Skip It: How To Keep Rolling After A Fall by Karole Cozzo

November 28, 2016 |

I believe in taking any genre of fiction seriously. This extends, too, to romance. I don’t mean that to say that genre fiction can’t be funny or sweet, but rather, genre fiction matters in the same way that literary fiction does and thus, can and should be held to high standards for quality. And in the case of How To Keep Rolling After A Fall by Karole Cozzo, a high standard for representation of disability.

It starts out with a scene that is a bit jarring: Nikki is approaching the end of the summer, and she immediately is in an argument with a boy at the Rehabilitation and Nursing center. She’s been “volunteering” there over the last few months, and as the book begins, that boy realizes who Nikki is. She’s Nicole Baylor, the girl who got kicked out of her old school because of a horrible cyber bullying incident.

He was angry she hadn’t been forthcoming with who she was or why she was volunteering. Fair enough, right? The girl had a reputation preceding her, and that boy , Jeremiah, is and will be the only level-headed character in the entire book.

He gets half a chapter of story.

As soon as the fight breaks out, Nikki takes a walk away from the orthopedic wing, wherein she is immediately face-to-face with the boy in a wheelchair named Max. I use that description not to belittle Pax but rather to give a sense of who Pax is to Nikki and who Pax is throughout the entirety of the story. Pax is the boy in the wheelchair. The sweet, inspirational boy in the wheelchair. The boy who is never more than the sweet boy in a wheelchair who, because of his status as the sweet and inspirational boy in the wheelchair, becomes the person who has to give Nikki her strength back after her terrible cyberbullying fallout and the person who, throughout the story, is offered no privacy or personal freedom as a character.

He exists entirely to prop up Nikki, a character who never sees a single consequence or arc in her character.

But let’s back up a second before getting into the problem of Pax. Or rather, the problem of how Pax is written in the story. First, let’s address the fact that this story begins with the knowledge that Nikki got kicked out of her high school at the end of junior year because of a bullying incident. The incident? A party Nikki threw at her own home, without her parents knowing, involved girls hooking up with boys and one girl being photographed during the incident. Those photos were then uploaded to social media via Nikki’s account, even though Nikki “had nothing to do with it.” Nikki’s four besties, of course, got off scot free because they claimed they had nothing to do with the incident, and, since the images went up under Nikki’s name, she was the one to get the consequences.

And that’s what we’re told of this incident. It is, of course, the Big Plot Point the entire story. It’s an emotional connector for Nikki and her new friend at her new (private) high school, and it’s the emotional connector between her and Pax, who forgives her without any question. Of course, he met her post-incident, so he knows only that aspect of her and he, like every person picking up this book, is expected to just accept Nikki’s side of the story to be the truth. Even though we’re also informed that the girl who had her images uploaded on social media attempted suicide. Of course, there’s no sympathy from Nikki when she lays this out to Pax. It’s just a thing that happened that ruined her life, no big deal.

Bullying, y’all, isn’t something to just accept that easily. Rather, Cozzo only offers this backstory to afford her character a way into her current situation and to offer a false sense of sympathy from the reader. But, when your main character has no growth and has no growth because we know nothing about the major preceding incident besides what she’s told us, there’s no way to sympathize. Further, the fact that Nikki’s parents are depicted merely as strict and upset after the incident and, throughout the book, they continue to cave on their strictness, we see no other side of the story. By showing us nothing, we see no growth.

If anything, we see regression because of the role Pax plays.

Pax is a good guy. A real good guy. Even though he’s in a wheelchair, he’s a good guy and bonus, he’s cute. He’d even be cute if he wasn’t in a wheelchair.

But Pax doesn’t want you to feel sorry for him at all. He wants you to understand he’s great and happy and he’ll play a mean game of wheelchair rugby. Pax is okay with having lost the possibility of getting a full ride to a college on a water polo scholarship because, well, as much as being disabled sucks, he’s okay with it! And he wants to be an inspiration for others to (wait for it, y’all) keep on rolling after a fall.

If Nikki knows anything, it’s a fall! And oh, Pax, he’s the perfect guy to show her how to pick herself up and keep going. A wealthy, privileged white girl has to have something (don’t worry — she will tell you she’s those things!).

There’s no character in Pax beyond his role as inspiration porn. He has no depth, and even when there is a moment for him not feeling well and fear falls into the heart of Nikki, he bounces back quickly and shakes it off as no big deal. Because he’s a guy in a wheelchair and he’s damn happy to be alive. Even his mother plays into the role of her son as inspiration porn, and it’s disheartening through and through as a reader to see the cardboard nature of each and every one of the characters in this book, but especially that each of them is there only to serve as a prop for Nikki. Perhaps had Nikki been developed or offered any sort of depth to her character or any sort of history or, like, anything, we’d feel differently as readers. And perhaps that would have allowed for Pax to be more than the cute guy in the wheelchair.

But alas, it only gets worse.

The thing that bothered me the most about this book and its representation of disability is that Pax is offered none of the privacy that other characters who are abled are provided. And while it can be “easily explained away” by the fact Pax is open and honest and loves sharing his story in order to help others, that is in itself the problem. To be specific, there is an entire scene involving Nikki and Pax at the Rehab center at night, wherein they’ve decided to go and have a private swim in the pool. Pax had previously mentioned that he wasn’t ashamed of much because he’s had a catheter and in this utterly painful to read scene, we’re given an entire opportunity to force Pax to talk about using a catheter. This scene becomes further uncomfortable when Pax says — no joke — he hasn’t been in a real relationship since the accident and has no idea whether or not his body is capable of getting it up.

Yes. Pax is upfront about a catheter and about being unsure whether or not he can have an erection.

This scene is an excellent example of what not to do with disability representation in a book, especially when written by a (presumably via internet searching!) able-bodied white author. As readers, this isn’t our business, just as it’s not our business in the world around us, unless we ourselves are the person who is disabled or close enough to earn that sort of trust from a person who is disabled. In this instance, it serves to answer invasive questions that Nikki nor readers are at all privileged to hear.

But worry not; when Nikki and Pax become a little more romantic later on in the book, she informs Pax that he can, indeed, get it up. Because we couldn’t let that go unexplored. Pax is here for one purpose and one purpose only. Never does he get the chance to be part of the story; never do we understand what it is that makes “a guy like him” (a terrible phrase that pops up far too often) attracted to Nikki. This is a book only about Nikki and the way Nikki wants to be seen.

A few cringe-worthy lines worth pulling to further why this is a book that’s a terrible example of disability representation and thus, a terrible example of a good romance for teen (or adult) readers. I flagged instances as I read, and nearly half the book is flagged:

“You will never be able to go anywhere without drawing some level of attention, without people wondering why you’re there with me”

— a line Pax throws at Nikki during a tiff they had. It’s almost as if the whole cyberbullying-and-getting-kicked-out-of-school thing we learned about in the first chapter no longer means anything in this town, but being around “a guy like Pax” would.

“‘There’s still so much good in her,’ he tells them. Then Pax looks back at my parents one final time before leaving my house. ‘And you know, it’s a damn shame that some boy she’s known for a few weeks gets to see it and appreciate it while the people who created her don’t.'”

— a nice little inspirational speech given by Pax the first time he meets Nikki’s parents. A chapter or so later, mom is moved and inspired by that nice boy and has a change of heart. So nice some boy she just met who has a heart of gold could inspire that kind of change. I have a few guesses as to why (what parent couldn’t be guilted by a boy with a wheelchair, right?).

“‘Number two, you didn’t mention crumbling sidewalks and a four-block walk.’ Then I stumble over my own feet and I realize my slip. ‘I’m sorry,’ I blurt out. ‘That was wrong.’

‘What?’

‘You know. Complaining. About having to . . . walk.’

Pax just laughs. ‘Aren’t we past that? In those shoes? You’re more handicapped than I am.'”

“I stare down at his limp legs. When I first met Pax, it kind of seemed like his self-assurance and big personality didn’t match up with the reality of his situation. Now it just seems like the uselessness of his lower body doesn’t match up with the reality of him. From the waist up, he is strong and capable in every sense of the word.”

All of the quotes are pulled from the final edition of the book.

Something I haven’t mentioned in this review but is worth sharing: I was sent this as a title for ALAN Picks. I’ve reviewed for them before, and even though romance isn’t my wheelhouse, I knew reading a romance and being able to write up a review for teachers, librarians, and other youth advocates wouldn’t be too hard (it’s what I do here, after all). ALAN Picks, for those who aren’t familiar, are only positive reviews. They highlight books that are good and worth knowing about.

I chose not to submit a review because I cannot recommend this book and even with some of the things that made the book feel “real” — things like name dropping brands and pop cultural references — don’t at all make up for the poor representation and lack of character development. Romance should be taken as seriously as other genres, and for a book meant to be light hearted, it fumbles before it gets anywhere. The kisses which should be swoon worthy are marred by the fact they’re only there because Pax is a tool of growth for Nikki. He is little more than inspiration porn for her, as well as for the reader.

To quote Kody Keplinger, who is one of the founders behind the incredible Disability in Kid Lit resource, a major problem with disability inspiration porn is this:

[E]ven if the intentions are good, it implies that the average disabled person is weak or lacks independence. So when people tell me I’m “amazing” for being out in the world, it implies the average blind person is a shut in. In reality, disabled people are people and want to be treated like normal people. This means not being seen as “brave” or “inspirational” for average, every day actions. Unfortunately, the news, modern lit, modern film, etc, seem to think this is the only way to tell the story of a disabled person. The plot is always “Character X has Disability Y, but she STILL MIRACULOUSLY MANAGES TO OVER COME IT.” Disabled people in the media are always treated as extraordinary and not ordinary. And, to put it eloquently, it sucks.

You can dig a bit more into the problems of disability/inspiration porn here.

I, like the author of this book, am white and able bodied. I, like the author of this book, am a writer and know the power of words. But what leaves me feeling unsettled is that this book lacks a sense of having done the work necessary to capture the reality of life for a disabled person. It lacks the sense of having considered that Pax should be more than a tool of Nikki’s growth. And it fails to even offer him a story he can call his own.

So much could have been done to save this book with just a little help from a sensitivity reader, a strong editorial eye, or even a few hours spent reading through the incredible resource that the kid lit community has about disability.

I choose to talk about this book with depth and criticism because this is a problem that emerges again and again in the YA world and beyond. The work isn’t being done, and critics aren’t speaking up — or they are and they aren’t being listened to by those who really need to hear it. How To Keep Rolling After A Fall doesn’t appear yet to have any trade reviews as of this writing, and I hope when those do begin to trickle in, that the reviewers are willing to do the work calling this what it is: a book to be skipped.

And there is no shame in not purchasing this book for a collection or recommending it to a teen romance lover because we are fortunate to have authors like Nicola Yoon, Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian, Lauren Morrill, Sarah Dessen, and many more who are writing romances that also tackle meaty topics like bullying or eating disorders or struggling family lives and do them some damn justice.

The Outsiders: Read & Blog Along

November 7, 2016 |

If you’re taking part in the read/blog along for The Outsiders, feel free to leave your posts or thoughts in the comments here and I’ll do a nice round-up at the end of the week.

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I picked up Hinton’s classic — perhaps the first YA book to be designated as such in 1967 — having little idea of the story. Sure, I knew some of the classic lines, and I knew the character names, and I was also somewhat familiar with the themes in the story. But I had no idea how it progressed, what the writing would be like, nor what would stand out to me as a reader. Going in with a lack of preconceptions was great, and it reminded me why reading backlist can be so rewarding and enjoyable in a way that sometimes reading the newest, latest, most buzz-y books isn’t. You get to sink in slowly, at your own pace, for yourself, rather than be steeped.

There’s not a lot to say in terms of plot, though; this is a story about a group of boys known as the greasers (which, yes, every time it showed up on page, reminded me of Grease and John Travolta) and their rival group known as the socs (so-ches). The two groups are divided by the city they live in physically but more importantly, they’re divided economically. The greasers are your poor kids and the socs are your middle class kids. The hobby du jour in town is for the two groups to rumble. In a present-day story, rumble would not be the word. It might be something more like fisticuffs.

Ponyboy is the protagonist and he’s 14, living with his older brother Sodapop, who is a high school drop out and his even older brother Darry. Darry is in charge of the boys since both parents died in a car crash prior to the story beginning. It’s a rough life, and Ponyboy feels throughout the story that he wants to be like Sodapop, and he fears his older brother Darry doesn’t like him. We learn, though, that it’s simply the way that Darry worries about Ponyboy that causes him to be strict or, as Ponyboy sees it, mean and cold.

Hinton does a great job telling us about the living situation, and knowing that this book is written as a story in a story — spoiler alert, it’s what Ponyboy writes to earn extra credit in one of his classes — it’s forgivable there is more telling of the story than showing it. We don’t really see the difference in class other than hearing about it, but knowing it’s through the perspective of a younger teen boy, it’s not hard to buy by any stretch of the imagination. What works wonderful through this storytelling device more than anything, though, is the emotion. We get to know exactly what Ponyboy thinks and feels, since he’s removed enough from the story to tell it and reflect on it while he’s telling it. This serves to give us a real sense of fear, of anger, of sadness, and of motivation he has.

The Outsiders is infamous for being one of the first YA books that really showcased the YA voice and perspective in a way that makes clear grownups aren’t always aware of the challenges and hardships that comes during adolescence. We’re there in the rumbles and we’re there through the emotional ups and downs of having friends who are hurt, who make poor choices, and the sorts of consequences that occur with both. Because that’s the thing about adolescents, about teenagers: they make stupid choices. A perennial complaint from adult readers of YA is that the main characters do dumb things, but anyone who knows a thing about teenagers knows that that is part and parcel of being that age. You’re learning, making choices that don’t always make sense, and yet, those are the places where learning can occur.

So much of this is smartly mirrored in the adoration Ponyboy has for Sodapop. Soda, who he refers to by good looks and as if he “has it all,” isn’t particularly book smart, and he made the decision to drop out of high school. There’s not a value judgment placed upon it, but rather, it’s used as a means of highlighting to Ponyboy that, with his smarts and determination, he has the power to continue his education and go places with it. Sodapop doesn’t have those same opportunities open to him because of the choices he made. Where Ponyboy paints that picture of an idol, we also see as readers those pain points and those flashes of truth that Sodaboy is, too, a flawed character who has made and will continue to make some questionable choices.

From the beginning, I found myself most drawn to Darry as a character. I think a big reason for that is that he’s not described much from Ponyboy for a long time. We get this sense he’s quite removed, that because he’s the “adult” in the story, he doesn’t know the half of what’s taking place.

The thing is, though, Darry might be most conscious of everything going on and purposefully works to ensure that his brothers stay safe first and foremost. He’s the foil to Ponyboy and the rest of the crew in that he’s the “adult” that they are sure doesn’t “get” what it’s like to be constantly in danger or in regular fear of another battle with the socs.

The Outsiders is one of those books that it seems everyone reads in school. I remember that the regular Reading classes in 7th grade took this on. I was in an advanced Reading class, and we didn’t — I couldn’t tell you what we read, but I could tell you the other reading because it came with so much complaining from teens in that class. As a teen, I guess I sympathized (hard to say now, of course, but I suspect I did because assigned reading can be that way). But now as an adult, I see why it’s such a popular classroom staple. There are a million ways to talk about this book, its themes, its characters, its contributions to the larger canon of children’s lit, its perspectives on life as a teenager, and so on. There’s essentially no wrong way to read this book or dissect it because there’s so much juice to it.

And, perhaps a point worth digging into in more contemporary classrooms and discussions of the book, it’d be worth talking about whether it’s been dated or continues to hold an important place in literary history. I’d argue that it certainly does, as shades of Hinton’s classic run through so many other YA novels. But I’d also have to note that there are places that, were the novel to be rewritten today, would be suspect to more critical eyes and criticisms, and rightly so. The language used in the book isn’t particularly kind toward Natives (I flagged at least one passage about “screeching like an Indian”), which in and of itself would provide a lot of discussion and critical fodder. What would this book look like were it written today?

I’d venture to guess it wouldn’t need to change a lot. Even the lack of technology here doesn’t necessarily “date” the story; rather, written today, it might offer a better “show” of the difference in economic class between the greasers and the socs.

My biggest fascination with the book is a relatively small one: Ponyboy loves books and reading. We know that, but we not only know that because he’s telling the story; we know it because he shows us with what he’s reading and his knowledge of literature. The weaving in and use of Gone With The Wind is particularly memorable, if only because it gives the book a sense of humor. It’s wild to think of two tough boys choosing to read that book when they’ve run away from a crime, and it’s wild to think about it becoming such a powerful novel that defines their relationship as friends and what happens when one dies and the other lives.

If you haven’t, you should pick up Hinton’s The Outsiders. I wouldn’t put it on my list of favorites, but knowing the value of the novel canonically, as well as knowing how much influence it has had on YA over the last fifty years, it’s worth the few hours it takes to read the 200 pages. It’s a good starting point to YA for those who are new to the category, and it’s a great reference point for those wanting to expand their knowledge.

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Whenever I take part in a read/blog along, I always love taking a peek at the covers for backlist titles. Here’s a selection of some good ones from over the years. It’s not comprehensive, and I left off the one that we’re probably all really familiar with in mass market.

Next year, in honor of the 50th anniversary of The Outsiders, there will be a special repackaged cover. It will look like this:

If I hadn’t already thought about Grease every time I read the word “greasers,” then this jacket might make me do it. I love how simple and powerful it is in its simplicity.

This is the cover I have for the 40th anniversary. It was part of the Penguin “Platinum” line, and it’s really sharp looking. The gray on the side line is slick. The only thing I don’t like is the choice to go with deckled edges on this one; for the life of me, I don’t get why that’s considered high end when it makes flipping through pages nearly impossible for the small handed like myself (not to mention how it makes quickly perusing for quotes impossible).

Another cover that came out in 2006 was the Classics line cover, and this might be among my favorites. It’s true to the feel of the novel — there’s mood with the color and lighting choices, as well as in the fact that the person on the cover is running away. But the “running away” is toward the reader, giving it even more pow.

This is the “official” 40th anniversary edition. It’s got a nice vibe to it, though it’s not all that memorable. It reminds me a lot of some of the covers I’ve seen for graphic novels (I assume that’s what the goal was here) and also, weirdly, a bit of Fahrenheit 451.

In 1971, you could snag this mass market edition for a mere 10 cents. I love that it looks like a bad, bad record cover. And those boys look like they might be too nicely dressed and polished to be greasers. Though they have the hair down. Is the guy in the middle wearing a chain?

This is about as perfectly 1982 as you could get in a book cover.

The 1988 audiobook from Listening Library gets so many points because it incorporates a pile of references from the book. The busy, cluttered feeling almost works with the color choices; the burning church is a real great addition. I wonder what a cover with just that as the central image might evoke in terms of readership.

September & October Debut YA Novels

October 17, 2016 |

I got a little bit backlogged last month and didn’t get the debut YA novels round-up posted before September ended. Thus, this round-up includes both September debuts and October debuts.

Like always, this round-up includes debut novels, where “debut” is in its purest definition. These are first-time books by first-time authors. I’m not including books by authors who are using or have used a pseudonym in the past or those who have written in other categories (adult, middle grade, etc.) in the past. Authors who have self-published are not included here either.

All descriptions are from WorldCat or Goodreads, unless otherwise noted. If I’m missing any debuts out in August from traditional publishers — and I should note that indie/small presses are okay — let me know in the comments.

As always, not all titles included here are necessarily endorsements for those titles.

The Art of Hold On and Letting Go by Kristin Bartley Lenz

Competitive climber Cara Jenkins feels most at home high off the ground, clinging to a rock wall by her fingertips. She’s enjoyed a roaming life with her mountaineering parents, making the natural world her jungle gym, the writings of Annie Dillard and Henry David Thoreau her textbooks. But when tragedy strikes on an
Ecuadoran mountaintop, Cara’s nomadic lifestyle comes to an abrupt halt.

Starting over at her grandparents’ home in suburban Detroit, Cara embarks on a year of discovery, uncovering unknown strengths, friendships, and first love. Cara’s journey illustrates the transformative power of nature, love and loss, and discovering that home can be far from where you started.

The Cat King of Havana by Tom Crosshill

Rick Gutierrez is . . . the Cat King of Havana! A cat-video tycoon turned salsa-dancer extraordinaire, he’ll take Cuba by storm, romance the girl of his dreams, and ignite a lolcat revolution!

At least that’s the plan.

It all starts when his girlfriend dumps Rick on his sixteenth birthday for uploading cat videos from his bedroom when he should be out experiencing the real world. Known as “That Cat Guy” at school, Rick isn’t cool and he knows it. He realizes it’s time for a change.

Rick decides joining a salsa class is the answer . . . because of a girl, of course. Ana Cabrera is smart, friendly, and smooth on the dance floor. Rick might be half-Cuban, but he dances like a drunk hippo. Desperate to impress Ana, he invites her to spend the summer in Havana. The official reason: learning to dance. The hidden agenda: romance under the palm trees.

Except Cuba isn’t all sun, salsa, and music. There’s a darker side to the island. As Rick and Ana meet his family and investigate the reason why his mother left Cuba decades ago, they learn that politics isn’t just something that happens to other people. And when they find romance, it’s got sharp edges.

Into White by Randi Pink

When a black teenager prays to be white and her wish comes true, her journey of self-discovery takes shocking–and often hilarious–twists and turns in this debut that people are sure to talk about.

LaToya Williams lives in Birmingham, Alabama, and attends a mostly white high school. She’s so low on the social ladder that even the other black kids disrespect her. Only her older brother, Alex, believes in her. At least, until a higher power answers her only prayer–to be “anything but black.” And voila! She wakes up with blond hair, blue eyes, and lily white skin. And then the real fun begins . . .

The Island by Olivia Levez

Frances is alone on a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. She has to find water and food. She has to survive. And when she is there she also thinks about the past. The things that she did before. The things that made her a monster. Nothing is easy. Survival is hard and so is being honest about the past. Frances is a survivor however, and with the help of the only other crash survivor, she sees that the future is worth fighting for.

It Looks Like This by Rafi Mittlefehldt

A new state, a new city, a new high school. Mike’s father has already found a new evangelical church for the family to attend, even if Mike and his plainspoken little sister, Toby, don’t want to go. Dad wants Mike to ditch art for sports, to toughen up, but there’s something uneasy behind his demands.

Then Mike meets Sean, the new kid, and “hey” becomes games of basketball, partnering on a French project, hanging out after school. A night at the beach. The fierce colors of sunrise. But Mike’s father is always watching. And so is Victor from school, cell phone in hand.

Kingdom of Ash and Briars by Hannah West

Bristal, an orphaned kitchen maid, lands in a gritty fairy tale gone wrong when she discovers she is an elicromancer with a knack for shape-shifting. An ancient breed of immortal magic beings, elicromancers have been winnowed down to merely two – now three – after centuries of bloody conflict in the realm. Their gifts are fraught with responsibility, and sixteen-year-old Bristal is torn between two paths. Should she vow to seek the good of the world, to protect and serve mortals? Or should she follow the strength of her power, even if it leads to unknown terrors? She draws on her ability to disguise herself as a man to infiltrate a prince’s band of soldiers, and masquerades as a fairy godmother to shield a cursed princess, but time is running out. As an army of dark creatures grows closer, Bristal faces a supernatural war. To save the kingdoms, Bristal must find the courage to show her true form.

The Ones by Daniel Sweren-Becker

Cody has always been proud of being a One. She and her boyfriend James were two of the lucky babies from the 1% of the U.S. population that were randomly selected to benefit from genetic engineering. Now, she and the rest of The Ones are excelling. They are healthy, beautiful, and talented. They aren’t otherworldly, just perfect. And to some, that’s not fair. The Equality Movement, capitalizing on the growing fear and jealousy, gains political traction and actually outlaws their existence. Society shows its darker side as The Ones are marginalized. The line between right and wrong blurs in the face of injustice and Cody becomes closer to a group of radical Ones intent on fighting back. James begins to fear just how far she is willing to go for the cause.

Phantom Limbs by Paula Garner

Otis and Meg were inseparable until her family abruptly moved away after the terrible accident that left Otis’s little brother dead and both of their families changed forever. Since then, it’s been three years of radio silence, during which time Otis has become the unlikely protégé of eighteen-year-old Dara—part drill sergeant, part friend—who’s hell-bent on transforming Otis into the Olympic swimmer she can no longer be. But when Otis learns that Meg is coming back to town, he must face some difficult truths about the girl he’s never forgotten and the brother he’s never stopped grieving. As it becomes achingly clear that he and Meg are not the same people they were, Otis must decide what to hold on to and what to leave behind.

The Reader by Traci Chee

Sefia lives her life on the run. After her father is viciously murdered, she flees to the forest with her aunt Nin, the only person left she can trust. They survive in the wilderness together, hunting and stealing what they need, forever looking over their shoulders for new threats. But when Nin is kidnapped, Sefia is suddenly on her own, with no way to know who’s taken Nin or where she is. Her only clue is a strange rectangular object that once belonged to her father left behind, something she comes to realize is a book.

Though reading is unheard of in Sefia’s world, she slowly learns, unearthing the book’s closely guarded secrets, which may be the key to Nin’s disappearance and discovering what really happened the day her father was killed. With no time to lose, and the unexpected help of swashbuckling pirates and an enigmatic stranger, Sefia sets out on a dangerous journey to rescue her aunt, using the book as her guide. In the end, she discovers what the book had been trying to tell her all along: Nothing is as it seems, and the end of her story is only the beginning.

Ripple by Heather Smith Meloche

With her impossible-to-please grandmother on her back about college and her disapproving step-dad watching her every move, Tessa would do anything to escape the pressure-cooker she calls home. So she finds a shot of much-needed power and confidence by hooking up with boys, even though it means cheating on her boyfriend. But when she’s finally caught red-handed, she’ll do anything she can to cover up what she’s done.

Jack is a prankster who bucks the system every chance he gets—each transgression getting riskier and riskier. He loves the thrill, and each adventure allows a little release because his smug smile and suave demeanor in the face of authority doesn’t make life at home with his mom any less tough. He tries to take care of her, but the truth is he’s powerless in the face of her fragile mental health. So he copes in his own way, by defacing public property and pulling elaborate pranks, though he knows in the end this’ll only screw up his life even more.

As they both try not to let their self-destructive patterns get the best of them, Tessa and Jack gravitate toward one another, discovering the best parts of themselves in the process. An honest portrayal of the urges that drive us and finding the strength to overcome them.

A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty’s sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she’s the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city–and the one she loves?

A Song To Take The World Apart by Zan Romanoff

Hanging out with Chris was supposed to make Lorelei’s life normal. He’s cooler, he’s older, and he’s in a band, which means he can teach her about the music that was forbidden in her house growing up. Her grandmother told her when she was little that she was never allowed to sing, but listening to someone else do it is probably harmless— right?

The more she listens, though, the more keenly she can feel her own voice locked up in her throat, and how she longs to use it. And as she starts exploring the power her grandmother never wanted her to discover, influencing Chris and everyone around her, the foundations of Lorelei’s life start to crumble. There’s a reason the women in her family never want to talk about what their voices can do.

And a reason Lorelei can’t seem to stop herself from singing anyway.

Stalking Jack The Ripper by Keri Maniscalco

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

Bound By Blood and Sand by Becky Allen

Jae is a slave in a dying desert world.

Once verdant with water from a magical Well, the land is drying up, and no one remembers the magic needed to keep the water flowing. If a new source isn’t found soon, the people will perish. Jae doesn’t mind, in a way. By law, she is bound by a curse to obey every order given her, no matter how vile. At least in death, she’ll be free.

Lord Elan’s family rules the fading realm. He comes to the estate where Jae works, searching for the hidden magic needed to replenish the Well, but it’s Jae who finds it, and she who must wield it. Desperate to save his realm, Elan begs her to use it to locate the Well.

But why would a slave—abused, beaten, and treated as less than human—want to save the system that shackles her? Jae would rather see the world burn.

Though revenge clouds her vision, she agrees to help if the kingdom’s slaves are freed. Then Elan’s father arrives. The ruler’s cruelty knows no limits. He is determined that the class system will not change—and that Jae will remain a slave forever.

Everyone We’ve Been by Sarah Everett

Addison Sullivan has been in an accident. In its aftermath, she has memory lapses and starts talking to a boy that no one else can see. It gets so bad that she’s worried she’s going crazy.

Addie takes drastic measures to fill in the blanks and visits a shadowy medical facility that promises to “help with your memory.” But at the clinic, Addie unwittingly discovers it is not her first visit. And when she presses, she finds out that she had certain memories erased. She had a boy erased.

But why? Who was that boy, and what happened that was too devastating to live with? And even if she gets the answers she’s looking for, will she ever be able to feel like a whole person again?

Fear The Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Witch’s apprentice Bridey Corkill has hated the ocean ever since she watched her granddad dive in and drown with a smile on his face. So when a dead girl rolls in with the tide in the summer of 1913, sixteen-year-old Bridey suspects that whatever compelled her granddad to leap into the sea has made its return to the Isle of Man.

Soon, villagers are vanishing in the night, but no one shares Bridey’s suspicions about the sea. No one but the island’s witch, who isn’t as frightening as she first appears, and the handsome dark-haired lad Bridey rescues from a grim and watery fate. The cause of the deep gashes in Fynn’s stomach and his lost memories are, like the recent disappearances, a mystery well-guarded by the sea. In exchange for saving his life, Fynn teaches Bridey to master her fear of the water — stealing her heart in the process.

Now, Bridey must work with the Isle’s eccentric witch and the boy she isn’t sure she can trust — because if she can’t uncover the truth about the ancient evil in the water, everyone she loves will walk into the sea, never to return.

How To Keep A Boy From Kissing You by Tara Eglington

Sweet sixteen and never been kissed . . .

That’s Aurora Skye’s big secret. And the way she wants it to stay. She’s not going to give away her first kiss to just anyone. Busy dodging suitors and matchmaking for her best friends, Aurora (not so) patiently awaits her prince.

But everything changes when Aurora is coerced into a lead role in the school production of Much Ado about Nothing. Which means she’ll have to lock lips with her co-star Hayden Paris—the smart and funny boy next door who also happens to be the bane of her existence, always around to see her at her worst.

Now Aurora is more determined than ever to have her first kiss with the one who’s truly worthy of it. But first she’ll have to figure out just who that person is.

If I Fix You by Abigail Johnson

When sixteen-year-old Jill Whitaker’s mom walks out—with a sticky note as a goodbye—only Jill knows the real reason she’s gone. But how can she tell her father? Jill can hardly believe the truth herself.

Suddenly, the girl who likes to fix things—cars, relationships, romances, people—is all broken up. Used to be, her best friend, tall, blond and hot flirt Sean Addison, could make her smile in seconds. But not anymore. They don’t even talk.

With nothing making sense, Jill tries to pick up the pieces of her life. But when a new guy moves in next door, intense, seriously cute, but with scars—on the inside and out—that he thinks don’t show, Jill finds herself trying to make things better for Daniel. But over one long, hot Arizona summer, she realizes she can’t fix anyone’s life until she fixes her own. And she knows just where to start .

Iron Cast by Destiny Soria

It’s Boston, 1919, and the Cast Iron club is packed. On stage, hemopaths—whose “afflicted” blood gives them the ability to create illusions through art—captivate their audience. Corinne and Ada have been best friends ever since infamous gangster Johnny Dervish recruited them into his circle. By night they perform for Johnny’s crowds, and by day they con Boston’s elite. When a job goes wrong and Ada is imprisoned, they realize how precarious their position is. After she escapes, two of the Cast Iron’s hires are shot, and Johnny disappears. With the law closing in, Corinne and Ada are forced to hunt for answers, even as betrayal faces them at every turn.

Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

Flynn’s girlfriend has disappeared. How can he uncover her secrets without revealing his own?

Flynn’s girlfriend, January, is missing. The cops are asking questions he can’t answer, and her friends are telling stories that don’t add up. All eyes are on Flynn—as January’s boyfriend, he must know something.

But Flynn has a secret of his own. And as he struggles to uncover the truth about January’s disappearance, he must also face the truth about himself.

The Movie Version by Emma Wunsch

In the movie version of Amelia’s life, the roles have always been clear. Her older brother, Toby: definitely the Star. As popular with the stoners as he is with the cheerleaders, Toby is someone you’d pay ten bucks to watch sweep Battle of the Bands and build a “beach party” in the bathroom. As for Amelia? She’s Toby Anderson’s Younger Sister. She’s perfectly happy to watch Toby’s hijinks from the sidelines, when she’s not engrossed in one of her elaborately themed Netflix movie marathons.

But recently Toby’s been acting in a very non-movie-version way. He’s stopped hanging out with his horde of friends and started obsessively journaling and disappearing for days at a time. Amelia doesn’t know what’s happened to her awesome older brother, or who this strange actor is that’s taken his place. And there’s someone else pulling at her attention: a smart, cute new boyfriend who wants to know the real Amelia—not Toby’s Sidekick. Amelia feels adrift without her star, but to best help Toby—and herself—it might be time to cast a new role: Amelia Anderson, leading lady.

Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland

Henry Page has never been in love. He fancies himself a hopeless romantic, but the slo-mo, heart palpitating, can’t-eat-can’t-sleep kind of love that he’s been hoping for just hasn’t been in the cards for him—at least not yet. Instead, he’s been happy to focus on his grades, on getting into a semi-decent college and finally becoming editor of his school newspaper. Then Grace Town walks into his first period class on the third Tuesday of senior year and he knows everything’s about to change.

Grace isn’t who Henry pictured as his dream girl—she walks with a cane, wears oversized boys’ clothes, and rarely seems to shower. But when Grace and Henry are both chosen to edit the school paper, he quickly finds himself falling for her. It’s obvious there’s something broken about Grace, but it seems to make her even more beautiful to Henry, and he wants nothing more than to help her put the pieces back together again. And yet, this isn’t your average story of boy meets girl. Krystal Sutherland’s brilliant debut is equal parts wit and heartbreak, a potent reminder of the bittersweet bliss that is first love.

Resurrecting Sunshine by Lisa A Koosis

At seventeen, Adam Rhodes is famous, living on his own, and in a downward spiral since he lost the girl he loved. Marybeth stage name Sunshine was his best friend from the days they were foster kids; then she was his girlfriend and his band mate. But since her accidental death, he’s been drinking to deal with the memories. Until one day, an unexpected visitor, Dr. Elloran, presents Adam with a proposition that just might save him from himself. Using breakthrough cloning and memory-implantation techniques, Dr. Elloran and the scientists at Project Orpheus want to resurrect Marybeth, and they need Adam to “donate” intimate memories of his life with her. The memory retrieval process forces Adam to relive his life with Marybeth and the devastating path that brought them both to fame. Along the way, he must confront not only the circumstances of her death but also his growing relationship with the mysterious Genevieve, daughter of Project Orpheus’s founder. As the process sweeps Adam and Marybeth ever closer to reliving the tragedy that destroyed them, Adam must decide how far he’ll go to save her.

The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati

Seventeen-year-old Cath knows Zero is coming for her. Zero, the devastating depression born of Catherine’s bipolar disease, has almost triumphed once, propelling Catherine to her first suicide attempt. With Zero only temporarily restrained by the latest med du jour, time is running out. In an old ballet shoebox, Catherine stockpiles meds, preparing to take her own life when Zero next arrives.

But Zero’s return is delayed. Unexpected relationships along with the care of a new psychiatrist start to alter Catherine’s perception of her diagnosis. But will this be enough? This is a story of loss and grief and hope and how the many shapes of love – maternal, romantic and platonic – impact a young woman’s struggle with mental illness.

Nemesis by Anna Banks

October 5, 2016 |

One of the interesting things about reading a review copy months before its publication date is there are no professional reviews out yet. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a big review reader and use both professional and Goodreads reviews to help me select my next book. I deviated from my normal routine with Nemesis by Anna Banks, which I picked up simply because it sounded interesting and I was in the mood for some high fantasy with magic. I really enjoyed it, and I’m kind of surprised the professional reviews, which are out now, are pretty wishy washy about it. I wonder if the cover, which I really dislike and doesn’t make much sense in context, is influencing opinion.

Princess Sepora of Serubel is a Forger, which means she can produce a substance called spectorium from the palms of her hands. It’s an energy source in demand by all countries in the region, but it can also be weaponized. Her father, the king of Serubel, keeps Sepora’s abilities a secret, as she is the only remaining Forger and no one in any of the surrounding countries knows how spectorium is made. When Sepora learns that her father plans to use the spectorium to wage war on the mostly peaceful neighboring countries, she escapes to Theoria to prevent him from doing so. There, she finagles her way into the royal court as a servant where she meets the newly crowned teenage king, who is struggling himself with the waning supply of spectorium (used to power almost everything in the country) and a disease called the Quiet Plague that killed his father. To complicate matters, it’s possible that spectorium may be part of the cure for the Quiet Plague, but Sepora knows she cannot reveal her secret – can she?

I loved two main things about this story: the genuine human conflict and the world-building. Sepora fears that if she reveals she is a Forger, she’ll be used as a weapon by Theoria (a very real possibility), or returned to her father and used as a weapon by him, or kept captive to be a producer for the cure – essentially, she wouldn’t be free, and in the worst case scenario, she’d feel responsible for a war that would cause mass suffering and death. But if she doesn’t reveal it, people will continue to die from the Quiet Plague. There are some interesting subplots that provide additional conflict, too: Sepora’s attempts to forge an alliance with the vicious mermaid-like people who live in the nearby river and eat humans; her burgeoning romantic feelings for Tarik, the king of Theoria; Tarik’s need to use the remaining spectorium to defend his country from a potentially aggressive Serubel versus his need to use it to create a cure for the Quiet Plague. The perspective shifts almost evenly between Sepora and Tarik, so we get a good idea for Tarik’s own struggles as well.

But it’s the worldbuilding that really delighted me. Theoria has an Ancient Egyptian feel to it in the people’s clothing and the pyramids they build to house their dead, though they use spectorium to power the pyramids and preserve the bodies within rather than mummification. There are non-human creatures, both sentient and non, like the mermaid-like people in the river (this whole subplot is just really cool and imaginative) and the dragon-like creature Sepora rides to escape from Serubel. The idea of the spectorium is interesting, too – Sepora is the last person who can produce it (as far as anyone knows), but she must periodically excise it from her body or it builds up and weakens her, which can make it difficult to hide her ability. It’s clear that Banks put a lot of thought into her world, and it’s fascinating to read about. There is the love story referenced in the title, too – Sepora and Tarik fall for each other, when they are supposed to be each others’ nemeses – which should satisfy romance lovers but shouldn’t bother non-romance readers too much, as it’s not the entirety of the plot.

I’d recommend this to fans of high fantasy who really enjoy diving headlong into a new world. This is the first in a duology, and the second book, Ally, will be out sometime next year. Nemesis just hit shelves yesterday. An advance review copy was provided to me by the publisher.

Mental Health & Teens of Color: A Guest Post by Patrice Caldwell

September 26, 2016 |

Over the last few years, I’ve really paid attention to how the YA community discusses and writes about mental health. Part of it is my own interest in the topic as someone who experiences mental illness, but a far larger part is because the conversations are important and vital to teenagers and the books that aim to reach them. I’ve written before about a pivotal moment in my career, where a teen girl came to an open mic night at my library and shared a piece she’d written in honor of her friend, who’d committed suicide the previous day. It reminded me about the power of talking and sharing and not being ashamed of bringing these big, tough issues to light.

But one of the things that bothers me about this conversation is how rarely we talk about it in regards to people of color. The girl I referenced above was black, as were a good majority of teens I served in that community; in previous communities, the bulk of faces I served were brown, from various Hispanic heritages. It is, however, rare we see depictions of teens of color struggling with and coming to understand their mental health.

Even booklists compiled for major library journals or websites often fail to highlight the books that do exist showcasing mental health as an issue important to teens of color. Part of it is because there aren’t many books, but a good part of it is not paying attention to the importance of this issue to people of color.

I wanted to have someone write about this, and after putting out a call asking, I was flooded with interest for a piece about this, as well as a book list, and I was lucky enough to get a fantastic guest post from Patrice Caldwell on this. Please enjoy this post. Please think about it. Please share it. Talking about mental health and wellness is crucial, and it’s just as crucial to look at it through cultural and inclusive lenses.

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Patrice is a twenty-three-year-old introvert gone wild. By day, she’s an editorial assistant at Scholastic, and by night, weekend, and early morning (if she’s had enough green tea) she’s a writer. You can learn more about Patrice, her writing, favorite books, and general musings at her blog, patricecaldwell.com. You can also find her on Twitter (@whimsicallyours), her secondary home.

In my family mental illness is often referenced as a “the white man’s disease.” As people of color (POC) in a nation with a history of profiting off black and brown bodies, we endured slavery, we endured sharecropping, we endured segregation and so anything else, anything that literally doesn’t threaten your physical existence, is nothing compared to those past. At least that’s how I was raised.

Because formal schooling was a luxury many of my ancestors couldn’t afford, the importance of getting a education was stressed since I was born. And so I received a “good education,” a great one, even. In my neighborhood, this always meant going to the “whiter” school. Unlike my ancestors, I know I’ve had it easier. Like them, I often felt like I, too, had been ripped from my community, sent to some foreign land where I was now expected to be better than the rest while also putting up with every microaggression my well-meaning classmates and teachers threw my way. In short, I was to become a woman of steel who always smiled and never raised her voice as sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. I can’t tell you how many times I repeated that meaningless rhyme.

I’m not alone in this experience.

As I mentioned to Kelly, mental illness runs through my family. And though my dad likes to claim it’s only on my mom’s side (my parents are divorced so they blame everything on “the other side of the family”), his brother committed suicide when he was younger, which is something he only talked about with me once—when I was suicidal myself.

I’m not going to lie and say that a book can save a life. I honestly don’t remember if that’s true. However, books have helped me to understand myself. Books told me I wasn’t alone when my entire family refused to acknowledge the depression and anxiety I’d been battling for years. We like to talk about how books provide both mirrors and windows. Windows being books that offer alternative views of worlds real or imagined—a peek into someone else’s life, and mirrors being books in which you see your own stories and self reflected.

I can only think of two books from my childhood that provided true mirrors for most of my experiences: Yorbua Girl Dancing by Simi Bedford, about an African girl’s metamorphosis into an upper-class English schoolgirl and the homesickness and microaggressions she deals with, and At Her Majesty’s Request, a nonfiction account by Walter Dean Myers about an African princess in Victorian England. Those books meant the world to me and during my hardest times I read them weekly. If I were to add few more, that I discovered later in life, it’d be the works of Octavia Butler + Ash by Malinda Lo (the first time I read queers girl in literature) as well as The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, which gave me the vocabulary through which to speak my experiences.

In light of this I’d like to share YA novels I loved, that I found later in life, and ones the others have recommended. They all feature POC as main or major characters (we’re not having any of that oh, look here’s a POC on page 104) who are living, struggling, and thriving with mental illnesses.

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

In the months after his father’s suicide, it’s been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again–but he’s still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he’s slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.

When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron’s crew notices, and they’re not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can’t deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can’t stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

One morning before school, some girl tells Piddy Sanchez that Yaqui Delgado hates her and wants to kick her ass. Piddy doesn’t even know who Yaqui is, never mind what she’s done to piss her off. Word is that Yaqui thinks Piddy is stuck-up, shakes her stuff when she walks, and isn’t Latin enough with her white skin, good grades, and no accent. And Yaqui isn’t kidding around, so Piddy better watch her back. At first Piddy is more concerned with trying to find out more about the father she’s never met and how to balance honors courses with her weekend job at the neighborhood hair salon. But as the harassment escalates, avoiding Yaqui and her gang starts to take over Piddy’s life. Is there any way for Piddy to survive without closing herself off or running away? In an all-too-realistic novel, Meg Medina portrays a sympathetic heroine who is forced to decide who she really is.

Pointe by Brandy Colbert

Theo is better now.

She’s eating again, dating guys who are almost appropriate, and well on her way to becoming an elite ballet dancer. But when her oldest friend, Donovan, returns home after spending four long years with his kidnapper, Theo starts reliving memories about his abduction—and his abductor.

Donovan isn’t talking about what happened, and even though Theo knows she didn’t do anything wrong, telling the truth would put everything she’s been living for at risk. But keeping quiet might be worse.

(This was my FAVORITE book from 2014 and still means the world to me for its frank portrayal of teenage-life and the mental health struggles of a black girl. Be sure to check out her forthcoming novel, Little & Lion, which also deals with the aftermath of mental health crises.)

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: college applications, Cindy’s pregnancy, Sebastian’s coming out, the cute boys, her father’s meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity.

July 24

My mother named me Gabriella, after my grandmother who, coincidentally, didn’t want to meet me when I was born because my mother was unmarried, and therefore living in sin. My mom has told me the story many, many, MANY, times of how, when she confessed to my grandmother that she was pregnant with me, her mother beat her. BEAT HER! She was twenty-five. That story is the basis of my sexual education and has reiterated why it’s important to wait until you’re married to give it up. So now, every time I go out with a guy, my mom says, “Ojos abiertos, piernas cerradas.” Eyes open, legs closed. That’s as far as the birds and the bees talk has gone. And I don’t mind it. I don’t necessarily agree with that whole wait until you’re married crap, though. I mean, this is America and the 21st century; not Mexico one hundred years ago. But, of course, I can’t tell my mom that because she will think I’m bad. Or worse: trying to be White.

(This book, y’all. It’s so good! Read it as a Cybils Panelist in 2014 and fell in love.)

Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette’s desire to escape the shadow of her ballet star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever. When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

(As shown by my love for Pointe, I adore books that highlight mental health issues + the arts world through girls of color. This does just that, so well, and from the perspective of three, diverse girls.)

Silhouetted by the Blue by Traci L. Jones

Seventh-grader Serena Shaw is trying to keep up at school while rehearsing for the lead role in the spring musical and dealing with a father so “blue” he is nearly catatonic. With the aid of a not-so-secret admirer as well as a growing sense of self-confidence, she faces the challenges of caring for herself and her ball-of-charm younger brother, all while attempting to lead the life of a normal pre-teen. Readers will be drawn into this convincing portrait of a vivacious young person who is on a path to discovering that taking on responsibility sometimes means finding the best way to ask for help.

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna’s tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.

But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she’s far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe.

Irises by Francisco X. Stork

TWO SISTERS: Kate is bound for Stanford and an M.D. — if her family will let her go. Mary wants only to stay home and paint. When their loving but repressive father dies, they must figure out how to support themselves and their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state, and how to get along in all their uneasy sisterhood.

THREE YOUNG MEN: Then three men sway their lives: Kate’s boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own.

ONE AGONIZING CHOICE: Kate and Mary each find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it’s Mama’s life that might divide them for good — the question of *if* she lives, and what’s worth living for.

The Memory of Light by Francisco X. Stork

Vicky Cruz shouldn’t be alive.

That’s what she thinks, anyway—and why she tried to kill herself. But then she arrives at Lakeview Hospital, where she meets Mona, the live wire; Gabriel, the saint; E.M., always angry; and Dr. Desai, a quiet force. With stories and honesty, kindness and hard work, they push her to reconsider her life before Lakeview, and offer her an acceptance she’s never had.

Yet Vicky’s newfound peace is as fragile as the roses that grow around the hospital. And when a crisis forces the group to split up—sending her back to the life that drove her to suicide—Vicky must find her own courage and strength. She may not have any. She doesn’t know.

(Francisco X. Stork is truly a literary genius. If you haven’t read his works, get on it. They’re so powerful and he’s so talented at getting to the heart of what it means to strive to be yourself.)

Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood #3) by Ann Brashares

It’s the summer before the sisterhood departs for college . . . their last real summer together before they head off to start their grown-up lives. It’s the time when Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen need their Pants the most.

When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer

Dance is Soledad Reyes’s life. About to graduate from Miami’s Biscayne High School for the Performing Arts, she plans on spending her last summer at home teaching in a dance studio, saving money, and eventually auditioning for dance companies. That is, until fate intervenes in the form of fellow student Jonathan Crandall who has what sounds like an outrageous proposition: Forget teaching. Why not spend the summer performing in the intense environment of the competitive drum and bugle corps? The corps is going to be performing Carmen, and the opportunity to portray the character of the sultry gypsy proves too tempting for Soledad to pass up, as well as the opportunity to spend more time with Jonathan, who intrigues her in a way no boy ever has before.

But in an uncanny echo of the story they perform every evening, an unexpected competitor for Soledad’s affections appears: Taz, a member of an all-star Spanish soccer team. One explosive encounter later Soledad finds not only her relationship with Jonathan threatened, but her entire future as a professional dancer.

When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez

A Goth girl with an attitude problem, Elizabeth Davis must learn to control her anger before it destroys her. Emily Delgado appears to be a smart, sweet girl, with a normal life, but as depression clutches at her, she struggles to feel normal. Both girls are in Ms. Diaz’s English class, where they connect to the words of Emily Dickinson. Both are hovering on the edge of an emotional precipice. One of them will attempt suicide. And with Dickinson’s poetry as their guide, both girls must conquer their personal demons to ever be happy.

The Meaning of Consuelo by Judith Ortiz Cofer

The Signe family is blessed with two daughters. Consuelo, the elder, is thought of as pensive and book-loving, the serious child-la niña seria-while Mili, her younger sister, is seen as vivacious, a ray of tropical sunshine. Two daughters: one dark, one light; one to offer comfort and consolation, the other to charm and delight. But, for all the joy both girls should bring, something is not right in this Puerto Rican family; a tragedia is developing, like a tumor, at its core.

Call Me Maria by Judith Ortiz Cofer

Maria is a girl caught between two worlds: Puerto Rico, where she was born, and New York, where she now lives in a basement apartment in the barrio. While her mother remains on the island, Maria lives with her father, the super of their building. As she struggles to lose her island accent, Maria does her best to find her place within the unfamiliar culture of the barrio. Finally, with the Spanglish of the barrio people ringing in her ears, she finds the poet within herself.

Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz

Everywhere she turns, someone feels she’s too fringe for the fringe. Not gay enough for the Dykes, her ex-clique, thanks to a recent relationship with a boy; not tiny and white enough for ballet, her first passion; and not sick enough to look anorexic (partially thanks to recovery). Etta doesn’t fit anywhere— until she meets Bianca, the straight, white, Christian, and seriously sick girl in Etta’s therapy group. Both girls are auditioning for Brentwood, a prestigious New York theater academy that is so not Nebraska. Bianca seems like Etta’s salvation, but how can Etta be saved by a girl who needs saving herself?

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

Caden Bosch is on a ship that’s headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.

Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.

Caden Bosch is designated the ship’s artist in residence, to document the journey with images.

Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.

Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.

Caden Bosch is torn.

Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Zach is eighteen. He is bright and articulate. He’s also an alcoholic and in rehab instead of high school, but he doesn’t remember how he got there. He’s not sure he wants to remember. Something bad must have happened. Something really, really bad. Remembering sucks and being alive – well, what’s up with that?

(I cannot recommend Benjamin Alire Sáenz enough, this is one of his lesser known works that’s equally as powerful. It’s so rare to see novels with teens of color, particularly boys, struggling with mental illness and addiction.)

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

I Will Save You by Matt De La Peña

Kidd is running from his past and his future. No mom, no dad, and there’s nothing for him at the group home but therapy. He doesn’t belong at the beach where he works either, unless he finds a reason to stay.

Olivia is blond hair, blue eyes, rich dad. The prettiest girl in Cardiff. She’s hiding something from Kidd—but could they ever be together anyway?

Devon is mean, mysterious, and driven by a death wish. A best friend and worst enemy. He followed Kidd all the way to the beach and he’s not leaving until he teaches him a few lessons about life. And Olivia.

We Were Here by Matt De La Peña

When it happened, Miguel was sent to Juvi. The judge gave him a year in a group home—said he had to write in a journal so some counselor could try to figure out how he thinks. The judge had no idea that he actually did Miguel a favor. Ever since it happened, his mom can’t even look at him in the face. Any home besides his would be a better place to live.

But Miguel didn’t bet on meeting Rondell or Mong or on any of what happened after they broke out. He only thought about Mexico and getting to the border to where he could start over. Forget his mom. Forget his brother. Forget himself.

Life usually doesn’t work out how you think it will, though. And most of the time, running away is the quickest path right back to what you’re running from.

(By now, you’ve probably heard of Matt De La Peña. Be sure to check out these novels, two of his earlier works.)

Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia

Reshma is a college counselor’s dream. She’s the top-ranked senior at her ultra-competitive Silicon Valley high school, with a spotless academic record and a long roster of extracurriculars. But there are plenty of perfect students in the country, and if Reshma wants to get into Stanford, and into med school after that, she needs the hook to beat them all.

What’s a habitual over-achiever to do? Land herself a literary agent, of course. Which is exactly what Reshma does after agent Linda Montrose spots an article she wrote for Huffington Post. Linda wants to represent Reshma, and, with her new agent’s help scoring a book deal, Reshma knows she’ll finally have the key to Stanford.

But she’s convinced no one would want to read a novel about a study machine like her. To make herself a more relatable protagonist, she must start doing all the regular American girl stuff she normally ignores. For starters, she has to make a friend, then get a boyfriend. And she’s already planned the perfect ending: after struggling for three hundred pages with her own perfectionism, Reshma will learn that meaningful relationships can be more important than success—a character arc librarians and critics alike will enjoy.

Of course, even with a mastermind like Reshma in charge, things can’t always go as planned. And when the valedictorian spot begins to slip from her grasp, she’ll have to decide just how far she’ll go for that satisfying ending. (Note: It’s pretty far.)

Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia by Jenny Torres Sanchez

Frenchie Garcia can’t come to grips with the death of Andy Cooper. Her friends didn’t know she had a crush him. And they don’t know she was the last person with him before he committed suicide. But Frenchie’s biggest concern is how she blindly helped him die that night.

Frenchie’s already insane obsession with death and Emily Dickinson won’t help her understand the role she played during Andy’s “one night of adventure.” But when she meets Colin, she may have found the perfect opportunity to recreate that night. While exploring the emotional depth of loss and transition to adulthood, Sanchez’s sharp humor and clever observations bring forth a richly developed voice.

Willow Tree and Olive by Irini Savvides

Enough waterwave taffeta for a lifetime of weddings, always in apricot, matching shoes and a sugared almond under your pillow so you can dream of the man you love. Olive laughs wildly and counts the expensive plates as they hit the wall. But she can’t hide her desperate struggle to piece together a shattered sense of trust. Sometimes Olive is embarrassed by her culture, and even hates being Greek. But, as her friend Kerry tells her, the rest of the time she harps on as if the Greeks invented everything. Olive’s parents decide that a change of scene will help her through her inability to handle school, family and growing up in general. So they send her on a holiday to Greece. And it’s the Greek determination to survive, along with their love of poetry and myth, that finally encourage Olive to step out of a past she can no longer face, and take on the future.

Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn

Evie Tanaka is the put-upon personal assistant to Aveda Jupiter, her childhood best friend and San Francisco’s most beloved superheroine. She’s great at her job—blending into the background, handling her boss’s epic diva tantrums, and getting demon blood out of leather pants.

Unfortunately, she’s not nearly as together when it comes to running her own life, standing up for herself, or raising her tempestuous teenage sister, Bea.

But everything changes when Evie’s forced to pose as her glamorous boss for one night, and her darkest comes out: she has powers, too. Now it’s up to her to contend with murderous cupcakes, nosy gossip bloggers, and supernatural karaoke battles—all while juggling unexpected romance and Aveda’s increasingly outrageous demands. And when a larger threat emerges, Evie must finally take charge and become a superheroine in her own right… or see her city fall to a full-on demonic invasion.

(Though this book is technically adult, the main character is only in her early 20s and the voice is so perfect that I had to include it. It’s a laugh-out-loud hilarious novel featuring a diverse cast & a main character who struggles with anxiety. Such a unique premise, I can’t wait to see what Sarah Kuhn writes next.)

Forthcoming:

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

Mary B. Addison killed a baby.

Allegedly. She didn’t say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: a white baby had died while under the care of a churchgoing black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it?

There wasn’t a point to setting the record straight before, but now she’s got Ted—and their unborn child—to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary’s fate now lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. No one knows the real Momma. But does anyone know the real Mary?

(Add this to your to-reads now. It’s out in January 2017, and it’s sure to be a debut novel you don’t want to miss!)

Thank you for reading this post. I hope you’ve found a new novel, or two! Crises with mental illness and addiction have at times defined and consumed my life. If you’re struggling with your mental health, you are not alone. I promise that there are others who understand how you feel. Don’t suffer alone. There’s this idea in POC communities that we have to be strong, that we have to be polite, that we can’t ask for help. I faked all for years and though it was scary as hell to eventually to reach out to others, asking and following through with getting help, along with reading books like these that humanized and destigmatized my experiences, saved my life.

I’d love to hear about any other titles that you know of, that I left out. Feel free to continue this conversation in the comments or contact me via Twitter, @whimsicallyours.

Thank you, again!

Patrice

P.S. If you’re interested in other mediums that highlight POC with mental illnesses, check out this awesome photo series by Dior Vargas.