I love books. This is not new information to anyone who knows me. Even though I always have a pile of books to read on my side table, I keep finding more to add to the pile. Maybe I can make a dent in my "to-read" pile before these books come out this fall. Strong maybe.
1. 'Turtles All the Way Down' by John Green – October 10, 2017
Okay, so call me cliché, but I love John Green. His books and his Youtube channel were a big part of my high school years. I remember my fifteen-year-old-self going to Target to get "The Fault in Our Stars" the day it came out and reading it in a day. That was five years ago and I have been eagerly awaiting a new novel from him.
I was at Vidcon (the Youtube convention in Anaheim, CA) when he announced the title and release date of his book, so naturally, I had to include this book in my list. The story centers around Aza, who, along with her best friend, set out to explore the mysterious billionaire Russell Pickett.
Aza, who struggles with mental illness, was inspired by John’s own experiences with mental illness. The novel has several themes that I’m excited to see John explore: mental illness, love, and friendship, just to name a few.
2. 'Good Me Bad Me' by Ali Land – September 5, 2017
The novel is centered on Milly, whose mother is a serial killer. In order to stop her mother, Milly turns her mother into the police. Milly is then given a fresh start and a new life. But her old life is close behind her: she is the main witness in her mother’s trial and her new life is clashing with the secrets of her past. I don’t read a lot of suspense novels, but this one has piqued my interest.
3. 'I Hate Everyone But You' by Allison Raskin and Gaby Dunn – September 5, 2017
I have been watching Allison Raskin and Gaby Dunn's Youtube channel, Just Between Us, for quite a while now, so you can imagine my excitement when they announced they were writing a YA novel. Ava and Gen are best friends separated by distance while they attend different colleges.
College brings a lot of changes, like new relationships, new friends, heartbreaks, and learning who you really are. The story is told through emails and text messages between Ava and Gen. I don’t typically read books in this format but I’m excited nonetheless because if Gaby and Allison wrote it, I bet it’s going to be a good read.
4. 'The Burning Girl' by Claire Messud – August 29, 2017
I love coming-of-age stories and novels about friendship, and this book has both. Julia and Cassie have been friends since they were little and always wanted to leave their small town. But as they enter adolescence, Cassie’s life begins to change and her friendship with Julia is challenged.
I am always interested in how authors approach writing a child’s perspective, especially when friendship is involved, so I’m looking forward to reading this and seeing how Messud handles these topics.
5. 'Little Fires Everywhere' by Celeste Ng – September 12, 2017
An outsider shows up in a seemingly idyllic suburban town and shakes the perfect plans of the town’s residents. This may sound like it's been done before, but I’m excited to see how Ng frames this narrative. Elena Richardson, one of the town’s residents, tries to uncover newcomer Mia Warren’s past. Both Elena and Mia are mothers, and I’m excited to see how Ng deals with the themes of motherhood, secrecy, and identity.
