New in YA: September Picks from Our Teen Advisory Board
The amazing and talented members of Blue Willow’s Teen Advisory Board read a ton (we mean a TON) of books every month. They find and review incredible and engaging books that they think fellow YA bookworms will enjoy. Below, take a look at their September favorites to find your next favorite read(s)!
Also, attention to all YA lovers: You can now purchase a subscription to Blue Willow’s YA First Editions Club! Each month, subscribers receive a first-edition book picked by our Teen Advisory Board, a bookplate signed by the author, and some fun exclusives—like special bookmarks and virtual hangouts with authors. You can learn more here—happy reading!
The Bridge by Bill Konigsberg
Bill Konigsberg's excellence in exploring multiple endings gleams in this gem of a novel. This novel follows two teenagers, Tillie and Aaron, who are at the same bridge at the same time, both about to jump to their deaths. Aaron is a gay misfit who feels that he will never become a famous singer, and who also struggles with heavy depression. Tillie feels very alone in her thoughts and feels like there's no point in living when people are so mean to her. The book follows the possible ways this story could end and why. Through trying these endings, Konigsberg explores the butterfly effect suicide has on many people, and how living another day is always a better option than the alternative. I thought this novel was such a fascinating and informative read! This book was an excellent look inside the real worlds of depression and suicide, and the many effects they can have—both short term and long term. Konigsberg's writing was insightful and well researched, and he made it incredibly real. I also thought his examination of the different ways this story could end was incredibly unique and thoughtful and made each possible ending more critical to the full story.
—Gabriella T.
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Recommended For You by Laura Silverman
This lovely, charming novel follows Shoshanna, a book lover who adores working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. When there is a contest announced to see who can sell the most books for a holiday bonus, Shoshanna jumps at the chance to prove herself as the best bookseller. However, her plan is interrupted by the new hire, Jake. Jake is everything Shoshanna is not: Quiet, and a guy who.. doesn't read. As Shoshanna and Jake compete head to head for the bonus, they start to realize that it might be better to not be enemies after all... I loved this book!! Shoshanna was such a loveable lead, and the supporting characters were all excellent as well. This book was so cute and fun, and such a great light-hearted read. The bookstore setting was utterly adorable, and I felt like I knew the characters by the end of this book. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of romance and bookstores—a wonderful combination.
—Gabriella T.
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None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney
None Shall Sleep is a chilling delight, drawing in equal measure from The Silence Of The Lambs and from the best YA romances in recent memory. The three main characters are well-defined and engaging, their backstories are fleshed out with an unusual level of detail and chilling trauma. The plot was gripping and paced to perfection, and sprinkled with just the right amount of minor characters. None Shall Sleep is my definition of a perfect book, and I hope it will develop into a series.
—Colin B.
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Sources Say by Lori Goldstein
Sources Say is about two sisters, Angeline and Cat, at Acedia High, where Student Council has always been a joke. When Angeline, the most popular girl in school, runs for president against her ex, Leo, the school naturally gets hyped up and dubs it "the Battle of the Exes." Things get infinitely more complicated after the Frankengirls are introduced—huge Photoshopped images of "perfect tens" that are composed of different body parts of real girls in the school. Through all of this, Cat runs the Red and Blue, the school newspaper, and has to compete against a rival paper. I loved this book because I love coming-of-age books and the new aspects of social media and other modern sides of the story appeal to teens especially.
—Eleanor K.
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The Cat I Never Named by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess and Laura Sullivan
Set during the brutal ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims, The Cat I Never Named introduces readers to Amra, a brilliant teen with bright hopes for the future—until one morning, when she wakes to a city surrounded by Serbian troops. In a world that has seemingly abandoned them, the only beacon of hope for her and her family is a beautiful, well-mannered calico cat that has become something of a good luck charm. As her people are murdered and raped for nothing more than their ancestral lineage, Amra learns lessons of love, strength, and, most importantly, survival. As a fan of historical fiction, it didn’t take long for me to know that I was reading a story that would resonate with me long after I’d put it down. I became quickly enamored with Amra’s friends and family, a beautifully developed set of characters, whose pain and triumphs I felt deeply. The author does a commendable job in recounting her story, and in showing readers the importance of education and the horror of hate.
—Veronica P.
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Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe
Charming As A Verb is a fun and intriguing romantic comedy. Henry Haltiwanger, a Haitian teen at a prestigious private academy, runs an exorbitant dog walking 'business,' which he uses to quietly extort his customers. He's forced into helping a classmate improve her social image when she discovers his scheme. Suddenly, they realize their feelings for each other, and their partnership becomes something more. With two realistic and likable Black leads, this book is sure to be a hit with fans of romantic comedies, as wells as readers who appreciate important themes, such as class and race inequalities.
—Colin B.
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Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
Grown is about a teenage girl named Enchanted Jones. She has an incredible singing voice, and when the 28-year-old pop star Korey Fields offers to help hone her skills and produce her songs, she jumps at the chance. However, months later, she still hasn't had the chance to write her songs and has become a victim of sex trafficking. The book was well written, and I found it very engaging. Shocking and tense, but not graphic.
—Eleanor K.
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The Way Back by Gavriel Savit
The Way Back is an adventure that really makes you feel like everyone's life is worth something. The book chronicles a journey home and a deal with death. Once you have read the book and understand the context, you are filled with hope that, no matter the odds, there is a way back home. I enjoyed the book. It is, on the surface level, a romp through Jewish folk stories, but harbors multiple deeper meanings. This book could, in my opinion, mean something different to everyone—a trait for which I give it high praise.
—Colin B.
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