A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Imagine a book where you’re following four college friends through their years after high school: their highs and lows, best and worst. Now imagine that storyline, but way sadder. That is the most simple synopsis of A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I cannot stress this enough, but please read the trigger warnings before embarking on the Little Life trip. Yanagihara writes in such a beautiful way that many scenes feel real. The emotions expressed in this book are very raw and uncensored. It highlights the premise that not all stories have a happy ending. The story is mostly all character driven, which is one of the most gripping parts of the book. Though as harsh as some points in the book may seem, it brings up an interesting commentary on friendship and mental illness.

Written by Katelyn, Teen Volunteer

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

What made this book stand out so much was its amazing commentary on generational parenting and the relationship between mothers and daughters. There is the Chinese cultural aspect, but there’s also how it explores what it’s like as generations start to distance themselves from the culture and how that feels for all involved. These conversations aren’t just jumped over, but fully developed in all aspects of the book. The stories are moving and touching, even relatable at most times. It delves into the ideal of feminism and self-worth based on the idea of parental expectations. Though all of the themes may seem daunting, the book was a fulfilling read. Each chapter builds off the last which leads to a whole “aha” moment at the end of the novel.

Written by Katelyn, Teen Volunteer

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reed

The novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, written by Taylor Jenkins Reed, is about a Hollywood actress named Evelyn Hugo.  After a long life and career at 79 years old Evelyn decides to let a journalist interview her about her life and seven husbands. This book discusses Evelyn’s feelings for each husband, her love for each one of them, and her reasoning for each marriage. Evelyn must also live with the grief of her dead loved ones. This is something that affects the way she sees love, and affects her process of dealing with emotional struggles as well. I enjoyed this book because it taught me to question love and wonder what it truly is. I also learned to question the reasoning for my actions. I loved the philosophy of this book along with the fitting ending for Evelyn’s long and troubling life. Although seven husbands might seem unbelievable to many people, this is what it took to allow Evelyn to realize who she was truly in love with and what she really wanted.

Written by Arianna, Teen Volunteer

Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler

The novel, “Cool for the Summer” written by Dahlia Adler is about a girl named Larissa Bogdan who is head over heels over a boy named Chase Harding but suddenly a girl over the summer might be the one who changes her mind. Larissa was supposed to have a typical summer job, which included babysitting and working at a bookshop, however her mother dragged her to the Outer Banks for work purposes. She stayed in a lavish house with her mom, her mom’s boss, and Jasmine, her mom’s boss’s daughter. Almost immediately they hit it off. Jasmine brought her to parties, outings, and they hung out alot together. They became best friends and started what some may call a summer fling. They kissed and fooled around, but when the summer ended Larissa went back to New York and continued her crush on Chase. But then as Chase starts to show his feelings, Larissa sees Jasmine walking into her school. Not knowing what to do, she and Jasmine both ignore each other, they didn’t talk much, and when they do it’s very awkward. Larissa is really confused and doesn’t understand her feelings, especially since she now has Chase, a perfect gentleman as her boyfriend. Yet Jasmine keeps infiltrating her thoughts. Her emotions are spiraling and she doesn’t know whether Jasmine wants what she wants or whether she’s just being crazy because it’s Chase, the guy she has been mooning over forever.

I definitely recommend this book for ages 13 and up, as well as anyone who loves a contemporary romance read. It was light and to be honest I read it in a day. I love the LGBTQ+ component, because it’s Lara accepting herself and who she is and that is so important. I also love that her mom is so accepting because we know in this world most people shun their kids just for something they can’t control. Anyway, I enjoyed this book.

Written by Julia, Teen Volunteer

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

It Ends with Us follows the life of Lily Bloom in both the past (through diary entries) and the present. After living in the small town of Plethora, Maine and falling in love with a homeless boy named Atlas, Lily moves to Boston. While in Boston, Lily meets neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid and even opens her own flower shop. Lily and Ryle can’t get each other out of their minds and Ryle begins to fall in love with Lily and pursue a relationship with her despite his “no dating” rule. However, as the relationship progresses, some of Ryle’s actions become questionable to Lily, beginning to resemble her abusive dad. When Lily suddenly runs into her first love, Atlas, more questions about her relationship with Ryle overwhelm her. 

After reading this book, it became my new favorite. This story is extremely powerful with a message everyone should follow. The storyline of the book is so smart and there are many unexpected moments. I fell in love with Lily Bloom and was wishing for more and more after the book ended. The way Colleen Hoover makes you feel one way about a character and completely twists your feelings about them within a line or two is one of the great parts about this book. However, this book does contain some sensitive topics and is not appropriate for young readers, but I would highly recommend it for readers 15 and up. Another plus is that this book is currently being written to become a movie which is very exciting. The whole time I was reading, I was visualizing how exciting this story will be as a movie. Overall, I highly recommend this book for those who want a sad, but heartwarming read with a good message.

Written by Julia, Teen Volunteer

Rick by Alex Gino

The book Rick by Alex Gino starts off with a boy named Rick who is going into middle school. At his school he meets a group of people called the Rainbow Spectrum. During Rick’s self discovery, he faces fake friends, new friends, reconnecting with family members, and inner conflict.

I really like this book because it gives a strong representation of LGBTQ plus people. This book is good for people who are questioning and in the community, or just anyone who wants to read anything related to the community. This book is heartwarming and is filled with lots of joy. It is also very easy to read and enjoyable for kids.

Written by Alexa, Teen Volunteer

Every Day by David Levithan

The book Every Day by David Levithan follows Rhiannon, a normal adolescent girl, and A, a person who wakes up in a different body every morning. A normally attempts to respect their hosts’ lives and help them with their day-to-day tasks; but, they fall in love with Rhiannon at first sight and can’t seem to get enough of her companionship. A begins to take greater risks to be with Rhiannon, but they are unable to be together due to two big concerns. One is that A wakes up every day as a different person, in a different area, with a different appearance. The other issue is that Rhiannon continues to cling to her failed relationship with her boyfriend, Justin, who also happens to be the one who introduced A and Rhiannon. This book is more of a romance novel that follows a relationship and the struggles or concerns that follow it. The most common patterns in this book are complicated romance, selfishness, obsessions, damaging people, and evil characteristics.

Written by Elyssa, Teen Volunteer

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

In To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, by Jenny Han, the main character Lara Jean struggles with romance in her teen life. Lara Jean is a high schooler with one older sister and one younger sister. Like many other girls her age, Lara Jean had romantic interest in other people her age. But unlike most teens, Lara Jean wrote letters to them, and her sister exposed her feelings to these people by sending them out.

 After the love letters Lara Jean wrote were sent to five boys, Lara Jean has to deal with the confrontation that follows. Two of these boys, Josh and Peter, are boys Lara Jean has to see during her daily life, since Peter is her classmate, and Josh is her neighbor. Since Josh is now dating Lara Jean’s older sister, Lara Jean lies to him and tells him she lost feelings for him due to the relationship she is currently in. During this on the spot confession, Lara Jean blurts out that she is dating Peter, and to prove it she kisses him in the middle of the school track. 

The pair decide to pretend to be a couple to help each other through the high school drama of feelings and breakups. As the two fake their relationship, they begin to develop a genuine connection that can be seen as more than friends. Continue reading to find out how the connection between Lara Jean and Peter changes throughout the story.

 I would suggest this book to middle and high schoolers. This book is a cheesy romance and a light read. You will most certainly cringe and laugh at the same time as you read this story. Also, this book may appeal to those who watched the movie series To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Overall, this is a great choice for many young readers looking for a good read.

Written by Arianna, Teen Volunteer

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

The novel, The Fill-In Boyfriend written by Kasie West takes place in the parking lot of Gia Montgomery’s high school on the day of senior prom. Gia’s boyfriend Bradley breaks up with her on the day of prom, right before they go into into the dance. Now the dilemma is she has been telling her friends about him for months and if she shows up with no one, they’re going to think she’s lying. While Gia is in the parking lot of her high school being dumped, she sees a guy in a car staring at her. Gia goes up to this guy and asks him to be the fill-in Bradley for prom, and he surprisingly agrees. Now she owes fill-in Bradely a favor which results in more lies. Fill-in Bradley is actually known as Hayden and his sister asks for him a favor. Hayden’s ex-girlfriend has invited him to a graduation party and his sister doesn’t want him to fall back in love. So Gia goes with him. She then begins to question if she can turn her fake boyfriend into her actual boyfriend. 

I would recommend this book because it is easy and light to read and has classic romance for teens and young adults. There are many components of the elements that one needs to know before venturing off into college and adulthood. This novel shows some of these aspects. Not only is this book super cute and fun but there are life lessons and messages as well.

Written by Julia, Teen Volunteer

Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

In the novel Once and For All, by Sarah Dessen, Louna doubts the love and romance that is in the world around her. At the beginning of the book, Louna’s only love, Ethan, is dead and she is feeling hopeless. She works for a wedding planning company but after witnessing the relationships between the brides and grooms, Louna has lost faith in her ability to fall in love. 

While Louna is stuck in this state of mind, she comes across a wedding that requires the help of the bride’s brother, Ambrose. He has a different personality than any other boy she has ever come across; he is more honest, kind, and charming. Despite her thoughts, Louna cannot admit that these are her feelings towards him. 

Louna builds a relationship with Ambrose, but does not allow herself to become too deeply involved. She is still caught up in the death of her previous love, and tells herself love cannot be real. She also notes that Ambrose has had a history of dating many women, which is not a benefit to her feelings towards him. Ambrose works desperately to win her over because he realizes that she is the one for him, and over time, Louna comes to see that his actions are sincere and thoughtful. He is considerate and truly cares for her well-being. The journey throughout this book shows how Louna develops as a person and leads up to her final decision at the end, and whether she will take a second chance at love. 

At the beginning of the book, Louna is distrusting and lacks hope, but she slowly starts to open up to new possibilities. Throughout the book, Louna also gains acceptance in Ethan’s death. As Louna builds trust, she becomes a happier person. This book is a great read that wrapps the reader into the plot. The readers can compare themselves to the actions of Louna, and see how they may have also reacted to the situations she faces.

Written by Arianna, Teen Volunteer