Hi there friends! It’s been a long week — Will has been gone all week for work and I feel like I’m just so EXHAUSTED from solo parenting all week. Props to all my single parents out there.
I really didn’t even get much reading done, to be honest, because all I did was veg out on reality tv and competition type shows because I didn’t want to watch anything that would freak me out being alone in any way haha. I’m such a little baby.
But alas I survived and figured I’d take some time to talk about some of the young adult books I’ve been reading lately! I honestly have been finding myself drawn to adult fiction (historical especially lately) but I still have been reading some really fantastic YA books!
[Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you click on a link and purchase something I’ve talked about or recommended, I’ll receive a very small percentage of the sale. Please see my disclosure policy for more info.]
A Very Large Expanse of the Sea by Tahereh Mafi
I loved Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series and I was excited to see her jump into a different genre. Literally cannot believe this is considered historical fiction BECAUSE THAT MAKES ME OLD. But alas, this is a book set a year after 9/11 and features a Muslim teen who has HAD IT with all the racist crap she has to deal with at school and all the people trying to hurt her and stereotype her.
Shirin was one of the most memorable MCs in a while and I loved watching her let her guard down (a guard a 1000% understand why she had up) with her new breakdancing crew and letting Ocean in. Her family, the secondary characters — all so memorable! I loved the perspective it gives. I was a teen when 9/11 happened, and it changed my world and view of the world for sure, and I haven’t read many books dealing with the aftermath. This book has helped me to re-understand my experience and have so much empathy for Muslim teens and what they experienced — something I think I was oblivious to as a 16 year old. (Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 4/5
*A free copy of this book was provided for review consideration. As always, this doesn’t affect my opinion of the book!*
Sadie by Courtney Summers
Courtney Summer is one of THE most underrated YA authors so I was thrilled to see how much buzz and praise she was getting for this one! Seriously, read this and then read everything she’s written. But let’s talk about this one!
Sadie’s story made my heart ache for sure and there were some super dark and gritty elements that just hurt my heart. I loved the back and forth between Sadie’s chapters and the podcast (a la Serial) investigating Sadie’s story and how the story unfolded through each perspective. It was so, so captivating and emotionally just gripped me while Sadie enacted her plan of revenge for her murdered sister that she loved so, so much and took care of through all the hard parts of their life. A very unique book and I thought the ending was bold though I know others didn’t love the ending. (Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 5/5
*A free copy of this book was provided for review consideration. As always, this doesn’t affect my opinion of the book!*
The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
The Smell of Other People’s Houses is the last book I read in 2018 and it was seriously a great underrated gem to end the year on! Set in Alaska in the 1970’s, it follows four teenagers whose stories become entangled as they deal with secrets, family issues and more. It was really a captivating novel on the shorter side but it packed a punch for sure. I loved watching how their stories came together and the ending was just perfect for me — maybe a little tidy but it was heartwarming to me! The Alaskan setting was well written, the relationships (friendships, romance, and familial all equally compelling) on these pages made me care SO MUCH and I just thought it was such a wonderful ode to the communities that we are apart of in our lives and how they impact us. (Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 4/5
Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard
This sequel was INCREDIBLE! If you aren’t reading Susan Dennard’s Witchlands series you are serioulsy missing out! I don’t want to give out too many details but OMG I JUST LOVE THESE BOOKS AND THESE CHARACTERS. This book was full of twists and turns and revelations and made me fall more in love with these characters plus give us more insight into characters we don’t know as well. I am obsessed with this world and I don’t know how to wait until the next book is released. (Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 5/5
*A free copy of this book was provided for review consideration. As always, this doesn’t affect my opinion of the book!*
Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
YOU NEED THIS BOOK IN YOUR LIFE. I couldn’t put it down and it was like everything my feminist rage needed. All the smashing the patriarchy feels. I loved figuring out what was going on at this elite all girls academy (I figured it out pretty early on) but more-so I LOVED watching the girls figure out what was going on more. It was heartbreaking and rage-inducing and OH SO GOOD! Can’t wait to see what happens in the next book! If you like fast paced YA books that will keep you on the edge of your seat, you need this one! Also highly rec The Program series by Suzanne Young if you enjoy this one! (Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 4.5/5
*A free copy of this book was provided for review consideration. As always, this doesn’t affect my opinion of the book!*
Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen McManus
I was in a REALLY distracted reading slump and one of my go-to moves for combating that kind of reading slump is reading thrillers! I grabbed this one to read and IT TOTALLY DID THE TRICK. This YA thriller is set in a small town with a history of murders involving homecoming queens! The main character moves to this town and has a family connection to one of the murders….and then new threats emerge! It was such a quick read, had some great twists and turns and secrets and I TOTALLY didn’t figure out WHO it was! Definitely kept me on my toes this book did. If you are looking for a fast thrilling read….grab this one! (Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 4/5
*A free copy of this book was provided for review consideration. As always, this doesn’t affect my opinion of the book!*
Have you read any of these books? If so, thoughts?! Putting any of the ones I talked about on your TBR? Tell me what you’ve been reading!
Need more reading inspiration? Check out this list of new young adult books to read in 2019 or this list of book to movie adaptations in 2019!
Pin this young adult book recommendations for later!
Emily says
Two Can Keep a Secret and Sadie are some of my FAVES that I have read in the past 5 months. I never really thought I would get into suspense novels but man…could not put these down! Definitely going to be looking into more books similar to them. Also really loved the Mafi book. Her writing style is so good, and the story was something I really needed to read. Definitely going to look into The Smell of Other People’s Houses. That one sounds right up my alley.
Chrysta says
SADIE!!!! The audiobook was amazing and I’m.glad so many peeps on Twitter suggested it to me. I love Courtney Summers and she is semi-local to where I live. 😀
Jamie says
Ah that’s so cool! Have you gotten to meet her at events??
Kait says
I am currently reading Windwitch, I am in love with this series too! I had Truthwitch on my shelf forever and I finally got around to it at the beginning of the year. I can’t believe I waited so long.
I read Sadie about a month ago. I devoured it in one sitting. I really liked it. And I really want to read Tahereh’s new book! It sounds so good. All the rest I haven’t read sound good. I need to hit up the library.
Penny says
Sadie and A Very Large Expanse of Sea are my favorite young adult contemporaries I read in 2018. The audiobook for Sadie is incredible.
Erica Metcalf says
Great list!! I need to get to Sadie soon!! I keep hearing awesome things!
Jamie says
It was so great! I hear the audiobook is incredible if you do audiobooks!
Louise says
I’ve seen a lot of buzz around Courtney Summers’ books for literal YEARS but I still haven’t read any of them! I’ll definitely have to bump Sadie up on my list though 🙂
Kyra Morris says
I’ve heard amazing things about The Smell of Other People’s Houses!
Ash says
I’m so excited for Sadie and Girls with Sharp Sticks. I haven’t read any of these yet though,
Ash @ JennRenee Read
Lindsi says
Two Can Keep a Secret and Sadie were both amazing reads! Both endings surprised me! I did DNF A Very Large Expanse of Sea, but only because I couldn’t take how she was treating Ocean. I was halfway through the book, and Shirin was still bouncing him back and forth. It was awful to watch, even though I understood her reservations. I agree that this is an important book with an important setting, but by the time I stopped reading, I thought she should have handled their situation differently. There were a lot of other things I liked, like the break dancing and how informative the author was, so I’m bummed it didn’t work for me.
Side note: I bought one of the book carts and I looooove it! Thanks for mentioning it many weeks ago, haha.
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬
Tracey says
Came on here b/c I’m pretty sure you read & loved Firekeeper’s Daughter. I’m listening to it now on my commute to/from work, enjoying it, & wanted to see your comments. Love that you loved A Very Large Expanse of Sea. It is my 1st Mafi book & I adored it. She captured Shirin’s voice so well; she was so authentic. I will definitely try another book by Mafi. I also loved McManus’s Two Can Keep A Secret.