Public Library Of Youngstown & Mahoning County: YA Book Reviews By Amy

Youngstown OH

12 May, 2022

4:11 PM

Description

Press release from the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County: Amy May 2nd, 2022 YA Book Reviews by Amy: Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month Contemporary Reads May is the month of respecting and highlighting Asian and Pacific American Heritage. I wanted to select books for this week that are written by authors that are Asian and Pacific American and that have characters that also reflect the heritage. This week I will focus on the realistic fiction, also know as contemporary, titles. These are the novels that take place during current day. There is a mixture between some tough reads and some humorous ones that I have selected, and I hope one catches your eye! American Panda by Gloria Chao Mei, a 17-year-old freshman in college, is a pre-med student at MIT on the path that her strict parents have always wanted for her. But Mei does not want to live the life of a doctor or being set up with a Taiwanese boy that her parents are determined to pick out for her. She is quickly realizing that germs overwhelm her, that she has no interest in the medical field, and that she has a crush on her classmate, Darren. Mei feels like she does not have a choice but to follow her parents plan due to her brother being estranged after going on his own path. Will Mei continue to live her life for her hard-working parents, or will she follow her dreams? This was such a real book that I think many teens (and adults) will be able to relate to; it is hard enough to be constantly asked 'what would you like to do for the rest of your life?' when the answer may change constantly or you just don't know, but it is also difficult to have expectations placed on you as well. The themes of expectations versus reality is strongly written. Very realistic that is a hard read at times, but a good one. Available as an eAudiobook on Overdrive and at the library* for checkout. Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon Have you ever had a lie that spiraled out of control? For Sunny Dae, his lie got him the girl, but he is coming closer and closer to having the truth be found out. Sunny is a self proclaimed nerd and when he meets Cirrus, he falls for her; she is everything that he isn't– cool and confident. When Cirrus mistakes an electric guitar to be Sunny's, Sunny decides to tell her that he is in a rock band, which couldn't be further from the truth. Sunny convinces his friends to be in his pretend band and soon it begins to give Sunny confidence that he never had. But it is only a matter of time until someone learns the truth. I am currently reading this book, and I am enjoying it so much! This is also my first David Yoon book, and I find his writing to absolutely hilarious. So much wit and so much fun! Also, this cover is absolutely stunning! Available at the library* for checkout. I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo Desi Lee wants to live her life like a Korean Drama because the heroine tends get the guy in the end, and Desi is currently a flirting disaster. She decides to write down all the tropes and a step-by-step guide to get the boy of her dreams. Following this strict list will cause Desi to lose herself in trying to be a leading lady and there is always drama in a K Drama. This book was so funny, but it definitely caused me to have some second-hand embarrassment when Desi would do something very cringe-worthy. Desi is so over the top and has this big, but kind personality, I could not help but laugh at her and root for her in the same breath. This is a fun contemporary YA to read. Available at the library* for checkout. Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay Jay's summer before college was supposed to be easy, until he finds out that his cousin, Jun, was murdered. No one in his family knows what really happened, so Jay decides to travel to the Philippines to find answers. But what Jay finds is that Jun had many secrets that he didn't know about, and that Jay had a part in his demise. Such a rollercoaster of feelings! Jay is such a complex character and his journey through his grief and guilt was powerful. I listened to the audiobook and thought that it was very well done. It is one that you would not want to put down once you start. Available as an eAudiobook on Overdrive and at the library* for checkout. Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram Darius knows little of his Persian ancestry and culture, but all that will change when he and his family and travel to Iran. Darius meets his mother's family and becomes immersed into the culture with the help of his new friend and neighbor, Sohrab. He begins to feel like he can be his true self; will this feeling continue even when he returns home? Darius is such a relatable main character that struggles with his own identity which I feel like many readers will feel. When I finished reading this book, I wanted to read more about Darius and his life. Luckily, Adib Khorram wrote a sequel: Darius the Great Deserves Better. Available in Overdrive and at the library* for checkout. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon Dimple plans on spending the summer at college for a web developers' program that she would like to win to prove herself in the field. Dimple also does not follow tradition by having her parents arranging her marriage. After a terrible meet cute, Dimple meets Rishi, a boy in the same program and is secretly on board with his family and Dimple's family setting them up. Rishi starts falling for Dimple, but he knows if she finds out the truth of why he was originally sent there, their friendship and potential relationship will fall apart. I really enjoyed reading about these two relatable goofballs! Both Dimple and Rishi feel so real because they are great characters that are also flawed. I love that this is clearly a rom com, but there is emphasis on Dimple's career and education. Available as an eAudiobook on Overdrive and Hoopla, and at the library* for checkout. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han Lara Jean loves to express her feelings of love of her crushes through super private-never to be sent letters. The last letter she wrote was to her current crush, Josh, who also happens to be her sister's boyfriend. When the letters are accidently sent out to the five guys she wrote about the last few years, she must save face. Lara Jean pretends to date, Peter K., another letter recipient who has his own motive. How will Josh react to receiving his letter after Lara Jean's sister just broke up with him? And will the fake dating with Peter K. lead to real feelings? This book does live up to all the hype for me. Lara Jean is such a likable character that I could relate to when I was a teen: she is super sweet, but also naïve. The plot is cheesy, but also is pretty suspenseful. I would recommend this book for anyone that enjoys reading contemporary romance. The Netflix movie is very faithful and very cute if you wanted to read the book and then watch the movie. Jenny Han is having another one of her books being turned into a new series: The Summer I Turned Pretty. Available as an eAudiobook on Overdrive and at the library* for checkout. *check the link for available copies or to place on hold Amy Hello everyone! I'm Amy and I am a Youth Services Librarian at the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. When I'm not trying to reach my reading goal for the year, I like to talk about what I'm reading to my family, friends, and coworkers. You could say I am a little obsessed with reading Young Adult books. I enjoy most genres, but my favorites include: Westerns, Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Fantasy, and Mystery. I am always looking for the next great book that makes me connect to its characters and hits me in the feels. This press release was produced by the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County. The views expressed here are the author's own.