Book Reviews YA-Romance

I love to read, and this page of book reviews YA-contemporary highlights some of the great variety teens have today in young adult books.

When finding great books, I always check public libraries, and I’m a huge fan of independent book stores, including my favorite (which is right here in Denver), The Tattered Cover. Also check out Powells or this list of independent bookstores. These book suggestions can be found online at all or most of these stores, (as well as at Amazon). I hope these book reviews YA-romance will help with gifts and book suggestions to find teen love stories!

Here’s the basic key I will use when reviewing the plots:

Favorite means the books is a personal favorite of mine

Stay tuned and enjoy the Book Reviews YA-romance!

The pictures of the covers link to the book’s Powell's page. The titles link to The Tattered Cover.

20 Boy Summer, by Sarah Ockler (I, S)

Anna's boyfriend dies before they have a chance to reveal their relationship to his sister, Anna's best friend -- now she has to find a way to move on without breaking her promise and letting his sister know how much he meant to her.
DWI: grief; honesty; saying good-bye
RT: This is a touching book, and Anna's journey is honest and courageous -- there is a little sex here, though it's not graphic or superfluous.

The Bermudez Triangle, by Maureen Johnson (S, L)

Nina, Avery, and Mel deal with changes in their relationship as they prepare for their senior years in high school.
DWI: being gay; finding your true self
RT: Favorite because of the honesty and variety present in the three girls and their differing POVs.



Breathing, by Cheryl Herbsman (S, L)

When Savannah falls in love for the first time, she discovers that having a relationship isn't as easy as she always hoped.
DWI: long-distance relationships; intensity of first love
RT: Don't let the dialect throw you -- this story has many neat ideas to offer, including some nice growth on the part of Savannah, who moves from girl to almost-woman in her emotional maturity and her acceptance of Jackson's strengths and weaknesses.

One of the things I especially like about teen love stories is the great variety in angles which can be found. Not all the love stories end well; not all are heterosexual; some are humorous; some are sad. I try to share that variety here at Book Reviews YA-Romance.

The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading, by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance (L, S)

Bethany and her best friend decide to try out for cheerleading on a whim (and something of a dare), but neither is prepared for what happens when they make the team and their lives change.
DWI: social cliques; staying true to yourself
RT: Favorite because of the sweet romance and the many references to Pride & Prejudice -- and I like Bethany's willingness to stand up for herself and her friends.

Geography Club, by Brent Hartinger (S, L)

Russel thinks he's the only gay boy at his school, but when he gathers his courage to meet his online buddy, it's one of the popular boys at school -- but this boy doesn't want anyone knowing he's gay.
DWI: being gay; courage to be yourself
RT: Favorite because I love Russel's courage and willingness to stand up for who he really is, even when it means losing the boy he loves. I also like his creativity and openness in creating the 'Geography Club' for students who need to find acceptance somewhere.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else, by Erin McCahan (mild L)

Bronwen thinks she can't possibly be her mother's daughter -- and she plays with making up an alternative identity -- but when she falls in love and has the chance to become someone else, she finds it's not as easy as she once believed.
DWI: knowing yourself; being at peace with who you are
RT: Favorite because of the wonderful compassion and understanding of being a teenage girl expressed throughout all of this -- and the complex and beautiful relationships surrounding Bronwen.

Lipstick Apology, by Jennifer Jabaley (mild L, mild S, I)

Emily's life is turned upside down when her parents are killed in a plane crash -- and her mom leaves her a mysterious message on a napkin.
DWI: courage; grief; living again
RT: This is an intriguing story because of the many facets of Emily's new life -- managing her grief, starting a new school (and making new friends), and trying to find herself in the midst of the mystery her mom left behind.

As you probably notice, these teen love stories aren't following a basic formula -- book reviews ya-romance illustrate how complex teenage romance truly is. Teens seldom get to deal with only their relationships as they learn and grow, and these books show that quite well.

How To Take the Ex Out of Ex-Boyfriend, by Janette Rallison *

Giovanna can't believe her good luck in her boyfriend Jesse, but when her older brother Dante decides to run for student council against another of Jesse's friends, Jesse decides to be his campaign manager, rather than Dante's -- and Giovanna believes she has to break up with him...and spends the rest of the campaign trying to figure out why Jesse would have done this and how she can possibly get him back.
RT: Favorite because the relationship between Giovanna and Jesse is sweet, as is the sibling relationship between Giovanna and Dante -- and it's interesting to see everything somehow come together, with just enough mystery left to be realistic.

M or F?, by Lisa Papademetriou and Chris Tebbettts (mild L, mild S)

When Frannie and Marcus go online to snag a boy (Jeffrey) for Frannie, their Cyrano-like ploy goes awry, and Marcus becomes convinced that Jeffrey actually likes him.
DWI: same-sex relationships; loyalty; finding true love
RT: This is a very cute story. I really enjoyed both Frannie and Marcus, and I like how both of them discovered more about themselves and their tastes through the online fiasco.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, by Gabrielle Zevin (L, S)

When Naomi bumps her head and loses her memory, she has to discover who she is all over again.
DWI: how do we know who we really are?
RT: Favorite because Naomi's journey from who she is without her memory to who she becomes as she remembers is well done and worth exploring.



The Naughty List, by Suzanne Young (S, L)

Along with being captain of the cheerleading squad, Tessa also runs an undercover detective agency which checks out cheating boyfriends -- but Tessa doesn't know what to do when she suspects her own perfect boyfriend of joining the cheaters' ranks.
DWI: teenage relationships
RT: I found this an interesting look at faithfulness and the constant flux in teenage love. It's a good book for discussion with teens who are wanting to date and experience love but may not be ready for a long-term commitment.

Psych Major Syndrome, by Alicia Thompson (mild L, mild S)

Leigh is taking psychology to learn more about human nature and self-esteem issues -- but she soon finds out that she could learn a fair amount simply from studying her own life!
DWI: seeing your own life clearly
RT: Favorite because of the nice humor and the tense love story. The male love interest is definitely a good guy with nice characteristics.

Say the Word, by Jeannine Garsee (S, I, mild L)

Shawna's mom dies, and Shawna finds herself in the middle of family struggles when her mom's new partner, Fran, and their boys need Shawna's help -- and Shawna's dad resists.
DWI: grief; forgiveness; verbal abuse
RT: I enjoyed this because of Shawna's courage in facing a situation that continued to change (in all its ups and downs), and for her unusual relationship with her step-brother and how he helps her see things in a new light.

Sleepaway Girls, by Jen Calonita (mild S)

Sam goes to camp for the first time in her life as a counselor-in-training -- and discovers a world of rules to break, mean girls, and good-looking boys.
DWI: being on your own
RT: I enjoyed this, partly because of all the memories it brought back of my own times at camp, especially my days as a camp counselor. The romance is fun, although a tad predictable, and Sam's character is definitely relatable.

Stupid Cupid, by Rhonda Stapleton (mild, suggested S)

Felicity finds a new job as a matchmaker -- but she's stunned to learn that she's actually a cupid, with her own PDA which sends out e-mail 'arrows' that infect the recipients with some kind of love spell -- too bad she can't use it on herself!
DWI: what really makes a strong love match?
RT: Favorite because of the wonderful blend of fluffy and complicated -- and of course, the romances are sweet and fun to read. Look for Flirting with Disaster (out now) and Pucker Up (coming May 2010), the last two in the trilogy.

Taken by Storm, by Angela Morrison (S, I)

This love story between Leesie and Michael is realistic and poignant as both struggle with allowing the other to follow their own hearts.
DWI: faith as a teenager; reasons for waiting for sex
RT: I especially like the maturity of both teens as they fall in love and work out their differences -- each learning to truly respect the other and his/her choices.

Triple Shot Bettys in Love, by Jody Gehrman (L, S)

Geena worked hard to create her image as a tough, skater girl, and now she struggles to reconcile that with her new boyfriend (and her feelings for him), especially as another girl has suddenly decided she'd like Ben for herself.
DWI: vulnerability; trusting others
RT: I like this story because Geena learns some great lessons -- and I love how Ben is worthy of her attention and her growth. I've seen situations similar to this, so the realism is also nice.

Romantic comedy is also a popular sub-genre for Book Reviews YA-Romance.

The Espressologist, by Kristina Springer *

When Jane first begins making theoretical matches between customers based on their coffee choices, she has no idea where it will lead.
RT: Favorite because of the light, fun, romantic tale -- with a clever premise, to boot.




Gamer Girl, by Mari Mancusi (L)

Maddy's parents divorce, and Maddy must live with her mom and grandmother and start a new high school, where most the kids seem like 'Aberzombies' -- but Maddy finds her own place after starting up a manga club.
DWI: going after what you want; making a niche for yourself
RT: Favorite because of Maddy's spirit and sarcastic humor, both of which abound -- also a nice romance here.

A Match Made in High School, by Kristin Walker (L)

Fiona is forced to 'marry' a fellow senior when their class counselor feels kids don't understand how to make relationships work, a classmate who definitely doesn't want to be paired with her and is determined to make her life miserable.
DWI: what can a 'fake' marriage teach?
RT: Favorite because of Fiona's sarcasm and spunk -- and her willingness to stand up for a cause and let down her guard.

Prada & Prejudice, by Mandy Hubbard *