YA – Nerd Girl Loves Books

YA

The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom by Allison L. Bitz

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. As a former high school theater nerd myself, I could totally relate to Bridget’s angst, as well as the personalities and quirks of her friends. Bridget’s growth in the story was incredible and I liked how the author was able to subtly show these changes throughout the book, without hitting us over the head with it. The realization at the end of the book was almost a surprise, even though you had been along for the ride with Bridget from the start.

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May 7, 2023 0

I’ll Be There For You by Brieanna Wilkoff

I loved this book and read it in one sitting. The growth of Rae throughout the book was wonderful to read. She went from grief-stricken and alone to hopeful and outgoing. The friendship with fellow theater-lover Mac was beautiful. I remember being in high school and having that one best friend that just “got” me. Someone you could trust with all of your troubles, fears and hopes with and know that they would always be there to support you. I loved re-living those wonderful memories as I read this book.

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April 30, 2023 0

Always the Almost by Edward Underhill

I loved this book so much!! Miles recently came out as trans, prompting his football star boyfriend Shane to break up with him. Miles is determined to get Shane back and beat his archnemesis in the Midwest’s biggest classical piano competition, all before the end of the year. To that end, Miles begins taking lessons with a new, terrifying piano teacher who tells him that he’s playing like he doesn’t know who he is. What? As Miles struggles with all the changes in his life, he meets new kid Eric. Eric is a talented cartoonist that is comfortable in his own skin and seems to get Miles, something Miles is not used to since he came out. After pretending to be a couple to get invited to a popular couples-only Valentine’s Day party, Miles and Eric’s fake kiss turns into something real. But this doesn’t fit into Miles plans, and besides, there has to be a catch as to why Eric likes him. Right?

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March 19, 2023 0

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks

I really enjoyed this YA mystery/thriller set in an all-boys high school, Urban Promise Prep School, in Washington D.C. Principal Moore is an activist that started the school and based his strict program discipline, called the Principal Moore Method, claiming it turns boys into men. Principal Moore claims that almost all boys in his school go from trouble youth to college-bound men because of his method and school. But when Moore is murdered at school, his school and method come under strict scrutiny. Three boys serving detention that afternoon are targeted by the police as prime suspects. All three state that they are innocent, and it’s clear they need to band together to find the real killer before they are arrested and lost in the system.

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February 4, 2023 0

The Other Merlin (Emry Merlin, #1) by Robyn Schneider

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This is a fun YA Fantasy re-telling of Camelot. Arthur is an intelligent bookworm that isn’t much of a fighter. Lancelot is a gay castle guard that was demoted from a page (on track to becoming a knight) after a misunderstanding. Both we content bumbling along until Arthur accidentally pulls the sword from the stone, and now everyone thinks he’s some kind of hero. Emry Merlin poses as her twin brother at court to learn magic and serve Arthur. It’s supposed to be temporary, but nothing goes to plan and she’s there permanently. Princess Guinevere is betrothed to Arthur, but neither wants to marry the other.

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January 8, 2023 0

Sabiha’s Dilemma by Amra Pajalic

This is a touching coming of age story about Sabiha, a 16 year old girl living in Australia with her mom. They moved to Australia from Bosnia and lived a typical life there until her grandfather joined them from Bosnia. After that, Sabiha’s mother decides to become a dutiful Muslim daughter and fit back into the Bosnian community and wants Sabiha to do the same. Sabiha doesn’t want to do that, and can’t understand why things can’t stay the same. At the beginning of the book Sabiha is a typical spoiled, rude, self-absorbed teenager and isn’t very likeable. She is struggling with the changing friendship with the best friend from her former school, fitting into a new school, her first crush, trying to care for her mother, and deal with her interfering family.

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December 30, 2022 0

In The Moment Before (The Coyote and The Claw Companion Series, #1) by C.G. Coppola

This is a cute novella about two seniors in high school whose animosity for each other land them in detention together. Robin has hated Grayson since he pranked her in front of their class in grade school. She despises him, and he delights in teasing her and egging her on. When they finally stop taking digs at each other, they realize their enemy is actually a person and the ice begins to melt between them. But can Robin trust Grayson, or is he just running a long con on her?

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December 21, 2022 0

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

This was an intense YA mystery/thriller about six friends headed to spring break that get trapped in an RV in the middle of nowhere by a sniper intent on learning one of their secrets. The story is told from the perspective of Red. Her mother, a police officer, was executed on the job 5 years ago and her father succumbed to alcoholism. This, as well as having little to no money, set her apart from other teens. Her best friend Maddie and a few others, however, have her back and make sure that she’s not left out.

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December 2, 2022 0

Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy Novel by Amanda Quain

This is a cute YA contemporary retelling of Pride & Prejudice. Georgiana Darcy is a Junior at an elite prep school in upstate New York. She suffered an “Incident” with Wickham Foster at the end of her sophomore year that would have cost anyone else besides a Darcy expulsion. But, with her brother living back in New York near her and suffocating her with rules and oversight, Georgie needs to figure out a way to forget Wickham, win back her prep school and make her brother relax and realize she can take care of herself.

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August 3, 2022 0