young adult

These titles earned the Kirkus Star:

The Warning

Acevedo, Kristy

Sourcebooks Fire (320 pp.)

$11.99 paper | June 6, 2023

978-1-72826-839-2

Series: The Warning, 1

A reissue of the 2016 novel published as Consider Alexandra Lucas and her boyfriend, Dominick, are about to start their senior year of high school when 500 vertexes— each one a doorway-shaped “hole into the fabric of the universe”—appear across the world, accompanied by holographic messages communicating news of Earth’s impending doom. The only escape is a one-way trip through the portals to a parallel future Earth. As people leave through the vertexes and the extinction event draws nearer, the world becomes increasingly unfamiliar. A lot has changed in the past several years, including expectations of mental health depictions in young adult literature; Alex’s struggle with anxiety and reliance on Ativan, which she calls her “little white savior” while initially discounting therapy as an intervention, make for a trite after-school special–level treatment of a complex situation; a short stint of effective therapy does finally occur but is so limited in duration that it contributes to the oversimplification of the topic. Alex also has unresolved issues with her Gulf War veteran father (who possibly grapples with PTSD). The slow pace of the plot as it depicts a crumbling society, along with stilted writing and insubstantial secondary characterization, limits the appeal of such a small-scale, personal story. Characters are minimally described and largely racially ambiguous; Alex has golden skin and curly brown hair.

A glossy repackaging of a jejune tale. (Science fiction. 13-16)

Going

Wednesday Books (336 pp.)

$20.00 | June 13, 2023

9781250871640

PEDRO & DANIEL

Erebia, Federico

Illus. by Julie Kwon

Levine Querido (336 pp.)

$19.99 | June 6, 2023

9781646143047

Natalya Fox is ready for change but afraid of making the wrong decision; luckily she doesn’t have to choose in this parallel-timelines rom-com à la Sliding Doors.

Seventeen-year-old Natalya Fox has been given the choice of spending the summer at home with her father in New York City or moving in with her mother in Los Angeles. Manhattan is the safer option and would keep Natalya in her all-too-familiar comfort zone, but it does come with the possibility of romance with the girl Natalya has been crushing on for ages, known to her only as the Redhead due to Natalya’s inability to introduce herself. Los Angeles offers an internship and a chance to reconnect with her mother, and the other new intern, a boy her mom describes as cute, could be an unexpected perk. So Natalya makes her choice—and then she makes her other choice. Split between two parallel timelines, the novel shows readers Natalya falling in love, exploring her post-graduation plans, and finding new ways of connecting with her parents in both cities. Each of the timelines is exciting and heartwarming, although the Los Angeles love interest reads as more complex than the one back East, and the New York storyline lacks significant conflict, giving the West Coast one more depth overall. Bisexual Natalya is Jewish, and subjects such as keeping kosher, being queer and Jewish, and observing Shabbat are thoughtfully woven in.

A sweet and joyful romance times two. (Romance. 13-18)

One With The Waves

Andrews, Vezna

Santa Monica Press (288 pp.)

$12.99 paper | May 23, 2023

9781595801227

A city girl emerges from grief and discovers her inner self through a passion for surfing.

March 1983: In the wake of her father’s death from cancer, high school junior Ellie remembers treasured moments as she struggles to come to grips with this new reality. It was Dad, a university professor, who left his job to raise her, allowing Mom to continue to run her art gallery in the city. Father and daughter explored New York City together. An extended visit to California and her Uncle Charlie, Aunt Jen, and their big galumphing dog becomes an introduction to a different world, the quiet of California’s wide-open spaces, the fresh sea air, and the immense ocean. Jen loves to surf and takes Ellie along. On her first outing, Ellie feels the dolphins calling her to come and play. Andrews’ evocative novel counterpoints Ellie’s memories surrounding the loss of her father with her immersion into the stress-free aesthetic of surfing. She decides to stay in California, triggering a rocky new dynamic in her relationship with her mother. Andrews’ plot contains several expected elements—adjusting to a new school, first love, standing up to bullies—all depicted in a competent, familiar way. The novel soars to a literary sweet spot in its descriptions of surfing and Ellie’s blossoming identity as a surfer, at one with the ocean and its mysteries as each day becomes a limitless adventure.

An enchanting coming-of-age story with a lyrical heart.

(Fiction. 14-18)

Make The Fireflies Dance

Bateman, Rachel

Running Press Kids (384 pp.)

$18.99 | May 16, 2023

9780762478910

After a magical kiss with a mystery boy, a girl goes on dates to try to uncover his identity.

It’s senior year, and Quincy, a White girl, is working on shooting a movie as a project for her film class. After receiving a surprise kiss in a dark movie theater from an unknown boy who doesn’t offer his name, the search for him becomes a distraction. Her friends execute Operation Mystery Kisser, setting her up on dates with the boys who were present that evening and are possible candidates. With classmate Kenyon, one of them, she finds romance, forcing her to question whether she already has what she wants right in front of her and whether the search for the anonymous boy who gave her that perfect kiss is worth pursuing. There are plenty of complex and vulnerable moments in the story. Quincy lost her mother in a tragic accident; this loss and tension with her older brother give her realistic depth. Kenyon, whose mother is implied White and whose father was adopted from Vietnam, is a three-dimensional love interest. The relatively robust character development makes the mystery kiss as catalyst ultimately feel like a letdown, particularly in a climate of growing awareness of the importance of consent, a subject that is not addressed. The treatment of that key detail is ultimately unsatisfying and problematic.

A questionable central plot point holds back this otherwise enjoyable read. (Romance. 12-17)

Warrior Girl Unearthed

Boulley, Angeline

Henry Holt (400 pp.)

$19.99 | May 2, 2023

9781250766588

Ten years after the events of Firekeeper’s Daughter (2021), Boulley’s thrilling debut, readers return to Michigan’s Sugar Island in this stand-alone novel.

It’s 2014, and Perry and Pauline Firekeeper-Birch are 16 and still devoted to their Auntie Daunis. The twins are participating in the Sugar Island Ojibwe Tribe’s summer internship program: Academically driven, anxietyprone Pauline is thrilled to be working with the Tribal Council, while impulsive, outspoken Perry, who would rather be fishing, is initially less than excited about her assignment to the tribal museum. But the girls’ shared passion for their heritage and outrage over acts of desecration by greedy individuals and institutions lead them, some fellow interns who are dealing with varied life circumstances, and even some elders to carry out a daring, dangerous plan to right a terrible wrong. First-person narrator Perry’s voice is irresistibly cheeky, wry, and self-aware, and her growth is realistic as, without losing her spark, she comes to understand why her beloved mentor believed that “doing the right thing for the right reason, with a good heart and clear intentions, matters.” Boulley, an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, sensitively and seamlessly weaves in discussions of colorism (the girls’ father is Black and Anishinaabe), repatriation of cultural artifacts and human remains, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and more into a story with well-developed characterization that is both compellingly readable and deeply thought-provoking. A page-turning heist grounded in a nuanced exploration of critical issues of cultural integrity. (Thriller. 14-18)

Take

Bradbury, Jennifer Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum

(272 pp.)

$18.99 | June 6, 2023

9781416990093

A rock-climbing adventure unearths an unexpected mystery.

The summer after high school graduation, Cara’s busy working three jobs to fund a gap year rock climbing in Patagonia. She’s independent and tough, not the least because she has to be—her dad, who taught her to climb, is unstable, mentally ill, and so unreliable he missed her graduation ceremony. Now, he’s not responding to messages. When Cara goes to check on him, she finds his climbing gear gone and one wall of his trailer papered over with maps, photographs, and sticky notes. To find him, she’ll need to figure out what it all means—and what peak he’s trying to climb. Interspersed with Cara’s first-person narrative are diary entries from the 1940s by a young, implied White climber in the Civilian Conservation Corps describing his growing romance with an artistic Japanese American farm girl. They are hampered by racism, particularly once America enters the war. Bradbury’s smart, fast-moving book immerses readers in the language, procedures, and emotions of rock climbing without overwhelming those unfamiliar with the sport. She lets her characters and their stories be complicated and multidimensional. Her description of Cara’s dad’s mental illness is particularly real: “Sometimes he was sort of medically allowed to be a selfish jerk. The tricky part was how the messiness made it really hard for everybody around him to know when to cut him some slack and when to just cut him off.”

Great holds, great movement, and a worthwhile finish. (Fiction. 12-18)

The Secret Summer Promise

Brown, Keah

Levine Querido (336 pp.)

$19.99 | June 6, 2023

9781646141739

When a girl falls in love with her best friend, will it lead to a tragedy of errors?

Andrea, a painter, is planning an amazing summer with her friends. Last summer’s adventures were lost to recovery from a cerebral palsy surgery, so this year’s “Best Summer Ever” list is ambitious: an art show for Andrea; skinny-dipping for Hailee, her Chinese American bestie; a Drew Barrymore movie marathon for both of them. But there’s one big problem: Andrea’s crush. Though the queer, Black 17-year-old is well loved, well off, and talented, she doesn’t know how to tell Hailee that she’s fallen hard for her—and her internalized self-loathing is crushing. Perhaps if Andrea dates a popular boy she can get over her feelings for Hailee? To readers, it’s clear that Andrea and Hailee share mutual feels, and disaster looms over all this secret keeping, but Andrea struggles in miserable ignorance until the inevitable friendship explosion. During all this secret (and painfully messy) pining, Andrea grows in both empathy and self-respect. The dialogue is often stilted and unnatural, but the girls (and their multiracial, multi-ability, multi-sexuality friendship circle) are affectionate and dedicated to each other. Race, sexuality, and disability are not Andrea’s roadblocks, though they’re all obviously central to her identity and her life. Her difficulties come from everyday teen drama—and it is resoundingly, emphatically expressed drama.

For fans of messy queer romance, some realistically complicated representation. (Fiction. 12-16)

Ever Since

Bruzas, Alena

Rocky Pond Books/Penguin (272 pp.)

$18.99 | May 23, 2023

9780593616178

The summer before senior year, friendships are fractured by secrets and a revelation of sexual abuse.

Virginia has a reputation for making poor choices, including sleeping with Edison, her friend Thalia’s boyfriend, behind her back. She and her close-knit group of friends are determined to spend the summer living it up, when suddenly, without explanation, her best friend, Poppy, leaves to spend the summer at her grandpa’s. Virginia feels unmoored because Poppy offered her harbor from her own house, where she does not feel safe amid her neglectful parents’ parties that include Him, their friend who sexually abused her when she was a child. Virginia starts spending time with Rumi, Poppy’s boyfriend, with whom she develops an intense emotional connection. But when she realizes that Rumi’s 11-year-old sister is being groomed by this same abuser, Virginia must find the courage to finally speak up. What follows is a harrowing journey, compounded by the fact that not everybody is receptive to her revelations. In the process of coming to terms with what happened to her, Virginia must also reckon with her revictimization and ask whether her sexual activity with Edison was consensual. Virginia, Thalia, Edison, and Poppy are cued White; ethnically ambiguous Rumi has reddish-brown skin. The supporting cast includes diversity in race, gender identity, and sexual orientation; these characters sometimes feel too perfect to be fully realized people.

Lyrical prose combines with a searing indictment of how society treats young women. (content note, author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 14-18)

Radiant

Bustamante, Ashley Enclave Escape (304 pp.)

$24.99 | May 9, 2023

9798886050424

Series: Color Theory, 2

Overcoming prejudice and joining forces are the only things that will help the rebels defeat the Benefactors of Magus.

After trying to expose the Benefactors as manipulators who have systematically driven out or captured Mentalists (practitioners of Yellow Magic), Ava and Elm have gone into hiding. A band of Ava’s classmates have joined them, but their learned distrust of Mentalists is deeply ingrained, leading to tense confrontations that threaten to divide them. Adding to the drama, the romance between Ava and Elm is rocked by the appearance of a girl from Elm’s past. But when the Benefactors attack their hideout, the group unites. In a daring escape, they break through the barrier surrounding Magus and find refuge in a peaceful city where they must make a decision: sink into tranquility or train for the fight. Readers must have read the first in the Color Theory series (Vivid, 2022) to follow the action, but devoted fans will lock in for the roller-coaster ride as the somewhat racially and ethnically diverse band returns to Magus, where they’re joined in an epic battle against the Benefactors by an unexpected group of allies. Gentle romance, emotional reunions, painful betrayals, and historical insights add nuance to the story. The most surprising discovery is saved for the last, promising another fascinating chapter to come.

Captivating. (map) (Fantasy. 12-15)

LIAR’S BEACH

Cotugno, Katie

Delacorte (288 pp.)

$18.99 | May 2, 2023

9780593433287

A summertime stay on Martha’s Vineyard confirms everything Linden thinks about rich people.

Best known for emotional YA romances, Cotugno tries her hand at an emotional whodunit—and readers who can roll with the weird attraction her protagonist seems to exert on the two main young women here may find themselves caught up in an engrossing whirl of, as the title promises, lies, secrets, and louche living. Hardly has he arrived for a two-week stay at palatial August House than Michael Linden and his host and boarding school roommate Jasper’s twin sister, Eliza, are bedroom-bound; his ghosted former platonic friend Holiday turns up; and Greg, despised boyfriend of another houseguest, winds up in a coma after an apparent accident. Dragged along by Holiday, who, along with inexplicably letting bygones be bygones, turns out to be an enthusiastic amateur sleuth, scholarship student Linden finds plenty of fuel for his (supposedly) secret resentment of the privileged classes and the way they can get away with anything. Though not, as it turns out after a comfortably conventional denouement complete with surprise confession, murder. Also, as a tease at the end suggests, for all that he comes clean about several secrets of his own, Linden leads the pack in the “things to hide” department. Aside from one prominent supporting character—a brown-skinned lacrosse champion—the central cast reads White.

This scorching glimpse of life (and death) among the moneyed classes hits its marks, if a bit mechanically. (Mystery. 14-18)

SAINT JUNIPER’S FOLLY

Crespo, Alex

Peachtree Teen (304 pp.)

$18.99 | May 16, 2023

9781682635773

Teens save themselves from a haunted house.

Jaime Alvarez-Shephard, Theo Miller, and Taylor Rivera Bishop all live in smalltown Vermont. Jaime is newly returned to picture-perfect Saint Juniper; he lived there as a child but ended up in foster care after his unstable family left 8 years ago. Privileged White boy Theo chafes under his overbearing father but finds solace volunteering at the library. Taylor, with a stern Boricua father and a recently dead White mother who was descended from local witches, lives above her family’s occult shop in Wolf’s Head, the slightly scrappier town next door. All feel hemmed in by Saint Juniper’s Folly, a densely wooded region that’s been the subject of fear and rumor for generations. The alternating three-person point of view follows

Theo and Taylor as they discover that biracial White-passing Jaime, whose father was Mexican, is trapped by an invisible barrier inside the crumbling and definitely haunted Blackwood Estate, which may be connected to Taylor’s mom’s death. Part romance, part story of new friendship, part family history, this story never fully relaxes into itself, and the pace of the storytelling flip-flops between rushed and overly expository. Readers who enjoy watching a queer love story unfold amid peril will enjoy that aspect of this otherwise middling debut.

Earnest but unmemorable. (Supernatural. 13-17)

THE OTHER PANDEMIC An AIDS Memoir

Curlee, Lynn Charlesbridge Teen (176 pp.)

$19.99 | June 6, 2023

9781623543501

A firsthand account of living through the AIDS pandemic as a young, gay man in the U.S.

Prolific author for young readers

Curlee introduces teens to this topic by starting with Covid-19 as an empathic entryway to the past. He describes being a teenager in 1960s North Carolina, setting the scene in terms of technology and daily life and painting a picture of a time when sex was a secret kept by adults and homosexuality was only mentioned in joking or insulting ways. He goes on to chronicle how movements seeking equality across gender, sexuality, and race were interconnected and how the Stonewall uprising set the stage for a dazzling period of freedom and falling in love during the 1970s disco era in New York City. That fun-filled time came crashing down as many of Curlee’s vibrant friends began to die sudden, mysterious deaths. As the book progresses, educational, historical, and scientific content in text boxes increasingly supplements the narrative, although its placement and layout are sometimes distracting. It can also become difficult to track all the different individuals who are introduced. However, Curlee’s memoir, illustrated with personal photographs, is intimate and resonant as it presents the thrill of coming out and living openly and the fear and pain that followed when so many people he loved were taken from him too soon.

Compelling and important. (important people, the origins of AIDS, author’s note, musical references, source notes, select bibliography, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

When The Vibe Is Right

Dass, Sarah Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins (336 pp.)

$19.99 | May 30, 2023

9780063018570

A Trinidadian girl learns to open up herself to love and attachments after enduring grief and heartbreak.

Seventeen-year-old Tess is in her final year of high school. She tragically lost her parents years ago and now lives with her uncle, aunt, and Hazel, her cousin and best friend. Tess is also a designer and seamstress, working with her uncle making Carnival costumes for Grandeur, the family’s masquerade band. When a rivalry with another popular Carnival band leads to a catastrophic incident that threatens the future of Grandeur, Tess finds herself in a position where she may have to work with her sworn nemesis, Brandon, whom she maddeningly also happens to find incredibly attractive. Will Tess be able to put aside her grudge to do what it takes to save Grandeur and her dream of one day taking over the family business? How will she handle it when her feelings for Brandon start shifting from hostile to romantic? Through captivating, witty, and heartfelt prose, Dass’ sweet romance novel shows her protagonist dealing with grief and growing pains. Tess’ relationships with her family and small circle of friends highlight her dynamic personality. The banter and obvious chemistry between Tess and Brandon are enthralling from the get-go; readers root for Tess and feel invested in every part of her journey. The cast reflects the multicultural makeup of Trinidad and Tobago.

An exciting and sentimental love story perfect for romance lovers who appreciate multifaceted characters. (Romance. 13-18)

PEDRO & DANIEL Erebia, Federico Illus. by Julie Kwon

Levine Querido (336 pp.)

$19.99 | June 6, 2023

9781646143047

A poignant look at brotherhood. This fictionalized version of real events explores the author’s relationship with his brother, Daniel, who died at age 30 in 1993. Written in a lyrical style that mixes prose with occasional poetry and poignant illustrations, the stories are presented mostly from the two brothers’ points of view, with the added perspectives of adults in the community. This creative format also includes many dichos, or proverbs, some of which are Mexican in origin; an appendix lists them in both Spanish and English. In this truly immersive, often melancholic narrative, readers are introduced to the boys’ physically and emotionally abusive mother, who directs homophobic slurs at them. Despite their struggles, their sibling bond shines through: In one story, the kindergarten teacher asks the children to share “their one true treasure,” and Pedro brings Daniel to class. Years later, they look at the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt on display in Washington, D.C., and contemplate their differing beliefs about God and religion. Throughout, they’re constantly forging and completing each other’s developing selves. Both boys are gay and struggle with issues of mental health and neurodivergence. Something else that pulls them together is their deep love for Mexico, where they went every summer as children to visit family. Through the AIDS pandemic, they learn to rely on each other when Daniel tests positive for HIV. Pedro and Daniel’s journey, whether together or apart, is an unforgettable one of resilience and, most of all, love.

Stunning. (resources, author’s note) (Fiction. 12-18)

Knee Deep

Flood, Joe

Oni Press (224 pp.)

$21.99 paper | May 30, 2023

9781620109380

Series: Knee Deep, 1

Two hundred years after a worldwide eco-catastrophe, a teenager descends into the vast labyrinth of deep sewers and tunnels beneath a ruined city in search of her parents.

Flood kicks off this series opener by pitching 16-year-old Sarah “Cricket” Higashi, daughter of two long-missing scientists, deep into the sodden, rubble-strewn bowels of the earth, where she battles foes ranging from evil mining company PERCH’s armed corporate goons to (inevitably) alligators and falls in with a cast of rough, tough subterranean fugitives and mutants. These characters are reminiscent of the Star Wars and Mad Max universes, not to mention Howard the Duck, as humanoid but mallard-headed hybrid Bill takes her under his wing just in time for a rousing climactic clash. Wielding a length of iron bed frame and making good use of her kendo master’s lessons, Cricket fits readily into this wretched hive of subterranean scum and villainy as she begins her journey into darkness and danger. In addition to Cricket’s Japanese heritage, diversity in the cast is cued through names and physical appearance. The dynamic illustrations, executed in rich, vibrant colors and laid out in interestingly varied panels, are captivating and dramatic. This volume closes on a cliffhanger that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.

A strong start featuring both a memorable dystopian setting and an intrepid hero ready to take names and bash heads. (Graphic dystopian. 12-16)

Where You See Yourself

Forrest, Claire Scholastic (320 pp.)

$19.99 | May 2, 2023

9781338813838

A college-bound teen with cerebral palsy learns to advocate for herself.

Even though her friends are buzzing about senior year and their college plans, Greek American Euphemia Galanos can’t muster the same enthusiasm. For Effie, an aspiring journalist, choosing a college is fraught with additional variables: Are the dorms wheelchair accessible? How easily can she navigate campus? Such concerns threaten to derail her dream of attending New York’s prestigious Prospect University, home to an excellent journalism program…and the choice of her crush, Wilder. As if Effie doesn’t have enough on her plate, she faces discrimination from Mill City High’s administration—and this