More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer
This is a book that’s in the same universe as Letters to the Lost, but it completely stands alone from its successor. The relationship between a boy who has managed to keep his demons at bay – until his father sends him a letter that sends the trauma of his childhood flooding back – and a girl who spends her time perfecting her computer game to stop her from facing her parents’ crumbing marriage is tested when both their situations turn dangerous. The storytelling and the emotional suspense will leave you breathless and hopeful.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
I wrote an article about this book when I first read it, which you can find here.
This is a beautifully written book about discovering a family’s past, learning to overcome grief, and finding oneself in the process of healing. The entire book shifts throughout from reality to magic, and past to present as Leigh Chen Sanders is determined to find her mother, and uncover where she came from and what she left behind when she died. The ending is incredibly powerful, and has stayed with me ever since I read it. I highly recommend this one, if you haven’t read it already.
In Search Of Us by Ava Dellaira
This incredible story intertwines the lives of a mother and daughter that weaves together where they’ve been and where they are now. The mother recounts the summer she fell in love and set out to carve her own path, while the daughter, searches for her father after discovering evidence of an uncle she’s never met. Along the way, they both discover the truth about themselves and the past that binds them together. This heartbreaking and hopeful book is very creative and beautifully well-written, and will make your heart soar.
Reign the Earth by A.C. Gaughen
This new fantasy series has incredibly rich world-building and really interesting, strong characters.. It’s more adult than most YA books coming out now, and incorporates less coming-of-age aspects that are usually included in these types of books. If you don’t like darker and heavier themes this might not be the book for you. However, this leaves more room for fast-paced intense suspense that leaves readers spellbound and wishing for more. The sequel, Imprison the Sky, comes out January 22, 2019.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
There’s always a book that makes me appreciate the power of poetry again, and this is one of them. Acevedo is a renowned slam poet, and writes about a quiet and fierce young girl who pours herself into the pages of a notebook, especially when it comes to her religion and her relationship with the world. After joining a slam poetry club, she finds herself dreaming of performing, and learns to refuse to be silent again. Told through verses, this book will ignite a new passion for writing poetry and speaking truths back into your heart.
Happy reading!
