Literary Scene: Three New Young Adult Novels

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

PADAWAN

by Kiersten White
(Disney Lucasfilm Press, July 2022)

I’ve never reviewed a Star Wars book before, but since I just finished watching the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+ when this book came across my desk, I’m going for it. 

While anyone who grew up in the 80s (like me!) would choose to be a Jedi, life isn’t so easy for a teenaged Obi-Wan Kenobi who has recently become an apprentice to Qui-Gon Jinn. The training is all mental—no fun! Then comes a mission for the pair, only his master is MIA. What better way for Obi-Wan to show he’s ready for REAL adventure than going on this one alone to prove himself? 

Along the way, he finds a planet (Lenahra) with a bunch of wild Force-using teens. But the Force there is off kilter, or so it seems to the young padawan. What can Obi-Wan do about that all on his own? His teen self-doubt is here, too—if he can’t solve the problem, does that mean he was never meant to be a Jedi?

Kiersten White is a fine, fine writer, and that talent is on display here with solid characterization and rich worldbuilding. Plus, she’s clearly well-versed in the Star Wars universe and has dropped lots of Easter eggs for those who enjoy such treats. 

Even if you don’t go on to enjoy the well-regarded Claudia Gray book (Master & Apprentice) about Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn, Padawan is a worthy read.

Ryan’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5
www.kierstenwhite.com

LONG STORY SHORT

by Serena Kaylor
(Wednesday Books, July 2022)

Serena Kayor’s debut novel is an enjoyable YA rom-com featuring Beatrice (“Bea”), a likable 16-year-old genius who wants to attend Oxford. Sounds good, right? But her psychotherapist parents are concerned since she pretty much stinks at being a kid (making friends, having fun, etc.). Their solution? Send Bea to a month-long summer camp to prove herself. Only it’s not math camp but the Connecticut Shakespearean Summer Academy. Ugh! Right?

To prepare herself for the four-week dive into theater camp, Bea uses one of her superpowers (a photographic memory) to memorize all of the Bard’s plays, along with how-to books and articles on how to make friends. Will it be enough? Especially when she somehow makes an enemy out of Nik, the 18-year-old handsome and talented mixed-race son of the famous actors who underwrite the camp. 

I resist a few things about this book, such as how the plot becomes a bit predictable, how pretty much everyone in the book seems clear that this introverted neurodivergent girl needs to be “fixed,” and how a few male characters are PG-rated inappropriate. 

Still, Long Story Short seems ready to be made into a saccharine Netflix original or Disney+ movie aimed at tweens and teens. Don’t let that dissuade you from reading the book, which has a sweet, light, summery feel to every page. If YA rom-coms are your thing and my reservations don’t bother you, this will likely be a fine read for you.

Ryan’s Rating: 4 out of 5
www.seeserenawrite.com

YOUNGBLOOD

by Sasha Laurens
(Razorbill, July 2022)

When there’s a book trend, you have two options—steer clear, or totally lean into it. With Youngblood, Sasha Laurens takes the teen vampire trend and leans fully into it. Let’s call it what it is—the BEST lesbian vampire boarding school story I’ve read this year. Someone else told me that it’s Vampire Diaries meets Vampire Academy plus Gossip Girl. Yep. That’s about right.

Here’s the story. In Youngblood, the vamps in this world drink Hema, a pricey synthetic blood, because most of humanity has been infected with a virus that is fatal to vamps. After living among humans for her entire life, teen vamp Kat Finn finds out that she is able to attend the elite vampires-only boarding school, Harcote. Wahoo! Her roommate is her former best friend (Taylor Sanger) that she hasn’t spoken to in years. Ouch!

Now, Taylor is as wealthy as Kat is poor, but Taylor is the only totally out lesbian at Harcote. Life is hard enough without having to deal with someone with whom she had a massive falling out. And minor spoiler here—this pair’s past involves a first crush.

But the two find a way to reconnect and resolve what drove them apart years ago. Soon after, they stumble upon a secret in the school’s archives that involves Hema. The truth of that situation might just rock the entire world of Vampirdom. The heart of the story—this mystery—will keep readers on their toes.

Laurens creates a number of tender scenes that show how the girls are trying to forge a way forward in the world and with each other. Yet the book feels quite fast—almost rushed at times. A lot of the plot hinges upon the miscommunication trope, which feels too Three’s-Company for my taste. And while a number of relevant and appropriate themes emerge in the story (classism, racism, poverty, ableism), most of them don’t develop enough to give the book the depth many readers will desire.

Still, the idea of this book is sure to please many, and the worldbuilding and writing are largely well handled. 

Ryan’s Rating: 3.75 out of 5
www.sashalaurens.com