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Review: The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada’s Reef by Michael D. Beil

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, , , , , , ,
The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada's Reef by Michael D. Beil

The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada’s Reef
Michael D. Beil
Pixel + Ink
Published February 1, 2022

Amazon  | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Wreck at Ada’s Reef

Twelve-year-old Lark Heron-Finch is steeling herself to spend the summer on Swallowtail Island off the shores of Lake Erie. It’s the first time that she and her sister will have seen the old house since their mom passed away. And while her stepfather and his boys are okay, the island’s always been full of happy memories–and now everything is different.

When Nadine, a close family friend, tells Lark about a tragic boat accident that happened off the coast many years before, Lark’s enthralled with the story. Nadine’s working on a book about Dinah Purdy, Swallowtails’s oldest resident who had a connection to the crash, and she’s sure that the accident was not as it appeared. Impressed by Lark’s keen eye, she hires her as her research assistant for the summer.

And then Lark discovers something amazing. Something that could change Dinah’s life. Something linked to the crash and even to her own family’s history with Swallowtail. But there are others on the island who would do anything to keep the truth buried in the watery depths of the past.

A compelling and complex mystery with a classic feel, WRECK AT ADA’S REEF is perfect for fans of THE PARKER INHERITANCE, HOLES, THE WESTING GAME, and anyone looking for a satisfying puzzle that stretches across decades.

My Review

Confession: I haven’t read any of the books that the blurb compares this one to, so I had no idea whether I would like it going in. I tend to enjoy mysteries with a young narrator (see my reviews of THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE or THREE TIMES LUCKY), so I figured this was a pretty good gamble.

And, you know what? It totally was. It takes place on this small island. The residents we meet are all really distinct characters who bring a lot to the story. I loved the relationships Lark develops between the other islanders. I also loved watching her connections with her family members change and grow, too.

Lark is a no-nonsense girl who doesn’t back down from a fight, ever, so when she stumbles onto an unsolved mystery that might have hurt the people she’s coming to care about, she’s ready to put the full force of her personality behind uncovering the truth.

I thought the pacing of the story was great, too. There’s a lot of tension as we begin to put the pieces together about what happened at Ada’s Reef that long ago night. Interspersed with the tension are sweet moments with Lark and her stepdad as well as silly moments with her and her siblings or other characters.

All together, I’m pretty hooked on this series so far. I loved this book and would absolutely read more about Swallowtail Island and its inhabitants. I think fans of middle grade mysteries like the books I mentioned above or the Northwoods mystery books by Margi Preus would really enjoy WRECK AT ADA’S REEF.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Lark is white and an orphan. A couple minor characters are gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
At one desperate point, Lark states that she’s not religious, but offers a prayer to whatever gods are listening.

Violent Content
Situations of peril.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of WRECK AT ADA’S REEF in exchange for my honest review.

Review: At the End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

At the End of Everything
Marieke Nijkamp
Sourcebooks Fire
Published on January 25, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About At the End of Everything

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS comes another heartbreaking, emotional and timely page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Hope Juvenile Treatment Center is ironically named. No one has hope for the delinquent teenagers who have been exiled there; the world barely acknowledges that they exist.

Then the guards at Hope start acting strange. And one day…they don’t show up. But when the teens band together to make a break from the facility, they encounter soldiers outside the gates. There’s a rapidly spreading infectious disease outside, and no one can leave their houses or travel without a permit. Which means that they’re stuck at Hope. And this time, no one is watching out for them at all.

As supplies quickly dwindle and a deadly plague tears through their ranks, the group has to decide whom among them they can trust and figure out how they can survive in a world that has never wanted them in the first place.

My Review

I requested this book because both of the other books by Marieke Nijkamp (THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS and BEFORE I LET GO) have been powerfully told stories and really well written– and this one is no exception. I wish I had been in a different place when I picked up this book to read it. Like, I loved the characters, and it’s such a heart-wrenching story. I wish I’d had more emotional bandwidth as I was reading the book, which isn’t the author’s fault at all. I think I just happened to read it when my emotional gas tank was almost empty.

But. All that aside.

So the story follows three points of view: Logan, who communicates via a sign language she and her twin sister developed between them; Emerson, a new resident of Hope who’s also nonbinary; and Grace, a girl with some big anger issues who winds up reluctantly in charge of the group.

I loved the balance of those three points of view. They all have different feelings and ideas about what’s happening and how to go forward in the best way. Each of them contribute critical things to the survival of the group, but in really different ways. I think the whole story could have been told from any one of those perspectives, but I think choosing all three added so much to the depth and breadth of the book.

The plot is pretty simple– a deadly plague disrupts every aspect of life as they know it– but it brings really high stakes. The characters literally face life and death decisions at every turn. I read this book in two days, and I couldn’t not do that. I was absolutely drawn into AT THE END OF EVERYTHING and what would happen to each of the characters in it.

Conclusion

Something about the book reminded me of AWAY WAY WE GO by Emile Ostrovski. It’s a bit darker than that one is, but I guess it has a similar feel in terms of this small, collapsing world inside a culture faced with a global pandemic. I think fans of edgy fiction will like AT THE END OF EVERYTHING.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Main characters are white. One is mute. Another is Ace. The other is nonbinary.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing.

Spiritual Content
One character was raised as a Catholic, but when they came out as nonbinary, they were rejected from their church. They have a lot of (understandable) feelings of anger and hurt, but at one point they express longing to have the certainty of faith in their life again. Sometimes they pray or ask St. Jude to pray for them.

Violent Content – trigger warning for sexual assault, transphobia, and ableism.
A group of kids surround another kid and beat them up. Soldiers shoot and kill a boy who does not follow their commands. A girl sees a boy sexually assaulting another girl and beats him up. Two girls light a warehouse on fire that they thought was empty and nearly kill someone in the fire.

Emerson (the nonbinary character) faces situations in which they’re misgendered or harmed for their identity. Their parents threw them out and their friends abandoned them when they came out as nonbinary.

Several other characters belittle or talk down to Logan because she communicates with sign language and they assume she’s less intelligent or less capable than they are. Those behaviors are clearly addressed and called out as wrong and harmful.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of AT THE END OF EVERYTHING in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Insiders by Mark Oshiro

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

The Insiders
Mark Oshiro
HarperCollins
Published September 21, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Insiders

San Francisco and Orangevale may be in the same state, but for Héctor Muñoz, they might as well be a million miles apart. Back home, being gay didn’t mean feeling different. At Héctor’s new school, he couldn’t feel more alone.

Most days, Héctor just wishes he could disappear. And he does. Right into the janitor’s closet. (Yes, he sees the irony.) But one day, when the door closes behind him, Héctor discovers he’s stumbled into a room that shouldn’t be possible. A room that connects him with two new friends from different corners of the country—and opens the door to a life-changing year full of magic, friendship, and adventure.

Three kids who don’t belong. A room that shouldn’t exist. A year that will change everything.

My Review

This book might break your heart. Not permanently. But. It follows Héctor, who’s just beginning at a new school in a new town. He becomes the target of a group of bullies. Though he’s usually pretty outspoken, he’s vulnerable– still trying to figure out how to find his footing in his new space. He has a supportive family, but worries they’ve got enough other things to stress over without needing to take on his troubles. He worries they’d be disappointed in him for not figuring things out for himself. Or for not standing up for himself or letting someone else’s behavior bother him so much.

His experience is so relatable. So raw and real. I love the gentle way the Room comforts and helps him. In some ways, the Room was my favorite character. Héctor is pretty tough to beat, though! I love his sense of humor and bold personality.

THE INSIDERS is one of those books that has a lot of things happening in the background in an understated way. One of Héctor’s teachers reacts to something he says or does in a way that made me think she knew about the Room, and maybe had her own experience with it herself. I love that it kind of stays ambiguous, too, because it hints at the Room being an ongoing force helping lonely kids without letting the story focus on an adult’s experience.

Some moments in the book were so achingly sad, but so many were also full of triumph and joy. This is a story that celebrates friendship, family, identity and food.

THE INSIDERS is the first book by Mark Oshiro that I’ve ever read, but I’m already thinking I need to go out and find all the other books they’ve written. I can’t wait to see more of their work.

I think readers who like HOW TO BECOME A PLANET by Nicole Melleby or FOREVERLAND by Nicole C. Kear will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Héctor is gay and Latino. He has several other close friends who are LGBTQ and/or BIPOC.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Reference to a homophobic slur. The word itself is not used.

Romance/Sexual Content
A girl asks another girl to a school dance and is asked not to DJ the event because of it.

Spiritual Content
A room appears to Héctor and a couple other kids when they need it most. It transforms into whatever they need, from a janitor closet to a library to a coffee shop to a nap space. Sometimes it hints at solutions to problems they face.

Violent Content
Some homophobia and bullying. Though Héctor is never in critical physical danger, he bears some pretty deep wounds from the way his antagonists treat him, and even begins to experience some depression.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE INSIDERS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Bone Spindle
Leslie Vedder
Razorbill
January 11, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About the Bone Spindle

Fi is a bookish treasure hunter with a knack for ruins and riddles, who definitely doesn’t believe in true love.

Shane is a tough-as-dirt girl warrior from the north who likes cracking skulls, pretty girls, and doing things her own way.

Briar Rose is a prince under a sleeping curse, who’s been waiting a hundred years for the kiss that will wake him.

Cursed princes are nothing but ancient history to Fi–until she pricks her finger on a bone spindle while exploring a long-lost ruin. Now she’s stuck with the spirit of Briar Rose until she and Shane can break the century-old curse on his kingdom.

Dark magic, Witch Hunters, and bad exes all stand in her way–not to mention a mysterious witch who might wind up stealing Shane’s heart, along with whatever else she’s after. But nothing scares Fi more than the possibility of falling in love with Briar Rose.

Set in a lush world inspired by beloved fairytales, The Bone Spindle is a fast-paced young adult fantasy full of adventure, romance, found family, and snark.

Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling fairytale retelling for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and All the Stars and Teeth.

My Review

I’m always up for a good fairy tale retelling, especially a gender-flipped story or one that completely reimagines the world in which the fairy tale takes place. So, I couldn’t resist reading THE BONE SPINDLE once I knew it had all those elements. I also loved SORCERY OF THORNS, so, that’s even more points in favor.

Now that I’ve read it, I can honestly say that if I had a time machine, I’d end up being one of those people who seriously annoy my husband on Reddit, the people who would choose to use great power for oddball things. I’d definitely use my time machine to go into the future to read THE BONE SPINDLE’s sequel right now. (And then after that, you know, saving humanity, world peace, all that stuff.)

Favorite Things

I loved the characters in this book. Fi is smart, savvy, adorable and so bookish. I thought for sure she’d have to be my favorite. Then Shane had me with her fierce determination to protect the people she loves, and to do what’s right no matter how hard it is. And then Red with her quick wits and ability to slip in and out of trouble. And Briar with his charm and innocence and humor. They were all my favorites.

One of the fresh elements in this retelling that I couldn’t get enough of is that it takes a character (the sleeping princess, here a prince) who is traditionally a passive character, and turns them into an active supporting character in the story. We mostly follow Fi, who has been chosen to wake the prince, and Shane, her treasure-hunting, warrior partner. But Briar, the prince, visits Fi along the journey using his abilities as a light witch.

Through those visits, they become friends and feel the pull of love, but he also intervenes sometimes in battles (though the girls hold their own plenty of times). I loved that it showed a relationship developing between Fi and Briar and made him a living character rather than a prince waiting to wake up.

Sometimes the first book in a series like this will drop off a cliff at the end, and leave you feeling like you read a whole book only to get cheated out of a real ending– BUT– this book does not do that. It both had a very satisfying ending and also a great setup for the next book in the series.

Conclusion

Honestly, I can’t think of anything about this book that I didn’t like. It’s a completely fresh take on the fairytale, but it has all the elements I love about the original story. For me, this one was a total win. I absolutely recommend it to fantasy lovers and readers who love reimagined fairy tales.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Shane is a lesbian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. Kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
A powerful witch has placed a curse on the kingdom of Andar. Other powerful witches gave their lives to transform the curse into something that could be broken. Other witches with magic ability still live among the other kingdoms.

Violent Content
Battle violence and situations of peril.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE BONE SPINDLE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves
Meg Long
Wednesday Books
Published January 11, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves

After angering a local gangster, seventeen-year-old Sena Korhosen must flee with her prize fighting wolf, Iska, in tow. A team of scientists offer to pay her way off her frozen planet on one condition: she gets them to the finish line of the planet’s infamous sled race. Though Sena always swore she’d never race after it claimed both her mothers’ lives, it’s now her only option.

But the tundra is a treacherous place, and as the race unfolds and their lives are threatened at every turn, Sena starts to question her own abilities. She must discover whether she’s strong enough to survive the wild – whether she and Iska together are strong enough to get them all out alive.

A captivating debut about survival, found family, and the bond between a girl and a wolf that delivers a fresh twist on classic survival stories and frontier myths.

My Review

I liked this book from the beginning, and then Remy, one of the minor characters that’s part of a scientific expedition visiting Sena’s planet, entered the scene. She’s spunky and teasing and I loved her so much. She really added a lot of light and balance to Sena’s serious and sometimes moody personality. I felt like the story picked up a lot as soon as Remy walked into it, which was maybe 20% in?

I also loved the relationship between Iska and Sena. I’ve had the experience where an animal chooses you as their family. It was much less dramatic than a fighting wolf, but still, it’s an amazing thing, and I felt like COLD THE NIGHT captured that really well.

The planet where Sena lives is this rough, gritty icy place. Think Wild West meets Arctic tundra. It seemed exactly like the kind of place that Captain Mal and his crew from Firefly would end up at some point. Those gritty elements really worked to create high stakes and desperate characters, which definitely kept me engaged in the story.

All in all, I thought this one would make a great addition to the YA sci-fi shelves. I think readers who enjoy books by Claudia Gray or Hayley Stone will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Sena was raised by two mothers.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Some scenes briefly show wolves being forced to fight each other. Animals attack people in several scenes. Goblins attack people in a couple scenes. Some of these scenes show some graphic violence and fatality.

Drug Content
Some characters drink alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES in exchange for my honest review.

Best Young Adult Books from 2021

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Best Young Adult Books from 2021

2021 was quite a year! I had lots of ups and some pretty dark downs, but one of the things I’m truly thankful for is the books. Some of the best young adult books from 2021 kept me company on long sleepless nights and provided a safe place to escape for a few hours.

I’ve been a fan of YA since before I started blogging, both as a reader and writer. I’m always excited to see new, fresh takes on familiar themes or entirely new ideas and broader representation bursting from the pages. These books are a mix of all those things. They really only have one thing in common, and that’s how much I liked them!

Here are some of the young adult books I still can’t stop talking about and thinking about that were published in 2021.

Best Young Adult Books from 2021

Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A deadly forest guarded by siren trees. A grieving boy. Forbidden love. A gender-flipped Beauty and the Beast in all the best ways. I couldn’t stop reading this one. So. Good.

Published January 12, 2021 | My Review

You Have a Match by Emma Lord

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A secret sister revealed by a DNA test. Summer camp and a chance to get to know her. Best friends to lovers. All the quirky, hilarious fun you want in a RomCom.

Published January 12, 2021 | My Review

The Project by Courtney Summers

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl looking for the sister who disappeared into a shadowy cult. She swore never to trust its charismatic leader, suddenly he feels like her only ally on her search for the truth. This one swallowed me whole. Content warnings in my review.

Published February 2, 2021 | My Review

Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Searing grief. Found family. A love story to books and beautiful tale of first love. If you like books by John Green (or the idea of them), buckle up and grab a copy of this one. I just want to read it again and again.

Published February 16, 2021 | My Review

Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A soldier/healer whose heart keeps running away with her head. A legendary enemy. An mysterious estate. Dark secrets. Forbidden love. This one blew me away. One of my favorites for the year.

Published March 2, 2021 | My Review

Can’t Take That Away by Steven Salvatore

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A genderqueer teen who dreams of being a diva. A battle against discrimination. A perfect celebration of family relationships, friendship, and love for Mariah Carey. I adored this book as I read it, and so much more now as I’ve followed the author on social media. Steven Salvatore’s is a wise voice we need.

Published March 9, 2021 | My Review

Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A dystopian world dependent on genetically engineered humans to treat diseases that ravage the population. Explores addiction and its destructive power. Features a M/M romance. The dystopian world and high stakes made this one a great read for me.

Published March 9, 2021 | My Review

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A summer in Paris, ballet dancing, mysterious rumors about a Degas painting, and of course a whirlwind romance. Perfect for fans of LOVE AND GELATO.

Published April 6, 2021 | My Review

These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Sisters– one to become queen, one to become the Firebird, a powerful being who maintains the balance of magic. F/F romance. Political intrigue. Kept me on the edge of my seat.

Published April 20, 2021 | My Review

The People We Choose by Katelyn Detweiler

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A post-climate-disaster world. A girl searching for her missing sister. A sister stranded on a strange island. So. Many. Secrets. I couldn’t stop reading this one.

Published May 4, 2021 | My Review

The People We Choose by Katelyn Detweiler

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A small town girl wondering about the identity of her biological father. A new neighbor with undeniable chemistry. A best friend/unrequited love. So many feels.

Published May 4, 2021 | My Review

Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A seventeen-year-old with a secret: she’s won the lottery. And she can’t tell anyone. Explores grief, hoarding, and best friendships. I really liked that this story didn’t center on romance.

Published May 11, 2021 | My Review

Misfit in Love by S. K. Ali

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A faith-positive story with Muslim rep. First love at a wedding. Speaking up about assault and finding your people. Beautiful and moving.

Published May 25, 2021 | My Review

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Fake dating. Faith-positive. Sweet and salty. I really enjoyed this one.

Published May 25, 2021 | My Review

The Marvelous by Claire Kann

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Great gamer references. A sweet friends to lovers romance. A powerful dissection of online bullying against female players. Quirky characters and loads of fun.

Published May 31, 2021 | My Review

The Marvelous by Claire Kann

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Three young women in a high-stakes reality show game. A mysterious mansion and more mysterious hostess. Unexpected and unforgettable friendships. If you like twisty, mystery-slash-riddle stories with strong characters, you have to check this one out.

Published June 8, 2021 | My Review

Rule of Wolves (King of Scars #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: More Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina (Plus cameos from some of your favorite Crows!). Witty banter. Desperate battles. The last book in the Grishaverse. SIX OF CROWS is still my favorite by Bardugo, but this one is a close second.

Published June 8, 2021 | My Review

The Sea is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Twin brothers and a rivalry that began with a girl. A tiny town perched on the edge of the sea and a hurricane that could swallow it. Depression and first love. Lyrical prose. Crushing and beautiful.

Published June 8, 2021 | My Review

We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A practical harpist with zero interest in romance. Her bestie, a hopeless romantic and amazing baker. A summer of weddings together that kindles feelings. I think I read this one in one sitting.

Published June 8, 2021 | My Review

Broken Web (Shamanborn #2) by Lori Lee

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: More creepy trees! Forbidden magic. Lots of twisty storytelling. Fierce characters. I loved this and can’t wait for the rest of this series.

Published June 15, 2021 | My Review

We Can Be Heroes by Kyrie McCauley

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Incredible friendships. Fierce girls in a fight for justice. This book broke me in all the best possible ways.

Published September 14, 2021 | My Review

Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I kind of thought Brigid Kemmerer would never write another book that I loved as much as I love LETTERS TO THE LOST and I was so very wrong. I was on the edge of my seat until the very last page.

Published September 14, 2021 | My Review

This Is Why We Lie by Gabrielle Lepore

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A murdered girl. A boy running from a dark past. Complex characters and loads of tension. Definitely an edge-of-your-seat read! Perfect for fans of Karen McManus.

Published September 21, 2021 | My Review

The Splendor by Breeana Shields

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I couldn’t put this one down. Juliette and Henri are the kind of characters that hit like an arrow to the heart: vulnerable, desperate to save/protect the people they love, wounded, and smart.

Published September 28, 2021 | My Review

Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Friends to lovers. ASD rep. Explores PTSD and recovery from a sexual assault. A heartbreaking but so real look at abusive relationships and healing. This one will stay with me a long time.

Published October 12, 2021 | My Review

We Light Up the Sky by Lilliam Rivera

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: An alien invasion. Unlikely allies and friendships. A post-pandemic Los Angeles. Eerie and beautifully written.

Published October 26, 2021 | My Review

You Can Go Your Own Way by Eric Smith

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A pinball machine arcade and fantastic love for 80s music. Friends to enemies to lovers. A blizzard that traps two people together. Grief and daddy issues. So sweet and so fun. Perfect and nostalgic. I still have heart eyes for this one.

Published November 2, 2021 | My Review

The Ballad of Dinah Caldwell by Kate Brauning

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A dystopian America. A lone girl taking on a powerful, wealthy man who controls her whole world. Gritty, raw prose. Aching storytelling.

Published November 23, 2021 | My Review

The Excalibur Curse (Camelot Rising #3) by Kiersten White

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The last in a female-centered King Arthur legend trilogy. The fiercest, most magical Guinevere you’ve ever seen. High stakes battles and unforgettable friendships plus a bit of romance. I love this whole series.

Published December 7, 2021 | My Review

Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: LGBTQ spin on Back to the Future. Time travel to the 1980s. A flashy, fun protagonist desperate to change history and save another boy’s life. Possibly the most fun book I read last year.

Published December 7, 2021 | My Review

What were your favorite books from 2021?

What were the best young adult grade books from 2021 that you read? Did you read any of the books on my list? If so, did any of them rank among your favorites?

If there are any books on my list that you’re thinking of checking out now that you’ve seen them here, please let me know! Knowing someone is going to check out one of my favorite books totally makes my whole week.

If you like this list, check out my list of Best Middle Grade Books from 2021.