Reviews by Category: Teens

National Treasure by Jon Turteltaub is a historical adventure movie. Benjamin Gates is a historian and code-breaker that sets out with his friend Riley to steal the Declaration of Independence. They are trying to protect the Declaration from being taken by other treasure hunters who want to take the Gates’ family treasure for themselves. Ben and Riley, with other historians that join them along the way, they work together to decipher historical clues that will eventually lead to the treasure.

Summary: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen follows the lives of the Bennet family, particularly the second eldest daughter, Elizabeth Bennet, as they navigate the social norms and expectations of 19th-century England. The novel explores themes of marriage, class, and gender roles. The arrival of the wealthy Mr. Darcy in the neighborhood sparks both attraction and disdain, leading to a series of misunderstandings and romantic entanglements.

Summary: A dystopian novel set in a future society where everyone undergoes a surgery at the age of 16 to become “pretty” and move on to live in a perfect world. Tally Youngblood, the protagonist, can’t wait to turn 16 and become pretty until she meets a girl, Shay, who wants to remain “ugly” and live outside the city. Shay runs away before her surgery, forcing Tally to find her and bring her back to the city. During her journey, Tally discovers the truth about the surgery and the dark secrets that the government has hidden.

Summary: In the gripping novel, 1984, we meet a future totalitarian society where the government, known as the Party, controls every aspect of people's lives. The protagonist and member of the Party, Winston Smith, begins to question the authority of the Party and its leader, Big Brother. Winston's rebellion against the Party leads him to a forbidden love affair and a dangerous journey to uncover the truth about the Party and their methods of control.

I read A Court of Thorns and Roses over my winter break, and I really enjoyed it. If you have ever imagined Beauty in the Beast but a little more intense and a little more PG-13, then this book is for you. In a land divided by a magical wall, there are humans and there are fairies. Feyre, the protagonist, unknowingly breaks an ancient fairy law and is forced over the wall into the fairy realm to pay her debt. The first book is moderately paced but picks up towards the end.

Summary: Half Bad by Sally Green is a gripping young adult novel set in a world where witches live secretly among humans. The story follows Nathan, a boy born of a forbidden union between a White Witch mother and a Black Witch father. Nathan is hunted and oppressed by the authorities, caught between the two warring factions of witches. As he struggles to find his place in a society that fear and rejects him, Nathan embarks on a journey of self-discovery, facing dangers and betrayals.

SUMMARY: Odysseus, stranded on an island, makes it out alive through the favoritism of the Greek gods, Zeus and Hermes. An adventurous, sorrowful and tragic twenty-one long year journey back to Ithaca he takes to see his beloved home as Poseidon chases after him, wanting him dead. Many lives are lost during the journey, only for him to find out that there are hordes of hubris men overstaying their visit. 

I highly recommend the autobiography, Born a Crime, written by Trevor Noah, which shares his experiences growing up in South Africa during the Apartheid era. Despite the serious issues he faced, Trevor’s comedic approach draws the reader in and keeps them engaged. The title of the book is derived from the fact that Trevor was “Born a crime” due to his mixed-race background, which was illegal during Apartheid.

Romeo and Juliet is a popular play written by Shakespeare. In this story set in medieval Italy, there are two families in the city of Verona who have a long enmity between them, the Montagues and the Capulets. However, one day, Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, see each other and instantly fall in love. They marry in secret and plan to secretly meet each other without their parents ever knowing, as if they did they would punish them.

The Song of Achilles is and has remained one of my favorite books of all time. There are many quotes from this book that really hold a place in my heart. The plot doesn't take long to pick up, which is nice if you have a short attention span like me. I love all the Greek mythology references, but if you don't know too much about Greek mythology no worries you can still understand the book! It is a lovely forbidden slow burn romance.