Reviews by Tag: grief

Teen Review
The Valley and the Flood by Rebecca Mahoney

The Valley and the Flood

By Rebecca Mahoney
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Marium K.
Oct 21, 2021

While trying to drive back to her home, Rose Colter gets stuck in the Nevada Desert. Suddenly, her radio starts playing her deceased friend’s voice. She decides to follow a light that leads her to the town of Lotus Valley. There she discovers that she will cause a flood in three days due to a prophecy. Does Rose stop the flood? What will happen next? Read more to find out!

Teen Review
The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver

The Ghosts We Keep

By Mason Deaver
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Marium K.
Sep 25, 2021

The Ghosts We Keep is a heartbreaking story that contains realistic scenes of death, love, and healing. Liam’s brother, Ethan, was killed in a hit and run. While the family grieves over the death of Ethan, Liam struggles with maintaining relationships with friends and dealing with grief. He seeks comfort in Ethan’s best friend, Marcus, and learns secrets about Ethan that weren’t known when he was alive. Though this book is contains tons of tragedy, it will leave you feeling empowered at the end.

Teen Review
The Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott

The Lucky List

By Rachael Lippincott
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Marium K.
Sep 22, 2021

Emily, a strong and determined girl, used to be gifted with luck, until her mother died from cancer. Now, three years later, her bad luck doesn’t seem to stop. Until she and her new friend Blake, find a bucket list that had belonged to Emily’s mom. They both decide to go on an emotional adventure filled with love, fear and acceptance hoping to complete the bucket list. Do Emily and Blake complete their mission? Read more to find out!

Teen Review
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood and Starlight

By Laini Taylor
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Lisa J.
Sep 1, 2021

Karou finally knows who she is. She knows about her past life as Madrigal of the Kirin, executed for loving the enemy. But she also knows about Akiva’s betrayal and the suffering he has wrought upon her people and her world. Now, as the war between the Chimaera and the Seraphim explodes, Karou joins Thiago, the White Wolf, in crafting an army meant to inspire fear and bring destruction. Yet two questions remain unanswered: how far is Karou willing to go to protect her people — and is she even still one of them?

Teen Review
Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Love and Gelato

By Jenna Evans Welch
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Elizabeth T.
Jul 2, 2021

Love and Gelato is about a young girl named Lina, who just lost her mom. Before her mom passed, she urged Lina to live with an old friend of hers in Florence, Italy. Lina was obviously hesitant about it, but she decided to go anyway. She discovers more about her mom's past than she ever thought possible. Her mom was gone, but it felt like she was right there with her. Plus, Lina meets the cute and sweet Lorenzo and they become fast friends, maybe even more.

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
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.

Staff Review
The Boy in the Black Suit book cover

The Boy in the Black Suit

By Jason Reynolds
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Kristen R
Apr 8, 2021

Matt Miller, a senior in high school, is dealing with the recent death of his mom to cancer.  Mr. Ray, Matt’s neighbor, offers him a job at the funeral home.  He is hesitant to take it but can’t pass up the good paycheck. So, Matt becomes the boy in the black suit because he starts wearing it every day.  In a way it brings Matt comfort to watch the funerals.  “I liked watching other people deal with the loss of someone, not because I enjoyed seeing them in pain, but because, somehow, it made me feel better knowing that my pain isn’t only mine.”

Teen Review
Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo

Beverly, Right Here

By Kate DiCamillo

Rated by
Gwynn M. from BV YA Lit Council
Dec 2, 2019

After Beverly's dog runs away she knows that she needs to leave, to get away from her drunk mother, her kind friends, and her dead dog. She doesn't know where she's going, but when she gets to a crooked little house by a crooked little sea, Beverly knows it is where she is going to stay, even if she won't admit it to herself. Beverly wants to keep to herself, but who knows if she will be able to keep away from the people who want to befriend her. The kindness inside of the book that is shown by all of the characters is super compelling.

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