Posts Tagged 'death'

After Life by Gayle Forman

Published October 3, 2025 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Realistic Fiction

One day Amber rides her bike home from school feeling like it’s any other day, but when her mom sees her she starts screaming because Amber died seven years prior in a hit and run. Amber does not remember anything about the accident and hasn’t aged at all, but everyone around her has moved on including her sister, Melissa. Melissa is Amber’s younger sister, but now she’s officially older than Amber ever was. Strangely, Melissa is the one person who does not seem that surprised by Amber’s appearance and seems genuinely pleased to see her despite the fact that Amber was very mean to her when she was alive. Amber’s father, who was never religious, has declared her appearance a miracle and wants to tell everyone, but Amber’s mother is scared of what is happening and does not want to get her hopes up. As Amber comes to terms with the fact that she was never able to do any of the things she dreamed of with her life, she also learns that many unfortunate things have happened since her death, including her parents’ separation. Why is Amber back now? Is there any way she can resume her life, even if in a different way? Can she find closure with those she left behind? Will she ever find out who hit her and ran away to leave her to die in the street?

This story really makes you think about life and how to make the most of it. Amber thought she had time to do all the things she wanted with her life and she also thought she had time to fix her relationship with her sister. Amber also struggles watching how much her family has suffered, but seeing her does bring them some peace and the strength to make some changes in their lives instead of being forever burdened by her untimely death. Forgiveness is a major theme in this story and most readers will connect with one of the characters because they are all justified in their feelings but also need to find ways to forgive and move forward. Recommended for anyone dealing with a loss, but everyone will find themselves thinking about the characters even after the story is done.

Everything I Promised You by Katy Upperman

Published March 25, 2025 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Romance

Lia and Beck have known each other their entire lives because their mothers have been best friends since long before they were born. When Lia’s mom was in high school she got a psychic reading on a dare and learned that she would have a daughter who would fall in love with her best friend’s son one day. Therefore, when Lia and Beck were born they were always aware that they were meant to fall in love one day. However, it didn’t happen until they were in high school. Due to the fact that both of their dads were in the army they weren’t always around each other, but whenever they were on the same army base they would continue to get closer until they couldn’t imagine life without the other. Right from the beginning the reader is aware that Beck died suddenly in his first year of college and that Lia is struggling to survive a year after it happened. She had to move to a new army base for her high school year and she does not know how to plan her future without Beck. Can she find a path forward without Beck? Should she stick to the plans she had set when Beck was alive? Can she ever let anyone in again?

This romance goes from present to past to show how the pieces of their romance came to be as well as how Lia is doing in the present. She does not have a good relationship with her parents at this time because although they are trying to help her cope, she does not believe they really can help her. She’s also let friends go in the past year as it is too painful to pretend like everything is normal and life can move on. As Lia begins life anew for her senior year she does make progress, but there are setbacks too as she tries to figure out who she is and what she needs to do in life. This romance is heartwrenching and beautiful at the same time and will find an audience with fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Nicola Yoon.

The Thirteenth Child by Erin Craig

Published December 10, 2024 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

Hazel, the thirteenth child born in her family, is promised to Death at birth and as such her family often treats her as if she is already gone and working with Death. In reality, Death comes to collect Hazel on her 12th birthday and immediately moves her to a new house in the Between where she is expected to study all she can about illnesses and the human body so that she can become a great healer. She is gifted the ability to see exactly what ails a person, but this includes seeing if she is unable to heal someone. She quickly becomes renowned and people come from far away to seek her help. However, when the king’s men come looking for her she knows it is very serious and she isn’t sure what she’ll do if she can’t save the king. Upon arriving, it appears she will not be able to save the king from this horrific disease, but she also fears what might happen to his children and the kingdom if she does not. Meanwhile, Death has made it very clear that he does not support her bending the rules of life and death to save anyone, even if it is the king. What is Hazel willing to do to save someone? What is she willing to give up in the process?

This update to the Grimm tale, Godfather Death, does a nice job of explaining why Hazel feels so torn in her quest to heal those around her. She has faced impossible tasks, but she definitely struggles to find a cure for the terrible disease that has started spreading through the country. She feels for the king’s family, but is also concerned about the total loss they will face if she cannot stop it. If she is forced to guide someone to Death she is then haunted by that person’s decaying ghost. Her relationship with Death is complicated as he does seem to care for her, but often leaves her alone when she is struggling with obstacles in her path. The supporting characters are all memorable so that when they come back into the story, even if they have been absent for several pages, they fit seamlessly back into the action. Recommended for fantasy readers.

Tag, You’re Dead by Kathryn Foxfield

Published October 15, 2024 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Mystery

Anton Fraser, a teen reality star known for crazy antics, announces he will be running a giant live-streamed game of tag. Each contestant (100 in total) will have the latest tech to help them on the game, including body cams that will be watching their every move. The game cannot distract from the fact that Anton disappeared from public life after one of his employees died suspiciously at his sprawling mansion. It was ruled a suicide, but there were always questions and the answers are now threatening to come out. After the game starts it becomes clear that some people are in it for different reasons than just the cash prize. Grayson, for example, wants to avenge the love of his life who died in Anton’s employ, but first he must do well enough to get close to him. Erin needs to win for her mother, who has placed a lot of pressure on Erin to win at all costs. Charlotte really does believe she is Anton’s biggest fan and believes they could form a relationship if only they got to know one another. As the game gets started and they are assigned to be Chasers and Runners it becomes clear that not everything is at seems and when a dead body is discovered it changes everything. Is it all part of the game? Has someone taken control of the game? Is there anyone they can trust?

This fun, fast paced mystery is great for reluctant readers because there is a lot of action but it’s also written in a way that readers who maybe favor YouTube or videogames can really get interested in. The characters are all easy to distinguish and all have their own motivations for wanting to participate in this crazy game. The ending will surprise many, but in a good way for mystery fans who like to be caught off guard. Recommended for mystery fans and those looking for something exciting with a modern twist.

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

Published April 26, 2023 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Realistic Fiction

Salahudin and Noor were best friends growing up, but when Noor expressed an interest in pursuing a romantic relationship things took a bad turn and they haven’t spoken much since. Salahudin’s mother has missed having Noor around and has been trying to get them to reconcile ever since. Salahudin’s mom is very sick and his dad is an alcoholic, which makes running their small hotel a challenge. When Noor relents and goes to visit Sal’s mom she is shocked to find her health has declined rapidly. She accompanies her to the hospital and fears the worst. Meanwhile, Noor is expected to work every hour she’s not at school at her uncle’s convenience store. He is not kind to her and blames her for the fact he had to quit college and raise her when her family was killed in an earthquake in Pakistan. He wants her to work at the store after high school so he can go back to college, but Noor wants more for her future even though she feels she does owe him for taking her in. The death of Sal’s mom brings him and Noor back together and Sal starts to realize that Noor is dealing with a lot at home and he isn’t sure how to help her. He’s also terrified they are going to lose the family business and contemplates taking some ill advised measures in order to keep that from happening. As Sal and Noor grow closer it becomes apparent that both of them are keeping secrets from the other and when they all come spilling out they are forced to deal with the terrible aftermath. Can they find a way to be together after everything that has happened? Can they make peace with a future they didn’t expect or plan?

This story connects the characters to the reader in a way that many readers will not expect. It’s easy to sympathize with the situations both Sal and Noor find themselves in and it’s easy to see why they would make questionable decisions based on the reality they have to deal with every day. Both characters want a good future for themselves, but also care about those around them which makes them very likable and believable high school students. Forgiveness is an important element as well because it’s the only way to relieve some of the anger and rage they have been dealing with due to their overall frustrations with their difficult lives. Poverty is another theme that is prevalent throughout and is written in a way that shows many of the myths about poverty are simply not true and it can happen to hardworking people who are trying their best. Finally, there are some great cultural references to the Pakistani community living in California and some of the challenges that brings. This is an Iowa High School Award Winner for 2023-24 and is highly recommended.

All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

Published October 4, 2022 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

Seven families in Ilvernath fight every generation for access to the high magick. Each family puts forth a competitor and they fight until the death and the winner/survivor’s family gets to control the high magick until the next Blood Moon determines it’s time for a new battle. Up until now this has been a secret arrangement, but an anonymous author recently wrote a tell-all book telling the world all about the bloody battle and suddenly the small town of Ilvernath has been flooded with reporters and tourists trying to see who will be chosen to represent the seven families. Each candidate has their reasons for wanting to represent their family and many have plans for how to outmaneuver the other contestants, but at what cost? What are they willing to sacrifice in order to secure that power for their families? Is there any way to bring this terrible curse to an end?

Each chapter focuses on a different candidate so that you can really see each of their perspectives. Alastair is a Lowe and they have historically won the most times and therefore he feels like he is expected to bring home that win even though he does not feel like his family is particularly supportive of him. Isobel was thrust into the spotlight first and as such seems to have a target on her back from everyone else. Gavin is from the Grieve family who not only rarely wins, but is believed to be the family behind the infamous book. Each character can agree that he or she does not want to die, but in the end they know that some must in order for them to survive. This is a dark tale with a new spin on magical abilities. Fans of Three Dark Crowns and other darker fantasy stories will be eager to see the second installment of this tale.

All This Time by Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott

Published February 18, 2022 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Romance

From the same authors as Five Feet Apart, this romance story begins with Kyle learning that his longtime girlfriend is actually not going to go to the same college as he is on their graduation night. There is a terrible storm and as they fight about their future together they get into a terrible accident where Kyle is seriously injured and Kimberly dies. He struggles for months to heal and get up every morning knowing that Kimberly is gone. He shuts out friends, puts college on hold, and generally fails to progress in any way. Then, he meets Marley and everything starts to change. Marley has also lost someone close to her and the two of them begin to work through their grief together, but as they begin to find happiness they feel overwhelming guilt that they are here and those they lost are not. Both of them harbor guilt about how their loved one died as well. Kyle can’t help shake the feeling that something will come along to disrupt his happiness because he doesn’t think he deserves it, and something definitely does but it’s something you won’t see coming. Can he fight for what he had with Marley or is it just not the right time?

This story definitely keeps the reader guessing as the plot takes some serious twists. Kyle’s relationship with Kimberly has kept him from truly living his best life and he’s starting to realize that, but also feels terrible about the fact that Kimberly is not there anymore. Marley, meanwhile, has faced some terrible things as well and because of that struggles to truly open up and believe in happy endings and forgiveness. Recommended for fans who enjoy unique romance stories such as The Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park.

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

Published May 4, 2020 Award Winners , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 466

Leigh is devastated when her mother commits suicide, but she believes she reincarnated as a beautiful red bird who visits her sometimes.  On one such occasion, she believes her mother brought her a box of keepsakes from her grandparents, whom she’s never met due to a falling out that occurred before she was born.  Leigh convinces her dad to take her to Taiwan because she believes her mother wants her to finally meet them.  When she arrives there is a little issue with the language barrier, but Leigh is determined to try and communicate with her grandparents for her mother’s sake.  She even sees that her mother has left her with a way to see old family memories in order to better understand how they had all become so distant.  As Leigh struggles with a newly uncertain future, she must also begin to grieve and let her mother go.

An Iowa High School Award winner for next year, this story battles culture, identity, family, betrayal, trust, and even a little magic.  This is a powerful story about a young girl struggling with her mother’s death, but also trying to plan a future she knows her father won’t approve of.  She’s also navigating a complicated relationship with her long time best friend and recent crush, Axel.  This story will linger with readers long after they have finished.  Highly Recommended.

The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

Published March 23, 2020 Realistic Fiction , Romance Leave a Comment
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Genre: Romance/ Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 440

Emma Saylor hasn’t spent much time with her mother’s family since she was little due to her parent’s divorce and then her mother’s death when she was ten.  Her father tried really hard to shield her from the pain he knew she felt from her mother’s absence.  When her dad gets remarried, Emma is supposed to spend time with a close friend while he goes on his honeymoon, but plans change and she finds herself without anywhere to go for several weeks.  After exhausting every possibility, Emma goes to stay with her mother’s family who call her Saylor (which is what her mother called her).  They run a hotel next to a lake and Emma finds herself learning the importance of hard work and family as she throws herself into the family business.  She also realizes that she really doesn’t know much about her mother’s family at all and enjoys hearing how memories and seeing family photos.  As she gets to know her grandmother, aunts, and cousins she starts to realize that she wants to get to know them more even after the summer is over.  Meanwhile, there is a little romance between her and a local boy.

Anyone can relate to this story about feeling torn between two different worlds.  Emma was always a part of her father’s elite upper middle class world, but she feels she belongs just as much to her mother’s working class family first world.  Can she find a way to balance both?  Can she find a way for her two worlds to connect?  Recommended for fans of Dessen’s other titles or Jenny Han books.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Published January 23, 2020 Award Winners , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Iowa High School Award Winner 2020-21

Genre: Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  234

Marin ran away to college after a terrible tragedy befell her and she hasn’t told anyone about it, even her best friend Mabel.  Despite her effort to outrun her past, however, Mabel has come to visit Marin in her dorm over Christmas break.  Mabel is determined to find out why Marin ran away and if there is any way to rekindle their friendship.  As the weekend goes on Marin begins to face the terrible truth she ran from, but she also begins to realize that she is going to have to face her past eventually.  Can they be as close as they once were?  Can Marin learn to deal with her reality as it is?

Fans of John Green will enjoy this title.  The characters are vivid and the plot is revealed at an appropriate pace.  Many difficult issues are discussed so readers looking for lighter reads will probably want to keep looking.  This has been named an Iowa Award Winner for next year.

 

This is Not the End by Chandler Baker

Published October 1, 2019 Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction apart from one futuristic element

376 p.

Lake Devereaux survived the car accident that killed her best friend and her boyfriend.  She has less than a month until she turns eighteen, at which time she can resurrect one person, but only one.  To make matters worse, she had already promised her resurrection to someone else who isn’t even dead yet. Everyone is pressuring her to use her resurrection for their personal family member and she is getting frustrated and overwhelmed.  Then, after therapy she meets a boy from her past who does not care who she chooses and therefore she sees him as someone she can confide in. He has strong feelings against resurrections, though, which makes their relationship difficult.  Who will Lake choose?

This book manages to set up a premise that seems totally believable and yet impossible for Lake all at once.  Her relationship with her brother, boyfriend, and best friend are all described in avid detail as you see why she is struggling so hard with this resurrection decision.  The periphery characters are also well described and their motivations are all understandable.  The ending will surprise most readers, but not in the way they will probably think.  The book manages to sustain a very interesting premise throughout the entire book.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

Published December 13, 2017 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Holly Chase was a wealthy, beautiful, egotistical daughter of a movie director who lived to judge others.  Therefore, it shouldn’t have been much of a surprise when she was visited on Christmas Eve by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.  Yet, Holly chose not to take this experience seriously and laughed it off as a joke despite the ghosts’ warnings that she would die soon if she didn’t change her ways.  Shortly after her disastrous Scrooge experience she is hit by a car and dies.  She wakes up in the office of the company who choose the “Scrooge” each year and she is now required to work here to prepare for each Christmas Eve, but then must also act the role of Christmas past.  She thinks she’ll be stuck in this existence forever until one year her Scrooge is a teenager just like her, and unfortunately, she can see the similarities between herself and her new Scrooge and for the first time she begins to feel bad about the kind of person she really was when she was alive.  Can she save him from the same fate even if she has to break a few rules?

Anyone looking for a fun Christmas read should check this one out.  Holly is brash, bratty, insensitive, and sympathetic all at once.  She’s trying to do better, but doesn’t really know how.  The supporting characters are all fun and colorful, but the focus is definitely on Holly and most of the other characters are not as developed.  The story itself is fun and the reader wants to root for Holly despite her difficult personality.  Recommended.

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty

Published December 15, 2015 Mystery , RAC Leave a Comment
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lock and mori

Genre:  Mystery

# of Pages:  248

RAC: Yes

Miss James “Mori” Moriarty has been living a tough existence since her mother died several months before.  Her father has become a heavy drinker and often takes his frustrations out physically on her and her three brothers.  She knows she needs to do something to protect her brothers but she isn’t sure what at this time.  Meanwhile, she becomes friendly with a strange boy at her school, Sherlock Holmes.  They encounter a murder in the nearby park and are shocked to see the police are severely inept and make terrible and lazy assumptions.  They decide to investigate on their own in order to find the true killer and are horrified to discover this was merely one amongst several similar murders.  There is a serial killer out there the police aren’t even looking for!  Can Mori find the killer and save her family from an increasingly bad home life?

This is a fun mystery story for fans of mystery fiction and TV shows.  Sherlock Holmes is impressive in his deductions and observations as always and it’s refreshing to see a different take on the character of Moriarty.  There is a bit of violence in it and Mori’s father is definitely a force to contend with in her life, but Lock and Mori try very hard to never lose hope that they can in fact prevail as long as their intentions and resolve are strong enough.

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Published October 7, 2014 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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dangerous girls

Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Mystery

# of Pages:  388 p.

RAC:  Yes

On a spring break trip to Aruba a group of high school seniors think they will have a carefree time full of beaches and parties, but instead end up finding one of their own, Elise, stabbed to death in their beach house.  Surprisingly, police turn suspicion onto their group rather than following clues that might suggest an outside intruder.  Within a few days, Anna, Elise’s best friend, is arrested and charged with the crime.  Anna’s boyfriend, Tate, is originally considered until his father’s expensive lawyers convince Aruba to let him go in exchange for testifying against Anna.  Anna feels shocked, sad, vulnerable, and betrayed as she awaits her trial in jail.  As her friends return to school, college, etc. she is forced to face the realization that she may spend the majority of her life in a foreign prison.  Will Anna be convicted?  Did she know anything about this terrible crime?

Fans of Pretty Little Liars and similar series will enjoy this title that packs emotion, suspense, and surprise throughout the entire story.  Readers come to feel like they know what it would be like to be in Anna’s shoes.  There are some passages with heavy language and sexual references that do ring true for how teens often talk and act to each other but may not be appropriate for younger readers.

Golden by Jessi Kirby

Published February 28, 2014 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance Leave a Comment
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golden

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  277

RAC:  Yes

Parker is a high school senior who has always followed the rules and done what she was supposed to, which is why she is currently a finalist for a prestigious scholarship that would give her a full ride scholarship to her dream school.  Her best friend, however, feels she needs to break a few rules before graduation.  The opportunity surprisingly arises when she is asked by a teacher to mail out notebooks full of wishes and goals written by a group of high school seniors ten years prior.  As she gathers the notebooks to send out to these graduated seniors from ten years ago she comes across one for a Julianna.  This is a big deal because Julianna died in a car accident with her high school sweetheart shortly after graduation.  They have since been immortalized in the town as the “golden couple” who were meant to be together forever.  Parker decides to open the notebook and read what Julianna’s last thoughts were in those weeks leading up to her death.  What were her aspirations?  Her dreams?  When Parker starts reading the notebook, however, she is very surprised by Julianna’s words and it makes her question everything the town promotes about this girl.  Was there more to that fateful night that led to the horrific car accident?  Parker decides to investigate.

Fans of Sarah Dessen and Nicholas Sparks will devour this title.  It is full of colorful characters, including Parker who is always pushed for greatness by her mother but deep down she doesn’t really know what she wants for her future.  Meanwhile, Julianna’s notebook opens a flood of feelings and fears leading up to graduation that anyone could identify with.  Plus, there is the added intrigue of finding out what exactly happened to Julianna and her boyfriend.  It’s a fun romance story that will be popular with many young adult teens.

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