Still clearing the piles!

More Cybils reads:

Brooklyn, Burning, by Steve Brezenoff

An ode to punk rock, street kids, love, loss, Brooklyn, being true to yourself, and the family you choose. One of my favorite bits:

"Want to watch a movie?" you asked as we made our way down Bedford. It was filthy with hipsters, as always: trucker hats, fur collars, ridiculous tea dresses, oversized sunglasses--never sincere, and I wondered what they were so afraid of.

Pros: No punches are pulled, nothing is sugarcoated, and it's just a lovely, lovely book. Possible cons: Some readers will find the storytelling style hard to follow, as Kid doesn't offer much explanation or backstory, and expects the reader to catch up. (I like that in a story, but I know that many others don't...) Especially recommended to: Fans of David Levithan.

The Survival Kit, by Donna Freitas

When her mother died, sixteen-year-old Rose quit the cheerleading squad and started pulling away from almost everyone in her life, including her BMOC boyfriend. Months later, she discovers something in her mother's closet: A survival kit, made just for her, by her mother. As she slowly makes her way through the items in the kit, she begins to come back to herself and to rest of the world. Pros: Cheerleaders and football players who are actual people -- and genuinely nice ones -- rather than two-dimensional villains! Also, the emotions really ring true. Cons: The narration and much of the dialogue is stiff and sometimes oddly formal. Recommended to: Fans of Deb Caletti.

Instructions for a Broken Heart, by Kim Culbertson

Wow, this year was all about stories in which people suffer a loss and then are given a treasure hunt/a survival kit/some messages to follow and work through their grief! Suck Factor #1: Jessa catches her long-term boyfriend making out with another girl. Suck Factor #2: All three of them are signed up to go on a school trip to Italy in three days. Luckily, Jessa's best friend has no intention of letting any wallowing happen -- she provides Jessa with a list of instructions guaranteed to both help Jessa get over Sean and to help her come out of her shell. Pros: Really captured the school trip feel, and there were moments when I really felt I'd been transported to Italy. Cons: Despite a lack of actual screentime, I actively disliked Jessa's best friend. Also, while I liked the romantic interest, I never felt like I got to know him at all. Recommended to: Fans of romantic contemporaries, but only if they've already read all of the usual suspects.