#AmReading: YA Five Star Edition

Clap When You Land
Elizabeth Acevedo
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.

Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…

In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.

Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.

And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.

When a plane traveling from New York to the Dominican Republic falls from the ski,  Yahaira and Camino's lives are forever changed. With the crash come some very big reveals. Family secrets are unearthed, and both young women must deal with the truth about their father.

I will never be able to do this book justice in a review, no matter how many times I write, and rewrite it. This is a story you need to experience yourself. I believe, this multifaceted tale will impact different readers in different ways, but I have no doubt, it will leave its mark.

Acevedo created two wonderful and robust main characters, and as always, she injected so much of her culture into their DNA. I loved how very different these two young women were, and yet, how they were bound to each other. Learning about them, their lives, their families and friends painted this full-color picture for me, and helped me understand the many different pieces, which made up the whole, while not obscuring their differences. Their daily lives, as well as their upbringing, were night and day. It was in these moments, where the author touched upon issues such as economic disparity, toxic masculinity, and grief.

I enjoyed getting to be with Yahira and Camino separately, but I really loved, when their worlds collided. Seeing something beautiful rise from the ashes was extremely satisfying for me. And, wow! The ending of this book had my emotions all sorts of everywhere. I was practically weeping, but I promise, my tears were the good kind.

This was a touching and moving story of secrets, lies, grief, forgiveness, and family, which was exquisitely told, and imprinted itself on my heart.

By the Book
Amanda Sellet
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

As a devotee of classic novels, Mary Porter-Malcolm knows all about Mistakes That Have Been Made, especially by impressionable young women. So when a girl at her new high school nearly succumbs to the wiles of a notorious cad, Mary starts compiling the Scoundrel Survival Guide, a rundown of literary types to be avoided at all costs.

Unfortunately, Mary is better at dishing out advice than taking it—and the number one bad boy on her list is terribly debonair. As her best intentions go up in flames, Mary discovers life doesn’t follow the same rules as fiction. If she wants a happy ending IRL, she’ll have to write it herself.

It wasn't easy being the introvert of the family, but Mary was happy to live her life within the pages of her favorite 19th-century books. However, when she is forced to switch schools, she finds herself shunned by her former friend. She is lucky enough to find a trio of young women, who appreciate Mary's bookish leanings, but will she be able to fully navigate high school, her new friendships, and a maybe romance by the book?

In a word, this book was DELIGHTFUL! It put a smile on my face from the very first page, which never faded.

Mary captured my heart from our very first meeting. I can totally relate to being undone by any life change, big or small, but having to start over in a new school sophomore year is far from easy. To make it worse, her frienemy from her previous school decides to "unburden" herself, and cuts Mary loose. So, obviously my heart broke for her, but I was also proud of the way she dusted herself off, and took a chance by talking to Terry, Lydia, and Arden. This trio became such an important part of Mary's being, and I simply adored the friendship they shared.

Arden was probably my favorite of the friends. She was personality plus, and I loved the enthusiasm she had for just about everything. The fact that she planned a "season" for Mary, for her high school coming out, endeared her even more to me, and I had a great time attending each "event" with this bunch.

I also loved Mary's family. She had this big, bookish family, which was chaotic and wonderful! Sellet did such a incredible job pulling us into the Porter-Malcolm home. I had such a fantastic time getting to know all Mary's siblings, and getting to see the dynamic in her family. Mary often pointed out how money was tight, but let me tell you, there was no shortage of love or attention. They sat down at dinner together almost every night, and actually talked to one another. They supported each others passions as well, by attending matches and plays. I also had a stupendous time at quiz night with the Get Lit team. By the end of the book, I was so enamored with them, that I was ready to claim my spot in the Porter-Malcolm family.

Alongside all the family fun and friendship antics was a charming romance. I guess you would call it hate-to-love, and it was precious. The banter between Mary and Alex was delectable, and I could not get enough of them. I was pleased that there was a lot more to Alex than met the eye, and was glad Mary was able to see it too.

This book kept me in a constant state of elation! The strong focus on family and friendship coupled with an absolutely adorable romance will always win me over. And, although I am not a big 19-century lit reader, I thought the references were so fun. I mean, WWJAD - What Would Jane Austen Do? FANTASTIC!

For me, there were no flaws in this book. The story was fun and sweet, and it filled me up with so much mirth. This was a lovely and enchanting read, and I hope Sellet has a LOT more stories like this coming our way.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

Do you have a favorite 19th-Century lit character or book?
Let us know in the comments!