Category: YA Novels

young adult novels (for 13+ yo)

cover of To Catch a Killer
Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

To Catch a Killer

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

To Catch a Killer (Tor Teen, 2017) by Sheryl Scarborough is one of those compelling hard to put down books.

The story opens with seventeen-year-old Erin in the back of a police car pulling into the police station. Someone has killed her biology teacher and Erin found her. She’s here to give her statement. But once they learn Erin’s full name there’s concern whether this could have anything to do with her mother’s murder thirteen years ago. It can’t possibly, right?

Rachel, Erin’s guardian and her mom’s best friend, doesn’t talk about that time or even about Erin’s mother. Or who Erin’s father could be. The biology teacher was helping Erin narrow her potential fathers down with DNA. Her last words to Erin were “be careful.” Turns out Erin’s crush, Journey Michaels, was also being helped by Miss P. Even though they’ve never spoken before, the two band together to solve both crimes.

The novel is full of forensic facts–Erin’s been reading her Uncle’s books (he’s an FBI agent), suspense, secrets, betrayal, and danger. I’m excited to learn the book has a sequel.

Read about author Sheryl Scarborough here and read her forensic facts blog here.

Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

The One Memory of Flora Banks

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

memory of flora banksThe One Memory of Flora Banks (Philomel, 2017) by Emily Barr is such a heart-breaking story. Here’s the opening line: “I am at the top of a hill, and although I know I have done something terrible, I have no idea what it is.”
Flora has memory problems. She writes herself reminders on sticky notes, and on her arm to help her navigate the world. But often she is surprised that she is not ten–the age she was when she had surgery to remove a brain tumor–but seventeen and wondering why she is in an adult body. However, the night she kisses Drake, her best friend’s boyfriend, everything changes. She can remember this memory without written reminders. Of course, her best friend Paige is angry at her. Flora lets her parents leave for Paris to go take care of her brother with them thinking Paige will be with her, but Paige isn’t coming. Flora keeps reading “be brave” on this journey that changes her life.
This is British author Emily Barr’s first novel. The book is available in 26 languages! Her second novel for young adults, The Truth and Lies of Ella Black, is a thriller that came out in 2018.
Emily Barr is also an adult book novelist. Read more about her on her website.

Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

My Lady Jane

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

My Lady JaneDespite being set during a sad time in English history (post Henry the 8th and all that), My Lady Jane (HarperTeen, 2016) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows is a laugh out loud book. I laughed so much my husband read the book when I was done.
The authors’ dedication gives you some insight into what’s coming:

For everyone who knew there was enough room for Leonardo DiCaprio on that door.
And for England. We’re really sorry for what we’re about to do to your history.

We’ve all wanted to rewrite the ending of a story. These ladies have rewritten the whole story and with great verve in their alternate version. But yet there are moments that reflect the familiar story. And some people who really existed, although maybe not quite in the same way…
The novel is about sixteen-year-old Edward King of England and his sixteen-year-old cousin Jane Grey and G, who is a horse by day and a man by night. It’s about Edians (I don’t know how to force the special character for the d) who are “blessed (or cursed, depending on your pint of view) with the ability to switch between a human form and an animal one.” And Verities who thought animal magic was “an abomination that needed to be eradicated immediately.”
This book has ompelling page turns, humor, pathos, anger, tongue-in-cheek humor (yes, I know I said humor twice), betrayal, a giant bat (yes, you heard me) and even love.
The three authors have also published solo books. Cynthia Hand is a New York Times bestselling author–read about her books here. Brodi Ashton is also a NY Times bestselling author. Read about her here. Jodi Meadows writes scifi and fantasy and you can read about them here.

Posted in Award Winners, So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Strange the Dreamer

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

strangethedreamer.jpgStrange the Dreamer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2017) by Laini Taylor is a fascinating book. And it just was named a 2018 Printz Honor Book. Woo hoo!
Lazlo Strange–foundling, loner, and now librarian–has always been fascinated by the Unseen City, or Weep as it is now called, the city that was cut off from the rest of the world 200 years ago. As a librarian Lazlo has made his own books about the Unseen City from every scrap of information he can find. He’s even learned to speak the language. So when visitors from the Unseen City arrive in the Kingdom of Zosma asking for help, Lazlo must figure out a way to make the trek to the Unseen City and find out what their problem is.
As I neared the end of the book, I wondered how Laini was going to pull off a satisfying ending, and she did, but I was thrilled to find out there’s going to be a sequel. Maybe even this year…
Read about author Laini Taylor and her books here.

Posted in Award Winners, So Many Good Books, YA Novels

The Sun Is Also a Star

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

sunisalsoastar.jpgThe Sun Is Also a Star (Delacorte Press, 2016) by Nicola Yoon is an impactful book that covers a very short time period in the two protagonists lives. The book is mainly told from the viewpoints of two teens from immigrant families. We also get some insight with viewpoints of some other characters.
First, we meet Daniel who feels like he has to accept his destiny and become a doctor because his oldest brother has screwed up. Daniel’s family is from Korea.
Then we met Natascha who is angry at her father. Her mother says she should give up on trying to keep them in America. Her little brother thinks Jamaica will be better.
The two meet on the day Natascha’s family is being deported and the day Daniel is being interviewed for Yale. And what an amazing, frustrating, busy day they have. These two couldn’t be more different. One is a romantic, the other a scientist–you’ll have to read it to see which is which.
How could a story like this have a satisfactory ending? Well, it does.
This book is a National Book Award Finalist, Michael L. Printz Honor Book, and New York Times Best Seller.
Nicola’s unofficial bio makes me smile. I haven’t yet read her book Everything, Everything. I hope she keeps writing.