BookNotes // vol.14
New YA book releases for May & a call for action.
It’s spring, which means that testing season has begun & we’re counting down the days until school gets out. It’s a funny mix in the library these days as we still have classes we are teaching but are closed at certain times for testing. And trying to get all the checked out books back, while also wrapping up our own end of the year processes (like doing inventory).
I also wanted to say hello to a number of new subscribers! Happy you’ve found The Young Adult Library and hope you enjoy!
What have you been reading this month?
Beyond the Pages
Usually this section ends the monthly BookNote, but it’s too important to not put it up front. The good news: a federal court has temporarily halted the dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS provides grants to libraries and museums, with funding going to all levels of libraries across the country.
This is a temporary halt; contact your members of Congress in support of funding IMLS. Get more info from the American Library Association.
Book Buzz
May 1
Sound Check by Jennifer Fenn. An alternating narrative about deaf percussionist Win, who is in love with the lead singer of his band, Tristen.
May 6
The Thrashers by Julie Soto. The Thrashers are an elite group of girls who become a focus of gossip and detectives when a girl who desperately wanted to be a part of their group dies.
You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne. “ In this swoony and hilarious debut rom-com graphic novel, two former friends are trapped in a time loop together, repeating their high school graduation day over and over and over”.
The Rebel’s Guide to Pride by Matthew Hubbard. “When the mayor of a small Alabama town starts targeting Pride events, bad boy Zeke begins hosting a series of “Pride Speakeasies” in this joyful queer coming-of-age!”.
The Enemy’s Daughter by Melissa Poett. “A stunning reimagining of Tristan and Isolde set in a dystopian world woven with magic. An addictive debut YA enemies-to-lovers romantasy…”.
May 13
The Singular Life of Aria Patel by Samira Ahmed. Aria wakes up every day in a new reality, where the only constant is a boy named Rohan.
When We Go Missing by April Henry. Willow finds a camera card with photos of missing girls but with no one taking her seriously she has to investigate herself if there is a killer out there.
Home Has No Borders: A Collection of South Asian Stories by Sona Charaipotra and Samira Ahmed (editors). “From first crushes to first heartbreaks, complicated family dynamics to community relationships, this powerful collection of stories explores race, class, culture, language, and the very idea of home as both a place and a feeling.”
May 27
All Nighter by Cecilia Vinesse. A series of escapades between two enemies: one a brainiac, the other a rebel. After years of feuding can they end up working together?
Summer Girls by Jennifer Dugan. A romance between local girl Cass and a “summer girl”, Birdie, who has been sent to live with her father at the beach for the summer.
And the Trees Stare Back by Gigi Griffis. “1989, Soviet Estonia. In sixteen-year-old Vik’s village—and the cursed forest that looms beyond—danger is everywhere… Vik knows because five years ago, she led her little sister Anna over that invisible line—and never saw her again.”
From the Librarian’s Desk
Currently Reading:
Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley. I just started this novel about a struggling married couple who are stuck in a hostage situation when a bumbling climate activist group takes over a restaurant. And every action is straight out of Jane’s novel.
Thanks to spring break, I got through a lot of books last month! Here are some notable ones.
Adult books:
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. I enjoyed Henry’s latest, though the premise is a bit of a rip off of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Alice is a journalist who is competing with Pulitzer Prize winner Hayden to write the biography of a reclusive former socialite.
Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever. Woolever’s memoir of her time working as an assistant to Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain. Fascinating but also tough at times as Woolever was battling alcoholism during the majority of the book, plus Batali’s behavior and the knowing what was to come with Bourdain’s death.
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalam. A dystopian future where people are screened and arrested before they commit a crime. Sara has been flagged for her dreams, being deemed a threat to her husband and in a detention center.
All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman. A little bit of a mystery, but more humorous. When a boy goes missing from an elite British school, former girl band member and mom Florence fears her son may be a suspect. She begins her own investigation to find out what happened and hopefully clear her son.
YA books:
Brownstone by Samuel Teer. A charming graphic novel about a teen spends the summer with the father she has never met, learning about him, her Guatemalan heritage, how to speak Spanish, and what the neighborhood is facing with gentrification.
Eyes Open by Lyn Miller-Lachmann. A historical fiction novel in verse, taking place in 1967 Portugal. Sonia is a poet struggling to live under the restrictions in her country and whose boyfriend has been arrested.
The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf. Loved this unique novel; read my full review here.
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I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Matthew Hubbard in person. He is incredibly kind and down to earth. The Rebel’s Guide to Pride is one of my most anticipated reads for the year. It’s so nice to see people talking about it!