Tag: Contemporary Fiction

Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers (#QP2026) Feature Review: The Story of My Anger by Jaminne Mendez


Yuli Lopez, a Black second-generation Dominican teen, wants nothing more than to finally get cast in a leading role in her high school drama club and to be the “good girl” she’s expected to be by her mostly white school board and teachers. But when first she is passed over for the leading role yet again for a generic white mean girl and then a beloved teacher’s books are banned by the school board, Yuli cannot hide from her anger at her Texas school’s inherent racism and homophobia any more. With the guidance of her teacher, Yuli’s former activist mother and current activist brother, and inspired by playwright Ntozake Shange, she and her friends form an activist guerilla theater troupe to call out their school’s policies.

The Story of My Anger is a timely, fast-paced, and inspiring story in verse about finding your voice through arts and protest that will appeal especially to teens who struggle with the status quo and inequities in school. This is a book that doesn’t talk down to teens about their anger or their passion. Yuli’s anger and initial missteps feel real and her relatability will appeal to a broad range of readers. Also, the author plays with form by inserting dialogue as script in a call-out to the themes of activist theater that adds a layer of creativity and intriguing “rule-breaking” of tradition that mirrors the story well, but will not be too complicated for teen readers. An additional bonus is how the author highlights inspiring (and teen-friendly) classic playwright Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf maybe for the first time for some teens who will read this. While this is a great title for all teen readers, BIPOC teens who love theater and the arts will particularly see themselves in Yuli’s inability to get the lead in a mostly white high school and enjoy learning about plays outside the traditional white and male authored canon.
Give to teens who are fans of books in verse about finding your voice through the arts like Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X, Mariama J. Lockington’s Forever is Now, and Renée Watson’s Black Girl You Are Atlas.

-Maryanne O.

Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2026) Featured Review: Up in Smoke by Nick Brooks

After a young man is killed by a police officer after allegedly stealing, a peaceful protest in the local neighborhood takes place. Uncomfortable at the thought, Cooper accompanies his “big brother” Jason and other friends to loot some of the local stores. A woman is shot and killed and Jason is the prime suspect.

This fast paced mystery will keep readers hooked. Additionally, readers will relate to Cooper’s guilt over keeping secrets from his father, his friends and his crush. This book also has a social justice component that will appeal to readers. It is a reasonable length and will appeal to reluctant readers.

Fans of the author’s work Promise Boys as well as readers who enjoy a mystery mixed with social justice themes will enjoy this book. This book will appeal to fans of Nic Stone as well as Angie Thomas and Jason Reynolds.

– Melissa Palmer

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.
The Best Fiction for Young Adults Committee appreciates teen feedback as members evaluate the nominated titles. Teen librarians are encouraged to share the List of Potential Nominees under consideration with their patrons and solicit feedback using the link: tinyurl.com/bfya2026

Check out The Hub Advisory Board’s Interview with Nick Brooks

Check out our blogpost for more resources!

Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers (#QP2026) Feature Review: Twenty-Four Seconds From Now… by Jason Reynolds

In 24 seconds, Neon is about to have sex for the first time with his girlfriend of 24 months, Aria. But in those 24 seconds, Neon flashes back to the moments – the first dates, the conversations with parents and friends, the awkward first meet-up with a temperamental pet dog – and all the other little things that have built a sometimes sweet, sometimes passionate, and always deeply supportive relationship.

Heart-warming, funny, and immensely relatable, this book is a fast-paced, read-in-one sitting selection for any teen directly navigating or starting to think about romantic relationships. In his romance debut, Reynolds, a popular choice for teen readers already, deftly crafts a protagonist who is charmingly awkward and compellingly real. The language of the book is easily accessible for a wide range of teen readers and never condescends. Reynolds presents a positive and respectful relationship in a way that should inspire rather than preach at teens, particularly teenaged boys. Bonus points for positive, diverse interactions with a variety of characters in Neon’s life – from parents to neighbors to grandparents – and how the book reflects the importance of a warm, safe, and mentoring community for teens.

This book is a perfect choice for any teen who is thinking about “doing it” but also any fans of romance or realistic fiction. Similar titles include Jason Reynolds’ earlier work (especially Look Both Ways), Ben Philippe (Charming as a Verb, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager), and Jennifer Han (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before).


–Maryanne O.

Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2025) Featured Review: That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally

  • That’s Not My Name
  • by Megan Lally
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
  • Release date: December 26, 2023
  • ISBN: 9781728270111

Mary doesn’t know who she is or why she has a collection of injuries and trauma, which complicates the job of the police officer in the small Oregon Coastal town who is trying to help her get back to her family.  Drew is the lead suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend at a boat launch in a small town just outside of Portland, Oregon. Drew is certain that his girlfriend, Lola, is not dead and that the local sheriff’s fixation on him as a suspect is hindering the effort to find Lola as the weeks drag on. Drew’s dogged determination leads him to Mary and the very odd man who claims to be Mary’s father.

From the first page, readers are pulled into Mary’s panic and confusion and the pace doesn’t let up. Author Megan Lally doles out clues to who Mary might be in small tidbits, building the tension. . .and then switches perspectives to tell Drew’s story which is laden with its own tensions, familial concerns, and drama. The meeting of the two characters leads to a full-on thriller that is characteristic of the genre–a serial killer who just won’t die, but the resolution is just as messy as life and grief can be.

Teens who crave psychological thrillers will eat this one up. Hand this to teens who liked Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz or Daughter by Kate McLaughlin.

–Jodi Kruse

Other Nominated Titles

June 11, 2024
July 23, 2024
April 23, 2024

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.
The Best Fiction for Young Adults Committee appreciates teen feedback as members evaluate the nominated titles. Teen librarians are encouraged to share the List of Potential Nominees under consideration with their patrons and solicit feedback using the link: https://bit.ly/BFYA25TeenFB

Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers (#QP2025) Feature Review: Shut Up, This is Serious by Caroline Ixta

Belén is spiraling after her father suddenly abandons her family, leaving her struggling with school, and her relationships with her mom, sister, and best friend Leti, who is pregnant. After a series of poor choices involving cutting classes, her sister demands that Belén gets back on track so that she can graduate high school. Although she receives support from an unexpected new friend in her English class and stays busy helping Leti face the difficulties of teen pregnancy, Belén suffers under the weight of depression stemming from her father’s departure. Is Belén meant to be defined by her father’s absence, or can she gather strength to become a better version of herself?

This realistic fiction debut from author Carolina Ixta touches on lots of issues, including teenage pregnancy, depression, domestic violence, and racism, but these circumstances do not define or limit the characters themselves. Belén’s first-person narrative is compelling, drawing the reader into the complexities of life for Mexican American and Black teens and families in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, CA. Despite heavy themes and plot elements, Belén’s story ends on a hopeful note, with a clear message on the importance of mental health care and the value of chosen family.

Older teens who enjoy contemporary realistic fiction with well-developed, believable characters will want to read this powerful story. Hand to readers who enjoyed I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez and The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo.  

—Katy Henderson

Amazing Audiobooks (#AA2025) Featured Review: Shut Up, This is Serious by Carolina Ixta

Shut Up, This is Serious, by Carolina Ixta, deals with what is so often dismissed as teenage angst by adults. The book explores in authentic detail, the complex issues and concerns that teens must navigate during adolescence including family dynamics and personal and public peer pressure. To quote the main protagonist, Bélen Dolores Itzel del Toro, a 17 year old Latina girl growing up in East Oakland California, “Things are hella complicated.”

The story follows Bélen and her closest friends during their senior year of high school. The listener experiences the world as seen through Bélen’s eyes growing up in an East Oakland neighborhood filled with hardworking, mainly hispanic immigrant families. Ixta showcases the messiness of growing up while highlighting an understanding of cultural standards and expectations. There is a sense of anxiety for each of these teens to become someone and achieve something that others imagine for them; often at the expense of their own dreams. Do they go to college, stay home, move away, get a job and can they afford to follow their hearts at the risk of possibly alienating their parents?

Narrator Frankie Corzo’s exquisite narration, which is a combination of Spanglish, nuanced dialect and subtle accents, demonstrates her skill bestowing all characters, even the peripheral, with their own unique voice. The tone is flawless, propelling the listener forward, eager to discover the fate of each of the characters. Shut Up, This is Serious, this one is the complete package and not to be missed.

Similar titles for readers include Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez, and Indivisible by Daniel Aleman. 

-Ellen McTyre

Other Nominated Titles

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2025) Featured Review: Shut Up, This is Serious by Carolina Ixta

  • Shut Up, This is Serious
  • by Carolina Ixta
  • Publisher: Quill Tree Books
  • Release date: January 9, 2024
  • ISBN: 9780063287860

Belén is trying to break cycles. It’s her senior year of high school which she may not pass, she’s navigating the loss of her father, and her best friend is pregnant. All she wants is normal. Her family to talk to each other. A boyfriend. She’s struggling with depression and isolates herself from her mother and sister, starts skipping classes, escapes into books, and seeks attention and casual sex from a boy who doesn’t feel anything for her. 

Ixta’s writing is lyrical and poetic, giving Belen such a strong and authentic voice that many teens will relate to. This book explores many important themes such as antiblack racism, colorism, sex/virginity and the ebbs and flows of female friendship. 

While Belén is frustrating at times and in no way perfect, readers will be drawn to her journey of self discovery and acceptance, especially those familiar with existing in a body that they didn’t ask for and what that invites from others.  Offer this to teens who enjoyed I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L Sanchez or Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado. 

-Alicia Kalan

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

The Best Fiction for Young Adults Committee appreciates teen feedback as members evaluate the nominated titles. Teen librarians are encouraged to share the List of Potential Nominees under consideration with their patrons and solicit feedback using the link: https://bit.ly/BFYA25TeenFB

Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers (#QP2024) Feature Review: Royal Blood by Aimee Carter

  • Royal Blood
  • by Aimee Carter 
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Imprint: Delacorte Press
  • Release date: March 7, 2023
  • ISBN: 9780593485910

Evan Bright has been kicked out of many boarding schools but this last infraction included possible felony charges. Which leads her caretaker, Jenkins, with one option, get her out of the country and to her father, the King of England. Evan and the King’s legitimate family have always known about her parentage but when her existence is leaked to the press it becomes the scandal of the century. Soon after her arrival, Evan is assaulted by a friend of the royal family who later ends up dead, leaving her as the prime suspect and public enemy number one. She doesn’t know who to trust and has few people on her side in a foreign country while she is determined to clear her name.

Royalty is a hot topic in books and real life. Evan gets the Meghan Markle treatment in the press clippings that start each chapter. This book gives a peek into how real life mistakes can be twisted to create a narrative for the press. Evan is sympathetic and side characters grow to create a family and support system that Evan so desperately needs. The treatment of sexual assault and mental illness is gentle and educational. 


Readers might also enjoy American Royals by Katherine McGee and The Castle School for Troubled Girls by Alyssa B Sheinmel.

-Cathy DeCampli

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: January 17, 2023
Release Date: May 14, 2023

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Best Fiction for Young Adults (#BFYA2024) Featured Review: Invisible Son by Kim Johnson

  • Invisible Son
  • by Kim Johnson
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Release date: June 27, 2023
  • ISBN: 9780593482100

Seventeen-year-old Andres Jackson just spent two months incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit.  A restorative justice program is allowing him to return to his family home in Northeast Portland–and the neighborhood friends who were actually the guilty parties.  However, Andres’ plans for returning to school and establishing his innocence are interrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Andres now must juggle pandemic losses, family struggles, and the realization that perhaps the truth behind who framed him for stealing is much more complicated than he previously thought.  

This title is a suspenseful and dramatic mystery that slowly builds towards an action packed climax.  The story weaves together important aspects of the historical treatment of Blacks in Portland, contemporary social justice themes, a complicated romance storyline, and a slow burning suspenseful mystery plot.  Readers will connect with Andres’ struggle to learn the truth.

Teen readers drawn to storylines about social justice advocacy and emotion-filled dramas will be drawn to this text. Fans of Nic Stone’s Dear Martin and Dear Justyce, Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose, and Jason Reynolds’ and Brendan Kiely’s All American Boys will enjoy this important story of racial injustice and its intersection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

-Marie LeJeune

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: April 4, 2023
Release Date: September 26, 2023
Release Date: September 5, 2023
Release Date: January 24, 2023

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

The Best Fiction for Young Adults Committee appreciates teen feedback as members evaluate the nominated titles. Teen librarians are encouraged to share the List of Potential Nominees under consideration with their patrons and solicit feedback using the link: https://bit.ly/BFYA24TeenFB

#ICYMI: 8 Books You Might Have Missed

It’s almost the end of 2023 and time to submit your last carts for the year!  If you find yourself with extra funds, here are some titles from the last two years that you might have missed. Some are from debut authors that snuck under the radar, while others are old favorites with new projects.

    • There’s No Way I’d Die First
    • By Lisa Springer
    • Delacorte Press: 2023
    • ISBN: 9780593643174

    This debut is for the horror-obsessed teen and pulls out all the tropes in what ends up being a campy, gory romp. If the tropes aren’t enough of a tell, each chapter starts with a quote from a horror movie and gives a hint to upcoming events. This is an homage to all the greats, with references to Stephen King, Scream, a killer clown with superhuman strength that rivals Michael Myers, and a heavy dose of teen drama. It also tries to tie in some political and social commentary and a hint of romance. Does this require suspension of belief? Yes. That’s the point. Hand to your older teens or your horror movie buffs.

    • Holly Horror
    • by Michelle Jabé Corpora
    • Penguin Workshop, 2023
    • ISBN: 9780593386217

    A scary take on our patchwork-clad, bonnet-wearing gal, Holly Hobbie. After her parents split, Evie’s mom moves the family back to her hometown and into the Horror House, so named because Holly vanished from it decades before. As Evie pokes around in the attic and discovers more of Holly’s story, weird things start to happen to her. The book ends on a cliff-hanger and readers will eagerly await book two. For younger teens that are more into supernatural mysteries, rather than slasher stories.

    • 16 & Pregnant
    • by LaLa Thomas
    • MTV Books, 2023
    • ISBN: 9781665917278

    If you are a millennial, you probably remember when this show first aired back in 2009. The show followed teens that found themselves pregnant and documented how their lives were impacted, eventually leading to the spin-off series, Teen Mom. Two teens find themselves dealing with a surprise pregnancy that derails their life plans. All options are discussed and the book does not shy away from health challenges that can accompany a pregnancy. This is an empowering story about friendship and parenthood. This is a great option for those looking for relatable stories about teen pregnancy, as well as viewers of the MTV show. This would also be a great option for parents and teens to read and discuss together.

    • Hotel Magnifique
    • by Emily J. Taylor
    • Razorbill, 2022
    • ISBN: 978059340515

    This 2022 debut is Caraval meets Howl’s Moving Castle and my favorite cover of 2022. This dark fantasy features a magical hotel that moves to a new place every night. Employees of the hotel are magically bound to service and although the hotel is gorgeous and luxurious, it’s a gilded prison. Franco-philes and fans of lush, character-driven fantasy will devour this. Additionally, the stunning cover makes this an easy book to hand-sell.

    • A Million to One
    • by Adiba Jaigirdar
    • Harperteen, 2022
    • ISBN: 978006291632

    Published right before the end of 2022, I think this one snuck past a lot of people. Take a diverse group of teens, put them on the Titanic and add in a heist. Jaigirdar’s previous YA novels have been sapphic romances–here she moves more into action and historical fiction territory. This reads quickly and is a nice option for younger teens that enjoy heists or books about the Titanic. 

    • Something More
    • by Jackie Khalileh
    • Tundra Books, 2023
    • ISBN: 9781774882139

    This romance is about a Palestinian-Canadian teen, newly diagnosed as autistic. She makes a list of all the things she wants to accomplish in high school before she graduates. She quickly learns there is no guidebook for matters of the heart when she finds herself caught between two guys. This is a refreshing take on the classic coming of age story.

    • The Grimoire of Grave Fates
    • by Hanna Alkaf and Margaret Owen, et al.
    • Delacorte Press, 2023
    • ISBN: 9780593427453

    If you have teens looking for a Harry Potter-esque story, hand them this one. It checks all the boxes: a magical boarding school that flies around à la Howl’s Moving Castle or the aforementioned Hotel Magnifique, an evil professor, a murder mystery, and magical beasts. This isn’t really a short story collection, nor is it a traditional novel. Each chapter is by a different YA author and features a different character that propels the plot forward. Some stories are stronger than others–I need a whole book about Diego, please! This collaborative effort has something for everyone and is a great option for younger teens.

    • A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy
    • by Jeff Bishop
    • Putnam, 2022
    • ISBN: 9781984812940

    Don’t be fooled by the cotton candy cover!  This book is a lot of things–technically it’s speculative fiction. You could also consider it a romantic comedy. It should be about a boy having the best time of his life, the summer after his senior year. But ultimately, it’s about a boy that suffers a torn ACL, leaving him stuck on the couch recovering from surgery, while dealing with a really bad breakup with his girlfriend, who happens to be in a coma from a car accident, which makes it pretty weird that Cam can see and talk to her while on his sofa. Tandy is chaotic and will have you laughing and weeping, reminiscent of the John Hughes movies referenced throughout. This was my favorite debut of 2022 and one of my favorites of the year. Hand to your older teens– especially your broken-hearted high school seniors

    -Megan Nigh