The Tortured Poets Department is Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album, most songs processing and diving into her most devastating breakup with Joe Alwyn. The album is mostly synth pop, blending other aspects of her discography, such as Midnights and Folklore. The album comprises 16 songs total.
Unravel Me is a continuation of the story of Juliette Ferrars, a teenage girl with the power to kill anyone with her touch. After the events of Shatter Me, Juliette finds herself at a rebel base/sanctuary called Omega Point with her friends Adam, Kenji, and James. While she is free from Warner and the Reestablishment, it is clear they are not willing to let her go that easily.
It’s 1986, and Eleanor just started 10th grade at her local public school. She met a boy, Park, on her bus and started sitting next to him every day because everyone else thought she was weird. She and Park start becoming closer and soon become lovers. In the end, they both lived happily although it might not have been the way they imagined it to be.
Shatter Me follows the story of a 17-year-old girl named Juliette Ferrars in a futuristic dystopian world ruled by the Reestablishment; a totalitarian government which promises to “help” people by taking away their basic rights. Juliette, who has the power to torture and kill anyone she touches, was taken away from her home and placed in an asylum for 264 days because she accidentally killed a toddler. However, everything changes when a boy named Adam arrives in her cell and Juliette starts to trust him.
Alex and Eliza: A Love Story, tells the story of Alexander Hamilton’s romance with Elizabeth Schuyler. This book explores through their courtship, from their first meeting at a ball to their marriage and the challenges they faced. Eliza, a strong-willed and independent woman, captures Alex’s heart. Throughout the book, they navigate the obstacles of war, family expectations, and social class.
The Cruel Prince, a novel written by Holly Black, introduces us to the world of Faerie. Jude Duarte, our main character, is a mortal, along with her twin sister, living in a world of immortals. Jude wants nothing more than to prove herself and show that she can be their equal. She craves power and is very cunning. This book is full of plot twists, betrayal, and incredible world-building. Each character is complex and has secret ulterior motives.
Nicola Yoon’s The Sun Is Also a Star details the relationship between teenagers Natasha Kingsley—a Jamaican American faced with the threat of deportation, and Daniel Bae—a Korean American struggling to live up to his parents’ expectations. Natasha hopes to stay in the United States; she spends her final day in New York City seeking legal help to avoid deportation. The two meet in New York, and Daniel decides to miss out on a potentially life changing interview to spend the day with Natasha.
Betting on You, by Lynn Painter, is the quintessential young adult romance novel. Bailey is dealing with her parents’ divorce and move to a new town when she meets Charlie, a witty and cynical boy who doesn’t believe in love. They are forced together on an hours-long plane ride, and by the end can’t be more thoroughly annoyed with each other. They part ways, expecting never to meet again, until they find themselves working together at the same waterpark.
If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin is a moving story about self-discovery that follows childhood best friends who grow apart but continue to have a shared connection. Autumn and Finn have been raised as family since childhood with their mothers being best friends and living next door to each other. After they began middle school, popular Finny and alternative Autumn found different friends, styles, and relationships as they stopped interacting with one another.
If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin is a beautifully written subpar book that I wish gave me more. This book is a coming-of-age book about two best friends harboring secret feelings for each other while also dealing with the ins and outs of high school.
