New and recommended books for young adults to enjoy

Elatsoe Darcie Little Badger

This is a unique story with a blend of mystery, fantasy, history, and paranormal adventure. Elatsoe (Ellie) is a Lipan Apache teenager who can raise ghosts from the dead. When her deceased cousin reveals to her in a dream that he was murdered, Ellie sets about trying to discover the truth behind his death. Terrible secrets are uncovered as the perfect veneer of Willowbee Town is stripped away. These are secrets that will change the town forever. This is a wonderful debut novel that will have you hooked from the very first page.

Reviewed by Amanda Lord

The Agathas Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson

After disappearing for 5 days to pay back her ex-best friend Brooke and ex-boyfriend Steve for getting together, Alice Ogilvie arrives back at school from home arrest to find she is no longer the leader of the cool kids. To make things worse she’s so behind in her grades she is assigned a student tutor, the quiet invisible geek, Iris Adams. Neither are pleased about this, but Iris needs the money so she and her mum can leave town. When Brooke disappears, Alice is sure something bad has happened, and Iris agrees. When Brooke’s body is found the police soon arrest Steve and charge him with murder. But Alice is not convinced and she’s read enough Agatha Christie to know she’ll have to find out what happened herself. With Iris’ help the two slowly uncover who killed Brooke, but there are a lot of secrets and twists along the way. Great read for 13+

Reviewed by Lynn Vare

The Obsession Jesse Q Sutanto

When Delilah Laura Wong is caught, accidentally on purpose, murdering her abusive policeman stepfather, her classmate who catches her wants only one thing from her; to fall in love with him. YA as a genre is littered with unrealistic relationships where teenagers will forsake their peers, education, and family to be with ‘the one’- usually a male (because these books are often about heterosexual love) who is either hundreds of years older than them or holds agency over them in some other way, be it monetary, social, or physical. Logan, who is the star player on the football team, complete with rich parents and a cute smile has, after stalking his first obsession to suicide, found another love, Delilah. But how does he show his love? He now stalks her. He puts cameras outside her house, plans random meet ups, and knows where she is every waking hour of the day. In another YA book this could have been played as romantic. However, we find our reprieve in Delilah herself who is not too happy about being blackmailed into a relationship with her stalker. Fortunately for Delilah she is a student librarian and knows how to gaslight, gatekeep, and girl boss her way against the patriarchy. I highly recommend this book.

Reviewed by Peone Logo