#AmReading YA

Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee
Jeff Zentner
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

A contemporary novel about two best friends who must make tough decisions about their futures--and the TV show they host--in their senior year of high school.

Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six.

But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder.

Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he'll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too.

As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous...and momentous.

THIS book is yet another example of why I will continue to read every book Jeff Zentner writes. He made me laugh, he made me cry, he made me care, and he did so well.

Many upper YA books take on those BIG life changes that teens that age face. The end of high school brings many new beginnings, but some beginnings are accompanied by endings. Delia and Josie may have been best friends, but they now found themselves on divergent paths.

For Josie it meant leaving home and leaving Delia. She would have to adjust to a new city, a new school, new friends, a new job, and a life with a lot less Delia. She was dealing with all the anxiety that accompanies leaving the nest, but she was also weighed down with a lot of guilt when it came to Delia.

Delia had been dealing with feelings of abandonment for over a decade, since her father left and never looked back. He left, her other best friend left, and now Josie was going to leave too. My heart totally went out to Delia. It's never fun being the one left behind, and when your own father can up and sever all ties with you, what would keep someone, who is only a friend from doing the same? She just broke my heart, and I wanted to give her the most fierce hugs a person could give, over and over again.

Yes, my heart broke a little, BUT, not to worry, because let me tell you, most of this book is chockfull of hilarity. Delia and Josie were such a fantastic pair. I adored the way they played off each other and their Seinfeldesque discussions about nothing were a thing of beauty.

Zentner also gave us a most wonderful love interest with Lawson. Gosh! He immediately captured my heart, and my love for him just grew and grew with every one of his on page appearances. He had all those soft boy qualities I love, as well as being an MMA fighter and an avid SFF reader. He was sweet and lovely and he wore his heart on his sleeve. Oh, and, the romance was precious and perfect.

I will admit, Orlando was a mixed bag for me. The stuff with Devine took a real over the top turn, but the chapters that followed were so beautiful and emotional, that I just didn't really care what happened before that. Zentner did some wonderful things for these characters in those last few chapters. I found myself simultaneously shedding happy and sad tears as I sported a HUGE grin.

Other things I loved:

• Buford  
• Arliss
• The Random Josie Observations test
• Improbable animal encounters 🐘 + 🐬
• "Fan" mail
• Road trip
• Nods to The Serpent King and Goodbye Days

Overall: This was a beautiful story about friendship, love, moving on, and letting go. It was about beginnings and endings and appreciating the lessons learned along the way.

The Quiet You Carry
Nikki Barthelmess
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Flux
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Victoria Parker knew her dad's behavior toward her was a little unusual, but she convinced herself everything was fine—until she found herself locked out of the house at 3:00 a.m., surrounded by flashing police lights.

Now, dumped into a crowded, chaotic foster home, Victoria has to tiptoe around her domineering foster mother, get through senior year at a new school, and somehow salvage her college dreams . . . all while keeping her past hidden.

But some secrets won't stay buried—especially when unwanted memories make Victoria freeze up at random moments and nightmares disrupt her sleep. Even worse, she can't stop worrying about her stepsister Sarah, left behind with her father. All she wants is to move forward, but how do you focus on the future when the past won't leave you alone?

Victoria just had to make it through her final year of high school, and then, she would be able to enjoy the freedom, that comes with attending college, but instead, she found herself thrust into the foster care system following an altercation with her father, which had left her watching her future slip out of reach.

I had no idea this was an own voices book, when I requested it, though, I am not surprised. There was quite a bit of insight shared and, shared in a way, I have yet to see in other books involving foster children. Barthelmess brought me into the process, rules, and frustrations surrounding foster care. She showed the upside and downside, and it always came across as honest and fair to me.

This book had a HUGE emotional impact on me. I so clearly felt Victoria's fear, shame, distress, and hopelessness surrounding her situation. I also got a good sense of her strength, determination, and hope, which she tried not to let ebb, as she attempted to rebuild her life and continue to pursue her dreams.

I won't lie and say this book was light, because it was not. The book dealt with many heavy issues, but it wasn't all grim. Seeing Victoria continue to fight for her future was probably one of the things I loved most, and it kept me very hopeful. Barthelmess also gave Victoria a small group of great and supportive friends, an extremely sweet romantic interest, and some really encouraging educators to help her along the way.

But, what I loved most was the ending. This was the payoff for the pain and tears shed. There was lots of closure and hope for the future, but the author also let some characters redeem themselves. I don't know, it was important for me to know, that not everyone was the villain they appeared to be.

Overall: A story that was equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking, but also hopeful and a tribute to how much power honesty, kindness, and friendship hold.

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

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