Check out these awesome reviews from our teen volunteers, and pick up a title for your next trip or beach read!

The Long Walk, by Stephen King (1979)

Reviewed by Braneeth

Summary

The Long Walk takes place in a dystopian United States. There is an annual competition in which one hundred volunteers from all over the country participate in an endless walk with no rest. The last one left wins any prize they want and a large sum of money. The catch? Slow down too often and you’ll be killed. The book follows young Ray Garraty on his journey to win the prize. He must endure both physical and mental barriers as he strives to stay alive. Not only must he push through the barriers of walking hundreds of miles with no break, but he must also witness fellow “Walkers” be shot dead in front of him.

My Opinions

The Long Walk is definitely a good read that I would recommend, but with fair warning. The book has some inappropriate references and some graphic details. However, Stephen King is a master of horror and dystopian literature, and he does a great job of making the characters believable. Main character Ray Garraty is easy to relate to; he suffers just like a normal human, and unlike many cliché protagonists, is no superhero/prodigy.

The setting and background are also very unique. The book shows some parallels to modern society, with the country having one person at the top of the government. However, Stephen King shows contrast by establishing a more dictatorial rule. Furthermore, during the Walk itself, the emotions of the young teens are very comprehensible and relatable. After all, they are just young boys struggling to stay alive.

The only problem I had was with the resolution, which seemed a bit abrupt and unexpected. It was not necessarily a bad one, but very surprising. You’ll have to read the book to find out, but all in all this book is a solid, entertaining read.

Frozen Charlotte, by Alex Bell (2007)

Reviewed by Vaanya

Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell (2007), was a thrill from the beginning to the end. The author, Alex Bell, writes a lot of horror novels. This book is one of her many exciting and mysterious adventures.

The story follows Sophie, who is being sent to the Island of Skye, where she needs answers to some disturbing questions. She is sent to her Uncle James and his three children (who once used to be four). Her goal is clear and simple; to find out more about Rebecca Craig, the ghost came to life on Jay’s Ouija board app and killed him after saying he would die that night. Sophie needs answers, and at first, she doesn’t know who to trust. The nights that Sophie spends at her Uncle James’s house are haunted by the voices of the Frozen Charlotte dolls. Sophie learns that these dolls can poke girls’ eyes out, move at night, and play games with death.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a little bit of thrill and mystery. The setting was described beautifully, even though it was dreary. All the characters were believable and had mysterious backstories and surprising qualities that were revealed in bits and pieces. There were many twists and turns, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Even though this book is a mystery, the author didn’t leave anything to the imagination; it was all detailed enough to grasp and understand. Everything made me feel like I was part of the restless adventures and shivery thrills. There is a decent amount of horror throughout the book, but nothing too overboard. The author was able to add a little bit of history about the Frozen Charlotte dolls, all the while with keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. When you read this book, be sure to not have a single doll in sight.

Crooked Kingdom, by Leigh Bardugo (2016)

Reviewed by Joe

Crooked Kingdom is the sequel to the Six of Crows novel. After Inej is kidnapped and Kaz stripped of his best spy, he tasks his team with rescuing Inej, taking down Jan Van Eck and Pekka Rollins, and keeping Kuwei away from the many who wish to exploit his knowledge of the formula for jurda parem. Their job is cut out for them, but after successfully breaking in and out of the most secure building in the world, how hard can it be?

Each and every character develops throughout the book, changing, for better or worse, by the end of the story. Kaz removes his gloves, slowly making peace with Jordie’s death and the aftermath of it. Nina and Matthias grow closer, and the former struggles to overcome the urge for parem now that she’s taken it. Out of all of the characters, however, Kuwei was the most well-written. Kaz, wants to keep him safe and doesn’t allow him to leave their hideout. However, Kuwei itches to do more than sit around, and constantly presses Kaz to let him leave. Eventually Kuwei is included in the plan, and although he is scared of what will happen if it fails, he follows through with it.

Unlike Six of Crows, which takes place first in Ketterdam, across the sea to the Ice Court, and eventually back to the capital of Kerch, Crooked Kingdom takes place almost entirely in Ketterdam. From the Crow Club to Black Veil Island, the story zig-zags across the merchant city. Ketterdam is one of my favorite cities in any book I’ve read. Just reading the book makes me feel as if I’m walking through the Barrel, with all kinds of people passing by me. Everything about the city is so lifelike, even the graveyards.

The plot of Crooked Kingdom was very different from Six of Crows, yet so similar as well. The author still kept Kaz’s plan secret from the reader until the big reveal, only giving hints of what was to come. In the first book of the duology, Kaz and his team were on the offensive, committing a daring heist. Now, they’ve been put on the defensive, and they have to work to drag themselves back up to the most feared criminals in Ketterdam. There are at least five subplots I can count off the top of my head, all intertwining to form one masterful storyline.

Crooked Kingdom deserves full marks, and is just as amazing as its predecessor. Nothing about this book disappoints me, and it contains a little bit of something for everyone, from an amazing world and a masterful plan to love and devastating loss. This novel will amaze you, no matter your expectations.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling (2000)

Reviewed by Freya

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is an exciting book where many important events take place. The three main characters are Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, and there are many supporting characters that play an important role in the story. In the beginning of the book, Harry returns to Hogwarts for his 4th year at school and discovers that the school will be hosting the Tri-wizard tournament. This means that there will be other students from various magical schools taking part in the tournament. Only students in the 6th year and above are allowed to participate in the tournament because it was very dangerous. Harry also discovers that there is a new teacher, Mad-Eye Moody, filling in the post for defense against the dark arts position.

For a set period of time, students are allowed to place their names in the Tri-wizard cup to have a chance to be chosen to participate in the tournament. On the day all the students gather to witness the drawing of the contestants’ names, everyone is shocked when the name Harry Potter comes out of the cup. Many people are upset and confused that a 4th year student was chosen, but in the end it is decided that Harry will participate in the tournament. There are three parts to the tournament, and contestants find clues to help them prepare for and conquer the challenges. At the end of the book, a very surprising event takes place – you’ll have to read it and find out more!

How I feel about this book

I think this book is great. I usually like fantasy books, so the Harry Potter series is one of my all-time favorites. One of my favorite parts of the book is the end because there are so many unexpected turns and plot twists. I also really liked reading about how students competed in the challenges. At the beginning of the book I didn’t like Mad eye-Moody, but by the end of the story I had changed my mind about him. My favorite character in this book was Hagrid because he is one of my favorite characters in the series.

The reviews are in! Our teen volunteers never disappoint, and here we have a wide variety of reviews to share. Check them out below! 🙂

Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo

Reviewed by Joe

Six of Crows is a fantasy novel about a group of outcasts and criminals, led by the notorious Kaz Brekker, who must attempt a heist on the world’s most secure stronghold: The Fjerdan Ice Court. Set in the same setting as the Shadow and Bone trilogy, a new power has come to light: a drug called jurda parem that can amplify the power of magic wielders thousand-fold. The scientist who discovered the drug, however, has been kidnapped and taken to the Ice Court, where the Fjerdans plan on replicating the drug for their own nefarious purposes. Kaz and his team have been asked to acquire the scientist for the Merchant Council of Kerch, in exchange for an enormous sum of money. The challenges they face along the way come not only from their adversaries, but from within as well, as past quarrels resurface.

The six main characters of the heist were quite believable. There are Jesper, the sharpshooter, Matthias, a Fjerdan ex-soldier split between his country and his loyalty to the team, Nina, a magic wielder known as a Grisha who put Matthias in jail to save him, Wylan, a demolitions expert who ran from his family, Inej, quite possibly the best spy and assassin in the world, and finally Kaz, a criminal mastermind with the most fearsome reputation in all of Kerch. Each of the characters had something that held them down. Kaz had a broken leg that never healed, and he couldn’t stand the touch of human skin after a traumatic experience in his past. Jesper can never stay away from the gambling tables, and Wylan doesn’t know how to read. However, despite their problems, both with each other and with the world, they manage to make one of the best teams the crime world has to offer. The history of each and every character is hinted at and given to the reader bit by bit, which makes me want to keep on reading to figure out more.

The setting of Six of Crows is the same setting as the Shadow and Bone trilogy, known as the Grishaverse. The world was made small, which made it much easier to keep track of. Leigh Bardugo did not spend paragraphs describing each different place as some authors I’ve read have, but if there was something that needed description, you would know what you needed to know about it. She managed to fit lots of information into two or three sentences, which really helped keep the book going while making it as in-depth as possible.

The plot of the novel was quite well written for my taste. Playing on the secretive nature of Kaz, the author kept details from even the reader until the big reveal. I loved this, but some readers might not. It did not affect the story much though, and the ball kept rolling through a maze of different paths the story could take, sometimes literally.

Overall, I would give Six of Crows a full 10/10. I read the book in less than 2 days, and much of the time, I take about a month to finish a book, reading off and on. Everything about the novel is amazing, and the sequel, Crooked Kingdom, is amazing as well. I suggest you read both, and if you’d like a more in-depth review of the second book in the duology, I might review that in the future as well.

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by Shivam

One book that I had a chance to read over the course of the past month was Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. Published in 2015, this fantasy novel, the first in a trilogy, did not disappoint.

The story revolves around Magnus Chase (for those familiar with the Percy Jackson series, he is the cousin of Annabeth, a main protagonist of that series), a 16 year-old teen left homeless on the streets of Boston after the death of his mother. Magnus has two friends, Blitz and Hearth, who look out for him. Life is pretty humdrum for Magnus until his 16th birthday, where he runs into his uncle, Randolph. A historian, Randolph tells Magnus something that changes his life forever: that Magnus is the son of a Norse god. Randolph has Magnus summon the Sword of Summer, an ancient artifact that belongs to his godly parent. Randolph tells Magnus that he will need it. At the moment that Magnus manages to summon the sword, disaster strikes. A fire giant lands in Boston, and Magnus tries single-handedly to stop it. He fails, and dies, losing the sword. After his death, Magnus’ soul is saved by a girl named Sam, and he ends up in Hotel Valhalla, a place for those who died bravely in combat as Magnus did. From here, Magnus faces many dangers, such as battles to the death, a quest to retake the sword, and even the biggest bad guy in Norse mythology himself: Loki.

Overall, I had a really good time reading this book. Everything about it was well-crafted, such as the characters and the setting. The characters were all believable and well-written. Magnus, for example, uses dry humor throughout the book, making it easy to see that even though he is the son of a god, he still has the personality of a teenager. Blitz, Hearth, and Sam are also great characters, and I couldn’t help but root for them all as the story progressed. Another thing that impressed me was the setting. It connects elements of the ancient Norse mythology to a very modern setting, evidenced by the story taking place in Boston at many different stages. I could definitely see myself in this world, whether it be as a protagonist or just a side character. Riordan manages to pull off something that seems impossible in hindsight with the setting, bonding the new and the old. Most impressive of all, however, was the plot. The plot is never slow, and there is always something new and interesting on every page. I was never bored, and it allowed me to understand and enjoy the book to its fullest extent. Nothing seemed out of place, and any actions taken over the course of the story all came together perfectly.

I 100% recommend this book to anyone and everyone, be it interesting mythology or funny comic relief. Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer is a must-read.  Even reluctant readers will be swept up in the plot, reading with great interest. For those who are interested in/enjoyed this book, I recommend many other books by Rick Riordan. He writes about many different types of mythology, and if the Norse mythology world is something people enjoy, it is also worth checking out the series Percy Jackson and The Heroes of Olympus, which include Greek and Roman mythology. If Egyptian mythology interests you as well, I recommend The Kane Chronicles series. All in all, Rick Riordan has many great works, and Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer is definitely one of them.

Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Reviewed by Claire

Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, by Becky Albertalli was published on April 7, 2015, and tells the story of Simon Spier. Simon is a sixteen year old high school junior, and he is everything that he is expected to be. Except for one, small thing; Simon is gay, and he hasn’t told anyone, except for Blue.

Simon met Blue online, and even though they’ve never met in person, Simon has found a friend in him. In fact, he kind of loves the guy. Blue is the best friend he’s never met, the boyfriend he’s always wanted, hidden behind a computer screen. Simon talks to Blue as much as he can, which is how he’s ended up being blackmailed by Martin Addison. Martin has never really been a problem for him, the guy has always been the class clown, no trouble at all. Until Martin takes it upon himself to blackmail Simon, forcing him to help Martin talk to his dream girl, Abby. Abby is one of Simon’s best friends, and definitely not into Martin. Simon doesn’t want to help, but if he doesn’t, Martin will tell everyone his secret. Not only will Simon be outed, but Blue will be as well. This wouldn’t be so bad, if Blue lived somewhere far away, like California. Except Blue goes to Creekwood High School in Georgia, with Simon, where bullying the gay guys isn’t a rare occurrence. What choice does Simon have?

I loved this book, and found it to have realistic characters, since all of them have flaws, and aren’t made out to be inhumanly perfect. I like almost all of the characters, though my favorites have to be Leah and Bram. I really love Leah’s sarcastic streak, and the fact that she’s not afraid to be different. What I like about Bram is that he’s the quiet kid, the shy one that always exists in fiction, who sits in the back of the room. The story was described in great detail, and I could see myself sitting in the auditorium, watching the drama class put on a show. The pacing of the story works well, and shows how the relationship between Simon and Blue progresses over time. This story highlights how hard it is to be different, especially when people hate you for those differences, and expect you to be someone you’re not. Though it’s not good that we still have these issues in society, I love the fact that this author didn’t make the entire thing out to be a game. This book talks about important issues, emphasizes how it feels to not fit in, and discusses having a different sexuality in a heteronormative society.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a different kind of love story, one that is often underrepresented in the media, though I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under 13. The characters are well developed, and this book is different from most romance novels. I haven’t read any other books by this author, though there are a few sequels to this book.

The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas

Reviewed by Ryan

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a novel told from the perspective of a black teenage girl named Starr who witnesses one of her close friends, Khalil, being killed by a police officer in a routine traffic stop. The story takes place in the fictional town of Garden Heights where Starr grew up. Starr tells the reader about her experience following the incident involving Khalil, where she is left to deal with the publicity that surrounds Khalil’s murder, the trauma that she develops, and navigating a predominantly white private high school.

This novel did a great job of telling a compelling story with believable and realistic characters and events. Angie Thomas built a world in this book that is as close to reality as it possibly could be. The setting is described with great detail and imagery that made me question whether or not it was in fact an actual town. Each character was given an intensely detailed description that gives the reader the ability to connect and relate to all of the major characters. I would definitely recommend this book.

Check out the latest reviews from our teen volunteers!

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, 1997

Reviewed by Sriya

Starting off I’m going to be honest, I watched the movie Ella Enchanted before reading the actual book. *GASP* I know, I know, I’m ashamed of myself too. But as always, the book was much better than the movie and is 100% deserving of the Newbery Honor Medal. Ella Enchanted is the story of an extraordinary girl who was blessed by a fool of a fairy to be obedient. However, throughout her life she realizes that this so-called blessing was more of a curse. Follow this daring, clumsy, and small-footed heroine through her journey to find the fairy that “blessed” her and break this unfortunate curse.

As you might have guessed, the main character’s name is Ella. In my opinion, Ella is the perfect main character and easily my favorite character in the book. She’s witty, adventurous, and ironically disobedient. Ella’s cook Mandy is the perfect motherly figure for this enchanted child, according to Ella she is the most wonderful cook in the world and is a magical woman. Another character is Prince Charming himself or in this case, Prince Char. Prince Char is the Prince of Frell and is close friends with Ella due to their similar sense of humor. In a world this perfect, there needs to be some evil to balance it out right? That’s where Dame Olga and her evil minion- oops I mean children- come in. Dame Olga and her two daughters are Ella’s worst nightmare. They unexpectedly come into her life and abuse her curse by ordering her around like well, Cinderella.

Ella Enchanted takes place in Frell, a magical town with a medley of humans, centaurs, elves, gnomes, and ogres. Surrounding Frell are more mystical towns inhabited by even more mystic creatures. The plot of Ella Enchanted revolves around Ella traveling through these towns to find the fairy that cursed her. Through her journey, Ella faces all kinds of obstacles and makes a multitude of friends of different species. Levine’s descriptions of these settings and characters were so vivid and detailed that I could perfectly paint Ella’s point of view in my head.

I would definitely recommend this book to people of all ages, Ella Enchanted is a timeless entertainer. I absolutely loved everything about this book, the characters, the plot, and especially the broad vocabulary usage and vivid details. Ella Enchanted successfully combines fairy tale, coming of age, and rom-com tropes into one perfectly written book. Along with reading this wondrous work of literature, I also recommend you watch the movie too. But unlike me, make sure you watch it after reading the book. If you love a book that can make you laugh, swoon, and cry, Ella Enchanted is the perfect book for you.

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer, 2008

Reviewed by Abhiram

One of my favorite books, The Dead and the Gone, is a sci-fi novel written by Susan Beth Pfeffer in 2008. It is a sequel to Life As We Knew It in the series known as The Last Survivors.

The story’s protagonist, Alex Morales, has to keep himself and his sisters alive after natural disasters take place. He has a hard time thinking about how to look after and protect his two younger sisters, Briana and Julie, because their parents vanished after the tidal waves, and his brother is away serving in the US Army.

The story begins after an asteroid collides with Earth and causes disasters such as tidal waves, eruptions, and earthquakes which transform their home in New York City from a vibrant neighborhood to a jeopardizing wasteland. After witnessing the loss of many lives and a lockdown, maintaining their faith and family harmony are necessary for Alex, Briana, and Julie to survive in the aftermath of these disasters. Alex has to work hard to help himself and his sisters come together as a family.

In the story, Alex’s sister Julie’s hatred towards him bothered me. Alex tries to maintain control over his sisters’ actions to keep them safe, which frustrates Julie and prompts her to tell Alex she hates him several times in the story. However, as the story progresses she starts to appreciate all he has done to keep them safe. In the end, the siblings both realize how much they need each other.

The overall plot was interesting, but initially I didn’t feel like everyone’s actions made sense in response to the asteroid; the main characters were afraid that everyone would die, but everyone else in the story seemed to believe that nobody was going to die. It was interesting to see how everything played out in the face of such an emergency! There’s an excerpt from the beginning of the former story, and part of the sequel at the end, so it does work well as a standalone. I would highly recommend this book.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, 1961

Reviewed by Saimah

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee. The story is set in Maycomb County Alabama in 1933, where the community is very racially divided and prejudiced. Jem and Scout are two kids who live with their father, Atticus. This novel is shown through the perspective of Scout, a young girl who grows from six to nine years old and learns many valuable life lessons along the way. There are rumors about a mysterious person known as Boo Radley, and townspeople say he is a monster and does terrible things. Jem and Scout, along with their friend Dill, try to discover more about Boo Radley as they find him interesting.

When a black man, Tom Robinson, gets accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, the whole community believes Tom Robinson is guilty. When Atticus is given the job of trying to defend Tom in court, he tries his level best even though there is very little hope of winning the case – he hopes he can at start making change in Maycomb County.

I felt like the characters were very believable throughout this novel. Scout is very young and it shows throughout the book as she describes events that she does not really understand in the way that an older reader will. Atticus, the widowed father of Jem and Scout, tries to teach valuable lessons to his kids and stand up for what is right throughout the novel. Calpurnia is another important character, and her perspective as a black woman raising two white children in a prejudiced community is realistic. The mystery around Boo Radley is also very realistic, and throws more light on the depth of prejudice within Maycomb.

The setting of the story was very realistic, and gives the reader a good snapshot of how things would have been done in a time and place like this. The pacing of the story worked well – the beginning is slow and confusing as there are many characters in the story to keep track of. After the first chapter it starts getting more interesting and the pace picks up, with larger reveals and plot twists.

The reviews are in, and our teens are reading a wide variety of books these days! See what our teen volunteers have to say in the reviews below, and swing by the Library to check out one (or many) of these books for yourself!

Every Other Weekend, by Abigail Johnson

Reviewed by Vaishnavi

The book, Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson is a realistic fiction novel and it was published on January 7th, 2020. This novel describes the life of two young teenagers named Adam and Jolene. Adam Moynihan’s life is a mess. His brother Greg just died, and his parents got divorced. Jolene Timber, on the other hand, doesn’t remember the last time that she felt loved and needed in the world. Her parents could care less about her, and the only thing that distracts Jolene from her reality is making movies. One day, Adam comes to visit his dad at his apartment, and Jolene comes to visit her dad. They meet and develop an unbreakable friendship. Somewhere along the way, they develop feelings for each other. Soon though, Adam’s family starts to get back together, and Jolene’s family stays the same. Jealousy pricks in and Jolene wonders if Adam will still want to be with her in the long run.

Although Abigail Johnson’s story was obvious at parts, it had the elements of the fun, humorous love story I was looking for. The story is in the first-person point of view but switches between Adam and Jolene after every other chapter. This gave me a true picture of the emotions and feelings of the characters. I fell in love with Jolene’s sarcastic, humorous attitude towards life, and Adam’s serious one.

Johnson’s tone in this book is very informal. Her writing style is simple and easy to understand, yet it contains a tremendous amount of dialogue and an excellent choice of vocabulary. Furthermore, I feel like this story has a lot of different themes running through it including young love, growing up, and facing reality. But I think two themes that really stuck out to me after reading this story were forgiveness and moving on. I think Johnson highlights these themes by showing the character development both Jolene and Adam go through from the beginning to the end of the story. Adam starts to celebrate Greg’s life rather than always feel sad when he thinks about him. He eventually faces reality and realizes that Greg is not coming back and that he would not have wanted to see his family living like this. In the end, Adam tries to move on and be happy with what life has in store for him. Jolene changes too because she decides to forgive her father and mother for never being there for her. At the beginning of the story, this bothers her and makes her miserable every time she thinks about it. Jolene comes to realize that some people are not going to be there for you, but you can choose to be with the people that are there for you. Eventually, you can choose to move on and live life to the fullest.

I think something else that Johnson did well was leaving a couple of loose ends at the novel’s conclusion. Throughout the story, Jolene worries about her future with Adam and wonders if they will ever be able to last. Jolene says, “You can’t just say you’ll always want me. We’ve been fine seeing each other a couple weekends a month… But what happens when you realize you only like me in small doses-”. Johnson never gives us a “ten years later” at the end of the story to tell us about what happens to Adam and Jolene. I liked how the author did this because I feel like it was her way of telling us that you never know what is going to happen in life, but sometimes you have to take chances.

After finishing this book, I felt satisfied but did feel like there could have been some improvement. I liked Johnson’s happily-ever-after ending to the book but wished that there could’ve been more of a storyline and more plot throughout the book. I found the middle a bit long and boring, and felt that it dragged on for far too long, without a lot happening.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and thought that Abigail Johnson did a great job making the characters likable and realistic. Obviously, I felt that there could’ve been some improvements, but I liked how she portrayed the characters and showed us that nobody’s perfect.  I think that this book is a must-read for someone that enjoys coming-of-age stories about love and forgiveness. If you are looking for a light, fun-loving, humorous book about two young teenagers navigating through the hardships of life, and learning a ton throughout the way then this book is perfect for you.

If I had to rate this book I would give it 7/10. This book reminds me of another book, The Distance Between Us, by another one of my favorite authors, Katie West. Both books have the same elements of young love, navigating life, and humor.

The Arc of a Scythe Trilogy, by Neal Shusterman

Reviewed by Adharsha

The Arc of a Scythe series takes place in an almost utopian society where everything is perfect, except for one thing: the scythes. These special people take care of the most grueling yet necessary job: thinning the population. Our main characters, Citra Terranova and Rowan Damisch, meet each other as they become scythe apprentices and work to become true scythes. This trilogy, composed of the books Scythe, Thunderhead, and The Toll, is full of twists and kept me engaged for most of it, but often I felt as if the author dragged the story a little too much. However, the plot is so unique and gripping, and there were moments when I truly could not put the book down! I especially loved the last book of the series, The Toll, which was riveting throughout. The characters are very relatable, and I found myself just loving Citra and Rowan, especially towards the middle and the end of the trilogy. Citra’s amazing woman-power and Rowan’s determination inspired me and added a layer of depth to the story. I would recommend this trilogy to any YA book reader who enjoys a thriller plot mixed in with some mystery!

My Rating: 9/10

Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard

Reviewed by Akhila

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is a fantasy novel published in 2015 and one of the most intriguing books I have read. In Mare Barrow’s world, the people are divided by the color of their blood: the Reds and Silvers, the poor and the rich. The Silvers all have a special power of their own, based on their Houses. When Mare, a Red thief, picks the wrong pocket, her life turns upside down. She finds herself in a job at the palace where she is to serve the royal Silvers. It is unheard of for a Red to have powers, until Mare nearly explodes with electricity in the middle of the palace. Mare is then given a new identity as a Silver princess, a new name, Mareena, and is betrothed to the second son of the King to hide the fact that a Red can have powers. However, Mare soon finds out that there are many more Reds like her, with powers of their own. Mare now not only has to find a way to survive, but also fight for her own people in a revolution that could change the world. Mare grew up both hating and envying the Silvers, so when she finds herself torn between two Silvers, the Prince and his half-brother, she has to constantly remind herself not to trust either of them because of who they are. Mare’s actions end up pitting prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

Mare’s story shows the consequences of blind trust and betrayal at its finest. Red Queen kept me hooked the whole time. It was hard to tell friend from foe, which just increased the tension. The novel contains both action and romance, but never too much of either. The ending, especially the Epilogue, was definitely the best part of the book, and left off on a great cliff hanger. One thing I loved about this book was that Mare had great character development, even though it meant her making mistake after mistake. I also loved all the characters of the book, my favorite being Kilorn, Mare’s Red best friend who put himself in danger just to be a good, honorable man and was also essentially the cause for Mare’s chaos. The relationship that both of them have is just too desirable. They are always teasing each other but also putting their lives on the line for each other.

While the overall plot was similar to other novels, it was still interesting and a great reading experience. I felt that it was a mix of The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Selection, and Shadow and Bone. However, it still had its own pieces of the plot which were original and engaging. Red Queen is the first book in a series of four. The epilogues of the novels end in such a way that you want to read the next book immediately. In the end, I definitely recommend reading this novel!

Our teen volunteers have been reading & reviewing some books with heavy themes of racial injustice, grief, and second chances. Check out their reviews below.

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Reviewed by Mia

Summary:
Ghost Boys is a fiction novel about a twelve year-old boy named Jerome, who lives
in Chicago. Jerome has had an encounter with a police officer that has unexpectedly
left him dead and a ghost. While being a ghost, Jerome meets other “Ghost Boys” and
sees their stories, and how they were both similar and different from his own. Jerome also
meets a girl named Sarah, who is about his age–but is alive–and they share their
stories and connect with one another throughout the book.
My Thoughts:
I think that Ghost Boys is a great read! This book deals with racial injustice issues as
well as some peer pressure. Ghost Boys was an interesting book and I was able to
finish it pretty quickly. Overall I liked how this book was structured–it went back and
forth between Jerome being alive and dead. This helped me to understand what Jerome
was going through at different times. Sometimes the book does not go in
chronological order, which can be a bit confusing. I feel like Jerome, Sarah, and Carlos
are mostly relatable characters, as they are close to my age. Although I have not gone
through most of the things they have, I can see racism in other places.
I hope you decide to read Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, and enjoy it as much
as I did. 🙂

The Hate U Give  by Angie Thomas

Reviewed by Adharsha

The Hate U Give is a truly inspiring and amazing story of a teenage girl, Starr Carter, and her story, how she fights for her innocent black friend, Khalil after he is shot by a white police officer for no reason. Throughout the book, the reader sees her open, fiery personality, and the struggles she must overcome to achieve her goal is astonishing. The crazy life she must live with her unusual, blended family adds depth to the story, and the author adds in significant details, such as the hatred and anger between different black gangs in the same town, and how Starr has a completely different high school experience that most others in her town because of the fact that she goes to a private, white high school.

I loved watching Starr push through in her fight to prove that Khalil, and so many others like him, are innocent. Reading about her experiences literally brought me to tears; although I knew that the kind of discrimination people still undergo is truly horrible, Angie Thomas still allowed me to see more into this prejudiced world. Thank you, Angie Thomas, and thank you, Starr, for bringing your story and so many others’ to light.

Rating: 20/10

One Small Thing by Erin Watt

Reviewed by Samrah

The book One Small Thing by Erin Watt has been one of my favorites yet! This book is about a teenage girl named Beth who lost her sister in a car accident. After this tragic accident, her parents haven’t taken their eyes off Beth. They keep her isolated and protect her every second, so another accident won’t ever happen to her. Beth is frustrated with her parents and just wants to go out and live her life. She one day sneaks out to a party where she meets a boy named Chase and they hit it off really well. She later finds out Chase goes to the same high school as her and is thrilled. From her friends and family, she learns soon enough that Chase was the guy in the car who accidentally killed her sister. He had spent 3 years in juvie and is very sorry, but no one buys it. Except for Beth, who seems to see Chase as a person who made mistakes in the past but now is a better person. Chase tries to distance himself from Beth, but they both always find themselves together. As Beth and Chase go through many tough problems in their life, they both always find a way to console one another.

I love Beth and Chase because they both are struggling but always fight and find their way to happiness. As Beth’s friends, parents, and pretty much the whole town hate Chase, she always has his back and is there for him. Erin Watt is an amazing author and has written another book called When It’s Real, which is slightly similar to this book, but at the same time is completely different. I definitely recommend this book and it is a great read. You won’t be able to put it down!

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These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (2020)

reviewed by Abigail

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong was published on November 17, 2020 and is a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai. Julliete Cai is the daughter of the leader of the Scarlet Gang, while her star-crossed lover Roma Montagov is the son of the leader of the White Flowers, the opposing gang in Shanghai. When gang members on both sides of the rivalry begin to die under mysterious circumstances, the two must put their differences aside to figure out what’s killing their people — before they’re next.

I had high expectations going into These Violent Delights as a lover of the star-crossed lovers trope, and I have to say, my expectations were definitely met and maybe even exceeded. Chloe Gong’s spin on Shakespeare’s Juliet is refreshing and perfectly fit for a modern audience. Julliete Cai is not one to be trifled with and always aims to shatter the expectations people place on her. Even the friends that surround the two main characters have very interesting backstories and excellently crafted character development, something that’s often left out of side characters.

Despite having never been to Shanghai in the 1920s, I feel like I have after reading Gong’s novel. With imagery of bustling streets and sultry nightclubs, the setting of the story is well described and provides gorgeous mental pictures. 

One of my biggest pet peeves is books that overstay their welcome. Authors that drag the story on and on despite the actual plot only needing 200 pages or so. I can say confidently that These Violent Delights does no such thing. The book is paced so that the slow burn between Julliette and Roma doesn’t feel rushed but action is constantly taking place, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat and waiting to see what will happen next. 

All in all, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good forbidden romance with a bit of an action twist. But if romance isn’t your thing, These Violent Delights is still worth checking out because the love story is only a single aspect of this multifaceted novel with twists and turns all over the place. 

One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus (2017)

reviewed by Claire

One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus was published May 29, 2017, and is one of the best books I have ever read. In this story, Bronwyn Rojas, Nate Macauley, Adelaide Prentiss, and Cooper Clay are accused of murdering their fellow student, Simon Kelleher. All five students walked into detention one Monday in September, but only four left Bayview High alive. Simon ran a popular gossip app, an app that always accurately exposed the secrets of those in Bayview, and he was planning to disclose the secrets of these four students next. Except, he never got the chance. We see the world from the eyes of these four characters, which causes us to learn that each of
them has a completely different perspective on the investigation. Bronwyn is worried that
everything she’s ever worked for will be thrown down the drain, ruining any future she may have had, whereas Nate is just annoyed that he’ll be blamed for the whole thing. Addy is afraid that her one mistake will cause her to lose what she truly loves, while Cooper is afraid that one carefully covered up secret may just lose him everyone he knows, and everything he has.

This is one of my favorite books, and creates a world filled with secrets, deception, lies,
and discoveries. I feel that the characters are wonderfully crafted, and the ways that they feel and act are very reasonable. I like the main characters, though Cooper is my favorite character in the story, and reading about how Simon’s death affected how he acted and lived was incredible. I love how I can actually see myself in this world, looking at things the way the characters did, and feeling what they felt. The story moves pretty quickly, showing how the investigation progresses over the course of two months. The actions of these characters are believable, and the ways that they all respond to each event are very different. This story was a bit predictable, so I was more intrigued by the character development, which is the main reason I never considered putting the book down. I recommend this title to anyone above the age of 14, since there is much use of adult language, and a few things are described that younger kids probably wouldn’t be comfortable reading. I haven’t read any other books by this author, though I have heard that they’re incredible stories.

The Sword of Shannara, by Terry Brooks (1977)

reviewed by Joe

The Sword of Shannara is a book about a Half-Elf named Shea Ohmsford. Shea has lived his life peacefully, until he finds out he is the only one who can stop the advance of the Warlock Lord and his massive Northland Army from enslaving all of the world. First he and his companions, who have come from many different kingdoms to protect the world against this deadly threat, must retrieve the Sword of Shannara, a sword forged with magic when the Warlock Lord first rose to power to defeat him. Once they retrieve the Sword, they must march north through the Knife’s Edge and to Skull Mountain to slay the evil, immortal sorcerer.

While reading this book, I noticed that the characters were very realistic. They all had their flaws, and many times, they showed it. Whether it was self-doubt, brashness, or secrecy, all of the main characters, including the seemingly most virtuous of the company, showed themselves to be real people, not idealistic ideas. They showed motivation, and their complex backstories shone through as well. Overall, the characters of The Sword of Shannara are quite detailed and realistic. Their different personalities and skills put together in a group made them synergize quite well, which is another thing that I liked.

The setting of The Sword of Shannara is small, but well detailed. A map was included at the start of the book, which I always like, as it helps me visualize the journeys taken and the geography. It is a fantasy book, with Trolls, Gnomes, Elves, Dwarfs, and Men as the main races. Another very interesting tidbit on what this world was, thousands of years ago, before the First Great War ravaged the land, really helped me imagine myself in this world. If you’d like to find out what happened, you’ll just have to read the book!

The plot of the novel is somewhat simple; the main characters go on a quest to find an ancient artifact that will help them defeat the antagonist of the story. However, the plot is still a good one, and I haven’t found any inconsistencies in it, which is another plus. There are many smaller side plots, and they grow more numerous towards the end of the story. Most of these intertwine with each other and the main story, and only a few of them seemed a bit out of place.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It has an interesting and exciting plot, realistic and relatable characters, and an immersive setting. There is one thing that I have noticed, and that is that there are many similarities to Lord of the Rings. Some characters take similar positions in the company, some storylines are similar, and it is a similar overall plot, that an ancient artifact can be used to help defeat the magical and tyrannous force descending on the world. However, the book is still amazing, and I strongly recommend reading it.

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Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Reviewed by Adharsha

This book is unlike any other I have read. In Just Mercy, a powerful tale of the struggles that a passionate man must undergo simply to persuade the US court system to do its job and bring just and fair trials to those who have been sentenced unjustly, Bryan Stevenson reveals the darkest natures of our country and brings to light both how current and serious the problems of racism and prejudice are. Stevenson relates his experiences as a young lawyer and how these experiences develop as he progresses through his career; with numerous statistics and solid information supporting his claims, he brings forth both the victories and the failures of what he has set out to do, and therefore shows the reader that there is much more to do and much more than can be done to preserve the rights of every citizen of our country, black or white, and bring them sentences that are fair and just, based not on the color of their skin but on their age and how severe of a crime they have actually committed – along with whether they even committed a crime at all.

As I read this book, I was hooked, but I didn’t want it to end. Stevenson pushed me to the brink of tears but also inspired me to hope that this country still has a chance of changing for the better. With this myriad of emotions, combined with amazing, inspirational, and lovable people, and a story that is real to the core, Just Mercy is a wonder of literature and a must-read for both young-adults and adults.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Reviewed by Samrah

I recently read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas! This book is about a teenager named Starr who is a very outgoing and independent girl, who doesn’t care what others think. After leaving a party, she experiences her friend Khalil getting shot by the police when he was completely innocent. Ever since that tragic incident, Starr starts to realize how much racism there really is and views her life differently. She encounters many remarks of racism and stereotypes. At first no one knows Starr was a victim and she is scared of letting her side of the story be heard. She later realizes that she needs to speak up and address the situation on behalf of her and especially Khalil.

I absolutely love this book, mainly because it relates to what is happening today. A couple months ago we all know there were riots due to racism. The characters in this book experience pretty much the same things. This book has been one of my favorites and I definitely recommend it if you are looking for a great book to read!