Beneath by Roland Smith

Pages: 264

Intended Audience: Teens and mature tweens

Genre: Adventure

Notes for Parents: Contains implied violence and some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Pat O’Toole has always idolized his older brother, Coop. Coop is…different. He doesn’t talk on the phone, doesn’t use email, and doesn’t have friends. He’s never really cared for anything but the thrill of being underground, and for Pat of course. So it’s no surprise to anyone that after a huge fight with their parents, Coop runs away. One year later, Pat receives a package containing a digital voice recorder and a cryptic message from his brother. He follows the clues to New York City and soon discovers that Coop has joined the Community, a society living beneath the streets. Now it’s up to Pat to find his brother—and bring him home.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a series. It was nominated for the Oregon Spirit Book Award for Middle Readers in 2015 and for the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award in 2018.

What’s good?

Pat has one goal – find his brother. But it isn’t so simple when he tracks him to New York and discovers he’s somewhere in the mysterious underground where a community of people have settled. The underground is a fascinating place full of interesting people like Posty, Lod, Kate, and the Librarian. The chapters are short – sometimes very short – so it’s a quick and easy read. The plot is simple (find Coop!) and the pace is quick. There’s plenty of adventure, danger, fear, and intense moments. The ending is good, wrapping up most of the story but leaving it open for further adventures.    

Best Part: Pat was very likeable.

What isn’t good?

The geography of the underground was a little confusing.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺(4/5)

The description of the story didn’t sound very interesting, so it took a while before I picked up this book. But once I did, I was sucked into the story almost immediately. The short chapters and fast pace make it very easy to read, and the premise is captivating. Definitely recommended.

Smith, Roland. Beneath. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2015.

Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Pages: 390

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Contemporary / Disaster

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

The Inside Cover

Everyone’s going to remember where they were when the taps went dry.

The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s life has become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers.

Until the taps run dry.

Suddenly Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a war zone of desperation; neighbors and families turning against one another in the hunt for water. When her parents don’t return and she and her brother are threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

In reality, spring of 2019 saw California officially declared drought free after more than seven years of experiencing some type of drought. Water in California is very closely managed because rainfall is limited and occurs mostly in the winter. That’s not to say the tides can’t quickly turn. A few months without significant precipitation can threaten reservoirs.

What’s good?

The desperation becomes palpable as a group of kids go in search of water during a drought. There’s chaos and danger when Alyssa, Garrett, and Kelton have to leave their neighborhood after violence breaks out. The plot is full of twists and turns and the pace steadily increases until the dramatic end. The story is told from different characters’ viewpoints, giving interesting insight into their thoughts and fears, especially after the group dynamics get complicated when other survivors join them. Henry’s narration is funny and Jacqui is a compelling character.  

Best Part: Henry.

What isn’t good?

The chapters are long and especially daunting in the beginning because the story starts slow. While the premise is believable, the series of events that follow the group is unrealistic – nothing seems to go right for them and eventually it gets tedious. Also, the government response to the crisis is chaotic and bumbling beyond belief. The threat of serious drought has existed there for so long that there must be at least a decent plan in place.

Worst part: Their luck.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3.5/5)

This could have been a great book, but it was still a good book. It’s fascinating to see how disaster brings out the best in some people and the worst in others. There were some tense moments and some great action scenes. And there was a shocking turn of events that I didn’t see coming. Recommended.

Shusterman, Neal and Jarrod Shusterman. Dry. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2018.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Pages: 324

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy

Notes for Parents: Contains violence, some under-age drinking, and other mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Hazel and her brother, Ben, live in Fairfold, where humans and the Folk exist side by side. Since they were children, Hazel and Ben have been telling each other stories about the boy in the glass coffin: that he is a prince and they are valiant knights. But as Hazel grows up, she puts aside those stories. Hazel knows the horned boy will never wake.

Until one day he does…

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction in 2015.

What’s good?

Set in contemporary time, this is a dark fantasy where the existence of faerie folk is accepted by the town, but they are considered to be dangerous and cruel. The world-building is well done and the plot is complex but easy to understand. Exciting action scenes and tense moments create a good pace in the second half. This story has magic curses, exciting battles, royalty, knights, swords, secret revels, power struggles, a town under threat, and a monster in the forest. It also touches on issues of racism, xenophobia, ethics, and the LGBTQ community.

Best Part: The boy in the glass coffin.

What isn’t good?

Something’s missing and I’m not sure what. Perhaps with all the good stuff it has, I was disappointed that it wasn’t more…intense? The first half is good, but not as exciting as the second half. The characters are interesting, but I didn’t really care about them as much as I should have.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3.5/5)

The story has a fantastic premise that drew me in right away. The town’s cautious relationship with the fae (fairy folk) was intriguing, Jack’s history was fascinating, and Severin’s story was captivating…and yet. For some reason I just couldn’t connect with Hazel, the main character. Her friend Leonie was more interesting! Regardless, I still really enjoyed the story. Recommended.

Black, Holly. The Darkest Part of the Forest. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2015.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Pages: 532

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Fantasy

Notes for Parents: Contains some violence.

The Back Cover

Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep for as long as he can remember, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god?

The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream of her before he knew she exited?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book and a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2017).

What’s good?

This is a fantasy adventure that follows young Lazlo Strange as he joins a group travelling to the fabled city of Weep, a town he’s been fantasizing about since he was a child. The plot is simple with a few twists and turns that keep it interesting. The world building is complex and imaginative, and the supporting characters are well-drawn and likable. Points of view switch between Lazlo, the godspawn, and other characters, providing an innovative view of life on two sides of the same coin – the people of Weep and the children of the gods who are trapped in the tower above the city, both of whom view themselves as victims of the other. The ending was a cliffhanger, but satisfying.

Best Part: Lazlo

What isn’t good?

It’s so slow! The pace doesn’t really pick up until the last third of the book. The author is wordy and repetitive, making the story about twice as long as it should be. There are a lot of strange names of people, places, and things that make it hard to keep everything straight so it took a while to remember who everyone was. In fact, I didn’t really start caring about any of the characters until closer to the end. For me, the romance was a bust. Instalove is just not my thing.

Worst part: The pace.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3/5)

I think I read this with too many expectations. The novel came with a lot of hype and it just didn’t pan out for me. But it was still an interesting story with good characters and a solid plot that got really interesting at the end. If I had had the sequel when I finished the first, I probably would have started reading it. Recommended.

Taylor, Laini. Strange the Dreamer. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2017.

Everything Beautiful is not Ruined by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Pages: 361

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains mild language and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Then: Ingrid traveled all over Europe with her opera star mother, Margot-Sophia. Life was beautiful and bright, and every day soared with music.
Now: Ingrid is on a summertime wilderness survival trek for at-risk teens: addicts, runaways, and her. She’s fighting to survive crushing humiliations, physical challenges that push her to her limits, and mind games that threaten to break her. Ingrid is never going to make it through this summer if she can’t figure out why she’s here…and why the music really stopped.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a CBC Best Book of 2017; it was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award; and shortlisted for the White Pine Award.

What’s good?

Using a combination of narration and letter-writing, Ingrid recounts her less-than-ideal adventures on a wilderness trek for at-risk teens. In flashbacks, she slowly reveals what led up to her needing to join the wilderness survival group. Sarcastic humor infused with anger and grief gives life to the storytelling. The supporting characters are well-developed and have interesting stories of their own. The pace is good and the plot is intricate but easy to understand. The ending was unexpected and well-done.

Best Part: The dead mosquito count.

What isn’t good?

There’s a lot of telling rather than showing. It could have used a bit more dialogue and lot less description. I was bothered by the part where Ingrid is basically forced to share a tent with two boys and the adults had no qualms with Peace’s bizarre behavior. The romance was dull.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

This was an excellent story, told with humor and grace, about dealing with mental illness. While it wasn’t wholly unique, there was a rare quality about it that makes it stand out from the multitude of other “my mom is depressed” novels. There were as many heartwarming moments as there were heartbreaking ones. Definitely recommended.

Younge-Ullman, Danielle. Everything Beautiful is not Ruined. Toronto: Razorbill Canada, 2018.

I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman

Pages: 393

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains course language and mature content

The Back Cover

For Angel, life is about one thing: The Ark—a pop-rock trio of teenage boys taking the world by storm. Being part of The Ark’s fandom has given her everything she loves—her friend Juliet, her dreams, her place in the world.

Jimmy owes everything to The Ark. He’s their frontman—and playing in a band with his mates is all he ever dreamed of doing.

But dreams don’t always turn out the way you think, and when Jimmy and Angel are unexpectedly thrust together they find out how strange and surprising facing up to reality can be.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction in 2018.

What’s good?

Angel’s obsession with a boy band leads her to London where she stays with a friend Juliet and together they plan a week of activities around The Ark. Things, however, don’t go exactly as planned. The plot is simple but the story is multifaceted. There are many themes, including love v. obsession, public persona v. private life, meeting your heroes, religion, identity, mental health, healthy relationships, and so much more. The narrative stays light despite the many heavy subjects, but it gets serious when it needs to. The pace is good and the characters are diverse. The story is fun and engaging.

Best Part: Jimmy’s grandfather.

What isn’t good?

Some of the British colloquialism can be confusing, but there’s nothing too perplexing.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

This is not a love story. Rather it’s a coming-of-age journey for a group of young people who come together in an unexpected way to learn about themselves and each other. In the end, the lesson is that people are complicated and we need to learn how to care about ourselves before we can truly care about each other. Recommended.

Oseman, Alice. I Was Born for This. New York: HarperCollins, 2018.

City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

Pages: 401

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Contemporary / Crime mystery

Notes for Parents: Contains violence, illegal activities, and descriptions of mature scenes.

The Back Cover

After fleeing the Congo as refugees, Tina and her mother arrive in Kenya hoping for a better life. They can’t believe their luck when Tina’s mother finds work as a maid for the Greyhills, one of the city’s most illustrious families. But there’s a dark secret lurking behind the family’s immense fortune, and when Tina discovers her mother shot dead in Mr. Greyhill’s private study, she knows he pulled the trigger. And she’ll do whatever it takes to prove it.

But there’s more to the murder than meets the eye, including harrowing secrets from Tina’s past that will change everything she thought she knew and reveal the painful truth behind her mother’s death.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The story begins five years after Tina’s mother’s death, as she puts her plan for revenge into action.

What’s good?

Tina has spent years planning how to ruin the life of the man responsible for her mother’s death. It should have been cut and dry, but a chance encounter with a childhood friend complicates everything. The plot is sophisticated and engaging. What begins as simple revenge develops into a complex mystery that involves gangs, warlords, illegal gold, and her mother’s hidden past. The female lead is strong, the setting is gritty and full of danger, and the overall tone remains tense throughout.

Best Part: As she tells the story, Tina shares the rules of being a good thief.

What isn’t good?

The pace is uneven, unfolding slowly with only the occasional burst of action. The mystery of who killed Tina’s mother is predictable when it comes to who didn’t do it. The ending is tidy, but maybe too tidy.

Worst part: The romance, although limited, was still unnecessary.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

Set in the unforgiving streets of Kenya, this story is a different kind of contemporary thriller. The main character is an orphan, a thief, and a survivor, risking everything to avenge her mother’s death. The story is intense, albeit a bit slow, but worth the read. Recommended.

Anderson, Natalie C., City of Saints & Thieves. New York: Speak, 2017.

A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland

Pages: 349

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Contemporary

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

The Back Cover

Esther’s family is riddled with fear. Her father is agoraphobic and hasn’t left the basement in six years. Her twin brother cannot be in the dark. Her mother is terrified of bad luck. According to the family curses, they are destined to die from the very things they fear most.

Esther doesn’t know what her great fear is yet (nor does she want to). So she avoids nearly everything, keeping close track of every phobia in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares.

Then Esther is pickpocketed by Jonah Smallwood, an old elementary school classmate. Along with her phone, money and a fruit roll-up she’d been saving, Jonah also steals her list. And so begins Esther’s ultimate challenge—to work her way through the list, tackling one fear at a time.

Including one that Esther hadn’t even considered: love.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

There’s a bit of a possible paranormal element to this story—maybe.

What’s good?

Esther Solar is facing her fears with the help of Jonah Smallwood. With macabre humor and sarcastic dialogue, checking fears off her semi-definitive list becomes an adventure. Esther and Jonah are strong characters, and well-supported by Esther’s twin Eugene, who needs a constant source of light, and her friend Hephzibah, who has selective mutism. The plot is simple and perhaps a little predictable, but the pace moves steadily making it a fast read. The story touches on phobias, anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide, abuse, addiction, and more. And there’s even a hint of the supernatural, and a kitten.

Best Part: Lobster Shakespeare (pg. 73)

What isn’t good?

The Solar family was a bit over-the-top. To call them quirky feels like a bit of an understatement. As a result, the story felt a bit…theatrical. It also creates a confusing tone that changes from solemn to comical in the same scene. The end was satisfying but a little sappy.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

It was that soft, supernatural element that won me over. Without it, this would have been just a weird story about family in desperate need of therapy. But it was heartwarming, and funny, and a little bit sad without being too serious or too flippant about the serious parts. I enjoyed it. Recommended.

Sutherland, Krystal. A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares. New York: Speak, 2017.

Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen

Pages: 410

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Historical thriller / World War II drama

Notes for Parents: Contains violence and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Sarah’s actress mother spent years teaching her how to become someone else. Now her mother is dead and Sarah is hiding in plain sight among the daughters of the Nazi elite. A brilliant con artist, she’s out to befriend the daughter of an important scientist and get her hands on the bomb blueprints in his heavily guarded manor. The more deeply embedded she becomes in this world of monsters, the graver the danger. But she’s determined to get her revenge on them all.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a series. The second book, Devil Darling Spy, is expected out in 2020.

What’s good?

Sarah is a Jew, but her blonde hair and blue eyes allow her to go undetected from the Nazis. While on the run, she meets a mysterious man, a spy, who needs her to infiltrate a boarding school and find the daughter of a man who’s building a bomb. She soon finds herself surrounded by cutthroat classmates, sadistic teachers, and disturbing Nazi propaganda. The author writes with rich imagery and brutal frankness, maintaining a dark tone while still managing to incorporate some humor. The pace is swift, and the plot is sophisticated. While this story is more plot driven, the characters are very well-drawn and even secondary characters contribute deeply to the story. There’s plenty of action and danger, with themes of bravery, loneliness, sacrifice, and perseverance.

Best Part: Her use of stage metaphors when she’s undercover.

What isn’t good?

My only complaint is that I would have liked to know more about the Captain. I’m sure more will be revealed in subsequent volumes, but I think readers deserved a little more information in this one.

Worst part: None.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4.5/5)

This story was so engaging! I was hooked early. This is an action/adventure story that, on so many levels, is also a survival story. While she’s trying to survive physically, she’s also dealing with grief, fear, and loneliness, not to mention the reality of living in a world full of people who hate her because she’s Jewish. But also, we learn what she, and others, are willing to do in order to survive. This would make an amazing movie.

Killeen, Matt. Orphan Monster Spy. New York: Penguin, 2018.

Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid by Jeff Kinney

Pages: 217

Intended Audience: Tweens

Genre: Humor, Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains some bullying

The Back Cover

Description from Goodreads.com:

Introducing the newest Wimpy Kid author—Rowley Jefferson! Rowley’s best friend Greg Heffley has been chronicling his middle-school years in thirteen Diary of a Wimpy Kid journals . . . and counting. But it’s finally time for readers to hear directly from Rowley in a journal of his own. In Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid, Rowley writes about his experiences and agrees to play the role of biographer for Greg along the way. (After all, one day Greg will be rich and famous, and everyone will want to know his life’s story.) But Rowley is a poor choice for the job, and his “biography” of Greg is a hilarious mess.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a companion book to The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

What’s good?

Rowley Jefferson has decided to keep a diary just like his best friend Greg. As Rowley chronicles their adventures, it becomes evident that Rowley is trusting and kind, while Greg is manipulative and selfish. But Rowley is determined to be an awesome friendly kid. The book is quick and easy to read. Rowley is very likeable. The illustrations are fun and the plot is simple.  

Best Part: I like how hard Rowley tries to be a good friend.

What isn’t good?

The humor is mostly cringe-worthy stuff. Greg is terrible to Rowley and Rowley doesn’t quite seem to understand that he deserves better. It’s tough to watch.

Worst part: Greg

Recommendation ☺☺ (2/5)

I didn’t find it entertaining at all to read about a kid being treated badly by someone he considers a friend. I suppose those who have read The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books have a better understanding of the dynamics of Rowley’s and Greg’s relationship. I did not.

Kinney, Jeff. Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid. New York: Amulet Books, 2019.

A List of Cages by Robin Roe

Pages: 310

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Contemporary / Crime mystery

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language, violence, under-aged drinking, abuse, and other mature scenes.

The Back Cover

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down a troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian—the foster brother he hasn’t seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He’s still kindhearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what’s really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives…

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book is a Lincoln Award Nominee (2019) and was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction (2017).

What’s good?

It’s impossible not to care about Julian right from the start. He’s a sad, lonely, timid boy who somehow manages to find good in people despite the obvious lack of love in his life. Adam, on the other hand, is popular, confident, friendly, and surrounded by loving and supportive people. This is an extraordinarily heart-wrenching story driven by well-drawn characters and a simple but absorbing plot. The chapters are short, so the pace is swift. Adam’s friend Charlie, and girlfriend Emerald are strong secondary characters. Compassion, friendship, and grief are themes in this gripping tale. The ending was dramatic and satisfying.

Best Part: “Hate ricochets, but kindness does too.” (pg. 178)

What isn’t good?

I have only one complaint, but it’s a big one – the adults. Despite the multitude of adults that populate this story, not one is reliable. Even Adam’s mom is passive despite her social work background and firsthand knowledge of Julian. The teachers are inattentive; they don’t recognize that Julian is dyslexic, and they are portrayed as too busy to care. The cops are apathetic, and the nurses are unsympathetic despite what should be plenty of experience dealing with abused children. Even Adam calls his girlfriend instead of his mom when he needs help.

Worst part: The adults.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

This story will resonate with me for a long time. It was beautiful and sad and moving. From the onset, you know things will probably turn out okay in the end, but you have to keep reading just to make sure. This story won’t be for everyone – it gets brutal—but it’s well done, and I highly recommend it.

Roe, Robin. A List of Cages. New York: Hyperion, 2017.