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Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis

Review by Heera N., grade 10, 2019 Teen Book Reviewer

Genre: historical fiction

Margaret has lived on the island since she was a baby. The only people she knows are the nuns in the island’s convent and a handful of servants. They don’t have much, but Margaret is happy. Then Eleanor arrives, and Margaret’s world turns upside down. Nothing is the way she thought it was, not even her beloved island. Eventually, Margaret has to make a choice to help Eleanor reclaim her rightful place or to keep herself safe and hold on to the life she thought she knew.  

I gave this book a 5 out of 5 because I really liked the characters. Margaret felt like a real person. More often than not, I agreed with the choices she made, and if I didn’t I could at least understand why she made them. I liked her, so I was invested in finding out what happened to her. The writing was interesting, and I liked how some of Margaret’s drawings were mixed in. Overall, it was really good.

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All Our Broken Pieces by L. D. Crichton

Review by Isha N., grade 8, 2019 Teen Book Reviewer

Genre: realistic fictions

Lennon Davis’ mother passed away, leaving her to live with her father, stepmother, stepsister, and half-brother in LA. Lennon suffers from OCD. She uses the number five in her compulsions, finding it safe. She believes that it will keep her family safe, even though she knows it’s irrational. Kylar Benton wishes to remain hidden. He becomes curious about Lennon after seeing the lights in her room flickering on and off in patterns of five. When they were assigned together on a school project, they connect. Despite the disapproval of their parents and their peers, they continue to grow closer. Kylar finds Lennon being the subject of his notebook entries, he wants to know about her past, even though he has enough trouble in his life without her. 

I ranked the book 4 out of 5 stars because I found some of the plot points to unrealistic. I believe that the actions of Lennon’s father are exaggerated. I understand that it might have been necessary to the plot, but I found that it made me have little sympathy for his character. I also believe the actions of Andrea, Lennon’s stepsister, are exaggerated as well. It felt to me that her actions were petty and that a real person would never complete such actions. Aside from the few actions from those two characters, I found the book to be moving and heartwarming. It really illuminates the fight that many people go through to be socially accepted and the fight through OCD. The main characters were funny, which helped the book to be a real page-turner.

Try this book if you liked The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

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The Color of the Sun by David Almond

Review by Lleyton E, grade 12, 2019 Teen Book Reviewer

It had been three weeks since Davie's father's death, and it seemed like any ordinary day. When the murdered body of young Jimmy Killen is found next to the church, the day becomes filled with mystery and wonder, one that Davie will never forget. To get away from the chaos, Davie decides to go on a journey across the town and into the hills beyond. Part of him desires excitement and wants to find the missing killer, but the other part of him simply wants to see and experience the wonders that his small town holds. On his adventure, Davie not only meets new people who tell him fascinating stories of love, hate, war, and peace, but he also encounters people who he already knew who present the world in a whole new light. 

I gave this book three out of five stars. This book was very entertaining and easy to read, and I always wanted to find out what would happen next. The people Davie met in his town were very different and intriguing, and the themes that each of them presented were relatable and made me think deeply. I connected with Davie in many different ways, and was engrossed in his adventure up until the end. However, I found some of the dialogue and situations to be a bit unbelievable. In addition, although Davie introduced the reader to what he was thinking throughout the book, there were times when his thoughts were choppy and did not go as in depth as I would have liked. Overall, this book was an engaging story about growing up that I enjoyed, but I would have liked a bit more reflection from the main character.

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Lizzy K reviews Property of the Rebel Librarian by Allison Varnes

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Oona K reviews Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen

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Sophia I reviews Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All

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Tyler L reviews Dream Country by Shannon Gibney

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Alex and the Monsters: Here Comes Mr. Flat by Jaume Copons and Liliana Fortuny

Review by Alivia P, grade 6, 2018 Teen Book Reviewer

Genre: fantasy

Alex had no intention of cleaning his room after school that afternoon.  At school he had his punishment: he had to clean the back room of the library. And there he found a little orange monster stuffie that the librarian let him keep. At home the stuffie came alive. When he came back from school one day the stuffie was gone. As his mom threatened, she took everything that wasn't in it's place and got rid of it. So he went to go on one fun adventure; it was so cool.

I ranked the book five out of five stars. One reason is because it is adventurous. Like when Mr. Flat when he comes to life. And when he goes to find Mr. flat. The final example is when Mr. Flat is at the sale.

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Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough

Review by Tyler L, grade 10, 2018 Teen Book Reviewer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Blood Water Paint is a novel based on the true story of Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi. After the passing of her mother, Artemisia aspired to become a painter. She would become one of the best painters in Rome, but did not get credit for her work for her father. Her life took a dark turn when she was raped by Agostino Tassi, forever changing her life. She will have to make a tough decision: to stay silent, or to speak the truth, despite it jeopardizing her ability to paint.

I gave this book 4 stars. I found the format of the book incredibly intriguing: until now, I have never read a whole novel written in verse. The book also goes to a great length in discussing the topic of women's rights in a time where society cast women to the side. The story also included realistic characters that feel like they can be related to on a personal level. Overall, this is a powerful book I would recommend to anyone interested in the fascinating life of this unique painter.

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Sophie W reviews God and Heroes: Mythology Around the World by Korwin Briggs

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Anna W reviews The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

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Alivia P reviews Tiny Infinities by J. H. Diehl

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Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro

Review by Oona K, grade 7, 2018 Teen Book Reviewer

Genre: Realistic Fiction  

Moss is sick of the random locker checks, lack of supplies, and constantly being watched by the Oakland Police officers stationed in his school hallways. Why don’t the white schools have to deal with all of this “security protocol”? His father was wrongly murdered at the hands of a cop 6 years ago and Moss’ community expects him to be a leader for change. Moss has trouble with the expectations put on him until a tragic accident forces him to change and realize anger is truly a gift.

This book was great and I enjoyed reading it. The characters were extremely diverse and thought out. One of the downsides of reading about the large and diverse group of characters was remembering who was who. The only other thing about the book I disliked was a big moment in the book was totally unrealistic. Other than that I thought this book was a great story about the hardships facing lower income neighborhoods.

People might like this book if they liked The Hate U Give and Dear Martin.

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Liam R reviews The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta

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My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma

Review by Sarah S, grade 9, 2018 Teen Book Reviewer

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Winnie Mehta thought she had everything figured out. When she was born, a pandit had told her parents that she'd meet her true love before her eighteenth birthday, he'd give her a silver bracelet, and his name would start with "R". Luckily, her childhood best friend turned boyfriend Raj met all the "soulmate" criteria. Unfortunately, Winnie was never entirely convinced he was who she was looking for, and her vague suspicions are confirmed when Raj cheats on her. Winnie knows that this isn't how her Bollywood-esque life is supposed to go. With a change in leadership at the film club that means everything to her, and the attention of an old almost-crush, Winnie has to figure out how much of her future she intends to entrust to a prophecy.

I ranked this book a two because I thought it was extremely unrealistic. Winnie comes across as plastic and childish, especially with the way she talks about personal problems to random people using Bollywood references. In fact, most characters read as stereotypical cliches from a typical romance novel. None of the story relates even a little bit to real life. Not the college applications, not the interactions between characters, and certainly not the love triangle. Winnie's family and friends' entire lives revolve around her. Also, the romance is overdone and ridiculously cheesy. However, I did want to give this book two stars because I think it's so important to have characters of color portrayed with their culture. This book did a good job of not white-washing the characters, but also not presenting their Indian culture as a rude caricature of what it really is.

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Breakout by Kate Messner

Review by Calla M, grade 6, 2018 Teen Book Reviewer

Genre: Realistic fiction

Breakout is about a 7th grader named Nora Tucker. In her small town Wolf Creek, Nora has just about everything she needs: she has a long summer ahead of her, a locked win on the 7th grade mad mile (a race in field day), and a summer writing time capsule project to do. But then, two men escape from a maximum security prison in Wolf Creek. That’s when Nora’s perfect summer falls apart. Her 7 year old brother is always scared, her father is always out of the house, and her mother locks the doors and windows. Will Nora be able to fix her summer or will her town hide in fear for the rest of the summer? Read and find out.

I rated Breakout a 3/5 because I loved the story and the characters but I felt like the book was kind of hard to read because it was written with letters, text clips, and recorded voices. I feel like I would have enjoyed the book more if it was written in conventional prose. Otherwise, it was a great book! I enjoyed the story very much. This book is probably best for kids in grades 4 and older

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Alexis D reviews Hocus & Pocus: The Legend of Grimm’s Woods by Manuro and Gorobei