Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin

Pages: 579

Intended Audience: Teens and up

Genre: Science Fiction / Futuristic

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language, violence, and some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. But Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley’s so-called “normal” life.

On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter threatens to expose Riley’s real identity. And Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Awards and honors include the ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults and ALA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a Rainbow Book List selection, Chicago Public Library’s Best Teen Fiction, and a Goodreads Choice Award Young Adult Fiction nominee.

What’s good?

There’s a lot of confusion about what “gender fluid” means, and this book aims to provide some basic understanding of the term. Riley is a likable, smart, sensitive teen who sometimes feels like a girl, and sometimes feels like a boy. To avoid the issue, Riley dresses as a gender-neutral person, which seems to confuse and annoy many. Issues of suicide, harassment, coming out, and coping are explored as Riley tries to stay under the radar at school and at home. Riley’s blog becomes a beacon for those suffering in similar situations. The story is well-written, with witty dialogue and interesting supporting characters. The plot is simple, but emotional, and lightly sprinkled with mystery and romance.

Best Part: The therapist’s explanation of anxiety on page 109.

What isn’t good?

It’s slow. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say the pace is steady, but because there’s not a lot of action, it feels slow. Regardless, I really enjoyed the simplicity of the story, and even appreciated the lack of drama most of the time.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

I found myself cheering for Riley – hoping for the best at home, with friends, and online. High school is hard for everyone, and self-identity is a common struggle for many (not just teens). This is an honest and open look at one person’s experience. It’s not a story that will appeal to all, but it will definitely be appreciated by many. Recommended.

Garvin, Jeff. Symptoms of Being Human. New York: Balzer + Bray, 2016.

The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

Pages: 341

Intended Audience: Mature teens

Genre: Real life / Social issues / Rape culture

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language, violence, and some very mature scenes. For mature readers only.

The Back Cover

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it. Three years ago, when her older sister, Anna, was murdered and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best—the language of violence. While her own crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people. Not with Jack, the star athlete who wants to really know her but still feels guilty over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered. And not with Peekay, the preacher’s kid with a defiant streak who befriends Alex while they volunteer at an animal shelter.

As their senior year unfolds, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting these three teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction in 2016.

What’s good?

Alex is not quite an antihero, but she certainly lacks the qualities of a traditional heroic character. She is haunted, detached, and afraid to build relationships. She manages, however, to make friends with Claire, the average girl, and attracts the attention of Jack, the typical teen boy. The story is told through their alternating viewpoints. The plot is multifaceted, harnessing complex emotions and exploring the dark depths of today’s teenage experience, but with straightforward, relatable storytelling. Violence, tragedy, and rage are explored, but with an underlying message of hope, friendship, and love. This is undeniably a story that challenges rape culture so some scenes are disturbing, intense, and even insidious. However, it’s all within a context of growth and learning, changing patterns, and leading the cause.

Best Part: "But boys will be boys, our favorite phrase that excuses so many things, while the only thing we have for the opposite gender is women, said with disdain and punctuated with an eye roll."

What isn’t good?

There was nothing I didn’t like, but I’ll say here that this isn’t a book for everyone. Drinking, drugs, sex, and violence permeate this story, all for the sake of honesty. This is an unapologetic look at rape culture – a societal attitude that trivializes sexual assault, objectification, victim shaming, misogyny, and more, as well as excuses sexual violence in the media and popular culture. Sadly, the behavior described in this story will be familiar to many of today’s teens, and perhaps shocking to many of today’s parents.

Worst part: The truth of it all.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

This book was completely unexpected from beginning to end. It was well-written, and both beautiful and brutal. Nothing was predictable, and everything was raw. I flinched often and felt real anger well up at the veracity of it all. But there were just as many moments that were heartfelt, poignant, exciting, and even funny. For readers who can handle it, I highly recommend this story.

McGinnis, Mindy. The Female of the Species. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2016.

Kids of Appetite by David Arnold

Pages: 331

Intended Audience: Teens and up

Genre: Contemporary / Real life

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language, sexuality, violence, and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Victor and Madeline have a story to tell.

It begins with the death of Vic’s father, and ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle. The Hackensack police would very much like to hear it. But in order to tell their story, Vic and Mad must focus on all the chapters in between.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

A better description, from Google Books:

In the Hackensack Police Department, Vic Benucci and his friend Mad are explaining how they found themselves wrapped up in a grisly murder. But in order to tell that story, they have to go way back...

It all started when Vic's dad died. Vic's dad was his best friend, and even now, two years later, he can't bring himself to touch the Untouchable Urn of Oblivion that sits in his front hall. But one cold December day, Vic falls in with an alluring band of kids that wander his New Jersey neighbourhood, including Mad, the girl who changes everything. Along with his newfound friendships comes the courage to open his father's urn, the discovery of the message inside, and the epic journey it sparks.

What’s good?

This is a sophisticated story of friendship, family, love, and loss. With expressive storytelling, the narration alternates between Vic, a teen on a mission to satisfy his dead father’s last requests, and Mad, the mysterious girl who introduces him to a group of young drifters. The story also flips between the present as Vic and Mad are being interviewed by police, and the weeks before the event that brings them there. The characters are diverse, and challenge stereotypes. There is mystery, suspense, violence, and a slow and steady love story.

Best Part: Coco.

What isn’t good?

The chapters are long and the pace is mostly slow with a few moments of excitement. The mystery of why they’re at the police station isn’t much of a mystery since the cover description already says that Mad’s uncle is murdered. Vic has moebius syndrome (facial paralysis), which doesn’t seem to factor into the story at all. The story is predictable, and at times overly sentimental.

Worst part: Venn diagrams.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (3/5)

Despite the slow pace, it is an easy read. The writing is lyrical. The two brothers, Baz & Nzuzi, are beautifully drawn, and young Coco is adorably precocious. While I didn’t relate to any of the characters or their situations, there’s definitely value in this story. 

Arnold, David. Kids of Appetite. New York: Speak, 2016.

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Pages: 491

Intended Audience: Mature tweens and up

Genre: Historical / Fantasy

Notes for Parents: Contains a few mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to be married to a total stranger—and caught up in an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that’s the least of Jane’s problems.

She’s about to become Queen of England.

Like that could go wrong.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This appears to be the first in a series that will explore famous Janes. The next one is title My Plain Jane and will be a ghost story about Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre. It’s set to be released June 2018.

What’s good?

This is the story of Lady Jane Grey who was queen of England for nine days in 1553 after her dying cousin, King Edward VI, removed his own sisters from succession and nominated Jane to take his place. However, this is not the historical version of that story. It’s a light-hearted, fantasy-laced parody of the family drama that took place in the Tudor era. Standing in for the Catholic versus Protestant conflict is the age-old story of shapeshifters versus non-shapeshifters. The story is told from three viewpoints (by three different authors). Jane is a strong, stubborn, compulsive woman; Gifford, who prefers being called G, has a secret; and Edward, the dying King of England, is about to learn several truths that will turn his world upside down. There are power struggles and Shakespeare quotes, and plenty of romance, humor, betrayal, danger, adventure, and fight scenes.

Best Part: Horse jokes.

What isn’t good?

Despite being almost five hundred pages, the story moves quickly. However, interruptions by the “narrators” are totally unnecessary and more often than not disrupt the flow of action. There are a few parts where the storytelling drags, and some distracting editing errors. Gifford’s refusal to tell the truth about where he goes is annoying since the truth is way better than the falsehood. And the big battle with the Great White Bear seemed pointless.

Worst part: “God’s teeth!”

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (3/5)

My Lady Jane was entertaining. It was witty and dramatic, and a bit ridiculous. There was nothing profound or unexpected, but it was fun. You can’t expect any kind of historical accuracy, but you can enjoy the ride. Recommended.

Hand, Cynthia, Brodi Ashton. Jodi Meadows. My Lady Jane. New York: HarperTeen, 2016.