Reviews by Tag: coming of age

Teen Review
Where There's a Whisk by Sarah J. Schmitt

Where There's a Whisk

By Sarah J. Schmitt
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Marium K.
Nov 18, 2021

Peyton Sinclaire is a chef with big dreams stuck in a small town. When she gets the chance to participate in a reality tv cooking show, she jumps at the chance, hoping to pursue her dream. When she is at the set, she realizes it isn’t what she hoped it would be like, she wonders how far she is willing to go to make her dreams a reality.

Teen Review
Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed

Written in the Stars

By Aisha Saeed
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Preya N.
Oct 6, 2021

Naila comes from an immigrant Pakistani family where she isn’t allowed to enjoy many of the privileges her friends are lucky enough to have, including a boyfriend. But right before she graduates high school, her parents discover that she has a secret boyfriend and decide to take a family vacation to Pakistan to reeducate Naila. Naila even starts to enjoy herself a little, but her new life takes a turn for the worse when her parents decide that they want her to get married, and have already found her a husband in Pakistan for her arranged marriage.

Teen Review
Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth

Not My Problem

By Ciara Smyth
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Marium K.
Sep 26, 2021

Aideen is an imperfect teen that is facing many problems. She suddenly finds herself in a situation that she can solve. She decides to help Meabh, an overachieving, stressed out classmate, by pushing her down the stairs. After finding out that Meabh was able to get away from her problems, students with their own issues come to Aideen. This in turn leads Aideen to run her own secret business all while juggling her own problems at home. Will Aideen be able to solve her own problems and help others? Read more to find out!

Teen Review
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street

By Sandra Cisneros
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Aryan C.
Aug 17, 2021

The House on Mango Street represents a perspective of someone whom you would never think of. I liked how this book took into perspective how Esperanza lived in her community and how she was looked at by certain people. This book shows a lot of realistic events that seem very meaningful and makes the book very interesting to read. I gave this a five-star rating because I liked how this book was written. It is very intense in Esperanza's feelings but also very truthful about what happened to her.

Teen Review
Star Wars Force Collector by Kevin Shinick

Star Wars: Force Collector

By Kevin Shinick
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Aryan C.
Aug 15, 2021

The first time I saw this book was online while I was browsing through the Johnson County website. I was interested in this book because of the cover. As I read further into this book I understood that it was more than an adventure story but also a way of going on the journey with Karr. This book has the highest of commendations because it shows how Karr, a kid, journeys throughout the entire galaxy to find out how his powers work only to find out that he was predestined to do something else. This book will help people find how to find themselves because it helped me in that way.

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 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
Eliza and Her Monsters Francesca Zappia

Eliza and Her Monsters

By Francesca Zappia
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Lisa J.
May 15, 2021

Eliza Mirk is an unsociable and shy high school student who much prefers to spend her time in the online world, where she can have complete control over her identity and be as anonymous as she likes. When she is online, she is simply known as LadyConstellation, the author of the insanely popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. However, when Eliza meets a boy named Wallace Warland, who also happens to be a popular fanfiction writer for Monstrous Sea, she finds herself opening up for the very first time.

Teen Review
Don't Ask Me Where I'm From by Jennifer De Leon

Don't Ask Me Where I'm From

By Jennifer De Leon
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Lisa J.
May 13, 2021

15-year-old Liliana Cruz has a lot to deal with. From taking care of two chaotic younger brothers to dealing with an increasingly absent best friend to providing emotional support for her mother who, incidentally, won’t tell her where her missing father is, it seems like she’s just barely holding her life together. But one thing is for sure — Liliana is at home in her diverse inner-city high school, even if it’s underfunded and disorganized.

Teen Review
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me

By Tahereh Mafi
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Taylor E.
May 8, 2021

Ignite Me is the third book in Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series, and it’s by far my favorite in the series so far. This book begins when Juliette wakes up after being shot. She is told by Warner that the war is over and Omega Point and all of its people are gone. Juliette then finds Kenji, who leads her to the handful of others that survived, including Adam.

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