Teen Book Reviews

This short novella tells the story of Fearless, the last book in the central Powerless trilogy, through two points of view: the personification of death, Mara, and Kitt Azer. When Kitt drinks the plague, Mara is summoned to Ilya because of his sudden closeness to death. Kitt, suffering both physically and mentally, is grateful for a friend, even though he’s the only one who can see her. As the two develop a bittersweet relationship, Mara observes Lenny and Blair, who are starting to develop a connection of their own.

I highly recommend this book. Although it is a novella that is not necessarily crucial to the main trilogy’s plot, it offers insight into Kitt’s mind and what was happening with him throughout Fearless. Mara’s perspective is also very interesting to read, and as the story progresses, little hints of her past and identity start to slip into the narrative. I personally had always wondered what happened with Lenny and Blair, and this book explains that and more. Overall, this read was a rollercoaster of emotions packed into two hundred pages, and it was worth every second!

The book Tell me three things written by Julie Buxbaum is about a 16-year-old girl, Jessie Holmes, who moves from Chicago to Los Angeles after her mother's death and her father's remarriage. She struggles to fit in at her new prep school and gets anonymous emails from “Somebody/Nobody" (SN), who guides her through the social maze. Their friendship grows into a crush, and Jessie spends her time trying to figure out who SN is, finding her place and love in her new life.

I highly recommend Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum because it is my personal favorite book I ever read. The mystery of the anonymous emailer, "Somebody/Nobody" (SN) keeps you turning pages as you try to solve it alongside the mystery of the protagonist, Jessie. Through romance and mystery, the book offers a heartfelt and realistic portrayal of loss and fitting in, making it incredibly relatable for teenagers and adults alike. The novel dialogue and realistic characters make the journey an engaging and satisfying one. It is a feel-good story that perfectly balances humor and deeper themes, making it an excellent choice if you're looking for an uplifting contemporary Young Adult novel.

A boy in seventh grade named Finn is tasked with climbing 46 mountains during his summer break to pay reparations for vandalism. During his adventures, Finn makes peace with his late father by confronting his grief and mixed feelings. The challenges he faces allow him to heal, to turn his failing grade around, and to learn what it means to be a hero.

The Trouble with Heroes is a beautifully written novel with a marvelous insight on the healing power of nature. Watching Finn grow to love the mountains, listen to the people supporting him, and even come to enjoy his hiking companion is inspiring. Edna Grace Thomas’s charity allows him to change the path he’s on; this character stands for the type of person our world needs more of. Especially in an age when technology is greatly accessible, the outdoors gives significant worth to Finn’s journey. The writing style is very engaging; it plays outside the regular verse form and is incredibly heartfelt. The use of climbing mountains creates great pacing for the story, and the added poems Finn writes are an insightful window to his feelings. The themes of healing, nature, and redemption are vividly explored to inspire the reader using a modern POV. This heart-warming book is a fantastic read!

Family of Liars takes a look at the teenage lives of Cadence, Gat, and Mirren's mothers, from the first novel. The book follows Carrie Sinclair as she struggles to cope with the loss of her younger sister. However, after her cousin brings three new arrivals to the family island for the summer, Carrie finds herself falling in love. She soon learns that she can't trust anyone but herself, as she struggles to keep her family together and protect her sisters from damaging family secrets.

I recommend this book for anyone who has read the first book in the series. I think this book is actually better than the first book, because it's written extremely well and is hard to put down once you've started reading it. Additionally, Family of Liars provides a lot of context that will help you better understand the first book and the three main characters in both books. I especially loved the twisty ending to the novel, and found it even more unpredictable than the twist in the first book!

Jessica Mathers has a strained relationship with her family, and a disturbingly practical view on the existential issue of teleportation. Now she's being beamed 14 light-years away from everything she knows. Being sent into space was never what she wanted, but after a mysterious mishap, she's stuck on an alien planet that's currently recovering from a mass extinction. Where's the station she was supposed to wake up on? Where are her parents?

Overall, I'd recommend this book. While the main character is a bit of the stereotypical edgy teenager, it's never about cruelty. She's awkwardly empathetic, while also being self-centered in an actually compelling way. The story is tragic; it deals with feelings of abandonment, self-loathing, and the pull between family and responsibility. But on the plus side: casual queer representation! While the meaning of self and the personhood of memory are amazingly shown, the actual planet leaves something to be desired for me. It opens up an alien world that isn't really expanded upon, nor evenly fleshed out. Also the poetic references are extremely heavy-handed (seriously, be ready to be taken out of the story entirely). Definitely check it out though, as well as the short story it's based on, if you like the exploration of sci-fi ethics.