Ruin of Stars

Miller, Linsey. Ruin of Stars. Sourcebooks Fire, 2018.

Having won the position of Opal, Sal now works for the queen. In the meantime, though, they are also pursuing their own agenda of revenge on those responsible for their family’s death. The Queen sends Opal on a mission: discover why children have been disappearing. Kill those responsible. Sal works to uncover this mystery as they also discover that revenge isn’t always as good as it seems.

This is a well-written fantasy epic that fits in perfectly with the multi-hundred page tomes I devoured as a teen. I know the teens at my library will love it. I enjoyed the discussion of gender and the presence of gender fluid, bisexual, aromantic, and transgender characters. The idea of a land where gender and sexuality are seen as fluid and not binary is truly beautiful.

What I missed, though, was the page-turning intensity of the first book. Sal is already Opal at this point, so people are still trying to kill them, but not with the same frequency as when they were vying for the position. There is a fair amount of political intrigue mixed into this book, which is not something I particularly enjoy, either. Nonetheless, this is a good addition to the series and worth reading. I recommend reading the two books close together so the storyline is not lost.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: fantasy violence (main character is an assassin)
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Edelweiss for the purposes of review.

Little Do We Know

Stone, Tamara. Little Do We Know. Disney Hyperion, 2018.

Hannah and Ellory have been best friends and neighbors their entire lives. Now they haven’t spoken for over three months. Hannah’s dad used her college fund to boost the Christian school he founded, and Hannah finds herself falling for the music pastor. Meanwhile, Ellory is cherishing the days until she and her boyfriend head off to separate colleges and is attempting to help her mother plan her wedding. Neither Hannah nor Ellory wants to discuss what happened three months ago.

TW: molestation

SPOILERS AHEAD

It’s impossible to talk about my opinions regarding this book without spoiling the ending; consider yourself warned.

The relationship between Hannah and Ellory rang true for me; also, both of their characters were really well developed. Hannah’s school and church are spot-on for an Evangelical Christian church/school. Ellory’s discomfort at spending time at Hannah’s church also makes sense. I appreciated the discussion of Hannah’s doubts regarding what she believes and whether she believes because it’s true or if she believes because she’s been taught these things her whole life. The church is described accurately without being mocked.

The scene near the end where Ellory and Hannah talk about what happened - Ellory’s stepdad-to-be molested her one day when her mom wasn’t home, and when she told Hannah, Hannah tried to get her parents involved, but a flippant comment from her dad made Ellory feel that she was to blame for what happened. The reveal and consequent dramatic conclusion / Disney-esque ending was a bit much, but probably not over the top for the intended audience. Recommended.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: underage drinking, molestation
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-alikes: Devoted; Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature; Speak

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Ghost Boys

Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Ghost Boys. Little, Brown BFYR. 2018.

This story opens with Jerome dying as he is shot by a police officer. The rest of the story alternates between Jerome's "life" as a ghost in his own home and the home of the officer who shot him and also Jerome's backstory from when he was alive. Jerome the child did not have many friends at school and was often bullied; he focused on taking care of his sister and spending time with his family. Jerome the ghost wonders whether he can/should help the daughter of the officer who shot him and what needs to happen for him to move on from this life.

This book covers an obviously timely topic and includes references to Emmett Till and other boys who have been killed because of racial profiling. I am going to leave coverage of the race issues to others who are better able to discuss them. I will be adding this book to my library's collection and will recommend it to patrons young and old.

Recommended for: middle grade / tween
Red Flags: violence (the main character is shot; Emmett Till is also a character and his beating/death is discussed as well)
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purposes of review.

Heretics Anonymous

Henry, Katie. Heretics Anonymous. Katherine Tegen Books, 2018.

Michael, an atheist, has been sent to a private Catholic school. His dad keeps getting promoted within his company, which has sent Michael and his family traveling across the country, and Michael has been promised that this is the last move. Michael ends up making friends with other "heretics" at his school: people who, for various reasons, do not fit the mold of a Catholic school student. They meet together as a sort of unofficial support group, until Michael challenges them to begin changing the system. Thus the group of heretics start fighting back against what they see as injustice at their school.

While Michael himself and his friend Lucy are both well-developed characters, we learn much less about the other members of HA, which is unfortunate. Watching them plan and fight back against their school with mixed results reminds me of Jennifer Mathieu's Moxie. The story is about the group of characters, but mostly it's about Michael and his relationship with his friends and also with his family. Michael's frustrations at being moved across country on the whims of his parents will ring true to teens who have had to move in the middle of a school year. I was impressed by the inclusion of an atheist character, as this is a rare occurrence in teen contemporary literature.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: language; underage drinking;
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Edelweiss for the purposes of review.

You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone

Solomon, Rachel. You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone. Simon Pulse, 2018.

Adina and Tovah are fraternal twins; Adina's first love is the viola, while Tovah is more science-oriented, hoping to one day become a doctor. Their mother was diagnosed with Huntington's disease when they were fourteen; now that they are 18, they are going to be tested to see if they, too, will one day develop the disease. Once they receive their results, the twin who tested positive heads on a destructive crash-course, assuming that she should squeeze as much as possible out of her short life. The other twin, feeling guilty for not having a disease, isn't sure how to react.

When I started this book, I assumed that somewhere near the end there would be the inevitable call from the doctor's office saying they had switched the test results. I was wrong. I appreciated the diverse voices in this book and the way one sister clung to her Jewish faith while the other did not. I don't think this is a book I enjoyed reading, but it is one I am glad to have read. I could easily recommend it to older teens who still enjoy reading books about other people's suffering.

Recommended for: older teens
Red Flags: underage drinking; Adina has a sexual relationship with her viola instructor, which technically begins after she turns 18 but as she is still in high school and he's her teacher that's still creepy; language
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars