Reviews by Category: Fiction

Teen Review
A Study in Charlotte by Brittnay Cavallaro

A Study in Charlotte

By Brittnay Cavallaro
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Anna M.
May 29, 2021

Jamie Watson and Charlotte Homes, the teenage descendants of Sherlock and John, get off to a rocky start when they first meet at boarding school. But when they’re both accused of the same crime, they must team up to investigate a murder, clear their names, and, perhaps, become friends.

Fans of mystery interspersed with humor will enjoy this book, the first installment of Brittany Cavallaro’s series. The central case takes time to develop, but the fast-paced story will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Teen Review
Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi

Down and Across

By Arvin Ahmadi
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Anna M.
May 28, 2021

Scott Ferdowski has trouble sticking with his passions. He’s smart, but lacks commitment, despite the variety of activities his high-achieving parents sign him up for. So when they leave town at the start of his summer vacation, Scott spontaneously decides to ditch his internship and become a bit more “gritty.” As his summer progresses, Scott meets a crossword-obsessed college student, a brilliant professor, and a cast of other characters. Through it all, he explores his newfound freedom, ultimately gaining perspective about his own life.

Teen Review
Solo by Kwame Alexander

Solo

By Kwame Alexander
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Anna M.
May 27, 2021

Blade Morrison’s life seems perfect. He’s a skilled guitarist with a famous musician for a father, and he has plenty of money and girls to choose from. But despite this, Blade feels lost. The one girl he truly cares for can’t be seen with him. His father’s face covers the tabloids. And ever since his mother passed away, he doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of his family. Solo explores Blade’s search for identity through poetry, following his quest for love and belonging.

Teen Review
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk

The Beauty That Remains

By Ashley Woodfolk
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Anna M.
May 26, 2021

Logan, Shay, and Autumn are struggling. Each struck by the loss of someone they love, they’re unsure how to move forward. Music, the passion that once linked them, now brings back memories they’d rather forget. And they’ve turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms that leave them more and more alone. But while these characters seem buried by grief, they aren’t lost forever. As the story progresses, each comes to terms with the tragedy they’ve faced, building the courage to ask for help and slowly returning to music as an outlet for the hurt they feel.

Teen Review
Song For A Whale by Lynne Kelly

Song For A Whale

By Lynne Kelly
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Sriha P.
May 25, 2021

Iris is a twelve-year-old girl who was born deaf. She loves fixing radios and she loves her Grandma and Grandpa. Iris learned about a whale in school. Its name is Blue 55, and it sings songs but not one replies. Iris feels how hard it would be for no one to reply to what they say, because that is what happens to her, because she is deaf. Iris talks to a scientist who is studying about Blue 55 and trying to tag Blue 55. Iris talks with her and asks if Blue 55 is deaf. The scientist said that they already tested that and Blue 55 is not deaf.

Teen Review
Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Red, White and Royal Blue

By Casey McQuiston
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Palak P.
May 24, 2021

Red, White and Royal Blue is a sweet, funny, and lighthearted romance between Alex, the First Son, and Henry, the Prince of Wales. As a result of their rivalry being photographed, a staged friendship follows which then leads to a secret between the two. When their secret relationship gets exposed, the Heads of Family and other handlers must find a way to fix the campaign. Will the damage be fixed? Will Alex and Henry’s love fix it?

Teen Review
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

The Henna Wars

By Adiba Jaigirdar
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Palak P.
May 22, 2021

The Henna Wars has amazing characters, POC, and LGBTQ+ representation. This is about how Nishat doesn’t want to hide who she is, but she doesn’t want to lose her family. It only gets harder when a childhood friend, Flavia, comes back into her life and Nishat falls for her. When a competition invites students to create businesses, both Nishat and Flavia choose to do Henna.

Teen Review
The Degenerates by J. Albert Mann

The Degenerates

By J. Albert Mann
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Laura M.
May 21, 2021

This book is realistic fiction. The main characters of this book are Maxine, London, Alice, and Rose (Maxine’s sister). The main characters want to get out of the place they are trapped in (The Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded) because they are diagnosed as morons, imbeciles, and idiots because of something “bad” they did. Their parents dropped them off there because they didn’t want them, and the main characters know that they won’t come back. That is why they don’t see a reason to leave.  London tries to get out but she gets caught on a farm she ran to for food and water.

Teen Review
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street

By Sandra Cisneros
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Raghu P.
May 20, 2021

Esperanza is a young girl who moves into a house on Mango Street with her family.  This house   is not what Esperanza dreams of though since it is in terrible condition and it is very small.  The house is in a Latino neighborhood in Chicago.  Esperanza matures during the year.  Esperanza makes friends, develops a crush, and is assaulted.  The novel also talks about some of the tragedies going on in some other people’s lives who live on Mango Street.  Esperanza learns a lot from her experiences and from her neighborhood.

Teen Review
How to Make Friends With the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow

How To Make Friends With the Dark

By Kathleen Glasgow
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Neha K.
May 16, 2021

The book ​How to Make Friends with the Dark, by Kathleen Glasgow, is a realistic fiction novel. The main character, Tiger, has an unbreakable bond with her mother. Their mother-daughter relationship is deep and understanding, with a few quirks. Everything changes for Tiger when her mom unexpectedly dies. After Tiger loses the person she loves the most, her life goes into shambles. As the book narrates on, changing from first person point of view to second, we see how Tiger’s emotions play out.

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