Okay, let me start with a disclaimer that Ben Philippe is currently my very favorite YA author. Yes, I wish he didn’t sometimes use religious profanity and occasional slang that undoubtedly gives offense to some readers, but he is spot-on… Read More ›
Fashion
Miss Meteor
This is a Throw-Everything-at-the-Reader-and-See-What-Sticks sort of book, with a little Wizard of Oz and X-Files thrown in for good measure. Every societal issue at play today is covered, including gender fluidity and discrimination, unequal wealth distribution, economic discrimination, political posturing,… Read More ›
The Mall
Set in New Jersey in 1991, this novel’s action is almost entirely confined to the local mall. This is a clever idea, and the author surprisingly is able to realize it nicely. Cassie Worthy is a new high school graduate… Read More ›
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
So here’s the long-anticipated prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy. Coriolanus Snow is in his final year at the elitist Academy, training ground for future leaders of Panem. He is fortunate to be there because although he is charming, intelligent… Read More ›
The Twin
Ten years after their parents divorce and their mom moves away to another city, taking one identical twin (Iris) with her and leaving the other (Ivy) with her ex-husband, the twins find themselves living together again when their mother suddenly… Read More ›
I’m Not Dying with You Tonight
McPherson High School seniors Campbell (who is white) and Lena (who is black) arrive separately on Friday night at the McPherson stadium for the big playoff with rival Jonesville High. Campbell’s dad drops her off near the concession stand, where… Read More ›
All Our Broken Pieces
Lennon (yes, you can easily guess where the name came from) is a young woman living with her divorced mother in Maine. She is beautiful, talented and creative (in sewing cosplay-type stuff), and she has OCD. In fact, she blames… Read More ›
If It Makes You Happy
Having just finished high school, Winnie returns to Misty Haven to work as Co-Manager in Goldeen’s, her grandmother’s diner, before leaving for college in the fall. She has done this for twelve summers and looks forward to slipping back into… Read More ›
The Princess and the Fangirl
This book is a modern version of THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER, ComicCon-style. Two identical teenagers–one (Jessica Stone) an Oscar-nominated star of a wildly popular sci-fi series called “Starfield” and the other (Imogen Lovelace) a series devotee pushing a campaign… Read More ›
If I’m Being Honest
Living in Los Angeles with her unmarried has-been actress mom, senior Cameron Bright attends the most elite private high school on the West Coast, Beaumont Prep, courtesy of her wealthy, successful businessman dad, who heads his own company in New… Read More ›