Teen and Staff Reviews

Teen Review

Nick and June Were Here

By Shalanda Stanley

Rated by
Emma B from MO YA Lit Council
May 13, 2019

Nick and June Were Here is about two young lovers that both have very different back stories. Nick has a history of stealing cars and getting arrested, and June is just your normal girl who stays out of trouble. But then these crazy things start happening to June causing her to go to a hospital, and she is diagnosed with schizophrenia: she hears and sees things other people don't.

Teen Review
We Are Here to Stay by Susan Kuklin

We Are Here To Stay

By Susan Kuklin

Rated by
Shivali P from BV YA Lit Council
May 9, 2019

This book encompasses the stories of multiple teens who made the journey to America through hardships and struggles in order to live a better life for themselves and their families. The book is written in first person and through short stories that allow the reader to get to know the subjects of the story and from the mouths of the immigrants themselves, without influencing the reader to think a certain way about the issue. I think that the cover was really powerful because It draws the attention directly to the title, which is ultimately the message of the book.

Teen Review
Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

Descendant of the Crane

By Joan He

Rated by
Kailey S from LE YAAC
May 6, 2019

In this book Hesina, the princess, takes the throne and immediately begins investigating her fathers death, believing him to have been murdered. She enlists the help of a convict who is much more than he seems. Hesina also learns who can be trusted and who can't be, and those who betray her are not who you would expect

Teen Review
Girls With Sharp Sticks by Susanne Young

Girls With Sharp Sticks

By Suzanne Young

Rated by
Kennedy E from Monticello YAAC
Apr 15, 2019

Mena, a girl at the Innovations Academy, has her eyes opened and wants more out of life than to be stuck being a possession. She and her friends meet a boy named Jackson while out, and come up with a plan to escape from the perfection and obedience of the Academy. I love the cover because it goes to show that under a mask of perfection there is always another side hidden underneath.

Teen Review
Black Enough Edited by Ibi Zoboi

Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America

By Edited by Ibi Zoboi

Rated by
Madison Page from Monticello YAAC
Apr 8, 2019

The book itself reflects the central idea of what it is like to be young and a person of color in today's world. It is a collection of stories from black and brown young people of all shapes and sizes that speak on the importance and brings awareness to the fact that there are still racial issues in one's friend group and the education system. The diversified book speaks on behalf of all young people. During the first or second chapter, they discussed the comment "you are white".

Teen Review
Izzy Plus Tristan by Shannon Dunlap

Izzy + Tristan

By Shannon Dunlap

Rated by
Janie R from BV YAAC
Apr 1, 2019

This modern take on a centuries-old story is a delightful mixture of light-heartedness and surprisingly insightful commentary that leaves an unexpected mark on the reader. There is both humor and sweet romance that electrifies the fast-paced plot. The witty personalities of Izzy and Tristan against the Brooklyn setting provide interesting insight on the difficulties of teenage years, especially when love is involved. The addition of third narrator, Brianna, brought a refreshing outsider's view to the love story that sets this novel apart from its genre.

Teen Review
You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman

You Asked for Perfect

By Laura Silverman

Rated by
Ashley H From Leawood YAAC
Apr 1, 2019

Ariel Stone is the epitome of a perfect student: he takes AP classes, volunteers, and plays first chair in the school orchestra. However, when his classes start to push him past his breaking point, he finds that sacrificing his health and relationships isn't giving him the same satisfaction and results it once did.

Teen Review
The Soul Keepers by Devon Taylor

The Soul Keepers

By Devon Taylor

Rated by
Emma J. From Blue Valley YAAC
Mar 18, 2019

When teenager Rhett dies, he becomes a skelletor on the Harbinger, which is a ship that collects souls when people die. Suddenly, a demon appears and wants some special power that Rhett seems to have. What could it be? How will Rhett and his new friends stop her? Or can they even? 

Teen Review
The Lonely Dead by April Henry

The Lonely Dead

By April Henry

Rated by
Nathan N. from Blue Valley YAAC
Mar 14, 2019

This book is about a girl named Adele who can see the dead. She's diagnosed as a schizophrenic and given pills to stop her "hallucinations", but one day, she misses a dose, realizes how alive she felt, and started flushing her pills. However, she sees the ghost of a former best friend who was murdered, and winds up being the prime suspect.

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