By Amila Shah '23 and Galia Shkedi '23
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Genre: Realistic Fiction
I’ll Give You the Sun is a beautifully written story about the relationship between twins, Noah and Jude, who were once incredibly close but now are separated by loss, jealousy, and family secrets. Both Noah and Jude are talented, aspiring, artists. However, when they both apply to their dream art school, only Jude is accepted. Noah struggles with this disappointment and his identity, while Jude struggles creating art at her new school, leading to her discovery of a new, mysterious and well-known mentor. The book is written from the alternating perspectives of both Noah and Jude, with Noah telling the story of their younger years, and Jude telling the story of the present day.
A book filled with both the pain and love of familial relationships, I’ll Give You the Sun is a masterpiece. This book is more than just pages and words, it’s watching the stories of Noah and Jude intertwine and sharpen, plunging through you with a new understanding of life.
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Every Last Word shows how all-consuming OCD can be. Samantha McAllister is the perfect popular girl, but beneath her meticulous appearance, hides her never-ending tornado of dark thoughts. She keeps her OCD a secret, even from her best friends. Always feeling slightly out of the loop with her friends who can turn toxic at any second, finding a new friend and safe haven, Poet’s Corner, leaves her elated. Once she finally begins to feel ‘normal’, her biggest worry yet comes to make her question her sanity once more.
A book portraying the life of a teen with an anxiety disorder, Every Last Word is filled with relatable moments for any person who’s ever been anxious. There are twists throughout the book to keep you captivated, while dealing with both the stereotypical clichés and meaningful parts of high school.
The Hidden Memory of Objects by Danielle Mages Amato
Genre: Mystery/Paranormal Fiction
The Hidden Memory of Objects creatively portrays the effects of grief, as well as the connections people share with each other, memories, and those they’ve lost - connections that are far stronger than the average person when it comes to Megan Brown, the main character of this story. After the loss of Tyler, Megan’s brother, police keep claiming his death was the result of drug overdose, potentially suicide. However, Megan knows her brother, and has a suspicion that some of what the police are saying doesn’t add up. Refusing to accept suicide as the cause of death, she launches her own investigation. During Megan’s investigation, she discovers that she has a strange ability to see the memories attached to objects. With this new found power, and the help of an artifact detective that shares her ability and specializes in murderabilia, Megan pieces together what truly happened to her brother, learning things along the way she never knew about him.
The Hidden Memory of Objects is a compelling mystery novel, with a likeable, captivating, main character. Historical aspects are woven into the story, with focuses on Abraham Lincoln, or more specifically, his assassination. When these historical aspects are paired with Megan’s memories of her brother, it gives the story an anchoring in reality that makes even its most magical aspects feel grounded and personal.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Genre: Realistic Fiction
*This book contains mature themes such as abuse, sexual content, and mental health issues*
Connell and Marianne pretend to not know one another in school, with Connell being the popular, adjusted, soccer star, and Marianne being a lonely, private, social outcast. In reality, Connell’s mom works for Marianne’s family, and slowly the two teenager’s relationship begins to grow. A year later, they’re at the same college, with the roles reversed. Marianne is the center of her social circle, while Connell is shy and hangs on the sidelines. No matter what happens, what each character goes through, or what secrets they keep, the two keep on finding themselves drawn back to each other.
Normal People tells the story of two characters who grow while dealing with various mental health issues, such as depression, eating disorders, and trauma. While depicting such heavy topics in a meaningful way, this book is one that will make you stop in your tracks and think. Marianne and Connell’s magnetic pull, enthralling plot, and the not-so-guaranteed happily ever after, make this book a must read.
We Set The Dark On Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Genre: Science Fiction
The Medio School for Girls trains young women for one of two roles in society. A graduate will either be prim and proper, in charge of running the household, or raise her husband’s children. Each pairing has two graduates promised to their husband, a lifetime of dealing with one another. Regardless of position, each girl seeks comfort in their future, a life of luxury, far from that of the lower class and their clash of politics. Daniela Vargas is the school’s top student, the perfect modest lady, never letting a word slip out that shouldn’t be heard, with the best kept secret being her own. Her lineage, her place in the world, is all a meticulous fabrication. Her parents forged identification papers to give Dani a better life, away from poverty and famine. With her marriage coming up, she’s forced to be careful about hiding the truth, every decision she makes, and every action people see. But how can she decide between clinging to the privilege her parents sacrificed their lives to give her, and spying for a resistance group to create a free Medio that she’s only dreamed of?
We Set the Dark on Fire weaves pieces of modern day problems into the fantastical world of Medio, creating a dystopia that will captivate the reader with every turn of the page. With a brave, independent, heroine like Dani, secrets can’t stay hidden for long, and she will do anything to reach her goals.
Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe is an incredible book centered around a boy named Cliff Hubbard, called Neanderthal for his large size by his high school peers. Whilst trying to get through high school at Happy Valley High and dealing with jerks like the quarterback Aaron Zimmerman, Cliff is also struggling to handle the loss of his brother to suicide, and a home life that’s getting increasingly unbearable. Then, Aaron Zimmerman faces a near-death experience. He returns to school claiming that he saw God, received a list of things to do to make Happy Valley High “suck less”, and Neanderthal is the only one who can help. Surprisingly, Cliff agrees to help.
Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe can at times feel so far-fetched it’s relatable. It touches on so many important, heavy issues, without exploiting them. While the story is focused on Cliff, it delves into the complicated lives of every single character, allowing such close connection to the book that you feel as if you’re reading the secrets of your closest friends. This book will have you crying, screaming, and laughing through the pain. Every character in this book, and everyone in the real world, is just walking through life searching for their own door to the universe.
American Royals by Katherine McGee
Genre: Fiction
We all know the story; George Washington was offered a crown, but became president instead. But what if he didn’t? What if America had a royal family? And what if the House of Washington still ruled today?
American Royals delves into the lives of the modern-day American royal family. It tells the story of Princess Beatrice, who dreads becoming the first queen regnant, while having the press document her every move. Princess Samantha, who is seemingly invisible until she gets into her daily dose of trouble. And Samantha’s twin, Prince Jefferson, has two girls with a whirlwind of secrets and drama surrounding them, vying for his heart. American Royals is a fun, light, entertaining read that will wrap you up in the alternate world that may have been, and the endless drama that your (soon to be) favorite royals have gotten into.
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Genre: Fiction/Mystery
One of Us is Lying is a mystery novel centered around four students at Bayview High, each representing a different YA novel character cliche. There’s Bronwyn, the brain, Addy, the beauty, Nate, the criminal, and Cooper, the athlete. The four are brought together in detention along with Simon, the outcast, who happens to be the creator of “About That”, a gossip app that reveals his peers’ darkest secrets, and is never inaccurate. By the end of detention, Simon is dead, seemingly on purpose. The presence of the other four students, combined with the fact that Simon had planned to reveal gossip about each of them the day after he died, makes all four of them suspects.
One of Us is Lying has so many twists-and-turns, it becomes addictive to read. While the story’s emphasis on having cliche characters may seem like it would be repetitive, the criminal, almost terrifying, twist on what would be a somewhat classic story, similar to that of The Breakfast Club, makes it far greater. This book grabs your attention, and winds you tighter and tighter with suspense, until you burst upon discovering what truly happened. You’ll never see it coming.
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