Hi everyone, this week I’ll be giving you a post with teen titles as promised. I had to do a little bit of research for this as I wanted to showcase diverse teen sisters for this post. So, why not settle down, grab a drink and delve into the post below…
In my first title, You bring the distant near by Mitali Perkins (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2017), readers are treated to a generational read that spans through time. Starting in the 1960’s we meet Ranee Das and her young daughters, Tara and Sonia, as they begin their migration from Ghana to England and finally to Queens in New York. Sonia falls in love with a boy her mother can’t accept and cuts a deep wound in the family. The next generation, Tara and Sonia’s daughter’s story unfolds next and readers are given a gorgeous multi-layered Bengali story. What I loved the most was the inclusion of Bengali words and phrases!! The relationship of the sisters and cousins are complex and interesting. For a diverse read, this was really well crafted and the characters relatable. A really enjoyable diverse teen read!!
My next title; To the boys I’ve loved before by Jenny Han (Simon & Schuster BFYR; 2014) was an interesting diverse read. Lara Jean Covey, the middle one in the Song Covey clan of sisters, keeps her love letters in a hat box her mother gave her. One for every boy she’s ever loved – five in all. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she’d never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control. A gorgeous story of family, love, loyalty and teen drama!! Full of life and mirth, Lara Jean set in her ways and quite pensive. Her boy dramas are often funny but things take on a twist at the end but the relationships she has with her sisters is one that spoke volumes to me. I really enjoyed the mixed-race family dynamics and the light way Jenny Han introduces us to the Korean culture and traditions. A gorgeous starter to this series!!
This next title just popped up in one of my recent searches. Drizzle, dreams, and lovestruck things by Maya Prasad (Hyperion, 2022) takes us to the Pacific Northwest coast of America. We meet the four Singh sisters as they help their father with his business, the Songbird Inn. Nestled in dreamy and drizzly Orcas Island in the Pacific Northwest, the inn has always been warm and cozy and filled with interesting guests – the perfect home. But things are about to heat up now that the Songbird has been named the Most Romantic Inn in America. Readers will enjoy this teen rom-com as they get captured into the romances of these four young women. What a gorgeous read this was!! Teen romance, diverse characters, Desi drama and gender identity, all wrapped up in one delectable story!! I loved the setting in Orcas Island, part of the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest and getting to know this group of trouble!! I loved how Prasad introduced each girl as the season began. Although everyone had happy endings, the backstories of their parents who died layered the characters’ struggles really well for me. I loved how each sister had additional formats of lists, texts, poetry and stage directions to accentuate their differences. The bond of sisterhood shines through every single page and I love how they’re all supportive despite small issues. This was such a lovely read for a debut teen rom-com!
My last title is, Lulu and Milagro’s search for clarity by Angela Velez (Balzer + Bray, 2022). Our protagonists are a pair of Peruvian sisters. Overachiever Luz “Lulu” Zavala has straight A’s, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school’s cross country college road trip. The only flaw in this plan is Clara, her oldest sister, and the argument she had with their mother. Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with College or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own spring break plans operations (Don’t die a virgin) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back to her ex then she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about this possibility she never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy crazy girl everyone seems to think she is. Told in Lulu and Milagros distinctive voices, this story takes us from Baltimore to Pittsburgh to Indiana and finally to California. Your average college trip read wouldn’t you think? Not this one, filled with drama, humor, friendship and some romance but completely flavored with those strong bonds of sisterhood. I never thought I’d get to read about a Peruvian family but here we are. Typical teen dramas ensue amidst the college finding experience. I loved the dynamics between Lulu and Milagro and their budding friendships with Leo and Lucas. An amazing read of family and sisters!
I hope you all enjoy these reads. I leave you with a quote I thought encapsulated that unique bond of sisterhood for me!!
Stay safe and keep reading
‘In quantum theory, chemical bonds keep atoms in line, keeping them from turning into bombs or floating away… But Clara is at college in Iowa, leaving Milagro and me unstable. We are electrons buzzing around, full of reckless energy that can’t be contained. Occasionally we collide and sometimes I even think we’re finally bonding…’
Lulu from Lulu and Milagro’s search for clarity
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 