Sarah Dessen's latest book was just released a few weeks ago, but thanks to my diligent stalking of the CHPL's website I was like #2 on the wait list, so I'm now done with it. I'm speaking as someone who has read almost all of her novels, and I think this is her best one in years, probably from This Lullaby (though it cannot ever hope to match The Truth About Forever, which is amazing). ANYWAY: it's set in Colby, a fictional beach town with which longtime Dessen readers will be very familiar. Emaline just finished her senior year of high school and is planning on going off to college in the fall a couple of hours away; she has the perfect boyfriend, and a loving mom, stepdad, and sisters. She loves Colby and the security it offers her; however, her biological father dreams of bigger things for her -- and so does Theo, a New Yorker in town for the summer to work on a documentary.

This book was great because, for the first time in several books, Dessen veered away from the Sarah Dessen formula - in other words, I wasn't able to predict exactly how it would end after the first three chapters. There's a lot about self-discovery here, and I thought the issues Emaline is grappling with were very relatable. It also reminds me of her earlier books in that the romance is somewhat less emphasized here; it's more about Emaline figuring things out for herself rather than finding the perfect guy. Longtime Dessen fans are sure to enjoy this, but I think its appeal is broad enough to extend far beyond her core fanbase.

This was a NYT bestseller and received lots of critical acclaim when it was released a few years ago, and I can see why. The novel is set at an English-language newspaper in Rome and in some ways reads like a series of short stories, since the novel is broken into chapters about different members of the newsroom. By the end of the novel, the different stories slowly draw together, although I finished the book wishing that I could have learned more about the fates of the characters in some of the earlier chapters. My parents are both journalists and so this may have been a factor in my enjoyment of this book, but I thought everything about it rang true, and I loved reading about characters both from their own point of view and also when they were mentioned by other characters in their chapters. Rachman also included backstory at the end of each chapter about the founding of the paper; I don't want to give away the ending of the book, but I think this element gave the story a nice cyclical feeling. I thought this was a really enjoyable read, and also avoided the trap of overly romanticizing the newspaper industry. [Disclaimer: my mother the journalist hated this book. Make of this what you will.]

Having read several of McKinley's YA works and received recommendations for "The Blue Sword," I picked up, expecting to like it from page one. Instead, it took me a few chapters to get into the book. For the first 40 or so pages, I plodded along - perhaps due to what seemed a slow plot; perhaps due to detailed sentences, which, though helpful for seeing the world McKinley created, at times seemed unnecessarily descriptive. Nonetheless, I continued reading and ultimately was glad that I had.

"The Blue Sword" tells the story of Harry, a strong-willed and recently orphaned girl sent across the sea from her homeland to live in Daria, the city in which her brother has made his life and military career. As she settles in to her new home, she learns its history, particularly the stories of its native people, the Hillfolk. The plot picks up when Corlath, king of the Hillfolk, encounters Harry and decides to kidnap her because his magic, or kelar, tells him that she could be of use in the Hillfolk's struggles against the Northerners, a not-quite-human people intent on taking over his people's mountains. Much to her surprise, Harry, though homesick, finds herself growing to like life among the Hillfolk. As the battle with the Northerners looms closer, she learns more and more not only about her captors' history but her own and how her hidden strength may shape their future.

At times, "The Blue Sword" reminded me a bit of Lord of the Rings; at others, the legends of King Arthur; still others, The Chronicles of Narnia and even, briefly, Harry Potter. I would recommend it to fans of any of these series, as well as those who enjoy young adult fantasy/scifi with well-developed and unique characters. Those with patience to get through the first few chapters may find themselves, as I did, slowing down a bit as they get to the end of the book -- this time, not from frustration, but instead from a feeling that this is a book they don't want to end.

Wanting a break from fiction and a lighter summer read, I turned to Mindy Kaling's musings. Likely best known as Kelly Kapoor on NBC's "The Office," Kaling was also among the show's writers, and she brings the same offbeat, occasional enjoyable ramblings and often laugh-out-loud funny comedy to her book. Beginning with her childhood as a self-proclaimed "timid chubster afraid of her own bike," Kaling leads readers through the years that follow, from the highs of success in college to the lows of realizing she was a small fish in a big pond upon graduation and her attempts to make it in NYC. Along the way, she shares observations on the humor of everyday things that often made me nod my head in agreement and sometimes delves off topic to ponder other random topics that cross her mind, in the form of lists and short essays ("Alternate titles for this book" is a favorite).

At points, a few topics seem repeated and start to wear out, but overall, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is an enjoyable read. Kaling's chatty, don't-take-yourself-too-seriously style, sharing of her struggles to find a job and dedication to her family and friends makes the book relatable and a good pick to curl up with for a lazy summer afternoon.

This graphic novel alternates between three stories. In the first, which is based on an old Chinese proverb, a monkey deity studies kung fu and learns all about being immortal. In the second, a boy, Jin Wang, deals with typical growing up problems (mostly wanting a girl and fitting in) and also being one of the few Asian kids in his school. Finally, a caricature of a Chinese boy, Chin-Kee, comes to stay with his white cousin Danny, and disrupts his life. All three of these stories converge at the end to form one story.

It won the Printz and was a National Book Award finalist, but I just did not get this book at all! I was really only engaged by Jin Wang’s story, so I read through the other two quickly to get back to Jin Wang. When the stories all came together, I was even more confused by whom everyone was supposed to be. I don’t think that I am really the target audience for this book, so hopefully those that are like it better.

Eleven-year-old Delphine lives in Brooklyn with her two younger sisters, father, & paternal grandmother. Her mother, Cecile, walked out on the family when her youngest sister was just a baby, and now Delphine and her sisters are off to Oakland to spend a month with the mother they barely know. Cecile isn’t the mothering type, offering no hugs, never making a home-cooked meal, and banishing the girls from her kitchen (where she composes and prints her own poems). Cecile is friendly with the Black Panthers, and sends the girls off to a Black Panther sponsored summer camp. At first Delphine is wary of what the camp is teaching and promoting, as it is so different from what she has learned back in Brooklyn. However, as Delphine begins to understand what (and why) she is being taught, she begins to understand her mother and her cause better.

This is a great historical fiction book that shows parts of the Black Panther movement from a kid’s perspective. At the same time, it wasn’t completely unrealistic, with a young child spearheading a movement or saving the day, rather Delphine, her sisters, and her campmates do their own small part to spread the word. I think Delpine is a wonderful character, and I really enjoyed her early skepticism and analytical mind, as it shows the hard thinking she does, rather than just blindly following what others tell her. The author mentions some key names of the black power movement, but doesn’t delve too deeply into it, and hopefully this would inspire kids to do their own research.