8 Good Books for Teens and Tweens

March has been a great month for fiction geared to younger readers. You may shy away from middle grade and young adult books, assuming they lack a certain, shall we say, sophistication. In my experience, many contemporary novels written for teens and tweens deal with real-life issues in a authentic and frank manner and can be every bit as intense as adult fiction. Of course, you’ll also find plenty of books with teen angst, magic, and love gone awry.

Today’s roundup covers just a few of this month’s middle grade and young adult titles that caught my attention. Some are set in real life, but others contain elements of speculative fiction. All are worth looking into for yourself or for the young readers in your life.

Contemporary Stories

• Far Away by Lisa Graff (Philomel, March 5): This middle grade story is about 12-year-old CJ who lives with her itinerant aunt, who makes her living as a psychic. CJ is grateful that her aunt can commune with spirits because that’s the only way she can talk to mother, who died when she was a baby. But when her aunt says that she can no longer receive messages from CJ’s mother, the girl takes off with a teenage friend to try to reforge the connection. Magical realism, family secrets, and a road trip create a moving coming-of-age story. Note: this novel has gotten very mixed reviews. Audiobook: read by Monika Felice Smith Listening Library; 7 hr, 3 min)
• XL by Scott Brown (Knopf BYR, March 26): Set in San Diego, this young adult novel focuses on 16-year-old Will who still hasn’t had his growth spurt. Measuring in at just under 5 feet, he feels invisible and unattractive. But what happens when he starts growing . . . and growing? Is life any better on the other side of the yardstick? Romance, popularity, self-acceptance, friendship, and family round out Will’s story, which (according to reviews) contains a good dose of humor. Audiobook: read by Robbie Daymond (Listening Library 9 hr, 50 min)
• In Another Life by C. C. Hunter (Wednesday Books, March 26): When teenage Chloe and her just-divorced mom move to Texas to start over, Chloe has trouble adjusting. First, she begins to imagine that she remembers her life before her parents adopted her when she was just a toddler. Then when she befriends a cute boy living with foster parents, she begins to question everything her adoptive parents ever told her. This young adult thriller involves family secrets, lies, mental illness, adoption, and cancer. Audiobook: no information

Speculative Fiction

• The Revenge of Magic by James Riley (Aladdin, March 5): Set in a future Earth in which only children can learn magic, this is the first entry in a middle grade fantasy / adventure series. Young Fort Fitzgerald loses his father when Washington, D.C. is destroyed by monsters. Thus he jumps at the chance to attend a government-run school that teaches magic to promising tweens. Perhaps he’ll find a way to recover his dad and stop further creature attacks . . . or maybe he’ll just be haunted by disturbing dreams and barred from learning the truth of who’s really in control of the world. Fort must find allies and his own inner strength. The academy is less wizardy and more military, as the kids are being trained to fight the monsters. Audiobook: read by Kirby Heyborne (Simon & Schuster Audio; 9 hr, 2 min)
• Sky without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell (Simon Pulse; March 26): Centuries after the French colonized the planet Laterre, rebellion is in the air as the one-percenters have all the power and the rest have few resources and little hope. Can three teens of very different backgrounds, personalities, and skills lead a successful uprising? This is the first in an action-packed young adult space opera series that is a futuristic retelling of Les Misérables, complete with the politics, romance, and class divides. Audiobook: read by Vikas Adam, Joy Osmanski, and Emily Woo Zeller (Simon & Schuster Audio; 18 hr, 33 min)

Finish Up a Series

• Winter War Awakening by Rosalyn Eves (Knopf BYR; March 19): Final entry in the Blood Rose Rebellion trilogy. This series is set in eastern Europe (basically Austria and Hungary) and contains elements of alternate history, real history (rebellion against the Hapsburgs) and fantasy. Series themes and issues: overcoming prejudice, self-acceptance, romance, strong female protagonists, learning to trust. Audiobooks: read by Fiona Hardingham & Steve West (Listening Library)
• The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform; March 5): Second book in the Belles duology. These books are set in an alternate history New Orleans and contain dystopian and steampunk elements. Series themes and issues: corruption of power, LGBTQ, class differences, the worth of beauty. Audiobooks: read by Rosie Jones (Blackstone Audio)
• The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco (Sourcebook Fire; March 5): Final book in the Bone Witch trilogy. Set in an alternative world with an Asian feel, the trilogy follows Tea and her brother as she struggles to find her place in a world that is hostile and dangerous; high fantasy elements. Series themes and issues: LGBTQ, romance, self-discovery, personal growth, family, leaving the past behind. Audiobooks: first two read by Emily Woo Zeller and Will Damron (Blackstone Audio); no information on book three

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8 June Novels I Still Want to Read

*Blink* ← That’s how long the month of June lasted. And that means I’m—as always—behind in reading this month’s new releases. Good thing there’s no use-by date on books, because there’s still plenty of time for me to get to the following June novels.

Tell Me a Modern Story

A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (SJP for Hogarth, June 12): A contemporary Muslim American family is divided over balancing Western 21st-century culture with their ethnic and religious traditions. Why I want to read this novel: Only through understanding and empathy can we combat hate.

The Fall of Innocence by Jenny Torres Sanchez (Philomel Books, June 12): Eight years after surviving a childhood assault, 16-year-old Emilia is having trouble moving forward. Why I want to read this novel: Although the subject is difficult, it’s important to recognize that past trauma can resonate in the present.

Take Me Back to the Last Century

The Myth of Perpetual Summer by Susan Crandall (Gallery, June 19): A young women recalls her tumultuous childhood in a small Mississippi town and her dysfunctional family. Why I want to read this novel: I liked the author’s first novel and tend to like coming-of-age stories.

Visible Empire by Hannah Pittard (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, June 5): The far-reaching ways Atlanta, Georgia, was changed by the 1962 Orly plane crash that killed many of the city’s white elite . Why I want to read this novel: Because it is based on a true event with a foundation in the civil rights movement.

Give Me a Thrill

Bring Me Back by B. A. Paris (St. Martin’s Press, June 19): While on holiday in France, a man’s girlfriend goes missing, never to be seen again. Ten years later, he’s engaged and thinks his past is behind him . . . or is it? Why I want to read this novel: I really liked the author’s previous novels.

The Captives by Debra Jo Immergut (Ecco, June 5): A prison psychologist is surprised when his next patient is his high school crush, who’s been convicted of a brutal crime. How far will he go to help her? Why I want to read this novel: I trust the Ecco imprint and thought the premise was good.

Let Me Escape This World

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd (William Morrow, June 5): What would happen if humans were hit with a pandemic event that caused them to slowly lose their memories, until they no longer even remembered to eat? Why I want to read this novel: Even in the present political climate, I can’t resist a good adult dystopian/postapocalyptic story.

Bruja Born by Zoraida Cordova (Sourcebooks Fire, June 5): This is the second entry in an urban fantasy with Latinx underpinnings. Plus there are witches and walking dead. Why I want to read this novel: I liked the first book in this series and want to know what happens next.

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6 Young Adult Novels to Read This Spring

This week is the 98th annual Children's Book Week, and I'm celebrating the event by featuring books geared to young adult and middle grade readers that were (or will be) published in March, April, and May of 2017. Last week, I recommended 8 books that included a little magic or fantasy, and on Monday I featured 6 contemporary novels for young readers. Today, I finish up with 6 more novels set in the modern world.

• The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Saenz (Clarion; March): A young teen who's always been content with his lot in life--white boy adopted by a gay Mexican American man and loved by his extended family--reaches the age of wanting to know his biological history and questioning who he really is. Everyone has loved this sensitively written novel that explores self-identity, family, friendship, and LGBTQ issues.
• Kill All Happies by Rachel Cohn (Disney Hyperion; May): This novel, set in a small desert town in California, takes young readers on a crazy two-day graduation party to end all graduation parties. A diverse cast of characters indulge in teen antics; expect mildly mature content.
• Piper Perish by Kayla Cagan (Chronicle; March): An artistic high schooler dreams of leaving Texas for New York City, but as senior year comes to an end will she be brave enough to follow her passion? This book contains themes of family, ambition, friendship, sexual identity, mental illness, and independence.

• Enemy Exposure by Meghan Rogers (Philomel; March): Fans of action-packed thrillers starring tough young women will like this story about a Korean teen who is acting as a double agent for the United States. In this second installment in the Raven Files series, our hero, Jocelyn, must rescue an old friend, but can she save herself as well?
• Get It Together, Delilah! by Erin Gough (Chronicle; April): Set in Australia, this is the story of a teen who juggles school, work, and social pressures while dreaming of the girl she hopes will like her back. This award-winning novel presents an authentic, nonstereotypical look at teen relationships and family issues and will appeal to a diverse range of readers.
• Big & Little Questions (According to Wren Jo Byrd) by Julie Bowe (Kathy Dawson Books; March): The protagonist in this book for middle grade readers is Wren Jo Byrd, who is having trouble adjusting to her parents' divorce and idea of shared custody. After befriending the new girl at school, Wren learns she isn't the only one who's had to get used to a new life because of family problems.

Note: Books featured for Children's Book Week represent only those titles that came to my attention through a variety of avenues. They are also books I've had a chance to look through or read (print, audio, or ebook). I'm grateful to the publishers and other agencies that provided copies of these books for my honest opinion in a review or feature.

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6 Contemporary Novels for Young Readers

This week is the 98th annual Children's Book Week, and I'm celebrating the event by featuring books geared to young adult and middle grade readers that were (or will be) published in March, April, and May of 2017. Last week, I recommended 8 books that included a little magic or fantasy. Today, I recommend 6 books set in the real world and focusing on contemporary themes that concern young readers.

• When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (Simon Pulse; May): This rom-com for teens explores the dilemma of respecting cultural tradition in a tech-filled twenty-first century. Now that young women fashion their own futures, are arranged relationships doomed before they even start? This is novel offers both great escape and a look at family, cultural expectations, and modern love.
• Antisocial by Jillian Blake (Delacorte Press; May): The social structure of a prep school is turned upside down when the cool kids' phones are hacked and photos, texts, and emails are made public. While the students are humiliated and relationships are shattered, one girl tries to bury her secrets while protecting her friends. This book asks, What are consequences of our always-online lives?
• Bodyguard: Recruit by Chris Bradford (Philomel Books; May): A teenage kickboxing champ is recruited by the government and trained to be the bodyguard for the president's fun-loving and sometimes reckless daughter. This action-packed story is the first in a new series and provides an accurate picture of what it's like to be a professional bodyguard.

• Speed of Life by Carol Weston (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; April): When Sofia needed someone to talk to, she turned to teen advice columist "Dear Kate." Imagine her distress after she learns her widowed father started dating the very woman who knows all her secrets. This novel looks at families, grief, and trust.
• The End of Our Story by Meg Haston (HarperTeen; April): Set in Florida, this book explores what happens when two teens are reunited after a family crisis. Although they've changed over their year-long breakup, can Bridge and Wil once again find common ground? And if so, will they be friends or sweethearts?
• Lemons by Melissa Savage (Crown Books for Young Readers; May): Lemonade Liberty Witt has trouble seeing the positive when she moves in with her estranged grandfather after her mother's death. But then she meets 11-year-old Tobin, a Bigfoot nerd, who asks her to help with his investigations. Themes of friendship, grief, and family are lightened by a big dose of humor.

Note: Books featured for Children's Book Week represent only those titles that came to my attention through a variety of avenues. They are also books I've had a chance to look through or read (print, audio, or ebook). I'm grateful to the publishers and other agencies that provided copies of these books for my honest opinion in a review or feature.

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