YA Fiction
THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater
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Every October, the water horses return to the island. The beautiful predators are both feared and respected. Many have lost a parent to a horse’s fierce teeth. Puck Connolly lost two. When her older brother announces that he’s planning to move to the mainland, Puck announces that she plans to ride in the Scorpio Races–a deadly race of water horses along the shore line. Maybe she can win enough money to support herself and her younger brother. And maybe she can convince Gabe to stay. If she survives, that is. Sean Kendrick is riding in the races, too. He and his water horse, Cor, have won four years straight. No one can communicate with the horses like Sean can, and no horse understands Sean like Cor. But Cor belongs to Sean’s employer, Benjamin Malvern, and the more Sean wins for Malvern, the more Malvern’s son, Mutt, hates him for it. For Sean and for Puck, the first woman to ride in the races, the danger will come from more than just the teeth of the water horses.
Suspenseful, heart-wrenching, and beautifully written, The Scorpio Races is one of the most unique and compelling fantasy novels I have read in a while. Stiefvater immerses readers in the island culture and creates nuanced characters that you can’t help but love. I highly recommend the audiobook, performed by Steve West and Fiona Hardingham!
OKAY FOR NOW by Gary D. Schmidt
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Whenever everything seems to be going well, something terrible is going to happen soon. When Doug gets a baseball cap signed by Joe Pepitone (the Joe Pepitone of the Yankees!), it is inevitable that his jerk older brother steals it. And when he is finally feeling happy on Long Island with friends and a baseball team, it is inevitable that his father mouths off to his boss, loses his job, and moves the family upstate to stupid Marysville, New York. Which means that they’ll be living near Ernie Eco (the jerk). Which means that Doug’s father will be going out drinking every night with Ernie Eco (the jerk) and his brother will still act like the evil criminal mind he is and his mother will still stare into the distance like she’s wishing she had a different life–or maybe wondering when Lucas will come home from Vietnam. And it turns out that everyone in stupid Marysville looks at Doug like he’s the scum of the earth. Terrific. But when Doug discovers a book in the library with an extraordinary painting of a terrified bird plunging toward an icy sea, he is inspired to uncover a new side of himself and the people of Marysville. Of course whenever everything seems to be going well, something terrible must be about to happen. . . .
Through brilliantly written first person narration, Schmidt gradually reveals Doug’s transformation and the evolution of his relationships with friends, family, and neighbors. Not only is the coming-of-age story compelling and accessible, but tense character relationships add suspense that makes this book difficult to put down. It will appeal to middle grade readers and teens (and even adults, especially those who grew up in the sixties) who enjoy coming-of-age stories and historical fiction.
Doug’s voice makes this book exceptional, and Lincoln Hoppe’s performance of the audiobook is perfect. I highly recommend listening to this one!
ELEANOR AND PARK by Rainbow Rowell
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When the new girl with the weird clothes sits next to him on the bus, Park does his best to ignore her and hopes it is a one time thing. If she wants to draw attention to herself by dressing oddly, that’s her business, but the last thing he needs is for Steve and the other kids at the back of the bus to start picking on him, too. He’s done a good job of keeping his head down so far. When Eleanor gets on the bus for the first time, she knows the school year is going to suck. Everyone makes it clear that they don’t want her to sit with them, so she takes an open seat next to an Asian kid and does her best not to bother him. This is what she has come back to after her year of sleeping on a friend’s couch: a creepy stepfather who still hates her guts and a bus full of hateful high schoolers.
But as the year progresses, Eleanor and Park start to lower their barriers. They begin to acknowledge one another, to read comics together, to exchange music. And as their friendship grows into romance, they hesitantly allow one another to catch a glimpse into their deeper struggles, especially in their home lives.
It is hard to describe the brilliance of this book in a summary. My mother (also a librarian) recommended it to me with no summary saying, “Just read it. It’s wonderful.” And it is. It is one of those books where the words themselves are engaging. The imagery is fresh and interesting. Every word is deliberate. Every character is nuanced and realistic. The plot lines range from sappy and heartwarming to disgusting and horrifying. Realistic fiction love stories are not usually my genre (I usually require some sort of thriller/sci-fi subplot to cut through the sap), but this book is incredibly well-written–and gets some bonus points for the very subtle Romeo and Juliet parallels (starting with the title). I recommend it to teens and adults who like love stories and literary fiction.
If you liked Eleanor and Park, you might like Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler.
CINDER by Marissa Meyer
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Linh Cinder is the best mechanic in Beijing–partly because she is a cyborg, a fact which she prefers to keep a secret. When Prince Kai stops by her stall in the market to get help fixing his android, Cinder is immediately smitten by the witty monarch, even though she has heard the rumors that Prince Kai may be forced to marry the evil Luna Queen Levana to prevent a war with the moon. But as soon as Kai leaves, reality brings her giddy excitement crashing down; one of the other shop owners has caught the plague. Shortly after Cinder returns home, her beloved stepsister Peony catches the plague as well. Although Cinder is declared healthy, her furious and heartbroken stepmother blames her for bring the plague into their home and sells Cinder to a medical testing center from which no cyborg has returned alive. But Cinder’s tests come back all wrong and begin to bring to light the past that she cannot remember.
I am absolutely hooked on this series! It is the most original and intriguing Cinderella story I ever have read. I had an initial aversion to the book because about three or four chapters in, the plot point that I assumed was supposed to be the “big reveal” of the book became painfully obvious. I was a little bit disgusted, thinking, “Well now I’m just going to be annoyed for the rest of the book that the characters are blind to the obvious twist that is beating them over the heads.” But as I kept reading, I found myself becoming increasingly invested. Both the characters and the plot are so complex that the story is full of surprises–thoroughly engaging, even though the “big reveal” is dramatic only to the characters. I highly recommend this exciting, thought-provoking, well-written series! Thanks for the tip, Vivy.
If you liked Cinder, you might like The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor.
BRIGHTLY WOVEN by Alexandra Bracken
Sydelle has spent her whole life in a desert village in Palmarta where a drought has left her community impoverished for over a decade. But when the king of Palmarta is poisoned, their life is plunged into chaos. The government blames the neighboring country of Auster, which responds to the allegations by preparing for war. But a young wizard arrives in the village naming a different culprit: the malicious hedge wizard Dorwan. With the invading army at their doorstep, Sydelle’s parents sell her to North as a guide, hoping that the wizard will keep her safe, and the two vanish, leaving the rest of the village to become hostages of Auster. Sydelle is determined to lead North to the capital as quickly as possible, believing that the sooner they inform the Queen of Dorwan’s treachery, the sooner a truce will be called and her village released. But Dorwan is not going to let them succeed without a fight, and Sydelle soon learns that North is hiding some terrible secrets–and both of their lives may be at stake.
I saw this book on a display and thought “that author has the same name as the RA in my freshman dorm….” And then I discovered that she is the RA from freshman dorm and even began writing this book while in college! Go Tribe!
I really enjoyed this book, and thought it was particularly great for a first novel. The world building was pretty cool. She kept with the medieval high fantasy vibe while replacing knights with wizards and barbarian hoards. The heroine does spend most of the book as a pawn, but she gets herself together in the end and takes some control/action of her own, so that was relieving. But because the heroine takes so long to live up to her potential, it fell short of what I consider to be the greats of teen high fantasy (The Blue Sword and Alanna/Song of the Lioness). But it is better than many teen fantasy novels where the “heroines” tend to be pawns or lovesick groupies for the entire story. I do hope that she someday writes a sequel, because after Sydelle’s growth and transformation in this first book, I think she is going to become a very interesting and influential player in the future events of her world. . . .
COSMIC by Frank Cottrell Boyce
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Liam has always looked old for his age–really, really old for his age. In fact, as the only six-foot-tall, bearded twelve year old he knows, he is frequently mistaken for a parent or a teacher. At first, Liam finds his grow-up appearance to be an annoyance–a reason for kids to make fun of him–and mostly spends time on his own, playing World of Warcraft. But when his parents encourage him to go out and make friends, he discovers that looking grown up can have its advantages. Which is how he has the opportunity to ride the terrifying, gravity defying Cosmic at the amusement park. And how he and Florida, posing as father and daughter, almost get to test drive a Porche at the car dealership (until Liam’s dad catches them at the last minute). But when Liam finds out about a contest to win the ultimate trip to a new amusement park in China, he becomes Florida’s “dad” once again as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime. And that is how they end up lost in outer space, and this time, Liam’s dad is nowhere near enough to save the day.
This science fiction novel is funny and poignant, in some ways reminiscent of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Throughout his “dadly” adventures, Liam learns a lot about what it means to be a parent vs. a kid, and ultimately discovers that even the greatest adventures are not worth as much as his own dad’s love. I highly recommend this one to middle grade and teen readers. It would also make a great family read aloud to older elementary age kids, as parents are sure to enjoy it, as well!
ETIQUETTE AND ESPIONAGE by Gail Carriger
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Sophronia’s older sisters are refined and well-mannered Victorian ladies. But Sophronia is much more interested in climbing around in dumb waiters and tinkering with gadgets than more ladylike pursuits. So when a highly sought-after finishing school offers Sophronia a place at their academy, her mother ships Sophronia her off immediately. What her mother does not realize, however, is that Sophronia is a covert recruit to a finishing school that trains evil geniuses in espionage, assassination, and other fascinating arts–in addition to the requisite curtsying and handkerchief manipulation, of course. Sophronia’s curiosity and climbing skills thrust her into the middle of a skirmish between the school administrators, dangerous flywaymen, and her least favorite fellow pupil–the pompous Monique, who has stolen and hidden a very valuable prototype somewhere off school grounds. With help from her new school friends, the school’s young mechanics (the “sooties”), and her pet mechanimal (Bumbersnoot), Sophronia is determined to find the prototype before Monique or the flywaymen can get to it.
Set in an alternate 1850s England, this novel is part sci-fi and part fantasy. There is plenty of machinery to please steampunk fans, and some werewolves and vampires for those who prefer the supernatural. And for readers who enjoy stories about boarding school mischief (think the Marauder’s Map from Harry Potter), it is a very fun read! I highly recommend it to middle grade and teen readers.
WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson
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Cassie is dead, and it is Lia’s fault. Lia didn’t answer the phone that night when Cassie called. Thirty-three times. But it’s more than that. Whenever Cassie had thought about purging less and gaining weight, Lia had told her to stay strong. Together they would be the skinniest girls in school. Because Lia didn’t want to be alone. But now Cassie is gone, and Lia is seeing her ghost everywhere, sometimes accusing Lia, sometimes encouraging her as she continues to lose weight, while trying to convince her dad and stepmother that she hasn’t fallen back into the habits that sent her to the hospital before. As she struggles to deal with her grief and guilt over Cassie’s death and her own eating disorder, Lia’s life begins to fall apart.
Probably the bleakest of Laurie Halse Anderson’s intense but wonderful contemporary teen novels, Wintergirls is not for the everyone. You may not enjoy this book if you are squeamish or if you fear that a realistic depiction of the interior thoughts of someone with anorexia may trigger unhealthy memories or habits from your past. But if you truly do want to understand what it is like to have anorexia or want to know that you are not alone in your experience with eating disorders, this book is realistic and powerful.
THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY by Laurie Halse Anderson
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Hayley does not remember growing up in the town that she and her father have come back to after so many years. She doesn’t remember her grandmother’s house at all. But there are a lot of things that Hayley chooses to forget, since remembering is usually painful. This will be her senior year of high school and her first year in traditional school since she was twelve, when she and her father hit the road in his semi and he started “homeschooling” her. Hayley is glad that Gracie still remembers her from when they were kids (although she has no memory of Gracie); it is nice to have at least a couple friends when most of the kids at school are mindless zombies. But when Hayley meets Finn and starts falling in “love” (falling in “like?”), it becomes more difficult for her to keep her worlds separate: the world of school, where she makes superficial friends and just barely scrapes by in most classes, and the world at home, where she tries to cope with her father’s alcoholism and wishes she could help him erase the memories that haunt him from the war.
I could not put this book down. Seriously. I skipped choir rehearsal, blew off a Skype date with my fiancé, stayed up half the night, and finished this book in one sitting. It was excellent—another triumph for the brilliant Laurie Halse Anderson. The subject matter is tough—a realistic portrayal of life with an alcoholic family member—but the story is not bleak. Hayley and Finn are great characters; they have their funny moments as they both struggle with family issues and building their own relationship. And ultimately, the story is hopeful. I highly recommend this one!
If you liked The Impossible Knife of Memory, you might like Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson , Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
BOXERS and SAINTS by Gene Luen Yang
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In two companion novels, Yang tells the story of the 1900 Boxer Rebellion in China from the perspective of a member of the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists and the perspective of a Chinese Christian. These National Book Award recognized graphic novels are violent, though-provoking, challenging, and perhaps even inspiring. Yang exposes both virtue and corruption in characters on both sides of this historical tragedy, while violence undermines, propels, but ultimately balks before spirituality. I would recommend these novels (which must be read together, in the order listed) to anyone who enjoys truly thought-provoking historical/war fiction—and who doesn’t mind a fair bit of violence.
Boxers
Bao grew up loving the opera stories of the ancient Chinese gods. When he sees his a foreign Catholic priest smash a statue of one of his gods, he is infuriated. His father goes on a journey to seek justice for the actions of the foreigner and the Chinese Christians (“secondary devils”) who were with him, but the foreign army beats him nearly to death. In response, Bao joins a secret society which vows to honor the ancient Chinese traditions, protect their families, and eradicate the devils (foreign and Chinese) from their land. Through a cleansing ritual, Bao and his brethren become possessed by the ancient gods when the fight. They are all but invincible. But as they through travel China, slaughtering foreigners and secondary devils, Bao finds that his values are frequently called into question as he struggles to balance justice and mercy. And when a woman wishes to join their order, he must decide whether he accepts the ancient belief that too much involvement with women can taint a man’s soul.
Saints
Four Girl has grown up without a name, the only one of her mother’s children to survive infancy and believed by her grandfather to be cursed. Deciding she will live up to her nickname as a “devil,” Four Girl makes horrible faces whenever anyone looks at her. Her mother takes her to an acupuncturist to be healed of her “devil face.” The kind man “heals” her by making her laugh. But Four Girl is intrigued by the crucifix on the man’s wall. She begins asking him questions about Christianity. After having several visions of the Christian warrior woman Joan of Arc, Four Girl decides to convert to Christianity and takes the Christian name Vibiana. But when her family learns of her conversion, they have her beaten. She runs away and seeks refuge at a Christian stronghold. In her new life, Vibiana feels called to pursue justice and protect her Christian community from the violence that threatens it. Thinking it an obvious course of action given her calling, she starts training to be a warrior maiden like Joan. But Vibiana’s calling may not be as simple as she thinks.
Susan the Librarian 