Tag: young adult

Enclave (2011)

By: Ann Aguirre

I loved this series. In a dystopic future, 15-year-old Deuce is cast out her underground home, and must try and fend for herself on the surface—which is supposed to be toxic to humans. It turns out the surface isn’t poisonous, but it is treacherous. There are zombie-like creatures that could kill them at any turn, and a Mad Max-like group of cannibals hunting her and her partner, Fade.

This book helped me believe in YA books again. Honestly, I loved Deuce’s strength, and I loved the pacing of the story. Everything unfolded in just the right way. And the world was built in a believable way. It sort of reminded me of Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, but grittier. 10/10 read these books.

Ultraviolet (2013)

By: R. J. Anderson

One minute, Allison was arguing with Tori, and the next, Tori disintegrated into nothing. Allison goes into shock and is subsequently placed in a mental institution for a psychotic break. There, she has to discern if she’s, indeed, mentally unstable, or if there’s another explanation for what happened to Tori.

I loved this book. It was unlike anything else I’d read. Somehow both a sci-fi, mystery, and romance all wrapped into one, it checks a tone of boxes, without falling on clichés. If you’re looking for a decent sci-fi and some neat abilities, check out this book.

Famous Last Words (2014)

By: Katie Alender

The Hollywood Killer is at large. No one has any leads, but when Willa moves to L.A. after her mom remarries, she starts to see ghosts around her house. Then there’s the romance. Who should she pick: preppy Reed, her step-father’s assistant, or Wyatt, the guy that’s scary-obsessed with the Hollywood Killer.

Honestly, this book took so many twists and turns, I had no idea who the killer was. It was fascinating to watch it all unravel, especially after watching the Scream TV series (which was a letdown towards the end. Come on, guys, diverging from the source material wouldn’t kill you!). If you’re into slashers, pick up this book.

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life (2012)

By: Tara Altebrando

The last week of school before graduation finds the senior class participating in the unofficial senior week Scavenger Hunt. For twenty-four hours, teams must search for every item on the given list, which takes them all over their small town, without letting adults or school officials know what’s happening. Our protagonist, Mary, is dealing with her crush, the school bully, and her best guy friend liking her, all while trying to crush the competition (pun not intended).

So, I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. But I have a few questions. If you’re racing against the clock, do you really have time to go swimming at someone’s house? If your friend and your crush like each other, do you really need to get upset about it and stop talking to them? Should we root for the best guy friend to get her heart in the end, or should we never want her to see him again?

I think it’s a sign of a good book that I’m considering that last one. That’s more what real life is like—messy, and convoluted, and confusing. And though I didn’t agree with the ending, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you're looking for some graduation nostalgia, definitely read it. It actually inspired a new novel I’m working on!