Recent Read: The Thing About Jellyfish

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

Zu used to talk a lot—she would fill up empty spaces with scientific facts and explanations of the natural world. But after the death of her best friend, Franny, Zu doesn’t say a word. She doesn’t believe that Franny could have drowned like they say. There must be an explanation. And so, as her parents take her to therapy, and she goes to school and works on homework, Zu ponders how Franny must have been killed by a deadly jellyfish sting. Zu’s mission to prove the real cause of Franny’s death is mixed with recollections of Franny—how they became friends, what their friendship was like, and how it started to crumble.

These memories were my favorite part. They were so vivid and real. They sparked memories of my own. As the Zu’s past with Franny unfolds we begin to understand the motivation behind her drive to prove the “true” cause of Franny’s death. it's heartbreaking. The Thing About Jellyfish is the very definition of lyrical. It sometimes felt like a painting, blending thoughtful descriptions of the natural world with recollections of the past and contemplation about our place in the universe. Lovely, but I also think not for everyone.

The Thing About Jellyfish releases September 22

Recent Read: The Fourteenth Goldfish

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

Ellie is struggling to adjust to the changes of a new school and getting older, when her mother brings home her grandfather in thirteen-year-old-form! After figuring out how to channel the regenerative properties of a jellyfish into a cure for aging, he tries out his fountain of youth on himself. Still the same crotchety old man he was, but in a thirteen-year-old’s body, he now seeks to publish his research so he can win a Nobel prize.

Even though the premise is an outlandish one (but also very fun), Holm tells a simple, uncomplicated story, one of family and identity, age and even ethical responsibility. Holm’s tone is light-hearted, and she sprinkles humor throughout. I loved Ellie. She’s sweet and introspective. Through her adventures with her grandfather, Ellie discovers an interest in science. She finds friends and a new found confidence in the face of the changes of middle school. The chapters are very short, and I was surprised to find that it was 100 pages because it went so quickly. Very good.

The Fourteenth Goldfish will be released on August 26.

Recent Read: The Truth About Alice

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu 

Everyone’s heard that Alice slept with two guys in one night at Elaine’s party. And one of them, dreamy star quarterback Brandon, has just died in a car accident. And everyone knows it was Alice's fault.

The Truth About Alice is told from four perspectives—social queen bee Elaine, former best friend of Alice (and wannabe popular girl) Kelsie, the beloved quarterback’s best friend Josh, and nerdy social pariah Kurt. Through these lenses, we start to get a picture of what really happened, how various lies and rumors get started, and who each of these people are individually. They look like stereotypes or categories, but Mathieu does an excellent job of forming distinct, well-rounded characters. There’s something relatable and human in each character’s story.

This might seem like a weird thing to say, seeing as how some of these people make a girl’s life miserable by lying to cover their own asses, to get ahead socially, or just because. The narration from each character is unflinching in its honesty. But they’re all people, with emotions and desires that are human (and dare I say sympathetic?). They justify their actions in ways that are all too familiar.

I should note that this is not Some Girls Are. It’s not the story of a cruel, relentless attack on Alice. And in there, amongst the selfishness is a story of friendship that’s sweet and meaningful.This is a good one for fans of 13 Reasons Why and  Before I Fall.

Recent Read: To All the Boys I've Loved Before

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Each time Lara Jeans falls in love, she writes the boy a letter to say goodbye. Then she tucks it away in a hatbox, never to be sent. But then the boys start receiving their letters.

Great premise, but it wasn't really what I expected. This little description doesn’t really provide a picture of what the story actually is. Lara Jean’s older sister, Margot leaves for college in Scotland as the book begins. Before leaving she breaks up with her long-time boyfriend, Josh—a boy that Lara Jean loved (and realizes she still does). So when he gets his letter, Lara Jean makes up a boyfriend to save face. She no longer has any interest in the fake boyfriend, (Peter, who also got a letter she had written in middle school), but they decide to keep the charade going for the sake of Josh and Peter’s new ex.

So that’s the set up. And I loved it…until the end. One of the best teen romances I’ve read…until the end. When it comes to romance, YA has a lot of passion, drama, sensitivity, and physical intimacy of different kinds. Jenny Han brings something to this story that I rarely see: humor and playfulness. It was a joy to read this. I felt like I was giggling and blushing along with the protagonist. They tease each other and make each other laugh and enjoy spending time together. It’s a bunch of little things that collect over time. It was nice to read something that felt so natural and fun.

Unfortunately, it was not without its problems. The voice was the first thing I noticed. She sounded 13, but she’s 16. She wasn’t especially emotional, which I found strange.

(spoiler-ish things ahead)
Then there's the biggest problem of all: right at the end something sours things for Lara Jean and _____. And they don’t really get resolved. On the final page we see Lara Jean intending to resolve things. But we don’t really get to see them together as a happy couple. I wanted to see that! I don’t want to rely on my own imagination! The ending was focused more on the sisters than the couple. And truth be told, I was a little unsatisfied with what happens between the sisters, too. I can’t imagine letting go of the things they did to each other that quickly and did Margot ever really get what Lara Jean was going through? I dunno. I’ve never had a sister, so maybe I can’t understand. I kept trying to change the story or resolve it in my head after I finished the book. All this build up and then…blah. Not only did the book feel unsettled, it made me feel unsettled, which I did not appreciate. (Though obviously if I had this kind of reaction, she succeeded very much in getting me involved and caring about the characters.)

Recent Read: Don't Even Think About It

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Homeroom 10B goes to the nurse to all get flu shots. They come out being able to hear other people’s thoughts.

This is as about as fluffy as it sounds, but boy was it fun. It was silly, immature, funny, gossip-filled, and entertaining. Mlynowski did a good job of portraying teens and their everyday dramas (sometimes serious, sometimes trivial). She also explored most, if not all, aspects of this telepathy side effect—both good and bad. I figure a lot of teens wish they could hear others’ thoughts at some point (I did), but Mlynowski shows readers the pros and cons, as well as the ethical dilemmas telepathy entails. So actually there’s a little bit of substance (themes include privacy, honesty, gossip, ethics, friendship, etc), but handled in such a way that you hardly realize it.

Recent Read: Paper Valentine

A serial killer is murdering middle school girls the quiet city of Ludlow. But that’s not the only thing on Hannah’s mind. She’s being haunted by her best friend who died six months ago.

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff was a great read. It immediately got me interested—she’s haunted by the ghost of her best friend? And her best friend essentially starved herself to death over a period of years? And there’s a murderer in town? I was intrigued and invested in just a few pages. Much of that is thanks to Yovanoff’s writing and the talent she has for giving you a lot of meaning and information in few words.

The mystery drives the plot, building slowly to a nail-biting climax. But equally, if not more, intriguing is the relationship between Hannah and her dead best friend, Lillian. Existing as the worst version of herself, Lillian follows Hannah around, making it impossible for her to move on or find out who she is without Lillian. Meanwhile, Hannah finds herself drawn to one the local delinquents, who she trusts more and more, even as she wonders if he could be behind the murders. As Hannah navigates through a world of ghosts, and absent best friends, romantic delinquents, and cruel murders she starts to learn more about who she is and what she’s made of. This one is fast, page-turning, eerie, and satisfying. And how 'bout that cover?

Recent Read: Before I Fall

Sam Kingston has the life most people at her school dream about: she's pretty, she has a hot boyfriend, and she's about as popular as it gets. Sam has no idea that when she wakes up on the morning of Cupid Day, it will be the last day of her life...but it won't be last time she wakes up. Over and over, Sam relives the last day of her life, and she starts to see her life with different eyes, coming to recognize what really matters.

Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall was so well done. I wasn't sure at the beginning because I so disliked the mean girl protagonist & friends (at one point she asks, "is it really so much worse than what you do?" to which i rolled my eyes and thought, "Yes, It is so much worse than anything I have ever done"), but as the book progresses, I got to know these girls--good and bad--and came to like them in spite of myself. Even better, I got to see Sam grow and transform in a convincing and meaningful way (one of the best character arcs I've read recently). I loved how it highlights both the beautiful things in life we take for granted and the things that actually matter. The teen voice is spot-on. The message/theme is similar to that of 13 Reasons Why, but the book is far, far superior.