Category: Young Adult

And Then There Was Us by Kern Carter

April 16, 2024

Coi is a strong-willed and lovable main character, and Carter does a wonderful job of developing her personality. Though this novel tackles tougher subjects like grief and trauma, it also addresses struggles teenagers often face. As a first-year university student, Coi is figuring out her professional passions, developing meaningful friendships, and understanding her new romantic relationship. The mix of these struggles while also coming to terms with her mother’s death culminates in a determined main character I couldn’t help but root for. … More And Then There Was Us by Kern Carter

Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai

March 5, 2024

Catfish Rolling is not here to provide us with all the answers, but to remind us that there are multiple ways to exist and understand reality. Temporality is such a captivating and sometimes frightening subject, and I was completely invested in Sora and her father’s obsession with figuring out how the zones work. Ultimately though, the message of Catfish Rolling is that trying to control time instead of simply trying to understand it has dire consequences. … More Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai

Don’t Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton

February 20, 2024

What truly stands out is the inclusiveness of the book as a host of under-represented communities find a place in the story. Moulton truly provides a rich tapestry of gender, sexuality, race, religion and culture without tokenizing or stereotyping these characters. Deeper questions about familial bonds, the historical Othering of marginalized groups, and the difficulty of ‘doing the right thing’ are also addressed, making it a more rewarding and layered experience. … More Don’t Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton

Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jen Ferguson

February 15, 2024

Ferguson is certainly not dishing up a thin crusted one topping type of story here. Instead, she feeds us a deep dish, multi-layered experience, writing books that are fresh, yet resonate. Winner of the Governor General’s Award for her debut novel, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Ferguson should also win an award for inducing food cravings in readers. … More Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jen Ferguson