What have you read this year? Have you found the perfect book, or are you still struggling to find something that meets your expectations? This year I have read a lot of good books as well as some that were not so great--but let's focus on the good ones! Here are some of my favorite books and series that I have read this year.
1. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
You don't have to love a good murder mystery in order to enjoy this first book in Holly Jackson's suspenseful YA trilogy. In fact, I am someone who has never seen a crime TV show in my life. This book was a pleasant surprise. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder was my first five star read of the year. Pippa Fitz-Amobi is a teenage criminal genius in the town of Fairville, Conneticut. Diving into the case of Andie Bell's murder starts out as a school project, but it ends up being so much more. It isn't just a project, and I wouldn't call it a hobby either. Pip discovers that solving crimes is her passion. However, this book contains more than the answers to a previously closed case. An unlikely friendship forms, and an anonymous rival will do anything to prevent Pip from cracking Andie Bell's case. I recently finished As Good As Dead, the third book in the series. I definitely recommend reading A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and giving the sequels a try!
2. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Liz Lighty wants to attend her dream school where she wants to study to become a doctor and play in their elite orquestra. She has it all planned out. If Liz gets the music scholarship she wants, then her family can afford to send her there. Her plans falls apart when she unexpectedly does not get the scholarship and is forced to come up with another way to get financial aid. Liz is left with one option: to become prom queen. Each year, her school gives scholarship money to the prom queen and king. Liz wants nothing to do with the constant attention and public humiliation that are inevitable when you are a candidate for prom court in Campbell, Indiana. Unfortunately, she does not have much of a choice if she wants to go to Pennington College. To win the race, Liz not only needs to earn a crown on her head. She needs to do it without destroying her relationship with her competition, Mack who is running for the same position. Inspirational and uplifting, this is the story of a girl who fights to make her dream a reality while trying not to hurt the person she loves in the process.
3. Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Seventeen-year-old Kiko is an artist who lives with her mother and her two brothers. Her mother has never understood her. Instead of supporting Kiko and her art, her mom makes her feel unremarkable and unimportant. She has a hard time saying what she is thinking, and her social anxiety keeps her from fully experiencing the world. Things start to go wrong as Kiko receives a rejection letter from the art school she wanted to use to get away from her difficult home life. Not only that, but her abusive uncle moves back home. Kiko is desperate to get away, and when her friend invites her to tour art schools on the other side of the country she is quick to agree. Starfish is very well-written, and at the end of each chapter there is a description of a piece of artwork Kiko made inspired by what happened in that part of the story. Kiko's love of art will become your own as you step into Kiko's shoes as she tries to find her path despite her troubled past.
Additional Recommendations:
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
The Voting Book by Brandy Colbert
Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K. Vogt
Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau
The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman
When the Ground is Hard by Malla Nunn
We Are Still Tornadoes by Michael Kun
Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis
What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
Hopefully, this has given you some ideas for what to read next! If you would like any personalized recommendations, you can message @teenreadsblog on Instagram. I would be happy to help! A lot of the books I have posted about have been realitic-fiction, and I understand that not everyone likes that genre. Have a good Christmas and don't forget to read!
Images from Goodreads.com