by Renée Ahdieh ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 16, 2017
This story (and sequels) will undoubtedly enthrall readers seeking a torrid, tortured romance in a trendy setting; still, a...
In a historical fantasy inspired by feudal Japan, the daughter of aristocrats finds a place among sort-of-ninjas akin to Robin Hood’s band.
Hattori Mariko, barely 17, is resentful but resigned to an imperial marriage. When her caravan is waylaid, she seizes the chance to become something else. Disguised as a boy, she infiltrates the notorious Black Clan to investigate why they undertook her murder; but she is not prepared for the secrets she uncovers…especially about herself. Ahdieh’s follow-up to her superlative two-part Arabian Nights retelling, The Wrath and the Dawn (2015) and The Rows and the Dagger (2016), is equally rich in legendary glamour and again features convoluted political intrigue and star-crossed romance between a clever heroine and brooding hero. Unfortunately, the author’s extensive research results less in a sensuous, subtly constructed background than in obtrusive dumps of vocabulary and exposition. Truncated paragraphs and sentence fragments are overused to simulate dramatic tension. Mariko constantly complains of sexist oppression, but the story shows her held back mostly by her own vacillation. She is, however, amazingly ingenious, inventing an entire arsenal of ninja-style weaponry in a matter of weeks. The hints of magic are frustratingly arbitrary and vague, and the motives of the villain(s?) utterly opaque right up to the cliffhanger ending.
This story (and sequels) will undoubtedly enthrall readers seeking a torrid, tortured romance in a trendy setting; still, a disappointment from an author capable of so much more. (Fantasy. 12-adult)Pub Date: May 16, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-17163-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
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by Kathleen Glasgow ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 30, 2016
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.
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New York Times Bestseller
After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together.
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-93471-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
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by Renée Watson & Ellen Hagan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 12, 2019
A book that seamlessly brings readers along on a journey of impact and empowerment.
A manifesto for budding feminists.
At the core of this engaging novel are besties Chelsea, who is Irish- and Italian-American and into fashion and beauty, and Jasmine, who is African-American, loves the theater, and pushes back against bias around size (“I don’t need your fake compliments, your pity. I know I’m beautiful. Inside and out”). They and their sidekicks, half-Japanese/half-Lebanese Nadine and Puerto Rican Isaac, grow into first-class activists—simultaneously educating their peers and readers. The year gets off to a rocky start at their progressive, social justice–oriented New York City high school: Along with the usual angst many students experience, Jasmine’s father is terminally ill with cancer, and after things go badly in both their clubs, Jasmine and Chelsea form a women’s rights club which becomes the catalyst for their growth as they explore gender inequality and opportunities for change. This is an inspiring look at two strong-willed teens growing into even stronger young women ready to use their voices and take on the world, imploring budding feminists everywhere to “join the revolution.” The book offers a poetic balance of dialogue among the main characters, their peers, and the adults in their lives. The exquisite pacing, which intersperses everyday teen conflicts with weightier issues, demonstrates how teens long to be heard and taken seriously.
A book that seamlessly brings readers along on a journey of impact and empowerment. (resources for young activists, endnotes) (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0008-3
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2019
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by Renée Watson ; illustrated by Ekua Holmes
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by Renée Watson ; illustrated by Andrew Grey
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by Renée Watson ; illustrated by Bryan Collier
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