Summer's Opus

Title: Kat and Meg Conquer the World Author: Anna Priemaza Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Rating: Five Stars! Kat and Meg couldn’t be more different, but together, they create a bond that is both warm and genuine. In this heartwarming novel about navigating the murky waters of adolescence and mental illness, Kat and Meg may not necessarily conquer the world, but they do capture our hearts in a friendship reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel. We meet them individually, from a dueling first-person point of view that is refreshing and so well executed that we’re able to seamlessly read along as we get to know them. Kat has a pretty severe anxiety disorder, so she often resorts to cool, witty, and realistic techniques to get through the day. Meg has ADHD; her ever-shifting train of thought lending a view into her daily struggle to just focus. With Kat’s OCD compulsions and Meg’s scatterbrained tendencies, they seem an unlikely pair, but together they create a beautiful friend

Title: Books 1 & 2 of The Heart of Power Trilogy Author: S. L. Giger Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Rating: Five Stars! The Heart of Power trilogy is an enchanting and refreshingly original take on the life and times of a teenage siren in the 21 st century. In the first installment, we meet Natalie, an ordinary seventeen-year-old girl, enjoying a school trip with her crush. All is going well until a tragic accident claims the life of Natalie’s crush and leaves her near death. Luckily for her, a group of nearby sirens find her just in time and rather than let her die, they change her into a mystical beauty with supernatural powers. The author creates an authentic protagonist, whose maturity and wit are refreshing. Learning all about the sirens and living through all of Natalie’s ups and downs as she navigates her new life and falls in love with a human is well worth the read! Book Two of the Heart of Power trilogy continues along without skipping a beat. In this