Tag Archives: teen

Teen Summer Reads

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My reading tastes always seem to change in the summer. I’m not sure if it’s the sunshine, memories of lazy days on the beach, or the wanderlust that seems to come out of nowhere, but from May to July, all I ever really want to read is light, contemporary teen stories. If they take me on a road trip or European adventure, that’s even better.

Here are ten of my favorite teen reads. What is your favorite type of book to read in the summer?

1) Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
After the death of her father, Amy, a high school student, and Roger, a college freshman, set out on a carefully planned road trip from California to Connecticut, but wind up taking many detours, forcing Amy to face her worst fears and come to terms with her grief and guilt.Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour is especially awesome for a couple of reasons – 1) it’s a road trip book and 2) Matson includes music playlists for each part of the journey.
2) 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
When seventeen-year-old Ginny receives a packet of mysterious envelopes from her favorite aunt, she leaves New Jersey to criss-cross Europe on a sort of scavenger hunt that transforms her life.Backpacking around Europe is on my bucket list. That might be why this particular story has stayed with me for so long.
3) Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Cameron Smith, a disaffected sixteen year-old who, after being diagnosed with Creutzfeld Jakob’s (aka mad cow) disease, sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed video gaming dwarf he meets in the hospital in an attempt to find a cure.There’s a garden gnome that believes himself to be the Norse god Balder. Bray had me at garden gnome.
4) Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Sparks fly when American good girl Allyson encounters laid-back Dutch actor Willem, so she follows him on a whirlwind trip to Paris, upending her life in just one day and prompting a year of self-discovery and the search for true love.Another European adventure, but one with a little heartbreaking love.
5) And We’re Off by Dana Schwartz
Offered a summer trip to Europe to study history’s most famous artists, seventeen-year-old Nora is required to create a unique painting at each stop, but clashes with her mom who fears her daughter’s optimism may prompt an insecure future.A love of travel, a love of art, and a love of mother/daughter relationships in this one.
6) My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
When Samantha, the seventeen-year-old daugher of a wealthy, perfectionistic, Republican state senator, falls in love with the boy next door, whose family is large, boisterous, and just making ends meet, she discovers a different way to live, but when he rmother is involved in a hit-and-run accident Sam must make some difficult choices.This one got me in all the feels, and the boy next door is pretty swoony too.
7) Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
While on vacation in California, sixteen-year-old best friends Anna and Frankie conspire to find a boy for Anna’s first kiss, but Anna harbors a painful secret that threatens their lighthearted plan and their friendship.A summer story with all the feels.
8) Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
After her mother dies, Lina travels to Italy where she discovers her mothers’s journal and sets off on an adventure to unearth her mother’s secrets.If you’re a fan of the movie My Girl or gelato, then this is the book for you.
9) Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Sydney’s charismatic older brother, Peyton, has always been the center of attention in the family but when he is sent to jail, Sydney struggles to find her place at home and the world until she meets the Chathams, including gentle, protective Mac, who makes her feel seen for the first time.One of my favorite books from my favorite author.
10) Summer Days and Summer Nights edited by Stephanie Perkins
Summer is the perfect time for love to bloom, and these short stories of teenagers facing the confusing maze of first love will have you dreaming of sunset strolls by the lake. The selections range from heartfelt to outlandish, as the characters find passion in some very unexpected places.I’m not a huge fan of short stories, but when your favorite authors are writing them…

Review: Giant Days

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Giant Days
by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, & Whitney Cogar
4 stars

I had heard people rave about different graphic novels, but I was reluctant to try reading one.  It just didn’t seem like a format I’d enjoy.  Plus, I didn’t really want to read about superheroes all that much.  Recently, however, I decided to finally see what all the fuss was about.  Oh my goodness!  I’ve been missing out.  The past few weeks have been full of different graphic novels for me, and I’ve been having a blast.

Giant Days has been my favorite read so far.  It’s a light-hearted, realistic fiction about a group of three freshman girls who just started at a British university.  Susan, Esther, and Daisy quickly become friends as they face issues with relationships, reputations, illness, and school.  I love that I was surprised by this format and fell in love with this story.  I found myself laughing at various points, and I’m excited to get my hands on the next volume.

Highly recommend to fans of Rainbow Rowell or Noelle Stevenson.

Read-alikes

Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson

Review: Salt to the Sea

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Salt to the Sea
by Ruta Sepetys
4 stars

I have owned Ruta Sepetys’ Salt to the Sea for about a year but only read it recently, which is a tragedy.  It was also one of the books for the I Heart YA book club here at the Library.  Salt to the Sea tells the story of 4 teenagers, Joanna a Lithuanian nurse, Emilia a 15 year old Polish refugee, Florian a Prussian boy with secrets, and Alfred a young Nazi soldier in the winter of 1945.

The book starts with some of our characters walking across East Prussia trying to stay away from the dangers of both German and Russian soldiers.  Eventually the four main characters are together on the MV Wilhelm Gustloff, a German military transport ship.  The story switches between the characters points of few frequently, so we get to see all of their reactions to the chaos surrounding them just months before the fall of the Third Reich and the end of World War II.

I though this book was fantastic.  I was not familiar with the fate of the Wilhelm Gustloff, so I admit to googling it as soon as I realized that the book was based on true events.  Salt to the Sea is definitely not a light and fluffy read as Sepetys does not spare her readers the reality of this bleak time in history.  I went into this book expecting it to make me cry.  What I was not expecting were the times it would stun me as Sepetys would describe events with the same speed as they would happen, like a bomb going off and suddenly the people who were standing right behind you are no longer there.  There were several moments when I just had to stop and process what these characters had gone through and how they had to keep moving regardless.

I really recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and I intend to read more of Ruta Sepetys’ books very soon.

Read-alikes

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Front Lines by Michael Grant

Jessica’s “Coming Soon” Top Picks

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Every month we get new books in the teen room, and every month I discover more books that I want to read! Sadly, I never get through all of them. There are several coming out this month that I’m super excited for!  These will all be coming to the teen room soon!

 

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

I loved Ahdieh’s duology The Wrath and the Dawn (a beautiful retelling of One Thousand and One Nights), and I’m totally jazzed that she has more books coming out! In this one, Mariko, the daughter of a prominent Japanese samurai disguises herself as a boy in order to track down those responsible for her attempted assassination.  Release date:  May 16, 2017

Lord of the Shadows by Cassandra Clare

The second book of the Dark Artifices series is finally coming out! I’ve been a fan of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter world since City of Bones, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting this sequel to find out what happens to Lady Midnight’s Emma Carstairs and her swoonworthy parabatai Julian.  Release date:  May 23, 2017

The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein

Elizabeth Wein’s historical fiction novel Code Name Verity follows a young wireless operator after she is captured by Nazis during World War II and reveals bits of code in exchange for reprieve from torture. The Pearl Thief is a prequel that tells the story of Verity before she learned to fly.  Release date:  May 2, 2017

A Million Junes by Emily Henry

Decribed as Romeo and Juliet meets One Hundred Years of Solitude, this new novel tells the story of June and Saul who fall in love while trying to uncover the truth about the strange magic and harrowing curse that has plagued their bloodlines for generations. Full of magic, ghosts, and memories that might not be yours – I’m super stoked for this one!  Release date:  May 16, 2017

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Sarah J. Maas is a master of fantasy. Her fierce assassin Celaena Sardothien in Throne of Glass made me into a loyal follower, and I’m dying to see where this new installment of the Court of Thorns and Roses will take Tamlin and Feyre! Release date:  May 2, 2017

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares

The bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is back with a new novel about love, class differences, and betrayal in an old declining beach house on Long Island.  Release date:  April 25, 2017

The Land of 10,000 Madonnas by Kate Hattemer

Road Trip! As his dying wish, Jesse Serrano sends his cousins, best friend and girlfriend on an unforgettable journey across Europe through museums, ancient ruins, and landmarks as they try to discover what he wanted them to find.  Release date:  April 19, 2017

Once and for All by Sarah Dessen

Miss Emily and I are planning a “Summer of Sarah Dessen” in honor of her new book, and it’s going to be totes amazeballs! We’re going to read/re-read all of her previous books and meet to discuss them. We’re even going to try to get a Skype-date with Sarah! If you haven’t read any of her books yet, you should totally read The Truth About Forever. Her books are perfect summer reads, full of friendships, family connections, and of course romance! Release date:  June 6, 2017

 

If you’d like to join us and read along, here’s our schedule:

No Capes Required: Graphic Novels Recommended by Emily

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I didn’t grow up reading comic books.  Well, there was Archie Andrews and his neighborhood friends, but beyond that I never really read much in that particular format.  Then one day just a few years ago I got it into my head that I needed to actually explore the graphic novel collection that I was curating for the library.  I didn’t expect to enjoy them, but I found that they were actually a nice break from the novels I had stacked up on my dining room table.  I also discovered that all of my preconceived notions about comic books only being about superheroes was completely wrong.

Now graphic novels are scattered throughout my monthly to-be-read lists.  Yes, I make monthly reading lists.  And while I’ve come to enjoy superhero graphic novels (I like DC over Marvel, but Marvel movies over DC), I find that I gravitate more toward the non-superhero variety.  I don’t have to worry about backstory or the decades of previous storylines, and I’m constantly impressed with the beauty of the artwork.

If you’ve ever considered reading a graphic novel, need to mark “graphic novel” off of the 2017 Reading Challenge list, or are simply curious what all the fuss is about, here are 10 non-superhero graphic novels that come highly recommended.

1) Archie Vol. 1 : The New Riverdale by Mark Waid, Veronica Fish, Thomas Pitilli, and Ryan Jampole

Reboot!  The second volume of the Archie series reboot is out, and it’s pretty fantastic.  Meet Riverdale High teen Archie, his oddball, food-loving best friend Jughead, girl-next-door Betty, and well-to-do snob Veronica Lodge as they embark on a modern reimagining of the beloved Archie world.

 

2) Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Whitney Cogar

A laugh out loud college romp.  Three university freshman become fast friends and spend the year attempting to reinvent themselves.  But in the face of handwringing boys, “personal experimentation,” influenza, mystery-mold, nu-chauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of “academia,” they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive.

 

3) Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff

Lovable ne’er-do-well Delilah Dirk has traveled to Japan, Indonesia, France, and even the New World.  Using the skills she’s picked up on the way, Delilah’s adventures continue as she plots to rob a rich and corrupt Sultan in Constantinople.

 

4) Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matthew Wilson (Rated TEEN PLUS)

In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time.  Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.

 

5) Lumberjanes, Vol. 1 : Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, and Brooke A. Allen

Friendship to the max!  At Miss Quinzilla Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s camp for hard-core lady-types, things are not what they seem.  Luckily, Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley are five rad, butt-kicking best pas determined to have an awesome summer together…and they’re not gonna let a magical quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way!

6) Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn’t happy about leaving her friends for Bahía de la Luna, but Maya has cystic fibrosis and will benefit from the cool, salty air that blows in from the sea. As the girls explore their new home, a neighbor lets them in on a secret: There are ghosts in Bahía de la Luna. Maya is determined to meet one, but Cat wants nothing to do with them. As the time of year when ghosts reunite with their loved ones approaches, Cat must figure out how to put aside her fears for her sister’s sake – and her own.

7) Sweet Tooth, Vol. 1: Out of the Deep Woods by Jeff Lemire (Rated MATURE)

Gus, a rare new breed of human/animal hybrid who was raised in isolation following a pandemic that struck a decade earlier. Now, with the death of his father, he’s left to fend for himself . . . until he meets a hulking drifter named Jepperd, who promises to help him. Jepperd and Gus set out on a post-apocalyptic journey into the devastated American landscape to find ‘The Preserve,’ a refuge for hybrids.

 

8) Morning Glories, Vol. 1: For a Better Future by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (Rated MATURE)

Morning Glory Academy – One of the most prestigious prep schools in the country…But behind it’s hallowed doors something sinister and deadly lurks. When six brilliant but troubled new students arrive, they find themselves trapped and desperately seeking answers…and escape from a place where nothing is what it seems to be!

 

9) Outcast, Vol. 1: A Darkness Surrounds Him by Robert Kirkman, Paul Azaceta, and Elizabeth Breitweiser (Rated MATURE)

NEW HORROR SERIES FROM THE WALKING DEAD CREATOR ROBERT KIRKMAN! Kyle Barnes has been plagued by demonic possession all his life and now he needs answers. Unfortunately, what he uncovers along the way could bring about the end of life on Earth as we know it.

 

10) Lazarus, Vol. 1: Family by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark, and Santiago Arcas

In a dystopian near-future, government is a quaint concept, resources are coveted, and possession is 100% of the law. A handful of Families rule, jealously guarding what they have and exploiting the Waste who struggle to survive in their domains. Forever Carlyle defends her family’s holdings through deception and force as their protector, their Lazarus. Shot dead defending the family home, Forever’s day goes downhill from there…