Violet, a popular girl who is still reeling from the death of her older sister in a car accident that she survived, and Finch, a “freak” who is struggling to cope with bipolar disorder, met on the ledge of the school’s bell tower. Who saved whom? Kirby Heyborne is outstanding as Finch, using pacing and tone to make the young man believable as he navigates his mania and depression, dreaming up ways to die, then finding reasons to embrace life. Ariadne Meyers projects the voice of a well-loved but damaged teenager who is afraid to reenter life but is drawn to this new friend who needs her as much as she needs him. The story—dark and sad yet clever and funny—shines a light on the timely and important issue of teen mental illness. N.E.M. 2016 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
Hearts can break over so many things, it makes them seem awfully fragile. They can break over losing love, or never having enough to begin with. Grief cracks them wide open. Thwarted ambition can do some damage, too. With as much of a beat-up as these poor organs yet, it’s no wonder YA lit is […]
On teens’ must-read lists this month: book one in a thrilling new series about an ambassador’s vengeful daughter, a steampunk fairy tale, and a spellbinding story of survivor’s guilt and self-discovery from the indispensable Gayle Forman. Here are the month’s most exciting YA reads.
Maybe we’re biased, but we happen to believe that receiving a B&N gift card is one of the best things about Christmas (or any holiday, for that matter). You get to experience not only the fun of opening your gift card and daydreaming about all the awesome books that might be in your future, but the […]
In this month’s most exciting books for teens, mermaids battle an ancient evil, two tortured souls find love in their darkest hour, and the granddaughter of a political superstar seeks to avenge her mother’s death when nobody else will. Pulses will pound, hearts will break, and pages will fly. Here are the teen books you should […]
For every hero who was obviously destined for greatness (Superman, I’m looking at you), there’s a totally inconspicuous, unexpected counterpart. You know, the kind of awkward, hopeless type who’s constantly tripping over pebbles or telling terrible knock-knock jokes. But really, the unexpected ones are the best kind of hero—so here are some of our favorites.