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Book Reviews by Teens, for Teens! |
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Babel: or, the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
by R. F. Kuang
Book Reviewed by Lyza
"The book follows Robin and his fellow 19th century Oxford students who have a particular talent for learning and speaking languages. This is relevant since they live in a world where scholars can create magic through connecting the meaning of words or phrases across languages. Since most of the romance languages are well covered by the European elite, people began to recruit more students from other parts of the world, reflecting the impacts of European colonialism on other cultures. The book follows Robin and his friends as they realize the truth of their world. The book is beautifully written and R.F. Kuang is an intelligent and creative author who traps you in a beautiful and complex world, with a story that is incredibly important and relevant to our society today. It's definitely worth the read and left me thinking about it for a long time after I finished reading it."
What made you interested in reading this book? "I had seen multiple posts about this book on social media, as well as noticed multiple authors I liked promoting it."
What does this book remind you of? "This book reminds me of The Secret History by Donna Tartt, through the author's characterization."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Anyone who enjoys unique and well done fantasy will love this book!"
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Powerless
by Lauren Roberts
Book Reviewed by Olivia
"Welcome to Ilya, a kingdom where a Plague left many as Elites, people who have the power to help them, rather in everyday life or in battle. The people who just barely survived the plague are left defenseless, Ordinary. Paedyn Grey is just that, Ordinary, but living means lying and posing as a Psychic to get by. Prince Kai is ruthless, being the king's Enforcer, he is trained to kill. But when Paedyn saves Kai's life, she is thrown into a world of Elites for the Trial, a way to show the Elites power, the one thing she lacks. As she lies through her teeth, she finds herself wanting to open up to the one person she doesn't, Prince Kai. Okay, so I loved this book, it was just so good! It was somewhat long but is an easy read, and I found myself constantly wanting to read it. This is the author's debut novel, so the writing style is somewhat simplistic, but it is still good. And for a fantasy novel, there were no impossible-to-pronounce names or confusing map locations. I ATE this book up. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to read the second one. And I absolutely cannot wait until April 2025 for the third book. <3"
What does this book remind you of? "This book reminds me of all three Hunger Games books combined together and made into a fantasy. It also reminds me of The Lunar Chronicles Series by Marissa Meyer, with the Ordinaries and Elites."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "People who like dual POVs would like this book, as well as fans of the Hunger Games. And if you like a good love interest, this book has definitely got one with great banter between Paedyn and Kai."
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J. K. Rowling
Book Reviewed by Tula
"Harry Potter lives in the cupboard under the stairs in his aunt and uncles house after his parents die. Harry is treated terribly. Then, one day, he starts getting letters, addressed to him. But his aunt and uncle don't let him read them. And then, to his surprise, on his birthday, a surprise is awaiting for Harry. A giant man tells Harry he is a wizard. Even more surprising, he is the 'Boy Who Lived'. Harry learns that he is invited to Hogwarts, the most prestigious witchcraft and wizardry school. When Harry starts at his new school, he meets Ron Weasley, the sixth son of a big red-headed family and Hermione Granger, the daughter of two muggle (normal people) dentists and she is also a hardcore school fanatic. As the school year begins, strange things start happening, such as a troll in the girls bathroom, and more!"
What made you interested in reading this book? "I have already read the whole Harry Potter series and I just wanted to reread it, obviously starting with the first book."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Definitely people who enjoy stories with magic, fantasy and fun!"
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Took: a Ghost Story
by Mary Downing Hahn
Book Reviewed by Maryn
"Took by Mary Downing Hahn follows Daniel, who moves to a spooky old house with his family. When his little sister, Erica, goes missing because of a witch named Took, Daniel has to find her. The eerie setting really adds to the suspense. I loved how gripping the story was—it kept me hooked the whole time!"
What made you interested in reading this book? "My sister recommended it to me when I was younger and I recently decided to pick it up."
What does this book remind you of? "It reminds me a little bit of Verity by Colleen Hoover. Both books have an eerie vibe that I like. Both also have some suspense in the book."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Someone who liked Verity. Someone who enjoys reading horror books. A child."
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Compound Fracture
by Andrew Joseph White
Book Reviewed by Sofie
"In this book, we follow an autistic trans man named Miles Abernathy navigating a generations-long feud in a small town in West Virginia in Appalachia. This book has all the hallmarks of an Andrew Joesph White book: provoking takes on police corruption, unions, the lengths to which people will go to be heard, the consequences of being a trans man in Appalachia, etc. I would make sure to head the trigger warnings in this book which can be found in the first couple of pages. As Andrew Joesph White tries to convey the depths of trans desperation to be heard and understood through the lens of a generations-long violent feud there are many triggering and graphic scenes in this book. As Miles uncovers more and more information about the feud between his family and the family of the current sheriff he is put in harms away many times along the way. He joins forces with one of his childhood best friends who the feud has also affected to attempt to gather evidence to get rid of the sheriff's influence on the town. Along the way, they clash as they both want to approach resolving the feud differently and Cooper, the best friend, struggles to accept Miles for who he is as a trans person. This book really depicts the struggles coming out can bring with it when you feel like no one around you is willing, or able, to listen to you and believe you about your body. However, the book also depicts this through the lens of Miles knowing things about the feud and having evidence of the sheriff's wrongdoing when no one will listen to him. I have read all of Andrew Joesph White's other books and was so excited to hear he was dropping a new one! I bought it the moment it came out."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Readers who love or like horror as a vehicle for depicting modern-day struggles."
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A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
by Holly Jackson
Book Reviewed by Maryn
This book follows Pip, a high school student who reopens a closed murder case for her senior project. The story is set in a small town where everyone believes the case is solved, but Pip isn’t convinced. As she digs deeper, she uncovers secrets that could change everything. The mystery is full of twists, and you’re constantly questioning who’s really guilty. I loved how smart and determined Pip is, and the suspense kept me hooked the whole time!"
What does this book remind you of? "This book reminds me of the book Verity by Colleen Hoover. They are both mysteries that keep you hooked! I will say that they are still different in many ways but both great books."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Teenagers. Anyone who likes mystery books. Fans of the book Verity."
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Good Girl, Bad Blood
by Holly Jackson
Book Reviewed by Katie
"Good Girl, Bad Blood is similar to A Good Girl's Guide to Murder but this time Pip is solving a new mystery: the disappearance of Jamie Reynolds. This new mystery takes place in her small town of Little Kilton, which is the same setting as the first book. I thought that this book was good and the pace of the story was perfect. I liked the new characters but I also liked how the old characters were still important to the storyline. While the plot, setting, and characters were all good I still liked the first book so much better. Holly Jackson's books are all good but I find that books tend to get worse as the series goes on. I love the true crime aspect to this series and I have no problem staying engaged throughout these books because of it. It's fun to try and solve the mystery alongside Pip while reading it."
What does this book remind you of? "It reminds me of true crime podcasts because of how it methodically goes over all of the evidence to get to a conclusion."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "True crime lovers."
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As Good as Dead
by Holly Jackson
Book Reviewed by Katie
"The third book of the series, this takes place in Little Kilton still and has many of the same characters as the previous books. In As Good As Dead, Pip is solving another mystery but this time it is her life that is in danger. In this book, Pip gets a stalker and she knows that she is running out of time to discover who it is before they are able to kill her. This book was riveting and way better than the second book! Pip being the one in danger added a layer to the story that made it more interesting to read. Her first person perspective as she was being stalked was fun to read and it was interesting to see how her paranoia progressed. This book is the perfect way to end the series and I have nothing negative to say about it!"
What made you interested in reading this book? "This is the last book in the series and I felt committed to reading the whole thing."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Readers who love true crime and solving mysteries."
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The Things She's Seen
by Ambelin Kwaymullina
Book Reviewed by Katie
"Beth is dead. Her grieving father is the only one who has been able to see and hear her since she died. Together, Beth and her father try to solve a mystery and Beth hopes that in solving it her father will move on and be able to live without her. The mystery is in a new town, a town where a girl, Isobel, is able to see and hear Beth too. As they all solve the mystery together and the truth comes to light it is shocking but also exactly what Beth's father needed. I thought that this book was okay for what it was but I didn't enjoy it too much. It was pretty straightforward and I prefer mysteries that have more layers and are complex. The pace of the story as well as the switching perspectives kept me intrigued though. It was a short book so it was easy to read, but it definitely wasn't my favorite."
What does this book remind you of? "This book didn't remind me of anything. It is unlike any other mystery I have read."
What made you interested in reading this book? "I'm super into mysteries and true crime books so I thought that I would like this."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Readers that like true crime and switching perspectives."
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Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Book Reviewed by Katie
"Speak is about a high school freshman named Melinda. Anderson wrote it to spread awareness about sexual assault and mental health. Throughout this book Melinda learns to find herself and grow as well as to speak out and advocate for herself. One of the ways that she learns to grow is through her art class and specifically her art teacher who assigned her the whole year to make trees in different mediums. I loved this book and wish that I had read it sooner than I did. The story itself is upsetting but the message is super powerful. The writing style, characters, and storyline sums up what high school is like so well. If you are about to enter high school or if you just did I cannot recommend this book enough!"
What does this book remind you of? "It reminded me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower because of the main characters feeling like they don't fit in anywhere."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "I think that all teenagers should read this book! The message is super important."
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Better Than The Movies
by Lynn Painter
Book Reviewed by Olivia
"This book is so fun. We meet Liz Buxbaum, a rom-com loving, redhead senior ready to have her perfect meet-cute. When her longtime crush, Michael, comes back to town, she is ready to scheme her way for him to ask her to prom, while she is still dreading doing all the fun senior activities due to the lost of her mother. When she learns that annoying neighbor, Wes Bennett is friends with Michael, she proposes that they work together so she can have her perfect fairy-tale ending and Wes can have a precious parking spot. Wes is the kind of boy that everyone but Liz loves, but when they start spending time together, she realizes that he may not be just an annoying neighbor. He is also my favorite character from this book, he's funny and hot. Just like all of Lynn Painters other YA romances, this book is set in Omaha, Nebraska. The length is good (I think the first time I read it, it took me 2 days to finish), 350 pages. I love Lynn Painter's writing style, she shows the characters emotions so well. I have read this book 3 times, all times it being a 5 star, so if you enjoy cutesy little romances, this book is for you. TW: minor language use, loss of parent. Book is closed door. Read Wes's pov on her website :)"
What does this book remind you of? "This book had so many refences to many rom-coms and other popular shows and movies, so it is basically just a big book rom-com. Some examples are Friends, Bridget Jones' Diary, and Miss Congeniality."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Anyone who loves a good, heartfelt teen romance with good characters. And people who like Taylor Swift."
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I Kissed Shara Wheeler
by Casey McQuiston
Book Reviewed by Juniper
"The main character of I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a senior up for Valedictorian, her only competition is the town's golden girl who mysteriously goes missing. It's up to her, the town's jock, and the town's teenage dirtbag to find out what happened. The only thing they had in common? Shara Wheeler kissed all three of them before she disappeared. I felt like with the chapter length combined with all the twists and turns it went by quickly. I really loved the cover and font choices!"
What does this book remind you of? "I feel like it is very unique, but if I had to pick it had some similar vibes to One Of Us Is Lying, mostly in it having a mystery in a modern high school setting."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "I feel like people in the LGBTQ+ community would be able to relate to one or more of the characters."
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Dune
by Frank Herbert
Book Reviewed by Steuart
"Ok, so this book is not like the movie. The Dune movie is amazing, partially due to its incredible visuals and directing. The book obviously has none of that. The reading experience of this book is a lot slower paced than the movie, and if long descriptions of desert landscapes or fake tech is a no-go, avoid this book. However, the storytelling and world building of Dune is both truly unique and genre-defining in a way only comparable to Foundation or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. It’s truly a fantastic world, and if you are able to immerse yourself with it you will fall in love. If, however, you have Tiktok brain, this may not be for you :) "
What does this book remind you of? "Other classic sci-fi as mentioned above, and obviously the movie."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Sci-fi fans; fans of the movie."
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The Loneliest Girl in the Universe
by Lauren James
Book Reviewed by Katie
"The Loneliest Girl in the Universe follows Romy Silvers as she travels through space alone. Eventually a new ship gets sent into space and Romy can slowly (because they are light years away) communicate with the one crew member on board, J. Romy finds herself falling in love with this new crew member that she has never met, but is she getting vulnerable too soon? This book was super interesting and I loved how Lauren James included Romy's perspective as well as the emails that she sent and received from J. Towards the end of the book there were a million crazy plot twists which made the storyline way more interesting. Every new plot twist made me rethink all of my opinions of both J and Romy. The idea of being in space alone makes for a super interesting book but adding J and all of the plot twists made me love it even more."
What does this book remind you of? "This book reminded me of Paper Girl by Cindy R. Wilson, because both protagonists are used to being alone in a confined space and then they open up to someone."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Someone who likes sci-fi and plot twists."
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The Foundation Trilogy
by Isaac Asimov
Series Reviewed by Steuart
"This is a one of a kind book. To my knowledge, no other book tackles a story on the scale this one does. Taking place over centuries, the world building created is one of a kind. The fact that the story that takes place over centuries still manages to have compelling characters is even more impressive. I truly think this is a masterpiece of scale in literature. Any sci-fi fan should read this. Also, if you watched the TV show, just know that is not representative of the book’s quality. The book is far more legendary."
What does this book remind you of? "Honestly, nothing."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "People willing to be impressed."
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Spare
by Harry
Book Reviewed by Maryn
"This books goes over the history of Prince Harry's life and his struggles with the death of his mother, Princess Diana. He talked about many important memories from his childhood all the way up to current day. He went over his lovers, mental health issues, family problems, military experience, Meghan Markle, and why he left the royal family. Most importantly, his hatred for the press. This book made me feel more knowledgeable about the royal family and their true values. I think the length of the book was perfect! It told everything it needed to without being too much or too little. I was never bored while reading the book either. I think his writing style was very casual which made it super understandable and easy to read which I liked a lot. Even if you think you wont like it or if you dislike Prince Harry, read it anyway. You never know."
What does this book remind you of? "I have never read anything like this book nor watched anything similar. This was a whole new genre that I discovered for myself."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Someone who is fascinated with the Royal Family, or likes to get an inside scoop on the lives of famous people."
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Relentless: a Memoir
by Julian Edelman
Book Reviewed by Steuart
"This is an autobiography of NFL wide receiver Julian Edelman. His story is very interesting, being essentially constantly doubted and undervalued throughout his entire life. Bring a small, scramble quarterback forced to go to community college, then Kent State, and finally being forced to switch to receiver in the NFL just for a chance to shine is a fascinating story. The fact he saw so much success afterward is a real cherry on top. There are some serious criticisms you could make about how he portrays the relationship with his father: seemingly often violent and aggressive, and focused entirely on maximizing his athletic output. I think the book ultimately does an OK job of allowing critique, but a lot of depicted behavior is legitimately concerning and not really expanded upon. Overall, though, this is a great inspirational autobiography which any football fan is pretty good."
What made you interested in reading this book? "I’m a big Patriots fan."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Football fans."
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How to Read Literature Like a Professor
by Thomas C. Foster
Book Reviewed by Maryn
"This book helps you understand the deeper meanings in books by showing common symbols and themes. Foster acts like your guide, breaking down things like weather, journeys, or food scenes to show how they’re more important than you think. He uses examples from different books to explain these concepts. It’s written in a fun, casual way, making it easier to read. Overall, it helps you get better at picking up on hidden details in literature. I am not very good with understanding literature and this book really helped! This is a good book!"
What made you interested in reading this book? "I was forced to read this book for my AP Literature class. I honestly wouldn't have read it if I wasn't in AP Literature."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Someone who wants to learn and better themselves. Someone who struggles with reading or understanding texts."
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The Hard Hat : 21 Ways To Be a Great Teammate
by Jon Gordon
Book Reviewed by Maryn
"This book goes over a story about a young man named George. He was an amazing teammate that sadly passed away in a lacrosse game. The book talks about how influential he was to others and why he was such an inspiration. The author lists 21 ways to be a good teammate and references George in all of them. I absolutely loved this book and it really inspires me to be the best person I can be. Everyone should read this book 100%. I had to read about it for my soccer team. I was nervous at first to read it because I don’t typically read soccer books but I am glad that I did!"
What does this book remind you of? "Nothing, I’ve never read inspirational books before."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Someone who wants to be their best self. Fans of inspirational books. People who love sports."
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NFL 100: A Century of Pro Football
by Rob Fleder
Book Reviewed by Steuart
"This book was released for the NFLs 100th anniversary. It is humongous, so reading it is a bit of a chore. Generally, if you ignore the now outdated statistics, this isn’t a bad read. However, the size of the book is a legitimate barrier to entry. As a history lesson, this book excels, but for people who don’t really care about that stuff it’s not worth reading. I would also add this book has a very egotistical tone which is mildly annoying. Overall, for big football fans this is worth owning, but I wouldn’t suggest it as a casual read."
What made you interested in reading this book? "I’m a big football fan."
What does this book remind you of? "Coffeetable books."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Massive NFL fans looking for a history lesson."
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The Legend of Zelda, Breath of the Wild: Creating a Champion
by Nintendo
Book Reviewed by Steuart
"This is essentially an art book for TLOZ:BOTW. For those of you who have yet to play the game, this book has little to no value. For those of you who have, you are already aware of the feat this game achieved. This book offers a really interesting look into the design process of such a revolutionary and conceptually risky game. The concept art ranges from near-final designs to Link with a guitar, and the insight to the amount of work that goes into a final game is eye-opening. The comments and notes translated from the higher-up designers also add a ton of value. For those of you who care at all about game design or Zelda, this book has a lot to offer. It really shows how much care and time goes into creating a masterful piece of art."
What made you interested in reading this book? "I played the game."
Who would enjoy reading this book? "Aspiring game artists/designers."
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New Hanover County Library
201 Chestnut Street, Wilmington, North Carolina 28401
910-798-6301www.nhclibrary.org |
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