Tag: fiction

Roar

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Aurora is the heir to the Pavan throne. Her family is one of the oldest Storming bloodlines in existence, and Aurora’s storm magic abilities are rumored to be one of the most powerful of all time. Little does everyone know… Aurora has shown no signs of her family’s legendary gifts.

When faced with an arranged marriage, Aurora is ready to submit to her fate. Yet when she encounters a young storm hunter who was born without magic, but took it from the heart of a storm, she dreams of charting her own path. Roar is the first book in the Stormheart trilogy. The second book has already been published, and the conclusion is currently scheduled to come out in 2021.

What I loved most:

I’ve read a lot of YA fantasy books. And don’t get me wrong, I love a typical YA fantasy world – but it seems like so many of them tell the same story over and over again. Roar tells a new story. The world and the magic in this series are so unique. I’ve never encountered a fantasy world built around storm magic. I also loved the concept of people being able to take magic for themselves, rather than relying on inheriting magic through their bloodline. Three cheers for creating your own destiny!

Read this book if you like:

Fantasy trilogies, strong female protagonists, romance, challenging people’s expectations for your life

Things to be aware of:

There is some sexual content, so this might not be appropriate for high school students. There is also spirit magic involved in part of the book.

Book details:

  • Author: Cora Carmack
  • Publisher: Tor Teen
  • Date of Publication: June 13, 2017
  • Series: Stormheart #1
  • Age Recommendation: Late high school to college
  • Look up Roar on WorldCat to find it at library near you!

Tune It Out

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Lou has never liked big crowds, or people touching her, or loud noises. She may not have a life like most other kids, but she knows she’s safe with her mom. In between shows where she has to sing in front of crowds, she and her mom sleep in their truck. They’re staying in a town that Lou likes, and hopefully they will be there for a while. But when an accident happens and Child Protective Services gets involved, Lou has to move to a brand new place, with a family she doesn’t know. Starting at a new school is never fun, and Lou just wants to fly under the radar. But a persistent friend, a school counselor, and a loving aunt and uncle help her realize that maybe things will be alright after all.

What I loved most:

In so many books about neurodivergence, the differently-abled character is a sibling/friend/side character. That’s not the case in Tune It Out – Lou gets to be the heroine of her own story. At the beginning of the book, she’s never heard the term “sensory processing disorder”. By the end, she’s working on coping skills and management strategies, and boldly tells her mom about SPD and what it means. It’s SO important for children to see themselves reflected in the literature that they read – and not just as a side character. Three cheers for differently-abled protagonists!

Read this book if you like:

Contemporary fiction, complicated families, neurodivergent protagonists, music, theater, accepting who you are

Book details:

  • Author: Jamie Sumner
  • Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
  • Date of Publication: Sept 1, 2020
  • Age Recommendation: 5th – 8th graders
  • Look up Tune It Out on WorldCat to find it at a library near you!

Grown

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Then… Enchanted Jones is a high school student who dreams of being a singer. When super-famous R&B artist Korey Fields takes notice of her at an audition, she can’t believe her luck. Korey gives her his number, but tells her to keep it on the down low.

Now… Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands, and Korey is dead.

Grown is a riveting thriller that touches on power dynamics, racial identity, and our culture’s determination not to believe girls and women.

What I loved most:

Tiffany D. Jackson is an astounding writer. I love her books, and I tend to burn through them quickly – she writes the kind of stories that are next to impossible to put down. She depicts the cycle of abuse in such an engaging way, juxtaposing Korey’s violence in one minute with his sweetness in another. Honestly though, one of my favorite parts of this book was the inclusion of the text chain between a group of people that Enchanted hangs out with. Their reactions line up so well with how our culture tends to respond to accusations of sexual assault.

Things to be aware of:

With all of the aforementioned love for this book that I already stated… Grown is being marketed as a YA book, and I would not recommend it for (most) high school students. There’s extremely mature content in this book – sexual and physical violence are intrinsic to the story. The protagonist is still in high school when the narrative starts, and these are absolutely issues that are real for many high school students. However, I would exercise caution before handing this to a kid in high school.

Read this book if you like:

Mysteries, the entertainment industry, the #MeToo movement, calling out abuses of power

Book details:

  • Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
  • Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
  • Date of Publication: September 15, 2020
  • Age Recommendation: College Students to Adults
  • Look up Grown on Worldcat to find it at a library near you!