Angelfall

Angelfall
by Susan Ee
Skyscape, 2012. 288 pages. Young Adult

Penryn's life has never been easy, but things got a lot harder once the angels came seeking vengeance for archangel Gabriel's death, leaving nothing but fear and destruction in their wake. At 17, Penryn shoulders the weight of her family's survival because her 10 year old wheelchair bound sister, Paige, needs her and their mentally ill mother is rarely capable. Penryn is small and scrappy and has learned how to scavenge and stay out of sight and trouble. But when a beautiful white-winged warrior angel is thrust from the sky in front of her and then brutally de-winged by an opposing gang of angels, she finds herself in the thick of trouble. Her unstable mother bolts leaving the Paige defenseless. The gang of angels kidnaps Paige; and Penryn, desperate to get her back, makes a deal with the wounded enemy angel at her feet.

This book had so many new and surprising elements I haven't seen before. I've read several dystopian books and I have never loved them. However, this book is considered apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic and I really enjoyed it. This book is literally angels and demons fighting on Earth with mankind stuck in the middle. I loved the relationship between Penryn and Paige. I also love the way Rafe's attitude and conflict come through actions and demeanor because he doesn't always offer much verbally. The plot was great. The characters are great. The audiobook was awesome. Check it out and read it.

-LH

Children of the Sea I

Children of the Sea. I 
by Daisuke Igarashi
Viz, 2013. 316 pages. Graphic Novel

 When she was younger, Ruka saw a ghost, which disappeared in a sudden light, in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now after her summer plans are ruined, she feels drawn back to the aquarium and two boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. The boys were raised by dugongs, and all three hear the same strange calls from the sea. The three children get caught up in the mysterious disappearances of fish around the world, while the adults are only vaguely aware of the strange events the children experience.

 I would describe this book as very intriguing, although a little confusing. It sets the scene for the series, which is only five books long. While the first book didn’t completely set up the mystery that Ruka gets involved with, it certainly set up enough of the story to draw me in. Translated from the original Japanese, this graphic novel series keeps the original right to left format.

 ER

Pumpkinheads

Pumpkinheads
by Rainbow Rowell
New York, New York : First Second Books, 2019.209 pages. Young Adult.

Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends. Every autumn, all through high school, they've worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world.They say good-bye every Halloween, and they're reunited every September 1. But this Halloween is different -- Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye. Josiah's ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn't ready to let him. She's got a plan: What if -- instead of moping and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut -- they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he's been mooning over for three years. What if their last shift was an adventure?

This book is a charming, beautifully-illustrated read that will get you in that fun and cozy fall mood just in time for pumpkin season. Pumpkinheads is full of lightheartedness with just the right amount of adventure, and I found the relationships between the characters to be quite relatable. This book bleeds autumnal atmosphere and would pair well with a sweet treat. 

NS

A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities

A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities
by Mady G. & JR Zuckerberg
Limerence Press, 2019. 94 pages. Nonfiction

"Every person is worthwhile and valuable in their own way!" This guide begins positively and makes the reader feel welcome. The bright colors and eye-catching drawings are an excellent way to make a sensitive topic seem approachable. It covers significant topics like gender identity, coming out, and supporting others on their journey. It proclaims, "Living your own best life can really help improve the lives of others!"

For some, the characters in this short guide might seem cheesy or juvenile; I would challenge the reader to focus on the content of the book rather than the appearance. Inside this short illustrated guide is valuable information on the topic of queer and trans identities. It's a perfect starting point for someone who is unfamiliar with any of these terms or the essential details that go along with them. We all want to be our best selves and help others do the same. This book promises to help the reader to have a better understanding of: "Everybody pretty much just wants to live their lives happily."

LKA

Finale

Finale (Caraval, #3)
By Stephanie Garber
Flatiron Books, 2019. 478 pages. Young Adult

Legend now sits on the throne, but the newly released Fates are running amok, bringing chaos and fear to the empire. Tella struggles to make sense of Legend and her feelings for him, while Scarlett uncovers a secret that will shift everything she thought she knew about her past. Everyone has their own final journey to make, paths crossing and merging together, leading to one big, grand finale.

While CARAVAL was primarily from Scarlett’s point-of-view, and LEGENDARY was from Tella’s point-of-view, FINALE switches back and forth. The transitions were easy to follow, and story clues always helped subtly re-orient the reader to what was happening. The interactions with various fates were interesting, and their abilities increased the suspense drastically. In general, I felt like this was a satisfying end to the series. There are still a few loose threads that I’d like to see resolved in any future novellas, but for the most part I was satisfied. If you’ve enjoyed the series, you won’t want to miss this finale.

ACS

Imperfect: A Story of Body Image

Imperfect: A Story of Body Image
by Dounya Awada
Zuiker Press, 2019. 95 pgs. Young Adult Comics

Dounya Awada is a 24-year-old devout Muslim and is very much alive. But just a few years ago, she nearly starved to death. Growing up, Dounya wanted to be perfect just like her mother, which meant being the prettiest, smartest girl in the room. Being perfect was exhausting, and Dounya fed her insecurities with food, reaching over 200 pounds at 15 years-old. After facing mocking from her peers, she became obsessed with exercise and dieting, losing over 125 pounds. With the help of her family and others, Dounya was able to overcome her eating disorders and now is an advocate for others facing the same trials.

I found this a beautiful, simple story about the real-life experiences of one girl and eating disorders. It is a quick read, but carries a powerful message about loving yourself and being willing to ask for help. The illustrations help to explain the emotions and perceptions that can be difficult to understand. This is an impactful story that could resonate with teens struggling with self-esteem, addictions, or peer pressure. Other books in this series cover topics like racism, cyber-bulling, and divorce.

TT

Four Dead Queens

Four Dead Queens
By Astrid Scholte
Putnam’s Sons, 2019. 413 pages. Young Adult

In the land of Quadara, four queens rule in tandem, one over each of the four quadrants. Keralie makes her living as the top pickpocket, hiding in the shadows and delivering her goods to the black market. When she steals a “comm disk” that shows the murder of all four queens, her life takes a turn and she no longer knows who to trust. Can she figure out who’s behind the assassinations, and more importantly, can she stop them before they happen?

This is a fantasy book with mystery elements, and multiple plot twists kept pulling me back to the book even after my bedtime. The chapters alternate POV between several characters, some of which don’t appear until quite late in the book. While this was an enjoyable, compelling read with engaging and diverse characters, some pieces of the story fit together better than others. The final conclusion left me a little unsatisfied, but I think this author has a lot of potential.

ACS

All You Need Is Kill

All You Need Is Kill
Hiroshi Sakurazaka
VIZ Media LLC, 425p, Graphic Novel, Science Fiction

All You Need Is Kill is the source material for the Tom Cruise / Emily Blunt, Science Fiction, Action movie Edge of Tomorrow (or Live. Die. Repeat). The story follows Keiji Kiriya who is just one of many recruits hoping to help mankind push back an alien scourge that the army calls Mimics. They have mechanized Exo-suites akin to Iron Man (without the flying) that allow them to fight the Mimics on a more level playing field. Without spoiling the story, Keiji's dies in his first ever battle, but instead of being dead dead, he wakes up the morning of the day before the battle. Forced to relive that day over and over again, Keiji trains himself to be an amazing fighter while working to discover two things: 1) How can he get out of the time loop, and 2) Why Rita Vrataski, the US Special Forces poster child of what a soldier should be, seems to know how the time loop works.

For fans of the movie based on the book, reading the source material is an interesting exercise to see how movies have to adapt their source material.

SMM

One of Us is Lying

One of Us is Lying
By Karen M. McManus
Delacorte Press, 2017. 360 pages. Young Adult

Five high profile teens walk into detention, but only four walk out alive. Simon, the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app has been murdered, but who did it? Everyone has secrets they want to keep hidden, and as preprogramed blog posts go up, gradually revealing secrets, the question remains. Who killed Simon? Those with him in detention are now the primary suspects, could it have been Bronwyn, the smart, Yale-bound student; Addy, the beautiful homecoming princess; Nate, the criminal who’s already had several run-ins with the law; or perhaps Cooper, the all-star athlete everyone loves? One thing’s for sure, no one is quite as they seem.

I really enjoyed the characterization, even though it depended heavily on stereotypes. That’s something that normally bothers me, but I felt it was done well and the characters were still well developed. The story definitely had me suspecting everyone, and even then there was still a twist at the end. Overall a well-done mystery, and one that I could easily recommend to others.

ACS

Super Late Bloomer

Super Late Bloomer
By Julia Kaye
Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2018. 158 pages. Graphic Novel

Julia Kaye made short comics documenting the early period of her gender transition. This touching and personal memoir includes episodes dealing with gender dysphoria, reactions from friends and family, the small actions and comments from strangers that affected how she saw herself, and a variety of other circumstances and emotions.

This is an easily digestible graphic novel with a short, four panel comic on each page. Each vignette is special and impactful in its own way. Whether it shows the devastation of the Amazon delivery person saying “here you go, sir,” or the elation of her parents finally getting her pronouns correct without correction, these comics highlight small moments that can be hard to express in other ways. When I picked this book up I didn’t intend to get sucked in right away. I thought I’d just read a few pages and move on, but it went so quick that I couldn’t put it down. An hour later I finished it and wanted more. This is easily something I could recommend to others, especially for someone looking for a quick foray into graphic novels.

ACS

The Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West

The Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West
by David Wolman and Julian Smith
William Morrow, 2019, 242 pages, Nonfiction

Cheyenne, Wyoming, is famous for hosting the biggest rodeo in the West. When it first started, it drew acts like Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show, and sharpshooter Annie Oakley. Surely, this was the place where the prowess of the American cowboy was best on display. But in 1908, three paniolo (cowboys) from Hawaii competed in the Wyoming rodeo as well, and proved that they had just as rich of a cattle tradition as the American West. This is the story not only of an historic event in history, but also of Hawaii’s cattle culture and the rise of the paniolo.

I have to admit that I had no idea that there were cattle on the Hawaiian islands until I read this book. Although this is a microhistory focused on Hawaii’s cattle culture, that culture was wrapped up in the Hawaiian monarchy, in the effects of world trade on Hawaii, and in America’s eventual takeover of the Hawaiian government.

Learning of the complexity of Hawaii’s cattle culture was fascinating, but mostly this book focuses on the prowess of Hawaii’s paniolo, or cowboys, and I gained a lot of respect for them. Hawaiian paniolo had to manage not the rocky terrain of the high desert, but mountainsides made of lava rock and dense with forests. One of Hawaii’s best paniolo spent much of his career with only one hand. This was a fascinating way to learn about the history of Hawaii, and to see how the introduction of ranching in both Hawaii and the American West had both similar and vastly different outcomes.

MB

Hope and Other Punchlines

Hope and Other Punchlines
by Julie Buxbaum
Delacorte Press, 2019, 306 pages, Young Adult Fiction

On Abbi Hope Goldstein’s first birthday, she became a national treasure. On that day, September 11, 2001, a picture of her holding a red balloon as she was being carried from the wreckage of the Twin Towers made national headlines. Even now, when people find out that Abbi is Baby Hope, they all feel compelled to tell her their September 11th stories. This is especially hard since Abbi lives in the town that experienced the most deaths per capita on September 11th. Looking for a chance to get away from it all, Abbi gets a summer job two counties away as a camp counselor.

When Noah Stern, aspiring comedian, head of the school newspaper, and fellow camp counselor recognizes Abbi, he sees this as his lucky break. Noah has been obsessed with the photograph of Baby Hope as long as he can remember. With Abbi’s help, he wants to find out as much as he can about all of the other people in the iconic Baby Hope photograph. But Abbi isn’t interested in revisiting the day she became Baby Hope. Noah will have to do all he can to charm himself into Abbi’s good graces.

I was really impressed with the way Buxbaum balances the elements of a light teenage romance with a heavy subject. She’s not afraid to discuss topics such as the health effects survivors of 9/11 face, or the trauma and loss that they experienced. At the same time, this book is full of the promise and possibility that new friendship and love brings. In doing so, this book becomes a great way of honoring the people who went through a horrible tragedy without becoming too depressing. But the main reason people will read this novel is because Abbi and Noah are both likeable and real (and slightly nerdy). It was fun to see their grudging friendship turn into something more.

MB

Forward Me Back to You

Forward Me Back to You
By Mitali Perkins
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019. 432 pages. Young Adult

Katina King is strong, skilled in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and stands up for herself. When a traumatic event leaves her broken, her mom doesn’t know how to help her. Robin Thornton was adopted from Kolkata, knows nothing about his past, and is reluctant to commit to future plans. When both teens visit India on a service trip to help survivors of human trafficking, they are forced to face the most difficult parts of their lives as they help others overcome their own haunted pasts.

I love this book for the straightforward way it addresses things like sexual assault and the identity crisis of a foreign adoptee. Despite difficulties, the teens find hope and strength as they serve others. The characters are well developed, engaging, and relatable in a variety of ways. Even with such heavy topics, this was a clean read that I could easily recommend to others.

ACS

I Am Still Alive

I Am Still Alive
By Kate Alice Marshall
Viking, 2018. 314 pages. Young Adult

After a car crash takes her mother’s life, Jess bounces around in foster care until her father can be contacted and asked to pick her up. Jess hasn’t had any contact with him since she was young, so when she meets her dad in the middle-of-nowhere Canadian wilderness, she’s resentful and angry. Her dad tries to make the best of it, but he has his own reasons for living off the grid, and warns Jess that if she ever sees anyone out there she doesn’t recognize, to hide and stay away. When he’s murdered and Jess is left alone, she does everything she can to survive, not knowing if or when she’ll meet another friendly face.

The beginning of the book bounces between two time periods, before her father’s murder and after. Even with the nonlinear timeline Marshall’s pacing is excellent, making the story clear and suspenseful. All of the pieces gradually come together to show the whole picture of what Jess experienced as she prepares to cope with new predicaments, like the Canadian winter. She’s resourceful and smart, and really an interesting character. If you like stories of wilderness survival and revenge, this is definitely something to check out.

ACS

Figuring

Figuring 
by Maria Popova
Pantheon Books, 2019. 578 pages, Nonfiction

In Figuring, Popova introduces readers to a smattering of interconnected historical figures, from astronomers to sculptors, writers and poets to biologists, with varying degrees of notoriety. Instead of the standard format, describing their contributions to their fields or their life’s importance, she describes their work as their way to understand human connections that go beyond the confines and structures in place in society and describes their search to broaden their understanding of the ways poetry, art, science, and love all interconnect throughout our lives and to make meaningful interactions and experiences and shift the global consciousness.

Many, but not all, of the figures Popova profiles are women in the arts and sciences whose focus on unpopular ideas for their time, or themes such as feminism, religion and spirituality, and ideas like transcendentalism, intersected science, history, social issues and politics. Readers are introduced to the people included in this book through their own words, in their letters and correspondence with their loved ones and confidants for a unique, singularly intimate portrayal (some of my favorites included Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Emily Dickinson). This is a deeply moving and well researched book best enjoyed at a leisurely pace in order to really soak in the dense, somewhat academic concepts.

RC

Barely Missing Everything

Barely Missing Everything 
by Matt Mendez
Atheneum, 2019. 306 pages, Young Adult Fiction

Juan dreams of basketball stardom to lift himself and his struggling mother, Fabi, from poverty. His friend JD has similarly star-stuck aspirations and hopes to become a filmmaker, despite push back and pressure from his own home life threatening his success. When Fabi loses her job, forcing the pair to move back in with her father at the same time that Juan suffers an injury that puts his basketball career on hold, he discovers a startling fact about the man who may be his father and the course of his life takes an unexpected turn— one that leads JD to the perfect topic for his film.

What I liked most about this book was the underlying hope for a better life that each of the main characters believes in, despite the hardships they endure as Mexican-Americans in a time in this country when that fact adds turbulence. The book feels raw and real, the characters flawed and at times victims of circumstance doing their best to stay afloat, causing readers to feel their struggle viscerally. Not a light-hearted read, but an important one that I’d recommend to fans of YA books that take on social issues through story, like American Street, Mexican Whiteboy, or Long Way Down.

RC

The Uploaded

The Uploaded
Ferrett Steinmetz
Angry Robot, 2017, 445p, YA Science Fiction

In this book, the future has become a shell of the past. Generations of the dead now live out their lives as digital beings in an online game called the Upterlife. The living now exist solely to serve the dead, to take care of the Upterlife servers, mass produce the chips and computer boards needed to improve the Upterlife experience. Despite the living being ravaged by rebellion and plague, the dead seem content in their digital lives. For Amichai, the Upterlife represents both heaven and hell. His parents are there, and are so "busy" they don't take care of their kids. As Amichai allows his radical feelings towards the Upterlife grow within him, his unusual skills with tech and his flamboyant way of getting away with the impossible make him the center of a movement to stop the dead from ruling over the living.

Those who enjoyed Corey Doctorow's Little Brother and the Matrix movie trilogy, may enjoy this possibly predictive narrative of what happens when we can digitize the mind of a person completely.

SMM

Gingerbread

Gingerbread
by Helen Oyeyemi

New York, New York : Riverhead Books, [2019]. 258 Pages. Fiction.

Influenced by the mysterious place gingerbread holds in classic children's stories--equal parts wholesome and uncanny, from the tantalizing witch's house in "Hansel and Gretel" to the man-shaped confection who one day decides to run as fast as he can--beloved novelist Helen Oyeyemi invites readers into a delightful tale of a surprising family legacy, in which the inheritance is a recipe.

Perdita Lee may appear to be your average British schoolgirl; Harriet Lee may seem just a working mother trying to penetrate the school social hierarchy; but there are signs that they might not be as normal as they think they are. For one thing, they share a gold-painted, seventh-floor walk-up apartment with some surprisingly verbal vegetation. And then there's the gingerbread they make. Londoners may find themselves able to take or leave it, but it's very popular in Druhástrana, the far-away (and, according to Wikipedia, non-existent) land of Harriet Lee's early youth. In fact, the world's truest lover of the Lee family gingerbread is Harriet's charismatic childhood friend, Gretel Kercheval--a figure who seems to have had a hand in everything (good or bad) that has happened to Harriet since they met.

I enjoyed this unique retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I listened to the audiobook using the Libby App, and I would highly recommend anyone interested in reading this book to do the same. The author, Helen Oyeyemi breathes magic into her words as she narrates her story. Her wording is descriptive and original and makes it easy for the reader/listener to become fully immersed in a strange, new world. The book also touched on real-world issues (feminism and race), which added a deeper element to this fairy tale. 

NS 

Because I Was A Girl

Because I Was A Girl
by Melissa De La Cruz
Henry Holt & Company, 2017. 241 pages. Nonfiction

Pick up this gem - you won't regret it! It's a quick, easy, and inspiring read. It includes writings from a range of women and girls who are seen as pioneers and trailblazers in their field. Organized by decade, this book tells the stories of women and girls who went through unbelievable challenges simply because of their gender. The full page pictures and individual quotes add charm to this worthwhile piece of nonfiction.

The thing I liked best about this book was that it features women and girls that aren't what we might consider to be "traditionally" famous. From author Margaret Stohl to opera director Francesca Zambello, this book will inspire you to stick up for the women and girls in your own life. I was particularly inspired by the young girls in this book who tell their stories with a ferocity beyond their years. Support women!

LKA