Award Books by Genre: YALSA Award

I am the Messenger is about an ordinary guy that makes something of himself when he gets playing cards in the mail telling him to help people. I thought this book was ok. It tried to have a quick and clever writing style, but there are other books that are much better for that. The plot is ok, and it is entertaining. While I'm not going to spoil the ending, it is kind of a disappointment. Overall, I would say that this book is ok, but there are much better books out there.

With its short chapters and simple tone, Paul Fleischman's book Seedfolks is a quick and inspiring read. The story begins with a young Vietnamese girl planting lima beans in a vacant lot on an apartment block in Cleveland. From there, more and more people begin to contribute, and just as the vacant lot grows into a garden, these people--all of different ages and ethnicities--grow into a community. Each chapter features a different perspective, incorporating previous characters, showing how they interact with each other. The small impact these strangers have on the lives of their neighbors is wholesome and profound.

Seedfolks is a great read for kids, teens, and adults alike. It follows a simple plot but carries more complex undertones of race and class, while creating a hopeful atmosphere. I found the story creative and inspiring. As someone who often gets caught up in thinking about the unknown lives of strangers, I enjoyed seeing through Seedfolks how everyone we encounter has an impact on our lives, and how, whether or not we realize it, we do the same for others. In a world that tries to divide people, it is possible to come together, coexist, and support each other--even across the lines drawn by society.

I thought to speak was a very good book. It was well written and had very deep concepts to deal with. This book made me feel and almost cry for some of the characters.
Melinda is a ninth-grade outcast who goes down a trail of depression. She has a few friends but all her old ones don't like her anymore. As the story goes on you learn about Mel's life and what happened to make her slip up at school.
I personally really enjoyed this book because it was from a perspective of a girl that doesn't live the same type of life as me but I believe even if this is your situation you'll enjoy the book and could relate to the main character. Many concepts that can be hard to deal with are shown in this book. Including depression, school slump, the act of hurting oneself, lying, untrustworthiness, and one of the hardest to grapple with harassment and being shamed for doing the right thing. throughout all the ups and downs of his life as a ninth-grader, this book will give anyone insight into what happens behind the scenes of a troubled teen. How one can fall under the challenges of modern life and what it means to keep a secret that almost ruined your life.

I was completely enthralled with this book from start to finish. Not only is Schwab's writing style elegant, making it easy to disappear in the book and forget that time exists, but the story: Addie LaRue selling her soul for immortality with the price of forced to be forgotten by everyone who meets her, was every bit as enticing as any other action-packed fantasy novel. And although she is cursed to be forgotten, her life changes when she walks into a ragged bookstore, only to be surprised when a young bookkeeper remembers her. With romance, dark magic, and heartbreaking twists, this book was impossible to put down.

My Life Next Door is a romance book about a girl named Samantha who is explicitly told by her mother not to associate herself with the Garrett’s, a family with a great number of children next door. Despite the warnings, Sam falls in love with one of the Garrett boys, Jase, and he ends up being an essential part of her life when things get wild with her mother’s political career. I really enjoyed this book, and it had an involved storyline with many twists and turns. The one reason I wouldn’t give it 5 stars is because the characters weren’t very relatable (at least for me), but it’s definitely worth a read! I would recommend it for teen girls looking for a good love story about kids their own age. It is also the first book in a series, so if you enjoy it there’s more where it came from!

Catniss Everdeen is the young girl in District 12 who comes from poverty and hunting. When the Annual Hunger Games start their draft picks, Catniss volunteers as tribute to spare her sister. She has always had talent with a bow and arrow for hunting for food to provide dinner for her family. Catniss uses her skill to win the Hunger Games and eventually eliminate President Snow, the background of the merciless games. I loved the intelligence put into the book of the making of the games. Because of the fighting, there is some violence and gore, but it’s still family-friendly and can be read comfortably. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves quick thinking and thought-out mystery. Hunger Games is intriguing, well-planned, and is an all-time favorite for my family.

The Inheritance Games is about a 17 year old named Avery who mysteriously is put into someones will and inherits billions of dollars. But, she has to live in the owner of the will's house for a year with his four grandsons. Within the year, Avery goes through a series of riddles to figure out why she was the random person chosen to inherit this mans fortunes. He could have chosen any of his family members, but he chose her. Battling some hate and jealousy, Avery works with the boys to figure why it was Avery and not the family.

I loved this book! It was such an amazing book! The mystery of what would happen next kept me intrigued the whole time. I could not put down the book! I reccomend this book to anyone and everyone who can read!

"Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle was one of the best books I've read all year. A true story, this book follows a 6th grade boy living in poverty. Both his mom and dad are unemployed, and he is forced to babysit his two-year-old brother, rather than hang out with friends. He doesn't even have time to complete his homework. Rex is determined to succeed, but struggles to focus in class because of his constant hunger - all his family can afford us cheap junk food. I liked his character development throughout the story, and how he gradually grew to be a better and more mature person. I'd recommend this for anyone interested in nonfiction and coming-of-age stories. It's a fairly easy read with simple language, best for younger tweens and teens. Just a warning, though: the story deals with heavy topics which may be triggering to some, so if you are sensitive to this sort of material, it might be best to avoid.
Reviewer's Grade: 8

This book has an amazing magical twist on the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. So, before I start this review, I want to warn y'all that it will be harder to catch on without that background knowledge. Now, onto the review!

This book, as above mentioned, has a twist on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. But, this book also touches on some racial issues (all good and supportive), so I would definitely consider this a YA novel. The magic in this is somewhat hard to keep up with but again, stunning and creative. This book touches on the bloodlines of all the knights but there is also magic from other lines.

Bree just got into Early College with her best friend and is trying to escape her hometown - and the grief associated with it. Losing her mother has been harsh, and After Bree is starting to take over. But one chaotic night on her first day switches her college experience-for better or for worse.

Nick stepped into Bree's life as a mentor to help her get her adjusted, but ends up as a strong support system for her-and begins to depend on her for support as well. Nick Is a part of one of the most important bloodlines, but all he wants to do is escape it. Bree helps, but can you ever escape your destiny?

Speaking of Nick, Bre and Nick have a romantic relationship-which I think is kinda cute- but if that makes you uncomfortable then just put that into consideration. It is not excessive, like maybe a 5 out of 10, but it IS important to the plot. This book is stunning and will keep you up till midnight. Gripping, fun, and creative, this is the ideal book for anyone who likes fantasy!

Reviewer Grade: 8

We are Not Free, by Traci Chee is about the point of view of Japanese people throughout World War two. The book starts by showing slight racism from "ketos," and how their lives are getting torn apart because of the war. They then get shipped off to internment camps because Americans don't trust them enough to let them be free. The book focuses a chapter on each character to get the full amount of emotions and feelings about being trapped, not being trusted, and racism against each person in the book.
This book is the best book you will ever read. It gives such a great mix of emotions (I was jumping with joy one minute and crying the next.) It opens your eyes to bigger problems in this world and how lucky you might have it. Don't walk, run to the nearest library and read this book!

Aurora Rising is a gripping and exciting action/science-fiction/fantasy novel by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. Starring a misfit group of cadets on a quest to help a stowaway from a different time, Aurora Rising provides action, lovable characters, and an exciting mystery element unraveling throughout.
Being the first book in a trilogy, some elements of the series aren't fleshed out to their fullest, but this is fixed in both of the next entries in the series. Some characters; especially the "Brain" of the crew, Zila; are left without much of a personality beyond one or two basic traits. The use of certain futuristic slang can be a detractor for some readers as well.
These drawbacks are more than made up for the wealth of strong relationships and a driving plot throughout. The main characters all have strong motivations and complement each others strengths and weaknesses. The plot moves forward through setpieces both large and small, providing each new world a chance to shine in its own way.
Overall, Aurora Rising is a must-read for young adult fans of science-fiction and/or fantasy and a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo is a fantasy novel about Grisha people with magical powers called the small science. It follows Alina Starkov and her childhood friend Mal as they make their way through this world, just trying to survive. The novel is well thought through. The plot makes sense and is complex enough to keep interested in the book. The characters are complex with their backstories, making them more relatable. The author does a great job illustrating the world and the magic system. Overall I would rate the book with a four out of five stars.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a puzzling thriller of the Hawthorne family. Avery Grambs has a simple plan. Win a scholarship and go to college. Her plan is flipped upside down when she is summoned to the will reading of Tobias Hawthorne, a man she had never met, and receives all of his inheritance, $46 billion. Now faced with lethal dangers of the Hawthorne family wanting their money back and the world stunned how she got it, Avery searches for the one question everybody is asking. Why her? The Inheritance Games reveals the devastating secrets of the Hawthorne family and the risks people take to keep those secrets. I highly recommend this book for anybody who loves a unpredictable mystery.
Reviewer Grade: 11

The fantasy novel Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo follows a young soldier named Alina who has been realized to have hidden powers, powers that no other magic user contains. Alina's powers are destined to save her country, but with great power comes greater responsibility--responsibility Alina may not want.
I rated this novel three out of five stars because the general plot was pretty creative, and the writing was also not bad. However, maybe since this is only the first book out of the three-part trilogy, I found myself not super invested in the characters or the conflicts that unfold in the story. The romantic subplot in the story was also not very interesting and everything in this novel seemed pretty predictable and lukewarm. Overall, it was an okay book. It wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible. I was a little disappointed though since this series had received lots of attention and was even made into a Netflix series, but maybe the next two books in the trilogy will capture my attention more.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Addie LaRue, a girl who lived in Paris, made a deal. She gets to live as long as she wants, however, nobody has the ability to remember her. Until 300 years later, when a boy remembers her name.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a book that will leave you in tears!! I really liked reading this book, all though it was not my all time favorite. The book had incredible character development (which is really important to me) and increasing plot to keep readers engaged. The only reason why I didn't give this book five stars is because about 8 of the chapters felt like they just repeating itself. Overall, it was a great book and I would read it again.

We Were Liars is about a family called the Sinclair's. The plot follows Cadence or "Cady," a member of this rich and privileged family, and illustrates the friendships she has with the other four teenagers who vacation on the private island that the Sinclairs own. The novel has an interesting writing style and the premise is that Cady has been suffering from memory loss, and can't remember parts of what happened last summer on the island. However, there is clearly something bad that happened last summer that nobody will talk about. This leaves Cady to figure out herself and put together the pieces on why her memory is blank on the events of last summer, and what exactly happened. We readers have to solve the clues to figure out what this huge unspoken secret is along with Cady.
I understand the gist of what the author meant to do here. When I first began to read, it wasn’t a bad story. I actually didn’t mind the writing style unlike most readers, and yes, while the main character was pretty privileged and slightly ignorant, she wasn’t the worst character. However, the thing that was the dealbreaker for me was the big secret. The plot twist that the author had been hinting at for most of the book. The issue was, is that the big revelation wasn't very interesting or something to gasp about at all. I feel like there wasn’t enough groundwork laid in the earlier portions of the story for the plot twist, so when the huge secret was unveiled, it seemed very abrupt, random, and unsatisfying. There were too many holes and loose ends, and I think as a reader, most people will leave very unsatisfied and slightly confused after finishing this book.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse is a historical fiction novel set in Oklahoma's Dust Bowl and during the Great Depression. It follows Billie Jo, a young girl as she struggles through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. During the book, Billie must endure heart-wrenching experiences that no one should have to go through. The author does a bewildering job of illustrating the struggles of the Dust Bowl and gives you a new perspective on this historical event. The Dust Bowl is no longer a page in a history textbook but a story that will break your heart. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book with 5 out of 5 stars.

Avery always felt like wallpaper at her school, practically invisible. That was until Tobias Hawthorne, a complete stranger, left her billions. She has to uproot her life and move to Texas to inherit the billions. She has to figure out why she inherited the money. Though it is hard while most of the household holds a grudge against her. There Avery finds a complex puzzle waiting to be solved, and not to mention a love triangle.

This book was an amazing read. It tells Avery's story and her scavenger hunt of a life time. It's a great book to help get out of a reading slump. Highly recommend!

The city of Ember is story of Lina Mayfleet, who wants to be a messenger in Ember, however she gets a job called the "pipe worker". Pipe workers have to work all they long in the deep sticky underground. However Doon, wants to be a electrician helper or pipe worker because he likes to work with machines, so he wants to see generator that makes electricity. However he gets job called "messenger", who runs all around the city and send messages to other citizens. Doon trade his job with Lina, and they both got job they want. Every thing is running out of the ember, lightbulb, food, energy, etc. Doon and Lina try to find the secret of the Ember, they try to find the way out of the Ember and for there future.

I give this book, the city of Ember 5-star rating. I loved this story because its adventurous and it hooks me in second page, also it makes reader to think about what's going to happen in future, and also makes readers want to read more and make reader interesting and imagine what is going on.

My favorite aspect of this book was when Doon and Lina was picking their jobs to work in the Ember. It was quite interesting to me because they actually don't get to choose there own job. Lina pick pipe worker, and Doon pick messenger. However they both don't like there jobs. Luckily, because they don't like there job, they trade there job and they'd like there new job now. The all familiar question of reader of Ember: Why Doon want to be a pipe worker? What is going to happen next? Why Ember are having blackouts? Where are Ember?

I also tell you that Ember heavily depends on electricity, and its running out of it. There only food is canned food. The city is dying, everyone knows it. When Lina finds a secret box that her great grand father have left with letter in it, and it was secret of the Ember. However, unfortunately, it was chew by her sister, poppy. Doon and Lina try to find what is the secret mean.

I also really liked the setting of the ember, the dark moon, only shining on the top of the Ember, no lights, dark, deep darkness. I can't spoil where it is but, there are blackout. There are only Ember, the light of the world, there are noting beside Ember. At unknown region, there are only infinity of darkness.

Overall, this is an easy read that adventurous, fun and it keep my eyes on the book whole time i read the city of Ember.

Illuminae is an enthralling mix of science fiction and thriller. Written as a case file and using many different formats (audio logs, transcribed security footage, and interviews are just a few), Illuminae has action, mystery, and romance to interest many teen readers, although its multimedia style may be jarring to some. Overall, an excellent book and the start of one of my favorite series to date.