Synopsis:
A young woman discovers that she is cursed to go mad on the birth of her first child unless she can complete three impossible tasks.
Review:
Woven from the lyrics of the ballad Scarborough Fair, made famous by Simon and Garfunkel, Impossible successfully places a fairy tale in the context of modern life without sacrificing any magic [...]
Popularity: 4% [?]
Tags: American Literature
Synopsis:
Jenna thought her childhood best friend Cameron was dead, but when he shows up at her high school 8 years later, she must confront demons long buried and deal with unresolved issues with her family.
Review:
I was very impressed with the way Sara Zarr built the suspense in Sweethearts. I was aching to find out [...]
Popularity: 9% [?]
Tags: American Literature
Synopsis:
New girl Ana struggles with overprotective parents who push her to succeed, but when she winds up in detention she discovers she is not the only girl in school who has survived a near-fatal incident.
Review:
I bigtime heart Anne and May, the Good Girls, so I was thrilled to read The Miracle Girls, the first in [...]
Popularity: 9% [?]
Tags: American Literature
Synopsis:
A teenage girl discovers that she comes from a lineage of demon hunters, and finds herself drawn into the ongoing battle between good and evil.
Review:
I picked up City of Bones after reading a rave review of the next book in the series on the Queens Public Library’s email newsletter for YA picks. It sounded [...]
Popularity: 11% [?]
Tags: American Literature
Synopsis:
High school senior Jill is “all girl”–except for 4 days out of the month, when she turns into Jack, who happens to be in love with her best friend.
Review:
Cycler has quite the premise, with Jill literally transforming from girl to boy once a month, right after her period ends. Girly girl Jill wants nothing [...]
Popularity: 19% [?]
Tags: American Literature
Synopsis:
Accused of murder, a troubled young woman tries to piece together the odd facets of her life, starting with her supposed immaculate conception.
Review:
The chapters in Madapple alternate between a teasingly opaque courtroom case, and defendant Aslaug’s reminiscences about life with her disturbed mother and eventual reunion with her long lost aunt and cousins. Nothing [...]
Popularity: 26% [?]
Tags: American Literature
Synopsis:
A spirited young woman takes on the all-male secret society at her boarding school, and not just because her boyfriend’s one of the leaders.
Review:
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks reminded me a lot of Rushmore, and that’s a good thing. It’s quirky and offbeat, combining intelligence and heart within a clever, original plot. [...]
Popularity: 19% [?]
Tags: American Literature
Synopsis:
A boy marked for termination and organ harvesting escapes into a world where he has no legal right to live.
Review:
I heard about Unwind from the Queens Library, in an email newsletter talking up good new young adult books. I’m so glad that I did, because it’s a dystopian thrill ride in the same vein [...]
Popularity: 36% [?]
Tags: American Literature · Russian Literature
Synopsis:
A retelling of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast.
Review:
I suppose it’s because of all the babysitting I’ve done, but I just couldn’t shake the image of Belle in her big yellow dress as I read Robin McKinley’s Beauty. But setting that aside, I would have loved this when I [...]
Popularity: 49% [?]
Tags: American Literature
Synopsis:
Deanna’s lived under a dark cloud ever since her dad caught her having sex when she was just 13, and her dreams of getting out just might expire under the weight of his disapproval.
Review:
I’m a latecomer getting to Sara Zarr’s National Book Award Finalist novel Story of a Girl, though it’s been on my radar [...]
Popularity: 54% [?]
Tags: American Literature
