young adult
160 books.
Seraphina (Seraphina, #1)
by: Rachel Hartman
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Eleanor & Park
by: Rainbow Rowell
"I absolutely loved about the first half of this book.
The vulnerability and insecurity of the characters was relatable - really brought me back to early High School. The slow unfurling of first love was so sweet and fun to watch. The writing was really excellent!
Once things started to get hot and heavy, it kind of lost me a bit. I felt like it cheapened things. But the ending was good. "
- katelynn
12/15/2018
The vulnerability and insecurity of the characters was relatable - really brought me back to early High School. The slow unfurling of first love was so sweet and fun to watch. The writing was really excellent!
Once things started to get hot and heavy, it kind of lost me a bit. I felt like it cheapened things. But the ending was good. "
- katelynn
12/15/2018
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by: Sherman Alexie
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The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy, #3)
by: Katherine Arden
"A fantastic end of the series. I give a standing ovation! I was moved to tears at the conclusion of something so wonderful and magical."
- katelynn
10/24/2019
- katelynn
10/24/2019
Chlorine Sky
by: Mahogany L. Browne
The Secret Wisdom of the Earth
by: Christopher Scotton
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Save the Date
by: Morgan Matson
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Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry
by: Joya Goffney
"Don’t judge this book by it’s cover! (Or its title)
This was wonderful, I devoured it. Although the premise seems similar to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, it goes a very different direction and has a lot of depth. I highlighted lots of great stuff."
- katelynn
07/11/2021
This was wonderful, I devoured it. Although the premise seems similar to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, it goes a very different direction and has a lot of depth. I highlighted lots of great stuff."
- katelynn
07/11/2021
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Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)
by: L.M. Montgomery
Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1)
by: Garth Nix
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Good Girls Lie
by: J.T. Ellison
"This story absorbed me completely. I was baffled by the mystery and drawn in by the sympathetic protagonist. Great all around!"
- katelynn
01/25/2020
- katelynn
01/25/2020
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Love and First Sight
by: Josh Sundquist
The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)
by: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
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Tell Me Three Things
by: Julie Buxbaum
"Like most YA I read, it was quick and easy. It dealt with difficult issues in a thoughtful way and showed growth in relationships. The writing was good and the romance was sweet.
My big problem was how typical the trope was - I can think of at least three other books/movies with this idea of a secret penpal romance. And who it was was so obvious from the beginning it was almost frustrating to read. There was a lot of eye-rolling on my part about all her false leads."
- katelynn
05/09/2019
My big problem was how typical the trope was - I can think of at least three other books/movies with this idea of a secret penpal romance. And who it was was so obvious from the beginning it was almost frustrating to read. There was a lot of eye-rolling on my part about all her false leads."
- katelynn
05/09/2019
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The Sea of Tranquility
by: Katja Millay
"This was riding along at a 2 star until the last few chapters which ended up being somewhat redemptive. But not quite enough to get above 3 stars. It was just too crass and all the characters too unlikable for my taste."
- katelynn
12/19/2019
- katelynn
12/19/2019
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The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)
by: Angie Thomas
"Hard to listen to because of the difficult subject matter, but important. I needed to read this - to hear from a perspective I don't usually get to. The book gives a lot of information and ideas to chew on but also a great story with complex characters."
- katelynn
03/25/2019
- katelynn
03/25/2019
Girl in Translation
by: Jean Kwok
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)
by: J.K. Rowling
"The best of the series in my opinion."
- katelynn
04/30/2007
- katelynn
04/30/2007
Tokyo Ever After (Tokyo Ever After, #1)
by: Emiko Jean
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The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1)
by: Melissa Albert
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Clap When You Land
by: Elizabeth Acevedo
"4.5
What incredibly lovely writing! The audio experience was incredible - I don't think it would've been as good just reading it (I'm not experienced reading poetry - I think I would've butchered it).
I felt deeply connected to both sisters and their coming together is so great. Bonus: the acknowledgments brought me to tears. Never skip those!"
- katelynn
07/21/2020
What incredibly lovely writing! The audio experience was incredible - I don't think it would've been as good just reading it (I'm not experienced reading poetry - I think I would've butchered it).
I felt deeply connected to both sisters and their coming together is so great. Bonus: the acknowledgments brought me to tears. Never skip those!"
- katelynn
07/21/2020
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The Outsiders
by: S.E. Hinton
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Emily of New Moon (Emily, #1)
by: L.M. Montgomery
Hope and Other Punchlines
by: Julie Buxbaum
I'll Give You the Sun
by: Jandy Nelson
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The Astonishing Color of After
by: Emily X.R. Pan
Watership Down (Watership Down, #1)
by: Richard Adams
The Rest of the Story
by: Sarah Dessen
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The Zenia Wood
by: Carrie Looper Stephens
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour
by: Morgan Matson
Inkheart (Inkworld, #1)
by: Cornelia Funke
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My Lady Jane (The Lady Janies, #1)
by: Cynthia Hand
"4.5 - This concept could have been super lame and hokey, but the authors pulled it off but not taking it too seriously. I laughed so much! This was pure fun from beginning to end."
- katelynn
11/16/2019
- katelynn
11/16/2019
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To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)
by: Jenny Han
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The Poet X
by: Elizabeth Acevedo
"3.5
A simple story, but a good one.
Like her other novels, this has deepened my appreciation of poetry."
- katelynn
08/31/2020
A simple story, but a good one.
Like her other novels, this has deepened my appreciation of poetry."
- katelynn
08/31/2020
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Castle in the Air (Howl's Moving Castle, #2)
by: Diana Wynne Jones
"Just wonderful. Funny and sweet and delightful."
- katelynn
02/07/2021
- katelynn
02/07/2021
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Anya's Ghost
by: Vera Brosgol
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A Wrinkle in Time (A Wrinkle in Time Quintet, #1)
by: Madeleine L'Engle
The Gilded Ones (The Gilded Ones, #1)
by: Namina Forna
The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)
by: Libba Bray
After the Leaves Fall (Threads of Change #1)
by: Nicole Baart
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)
by: J.K. Rowling
The Bone Houses
by: Emily Lloyd-Jones
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Flowers in the Attic (Dollanganger, #1)
by: V.C. Andrews
My Name Is Asher Lev
by: Chaim Potok
Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)
by: Tomi Adeyemi
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Lovely War
by: Julie Berry
Chopsticks
by: Jessica Anthony
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Spindle's End
by: Robin McKinley
Ender's Shadow (The Shadow Series, #1)
by: Orson Scott Card
East (East, #1)
by: Edith Pattou
Crank (Crank, #1)
by: Ellen Hopkins
Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)
by: Sarah J. Maas
Uprooted
by: Naomi Novik
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The Disappearances
by: Emily Bain Murphy
"This story had all the elements to be something I'd really like. And I did enjoy a good bit of it. For me, the "YA-ness" kind of ruined it. It took me out of the setting (the dialog felt too modern) and broke the atmosphere.
Overall though, it's an enjoyable, interesting mystery with some good character relationships."
- katelynn
01/22/2020
Overall though, it's an enjoyable, interesting mystery with some good character relationships."
- katelynn
01/22/2020
Dreamland Burning
by: Jennifer Latham
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)
by: J.K. Rowling
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Love & Gelato (Love & Gelato, #1)
by: Jenna Evans Welch
"3.5 - Sweet and simple. The protagonist was a BELIEVABLE teenager - something rare to find these days in YA. This is the sort of novel I can't wait to share with my preteen/teen children."
- katelynn
11/24/2020
- katelynn
11/24/2020
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Go
by: Kazuki Kaneshiro
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The Fault in Our Stars
by: John Green
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Just Listen
by: Sarah Dessen
Piecing Me Together
by: Renée Watson
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond
by: Elizabeth George Speare
"This book is exactly what I love in historical fiction. I wish I had read it in middle school - I would have adored it!"
- katelynn
02/21/2018
- katelynn
02/21/2018
Counting by 7s
by: Holly Goldberg Sloan
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
by: Robin McKinley
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)
by: J.K. Rowling
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Pride
by: Ibi Zoboi
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Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1)
by: Pierce Brown
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Morning Star (Red Rising Saga, #3)
by: Pierce Brown
"Good. Grief. What an amazing end to an epic saga! This book made me laugh and cry, brought me high and low. It felt so real, so genuine - The author portrayed the war, politics, and relationships with such complexity. Nothing was black and white. In the end the best thing about all of the books was the relationships. They were beautifully developed and really inspiring."
- katelynn
11/09/2016
- katelynn
11/09/2016
Stargirl (Stargirl, #1)
by: Jerry Spinelli
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The Giver (The Giver, #1)
by: Lois Lowry
"What the heck just happened? I'm completely reeling from the ending.
This whole book was completely absorbing and wonderful."
- katelynn
10/08/2020
This whole book was completely absorbing and wonderful."
- katelynn
10/08/2020
I Capture the Castle
by: Dodie Smith
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The Book Thief
by: Markus Zusak
"Beautifully written and incredibly challenging. The POV was really interesting and added a lot - definitely not your typical holocaust novel. I give four stars because the book really drags until about the last third - which is great! The unusual writing style also takes a while to get used to and felt a bit pretentious at times. But that's probably just personal prejudice - I like traditional writing."
- katelynn
04/04/2014
- katelynn
04/04/2014
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The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
by: Suzanne Collins
Jacob Have I Loved
by: Katherine Paterson
Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1)
by: Nic Stone
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Firekeeper's Daughter
by: Angeline Boulley
"I didn't totally connect with the protagonist, but I respected her and rooted for her from beginning to end. I loved the way the author immerses you in the native culture of Sault Sainte Marie - I learned so much. I feel like my perspective and understanding has grown. It's a beautifully crafted novel, which I would categorize in religious fiction, not fantasy. Although the elements of that are super minor. "
- katelynn
12/08/2021
- katelynn
12/08/2021
Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper, #1)
by: Kerri Maniscalco
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)
by: J.K. Rowling
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Bellweather Rhapsody
by: Kate Racculia
"This novel truly does not fit in any boxes. It kept me guessing and at the edge of my seat. It had some heavy, serious topics to explore for a typical thriller. It had more adult baggage to deal with than your typical YA. It also had coming of age and emotional trauma and found family. I kept waiting for it to get back to the horror/thriller parts but at the same time hoping it wouldn’t because the relationships were so good. This novel has all the things - all wounds up in an exciting mystery plot in an interesting setting."
- katelynn
10/30/2019
- katelynn
10/30/2019
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The Graveyard Book
by: Neil Gaiman
"Definitely my favorite Neil Gaiman book so far! It was exciting and creepy, sad and sweet. It was so incredibly imaginative! I think Gaiman weaves humor and pathos so well into interesting story lines. And the protagonist was so charming!"
- katelynn
05/21/2019
- katelynn
05/21/2019
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We Are Okay
by: Nina LaCour
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Coraline
by: Neil Gaiman
"I would not want my child to read this. I just finished The Shining a few weeks ago and this book gave me a way more unsettled/creepy/icky feeling than that one. Very dark – without a plot good enough to make me OK with it."
- katelynn
03/22/2016
- katelynn
03/22/2016
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Island of the Blue Dolphins
by: Scott O'Dell
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by: Stephen Chbosky
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Lord of the Flies
by: William Golding
Code Name Verity
by: Elizabeth Wein
Between Before and After
by: Maureen Doyle McQuerry
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Magnus
by: Sigmund Brouwer
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We Were Liars
by: E. Lockhart
"I've been sitting here waffling a while between 4 and 5 stars - but I think 5 is right. I blazed through this book. It is mysterious without you really understanding why it's mysterious - you don't know what there is to figure out. Which is so tantalizing! For a good portion of the book, I was irritated by the main characters because of their arrogance - which is often a defining characteristic of YA novel protagonists. But the end brings everything around with a broader perspective, which I found satisfying albeit sad."
- katelynn
10/05/2017
- katelynn
10/05/2017
A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)
by: Naomi Novik
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Snow & Rose
by: Emily Winfield Martin
"Enchanting and immersive. It’s a simple story, but not dumbed down. Great for all ages!"
- katelynn
01/04/2021
- katelynn
01/04/2021
Among the Beasts & Briars
by: Ashley Poston
If You Come Softly
by: Jacqueline Woodson
All the Bright Places
by: Jennifer Niven
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Monday's Not Coming
by: Tiffany D. Jackson
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The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1)
by: Alan Bradley
"Such a fun read! One I can't wait to share with my children. The narrator is a strong, smart, scientific girl that I want my daughters to emulate! The story is engaging and funny and heartwarming."
- katelynn
03/10/2015
- katelynn
03/10/2015
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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two (Harry Potter, #8)
by: John Tiffany
"What a great read! I definitely want to see the play if it ever comes to the US - I enjoyed reading the book, but I think as a play it would be 1000x better. To those people that didn't like it, I'd say don't compare it to Harry Potter. It's apples and oranges. This play has to be appreciated in its own right - it is its own thing. It was sad and sweet - hit a lot of familiar Rowling themes and tied things up neatly. It is action-packed for a play and doesn't take as much time to develop characters as it would have as a novel. But that's okay!"
- katelynn
08/14/2016
- katelynn
08/14/2016
Concrete Rose (The Hate U Give, #0)
by: Angie Thomas
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Sadie
by: Courtney Summers
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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by: Mark Twain
Romanov
by: Nadine Brandes
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Golden Son (Red Rising Saga, #2)
by: Pierce Brown
"The difference in ratings between the first and second book in this series should be more than one star, but I don't want to go back and lower my rating of the first book. This story matures the protagonist and the level of story-telling. It takes the series from just another teen distopia to a complex, fleshed-out epic with so much great detail in world-building, history and philosophy. I was riveted."
- katelynn
10/11/2016
- katelynn
10/11/2016
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Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
by: Jonathan Safran Foer
"Too weird. Just didn't get it."
- katelynn
11/30/2013
- katelynn
11/30/2013
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Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #1)
by: Ransom Riggs
"I really really like this book up until the big reveal. After everything was explained it seemed kind of typical. Nothing very extraordinary. Overall though it was an enjoyable read and the vintage photographs added a lot. That was a really cool element."
- katelynn
03/06/2014
- katelynn
03/06/2014
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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by: Mark Twain
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Emily Climbs (Emily, #2)
by: L.M. Montgomery
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Field Notes on Love
by: Jennifer E. Smith
"So charming! So sweet! And so surprisingly moving! I loved the characters- every bit of it felt real. It was such a pleasant surprise since the premise seemed super corny."
- katelynn
08/28/2019
- katelynn
08/28/2019
Spinning Silver
by: Naomi Novik
Homeless Bird
by: Gloria Whelan
Enchantress from the Stars (Elana, #1)
by: Sylvia Engdahl
read
Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)
by: Suzanne Collins
The Cost of Knowing
by: Brittney Morris
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Hollow City (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, #2)
by: Ransom Riggs
"Although it kept me mostly entertained to the end, the tone of the book felt younger than the last and I didn't enjoy it as much."
- katelynn
06/10/2014
- katelynn
06/10/2014
Summers at Castle Auburn
by: Sharon Shinn
Let Me Hear a Rhyme
by: Tiffany D. Jackson
Fangirl
by: Rainbow Rowell
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag (Flavia de Luce, #2)
by: Alan Bradley
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I Kill Giants
by: Joe Kelly
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The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, #1)
by: James Dashner
"I've never gone into a book so completely blind to the major plot points – it was a really fun experience! Even as I read I didn't really gain any insight or ideas about the possible solutions to the mystery. I still have no idea what's going on! And I'm loving it! On to the next one."
- katelynn
12/13/2014
- katelynn
12/13/2014
Girl, Serpent, Thorn
by: Melissa Bashardoust
Salt to the Sea
by: Ruta Sepetys
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Simonverse, #1)
by: Becky Albertalli
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A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32)
by: Terry Pratchett
"So much fun! So many laugh out loud moments. And it ended with beauty and reflection. Well done!"
- katelynn
04/27/2019
- katelynn
04/27/2019
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
by: Leslye Walton
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Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)
by: Suzanne Collins
The Member of the Wedding
by: Carson McCullers
Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)
by: Laini Taylor
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The Female of the Species
by: Mindy McGinnis
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The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy, #2)
by: S.A. Chakraborty
"I am SO into this. This one takes everything to the next level. I was definitely getting some Game of Thrones vibes. I feel completely absorbed by the world and the characters. And it's keeping me guessing. LOVING it!"
- katelynn
08/29/2020
- katelynn
08/29/2020
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Nimona
by: Noelle Stevenson
"So. Much. Fun.
Heartwarming and funny and so exciting.
I have no complaints!"
- katelynn
06/16/2019
Heartwarming and funny and so exciting.
I have no complaints!"
- katelynn
06/16/2019
Amelia Unabridged
by: Ashley Schumacher
Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy, #1)
by: Rae Carson
The Black Kids
by: Christina Hammonds Reed
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The Cousins
by: Karen M. McManus
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Words in Deep Blue
by: Cath Crowley
Out of Darkness
by: Ashley Hope Pérez
Woven in Moonlight (Woven in Moonlight, #1)
by: Isabel Ibañez
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This Lullaby
by: Sarah Dessen
"Such a sweet romance! And funny too"
- katelynn
10/05/2006
- katelynn
10/05/2006
A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1)
by: Brigid Kemmerer
Along for the Ride
by: Sarah Dessen
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Far from the Tree
by: Robin Benway
"4.5
Wow, this one punched me hard in the feels. There were points that were too much for me - I had to detach emotionally to be able to cope, especially as a mother.
But man! They dealt with family - fosters, adoptive, biological. What it means, who you are to each other. This was truly fantastic."
- katelynn
08/13/2020
Wow, this one punched me hard in the feels. There were points that were too much for me - I had to detach emotionally to be able to cope, especially as a mother.
But man! They dealt with family - fosters, adoptive, biological. What it means, who you are to each other. This was truly fantastic."
- katelynn
08/13/2020
House of Salt and Sorrows
by: Erin A. Craig
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Emily's Quest (Emily, #3)
by: L.M. Montgomery
The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1)
by: Patrick Ness
read
The Girl in the Tower (The Winternight Trilogy, #2)
by: Katherine Arden
"As good, if not better, than the first. Politics, religion, folklore, romance. Incredible characters you love and hate. Exciting plotlines. I'm diving into the next book right away!"
- katelynn
10/09/2019
- katelynn
10/09/2019
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With the Fire on High
by: Elizabeth Acevedo
"It's so rare that I read a YA novel with believable dialogue and relationships that aren't overblown. This was that! It was so refreshing. It felt honest and real.
The narrator grows so much - she is tender and tough. And I loved the cooking weaved through the novel. "
- katelynn
07/17/2019
The narrator grows so much - she is tender and tough. And I loved the cooking weaved through the novel. "
- katelynn
07/17/2019
Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)
by: Shelby Mahurin
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The Truth About Forever
by: Sarah Dessen
Throw Like a Girl
by: Sarah Henning
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An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (The Carls, #1)
by: Hank Green
"Read on a recommendation from my husband, I came in to the book expecting some variation of the YA sci-fi, futuristic trope. Which I have had enough of. I was pleasantly surprised.
The protagonist was a terrible person (not unusual for YA), but in a way that was relatable and understandable. The story arc was interesting, although it was told from a high-level. Often the narrator gave summaries of what happened over several weeks and months - as if it were a memoir. There was not a lot of character development besides the narrator, but the novel had a lot to do. (1) Develop a complicated sci-fi mystery, (2) grow the narrator through some crazy circumstances and huge character flaws, and (3) expound on some huge, important cultural issues.
The novel dealt with a lot of big issues including handling fame and more importantly (in my opinion) the way that we relate to people with different opinions than us. Hank had so many insightful things to say about the media, political pundits, and how we should form opinions and support them in healthy ways. He described the political world we live in accurately - a world I often find completely hopeless. But he brought it back around and pointed a way forward - maybe an idealistic vision, but it was still inspiring (and not partisan)."
- katelynn
10/13/2018
The protagonist was a terrible person (not unusual for YA), but in a way that was relatable and understandable. The story arc was interesting, although it was told from a high-level. Often the narrator gave summaries of what happened over several weeks and months - as if it were a memoir. There was not a lot of character development besides the narrator, but the novel had a lot to do. (1) Develop a complicated sci-fi mystery, (2) grow the narrator through some crazy circumstances and huge character flaws, and (3) expound on some huge, important cultural issues.
The novel dealt with a lot of big issues including handling fame and more importantly (in my opinion) the way that we relate to people with different opinions than us. Hank had so many insightful things to say about the media, political pundits, and how we should form opinions and support them in healthy ways. He described the political world we live in accurately - a world I often find completely hopeless. But he brought it back around and pointed a way forward - maybe an idealistic vision, but it was still inspiring (and not partisan)."
- katelynn
10/13/2018
Tweet Cute
by: Emma Lord
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, #1)
by: Roseanne A. Brown
Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)
by: Ernest Cline
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The Prince and the Dressmaker
by: Jen Wang
"Sweet and simple. Read in a few hours. Lovely art. "
- katelynn
05/21/2021
- katelynn
05/21/2021
White Smoke
by: Tiffany D. Jackson
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