Reviews by Category: Teens

Born a Crime is the autobiography of Trevor Noah, comedian and host of The Daily Show, detailing his experiences growing up in South Africa during and after apartheid. Noah was born to a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss father, a union that was illegal under apartheid laws. The book explores his struggles with identity, his complicated relationship with his mother, and the challenges of navigating life as a biracial child in a society rife with racial tension.

Avery Kylie Grambs is an ordinary teenage girl, who struggles with finances. She has one plan: get a scholarship and attend college to major in science. But her whole life turns around when she inherits billions from Tobias Hawthorne, a man who Avery has never heard of before. As Avery is granted the house and various prospects, she is met with the four grandsons of Tobias Hawthorne, who were expecting to inherit billions of dollars when their grandfather died. In order to receive the money, Avery must move into the Hawthorne Mansion, which is filled with riddles, codes, and more.

Hanneke Bakks is still grieving over her lost lover, Bas, when she decides to turn to stealing goods from the black market and selling them in order to gain money for herself and her family. It’s a nasty business that she ensures her parents and friends don’t find out about.  She decides to keep her methods secret to make sure that her job is done skillfully and without prying eyes, especially in Amsterdam in 1943, which is filled with German occupation.

Lib Wright is an English nurse who was serving under the legendary leadership of Ms. Nightingale, a renowned nurse in various regions of Europe. Shortly after the Crimean War, Lib is called to Ireland during the 19th century to observe a new patient by the name of Anna O’Donnell, an 11-year-old girl whose parents claim that she hasn’t eaten anything since her last birthday, which had taken place four months ago.

If You Could See the Sun features Alice Sun, the only student at her prestigious school on scholarship while the others are the heirs of wealthy businesses or the children of famous models. Alice has only one plan: graduate and get rich enough to support herself and her parents, a task that can only be done through her elite school. However, a problem occurs when her parents reveal to her that they can no longer afford her tuition and that Alice must choose a different school that is public.

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.

In the last installment of the Mirror Visitor series, Ophelia and her husband, Thorn, realize that their search for the Other was ultimately limited to the mirror. As they travel through different lands, obstacles, and riddles, they must confront their passion for each other, which they are forced to keep secret. Ophelia and Thorn must find the Other, whose power is slowly consuming other regions and lands and destroying civilizations, with the threat that their home could very well be next.

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware Leonora “Nora” Shaw is a crime writer who left her school ten years ago after a breakup and devotes her life to writing whilst living in a small living space in Hackney. After leaving town, Nora loses touch with her old friends and expects her days to be the same. However, she later receives an email that invites her to a party that is held by her old best friend, Clare. The party is later hosted by Clare’s best friend, Flo, who seems to be a look-alike of Clare.

Through the eyes of Ponyboy Curtis, The Outsiders depicts the gritty lives of the “Greasers”, a group of poor teen friends caught up in a bitter class struggle between their rough neighborhood and the wealthy “Socs”. The Greasers want safety, respect, and to escape the hardships of their circumstances. However, they face terrible treatment, violence, and retaliation from the Socs. They then get pulled into a dangerous downward spiral of violent actions to protect their own.

Want a short, but detailed overview of genetics? This is the perfect book for that. Genetics 101 has various topics under the branch of genetics which are explained concisely. Topics like DNA replication, protein synthesis, inheritance, evolution, and others can be found in this time-worthy book. Fun facts and sections about many related subjects can also be found in this book. It’s not too wordy and can be understood by all science levels. Once you read it, you will walk away knowing more than you started with.