Tiny Tidbits - The Backlist Edition

I have been trying to get to more of my backlist lately, and I wanted a space to share some of the standouts. Tiny Tidbits are my shorter, quick thoughts on what made these books hits for me. 

Six Feet Over It
Jennifer Longo
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Random House
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Home is where the bodies are buried.

Darkly humorous and heart-wrenchingly beautiful, Jennifer Longo’s YA debut about a girl stuck living in a cemetery will change the way you look at life, death, and love.

Leigh sells graves for her family-owned cemetery because her father is too lazy to look farther than the dinner table when searching for employees. Working the literal graveyard shift, she meets two kinds of customers:

Pre-Need: They know what’s up. They bought their graves a long time ago, before they needed them.

At Need: They are in shock, mourning a loved one’s unexpected death. Leigh avoids sponging their agony by focusing on things like guessing the headstone choice (mostly granite).

Sarcastic and smart, Leigh should be able to stand up to her family and quit. But her world’s been turned upside down by the sudden loss of her best friend and the appearance of Dario, the slightly-too-old-for-her grave digger. Surrounded by death, can Leigh move on, if moving on means it’s time to get a life?

My first Longo book was her most recent, What I carry. That book touched me in a such a profound book, that I was determined to read her backlist, and I was not disappointed. Six Feet Over It was another hit for me. Leigh was the one who always held it all together. When her sister was fighting cancer, Leigh put her needs last. She made sure she caused no trouble for her parents and was always there for her sister. Fast forward, and Leigh is still trying to be the good sister and daughter, but she is starting to unravel. Though the book is infused with lots of humor, my heart ached for Leigh. I wanted someone to finally take care of her. This made me grateful for her friendship with Dario and Elanor, who were there for her, so that she could finally release all her pain, sorrow, and grief. I was also impressed when others stepped up and finally recognized that Leigh was NOT ok.  This was a very different, but utterly touching exploration of grief, family, and friendship. 

A List of Cages
Robin Roe
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian—the foster brother he hasn’t seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He’s still kindhearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what’s really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives…

I had been putting this one off for years, because everyone warned me how much it would break my heart. And, yes, reading about the abuse Julian was forced to withstand was difficult. But this was one of the stories that was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. In-between all the awful things Julian experienced, there was this love and friendship celebrated with Adam. These two were definitely an odd couple, but they shared a past and forged a brotherhood. I am shedding tears as I write this, so obviously, this one really touched my heart.  

Suffer Love
Ashley Herring Blake
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

“Just let it go.”

That’s what everyone keeps telling Hadley St. Clair after she learns that her father cheated on her mother. But Hadley doesn’t want to let it go. She wants to be angry and she wants everyone in her life—her dad most of all—to leave her alone.

Sam Bennett and his family have had their share of drama too. Still reeling from a move to a new town and his parents’ recent divorce, Sam is hoping that he can coast through senior year and then move on to hassle-free, parent-free life in college. He isn’t looking for a relationship…that is, until he sees Hadley for the first time.

Hadley and Sam’s connection is undeniable, but Sam has a secret that could ruin everything. Should he follow his heart or tell the truth?

I feel like Blake can do no wrong. Hadley and Sam were both wading through the wreckage of their families. Sam was lashing out, while Hadley was making poor choices. I was happy they found each other and could find someone, who understood what they were going through. But, the story was that straight forward. It was messy, and the messy was what took it up a notch for me. This was such a complex and complicated story, and I liked that Blake didn't try to gloss over the hard parts. She also allowed everyone involved to grow, which was really important for me in this story. I would have liked a bit more at the end, perhaps an epilogue, but it didn't erase how the story captivated me and the flood of emotions it delivered. 

  

Have you read any good backlist books lately?
Let us know in the comments!