, DC, through mountain passes and suburban landscapes, from long lonely roads to college towns. She’s not ready to think about the why yet, just the how—muscles burning, heart pumping, feet pounding the earth. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t outrun the tragedy from the past year, or the person—The Taker—that haunts her.

Followed by Grandpa Ed in his RV and backed by her brother and two friends (her self-appointed publicity team), Annabelle becomes a reluctant activist as people connect her journey to the trauma from her past. Her cross-country run gains media attention and she is cheered on as she crosses state borders, and is even thrown a block party and given gifts. The support would be nice, if Annabelle could escape the guilt and the shame from what happened back home. They say it isn’t her fault, but she can’t feel the truth of that.

Through welcome and unwelcome distractions, she just keeps running, to the destination that awaits her. There, she’ll finally face what lies behind her—the miles and love and loss…and what is to come.

Weekly Reads: Foolish Hearts

I kept hearing wonderful things about Foolish Hearts but every time I'd read the premise, I'd think... nah... not for me. See even though I'm a librarian, I'm not a big Shakespeare fan. GASP, the horror! Right? But I picked it up anyway, and the story is the sweetest thing in the world, and I didn't want to put it down.

My rating: 5 stars

Summary from goodreads:

A contemporary novel about a girl whose high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream leads her to new friends—and maybe even new love.

The day of the last party of the summer, Claudia overhears a conversation she wasn't supposed to. Now on the wrong side of one of the meanest girls in school, Claudia doesn't know what to expect when the two are paired up to write a paper—let alone when they're both forced to try out for the school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

But mandatory participation has its upsides—namely, an unexpected friendship, a boy band obsession, and a guy with the best dimpled smile Claudia's ever seen. As Claudia's world starts to expand, she finds that maybe there are some things worth sticking her neck out for

Weekly Reads: The Cheerleaders

The Cheerleaders is a teen book that I heard a lot of buzz about before it came out. I had an e-ARC of it, but I didn't get through it before the book was published. I don't read a ton of mysteries, but this one seemed up my alley and a possible contender for the YA book list for the state, and I serve on that committee. I have never read anything by Kara Thomas, so I was excited when my library finally got the book in.

It was a PAGE TURNER. I thought I had things figured out a few times, and I was really sucked into how everything unfolded. A great mystery for teens and adults who like to read YA.

My rating: 4.5 stars

Summary from goodreads:

There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.

First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost.

That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all.

There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe. 

Weekly Reads: From Twinkle, With Love

From Twinkle, With Love is the newest book by Sandy Menon, author of When Dimple Met Rishi, which I looooooved. I was so excited for her newest book. I flew through this book and it was incredibly sweet. There were a few parts of the story that seemed a little unbelievable, or maybe uncharacteristic of the main character, and I had some issues with how neatly some things wrapped up, but I would still highly recommend it.

My rating: 4 stars

Summary from goodreads:

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?

Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

Weekly Reads: Everything Everything

Everything, Everything is Nicolas Yoon's debut novel. Everyone and their pug has already read this book, but I was at a point where I was sick of the "sick incurable disease teen trope" that was very prevalent in YA books at the time. I was also dealing with all of the real life incurable disease crap in my real life, so I didn't need anything added to it. Also this book was spoiled to me several different times. And YET here I am still reading it. I got asked to cover a co-worker's book club and this was the book on the schedule. I read it in 75 minutes, it was SUCH a fast read. And I loved it! Definitely one to pick up, I love Nicola Yoon's writing style and can't wait to see what else she comes up with.

My rating: 5 stars


Summary from goodreads:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Weekly Reads: When It's Real

When It's Real is a new teen book by Erin Watt. The summary sounded like a perfect escape read, so I was excited to pick it up. It read like Justin Bieber fanfiction and I ATE. IT. UP. It's a really great lighter teen romance that you're not going to completely roll your eyes at. I loved it.

My rating: 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:

Meet Oakley Ford-teen celebrity, renowned pop star, child of famous movie stars, hottie with millions of fangirls… and restless troublemaker. On the surface he has it all, but with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry, and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley's team decides it's time for an intervention. The result: an image overhaul, complete with a fake girlfriend meant to show the world he's settled down.

Enter seventeen-year-old Vaughn Bennett-devoted sister, part-time waitress, the definition of "normal." Under ordinary circumstances she'd never have taken this gig, but with her family strapped for cash, she doesn't have much of a choice. And for the money Oakley's team is paying her, she figures she can put up with outlandish Hollywood parties and a team of publicists watching her every move. So what if she thinks Oakley's a shallow, self-centered jerk? It's not like they're going to fall for each other in real life…right?

Weekly Reads: There's Someone in the House

There's Someone Inside Your House is the newest book by Stephanie Perkins and a completely different type of book than I'm used to reading of hers. It reminded me a lot of R.L. Stine's Fear Street series, and was a fast read.

My rating:  3.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:

Scream meets YA in this hotly-anticipated new novel from the bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss.

One-by-one, the students of Osborne High are dying in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasing and grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and the hunt intensifies for the killer, the dark secrets among them must finally be confronted.

International bestselling author Stephanie Perkins returns with a fresh take on the classic teen slasher story that’s fun, quick-witted, and completely impossible to put down.

Weekly Reads: Turtles All The Way Down

Turtles All the Way Down is the newest book by John Green. I've had it on hold at my library for months, and finally got my hands on the audiobook a few days after it was published. I wanted to read the book, but I was #4 on the list and didn't want to wait. Let me tell you, the audiobook is phenomenal. If Kate Rudd and this title don't win an Odyssey Award for narration, I will be shocked. I loved it, even when it made me uncomfortable (and it did that a lot; my anxiety would flare as hers would in the story) but it is such a great book. Must read.

My rating: 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship. 

Weekly Reads: Solo

Solois the newest novel in verse from Kwame Alexander. I loooooove him. And full disclosure: I loved this book. It was a super fast read, despite its large page count, but it is done in verse so it reads very quickly. It was lovely, and sad, and was the second book this fall to bring me to tears while reading it on my lunch break. Must read.

My rating: 5 stars

Review from Goodreads:

Solo, a YA novel in poetic verse, tells the story of seventeen-year-old Blade Morrison, whose life is bombarded with scathing tabloids and a father struggling with just about every addiction under the sun—including a desperate desire to make a comeback. Haunted by memories of his mother and his family’s ruin, Blade’s only hope is in the forbidden love of his girlfriend. But when he discovers a deeply protected family secret, Blade sets out on a journey across the globe that will change everything he thought to be true.

Weekly Reads: When Dimple Met Rishi

When Dimple Met Rishiis a teen book by debut author Sandy Menon. My book group chose it to read, so I picked it up. It was a really sweet love story, and I enjoyed it a lot. My friend likened it to Stephanie Perkins, and I have to agree with that, also a read-alike for fans of Sarah Dessen. Nice, sweet teen read. Check it out.

My rating: 4 stars.

Summary from Goodreads:

Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

Weekly Reads: The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give is a must read. By any teen, any adult, any one. It was so eye opening, and important and a very timely sad, real book. It was incredibly long, but I can't imagine any part of it being cut out. I listened to the majority of it on audio, and the narration was amazing! My audiobook expired, so I had to read the last portion. Read it now.

My rating: 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Weekly Reads: Ramona Blue

Ramona Blue is the newest book by Julie Murphy. I absolutely LOVED
Dumplin' so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. Once I picked it up, I had a hard time putting it down. It was a great story of relationships, love, hardship, and growing up. I would highly recommend it!

My rating: 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:

Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.

Weekly Reads: The Sun is Also a Star

The Sun Is Also a Star is one of the best books I've read in a really long time. It was so amazing, and so incredibly topical. I think it's a must-read for anyone. It won a Printz honor this year, and was so very deserving of it.

My rating: 5 stars.

Summary from goodreads:

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

Weekly Reads: The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love has an amazing book cover. I love using this book on my library displays. I picked it up at the end of the summer, and it was a perfectly nerdy love story. I enjoyed it so much. Definitely a must-read for comic con fans and nerds in general.

My rating: 4 stars

Summary from goodreads:

Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy. Archie and Veronica. Althena and Noth.…Graham and Roxy?

Graham met his best friend, Roxy, when he moved into her neighborhood eight years ago and she asked him which Hogwarts house he’d be sorted into. Graham has been in love with her ever since.

But now they’re sixteen, still neighbors, still best friends. And Graham and Roxy share more than ever—moving on from their Harry Potter obsession to a serious love of comic books.

When Graham learns that the creator of their favorite comic, The Chronicles of Althena, is making a rare appearance at this year’s New York Comic Con, he knows he must score tickets. And the event inspires Graham to come up with the perfect plan to tell Roxy how he really feels about her. He’s got three days to woo his best friend at the coolest, kookiest con full of superheroes and supervillains. But no one at a comic book convention is who they appear to be…even Roxy. And Graham is starting to realize fictional love stories are way less complicated than real-life ones.

Weekly Reads: Holding Up the Universe

Holding Up the Universeis the newest book by Jennifer Niven. I loved her previous book so I was excited to dive in. This was the second or third book I've read about facial blindness, but had never even heard of it prior to the first book I read two years ago. Is this the new *it* teen plot point? I liked the duel perspective and enjoyed how the story wrapped up.

My rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads:

Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen.” But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to know who she really is. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for every possibility life has to offer. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything. 

Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a newly acquired secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.

Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game—which lands them in group counseling and community service—Libby and Jack are both pissed, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours.

Weekly Reads: The Rest of Us Just Live Here

The Rest of Us Just Live Here is the newest teen book from Patrick Ness. I received an e-ARC of it to read/review/promote to my library kiddos. This book was so good, but so strange. It's hard to describe the story without really giving things away, so here is an awesome book trailer that does a far better job of it than I could.



My rating: 4 stars

Summary from goodreads:

What if you aren’t the Chosen One?

The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshiped by mountain lions.

Award-winning writer Patrick Ness’s bold and irreverent novel powerfully reminds us that there are many different types of remarkable.

Weekly Reads: Dumplin'

Dumplin'is the first book by Julie Murphy that I have read, and I was counting down the minutes to get my hands on it. It has popped up over and over again and must read lists. It did not disappoint. It is an excellent young adult read about body image, body issues, typical teenage friendship issues, dealing with death, and a beauty pageant. Basically a recipe for awesomeness, right? Right.

My rating: 5 stars

Summary from goodreads:

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Weekly Reads: Finding Audrey

I've been a fan of Sophie Kinsella since I picked up my first shopaholic book in college. So when I saw she was writing her YA debut,
Finding Audrey, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I was really wrapped up in the story, and was really intrigued by her portrayal of her mental illness. At the end, I felt like it was lacking... something, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it's because I've been reading a lot of YA mental illness books that are so very dark and haunting. Who knows. Definitely worth a read!

My rating: 3.5 stars.

Summary from goodreads:

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

Weekly Reads: I Crawl Through

A.S. King can do no wrong in my opinion. She is an author that churns out unique/amazing/weird/awesomeness with every book she writes. I Crawl Through It is her newest and I received an electronic advanced reader copy of this book back in May and started reading it immediately.

It.
Was.
Weird.

But in a most delightful way. Per usual.

Read it, and everything else she has written. You won't regret it.

My rating: 5 stars.

Summary from goodreads:

A boldly surreal novel from one of the best YA writers working today.

Four talented teenagers are traumatized-coping with grief, surviving date rape, facing the anxiety of standardized tests and the neglect of self-absorbed adults--and they'll do anything to escape the pressure. They'll even build an invisible helicopter, to fly far away to a place where everyone will understand them... until they learn the only way to escape reality is to face it head-on.