Happy Families

Happy Families by Tanita Davis follows twins Ysabel and Nicholas as they spend spring break with their father who have recently learned of their father's secret, that he is transgender.  The book is told in alternating voices as the twins spend time with their father, the first in months and try come to terms with their father's new life and try to heal their family.

This was a very good social issues book.  Introducing teens to an issue that they are not familiar with in a way that is interesting and relateable.  While I was not rushing to finish the book I had no problem finishing it and I found myself caring about the characters and hoping for a happy ending.  The author doesn't provide a happy ending but does provide a hopeful one.  This is a book that needs to be on library shelves.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in the book.  The author does a good job talking about transgender persons and the differences even providing a glossary in the back of different terms and resources for more information.  I would recommend this book to teens 12+

Review copy provided by Netgalley

She Loves You, She Loves You Not. . .

She Loves You, She Loves You Not... by Julie Anne Peters follows Alyssa, a girl who has been sent to live with a mother she does not know after being caught in bed with a girl by her father who is a homophobe.  Alyssa takes a job in a diner, starts a relationship with a girl and has to get to know a mother whom she has never known and whom works various sketchy jobs including at a strip club.  The author also reveals the details of the relationship that Alyssa had that caused her father to disown her.

This was a very good contemporary novel for older teens.  There were several layers to the plot and it was a very engrossing read.  Alyssa's two romantic relationships, the one that happened before she move and the one that happened in the present both felt real.  The relationships she has with her Father, Step Mother and Biological Mother are all very complex and gritty and the ending is not picture perfect.  I appreciated that the author developed a main character who did not question her sexuality and who did not have a perfect life where everyone accepted her. This is a book that some will dislike because they can't relate to the characters sexuality, some will like because of the ability to step into a new world and some will love because they will be able to relate to things in Alyssa's life that ring true for many gay teens.  Her struggles with coming out to her friends, her fathers homophobia and her girlfriend and friends bisexuality and controlling or disinterested parental figures that don't understand what she needs will ring true to many.

Appropriateness:  This is a book that's going to give conservatives fits.  It's got quite a bit of sex, one or two sections that is fairly descriptive (although nothing that resembles anything you'd find in adult romance novels), some drinking and talk of strip clubs and prostitutes (Alyssa's mom works in a strip club which Alyssa visits and Alyssa accuses her mother of being a high priced call girl) .  Alyssa's destructive behaviors are not viewed positively and the book is about a girl whose life has fallen apart.  The book is appropriate for its intended audience of high schoolers (who are frequently reading adult books) and is the type of book that will be read by kids who need to read a story like this to know they are not alone in their struggle to find themselves.  While I certainly would not give this book to a middle schooler I would not tear it away from one either but rather be sure to discuss the many issues that are found in the book.

Review copy obtained from publisher
Release date in early June

Huntress by Malinda Lo

Huntress is the story of two girls who are sent on a journey to the fairy kingdom.  They have been sent to meet with the fairy queen to try to save their world which has become an eternal winter.  The two girls face many dangers along the way and fall in love.



Huntress is set in a lush fantasy world and will be enjoyed by lovers of fantasy.  The book was slow at parts as it was a long journey but the characters were well developed and interesting.  The lesbian romance was sweet and matter of fact instead of controversial or clandestine.

Appropriateness:  The back of my ARC says that it is for 15 and up and I can't quite figure out why.  There was nothing in this book that I would find inappropriate for even the youngest middle school reader.  The two romances (one between the prince and his female guard and one between the two girls) are both very sweet and doesn't include more than a few kisses.  The few bits of fantasy violence include the emotional consequences behind the actions.  Malinda Lo's previous book Ash had a lexile of 1050 which puts it around an eighth grade level and I would assume that the reading level would be the same for this book (which is fantastic, it's hard to find young adult books that are difficult reads).

Review copy provided by publisher.