Teen Book Reviews

The plot of this book revolves around a high school boy named Hughie who is invited to work at a haunted house with his friend Sam. Everything seems to be going according to plan. They are raising money for charity, painting sets for scary effects, and getting costumes ready for the big day (Halloween night). As Halloween arrives around the corner, Hughie starts to realize the haunted house might not be what it seems. The story of an indigenous girl, known as the crossroads ghost, is all the talk this Hallow’s Eve. However, it seems to be more than just a Halloween myth when indigenous girls start getting stalked around the crossroads location. Soon Hughie realizes it’s up to him and his friends to find out what might be causing these strange occurrences.

I found the book to be a fun and seasonal read with a little mystery intertwined. This helped the book have an interactive experience so the reader could stay focused on the characters and their story. As Hughie is faced with real life problems, like dealing with his indigenous ties, he must find a way to protect the reputation of the crossroads indigenous ghost. I did find myself looking for a small amount of action that I thought could have been displayed in the characters towards the beginning of the book more. However, the ending summed up the book so well it was easy to forget about the parts that I didn’t feel were compatible with the mystery. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a seasonal mystery. Happy reading!

Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest addition to the Hunger Games series, flashes back to the second quarter quell, where Haymitch Abernathy is selected to compete in the year’s games. The year’s games are unique, as twice the number of tributes are reaped, and the arena is more deadly than ever. As Haymitch attempts to make allies and prepare to fight for his life, he must choose between rebelling and keeping those he loves safe.

I fully recommend this book to anyone interested in the Hunger Games series. As someone who didn’t enjoy the book before this in the series, I found that this one had a much quicker and enjoyable pace, which allows the reader to get fully engrossed in the plot. The novel also introduces many new characters that I personally loved, while also re-introducing old fan favorite characters. The book is a deeply emotional story that provides the full backstory of a loved character in the franchise, and I hope that all fans of the series are able to enjoy the book as much as I did.

Vinyl Moon is about a girl from Northern California who moves to stay with her uncle in New York after experiencing a domestic violence situation. It is a realistic novel with a vignette style like The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Angel (the main character) joins a H.E.R group to build her self-esteem and make friends.

I would recommend if you like books that focus on women's issues. The author brings you into the mind of Angel without describing graphic violence. It's an emotion-based slice of life story. I like that the story focuses on Angel's life after the situation. She gradually starts to open her wings in this new city and meet new people. Her new friends and family teach her the value of healthy relationships, success, and happiness. Laden with black culture references, this story is effortlessly told from a modern perspective.

The book I am Malala is the memoir of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani proponent for girls’ education. Growing up in Swat Valley of Pakistan, Malala was inspired by her father's passion for learning. The book details her fight for girls’ education under Taliban rule, from writing a BBC blog to surviving an assassination attempt. At seventeen, she became the youngest Nobel Prize Laureate, continuing her advocacy for girls’ education and empowerment worldwide.

This book is definitely a must-read! The book’s writing helps form a connection and a sense of relatability since Malala herself was a teenager and the readers can “go through” her experiences and understand for themselves the emotions and passion she felt. Parts of the book touch on the themes of education, resilience, and standing up for your rights, which helps instill a great example for facing adversity in a positive manner. To add to all this is the touch of Pakistan as the book explores culture, politics, and the situation in Pakistan.

La Belle Sauvage follows Malcolm Polstead, an innkeeper’s son in Oxford, and his daemon Asta as they get caught up in a spy organization, Oakley Street. When a great flood devastates England, Malcolm and the cleaner Alice race through the lawless and fantastic floodscape to deliver a special baby to her father. Throughout their journey, they encounter whimsical, horrifying, and peculiar scenes that help them gain a better understanding of the mysterious nature of Dust.

I highly recommend this book for those who are fans of the first trilogy, His Dark Materials, as it expands on the world established in them. It is always a wonderful experience to escape into the magic and intrigue of Pullman’s landscapes, and this novel excels in its depiction of that. Therefore, it works as a great introduction to the series because of its aforementioned description, introduction, and elaboration upon Pullman’s central themes, and its position as being first chronologically. I particularly enjoyed the fairy tale aspects and the whimsy and comfort that develop from that. Pullman paints a scene that builds up the adventure and majesty within the story. The characters are well-developed, each having an excellent arc throughout to keep readers engaged in the sometimes meandering plot. Ultimately, the novel acts as a true fantasy that makes us question and wonder at the world constructed in its pages.