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HelenL_KCMO
Library StaffThe Kansas City Public Library
HelenL_KCMO's Profile Shelves

HelenL_KCMO's Completed Shelf

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Skye Falling, BookA Novel

by McKenzie, Mia
Book, 2021. First edition.. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Sep 27, 2021

Comment:

Skye Falling is a story about Skye, who is objectively a hot mess, getting her act together after she meets "her egg," a 12 year old girl born from her donated egg who comes searching for Skye after the death of her mother. Mia McKenzie's love of the Black and queer community in Philly really shines through in this book as does her love of kids- Vicky is troubled but delightful! I thought this story was satisfying and funny, probably great for people going through a midlife crisis.

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, Book

by Mejia, Tehlor Kay
Book, 2020. First edition.. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Sep 15, 2021

Comment:

Paola Santiago, "Pao," enters a magical world based on Mexican mythology to find her missing friend. A lot happens in this book and science-loving environmentalist Pao is a fun and likeable protagonist to follow throughout the adventure. While Paola and her friend Dante are implied to be citizens, there is a side character and references to other characters in their lives who are undocumented and affected by ICE. Overall, I think that fans of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series will also enjoy this story for its incorporation of mythology and adventure!

Today Tonight Tomorrow, Book

by Solomon, Rachel Lynn
Book, 2020. First Simon Pulse hardcover edition.. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Sep 09, 2021

Comment:

High school YA enemies-to-lovers romance book between two overachieving top of the class high school rivals. There were a lot of moments that made me roll my eyes but I still finished the book in a day because this book runs purely on the romance tropes and anything else happening is besides the point. That being said, I loved the Seattle touches and my favorite part of the book was the author's note at the end which was basically a love letter to Seattle. The 2 leads are Jewish and there are sections in the book that talk about that. The main character also talks quite a lot about feminism/misogyny. I think that fans of other YA romance authors such as Rainbow Powell will enjoy this book. I think that the people reading this book will probably be fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope who are going down the line reading every single book suggested on bookstagram or boktok or whatever social media list and I think that's great.

Amari and the Night Brothers, Book

by Alston, B. B.
Book, 2021. First edition.. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Sep 08, 2021

Comment:

Amari Peters is thrown into a world of magical creatures and evil magicians as she tries to find her missing brother. This book deserves all the hype and is such a great modern update to magic school classics like Harry Potter or Peter Jackson!

Banned Book Club, Graphic Novel

by Kim, Hyun Sook
Graphic Novel, 2020. First edition.. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Sep 07, 2021

Comment:

Banned Book Club is a graphic memoir following Kim Hyun Sook’s experiences as a member of a banned book club during the 1980s when S Korea was under a military dictatorship. This is one of the rare YA books that I actually wish were longer! The manhwa features a lot of punchy panels that I think people who care about social justice activism will enjoy. Though the story takes place in South Korea in the 1980s, the themes explored in this book are quite universal and will resonate with a lot of youth in the US today. That being said, I wish we got to learn more about the Korean-specific context overall. This book is a quick read and a great choice for all teens who are interested in social justice!

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager, Book

by Philippe, Ben
Book, 2019. First edition.. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Sep 07, 2021

Comment:

This book follows Black Canadian Norris Kaplan as he tries to adjust to his new school after moving from Canada to Austin, Texas. I enjoyed this book- it was fast paced, funny, and I thought the narrator was engaging. That being said, Norris is often not the most sympathetic character and his observations can be a bit bitter or mean, especially in the beginning. Though this book is about a Black Canadian, it is not an issue book about race. There is not a lot of reference to race and most of the cast is white save for Norris's family and his love interest, who is South Asian. I think that people who enjoy character-driven high school stories similar to Mean Girls would enjoy this book!

The Girl and the Ghost, Book

by Hanna Alkaf
Book, 2020. First edition.. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Sep 03, 2021

Comment:

I loved this book! It reminded me of one my favorite authors, Katherine Arden. The story starts off with Suraya "inheriting" a ghost (a pelesit) from her grandmother who was a witch. The ghost becomes Suraya's only friend, but when she makes a new friend at school, Jing, the ghost gets jealous and the haunting begins! Oh, and there's also a shaman (a pawang) involved. I loved the way that friendship and family is portrayed throughout the book. I think that readers who enjoy fairytale-like stories will love the tone and all the details from Malaysian folklore.

A Phở Love Story, Book

by Le, Loan
Book, 2021. First Simon Pulse hardcover edition.. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Aug 30, 2021

Comment:

If I were to describe this book with one word it would be "cute!" This book is a very fluffy high school romcom between Linh Mai and Bao Nguyen, whose parents run rival restaurants. The book switches POV between Linh and Bao and it was satisfying seeing both characters come into their own with their interests- art for Linh and writing for Bao. The writing has quite a bit of exposition and backstory about the characters Vietnamese background which I find common in a lot of contemporary YA. Some readers might find these sections interesting while others more familiar with Vietnamese-American culture might find it redundant.

Swing, Book

by Alexander, Kwame
Book, 2018. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Aug 27, 2021

Comment:

This book is in verse and follows Noah as he navigates friendships, crushes, and just life! Though the book starts off talking about basketball and the title is literally "Swing!" I feel like a lot of the big emotions in the book revolves around Noah's crush on his friend Sam (short for Samantha) and I enjoyed how that story line played out. That being said, I feel like this book has a lot going on outside of the romance as well, but that's life! Overall, I think that teens will find this book very relatable.

Solo, Book

by Alexander, Kwame
Book, 2017. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Aug 27, 2021

Comment:

Solo is a book in verse which makes it very easy to get into! Though it is a quicker read than other YA books, content-wise there is a lot packed in and the book has a lot of emotion. There is some romance between Blade and his girlfriend Chapel, but the relationship I found most compelling was that between Blade and his father who is a famous rockstar dealing with addiction. This isn't my favorite book by Kwame Alexander but I still think there's a lot here that teens can relate to!

The Beast Player, Book

by Uehashi, Nahoko
Book, 2019. First American hardcover edition.. Language: English
HelenL_KCMO's rating:
Added Aug 26, 2021

Comment:

Originally written in Japanese and since adapted into an anime series, this translated book follows Elin as she grows up and enters the royal beast school to pursue a path to become a royal beast master just like her mother. What I loved about the book was the way Elin grappled with the power dynamics of her world and how some of the themes of the book subvert common western fantasy tropes, especially when it comes to magical beasts! The book also incorporates social inequality- Elin's mother came from a marginalized group called the Ahlyo- in a way that affected Elin's experience but did not feel preachy. I think that people who are fantasy fans and animal lovers will love this book.

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