Teen Book Reviews

All This Time tells the story of Kyle, whose life falls apart after experiencing a hard breakup and a devastating car crash. As he grieves the loss of his ex-girlfriend and recovers from his own injuries, Kyle meets Marley, a young girl experiencing her own grief. As they slowly become friends, Kyle begins to recover from his loss, until he discovers the truth about his accident.

I recommend this book because the plot is very unique and it contains many major twists that keep the reader interested in the book. However, the book deals with many heavy topics such as grief and loss that may not be fit for younger readers. The writing can be confusing at times, but the book is otherwise well-written and the characters are very well-developed throughout the novel, especially Kyle.

Sawyer Taft is an ambitious eighteen-year-old female car mechanic with an often-absent single mother. When her estranged grandmother shows up, Sawyer discovers she actually belongs to a rich and powerful family. Her grandmother offers her money and the chance to find out who truly is her father. When Sawyer decides to join that part of her family, she is thrust into a world of wealth, scandal, and secrets.

I would recommend this young adult mystery because each of the characters introduced is very unique and interesting. Their actions and motives are never what you would expect. There is a lot of drama and curious twists. The author keeps the reader interested by switching every few chapters to a scene with Sawyer, her cousin Lily, and friends Campbell and Sadie-Grace being held in a jail cell. They are supervised by a rookie cop who has no idea why they are there. I liked this because it gives a glimpse into what happens at the end, but it’s vague enough to make the reader wait until the surprising finish to find out what happened to cause them to be in jail.

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!