The Way I Am Now is a heartbreaking, realistic, and passionate story of two people with lost souls and their journey as they find themselves and each other. It’s an emotional rollercoaster and a breathtaking sequel to The Way I Used To Be. It depicts Eden’s and Josh’s journeys of trauma, pain, loss, relationships, love, freedom, and what it means to heal. It picks up with the impending trial, where Eden must face the wrongs done to her in the past. The best part of the book is that we now also get to hear the story from Josh’s perspective, who happens to be my favorite character, and Eden’s perspective. This rollercoaster of a story is a book I 100% recommend adding to your reading list. It’s a great addition to any shelf. – Madison Hom, THS 10th grader

By Any Other Name by Erin Cotter is queer historical fiction set in Shakespearian, Elizabethan England starring Will, a down on his luck actor. He’s hiding his identity on stage, playing the traditionally male played female roles, and off stage, keeping his sexually hidden from his father. This bounces between campy, enemies to lovers romance and murder mystery, and doesn’t really seem to nail either vibe as a result. The length also tempered my enjoyment a bit; I feel like it should have been tightened at least fifty pages to keep pace with the energy of the premise. But, I was rooting for Will and intrigued by the setting and commentary, especially as an English teacher / recovering theater nerd. This read is definitely for fans of Shakespeare, theater, murder mystery, and LGBTQ+ storylines.

By Emma-Kate Schaake @hiketothelibrary

I am always down for a travel novel, especially for young adults as the premise opens up readers to the world! This is the companion novel to The Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, centered around Flora, Orion’s sister, as she deals with the grief from losing her mother. Flora’s indecisiveness is at times frustrating (as is the love triangle, which seemed unnecessary) but it is also understandable given how she is navigating through grief by avoidance. Her floundering as she attempts to forge her new future is relatable and realistic. While I enjoyed both this book and the first, I also didn’t feel superbly impacted by them, which is what I look for in a YA novel, even a sweet one and they both felt a little forgettable. But, overall, I would recommend these to student readers dealing with loss, interested in photography, curious about culture in Miami, or figuring out life after high school.

Emma-Kate Schaake @hiketothelibrary