Nemesis by Brendan Reichs (Reviewed by Sofie K '20)

Nemesis by Brendan Reichs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Every two years, Min dies.

It's always the same man, time and time again. He appears sometime on her birthday, kills her, then she wakes up the next day as if nothing happened. She doesn't know why, or what Noah, subjectively the town's most attractive (and rich) boy, has to do with it, but it happens. On top of it all, a giant asteroid called the Anvil is threatening to destroy Earth... in like a week.

I really wanted to like this book. I hadn't seen this premise too often before in books, so it seemed that it would live up to the hype. But it just didn't make sense. The twists came out of nowhere (they were barely hinted at), so they felt super jarring, and the storyline with the asteroid seemed really separated from the plot. When Reichs tried to tie it all together at the end, it just felt really forced. It's overall not a terrible plot, it just seemed disappointing compared to what it could have been.

View all my reviews

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi (Reviewed by Ms. Pelman)

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Told in alternating points-of-view: Penny, a college freshman and Sam a drop-out who works at a coffee shop. Penny is navigating her first year away from her mom (it's just the two of them, and their relationship is close, but rocky), and chasing her dream of becoming a writer. Sam is nursing a broken-heart, while trying to make ends meet. In fact, his life is kind of a mess and he's just trying to keep it together. The two are introduced by Penny's roommate because the two have a complicated family history. When Penny finds Sam on the street during an awkward and distressing moment, she helps him out. From then on Penny becomes Sam's "emergency contact" and their 'round-the-clock text conversations will alter their lives forever.

Funny and heartfelt; engaging and entertaining, Emergency Contact will appeal to readers who enjoy the snappy, witty dialogue found in John Green novels, and the characters you come to love in Rainbow Rowell books.

View all my reviews

Lovely, Dark, and Deep by Justina Chen (Review by Anya W. '20)

Lovely, Dark, and Deep by Justina Chen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Viola Li has a Plan. After the end of her first trip with her aunt, to Africa, she's working on several more bake sales to raise money for the causes she's written about. A few more of her scheduled vacations, and she'll have just the right resume for acceptance as a journalism major to her dream school in Dubai.
Except, as it turns out, sometimes the malaria vaccine can give you extreme, permanent, photosensitivity. Thanks to her professional disaster manager parents, Viola's entire life and all her plans for the future are permanently deconstructed within a week. All that's left now is figuring out how to cope.

Chen's novel is a good beach read, and typical YA. The romance, while not badly-written, is not particularly epic-it would have had the same impact as a friendship. However, her writing is excellent at evoking empathy within the reader, and breathes life into her main characters.
-Anya W. '20



View all my reviews

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (review by Anya W. '20)

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What's a girl to do when she's got too much to say and no one to pour it out to? Fill journal after journal with words turned into verse, spilling her story across pages for no eyes but her own. A diary of free verse is an indulgence Xiomara can allow, one not banned by the strict rules of her cold home, but what about a poetry club? A boyfriend? A crisis of faith? Covering for her brother? As the walls close in, Xiomara has to grow up and decide what's important, and how far she's willing to go to keep it.

Acevedo's freeform masterpiece is a touching and realistic portrayal of adolescence. She perfectly captures the mindset of someone on the verge of adulthood--the contrast between affection and suffocation day in and day out. -Anya W. '20

View all my reviews

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (review by Sofie K. '20)

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“People always love people more when they're dead.”

In Will’s world, it’s kill or be killed. In this world, you don’t grieve or cry over deaths, you get revenge. That’s what he thinks as he steps onto the elevator, gun tucked in his waistband, ready to kill the man who took his brother’s life. And then the elevator stops, and someone he long thought to be dead enters the elevator and asks him to check if the gun is even loaded.

Long Way Down is not a story about love or happy endings. It’s a story about revenge, morals, and family. It’s about discovering truths hidden under lies, and discerning right from wrong.

It’s also poetry. You don’t see many books written through poetry in the YA genre these days.

In just a single elevator ride, Long Way Down managed to make me feel a myriad of emotions ranging from sadness to anger and shock. The characters were expertly developed, and the concept was gut-wrenchingly original. Each verse of the poems is laced with deep emotion and heavy messages and morals, and it just about makes you scared of what could come through those elevator doors. - Sofie K. '20

View all my reviews

The Other F-Word by Natasha Friend (review by Anya W. '20)

The Other F-Word by Natasha Friend
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well it's about to get weird cuz I have something to tell u.

Ok.

R u ready?
I've decided to find r sperm donor

When Hollis Darby-Barns gets an email via her dead mother's account from Milo Robinson-Clark, the half- brother she has met exactly once, she's most certainly not interested in tracking down their donor. Even using the Donor Progeny Project to see if they can contact any of their other half-siblings is a bit of a stretch . . . so why is she agreeing to all of this?
A unique, heartfelt story about two teens trying to find their place in the world by learning more about their past, and by extension themselves, The Other F-word by Natasha Friend has it all. From family dysfunction to forgiveness, from romance to friendship, Friend handles it all spectacularly. Honestly, my only complaint is that I want more. I want to see the characters interacting and growing and achieving their goals. The open ending left a lot to the imagination and hope. I want more. –Anya W. ‘20


View all my reviews

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth (review by Sofie K. '20)

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

After the hype and attention that Veronica Roth's Divergent series received, I was very excited to hear about a second series in the works.

Cyra and Akos, like many YA novel characters, are two sides of the same coin. Separated by social class and the races of their people, the two meet when Akos and his brother are captured by the royal Shotet fleet, and delivered right to Cyra's doorstep. Though Cyra is the sister of the tyrant that rules the Shotet people, she rebels against her family out of love for this new stranger. As if the plot wasn't cliche enough, every person on this planet has a special power, or currentgift. Cyra has the power to cause excruciating pain to anyone she touches, which her brother exploits to get information. Akos, on the other hand, has to power to cancel out anyone else's currentgift through contact. The characters conveniently balance each other out, obviously created for one another.

While the book's concept was quite unique, the characters had little to no originality. Cyra and Akos reminded me of a reversed version of Tris and Four; it felt like I was reading the Divergent series all over again. Hopefully, the second book will give the characters their own personalities and develop their stories more. - Sofie K. '20

View all my reviews

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (review by Sachi B. '21)

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Written by Nicola Yoon, The Sun is Also a Star is a novel revolving around two young adults Natasha and Daniel, who fall in love despite the numerous obstacles that come their way. First, Daniel is Korean and Natasha is African-American, which is a racial difference they believe their families would not approve of. Moreover, Natasha is an undocumented immigrant and is to be deported the exact day they meet, forcing the two lovers to separate. Despite the challenges they face, both Natasha and Daniel attempt to make the best of their bad situations. They focus on the present and on each other, cherishing the time they have left together, instead of constantly worrying when they will have to leave each other.

This book is unique and showcases the perspective and thoughts of each character by labeling their names at the top of every page rather than being narrated from only one perspective. This allowed the reader to really feel what the lovers are feeling, and anticipate and fear what will happen to the protagonists. I would definitely recommend this book due to its beautiful concept of how living in the moment is such an important concept that everyone needs to implement in their own lives. - Sachi B. '21

View all my reviews

Heartless by Marissa Meyer (review by Prameela K. '19)

Heartless by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a fan of Marissa Meyer and her science fiction fantasy Lunar Chronicles series, I was eager to read her standalone debut. Once I learned that Heartless was a fairy tale origin story with a Victorian setting, my anticipation only heightened. A fantasy period novel based on Alice in Wonderland? Count me in.

Heartless draws upon many aspects of Lewis Carroll's whimsical world in Meyer's re-imagination of the Kingdom of Hearts, where Wonderlandesque oddities and the social constructs of Victorian-era England intermingle to create a setting equally strange and captivating.

At the center is Catherine, a teenage girl with big dreams and an even bigger heart. Unlike many young adult protagonists, she is not overbearing or infuriating, and her kindness is admirable. She is a lover of all things sweet, and her aspiration in life is to open up a bakery–but her parents have different plans for her and aim to consolidate her marriage to the foolish, and incredibly annoying, King of Hearts.

Oh, but of course, there is a love interest: Jest, the roguish and devilishly handsome court jester. He has a mysteriously magical past and the obscurity of his identity may be frustrating at times, but he makes up for it with his humor and charm. He and Cath have instant chemistry and their interactions are chock-full of witty repartee. Oh, and do not forget Jest's equally mysterious raven, who is reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem and only speaks in, well, poetry. Jest is also a friend of the famed Hatter, who was really quite a hunk back in the day -- before he went mad and all.

Because Cath starts out as a well-rounded character with a strong sense of right and wrong, there is little room for moral development. Instead, Meyer focuses on her progression from being an aspiring young baker to being the Queen of Hearts. The plot is filled with twists and turns as Catherine embarks on a journey to fulfill her goals and discover who she truly is. While the novel has its fair share of romance, the action is what truly captivated me–Cath's bravery shines through when it matters the most.

At points, the plot progresses slowly, but as the page count dwindled I found myself more and more enthralled in the characters’ fates. Whopping revelations, nail-biting action sequences, and heart-wrenching plot twists combine to form a stress-inducing final 100 pages that culminate in an ending that is, at first, shocking. But after a few days of deep thinking, I realized that the plot had really been going in that direction all along, and one of the main reasons why Heartless made such a strong impression. - Prameela K. '19


View all my reviews

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (review by Megan H. '18)

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (more commonly known under his alias Lemony Snicket) tells the story of the short-lived romance of Min Green, indie film fanatic and nameless nobody at school, and Ed Slatterton, the popular co-captain of the basketball team. The novel follows Min, as she returns mementos from their relationship back to Ed after their breakup, each accompanied by a letter addressing him, which divulges to the reader the story behind the souvenir, as well as a reason that the two broke up, as stated in the title. The backstory behind each trinket composes the entire tale of the relationship, from start to finish, while the letters from Min to Ed reflect her opinions and emotions she feels as she goes through it. Handler excellently depicts the classic teenage relationship, while weaving in his own twists that have always characterized his distinctive writing. Although the events that the two protagonists face are incredibly interesting and unlike a typical romance novel, their personalities sometimes fall flat and seem stereotypical, as Min is depicted as an artsy hipster while Ed is portrayed as the classic jock. However, I still enjoyed this book from the beginning to the end and would recommend it to anyone looking to read a unique story about the life and death of a relationship.

View all my reviews

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (review by Emily C. '18)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At the beginning of each November, riders on the tiny island of Thisby attempt to capture and gain control of spirited water horses in a deadly contest: the Scorpio Races. From this fierce battle of horsemanship and grudges two particular individuals emerge–Sean Kendrick and Puck Connolly. Though they ride for different reasons, when their paths cross an unlikely bond is formed. However, the issues Sean and Puck face are not limited to survival in this perilous competition; Stiefvater weaves a web of emotional and practical intricacies that range from sexism to finance to hostile and dangerous schemes. Maggie Stiefvater outdoes herself once again with a singular legend-inspired plot, well-developed characters, and touches of heartwarming loyalty and devotion.

View all my reviews

X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz (review by Andrew R. '17)

X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The premise of Ilyasah Shabazz’s most recent novel, X, is so unusual as to seem off-putting at first: in a narrative geared specifically toward young adults, a fictionalized Malcolm X plays out the early part of his life, starting with his exodus from Michigan to Boston and ending just before he begins the outspoken racial and religious activism for which we remember him today. The story is doubly odd because the author, the daughter of Malcolm X himself, has taken the liberty to novelize her famous father’s turbulent life—and in the first person. I’m not sure how, but Shabazz has taken this dubious stew of almost overambitious narrative points and crafted a surprisingly engaging story, which, although it contains hallmarks of the young adult genre like forbidden love and coming-of-age internal conflict, also features pacing and setting that are remarkably sophisticated for a YA novel. (Most of the first six chapters takes place on a largely uneventful train ride, and it takes a measure of patience to get to the meat of the book.) The protagonist Malcolm, even if he bears suspiciously little resemblance to the more weathered and polarizing Malcolm X most of us are familiar with, is a memorable and magnetic character, and this narrative of his life is strange in concept but impressive in execution.

View all my reviews

Good Enough by Paula Yoo (review by Melissa K. '18)

Good Enough by Paula Yoo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

High school students can relate to Patti Yoon, a high school senior juggling six AP classes, SAT boot camp, and college applications. At her Korean church youth group, overachieving is the norm and everyone has their own unique "hook" into the Ivy Leagues: Lisa Kang is a nationally ranked fencer; Isaac Rhee is the captain of the academic decathlon team at his high school; Sally Kim is a Siemens Competition winner. Patti's "hook" into college is her violin. As a B-tier violin prodigy, she is the concertmaster of her youth orchestra and considered one of the best violinists in Connecticut.

However, Patti's seemingly predetermined life takes a turn when she meets Ben Wheeler, a trumpet player who invites her over for jamming sessions, takes her to a punk concert, and encourages her to apply to Juilliard even though her parents think that a career in music is too risky. Sprinkled with Spam recipes, SAT tips, and lists of ways to "Make Your Korean Parents Happy," Good Enough is a candid and surprisingly funny take on the pressures facing today's high school students. - Melissa K. '18

View all my reviews

Walk Me Home by Catherine Ryan Hyde (review by Melissa K. '18)

Walk Me Home by Catherine Ryan Hyde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After their mother dies, two sisters Carly and Jen trek from New Mexico to California in hopes of living with her ex-boyfriend. Trying to dodge Child Protective Services, they risk hitchhiking with strangers, dehydration in the desert, and stealing for sustenance. They pass small towns and encounter an odd variety of people, whose quirks are the highlight of the novel. Even the minor characters have distinctive voices. Catherine Ryan Hyde manages to convey regional accents so naturally that the reader barely notices them. The downside of the novel was the overuse of fragments, which distracts from the plot. If that annoys you, avoid this book. Otherwise, Walk Me Home is an easy, satisfying read. - Melissa K. '18

View all my reviews

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan (review by Catherine H. '17)

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The fifth and final installment in Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series fails to impress. As the demigods of the prophecy travel on the Argo II to save the world, Reyna, Nico, and Coach Hedge struggle to travel across the world to deliver the Athena Parthenos to the Greeks as a peace offering. The gods are still split into their Greek and Roman selves due to the Romans preparing to attack the Greeks at Camp Half Blood. The Earth Mother, Gaea, is close to waking and the monsters are eager to spill demigod blood to wake her. It has its funny moments, but did not leave a lasting impression on me. In fact, the ending is incredibly cliché and nothing was particularly memorable. The series has dragged on for long enough and I'm glad that it has finally come to an end. The Blood of Olympus is alright and provides a satisfactory ending, but I only recommend it to fans of Riordan's works. - Catherine H. '17

View all my reviews

Four by Veronica Roth (review by Catherine H. '17)

Four: The Transfer by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Four is a collection of several short stories that help clarify the background of the character Four in Veronica Roth's Divergent series. This book has several sections that begin with his Choosing Ceremony and end a short while after he meets Tris. I found this an intriguing read and thought it was nice for a quick read. I would recommend this to anyone who read and enjoyed the Divergent series. - Catherine H. '17

View all my reviews

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (review by Catherine H. '17)

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ever since she was six, Blue Sargent has been told by her family of psychics that if she kisses her true love, he will die. She decided she wouldn't fall in love, but when she's sixteen, she meets and becomes included in a group of boys. Specifically Aglionby boys, called Raven boys. Their quest for something supernatural draws Blue in, and her knack for making supernatural occurrences stronger accelerates their pace. This book introduces us to a great variety of characters, all of them eccentric in their own way. I found that Maggie Stiefvater keeps a good pace throughout the book, picking up towards the end and leaving us at a cliffhanger. Though I originally thought I would be reading a novel filled with romance, it was surprisingly low in the romance and tragedy department. I hope to find more romance, mystery, and action in the next two books in The Raven Cycle. - Catherine H. '17

View all my reviews

The Royal Ranger (Ranger's Apprentice, #12) by John Flanagan (review by Catherine H. '17)

The Royal Ranger by John Flanagan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's been 18 months since Alyss's death and Will is still obsessively searching for the man who was responsible. Far away, Cassandra and Horace desperately look for a way to straighten out their rebellious daughter, Maddie, who sneaks out of the castle to hunt. It is decided that Maddie will be mentored by Will and train to become a full-fledged Ranger's Apprentice, and despite having trouble coping at first, falls in love with the life of a Ranger. I found the book interesting, with humor and suspense scattered throughout and was well written. John Flanagan ties this book to his first, in comparing Maddie to a young Will, nervous but eager to learn. With this book, I enjoyed catching up on the latest book the Ranger's Apprentice series.


View all my reviews

Timebound by Rysa Walker (review by Catherine H. '17)

Timebound by Rysa Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rysa Walker's Timebound, the first installment in the Chronos Files, is a very thought provoking read. Kate's grandmother, Katherine, comes to town and announces that she is terminally ill and would like to spend more time with her granddaughter, which seems like a reasonable request. However, Kate's mother insists that her grandmother is selfish and that she shouldn't go. But Kate notices a strange medallion that glows a brilliant shade of blue that her mother can't see but her grandmother can. Upon confronting her grandmother about it, she learns that her massive headaches have been caused by shifts in the timeline and that her grandfather is stuck in a different time, trying to create a religion and change history to benefit himself. Kate also finds out that this medallion is a CHRONOS key that lets her travel back in time. Before she can start training, another shift occurs and her parents disappear from the timeline, having never met each other and never having had her. She must now carry the key with her at all times or else disappear forever. It becomes her mission to go back in time and warn her grandmother so that she can restore her timeline. This book made me think about time travel in a different way. Even though there are several timelines that are mentioned, the story is straightforward and easy to follow. I recommend this book to anyone interested in time travel. – Catherine H. ‘17

View all my reviews

The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore (review by Catherine H. '17)

The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The fourth book in the Lorien Legacies series describes the events after the Garde's unsuccessful battle with Setrákus Ra and follows their story as they regroup and try to form a coherent plan. Sam spent forever dreaming up rescue missions by the Garde and resisting Setrákus Ra's torture sessions until he is finally rescued by two unexpected allies. John spent forever stuck, with no plans until the final member of the Garde, Five, sends a signal to them and the race begins to find Five before the Mogadorians do. Meanwhile, Ella has been having terrible nightmares and eventually ends up hurting John. The Garde try to catch up with each other and train together before the Mogadorians attack but when several people cause trouble from the inside out, the Mogadorians attack. Pittacus Lore has managed to keep the story going and provide some interesting new twists, but the constant switching of perspective can be disorienting, especially because there is usually no indication as to whose perspective we are viewing from. I would recommend this book only if you enjoyed I am Number Four. – Catherine H. ‘17

View all my reviews