Moxie – Jennifer Mathieu

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Raincoast Books
Publication Date: September 19th, 2017
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Point of View: 1st Person & Feminine
Recommended Age: 12+
Pacing: Normal
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Feminism, Contemporary, High School

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BLURB:

Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with a school administration at her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes, hallway harassment, and gross comments from guys during class. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules.

Viv’s mom was a tough-as-nails, punk rock Riot Grrrl in the ’90s, and now Viv takes a page from her mother’s past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She’s just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. As Viv forges friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution.

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart – Stephanie Burgis

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Raincoast Books
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury US
Point of View: 1st Person & Feminine
Recommended Age: 8+
Pacing: Fast
Genres & Themes: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Dragons, Food

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BLURB:

Aventurine is the fiercest, bravest dragon there is. And she’s ready to prove it to her family by leaving the safety of their mountain cave and capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a human. But when the human she finds tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, Aventurine is transformed into a puny human girl with tiny blunt teeth, no fire, and not one single claw.

But she’s still the fiercest creature in the mountains — and now she’s found her true passion: chocolate! All she has to do is get herself an apprenticeship (whatever that is) in a chocolate house (which sounds delicious), and she’ll be conquering new territory in no time…won’t she?

Release – Patrick Ness

Release by Patrick Ness

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: September 9th, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Point of View: 3rd Person & Masculine
Recommended Age: 12+
Pacing: Slow
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, Family, Weird Ghosts

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BLURB:

Adam Thorn doesn’t know it yet, but today will change his life.

Between his religious family, a deeply unpleasant ultimatum from his boss, and his own unrequited love for his sort-of ex, Enzo, it seems as though Adam’s life is falling apart.  At least he has two people to keep him sane: his new boyfriend (he does love Linus, doesn’t he?) and his best friend, Angela.

But all day long, old memories and new heartaches come crashing together, throwing Adam’s life into chaos. The bindings of his world are coming untied one by one; yet in spite of everything he has to let go, he may also find freedom in the release.

Lock & Key – Sarah Dessen

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: April 22nd, 2008
Publisher: Viking’s Children’s Books
Point of View: 1st Person & Feminine
Recommended Age: 12+
Pacing: Slow
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Family

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BLURB:

Unlock your heart and the rest will follow.

Ruby is used to taking care of herself.

But now that she’s living with her sister, she’s got her own room, she’s going to a good school, and her future looks bright.

Plus there’s an adorable boy next door.

Can Ruby learn to open her heart and let him in?

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins – Liz Kessler

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: February 24th, 2015
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Point of View: 1st Person & Feminine
Recommended Age: 7+
Pacing: Fast
Genres & Themes: Middle Grade, Superpowers

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BLURB:

Jessica Jenkins has always been a perfectly ordinary girl—until one day part of her arm vanishes in the middle of geography class! Jessica’s friends Izzy and Tom are determined to help her develop her newfound invisibility, though Jessica is more concerned with discovering where the ability came from. When it becomes apparent that there may be other kids developing strange powers of their own, Jessica marshals them into a slapdash band of “slightly superheroes.” But when an unscrupulous adult discovers the origin of their powers and kidnaps one of the team, the rest must put their heads—and all of their skills—together to avert disaster.

Boy Meets Boy – David Levithan

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: September 9th, 2003
Publisher: Knopf BFYR
Point of View: 1st Person & Masculine
Recommended Age: 12+
Pacing: Slow
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, LGBTQ+, Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:

When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.

Now I Rise – Kiersten White

Now I Rise by Kiersten White

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: June 27th, 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Point of View: 3rd Person & Alternative
Recommended Age: 13+
Pacing: Normal
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Alternate History

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BLURB:

As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost.

The Magician’s Elephant – Kate DiCamillo

The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: September 8th, 2009
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Point of View: 3rd Person & Alternative
Recommended Age: 7+
Pacing: Fast
Genres & Themes: Children’s, Family, Fantasy

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BLURB:

When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, here is a dreamlike and captivating tale that could only be narrated by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. In this timeless fable, she evokes the largest of themes — hope and belonging, desire and compassion — with the lightness of a magician’s touch.

Wonder – R.J. Palacio

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: February 14th, 2012
Publisher: Knopf BFYR
Point of View: 1st Person & Alternative
Recommended Age: 9+
Pacing: Slow
Genres & Themes: Middle Grade, Family, School, Friendship

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BLURB:

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He’s about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?

The Running Dream – Wendelin Van Draanen

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: January 11th, 2011
Publisher: Knopf BFYR
Point of View: 1st Person & Feminine
Recommended Age: 11+
Pacing: Fast
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Disability, Sports, Realistic Fiction

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BLURB:

Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She’s not comforted by the news that she’ll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?

As she struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don’t know what to say, act like she’s not there. Which she could handle better if she weren’t now keenly aware that she’d done the same thing herself to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she’s missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.

With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that’s not enough for her now. She doesn’t just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her.