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276 pp.
| Kids Can/KCP Loft
| April, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-77138-931-0$17.99
|
PaperISBN 978-1-5253-0042-4$10.99
(3)
YA
Dominique (Dom) has always wanted to be a modern dancer, but her mother's struggling laundry business doesn't provide a lot of options after high school. Ben studies violin at the prestigious Brighton Academy and is obsessed with perfection. Their worlds collide against the backdrop of NYC in a sweeping, classic-feeling romance that deals with privilege and the lies we instinctually tell ourselves and others.
(4)
YA
Two years after her father's death, Grace moves in with her estranged uncle, whom she had previously spent summers with. Returning to New Harbor means Grace also must come to terms with a hazy memory of rape that occurred there. Friendship and first love mingle awkwardly with sexual assault and Grace's devastating realization regarding her abuser. Still, Grace's journey is ultimately hopeful. Includes resources for survivors.
(4)
YA
After a tragic day on a lake--when Lark must choose between saving either Alec, the guy she likes, or Annabelle, an almost-five-year-old she knows--Lark's life splits in two. In one version, Alec is in a coma; in a parallel reality, Annabelle is the one hospitalized. The Sliding Doors premise, though occasionally difficult to follow, offers a unique perspective on grief and loss.
208 pp.
| Kids Can/KCP Loft
| April, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-77138-826-9$17.99
|
PaperISBN 978-1-5253-0033-2$10.99
(3)
YA
When overweight but body-confident Jess Jones receives an invite to a party from her crush Matt, the British year-eleven student begins a strict diet and exercise regimen hoping to win him over. Debut novelist Mainwaring's heartwarming, hilarious story about wanting to fit in but ultimately choosing to stand out is bolstered by Jess's snarky yet accurate observations about women's place in society.
(4)
YA
Although Sasha's been dying of cancer for months, Raquel ("Rocki") is still stunned when her best friend is finally gone. But irrepressible Sasha reaches out from beyond the grave via a series of letters through which Rocki meets Sasha's biological brother. Young impressively balances an exploration of grief with the adventure of a scavenger hunt, but the novel's ending feels a little too neat.
322 pp.
| Kids Can/KCP Loft
| April, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-77138-792-7$17.95
(4)
YA
Misfit mathematician Eva can't stand human contact, since touching another person reveals his or her secret emotional struggles--a "gift" Eva finds intense and disturbing. Then Eva meets Zenn, a boy whom Eva can touch without consequence. A crush turns into love, even after the teens learn they have a shared tragic past. Standard coming-of-age romance with a kinda-supernatural twist and a saccharine ending.
(4)
YA
FBI agents, under the guise of clinical therapists, invite five outcast teens to a therapy group. In actuality, the teens are recruited to help solve a murder involving a former agent and a serum that bestows psychic powers. Drugged with the same serum, the teens use their new powers to investigate the crime. Despite over-the-top plotting, this thriller is a fast-paced, entertaining read.
365 pp.
| Kids Can/KCP Loft
| April, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-77138-730-9$17.95
(4)
YA
As finalists on a musical reality show competition, Lucy and her bandmates spend a summer in L.A. preparing for the show's finale. The girls become celebrities, perfect their album, and find romance, but they also uncover the dark side of fame. The jarring murder of one of the girls seems incompatible with the rest of the rock-and-roll wish-fulfillment story.
(4)
YA
British teen Charlotte and New Yorker Anthony, both recovering from breakups, meet by chance at JFK Airport on Christmas Eve. Loosely following a self-help book's ten-step advice about getting over an ex, they embark on an impulsive NYC adventure, falling for each other along the way. The plot is predictable and bland, though devoted romance fans may enjoy the love-after-heartbreak premise.
236 pp.
| Kids Can/KCP Loft
| May, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-77138-735-4$17.95
(4)
YA
Keeley accidentally swaps phones with Talon, who leaves for football camp before they realize the mistake. The teens--who've never met in person--fall for each other via text; Keeley doesn't know that Talon is actually her popular twin brother's rival. The potential to meaningfully explore how people's behavior differs when texting versus face-to-face is sadly unmet, but the romantic banter is entertaining.
252 pp.
| Kids Can/KCP Loft
| May, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-77138-793-4$17.95
(4)
YA
Sixteen-year-old Kai is devastated by her older sister's unexpected suicide. When Kai turns to drugs to numb the pain, her parents send her to a summer grief camp; there she finds solace in talking to teens who have experienced similar losses. While some readers may find comfort in Kai's story, this journey through grief is generic and resolves too easily to have wide appeal.