Books For Young Adults
Last Night at the Circle Cinema
Three friends. One final night at the abandoned Circle Cinema. And nothing will ever be the same.
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Reviews
“Best friends Bertucci, Codman, and Olivia are gearing up for the end of their high school careers. Graduation is only one day away and none of them know what the future holds, especially since they will all be away from one another for the first time since they met freshman year. There are so many secrets, feelings, and experiences shared between the three of them that they aren’t quite sure how to make it on their own. Bertucci—the intelligent and tortured prankster—has one last hurrah planned. They must spend the entire night before commencement inside the recently shuttered Circle Cinema, a local movie theater. No one can leave before the break of dawn, and it is in this abandoned theater that they will confront their greatest fears, admit their mistakes, and hopefully see a future beyond high school. This sentimental read is perfect for teens who are either leaving high school behind or looking to their own future with uncertain eyes. The book moves from narrator to narrator, offering readers an in-depth look at all the troubles, struggles, and accomplishments the protagonists went through from each character’s point of view. Olivia, Bertucci, and Codman are all well-developed, realistic, and likable. A surprise ending will put the whole story and the protagonists’ struggles into perspective. VERDICT A sweet and wonderful tale that will get teens thinking about their own futures and friendships.” – School Library Journal
Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom
Buy the Book
“Falling for your best friend” gets a makeover in this fresh, funny coming-out story.
Lucas and Tessa’s friendship is the stuff of legend in their small Midwestern town. So it’s no surprise when Lucas finally realizes his feelings for Tessa are more than friendship and he asks her to prom. What no one expected, especially Lucas, was for Tessa to come out as a lesbian instead of accepting his heartfelt invitation. Humiliated and confused, Lucas also feels betrayed that his best friend kept such an important secret from him.
What’s worse is Tessa’s decision to wear a tastefully tailored tuxedo to escort her female crush, sparking a firestorm of controversy. Lucas must decide if he should stand on the sidelines or if he should stand by his friend to make sure that Tessa Masterson will go to prom.
Named to the 2013 Rainbow List
Reviews
“This well-constructed novel is told in alternating chapters by Tessa, a young woman who gathers up the courage to come out of the closet during her senior year, and Lucas, her lifelong best friend. Tessa believes she has dropped sufficient hints about her preferences so Lucas will get the point. When Lucas asks Tessa to the prom through the local supermarket’s twenty-foot illuminated sign, the sting of her refusal is a little hard to take. That incident and the fact that Tessa has asked her girlfriend Josie to the prom quickly become news in the small Indiana town. Lucas’s initial anger is misrepresented as antigay rhetoric, which adds fuel to the fire of bigoted citizens that want to bar Tessa from the dance. The beauty of the novel is how deftly Franklin and Halpin weave in so many unexpected consequences of Tessa’s decision. Lucas feels betrayed more than dismissed, then struggles to correct his initial selfishness. Classmates who could care less about Tessa’s lesbian status blame her for turning their rite of passage into a media spectacle. Tessa’s parents’ family business is threatened by boycotts—by folks who refuse their patronage on principle or just because they do not want to deal with picketers. Tessa, never one for the limelight, is a reluctant poster child for the gay rights movement. It is more than just unfortunate that books about gay and lesbian teens suffer the same discrimination as the people they describe. The large and growing genre no doubt is dismissed by a large population of readers, much like the talented individuals they also dismiss. Franklin and Halpin’s Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom is an excellent example. This is a novel about hard decisions, unexpected consequences, the meaning of real friendship, and the elusiveness of true love. It is a great story with a delightfully surprising and satisfying conclusion.” – VOYA
“High school seniors Lucas and Tessa have been lifelong friends, but when he asks her to the prom she turns him down, revealing that she is gay and has a girlfriend. Angry at this rejection and that Tessa kept something from him, Lucas betrays Tessa’s secret and even gives a mean interview to the school newspaper (“[O]ur whole Prom is going to be about her instead of being a normal dance”). There are protestors outside Tessa’s parents’ grocery store, the school administration is threatening to expel her, and the school board may cancel the prom. Franklin and Halpin’s third he said/she said collaboration (following Jenna & Josh’s Fauxmance and The Half-Life of Planets) will have readers empathizing both with Lucas’s desire to “make things right” and Tessa’s pain as she deals with hate in the hallways and at home. Lucas’s ultimate “grand gesture” is farfetched, but it’s also a fun release after an emotional story about the struggles gay teens often face and what it means to be a friend.”– Publisher’s Weekly
“This is a great book that explores what can happen to a friendship when it’s tested and the struggles that some people face in modern-day America. The story spreads the message that we must accept everyone in our society. Lucas and Tessa’s friendship journey is especially heartwarming and easy to relate to. The dialogue is much like a real teenager’s and the sarcasm of the characters makes you love them more and more. The cover of the book is also very chic. I hope for more books like this one.”—SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
The Half-Life of Planets
Buy the Book
Lianna is an aspiring planetary scientist…and also a kissing addict. Hank’s smart, funny, loves music and has Asperger’s…this summer they form an unlikely bond.
Liana is an aspiring planetary scientist… and also a kissing addict. This summer, though, she plans to spend every kissworthy hour in the lab, studying stars. Hank has never been kissed. He’s smart and funny and very socially awkward, because he’s got Asperger’s syndrome. Hank’s plan for the summer is to work at a music store and save enough to buy the Fender Jazzmaster he craves. What neither Liana nor Hank plans for is their fateful meeting… in the women’s bathroom at the hospital. But their star-crossed encounter could be the very best kind.
Nominated for YALSA’s Best Book of the Year
Reviews
“’Attention-grabbing… fine romantic comedy. Liana has a reputation for loving to kiss, and many boys have been the beneficiaries of her passion. It has never taken her beyond locking lips, however, and now she’s experimenting on herself this summer: Can she become a new person and leave her kissing-bandit ways behind? An aspiring scientist doing planetary research, Liana understands planets and their predictable orbits and patterns; it’s people she doesn’t always get. Nor does Hank, a teenager with Asperger’s syndrome who gets music but can’t read social cues. Put them together, telling their stories in alternating first-person narratives, and the result is a story laced with intelligent humor, well-drawn characters—even the secondary ones—and believable situations…readers will find themselves cheering for the proper alignment of these star-crossed lovers.”- Kirkus
“…A smart and unusual romance just about right for fans of John Green.”- Booklist
Jenna & Jonah’s Fauxmance
Buy the Book
The biting commentary on “reality” TV and society’s obsession with fame will keep readers laughing, as will all the remembered Jenna & Jonah scenes. Love, American style.
Fans of romance don’t need to look any further than the fauxmance brewing between teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers-known on their hit TV show as Jenna and Jonah, next-door neighbors flush with the excitement of first love. But it’s their off-screen relationship that has helped cement their fame, as passionate fans follow their every PDA. They grace the covers of magazines week after week. Their fan club has chapters all over the country. The only problem is their off-screen romance is one big publicity stunt, and Charlie and Fielding can’t stand to be in the same room. Still, it’s a great gig, so even when the cameras stop rolling, the show must go on, and on, and on. . . . Until the pesky paparazzi blow their cover, and Charlie and Fielding must disappear to weather the media storm. It’s not until they’re far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realize that there’s more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile.
Reviews
“The biting commentary on “reality” TV and society’s obsession with fame will keep readers laughing, as will all the remembered Jenna & Jonah scenes. Love, American style.”—Kirkus Reviews
“This delightful, funny romance novel based on Much Ado about Nothing, challenges our everyday scripts and false judgments. Readers will not need to know the play to enjoy the plot but may develop an interest in and an appreciation for Shakespeare’s plays and insight.”—VOYA
“While the book certainly plays to fantasies about what it would be like to live a Hannah Montana–style triple life, there’s enough exploration of character and questions about work, success, and relationships here to satisfy fans of more complex romances. Alternating perspectives let readers in on both sides of this rocky but ultimately sweet and satisfying fauxmance turned romance.”—BCCB
The Other Half of Me
Buy the Book
Jenny Fitzgerald has been outside the huddle, trying to fit in to her sports-obsessed family…
The only time she knows the score is when she’s holding an egg-carton palette and painting on a canvas, but even then she feels as though something is missing.
Unlike her three younger siblings, Jenny knows her biological father only as Donor #142.
As Jenny’s 16th summer draws to a close, she feels more alienated than ever. But then a chance meeting with gorgeous über-jock Tate leads Jenny to reach out to someone else who might know exactly how she feels. With Tate by her side, Jenny searches for a genetic relative in the Donor Sibling Registry and discovers that she has a half sister, Alexa. Jenny hopes their budding relationship will fill the gaps in her life, but when Alexa shows up on her doorstep for a surprise visit, the changes in Jenny’s world are much bigger than she could ever have imagined.
New York Public Library Pick for Books for the Teen Age
North Carolina School Library Media Association’s YA Book Award Master Listed
Reviews
“Franklin offers readers an engaging protagonist whose humor and unusual situation highlight the lonely and displaced feelings common to many teens. Resolution is not easy or smoothly achieved, and the painful encounters with parents and siblings, as well as with Tate and Alexa, gradually lead Jenny to use her art to express her new view of the world. The blend of romance, artistic expression, and angst about belonging in a family provides some depth, yet this is essentially a lighthearted tale.”- School Library Journal
“After reality takes over Jenny’s idealized vision of sisterly love, she begins to learn the true meaning of family and her own place in it. Franklin’s thoughtful story recognizes the questions and answers teens need, as today’s definition of family continues to evolve and expand.”- Kirkus
“Unlike the rest of her athletic family, 16-year-old Jenny Fitzgerald prefers painting to team sports. Feeling lost on the family sidelines, she wonders about her biological dad, an anonymous sperm donor she knows only as #142: “Mom had me when she was super work-focused and a single and thought she’d be alone forever.” Encouraged by Tate, a thoughtful jock who surprises Jenny with his interest, she logs on to the Donor Sibling Registry and discovers a sister, Alexa, a New York teen whose visit to the Fitzgeralds’ Connecticut home upends Jenny’s sense of family, her relationship with Tate, and her view of herself. With perceptive detail, Franklin skillfully folds the intriguing topic of donor-bank siblings into a larger story about a teen’s search for identity and love. Tate feels idealized; even Jenny wonders, “Is this guy for real?” But readers will easily relate to Jenny’s funny, questioning, first-person voice and the finely observed “small shifts…and currents of connection” that make up family dynamics. Suggest this with Brendan Halpin’s Alex-award winning adult title Donorboy (2004).”- Booklist
At Face Value
Being yourself should be simple—as plain as the nose on your face…
In this modern retelling of the classic Cyrano de Bergerac, seventeen-year-old Cyrie is a brilliant, athletic, and funny girl with a witty retort for each of the endless big-nose jokes she endures. But despite her talents and charm, she is convinced that all anyone sees is her nose. No guy—especially Eddie “Rox” Roxanninoff—would find her appealing. When Rox shows interest in Cyrie’s shy friend Leyla, she soon finds herself writing Leyla’s emails back to him, expressing her own true feelings instead. But watching her crush fall for her best friend may be more than she bargained for. Will Cyrie find the courage to tell the truth and trust that Rox will accept her for who she is?
Reviews
“Emily Franklin uses a familiar story to create something fresh, modern, and genuinely sweet. At Face Value reminds us that the biggest challenge of high school might not be getting comfortable with yourself, but rather getting over yourself.
“Readers will fall in love with AT FACE VALUE, Franklin’s playful twist on Cyrano de Bergerac, and cheer for Cyrie when she dares to step out from behind her literary talents to claim the romance that awaits her and discover the beauty she truly is.”
“This enjoyable…adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac switches its genders and turns tragedy into comedy.”
“Delightful…a truly suspenseful, thoroughly witty, and altogether modern story.”
The Principles of Love: The Principles of Love #1
What do you really know about Love?
Love’s her real name, but it’s not her whole story…
Love Bukowski is about to start school at Hadley Hall, the posh prep school where her dad’s the new principal headmaster. Raised by her single dad (with more than a little help from her funky Aunt Mable), almost sixteen-year-old Love is strong-willed, with a wry sense of humor—but will she fit into the world of Hadley Hall? In the made-for-TV version of her life, she’s got cool friends and hot guys galore. But being a “fac brat” makes new friends hard to come by, and the guys—well, that remains to be seen. Now Love’s got to step it up if she’s going to overcome her less-than-glamorous reality and get that walk-on role in her own fantasies.
Reviews
“Whether you’re 16 and looking forward or 36 and looking back, the 1st book in The Principle of Love series will pull your heartstrings with comic, poignant, and perceptive takes on the teenage tribulations of lust, life, and long-lost mothers.”–Heather Swain, author of Josie Griffin in Not a Vampire and Chromosome 16
“Love Bukowski is the perfect teen heroine, the girl you wish had been your best friend in high school. Love tells all in a voice that is alternately funny and heartwrenching.”–Sarah Dessen, Best-selling author of Just Listen
“Often funny, sometimes wise, a good read.”–Kirkus Reviews
“So real, so true I feel like I’ve just spent a year at prep school with my wise and witty friend Love Bukowski, and I’m ready for another year!”–Julia DeVillers author of How My Private, Personal Journal Became a Bestseller
“Funny and poignant.”–ElleGirl
Piece, Love, & Happiness: The Principles of Love #2
Buy the Book
Fall is in the air and Love is back at Hadley Hall
For Love Bukowski, summer’s over and school’s about to begin. But it seems like Love’s going it alone: her Aunt Mable has been acting weird, her Dad (who happens to be principal of her school) is preoccupied, her ex is pouting in Europe, and her former friend Cordelia has bonded with the evil Lindsay Parrish. Enter the new exchange student from London, Arabella Piece, who’s staying with Love and has some secrets of her own. Love’s summer may have called it a wrap, but her Fall semester dramas have just begun.
Reviews
“Often funny, sometimes wise, a good read.”–Kirkus Reviews
“Love Bukowski is the perfect teen heroine, the girl you wish had been your best friend in high school. Love tells all in a voice that is alternately funny and heartwrenching.”–Sarah Dessen, Best-selling author of Just Listen
“Funny and poignant.”–ElleGirl
“A fresh perspective on what really goes on at boarding school. I couldn’t help but get sucked in.”–Angie Day, producer of MTV’s “Made”
“It’s easy to fall in love with Love Bukowski.”–ME Rabb, author of The Rose Queen
Love From London: The Principles of Love #3
There’s a new Love in the Old World
Love Bukowski is finally in London! Her term abroad at the London Academy of Drama and Music promises to be anything but average. After leaving Hadley Hall, her dad (who’s got a new girlfriend), and her beloved Aunt Mabel (who is fighting breast cancer), Love faces a new set of challenges across the pond: vocal lessons, keeping up with Arabella and her new friends, and falling for the a Brit who is completely off-limits. Will Love turn around and retreat to the world she’s left behind? Or choose to dig deep into all that London (and love) has to offer?
Reviews
“Often funny, sometimes wise, a good read.”-Kirkus Reviews
“Love Bukowski is the perfect teen heroine, the girl you wish had been your best friend in high school. Love tells all in a voice that is alternately funny and heartwrenching.”–Sarah Dessen, Best-selling author of Just Listen
“Funny and poignant.”–ElleGirl
All You Need is Love: The Principles of Love #4
Springtime blooms, but for Love Bukowski, life back home is chilly
After an incredible semester at the London Academy of Drama and Music, Love Bukowski is back at Hadley Hall. Unfortunately, it feels as though her fabulous British life (and boyfriend) are on hold. Love wants only to be at Aunt Mable’s side, helping Mable during her fight with breast cancer. But why now Love’s Brit boyfriend Asher doesn’t seem to want to talk to her, and yet her ex-boyfriend Jacob has popped back into her life. Love’s dad is struggling with the way she’s changed (changed = grown up) and Aunt Mable has new information about Love’s mysterious mother. Love still longs for security—but maybe home is not the place to find it.
Reviews
“Often funny, sometimes wise, a good read.”–Kirkus Reviews
“Love Bukowski is the perfect teen heroine, the girl you wish had been your best friend in high school. Love tells all in a voice that is alternately funny and heartwrenching.”–Sarah Dessen, Best-selling author of Just Listen
“Funny and poignant.”–ElleGirl
