On the Bright Side, I’m Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God by Louise Rennison


On the Bright Side, I’m Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God (Further Confessions of Georgia Nicolson) by Louise Rennison
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: YA, 16+, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Georgia Nicolson has started dating the Sex God (aka Robbie). So life should be perfect . . . except in Georgia’s life, nothing is ever perfect. Her cat, Angus (the size of a small Labrador), is terrorizing the neighborhood. Her sister, Libby (who is slightly mad), hides her pooey knickers at the bottom of Georgia’s bed.

Then the Sex God breaks it off because she’s too young. It’s time for a plan. It’s time for a Red Herring. It’s time for Georgia to become a “heartless boy magnet!”

Very much a YA novel, but it’s fun.

I picked this up because I was told it was banned. That’s a sure-fire way for me to want to read a book–if I’m not supposed to, I will. I’m glad I did. This story moves along at a good clip and got me engrossed right away.

I have to add a few caveats. Georgia is 14 and the sex god (ah, the conversation of teen girls) is 17. That age gap might bother some, but there wasn’t much to the relationship of any controversial nature other than that. They break up because he thinks she’s too young. See? It works out, sort of. Also, this book is told through the viewpoint of a 14 year old girl. She’s going to see the world in a much more myopic way than someone older. It’s the nature of the teen. But take into consideration Georgia is an overly dramatic teen, she’s a teen and she’s been through some drama that she can’t control. It’s okay that she’s…well..Georgia.

If you’re looking for something light and easy for a weekend read, then this might be the one for you. There’s slapstick humor, chuckles and it’s a cute teen read.

The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman


The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman
Publisher: Pantheon
Genre: YA, Graphic Novel, Historical, Ages 16+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

A brutally moving work of art—widely hailed as the greatest graphic novel ever written—Maus recounts the chilling experiences of the author’s father during the Holocaust, with Jews drawn as wide-eyed mice and Nazis as menacing cats.

Maus is a haunting tale within a tale, weaving the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father into an astonishing retelling of one of history’s most unspeakable tragedies. It is an unforgettable story of survival and a disarming look at the legacy of trauma.

Haunting, sad, but also educational.

I picked up this book because I was told it was a fantastic read. It was. The art is great and depicts the characters as mice, cats, dogs and some pigs. The characters might be animals, but the meaning shines through. The Holocaust was a terrible time in human history and should be dealt with. We should all learn about it so we’re not destined to repeat it.

I cried during this book. I didn’t think a graphic novel would make me so emotional, but I got invested in the characters. I wanted to see them survive. Art Spiegelman’s father is the main character in this book. The story is told through his stories to his son about his time in the war and concentration camps. The emotional fragility, the strength, and the colossal devastation are evident in this character, his situation and his future. It was painfully obvious this man saw stuff and it messed with him.

I wouldn’t recommend this to a younger read, but this is powerful stuff and would be better for an older YA reader. It’s hard to read, emotionally, in spots, but worth the read.

White Bird by RJ Palacio


White Bird by RJ Palacio
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Genre: Historical, Graphic Novel, YA, Ages 16+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In R. J. Palacio’s bestselling collection of stories Auggie & Me, which expands on characters in Wonder, readers were introduced to Julian’s grandmother, Grandmère. Here, Palacio makes her graphic novel debut with Grandmère’s heartrending story: how she, a young Jewish girl, was hidden by a family in a Nazi-occupied French village during World War II; how the boy she and her classmates once shunned became her savior and best friend.

Sara’s harrowing experience movingly demonstrates the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives. As Grandmère tells Julian, “It always takes courage to be kind, but in those days, such kindness could cost you everything.” With poignant symbolism and gorgeous artwork that brings Sara’s story out of the past and cements it firmly in this moment in history, White Bird is sure to captivate anyone who was moved by the book Wonder or the blockbuster movie adaptation and its message.

Haunting, beautiful and sad.

I picked up this book because I’ve been on a history binge and a graphic novel one, too. I’ve not read any other stories by RJ Palacio, so this was my first. I have to say this was a haunting book. I can’t imagine being in Sara’s place, nor dealing with what she did. I had a hard time staying in my house during the pandemic – I love fresh air – so living for a whole year in a barn is beyond my wheelhouse. Reading about Sara being there for that long made me appreciate my situation much more.

Sara is a Jew living in France, but it’s during World War II and Jews aren’t welcome in France after the collapse. I can’t imagine being her, living in a barn, hiding in the straw, living off scraps and hoping for the end of the war because no one should have to live like that. She lost her mother during the war and even her best friend. It was sad and I was very much emotionally invested.

I liked how her father would swing her around like a bird and that verbiage, along with Julien’s friendship and help, got her through the war. I hated the ending, even if the war did end – I won’t give away spoilers, but when you read it, you’ll see. I knew that would have to happen, but I was hoping it wouldn’t. It tore at my heart and made me think.

If you’re looking for a graphic novel that’s another way to learn about the Holocaust, the travesties of war and the strength of human resolve, then this might be the book for you.

Recommended.

Just Me by Deidre Huesmann, Roxas James, Madeia Sharif, and Kate Larkindale


Just Me by Deidre Huesmann, Roxas James, Madeia Sharif, and Kate Larkindale
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (186 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Love is in the air…
JUST ME is a hand-picked collection of stories about self-discovery and being true to yourself. This LGBTQ+ young adult anthology is not afraid to take on real issues facing today’s teens.

“Witty, fast-paced, and well written.”

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Broken Rules by Roxas James
Bullet Me by Medeia Sharif
We’ll Always Have This by Kate Larkindale

Coming out isn’t always easy, but it is rewarding.

Aislynn got a summer job working at the same shop as her bully in “Wilde Girls.” There were so many plot twists from this point forward that I continued to be delighted by what happened when each of them were revealed. One of the other things I enjoyed about it had to do with the backstories of the two main characters. They were both far from perfect people, but the reasons for behaving the way they did made their previous choices understandable if nothing else.

Slogging through a busy shift at work while nursing a hangover isn’t fun, but it’s exactly what Bastian had to do in “Broken.” In between bussing tables, the question of what really happened at the party the night before loomed in his mind. It was so much fun to see him wrestle with this issue and search for clues. While Bastian could be a little impulsive at times, deep down he was a good kid who wanted to make the right decisions in life. Getting to know him was a treat.

Lonetta was hiding a crush on her best friend in “Bullet Me.” When another student discovered her secret, she had to decide whether she’d give in to his blackmail attempts or allow the whole school to find out what she’d been hiding. This tale was filled with moral dilemmas that were as complicated as they were fascinating. I was especially interested in the ways the adults in Lonetta’s life behaved. Some of them were kind while others were dangerously dismissive. Knowing that she had to be careful about who she trusted only made her limited choices even more important.

After his brother tried to commit suicide, Leo spent the night in his brother’s hospital room looking out for him and talking to the other visitors at that facility in “We’ll Always Have This.” As much as I loved seeing this character’s dedication to his sibling and entire family during this crisis, it did feel a little odd to me to have such a sombre setting for the beginning of a romance. This became even more true once I realized the sad truth behind why Leo’s love interest was spending so much time at the hospital. I wish these subplots could have been separated into individual, related stories. They were all well done, I simply thought they weren’t good matches to be all mixed into the same tale.

Just Me was the perfect thing to read as summer begins. Anyone who is in the mood for something breezy should definitely check it out.

Stranger Than Fanfiction by Chris Colfer


Stranger Than Fanfiction by Chris Colfer
Publisher: Little Brown & Co
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (304 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Colfer comes a funny, heartbreaking, unforgettable novel about friendship and fame perfect for fans of Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl and John Green.

A gonad can get bigger because of numerous reasons other than its exceptional functionality that has ensured prowess of VigRX plus over viagra sale cheap . There are people who love you, especially your significant generic levitra usa other. sildenafil 50mg price Fennel is high in potassium and in some cases they will be reduced. Our doctors are free to levitra in india price prescribe whatever drugs they like whether on or off-label. Cash Carter is the young, world famous lead actor of the hit television show Wiz Kids. When four fans jokingly invite him on a cross-country road trip, they are shocked that he actually takes them up on it. Chased by paparazzi and hounded by reporters, this unlikely crew takes off on a journey of a lifetime–but along the way they discover that the star they love has deep secrets he’s been keeping. What they come to learn about the life of the mysterious person they thought they knew will teach them about the power of empathy and the unbreakable bond of true friendship.

In this touching novel, New York Times bestselling author Chris Colfer takes us on a journey full of laughter, tears, and life-changing memories.

Four friends, a roadtrip and an interesting addition…what can go wrong?

I knew when I picked up this book I’d like it. Why? I like the writing style of Chris Colfer. It’s choppy in spots, but it’s witty and sounds like teens talking. It really does. I sped right through this book and cried at the end. It kept my attention and made me feel for the characters.

I won’t get into a lot of details, but there is a little bit for everyone. Sam is transgender and trying to sort himself out. Mo has ideas that don’t match those of her father. Topher wants to be the responsible one and is giving up on some of his dreams to help care for his brother with a handicap. Then there’s Joey. He’s gay and hasn’t come out yet. Oh, and Cash. Cash is the celebrity that just so happens to come along on the trip. I have to admit, I thought the story would go one way and the author kept up enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. I liked it. While the ending made me cry, it was exactly how the book should’ve ended. I’m glad, too.

If you want a book that’s fast-paced, fun in spots and sad in others, but worth the read, then this might be the one you’re looking for. Recommended.

Crave by Tracy Wolff


Crave by Tracy Wolff
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Length: Full (400 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rated: 4.5 stars
Review by Lupine

My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me.

Then there’s Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn’t felt anything for a hundred years. But there’s something about him that calls to me, something broken in him that somehow fits with what’s broken in me.
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Which could spell death for us all.

Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait.

I am not typically a person who jumps at the opportunity to read a YA vampire book of any kind (I’m a young adult who never liked Twilight). However, after being offered the opportunity to read an up and coming twist on the subject, I couldn’t resist. It was written in first person, present tense which isn’t my favorite POV, but honestly that was easy to overlook once I got hooked on the story.

Crave is written beautifully, with lines that will leave you virtually breathing in the cold Alaskan air and wishing you were there right along with the characters. I appreciated Grace’s wit and dark sense of humor with every turn of the page.

The sexual tension between Grace and Jaxon was a little quick to be introduced (I prefer a slow burn), but the relationship between the two will certainly have you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next… and be warned: it’s hot. I admit to referring to Jaxon as my new book boyfriend more than once. The supporting characters are developed and written in such a way I can see each of their faces painted in my head. Each chapter introduced a new adventure with Grace and her entourage as well as offering very clever and fun chapter headings (for example, “No I Really Don’t Want to Build a Snowman” or “Shining Armor is So Last Century”).

I loved the original ideas and the twists on the ordinary vampire cliché. I never thought I’d say this about a vampire romance, but Crave is absolutely worth the read.

Perfect’s Overrated by Johnelle Rae


Perfect’s Overrated by Johnelle Rae
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (138 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

If image is everything, does what’s real even matter?

By senior year, wannabe chef Sutton “Mac” MacNabb should have learned how to read. Instead, school’s turned him into an expert on bad grades and girls. Mac’s impression of a guy who’s happy to be going nowhere in life is almost as flawless as his recipe for soufflé.
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Merci Danielson has it all: beauty, brains, personality, and parents who are accomplished French chefs. But underneath Merci’s carefully-crafted public persona lies a disability, and self-doubt, that no one would ever suspect.

When school and a connection to cooking force Merci into Mac’s classes, his kitchen, and his life, the two seemingly polar opposites attract on a level much more real than either of their reputations.

Everyone has secrets.

The character development of Mac and Merci was incredibly well done. Both protagonists felt three dimensional to me. I cheered for them when they found success, shook my head when they made mistakes, and crossed my fingers when they struggled with things they didn’t understand the first time around. It was easy to become emotionally invested in them. Merci was a genuine sweetheart, and Mac’s hilariously snarky attitude soon revealed a kinder side to him that I desperately wished he’d feel safe enough to share with the world more often.

There were some awesome plot twists in this book. Some of them caught me by total surprise, and even the ones I had inklings about ahead of time were still a great deal of fun to see play out. I appreciated the way the author played around with the audience’s expectations of what would happen next, especially when it came to the assumptions some of us made about what the characters would or wouldn’t do. It only made their journeys even more interesting as the plot showed us what actually happened and which parts of their lives they tried to keep hidden from other people.

One of the other things I deeply enjoyed about this tale had to do with how the romance was handled. Mac and Merci were given plenty of time to get to know each other and to grow as human beings before the slightest hint of romance showed up in the storyline. That was the perfect way to handle a budding relationship between two people who didn’t appear to have much in common or like each other much at all in the beginning.

I can’t recommend Perfect’s Overrated highly enough. It was lovely!

The Insiders Club by Echo Miller


The Insiders Club by Echo Miller
Publisher: Chu & Chother Publications
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Full length (250 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Four social misfits: an 80s-obsessed eccentric, a movie-quoting mimic, a control freak, and a scrappy loner. They share a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, but can they create a home?

Keegan Harris has one weekend to persuade three other guys on the spectrum to move into his group home. Using an 80s movie as his guide for socialization, he’s organized a series of adventures designed to form deep connections and create lifelong friends. But each stranger has packed emotional baggage and arrived with agendas of their own. Unless Keegan can convince everyone to stick to the script, his blockbuster plan may turn companionship into chaos.

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The Insiders Club is a realistic, “autism after high school” novel that brings marginalized characters into the spotlight. If you like unconventional heroes, unlikely friendships, and bittersweet coming-of-age stories, then you’ll love Echo Miller’s uplifting read.

Take a closer look inside the autism spectrum and see that everybody wants to belong. Buy The Insiders Club to find your way home today!

This book offers a fresh perspective—seen through the eyes of young men who have autism. Keegan, the lead protagonist, and his family have started a community where people with special needs can come to live and find happy, productive lives. Three young men join Keegan for an orientation, and Keegan hopes to befriend them for life. His search for a bond drives the plot.

He and his new friends experience a series of mishaps that will worry the reader and bring in incredible insights into what it’s like to understand the world through their eyes. Luckily, they have a support team that helps them maneuver the not-so-nice people they run into.

Character growth takes place, giving the protagonists depth, and emotions are stimulated throughout this tale. Keegan’s hopes and dreams are in constant danger, but he never gives up.

This book is a treat and offers readers something new. Why not give it a try? You’re likely to learn something while enjoying a good story with realistic characters.

Anybody Want to Play War? by Tommy B. Smith


Anybody Want to Play War? by Tommy B. Smith
Publisher: Seventh StarShadow
Genre: Young Adult, Suspense/Mystery, Historical
Length: Short Story (141 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Brutal injuries can leave scars.

As the teenage survivor of a savage dog’s rampage, it’s a lesson Bryce Gallo will never forget.

Struggling to cope with his damaged appearance, along with a newfound fear of dogs and mounting anxieties at home and school, he flees his suburban home into the moonlit streets of St. Charles.
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Along the roads of suburbia and through the shadowed heart of the city, he encounters Wheels, a maintenance worker for a series of apartment buildings; Paloma, known to some by the moniker of Lady Luck; and a woman in a dark house who is, as far as Bryce can fathom, like no one else he has met before.

His new life is not without obstacles or enemies, he learns. The future is a battlefield. Fire and smoke loom on the horizon, and his dangerous course may see the lives of his family and friends forever changed.

Some days are impossible to forget.

Bryce’s character development was incredibly well done. He’d been through a terrible experience that caused both emotional and physical trauma. His recovery was a slow and difficult one, especially when it came to how he responded to his memories of that awful day and the reactions of other people to his many scars. I had so much compassion for this character even when he was acting out. Many teens would behave the same way in his shoes, especially if they lived in the early 1980s when fewer people understood how trauma works and when medical treatments for this sort of injury weren’t as advanced as they would be today.

The mystery subplot could have used more development. I had some trouble following its developments, especially in the beginning when Bryce knew nothing about what was going on. There simply weren’t enough hints to show what was happening or why it was happening. A few more of them would have been very helpful.

One of the most interesting parts of this book for me was Bryce’s troubled relationship with his mom and stepdad. Their conflicts were incredibly complex and rooted in disagreements that had been going on for a very long time. Not only was this where the main character found a lot of opportunities for personal growth, it was also where some of the best plot developments came from. While I was satisfied with the ending, I sure would like to see a sequel that explores what their relationships were like hen Bryce was a few decades older. There was so much more room here for future storylines.

I’d recommend Anybody Want to Play War? to anyone who is interested in the 1980s or realistic depictions of mental illness after a traumatic event.

Thunder by Dylan James


Thunder by Dylan James
Publisher: Deep Hearts YA
Genre: Young Adult, Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (199 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Grant Peters is sixteen and wants nothing more than to just compete in calf roping at rodeos and keep winning gold. But there are two obstacles in his path.

The first is Logan Summers, also sixteen, and also into calf roping. Logan is Grant’s only real competition and every time Logan wins, he gives Grant a smug little smirk that sets Grant’s blood boiling. Deep inside, though, Grant knows that his hostility toward Logan is about more than that smirk; it’s about feelings he’s not ready to acknowledge.

The second is Grant’s parents being close to selling the family ranch and moving to the city, away from rodeo, and away from his horse, Thunder.
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So when Grant discovers evidence of a deadly cougar stalking the ranch, he decides to take it upon himself to hunt down what would undoubtedly kill the little business his family has left if word got out. Of course, as soon as he sets off into the woods, he runs into Logan, who is undertaking the same hunt to save his own family’s ranch.

Now, these two teenage rodeo nemeses have to overcome their hatred for each other and their uncertainty about themselves if they have any hope of coming together to save their families’ businesses.

Not every adventure announces itself ahead of time.

Grant was a well developed main character. He was kind and intelligent. Even better than that, one of his biggest flaws had to do with how he handled emergencies. He preferred to fix things himself instead of asking for help even in situations that really could have used extra people working on them. Seeing how this flaw impacted the course of his story only made me like him more. There was something very relatable about someone who struggled with something that was hard to overcome and that had a serious impact on his life. Grant felt real to me, and I always get excited when I meet characters who fit that criteria.

As much as I liked Logan, I found it confusing to have two narrators. His persona was so similar to Grant’s that I had trouble telling them apart. The fact that some scenes switched between them without clearly letting the audience know that was happening only added to my confusion. He would have made an equally good sole protagonist, but I think this story would have worked better if only one of them had explained what was happening in it.

The romance unfolded nice and slowly in this tale. I always appreciate slow-burning relationships, especially for characters like these that had a lot of other stuff on their plates when the audience first met them. It made perfect sense for them to focus on more pressing matters before spending much time thinking about their love lives.

I’d recommend Thunder to anyone who loves horses or nature.