Narrator Shannon Purser proves to be a great match for the wry, anxious, funny, self-deprecating, snarky, and longing inner voice of Leah (Simon’s BFF in SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA). It's her senior year of high school, and Leah is dealing with a lot—from graduation worries to unrequited crushes. Her whiplashing emotions are always front and center for the listener, which feels endearing, exhausting, and relatable. While Purser taps right into the essence of Leah’s character, she doesn’t differentiate voices for other characters, and listeners may find themselves confused about who is speaking during scenes with unattributed dialogue. Still, the story is Leah’s, and as prom approaches, listeners will worry right along with her about whether everything is, indeed, going to turn out okay. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
This year’s best YA novels took readers deep into the oppressed magical land of Orïsha, onto the streets of New York for an epic meet-cute, across the American heartland with a girl hellbent on revenge, and over the high seas with an all-female pirating crew. Hand-chosen by our booksellers, these fifteen books are the best […]
Go big or go home! Dumplin’ is now streaming on Netflix, and it’s capturing hearts and causing a new generation to Google Dolly Parton. Based on Julie Murphy’s 2015 novel by the same name, Dumplin’ stars Danielle Macdonald as Willowdean Dickson and Jennifer Aniston as her pageant queen mom. Like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, it […]
Each month the B&N Teen Blog’s swat team of awesome teenaged readers shares their raves on the last YA books they loved. Today, they’re talking about the very best books they read in 2018. Don’t miss their picks for the year’s most crucial reads, and check out their previous recommendations here.
Meet the Young Adults, the B&N Teen Blog’s swat team of awesome teenaged bloggers. YA literature is a strange and wonderful landscape of books that should be read by everybody, but each month we highlight the perspective of teens reading the best of the best books written for and about them. Check back monthly to see what they’re recommending […]
What happens when two YA authors known for their smart, compelling, swoon-worthy, and realistic characters join forces for a romantic comedy? Everything good and wonderful in this world, that’s what! Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda; Leah on the Offbeat) and Adam Silvera (More Happy Than Not; History is All You Left Me) […]