Johnson County Library
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Reviews by Category: Fiction
Teen Review
Friday, Apr 24, 2020
After being involved in a terrible accident, Tyson Trice is taken in by his grandfather's family friends to go live in a bougey town called Pacific Hills. Growing up in a rough environment, especially now that he lost the one person he loved the most, he does not like this change. However, along the way, a certain group of people make his summer the best ever and completely change his outlook on life. The most compelling aspect of the book was that it was SO diverse. Both main characters were from African descent, but not all the characters were like that. They incorporated Hispanic and...
Teen Review
Friday, Apr 24, 2020
Fifty years ago in a town barely more than a pinpoint on a map, a deadly tornado swept through the local drive-in and took a whole generation of teenagers with it. In the present, there are too many coincidences: another tornado, the now ruined drive-in, and the same teens roaming as Spirits.
There were so many beautiful parts of this novel that I hardly know where to begin! Firstly, the plot was absolutely gripping and eerily haunting at the same time. The supernatural aspect was just enough to make your spine tingle. The suspense left me breathless chapter after chapter, as did...
Teen Review
Monday, Jan 6, 2020
Maritza, a 17 year-old who just finished junior year of high school, has the summer all planned out until her mother leaves. She is forced to go into foster care where her past is revealed and she is faced with decisions she never thought she would have to make. Maritza is a very relatable character because she is always questioning what would be best for everyone in her life. She also feels like there is not one specific group she belongs to, and that creates some conflict with herself. I wasn’t disappointed with book at all; the ending wasn’t what I expected, but it was really good!
Teen Review
Monday, Dec 2, 2019
After Beverly's dog runs away she knows that she needs to leave, to get away from her drunk mother, her kind friends, and her dead dog. She doesn't know where she's going, but when she gets to a crooked little house by a crooked little sea, Beverly knows it is where she is going to stay, even if she won't admit it to herself. Beverly wants to keep to herself, but who knows if she will be able to keep away from the people who want to befriend her. The kindness inside of the book that is shown by all of the characters is super compelling. Although there is enough conflict to make the plot,...
Teen Review
Monday, Nov 25, 2019
A shooting in Portland mall leads to several teenagers being trapped with only 3 means of potential survival: they may run, hide, or fight back. However, they all are guarding big secrets, and tensions in the group run very high. They all must be willing to put their differences aside and work together against the odds if they want to stay alive. The cover did a very good job of capturing my attention, and reflected the overall fear the characters felt very well. The multiple perspectives in the book are really fascinating, so you can see into the different characters mindsets, which makes...
Teen Review
Thursday, Oct 17, 2019
The Grief Keeper tells the story of a young girl named Marisol who is trying to immigrate with her younger sister to America after the murder of their brother. She is caught crossing the border and told she must participate in an experimental study, or be sent back home to El Salvador. As part of the study, Marisol becomes a grief keeper, taking upon the grief of Rey, a young woman struggling with mental illness, to ensure she can stay in the country.
The most compelling aspect of the book, in my opinion, was Marisol coming to terms with her sexuality. Throughout the book, Marisol...
Teen Review
Tuesday, Oct 15, 2019
The book switches between perspectives of two different, yet alike, characters forcing you to look at the situation from multiple perspectives. It is a book dedicated to those who are often pushed to the side in today’s world, and shows that we are all more alike than one might think, and that you should not judge others based on only what you’ve heard.
The most compelling aspect of the book to me was the underlying mystery mixed with the two teens who were drawn to each other. As they were learning about one another, one was very truthful, while the other claimed to be deceitful- ...
Teen Review
Thursday, Aug 29, 2019
Freddy is a young teen who is struggling with her friends, her job, and most importantly her relationship. The book makes you feel a connection with these characters very quickly so from the start you’re rooting for your favorite character. I was not disappointed by anything. The art was outstanding and the story was impeccable. I was extremely satisfied by the ending. Hard to imagine a better book.
Teen Review
Monday, Jul 1, 2019
This book explains issues many teens have today in a very realistic way. It helped me understand that I'm not necessarily the only person who's had a friend just completely turn around and change on them. It also deals with somebody trying to grasp somebody's gender identity which is unfortunately something many people still don't understand. Everything was explained in just the right way and the book was absolutely incredible.
I loved the cover! I think the bows on the cover plus one of them being cut in half perfectly represented what was going to happen in the book.
The...
Teen Review
Monday, Jun 10, 2019
Do you ever find your self wanting to escape into a different world? Well, that is exactly what happens in this book. High school students Sam and Zoe have existed on two very different platforms, but find themselves more similar than they thought. It all starts with an unexpected encounter that leads the two girls to swap phone numbers, and in their text messages they build up the wonderful Starworld. In Starworld both girls feel free and they share things they never shared with other people. But will this amazing world last? Will feelings get in way of this unexpected friendship?
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