Author: lamartha

“It wasn’t my fault. He hurt me. It wasn’t my fault. And I’m not going to let it kill me. I can grow.”- Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak is a soul-crushing novel set in Syracuse, New York that follows teenage girl Melinda Sordino as she attempts to survive her first year of high school. Before high school Melinda was ordinary, she had a group of friends and parents who worked too much and occasionally bickered, but one summer high school party changed it all. 

After a traumatic experience, something changed in Melinda. She no longer had any friends, and everyone in high school seemed to hate her after she called the cops on the party. With no one knowing the reason for the call, Melinda began being avoided like the plague. As the novel progresses, Melinda loses herself even more. Melinda no longer goes to her classes, often hiding in an old janitor’s closet, and that is when she decides to show up. No one understands her, and she often wonders if she should speak up and tell someone what happened to her that night. The one place Melinda felt safe was in art class with her seemingly crazy art teacher. Melinda can express her emotions in a way that doesn’t involve words until finally, she can build the courage to say what happened out loud.

Out of all the books I have read, Speak is now one of my favorites. I don’t think many books deserve a 10/10 rating, but Speak is one of the few books that does. Anderson was able to create such a well-developed character that readers can relate to Melinda. The way the novel is written makes readers unaware of what happened to Melinda, using diction to hint to us what happened without saying it. I recommend Speak to anyone looking for a quick read with substance.

“I can’t change where I come from or what I’ve been through, so why should I be ashamed of what makes me, me?”- Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give

Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give is a powerfully moving story set in the 21 century that follows teenage girl Starr Carter as she navigates daily life after witnessing the police murder her childhood friend. Starr Carter is a typical teenage girl who resides in Garden Heights with her parents and two brothers. When Starr was young, her parents decided to send her and her siblings to a private school in a wealthy white neighborhood to give them more opportunities and keep them from the everyday turmoil in Garden Heights. Unfortunately, one night after a party, Starr was no longer shielded from misfortune, and she witnessed the murder of Kahlil.

Before Kahlils death, Starr separated her Garden Heights self from her private school self, keeping both in their worlds. After Kahlil, something shifted. Starr no longer wanted to hide her true self at school, and the incident ignited a fire inside of her that would not be put out. Now Starr is forced to deal with the backlash of the event, with everybody having an opinion on what she should do.

I loved reading The Hate U Give because, as a reader, you can tell how passionate Angie Thomas is about the issues surrounding cops and minorities. Thomas wrote The Hate U Give first as a short story in college after the police shooting of Oscar Grant and later turned the short story into a novel. The fact that actual events inspire the book gives the novel so much more power. Thomas was able to develop the main character Starr so well that, as a reader, I could put myself into her situation and feel her emotions. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in injustices in the world or looking for a great book.

“I’ve been screaming for years and no one has ever heard me.” – Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me

Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me is a captivating novel set in a dystopian future where the world as we know it is dying, and nature and wildlife are now just a memory. Just as all hope is lost, a group known as the Reestablishment emerges, claiming they can fix everything as long as they are given power. A couple of years later, the world is under a police state, with the Reestablishment going to any means necessary to stay in control.

The plot follows Juliette Ferrar, a teenage girl with the power to take all energy from any living organism, killing them in the process. Unable to control the power, Juliette finds herself in an asylum where her lethal touch is rendered useless. Day after day, she is left alone in a cell only with her thoughts, questioning if her power is a gift or a curse. Two hundred sixty-four days of solitary pass until one event changes everything in her life, whether she wants it to or not.

Shatter Me was a book that I just couldn’t put down. Tahereh Mafi created a new world, immersing readers like myself. Even with designing a fantastic descriptive world, Tahereh Mafi was still able to create characters developed enough to enable readers to put themselves into characters by using diary entries. Shatter Me is an excellent option if you are looking for a fast-paced dystopian series. I have no complaints when it comes to this book.

“I don’t think your brother did it- and I’m going to try to prove it.” – Holly Jackson, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a captivating novel following teenage girl Pippa Fitz-Amobi as she attempts to solve a five-year-old murder. Fairview, Connecticut, is a typical American suburban town where families go to raise their kids, and abnormality is rare. That is until Sal Singh kills his girlfriend, Andie Bell, the popular high school senior.

Before Sal, Andie’s alleged killer could be convicted, tragedy struck again. Sal comes up dead as the result of suicide, fully cementing the idea that he killed Andie. Five years later and tragedy still inhabits the town. Pippa, a high school senior, casts a shadow of doubt on the murder case upon herself. Everyone believes Sal committed the murder, and no one in town is willing to help prove otherwise, but Pippa continues to leave no stone unturned in hopes of bringing in a new light.

I enjoyed A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Jackson was able to create a fast-paced thriller without falling into the trap of being able to see the ending from a mile away. Throughout the story, I had no idea where the plot was taking me, causing me to need more. Even though A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a book I would reread, the novel is far from perfect. If you are looking for a plot-driven page-turner, this book is definitely for you, but unfortunately, Jackson failed in character development. The characters seemed to fall flat, and I could not put myself in their shoes during the experiences like I had with others. Other than the issues with the characters, I fully recommend this book.

In this article, Michael Carte explores how the need for diversity in young adult and youth books continues to grow as the population of minorities expands. Carte explains how the youth population of minorities continues to grow and is expected to become the majority soon. He uses statistics to show the diversity in the youth population “there are 42 million adolescents in America. A total of 54.1 percent (22.7 million) of them are white, 22.8 percent (9.6 million) are Hispanic, 14 percent (5.9 million) are black, 4.7 percent (1.97 million) are Asian, and 4.4 percent (1.8 million) are other (i.e., American Indian/ Alaska Native, Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, mixed race).” Seeing the percentage of minorities in America, one would expect literature to reflect that, but according to an analysis done by publishers, this was not the case. In a study of 3500 books, only 270 were about African Americans, 83 were about Hispanics, 113 were about Asians, and then 42 were about Native Americans. Of the 3500 books used for this analysis, only 508 were about minorities.

Michael Carte explains the reasons for this need for more diversity despite the support of many volunteer organizations. One reason Carte explores is the need for more diversity in editors. According to a Publishers Weekly survey, 90 percent of editors identify as white. There needs to be more diversity not only in editors but in writers as well. Many influential authors and organizations are taking lengths to change that fact, such as internships and grants specifically for minorities. Carte describes how as time goes on, the need for diversity only increases and how important it is for minorities to be able to see themselves in the literature they read.

Cart, Michael. “Carte Blanche: celebrating diversity.” Booklist, vol. 113, no. 8, 15 Dec. 2016, p. 39. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A476563541/ITOF?u=maine&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ea2780a6. Accessed 19 Jan. 2023.

“The growth of civilization was complete. Everyone knew it. When it came to the human race, there was no more left to learn.” – Neal Shusterman, Scythe

Neal Shusterman’s Scythe is a riveting dystopian novel set on Earth hundreds of years into the future. The human race has reached the maximum for technological advancement, learning everything they need to know and removing the possibility of death. Without death, what will prevent the population from growing too large? That is the reason Scythes were created. Scythes are individuals whose sole purpose is to control the population and are trained to “glean” civilians. Scythe follows two individuals, Rowan and Citra, who are taken in by Honorable Scythe Faraday to learn the inner workings of being a scythe and possibly become one in the end.

Scythe was one of those books you can’t put down. Shusterman created a world with incredible detail and developed the characters to love them, love them, and hate them. Each chapter left me needing to know more about Rowan and Citra, as well as Scythedom. Once you start reading, you become hooked. The way Shusterman wrote the novel using dual perspectives allowed readers to become immersed in the characters’ lives.

Scythe is a light read since the language and theme are not very complex. Regardless of the complexity, I still enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone looking for a quick afternoon read.

“In Shaker Heights there was a plan for everything.” – Celeste Ng, Little Fires Everywhere

Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere is a page-turning novel following two families in the seemingly perfect town of Shaker Heights, Ohio. The book follows the families as they navigate newfound hardships and their morals are tested.

Little Fires Everywhere shows readers that there is no such thing as perfectly planned in life. Mia Warren and Elena Richardson are both women who reside in Shaker Heights with their families, but that is about all they have in common. Shaker Heights is a community built to withstand change, but with Mia Warren’s arrival, change might be exactly what comes.

Elena Richardson is a stereotypical white suburban mom who was raised and is raising her children in Shaker Heights. Everything Elena stands for is represented in the community in which she resides. Life was perfect for the Richardson family. Elena has her job as a journalist for the local newspaper. Lexi, a senior, is in the midst of her application to Yale. Tripp is playing varsity sports and is one of the most popular guys in high school, Moody, though not as popular as his older brother, is brilliant and an honors kid, and then there is Izzy. Izzy is a little different, but who cares? The Richardsons are perfect, and they know it. In comes Mia Warren, a single mother and an artist who has never stayed in one place longer than a year. Mia and her daughter Pearl are accustomed to the simple life of thrift stores and yard sales. Though Mia is the opposite of what Elena stands for, she rents her an apartment in hopes of helping Mia, though Mia does not want any help. Despite their differences, they develop a strange friendship until a baby comes into the mix. Depending on the person, the baby May Ling or Mirabelle causes chaos in the town of Shaker Heights and a town divided. The chaos in Shaker Heights reaches the Richardson home causing a rift to form between them and the Warrens.