Straight up, and for whatever reason, I am reading much less young adult this year, accounting for about 21 of my 72 reads so far. Usually YA makes up well over half my total reads!! I dunno what’s up, likely just 20*freaking*20 being, well, 2020.
But there are some serious standouts that have been fabulous, so I’ve rounded them up into this handy little “Favourite YA Reads of 2020” list for you. Please enjoy 😉
In no ranking order, with all full reviews linked, here we go:
Woven in Moonlight
Written by Isabel Ibanez
Published by Page Street Kids
Of course, as a self proclaimed sucker for historical fiction, this historical fiction/YA smashup based loosely on Bolivian politics was just plum-made for my soul. What wowed me the most was the authenticity – of character, of voice, of world building – and the *just right* level of descriptive detail. It was thoroughly absorbing, with wonderfully developed characters, great emotional honesty, a true sense of urgency & peril, all within a glitteringly detailed, magical world. I’m really looking forward to this sequel.
Full review HERE.
You can find it here: Bookshop.org
Suggested Reading
Written by David Connis
Published by Katherine Tegen Books
This is a book that deserves way more love! A YA Contemporary that explores censorship, the corrupt hierarchy of power and the importance of young voices to dismantling it, wrapped within an incredibly nuanced, researched and compelling story. A book for the lovers of books, with copious quotes and references to past, controversial reads as a means to propel the narrative, this is a great read that will make you think.
Full review HERE.
You can find it here: Bookshop.org
Dark Shores
Written by Danielle L. Jensen
Published by Tor Teen
Calling all swashbuckler & Sarah J Maas fans! This is a really, really … really good YA Fantasy for anyone looking for a true pirate tale, with an excellent, strong central leading lady, and a great slow burn romance. Ancient Roman Empire meets Pirates of the Caribbean … and maybe throw in a little Lost … this story has all the elements I love in YA Fantasy done right. While the ending is a little rushed, this is an excellent story with great characters, real grit, and a fully realized, complex and magical world.
Full review HERE.
You can find it here: Bookshop.org
Dread Nation
Written by Justina Ireland
Published by Balzer + Bray
This zombie (yes, zombie) revolutionary war-era retelling is absolutely, well, brutal! It is gritty, gory, violent, and quietly propulsive, exploring the very real treatment (past and present) of Black people in America. A kick-ass, Black heroine leads a deliberately paced, slow building story that is nail-bitingly gripping. Those who like the stories of Schwab, Kristoff, and R.F. Kuang definitely shouldn’t miss this duology.
Full review HERE.
You can find it here: Bookshop.org
Scavenge the Stars
Written by Tara Sim
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
I guess I have a bit of thing for pirate adventures although, admittedly, the pirate portion of the story is over pretty quickly here. But this Count of Monte Cristo retelling held me captive with its grittiness, complex characters, gender & race fluidity, revenge, and a well developed world that harkened the infamous Ketterdam of Six of Crows.
Full review HERE.
You can find it here: Bookshop.org
Notes from My Captivity
Written by Kathy Parks
Published by Katherine Tegen Books
This book was wholly unique and while initially I felt the story had a “split personality” between Parts 1 & 2, I continue to think about it. With elements of spooky horror, thriller, survival, humanity, loss, grief and forgiveness – for such a short story it packs an incredible emotional impact. Fast paced and utterly original, like Suggested Reading, this is a book that deserves way more attention.
Full review HERE.
You can find it here: Bookshop.org
The Fountains of Silence
Written by Ruta Sepetys
Published by Philomel Books
While technically a Young Adult/Adult Fiction crossover, this excellent historical fiction will appeal to both as the majority of the story centres on a young teens’ experience in 1950s Spain under the dictatorship of Generalissimo Francisco Franco. Definitely hard hitting and eye opening, this approachable yet powerful work centres on the only recently exposed, painful history of Spain. Exploring the dangers of silence and the startling comparisons to today’s political leadership and classism, this is an extensively researched, thoughtful, heartbreaking, and haunting story that left me captivated.
Full review HERE.
You can find it here: Bookshop.org
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!! Includes "The Fountains of Silence", "Suggested Reading", "Dread Nation" & more!){kind=link}