Posts Tagged 'loss'

The Singular Life of Aria Patel by Samira Ahmed

Published October 10, 2025 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

Aria Patel loves to study science because it is precise and predictable. Therefore, she is confused when her physics teacher gives the class a poem to study about different realities. More confusing still, is when she begins getting terrible headaches and proceeds to start waking up in different realities for herself. In each reality she lives in a different place, her family looks different, and even her interests seem to vary. However, that poem from her class and the boy, Rohan, she recently broke up with appear in each reality. As she desperately tries to get back to the life she knows she ends up staying in one reality for longer and begins to really fall in love with the family and Rohan she has in this reality, but as attached as she is getting she knows she does not belong here and must find her way back. Can she get back to the world she knows, even if it is not the most perfect universe of herself? Will she ever learn how she is sliding between realities? Will she ever find her way back to her beloved Rohan?

This book is interesting and fast paced as Aria’s reality changes so quickly. It becomes clear that she needed to see these different realities in order to give herself some perspective rather than only focusing her life on things that are probable or predictable. There are many things in life that do not always make sense, but feel right anyway. Aria needs to learn to focus on more than just the science behind everything. The ending is satisfying, but does not explain everything and might leave readers wanting a little more closure but that is really the point.

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.

Rez Ball by Byron Graves

Published September 17, 2024 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Sports Fiction/Native American Fiction

Tre is a Native American living on a reservation in Minnesota with his mother and father who are still grieving the sudden loss of his big brother, Jaxon. Jaxon was an amazing basketball player and the loss of him resulted in the rez team once again not making it to the state tournament. Tre was crushed when the team lost and vowed to improve his game so he can make varsity for his sophomore year. His best friend, Wes, is convinced Tre has a future in basketball and has been making a documentary on his journey since he is an aspiring filmmaker. As he gets closer to the season he really believes that his summer workouts will pay off, he’ll make varsity, and they’ll take the team to the state tournament for the first time. Can he make the varsity team his brother would have been a starting senior on? Can the rez team get to the state tournament for the first time in history? Can he keep up with the insane expectations everyone has for him?

Fans of sports fiction will enjoy this title because there is a lot of great sports action, but the setting on the reservation is really different and interesting. There is starting to be more Native American fiction and this is a great one to show how life on the rez is not that different from life in any other place, but there are still many people who harbor stereotypes and prejudices toward Native Americans. The characters are well developed which helps the reader care about what happens to them and how this team truly affects the entire rez. The ending is exciting and satisfying. Recommended for fans of other sports fiction authors such as Carl Deuker.

A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass

Published February 8, 2023 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Romance

Princess Annika of Kadier knows it is her duty to marry someone she does not care for in order to secure the throne. She is more than willing to make this sacrifice for her people and their long term chance of peace. Meanwhile, Lennox is a Dahrainian and very much believes the throne was stolen from his people. He has done terrible things on the orders of his vicious stepdad in the hopes of proving his loyalty. When Lennox is given the chance to prove his worth as a leader he decides to sneak into Kadier and wreak havoc, but unexpectedly he comes across Annika (whose fiancee immediately flees and leaves her behind). Lennox takes Annika back to his home as a prisoner, but she is a lot feistier than anyone predicted and Lennox cannot help but feel respect for her. As their stories begin to connect they both start to realize they may not have all of the information about their countries’ respective histories. Can they trust each other? Can they trust those around them who may have been feeding them misinformation in order to control them? Can they move past their difficult pasts?

Fans of Kiera Cass will like this title even though it’s a touch predictable and tidy in places. The main characters are engaging and interesting and there are a few surprises in the plot, but many of the revelations won’t seem that astounding to readers. Nevertheless, it’s easy to root for these two as they try to find the truth and both truly want what is best for their people and that does not come without some steep losses for both of them. Anyone looking for a romance similar to Cass’s other books will enjoy this title.

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 Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris

Published December 17, 2021 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Realistic Fiction and 327 pages

Alex Rufus has had the ability to see into the future ever since his parents died. Every time he touches any item or person he sees what will happen to that person or thing in the near or distant future. For example, he knows the ice cream shop he works at will one day be owned by someone else because he can see it when he touches the ice cream scoop at work. He learned long ago that there is no changing the future he sees, no matter what he does, so he tries to avoid touching anything he doesn’t want to know the future to. Having this ability has made him more closed off with his girlfriend and his brother, Isaiah, but he doesn’t know how to change it since so much of his time is spent dealing with the many visions he sees. Then, one day he sees a vision of himself at Isaiah’s funeral in the not so distant future and he knows he needs to act fast. He needs to reconnect with Isaiah and see if there is any way to change this terrible vision he sees. Is there a way to save Isaiah? Is there a way to ever rid himself of this terrible condition so he can truly just enjoy life as it comes at him? Will the community he lives ever see him as anything but a young, black man?

This story really paints of picture of not only how terrible having the ability to see the future would be, but also how difficult growing up black in America can truly be (even in affluent neighborhoods). Alex struggles to communicate with those around him because he fears no one will be able to understand what he is going through, but along the way they show him that they are there for him no matter what. He also learns that by not sharing his thoughts and feelings with others he has also been missing out on what is going on with them. He and his brother have drifted since their parents’ untimely death and while he understands how it happened he also realizes how precious life really is. The ending is satisfying, but does give the reader a lot to think about long after the book is over. Recommended.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Published May 19, 2021 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Sci/Fi

Number of Pages: 303

Klara is an artificial friend who loves looking out the window at her store hoping that one day she’ll find a family to go home with. Klara is very observant and notices a lot about the people and places around her. This is why she catches the eye of Josie, a young girl who has a stilted walk who comes to the city once in awhile and talks to Josie through the window. She knows she is meant to take Klara home, but it takes her awhile to convince her mother. When Josie finally gets to take Klara home she is blessed to become part of the family, even if Josie does get sick from time to time which causes great stress to the household. Klara feels it is her responsibility to look after everyone and truly wants the best for everyone around her. As Josie’s health deteriorates, Klara feels it is up to her to try and find a way to make her well, but what does she know about such things? Her never-ending hope begins to rub off on those around her and they begin to think that Josie may have a happy ending after all. Can Klara help heal Josie? If Josie grows up what will become of Klara?

This unique story follows an observant, but neutral narrator who truly tells it like she sees it as she doesn’t have any feelings clouding her judgment. It takes awhile to a clear picture to come out about the world this is set in and what tough decisions humans have to face regarding new technology. The characters are all interesting, but the reader only knows as much as Klara can observe so they are not always well developed. Fans of futuristic stories will enjoy this title and find it truly different than other novels.

The Ghost of Five Mile Creek by Payne Schanski

Published April 22, 2021 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Realistic Fiction

Number of pages: 218

JB admits right away that he has been punished severely for getting caught breaking and entering into a large house in his town. He has not offered much in the way of an excuse, and appears to be taking his punishment without complaint. His mother even made him stop playing basketball for his entire freshmen year, even in his own driveway. Throughout the ordeal he has also lost his group of friends who scattered the second he got into trouble and all went their own way in high school. He has found himself sitting with an odd bunch of students at lunch who really have no one else to sit with so they have banded together. One of the people he sits with, Marty, is someone JB feels a lot of guilt about because when he was younger he used to torment him and purposefully leave him out of things. That’s partly why he agrees to go when Marty pitches the idea of them driving out to an abandoned house that is believed to be haunted. JB knows if he got caught again it would not go well for him, but he feels like he owes this to Marty, especially when it appears that everyone else will back out. Then, surprisingly his former best friend and a popular new girl in school offer to come along and suddenly they have a group of five people going to investigate this haunted house in the middle of the night. Will they encounter any supernatural activity? Will they form lifelong friendships? Will JB get his punishment extended into his sophomore year?

This coming of age story follows a group of high school students who all agree to go to a “haunted house” for different reasons. Once they are there, they all have to face some of the things they had been avoiding such as J.B.’s resentment toward his friends for abandoning him, Marty’s past bullying, and Jennie’s loss of her sister. The ending is realistic and satisfying for a story in which the main characters are not finished finding their way. Fans looking for scary/suspenseful stories might not find enough of that here, but fans who enjoy coming of age stories will want to know more about these characters once the story ends.

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

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

# of Pages: 340

Edward, a 12 year old boy, was the sole survivor of a plan crash that killed 191 people.  He is taken in by his aunt and uncle, who are still reeling from the fact that they will never have a baby of their own. Several people reach out to Edward to help him cope with this terrible tragedy, but the only one who seems to bring him any peace is his new next door neighbor, Shay.  He even sleeps on her floor every night because he can’t settle in his new house.  The story alternates between Edward’s life after the crash and the interactions of people on board before the crash.  There was a young woman heading to meet her soon to be fiance with some big news, a wall street tycoon traveling with his nurse, and an outgoing flight attendant determined to make everyone on board feel safe and happy.  As time goes on, Edward learns something that opens up a world of possibilities for how he can move forward and truly cope with everything he’s been through while also trying to do some good in the world.

This story about life after death focuses on a young boy and how difficult it is to go on after losing his entire family in an instant.  He even feels some guilt as to why he should survive and no one else.  His new best friend, Shay, seems to understand how difficult this is for him and tries her best to help him through this process.  His aunt and uncle are trying to be supportive too, but many times they aren’t sure what is best for Edward.  In the end, Edward finds a powerful way to help himself move on, but also those of others left behind.

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.

 

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

Published April 15, 2019 Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre: Realistic Fiction

372 p

2019 Iowa High School Book Award

Dill Early, Jr. is struggling in his town where he is now famous for being the son of the preacher who was convicted of having child pornography on his computer.  He and his mom are struggling under all the legal bills and he doesn’t see how he can ever really get out of this small town.  Lydia, his sarcastic friend, is also a bit of an outcast because she refuses to conform to traditional norms.  She has a fashion blog where she showcases unique stores all around their area and encourages everyone to be themselves at all costs. Their other friend, Travis, is a large red haired senior who loves a fantasy book series and often carries a staff with him.  The three of them are often ridiculed in their community and if they didn’t have each other to lean on their lives would be truly miserable.  Lydia, at least, has very supportive parents at home who are not living hand to mouth and can afford to spoil her a bit.  Dill and Travis, on the other hand, have parents who do not seem to like who they are very much and keep trying to change them.  All three of them have aspirations for after high school but do they have the courage to go for them? Do they have the strength to break away from the expectations that have been set for them?

This powerful story gets more and more powerful as it goes on.  The character development is so well done that the reader really feels like he or she knows these people and is living alongside them.  There are many issues these teenagers are dealing with that seem especially unfair for people so young, but these situations exist all over America and it’s time we all start addressing it.  Travis and Dill feel like they are trapped and have no way out of the life set for them by their parents, while Lydia is counting down the days until she can leave this town far behind. In the end, they all must find the courage to do what they need to in order to not only survive, but thrive in their own lives.

 

Shutter by Courtney Alameda

Published January 21, 2016 RAC , Science Fiction Leave a Comment
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shutter

Genre:  Science Fiction

# of Pages:  372

RAC:  Yes

Micheline is the youngest descendant in the Helsing blood line.  Her and her friends work catching ghosts and other supernatural beings.  They each have special talents that allow them to track down and properly extinguish these harmful beings.  At the beginning of the story they are called to a particularly heinous scene where a ghost has killed people in a hospital.  They are supposed to wait for backup, but Micheline decides to go in alone and her team is forced to follow.  They are attacked by this being and contract a rare disease known as soulchain.  Soulchain will kill them if they do not kill the creature that infected them in seven days time.  Their parents wish them to lay low while they hunt the dangerous ghost, but Micheline and her team know it is them who must hunt it down to save their lives.

The plot is much more intriguing here than most readers will expect.  There is a lot of backstory on Micheline’s family and how her and her father came to be so estranged.  There is a fair amount of suspense and plot twists that keep the story active and fast paced.  The characters are interesting as their talents and personalities are revealed.  Plus, in this world no one is really ever safe, which makes the suspense all the more real.  Recommended for fans of science fiction and suspense.

The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong

Published November 23, 2015 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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masked truth

Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Mystery

# of Pages:  340

RAC:  Yes

Riley witnessed the couple she was babysitting for get murdered and has never been the same since.  She blames herself for not doing more to help them.  She has tried multiple counselors and the latest one has suggested she come to a weekend-long retreat with other troubled teens.  They are not there very long, however, when masked men come in and declare they are holding them hostage until a wealthy teen’s dad pays a hefty ransom for them.  Things begin to go wrong almost immediately and it quickly becomes obvious that they may not leave alive. Riley is now getting her chance to see if she were in a life threatening situation again if she would run or stand and fight.

Fans of mystery thrillers will enjoy this title because it is a lot more than it first appears.  The beginning even lags a bit as they struggle to find a way to defeat their kidnappers, but then things take a turn when everything Riley thought was happening is completely turned on its head.  For the most part any inconsistencies in the motivations of the characters are explained away and the resolution is exciting and captivating.  Fans of mystery books and shows should check out this title.

Kalahari by Jessica Khoury

Published April 23, 2015 Adventure , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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kalahari

Genre:  Adventure/Survival

# of Pages:  354

RAC:  Yes

Sarah has lived in one exotic location after another her entire life since her parents are both scientists and often move to where they can conduct research.  After the recent passing of Sarah’s mother, they are still grieving but decide to carry on with a previously scheduled educational safari so that they can earn some extra money.  Shortly after the five teenagers arrive, Sarah’s dad is called away to stop some poachers and she is left to entertain them in the middle of a semi-desert.  Hours go by and Sarah’s dad does not return and finally she receives a very panicked call over the radio from a frantic man who sounds like her father claiming it was a setup and he was being chased.  The call cuts out with the sound of gunshots.  Sarah and the other five teenagers are alone, with little food, and no transportation.  They decide to go looking for help and must rely on Sarah’s survival skills in order to survive.  They eventually find a silver lion who tries to attack them and Sarah knows something unnatural is going on and more than likely whomever created that monstrosity would do anything to keep it quiet.  Can Sarah get the others to safety?  Will she ever find out what happened to her dad?  Where did the silver lion come from and is there some illegal experimenting going on?

Fans of survival books will enjoy this title.  There are multiple scenes in which one or more of the teens is in serious danger due to some natural wildlife threat, like snakes.  However, once they uncover the silver lion they face many dangers from humans as well as the people behind the altered animal want desperately to contain the situation at all costs.  The characters are sympathetic and relatable as they truly just try to just survive this very unexpected situation and in the process must face the many reasons they all wanted to escape to the Kalahari in the first place.

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