Romance, YA Fiction

Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk and Nicola Yoon

Grades 9-12

It’s winter and Atlanta is covered in snow. In fact, there are blizzard conditions outside, but that won’t stop twelve teens from helping a friend pull off the biggest apology of her life. She really messed up with her significant other, but she is determined to fix everything with the help of her friends. Whiteout is brought to us by the same powerhouse team of six authors that brought us Blackout, and it is not to be missed! 

Short Stories, YA Fiction

Scattered Showers by Rainbow Rowell

Grades 9 – 12

Scattered Showers is a book of short stories by YA powerhouse Rainbow Rowell, who brought us Eleanor & Park, and the Simon Snow trilogy. In fact, some of the stories feature characters in her novels, and tell the reader where you can read more about them. This short story collection includes love stories, friendship stories, and even a fairy-tale in classic Rainbow Rowell fashion. 

ARC Reviews, Series, YA Fiction

Pumpkin by Julie Murphy

Grades 9 – 12

Pumpkin (Dumplin', #3)

The third installment of the Dumplin’ series follows Waylon Russel Brewer, an overweight, openly gay senior in high school who has a twin sister named Clementine. Their plan is to move to Austin after graduation, but when Clementine deviates from their plan, Waylon decides to create an audition tape for a drag queen show and submit it. But when the tape goes viral and the whole school sees it, he gets nominated as Prom Queen as a joke. Waylon decides to own it, and go with the flow, but can he pull it off?

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

ARC Reviews, YA Fiction

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

Grades 9 – 12

Tokyo Ever After

Izumi (sometimes known to her family and friends as Izzy or Zoom Zoom) just found out she’s a princess. Her father, who her mother never talks about, is a prince living in Japan. She is instantly sure she has to go visit him and find out more about who she is. She travels to Japan, not quite sure what to expect – although she’s hoping it’s fancy dresses and tiaras – but is surprised when she finds out it’s not all glitz and glam. Stuck between two worlds, will Izumi ever find her true self?

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy of this book.

ARC Reviews, YA Fiction

Once Upon A Quinceanera by Monica Gomez-Hira

Grades 9 – 12

Once Upon a Quinceañera

Carmen Aguilar is upset because she has to spend her summer doing an unpaid internship where she has to get all dressed up in the Miami heat and perform for her cousin’s quinceanera. What’s more, her dance partner is her ex, someone who she never wanted to have to see or interact with again after their breakup. In order to find her “happily ever after,” she has to learn to leave the past in the past.

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

ARC Reviews, Romance, YA Fiction

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

Grades 9 – 12

A Pho Love Story

In the same vein as This Is My Brain In Love by I.W. Gregorio, this story is a Vietnamese Romeo and Juliet. Bao and Linh’s families have competing restaurants and are enemies, but the two of them are friends – and are starting to become more. Can their families handle it or will everything fall apart?

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

ARC Reviews, YA Fiction

Girls With Bright Futures by Tracey Dobmeier & Wendy Katzman

Grades 9 – 12

Girls with Bright Futures

There are three mother-daughter pairs in this story, and they daughters are all competing to be accepted to the same college – the famous Stanford University – except Stanford has just informed the school that it will only be accepting one more student from their private high school. The race is on for each of the three girls to submit the best essays and grades with their application and beat each other out for that coveted spot. May the best girl win…

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

ARC Reviews, YA Fiction

Love In English by Maria E. Andreu

Grades 9 – 12

The novel follows sixteen-year-old Ana who has just moved from Argentina for her junior year in high school. She’s a bright girl, but the language barrier proves to be difficult for her. She meets Americans at school, as well as other foreign students like herself in her ESL class, and begins to find her way. The author includes “#” symbols to indicate when English is spoken and Ana doesn’t understand what’s being said. This is brilliant, and gives the reader a real feel for what it’s like to not know what’s going on, and understand Ana on a different level. 

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.