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BROKEN PENCILS by J.R Rice

Captivating and emotionally resonant… Rice takes readers on a journey of self-discovery, redemption, and the enduring power of human connection through the eyes of his teen protagonist. Jonah Tarver, an angsty teen in Oakland, grapples with his parents’ failing marriage,…
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It Was a Magical Place by Patrick Dewees

Poignant, honest, and illuminating. Wilderness, first love, and friendship all play roles in a sixteen-year-old boy’s coming of age story in Dewees’ engrossing novel. When Tom Gleason, 16, arrives at Camp Sunbeam in the summer of ’85, he is greeted…
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Feral Maril ​& Her Little Brother Carol by Leslie Tall Manning

An appealing combination of deep and page-turning; a triumph Manning’s latest novel offers a poignant story through the eyes of a child thrust into adulthood too soon. Marilyn Jones and her family face harsh realities when her mother is imprisoned…
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Getting to Yes by Tim Hunniecutt

Poignant, romantic; downright fun. Hunniecutt’s engrossing novel is a tender and unpredictable exploration of life’s most profound encounter: the sensation of falling in love, taking readers on a nineteen-year-old college student’s journey to find something real. Chris, a freshman at…
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Wild About Harry by Henry Grinberg

Funny, emotional, and full of heart; a hugely relatable must-read. Grinberg’s captivating tale of growing up in Britain during WWII chronicles the struggles of an immigrant family navigating complex parent-child dynamics in war-torn London. It is 1938, in London. Harry…
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Transit by Marty Malin

A twisty, satisfyingly unpredictable speculative fiction tale… In Malin’s latest novel, an emergency physician struggles to prevent her past from sabotaging her present.  After killing her abusive husband, Dr. Jessamyn Quilter knows she must restore balance and embarks on a…
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Hattie’s War by Peter Serko

A riveting, uplifting coming-of-age historical tale… Pain, memories, and the difficulty of letting go permeate Serko’s heartening story about family, friendship, and finding self. At 14, Harriett “Hattie” Alanson Howell has experienced major loss—her closest sibling died, and her father,…
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Discovering Mom by Bryan Foreman

A delightfully spirited coming of age story that’s full of heart… A vividly drawn cast, intriguing storyline, and fast-paced narrative mark Foreman’s latest novel. Thirteen-year-old Daniel Bennett struggles to fit-in both at home and at school. When he befriends Jasmine…
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Winter’s Descent by Don Gutteridge

Lush, imaginative, and emotionally insightful… Gutteridge’s atmospheric brilliant latest novel tells a young boy’s coming-of-age journey in rural Canada of the WWII era. It’s 1945. Eleven-year-old Will’s father is still away because of the war, but his parents have decided…
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Agnes’s Broken Dreams by Judy King

A deeply poignant story of trauma, pain, and moving-on. King’s evocative novel depicts one woman’s coming-of-age journey as she returns to her hometown to unravel the long-buried secrets of her traumatic past. Growing up, Agnes has been the target of…