A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
For those familiar with Picoult’s novels, A Spark of Light is everything she does best. It tackles a controversial subject. In this case, the setting is an abortion clinic where a gunman has taken several hostages, each with a differing viewpoint on the situation at hand as well as pregnancy termination in general. As always, the characters were distinct and added richness to the theme. As a hostage negotiator tries to diffuse the situation, he learns his daughter is inside the clinic. This is just one of the many storylines that unravels over the course of several hours. The plot is laid out hour by hour in reverse. I’m not going to lie; I found this annoying at first, but it grew on me. I’d recommend A Spark of Light to Picoult fans and those who enjoy women’s fiction.
To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han
After more “intense” reads, I tend to crave something a little bit lighter. When that happens, I look to my students for book suggestions. My girls recommended the author, Jenny Han. Particularly, they talked about her novel To All The Boys I Loved Before, which was just turned into a movie on Netflix (shocking they’d be into it lol). I had a hard time getting into it at first. It’s nothing I can pinpoint, but there was a certain quirkiness I just wasn’t jiving with. As I read on, though, I really started to become engrossed in the story. Lara Jean Song, the middle of 3 sisters being raised by their widowed father, has a habit of writing love letters to the boys she has been smitten with, five in all. When the letters are accidentally mailed, a super cute romantic comedy ensues. I look forward to reading the sequel, and I’d recommend this one to my ladies who enjoy YA fiction with a rom-com vibe.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
I definitely enjoy true crime, and my favorite recommendations in the genre come from my friend and coworker, Ryan. As teachers, we each post our current reads outside our classroom doors. I noticed the cover of this one outside Ryan’s classroom. I was initially drawn to the fact that it was a new true crime title, and then immediately noticed that two of my favorites, Gillian Flynn and Patton Oswalt, wrote the foreword and the afterword. Focusing on the criminology of the Golden State Killer, a prolific serial rapist turned murderer that terrorized California in the mid seventies to mid eighties, McNamara chronologizes the individual crimes while also expressing her own obsession with the cold case. I was super impressed by the mix of fact and articulate prose. It should be mentioned that McNamara died while writing this book of an accidental overdose. This fact adds just another interesting dimension to the best true crime title I’ve read in awhile. I’d highly recommend this title to any of my friends who love true crime, ID Discovery, nonfiction, or criminology.
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman
After reading about a serial killer, a lighter tone was in order. Whenever I’m looking for a new YA read, and I’m not going off the opinions of my students, I check out the Printz award winners. Why We Broke Up, a Printz award recipient is a story about a first love lost. Min, short for Minerva, is a film enthusiast who finds herself in an all consuming relationship with basketball star, Ed. While this sounds super cheesy, the way the book was structured was unique. Each chapter was titled with a drawing. Each drawing represented something in the box Min is delivering to Ed post-break up. Each artifact unfurls the story of their short-lived romance and alludes to the reason the relationship ended. I loved the creativity of this book and the raw honesty of Min’s emotions. She didn’t come across as cheesy in the slightest. I did, however, tire of the stream of consciousness storytelling at times. It felt breathless, which, to the writers’ credit, perfectly sums up the emotions the book is trying to capture, but I guess it was proof that I’m not a teenager anymore. Wah! I’d recommend Why We Broke Up to YA fans, especially those who enjoy books about relationships with unique artistic value.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
If ever a novel provided a sense of place, it’s this one. A Reese Witherspoon book club pick (who doesn’t love Reese?), Where the Crawdads Sing is set between the 1950s and early 1970s in the marshland of North Carolina. Kya, known to the townsfolk as The Marsh Girl, is no stranger to abandonment. Growing up alone in the marsh and isolated from society, Kya struggles to form relationships with the few people she comes across. Her story intertwines with the criminal investigation of the death of local hero, Chase Andrews, as she finds herself on trial for his murder. It is evident that the author is a naturalist. The setting of the marsh is unique and beautifully described. I am not outdoorsy by any means, and I was captivated. I enjoyed this novel from start to finish. It had suspense, romance, and everything you would want from a page turner, yet the quality of the writing has strong literary merit. I’d recommend to anybody who enjoys fiction, particularly women, and also those who enjoy getting lost in a different place and time.
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Even though it’s slightly cheesy, there was something about these characters that made me want to read the sequel. In this installment, Lara Jean begins a relationship with Peter (her fake boyfriend in the first book). They are, as in all cliche teen romances, polar opposites. Conflicts arise surrounding these differences, past relationships, and former friendships. The result is an, in my opinion, entertaining teenage rom-com that, even though it’s not my favorite book ever, was good enough to make me want to read the final installment of the trilogy.
