Teen Book Reviews

July is half-over, but there is still lots of time to enter the July Summer Blog Giveaway!

And in the meantime…this week we’ve got some more great teen book reviews!

In or Out – Claudia Gabel

Review by: Anonymous

i read a book called in or out. it was ok. it was by claudia gabe. i really want to get the next book in the series to see what happens next!!

 

Ashes, Ashes – Jo Treggiari

Review by: Emily W.

i just read the book called Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treagiari. it was about what happened after the world ended. the book followed a girl named Lucy Holloway and explained how she lived her life and how the world ended. it was a great book and i really hope there will be a second book in the series. it was a very exciting and adventurous book that i really loved!!

Divergent – Veronica Roth

Review by: Anonymous

i just read an amazing book called divergent by veronica roth i really thought this was a great book because it tells of one way the world could end up in the future and how the government can take over annything and destroy it.this book tells of a dystopian world where the world is seperated into 5 different factions {areas}for people who believed that a certain flaw about the humans caused all war and misery and one girl named tris is faced with a problem that the goverment wants her dead so she must find a way to stop it.

What’s New at WCL

Since summer is a great time to read some new books, here’s a look at some of the newest titles at the Wellington County Library!

And, don’t forget to tell us how you like to cool down in our July Blog Giveaway Post!

 

172 Hours on the Moon – Johan Harstad

From Goodreads:

It’s been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary teenagers, the winners of NASA’s unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to become the first young people in space–and change their lives forever.
Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band’s ticket to fame and fortune.
Midori believes it’s her way out of her restrained life in Japan.
Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend as possible.
It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And in the black vacuum of space… no one is coming to save them.

Sometimes it Happens – Lauran Barnholdt

From Goodreads:

This novel opens on the first day of Hannah’s senior year, but the story really starts on the last day of her junior year. That’s when Hannah not only gets dumped by her boyfriend, Sebastian, but she also finds out her best friend, Ava, is going to be gone for the entire summer. But Ava’s boyfriend, Noah, is definitely around—and such a good guy that he snags Hannah a job at the diner where he works. Hannah and Noah move from coworkers, to friends….and one night, to something more.

Now it’s back to school, where Hannah will see Sebastian, Ava, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, Hannah will learn a lot about love, friendship…and herself.

The Ghost Box – Catherine Fisher

From Rear Book Cover:

The bad dreams began the day Sarah saw the face in the painting. The strange tree, the silver box and the ghost boy – they are all connected, but how?

The ghost says he needs Sarah’s help, but it seems her step-brother Matt is out to stop her, and he has others on his side.

Who can Sarah trust?

 

What She Left Behind – Tracy Bilen

From Goodreads:

Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it.

With each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late…for them both.

So what do you think?  Have you read any of these titles?  Have any other awesome new YA suggestions?  Let us know!

 

Teen Book Review

This week we’ve got a great teen book review of Veronica Roth’s hit book Divergent!

Divergent – Veronica Roth

Review By: Justine

Veronica Roth’s book Divergent is the next big phenomenon in dystopian literature. Roth has taken a radical new approach to the concept of a society gone wrong. Set in a future Chicago, the story follows Triss. In this future society, there are four”factions”, each valuing one quality (kindness, courage, honesty, and ingenuity). Citizens are allowed to choose which faction they would like to be a part of when they come of age. Triss must choose between staying with her family’s faction, or choosing her own. Her decision is complicated when she discovers that she is suitable for more than one faction

While most authors of this genre hold lack of knowledge responsible for humans turning on themselves, Roth takes the opposite viewpoint, and holds the manipulation of knowledge as what will lead to humanity’s downfall.
All in all, this book is an excellent read for anyone interested in stories about alternative societies.

Summer Reads

It’s Summer!  Which means that it’s the perfect time to kick back and relax with a good book.  Here are a few suggestions for awesome summer reading!

The Jade Notebook – Laura Resau

From Goodreads:

Down-to-earth Zeeta and her flighty mom, Layla, have spent years traveling the globe and soaking up everything each new culture has to offer. Now they’ve settled in the beachside town of Mazunte, Mexico, where Zeeta’s true love, Wendell, has an internship photographing rare sea turtles. At first glance, Zeeta feels sure that Mazunte is paradise—she envisions dips in jade waters, sunsets over sea cliffs, moonlit walks in the surf. And she is determined to make Mazunte her home . . . for good. But as she and Wendell dig deeper to unearth her elusive father’s past, Zeeta finds that paradise has its dark side.

A Confusion of Princes – Garth Nix

From Goodreads:

Taken from his parents as a child and equipped with biological and technological improvements, Khemri is now an enhanced human being, trained and prepared for the glory of becoming a Prince of the Empire. Not to mention the ultimate glory: should he die, and be deemed worthy, he will be reborn…Which is just as well, because no sooner has Prince Khemri graduated to full Princehood than he learns the terrible truth behind the Empire: there are ten million princes, and all of them want each other dead.

Babe in Boyland – Jody Gehrman

From Goodreads:

When high school junior Natalie-or Dr. Aphrodite, as she calls herself when writing the relationship column for her school paper-is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, she decides to investigate what guys really think and want. But the guys in her class won’t give her straight or serious answers. The only solution? Disguising herself as a guy and spending a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boy boarding school in town. There she learns a lot about guys and girls in ways she never expected-especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. How can she show him she likes him without blowing her cover?

The List – Siobhan Vivian

From Goodreads:

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn’t matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, “pretty” and “ugly.”

Check out these titles and more from your local WCL branch.  And tell us…what’s your favourite kind of summer read?  Do you like romance?  Adventure?  Horror?  Anything you can read at the beach?  Let us know!

Don’t forget there’s only one week left to enter the June Summer Blog Giveaway for your chance to win a $15.00 Chapters gift card.  Let us know what the best book you’ve read in the last year is, for your chance to win!

What’s New at WCL

Looking for something good to read?  Check out these new YA books at WCL!

Kill Switch – Chris Lynch

From Inside Jacket Flap:

Daniel wants to spend one final summer with his beloved grandfather, before Daniel leaves for college and his grandfather succumbs to dementia. But when Da, a former systems analyst for the Department of Agriculture, starts to let things slip about people he’s killed and countries he’s overthrown, his old “friends” come back to make sure he stays quiet. Was Daniel’s grandfather really involved in a world of assassinations and coups, or is all this just the delusion of a crumbling mind? Daniel and Da take to the road, fleeing from threats seen and unseen. Daniel doesn’t know if he can save his grandfather, or if Da even needs to be saved. Or what the transaction might cost Daniel himself.

The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers – Lynn Weingarten

From Inside Jacket Flap:

If there’s an upside to having your heart broken, it’s this: A broken heart makes you brave.

The first day of sophomore year doesn’t go the way Lucy planned. After a summer apart from her boyfriend, she’s ready to greet him with a special surprise and instead gets a shocking one in return: He’s breaking up with her. Beyond devastated, Lucy has no idea how she’s going to make it through homeroom, let alone the rest of her life.

Enter three stunning girls with the unnatural ability to attract boys and an offer Lucy can’t refuse: They can heal her heart in an instant. And then she’ll be one of them—a member of a sisterhood that is impervious to heartbreak and has access to magic distilled from the tears of brokenhearted boys. But to gain their power, Lucy must get a guy to fall in love with her the old-fashioned way, and then break his heart in the next seven days.

While the sisterhood may need another Heartbreaker, Lucy’s only desire is to get her ex back. But how far is she willing to go, and who is she willing to cross to get what she wants?

The Story of Us – Deb Caletti

From Inside Jacket Flap:

Cricket has a very long week ahead of her—her entire family has come together for her mom’s wedding, and it’s supposed to be a time for celebration. But for Cricket, the timing couldn’t be worse.

For years Cricket’s been half of the perfect couple, destined to be together forever. Now, because of what she’s done—something she would give anything to take back—Janssen has walked away. Maybe for good. Cricket has always panicked in the face of change. Now she is forced to face her fears and decide once and for all what she wants, and how she’s going to get it. Over the course of the week, secrets will be revealed, bonds will be tested, and Cricket’s confusion—and her desires—may very well send her spiraling down a path she never thought she’d take…with no idea where it will lead her.

Sound good?  Check out these books and more at your WCL branch.  And tell us your thoughts!  Read any good books lately?  Read any of the books listed here?  What’d you think?

And, don’t forget to submit your comment to the June Summer Blog Giveaway!

Book Trailers

Just 2 days left to enter the May Summer Blog Giveaway!

Movie trailers have been around for ages.  But book trailers are still making themselves known.  Don’t know what a book trailer is?  A book trailer is just like a movie trailer…it is a short video to promote a book.  And just like movie trailers, they can be awesome for helping you to decide whether you want to read a book or not.

So here are some fantastic book trailers for upcoming and newly released YA novels!

Shadow and Bone – Leigh Bardugo

Until I Die – Amy Plum

Arise – Tara Hudson

Teen Book Review!

Today, we’ve got another awesome book review, direct from a WCL teen!  And, don’t forget, there’s only one week left to enter the May Summer Blog Giveaway!

The Immortal Rules
Julie Kagawa

Review by: Cassandra

The Immortal Rules is about a scavenger Allison, who all her life has scavenged for food and supplies to live. Until one day her life get turned upside down when a raid went wrong and she woke up a bloodthirsty monster. The Immortal Rules is about Allison’s adventures as a vampire, how she views new self and her struggle to contain her hunger for blood.

What i liked about this book was how Julie took the idea of are upending doom and the stereotypical vampire and created a new genre of books that mashes together two types of genres that i love!

Book Review: Entwined by Heather Dixon

About the Book – From Goodreads:

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it’s taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He’s trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.
The Keeper likes to keep things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

~*~*~*~

Entwined is a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairytale.  After their mother dies, Azalea and her eleven sisters find themselves stuck in strict mourning; no open curtains, no colourful clothes, no visits from suitors, and absolutely worst all, no dancing.  They are miserable, so when a seemingly perfect escape presents itself in the form of a magic forest where there is dancing every evening, Azalea allows her sisters and herself to enjoy the nightly ritual.  But when things start to turn ugly, and Azalea learns that the mysteriously dark and handsome Keeper is hiding a devastating secret, she knows it is up to her to save her family, and her home.

This is a great read for the summer.  Each of the twelve sisters has her own unique personality and voice in this story, and the scenes with all the sisters were a lot of fun to read.  There are glamorous dances, cute boys, and some dark and creepy scenes in Entwined as well, though the story never strays too far from scenes of lighthearted fun. 

My favourite thing about the book?  Azalea’s kingdom used to be magic, but isn’t anymore…well, mostly.  There are a few leftover pieces of magic in the house, like a rather bitter tea set, with rather bite-y sugar tongs.  And when Azalea’s sweet-minded sister Clover has had enough of the tea set?  Awesome.

My least favourite thing about the book? It would have been interesting to see a darker take on this tale, as I know the story can be quite creepy.  I think there was potential for the ending to be quite a bit more gruesome than it was, but the author decided to take the story in a lighter direction instead.

So, if you are looking for a good summer read, like stories with romance, dancing, and princesses, or just enjoy fairy-tale retellings, you might want to give this book a go.

Looking for similar titles?  Try these!

Ella Enchanted – Gail Carson Levine

Princess of the Midnight Ball – Jessica Day George

Spindle’s End – Robin McKinley

Teen Book Reviews!

Today, we’ve got a couple of book reviews from WCL teens!  Interested in submitting your own book review?  Check out the “Review a Book” Page to find out how!

And, don’t forget to enter the May Summer Blog Giveaway!

Why We Broke Up – Daniel Handler

Review by: Maria K.

I think this book is really good because it is really relatable.  I really liked this guy and he was a jerk and everyone said he was but I didn’t care.  In the book Min’s first date with Ed, Ed was late that’s exactly what happened to me but I just left after awhile. He appologized and wanted to hangout again. Reading the book helped me get him over him. I recomed it for girls who realize that the guy they are dating or in “love” with is a jerk to help them get over them.

The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

Review by Hannah V.

Hunger Games two surviveing romantic teens.  Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have been entered or chosen for district 12 to face their own death of fears and possibly to have a chance at winning The Hunger Games.  What is the Hunger Games?  The Hunger Games is held in an areana and they get to fight to death I don’t know why they found that amusing but they did.  Katniss and Peeta had to kinda ally together.  When the Hunger Games began Katniess and Peeta are separated they have to fight on their own.  Death, pain, and romantic love.  You should read the Hunger Games or at least watch the movies and both movie and book I would give five stars out of five.  Peeta and Katniss might have a chance winning…

Take a Bow – Elizabeth Eulberg

From Jacket Cover: 

Chasing fame. 

Chasing love. 

Chasing a future.

Emme has long lived in her best friend Sophie’s shadow. She writes songs, and Sophie sings them. It’s always been like this, and feels like it always will be.

Sophie will stop at nothing to be a star. Even if it means using her best friend and picking up a trophy boyfriend, Carter.

Carter is a victim of a particular Hollywood curse: He’s a former child star. Now all he wants is a normal life. But being normal is about as hard for him as being famous.

Ethan has his own issues – a darkness in his head that he just can’t shake. He’s managed to sabotage every relationship he’s ever been in. Emme’s the only girl he’s ever really respected…but he’s not sure what to do about that.

Emme, Sophie, Carter, and Ethan are all students at a performing arts school, where talent is the norm and fame is the goal. But sometimes, being in the spotlight isn’t as important as the people you’re sharing it with – as the four of them are going to find out[.]

 

Looking for something light and witty to read this spring, but still want something with a touch of drama and truth?  Why not check out Elizabeth Eulberg’s newest novel, Take a Bow.

Here’s what some are saying about this novel:

Readers, especially teens, will relish the chance to escape with Take A Bow. It is the perfect book for a lazy spring afternoon and is sure to leave readers smiling long after the final page is turned. – Chick Lit Teens

“Take “Glee,” toss it in Lincoln Center, shake out the bizarre stereotypes and you get “Take a Bow”—the third novel from author, Elizabeth Eulberg” – Fallon Prinzivalli, MTV

This book had moments that take your breath away, moments that make your heart race, and moments that leave you grinning like crazy. The way these characters change and interact with one another while they adapt to their ever transitioning position felt so true. But really, the best word for this book is – beautiful. – Hannah Lorraine, In the Best Worlds

Have you read this book?  What did you think?  Leave us a comment!