Happy Monday!
The Summer of Consequences might be over but Riveted Summer is NOT! It’s time for the Summer of Self-Discovery! For these next two weeks we’re exploring what we have to do to become the type of people we want to be. What decisions we make, how we react to the things that happen to us, and how we choose to look at the world. Do we take a stand or stay quiet? Do we take the easy road laid before us or the hard road that leads to happiness? Do we let the bad experiences keep us from exploring the good possibilities? With the Summer of Self-Discovery, we’re looking at different ways to define ourselves and not let others do it for us.
First, we’re featuring an extended excerpt of Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali. It follows Janna as she discovers that not everyone is as they seem. Janna has always considered herself a “misfit” among the “saints” in her local mosque, but as she begins to uncover a series of horrifying actions completed by someone who most would consider untouchably holy, Janna realizes that there may be some monsters masquerading as “saints.” Now Janna must decide whether or not there’s anything she can do to pull the wool from her community’s eyes. Is standing up for what’s right worth the risk of being labelled as something worse than a misfit? In the words of Kirkus Reviews, “Ali pens a touching exposition of a girl’s evolution from terrified victim to someone who knows she’s worthy of support and is brave enough to get it.” We have no doubt that you’ll be hooked on Saints & Misfits from the moment you start reading.
Next up, we have the extended excerpt of Fragile Like Us by Sara Barnard. Fragile Like Us explores the bonds of friendship between Caddy, Rosie, and Suzanne. Once upon a time Caddy and Rosie were best friends who were inseparable, but ever since Suzanne arrived, their friendship has been on the rocks. Caddy is ready to be more than the quiet one, and Suzanne is trying to escape her past to become someone different, but as we’ve learned, every change and action has a consequence. And they’re all about to discover that the consequence of wanting to change who you are, just might be having to leave behind the friendships that you once had.
Then we have the extended excerpt of Two Roads from Here by Teddy Steinkellner. In Two Roads from Here, Brian, Allegra, Cole, Nikki, and Wiley are each faced with a life-changing decision, and they’re about to get an unheard of opportunity. All five will get to live out both outcomes. It sounds like a dream come true, but when everything is said and done, will they even recognize themselves? Start reading, and get on the road to finding out!
Our next read is an extended excerpt of Museum of HeartBreak by Meg Leder. In Museum of Heartbreak, Penelope is about to discover that heartbreak comes in many different forms: lost loves, distanced friendships, damaged self-esteem, and confusing feelings. But life is all about change and how you respond to it, no matter how difficult that may be. Can Penelope rise from the ashes of heartbreak, or will she continue to try to return to the person she was before she knew so many things were delicate enough to break?
Continuing on, we have the extended excerpt of Draw the Line by Laurent Linn. Adrian Piper is used to blending in and staying out of sight because that makes it easier for him to spend time creating his own world at his drawing table, uninterrupted. But when a hate crime spurs Adrian into action, he must decide what kind of person he wants to be. Maybe it’s time to not be so invisible after all—no matter how dangerous the risk.
Finally, we have the full read of You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith. Emma and her neighbor Peter seem to have nothing in common, however, they both come from families that they don’t fit into. This leads them to set out on an unexpected road trip down the eastern shore of the United States. As both Emma and Peter try and figure out their place in the world, and within their families, they discover they have more in common than they once thought.
