Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo - PUBLIC ONLY

Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo, 448 pages. Bloomsbury, 2024. $20.

Language: R (100+ swears, 100+ F's); Mature Content: R (sexual content, sexual language); Violence: R (sexual assault, kidnapping) 

BUYING ADVISORY: NEW ADULT - PUBLIC ONLY

APPEALS TO: SOME 

17yo Jo-Lynn had a confrontation with a boy at a beach bonfire, his response, revenge porn - he sent her nudes (stolen from her phone) to his contacts. Suddenly she went from popular to pariah. The girls all stepped away from her, the boys thought she was easy, and acted on it. She spiraled at school.  Then, her ex-best friend Maddie disappears - some say she ran away, others that she's dead. Maddie had been awful to Jo, but the day she disappeared, Maddie had told Jo she was in trouble and needed her help. Was this a set up, or could Jo figure out what really happened? 

This debut novel is a Morris award winner. An intriguing mystery with a lot going on. A school cheating scandal, academic rankings drama, college acceptance, mentors, mean girls, mean boys, as well as family drama. Jo starts fake dating Hudson, (his suggestion to help her get back in with the popular crowd) and the relationship grows and becomes physical. The sexual content is also a lot, I would describe it as explicit, and there's not a nice build to it either - it doesn't feel romantic, also there are several scenes. While the intended audience is high school, I would suggest New Adult as a more appropriate audience. Characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian 

Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez - ADVISABLE

Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez, 162 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Oni Press, 2022. $15

Language: PG - 13 (17 swears, 0 Fs); Mature Content: PG - 13 (adult drinking, drug paraphernalia, casual references to adult sexuality - nothing on page or graphic); Violence: PG (zombie bite, fantasy action). 

BUYING ADVISORY: NEW ADULT – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Recent college graduate with a useless English degree, Ben Cook, is desperately trying to find a job in his chosen field. He feels like he is falling behind his roommates who all have grown-up jobs and who are moving on with adulthood. As a last resort, he applies to be a cook in a quirky, vegan, contemporary French restaurant. Ben quickly adapts to his new life in the kitchen, partially thanks to the cute sous-chef, Liam. However, with mounting pressure from his parents to fulfill his original career plans, Ben has to make a serious decision whether or not to explore this new job or to fall back on the familiar. 

This was the cutest thing I’ve read in a while and I devoured it with a smile on my face the whole time. The dialogue was quick and snappy, the art was gorgeous, and the characters were refreshingly mature. However, the final confrontation with the parents was underwhelming. This would be a high-interest book for a high school library but this is a new adult book as almost all of the characters are in their mid-twenties. There is a character who openly carries a bong and a few other drug references. There are also some references to adult sexuality, but nothing graphic or on the page. Overall, a super cute queer new adult rom-com graphic novel. 

Reviewer: BookswithBeddes

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh - OPTIONAL

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh, 408 pages. Dutton Books (Penguin Random House), 2020. $18 

Language: F (29 swears 6 'f'); Mature Content: PG13 (sexual situation); Violence: F (sexual abuse). 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, NEW ADULT - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Ada is starting her freshman year in college. She's further from home than she's ever been, and has to make her own decisions for the first time in her life. As she navigates this new world, her love of dancing, college life, questioning her identity, discovering she is in a classroom full of smart black kids, she reflects on her life in flashbacks. Ada grew up with her Nigerian father whose expectations were based on his culture, rather than American. Her parents were divorced, so her visits to her drug addicted African American mother were often toxic, and staying at her grandmothers put her in danger from a young cousin who sexually abused her. 

"Every Body Looking" is a coming of age debut novel in verse beautifully constructed. I liked this format because the poetry gave us Ada's story in snippets, like memories, showing pieces of her story that reflect the grown girl without a lot a narrative needed. I would recommend this for a college reader, it feels on the older end of YA. 

Lisa Librarian

Kit and Elizabeth by Karen Tuft - OPTIONAL

Kit and Elizabeth by Karen Tuft, 296 pages. Covenant Communications, 2019. $17.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: NEW ADULT - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Still unwed at 21yo, Lady Elizabeth is practically a spinster according to society and a failure according to her father. Doing everything she can to be the ideal daughter of a duke and duchess, Elizabeth is surprised by the animosity of her parents in regard to her single status. The reason is finally revealed, shattering the life Elizabeth has known and putting her future into question.

I enjoyed reading Tuft’s book because she wrote in such a way to make me fall in love with the characters. With such characters, I wanted to see them succeed and overcome their challenges. Tuft makes Elizabeth’s problems feel relevant and relatable, and I loved watching Elizabeth’s evolution over the course of her character arc. I also recognize that this book was very cheesy -- so much so that I might have actually rolled my eyes at it a couple of times. Nevertheless, it was an overall-good read with a pronounced lesson on individual worth.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

To Die To Sleep by Stephanie Black - ADVISABLE

To Die To Sleep by Stephanie Black, 272 pages. Covenant Communications, 2019. $18.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: NEW ADULT - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Something is not right at the Keep, a resort in America’s mountains. Before she even checks in with her reservation, Natalie gets hurt -- becoming the first victim the week -- and shortly thereafter meets the delusional owner himself. If Natalie really wanted a relaxing vacation, going to the Keep was the wrong choice.

The intrigue of To Die To Sleep is nearly palpable. Black gives her readers no respite from the suspense, sucking you right into the action from page one. I love that all of the evidence is available to the characters and the reader the whole time, so it’s possible to suspect the correct perpetrator. While I did not know that this book is not the first to detail Natalie’s experience with murder cases, the others are not necessary to read beforehand -- but you can bet that I am now going to read the other two stories because of my wonderful experience reading this one. The violence rating is for persistent murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson - OPTIONAL

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson, 336 pages. Thomas Nelson, 2019. $16.

Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: NEW ADULT - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

Since an accident that left her with injuries ensuring that Cassie would never have children of her own, she tries to make the most of her job with supporting girls who come from difficult homes. Jett, on the other hand, is a firefighter who wants to date and skip the having-kids part of life. When both Cassie and Jett find themselves caring for three children a piece, they learn more about kids, fixing mistakes, and love than they ever imagined.

While advertised as a Christian romance, I didn’t feel like The Dating Charade stuck out in either of those categories. I appreciate that this book is clean like Christian books are, but there are no strong Christian themes exhibited beyond going to church once. As for the romance, the complications of a new relationship are only a piece of the problems that the main characters are dealing with. My perspective is that the story is about two people with similar struggles who happen to cross paths during those struggles; the focus is more on their individual growth than on any blossoming romance. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book as I laughed aloud several times and even groaned at the inevitable misunderstandings. The mature content rating is for mentions of drug use.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Rain Belongs Here by Julie Rogers - NEW ADULT

The Rain Belongs Here by Julie Rogers, 325 pages. Julie Rogers, 2019. $17.

Language: R (39 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: NEW ADULT - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

On the evening of Ana’s 22nd birthday, her older brother, Finn, never comes home. After three months of searching for him, Ana still doesn’t know what happened or where he might be, but she knows she’s not the only one looking for him. Ana is going after Finn. And, no matter what happens, she is going to find him.

I could hardly convince myself to turn each page at the beginning of this book because it was so slow -- sometimes it took me days to motivate myself to pick up the book again. I was disappointed by my apathy towards this story and its characters after my excitement in reading the summary. Finally, about a fourth of the way in, I started caring about the search for Finn and the mystery surrounding his activities leading to his disappearance. The last half of the book went quickly for me, and I liked how everything was coming together until the last five pages. I thought I understood how everything was settling until those few pages created a new world shift. Mature content rating for sexual assault and sex; violence rating for death and gun violence.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Strange Ones by Jeremy Jusay - OPTIONAL

The Strange Ones by Jeremy Jusay, 190 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Gallery 13 (Simon & Schuster), JANUARY 2020. $20.

Language: R (3 swears, 2 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: NEW ADULT - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Anjeline, a freshman in college, keeps running into Franck. Finally, they decide to be friends and start hanging out on purpose. As Anjeline and Franck support each other through their sorrows, they learn how to move forward despite the roadblocks in their lives.

I enjoyed the message of Anjeline’s story in the end, but it felt aimless for over half the book. I didn’t understand why I was slogging through pages of Anjeline and Franck’s adventures around New York. 

If you stick with the story, everything concludes nicely, though I’m still deciding if it was worth it. The mature content rating is for mentions of sex, and the violence rating is for gun violence and blood.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

As She Fades by Abbi Glines - PUBLIC ONLY

Glines, Abbi As She Fades, 265 pages. Feiwel and Friends, 2018. $19. Content: Language: R (105 swears; 47 “f”); Mature Content: R (on page sex); Violence: G. 

Vale and her boyfriend Crawford get into an accident on the night of graduation.  Crawford is in a coma and Vale is lost without him.  All of their post high school plans included each other, including college.  As Crawford’s coma stretches into months, Vale’s parents convince her to go to college, where Vale meets her brother’s frat brother, Slate.  Vale quickly realizes that there’s a whole other side of herself that she has suppressed in order to be what Crawford needed, and now she is ready to figure out what she wants. 

This is a new adult read with characters that are in college and are very sexually active.   The story was interesting and I liked the characters but I would never be able to recommend this to anyone because of the content.  Obviously there is a lot of swearing, but the worst part is the amount of sexual content including, but not limited to, on page sex, oral sex, casual sexual relationships and many sexual references. 

NEW ADULT – PUBLIC ONLY.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann - OPTIONAL

Kann, Claire Let’s Talk About Love 277 pages. Swoon Reads (Macmillan), 2018. $16.99. Language: R (50 swears, 17 “f”), Mature Content: R (asexuality, bisexuality), Violence: G

Alice dates, both guys and girls, but that’s not her problem. Her problem is that she is asexual. She wants a relationship, but she doesn’t want it to be sexual. Finding a person who will accept her is nearly impossible. After her girlfriend can’t handle it any longer and breaks up, Alice is ready to swear off dating forever. Then she meets Takumi. She falls in love with him, but she is not sexually attracted. This may be one more relationship for the garbage heap or he might finally be the one who accepts her the way she is. In the meantime, she must figure out a way to convince her parents that being a lawyer is not the career she wants.

This is a story about a college student who just wants the freedom to figure out her life and be accepted as she is. She doesn’t want to be pressured to be the person other people want her to be. In many ways, this is a sweet love story. Takumi is a perfect gentleman to Alice. In addition to the sexual component, there is also the issue of inter-racial relationships, but this is a minor mention in the story. I expect this book to be popular with teens who like realistic fiction about sexual identity and finding your path.

NEW ADULT – OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Valerie McEnroe, Media Specialist

Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore - NO

McLemore, Anna-Marie Wild Beauty, 339 pages. Feiwel And Friends, 2017. $18.  Language: G (0swears, 0”f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G.

For almost a hundred years the close knit Nomeolvides women have been caretakers of the enchanting garden estate, La Pradera, the enchanting location which summons visitors from around the world to its beguiling destination. Here, enchantment blooms in botanical wonder and the unique family of women hide a tragic history of losing all those they choose to love too deeply. In the midst of secrets and wonder a young man appears and in an attempt to help him discover who he is, the women discover the dangers of long buried secrets and hidden subjects guarded by family. 

This book is an adult view of love, loss and complicated social commentary woven in a botanical fantasy. The book is a difficult read and the plot convoluted.

NO. Raelynne, Language Arts Teacher

The Big F by Maggie Ann Martin - OPTIONAL

Martin, Maggie Ann. The Big F.  280 pages.  Swoon Reads (Feiwel and Friends), 2017.  $10.99.  Violence: G, Language: R (49 swears, 2 F’s), Sexual Content: PG-13 (intense kissing, innuendo, sexual talk). 

Danielle’s mom is a college psychic.  She helps students find the right school and the right major.  And she’s got Danielle’s life all scoped out, except Danielle failed her English class and her acceptance to Ohio State was revoked.  Danielle couldn’t tell her mom and during a family dinner with her hated cousin, it all comes out.  Her mom wants to call admissions, but Danielle is determined to fix it herself.  Especially after she sees Luke Upton in town, he was her crush when she was eleven-years-old and he’s back in town.  Danielle enrolls at the local community college and gets a job at a bookstore, where she meets Porter.  Everything is going her way.  Her best friend, Zoe, is super supportive.  Luke is now her boyfriend.  She’s in an English class to make up the high school class that she failed.  She’s all set to be re-admitted to Ohio State.  But is this the life she really wants?  She finds herself drawn inexplicably to Porter.  She receives an internship at Green Transitions and discovers a love for environmental science.  Danielle begins to think that maybe the life her mother has planned for her, isn’t the life she wants after all. 

Author Maggie Ann Martin does an excellent job of “Documenting the college experience,” and “attempting to solve clichéd riddles of new adulthood” (page 102).  Danielle is a highly relatable character with a lot of personal growth and a charming voice.  Teens and New Adults will both be able to identify with Danielle’s life-choice dilemma.  Who does she really want to be?  And how will she get there?  The romance in the story is delightful and often unexpected.  Porter is not the typical hero, he’s more complex.  One of my favorite scenes is when he shows up to her speech in a T-shirt that says, “My Underwear.”  Even though Danielle got an ‘F’ in English, I would give this book an ‘A.’

HS, New Adult-OPTIONAL.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS. 

Something New by Lucy Knisley-OPTIONAL

Knisley, Lucy, Something New: Tales from a Maekshift Bride. Pgs. 291. First Second Books, 2016. $22.99. Language: G, Mature Content: PG-13, Violence: G

Lucy is getting married and wants to put her on spin on things. As she spends a year getting her wedding together and putting her own stamp on things, however, she realizes how ridiculous wedding planning can be.  How manipulated brides can be when planning food, dress shopping, picking a cake, decorating, etc. Will Lucy find a happy balance? The illustrations are fun, detailed, and quirky. The author does a great job of portraying the woes of “happily ever after” planning. Due to some content, however, this is best suited for high school or above.

NEW ADULT - OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Jessica M, Library Media Specialist, Olympus Jr. High

We Know It Was You by Maggie Thrash - OPTIONAL

Thrash, Maggie We Know It Was You, 344 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2016. $17.99. Language: R (114 swears, 18 ‘f’) Mature Content: R (Graphic sexual content and discussions) Violence: R (Murder, rape and molestation)

Benny Flax lives goes to a school where there are no good mysteries, and he desperately wants to solve one. Virginia leads wants a new reputation but has no way to get one. Her chronic gossiping follows her back years. Until one day, there is a mystery involving the public suicide of cheerleader Brittany Montague. And Benny and Virginia are the only ones who know the truth about that tragic night, and the murder plot behind it all.  

This book is an odd mix of complex relationships, dark satire, and offensive content that is more suitable to a mature audience mystery thriller. The most compelling part of this novel, to be sure, is the not quite platonic, not quite in love push-pull relationship between Benny and Virginia. Their scenes are extremely dynamic and sort of in the vein of the beginning relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Watson. I also liked that the author didn’t feel the need to sugar coat any of her cast. Most of them, including at times the main leads, did vastly unlikable things and thought uncharitable thoughts. But where this novel goes wrong is that I assume it wants to be a satire on the hypocrisy of sexism and racism, but it is supremely unclear about this and I feel that most young adults would either be baffled or offended by the topics discussed and the way they are handled, as the author never drives home her points. One could even assume she is actually endorsing these terrible viewpoints instead of speaking against them, though I don’t think that was her intention. It was just poorly handled all around. This book is also very graphic, with numerous f- bombs and sexual content that’s almost ridiculously crude, even for New Adult. Overall, a jumbled mix of good and bad.

HS, NEW ADULT- OPTIONAL. Student Reviewer: Jewels

The Art of Not Breathing by Sarah Alexander - OPTIONAL

Alexander, Sarah The Art of Not Breathing, 278 pages. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017. $17.99 Language: R (33 swears, 14 ‘f’) Mature content: R (sex, nudity, graphic language, severe self-harm, drinking, suicide, extreme bullying, PTSD, delusions brought on from grief, parental abuse and graphic depictions of death) Violence: PG-13 (fighting and traumatic death) 

Elsie’s twin brother drowned in the sea five years ago, and her family has never been the same. Elsie is obsessed with discovering her blocked memories of that day and getting all the dark secrets her family has been keeping into the light. With the help of sweet free diver Tate and her older brother Dillon, she may be able to face the ocean and finally say goodbye to her twin once and for all.   

The Art of Not Breathing is a very gritty YA contemporary with strong content that makes it feel more New Adult to be honest, though I can think of no reason for all the gratuitousness to take place. It does nothing to further the plot or the character development. I started this novel enthralled by the unique writing and the deep emotional pull of the story line, but ended it sort of baffled. The characters actions are erratic and nonsensical. You can’t get to know them because they have nothing concrete about themselves besides the issues that they face. Lastly, this book simply suffers from too many themes in too little pages. The topics discussed in this novel were not handled in a way I could appreciate and I can’t see the benefit in teens reading this story excepting its perfectly unpretentious realness. 

HS- OPTIONAL. Student Reviewer: Jewels DiSalvo