#teenagereads

[teenageread]

Review: Catwoman: Soulstealer

Initial Thoughts: 

I love a good girl group, and Sarah Maas, known to write complex and complicated friendships, does not disappoint with her rendition of Catwoman. This Selina Kyle has a soft spot: Maggie, her younger, chronically ill little sister, whom Selina would do anything for. Thus why she gave up her life, and gave up Maggie, for a darker future so that Maggie could have a lighter one. Maas gives all three of our baddies something to be soft on, and it develops their character, and their relationship with each other grows. This novel truly felt like a DC comic brought to a novel as it has the crime, the drama, and the romance. Yes, we know that Catwoman and Batman have been a thing, Maas decided to give us someone else to root for this time as Luke Fox, aka Batwing, takes the heart of both Catwoman and Selina Kyle. 

Characters:

That’s right, Maas brought our girl squad out, because as much as this story is about Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn play a large part in bringing this Gotham story to life. Our trio brings crime and drama to Gotham, as we see the start of their epic friendship, one that I wish Maas could continue in another series. I love how Maas has written about the girls and their relationship, but only to each other but to the world around them. Harley Quinn struggles to be on the outs with Joker but still wants to make sure that he’s okay and unable to hurt the ones she cares about. Poison Ivy is obviously in love with Harley Quinn, but unable to make a move. To Selina, who has never had a friend, but gains trust with these baddies enough to actually care for them, and feel the sting of her own betrayal - really moves this novel to another level for superhero remakes. I would have loved to see more Ivy and Harley action and make some romantic sparks there, as the Luke/Batwing with Selina/Catwomen was okay. Maas from previous novels really knows how to dive deep into relationships, but they need series for that to happen. With Luke and Selina? It was not awful, but not as grand of a love story as it could have been.  

Plot and Writing:

The plot in this novel is killer, and honestly one of my favorites from the series. Catwoman is known to be a thief of the finer things, such as art, and jewelry, and tends not to kill but to sneak away in the shadows with her loot. Maas unholds this value, as even with Harley and her explosions, this novel tries to minimize death in a way no other DC villain does. This is a Selina origin story, as Maas takes us from teenage Selina to assassin Selina who is out for revenge on her old stomping ground. The plot moves quickly and is captivating as Maas' easy writing and dynamic characters really grab hold of you, and make you want to read about what will happen next. This is easily a Catwoman story, but Maas also makes it about Luke, and his struggles being Batwing and struggling with PTSD from his time in the military. With our dynamic baddies together, this novel is also their origin story, and is as much about Selina forming friendships, for the first time ever, as it is about her getting revenge. With the League of Assassins also out for some blood, this novel truly does take the name of being a DC ionic novel, as it truly felt like an action film and comic book come to life, in book form.  

Conclusion: 

Catwoman holds the heart of many of those in Gotham, looking at you Luke, from her grace, and anglility, to her robbing the rich to give to the poor - aka herself. Maas does a fantastic job at bringing this sexy feline character to life and makes you want to call her an anti-hero instead of an out-and-out villain. Selina Kylie had a tragic past and made herself a glamorous future, and one that you should definitely read about.

[lovecourageforeternity]

Creep☠ (on Wattpad) https://my.w.tt/UiNb/OKdgIWAE1I Lia's 18th birthday has finally come and she couldn't be any happier. This was the moment she was waiting for since she was a little girl. Nothing could go wrong... right? Not unless someone crashes the party which happens to be a stalker...

[generalbreadstarfish]

Young author reveal.... Drum 🥁 roll please... Join me to congratulate and welcome teenage author, Zaman Shadhan @_zamansj I have been inspired working with this young author and I know you will too. More to come on her first book, “Quotes:All in my Head” #youngauthor #authorofcolor #teenageauthor #teenager #teenagereaders #booklovers #voraciousreaders #books #kidsbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/BvXYMXjHub1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1waprq48gevya

[madcapster]

A New Years gift to youngest cost centre. She’s a teenager. She needs to know the fine art of insulting. #books #bookstagram #teenagereading #london https://www.instagram.com/p/BsIZnbzAhQc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=97hcn2hwtg7c

[themoonshineworld-blog]

[teenageread]

Review: Death at Morning House

Initial Thoughts:

I love the intensity Maureen Johson kept throughout the entire novel, as we have two murderers from different periods playing at the same time. Where I was definitely more into the Ralstone story, Marlowe’s was interesting and kept me entertained between the retelling of Clara’s 1920s tragedy. The pace of the novel was good, however I do wish the Ralstone story was flushed out a bit more like Marlowe’s was. I don’t understand how we got to have the backstory on Marlowe and all of her co-workers. Yet, for the Ralstone story, we only got Clara, Victory, and a bit from their brother near the end, and nothing from the other four children, their parents, or any of the staff. Yes, I know their story was not the real story, but I do wish it was. Clara’s bizarre life and their Great Gatsby living situation were much more interesting and entertaining than Marlowe’s teenage co-workers being the worst kind of frenemies. Overall though the book kept a steady pace and kept readers interested, and I loved all the complex relationships given, even if some of them were annoying. 

Character:

With the duel storyline this also led to a lot of characters, the majority of them being unnecessary. With Clara, they talked all the time about the six adopted children, plus their brother, but honestly, not many of them played a part, especially as Clara’s story was so spread out throughout the story. Sure the sheer number of adoptive children played a part in the murder and why it happened, but I just felt that a lot of them went unused and were not needed. This same comparison can be made for Marlowe’s story with the number of co-workers she had. If you are creating a character and giving them a backstory, then you need to give them something to do, and where Johnson tried, they fell short the majority of the time. Yes I loved Marlowe’s interactions with them, and they do tie the story up in the end, I just think some of their personalities could have been combined, and make it a more intimate plot. Plus, I kept feeling that Johson was going to push the found family for Marlowe, our outsider joining a group of people who would understand her and accept her, but nope I was wrong. It was just a bunch of people Marlowe had surface-level relationships with, and who were only there to drive the plot. This brings me to the main characters of the novel, who honestly made the story. Clara herself, is a perfect character, a bit of mystery, someone you would like, and honestly had her own detective action going on before the murder. The family dynamic was so strange, and honestly, what drew me into this novel. I especially loved how the murder was explained at the start of the story (after all it is history), to allow us to get closer and closer to the event and build up that suspense. Marlowe gives me similar vibes to Clara, however less reassured and more just trying to survive. Where her story is not quite as interesting as she’s an outsider looking into the friendship dynamics, her personality made up for it as she carried likable traits and you had no ill will against her.  

Plot and Writing:

Trying to impress a girl, Marlowe's romantic candle exploded and burnt her family friend's cottage down. I do not know why this plot point was so important throughout the story, because Johnson brought it up several times, even though it was a harmless mistake. A mistake that cost her the girl (even though it did not make sense), and made her move to be a tour guide to this haunted mansion before the summer. That part of the plot I was not really here for, nor really get why it was such a big deal. However, it moved the story forward and got Marlowe to the haunted Morning House. Well, the mansion is not haunted, but two people did die there. Actually, make that three. The disappearance of their mentor who was doing research on the Ralstone family, had Marlowe and the rest of the team reeling. When Marlowe began piecing together that this disappearance could be a murder, it put Marlowe and her co-workers on the high altar of each other. As for them, death was not uncommon, as they were dealing with the death of their friend only months before. Johnson kept up the intensity of the story with the fast writing and really kept the plot moving. I loved the switching between Marlowe’s point of view to Clara’s, as we move closer to Clara’s tragic ends as we get snippets from her story. Clara’s story had a vintage vibe to it, of old money with strange secrets that had our siblings against each other as they tried to keep the peace amongst their family, while also keeping the family image alive.  

Conclusion: 

Two Murders almost a century apart. Both were believed to have been done for good intentions, one for passion and one for not. I truly recommend you read this novel for the Ralstone story, and will forever be mad at Johnson for not writing that story, as that was the real story I was here for. Marlowe’s is good, and honestly fits the genre of being a YA thriller. I just wish there were fewer characters so the plot felt more intimate and gave us some real twisted feelings for the characters, and murderers we were reading about.

[teenageread]

Review: Shantaram

Initial Thoughts:

What a crazy novel. Gregory Roberts fictionalizes his life into this massive novel, of how he escapes prison in Australia, travels to Mumbai, India, changes his name to Lin and begins to discover a new life he never thought he could have. This novel is a beast, and where Lin does a fantastic job at moving the plot, while also explaining the depth of the culture he is experiencing. As someone who has never been to Mumbai, Lin takes you there with the amount of details he gives to the way people act, the food, social vibes, and the creation of long lasting friendships. Honestly the hardest part of this novel is the sheer length, as where Lin does take you on several journeys with highs and lows, the initial start of this novel takes a bit to get into. However, once invested into Lin’s life and his friends, this novel takes hold of you and does not let you go until the very end.  

Characters: 

Now I believe Robert has fictionalized portions of this novel, and where the baseline might be true, I feel that Lin, the main character in this novel, is a work of fiction, and shall be treated as one. Lin, has his flaws, a drug addict, escape convict, questionable morals, Lin is a character that you can some way relate to - in the sense of his survival. Lin spends this novel surviving, and truly making the best of what he can, from being friendly to the locals when he arrives in Mumbai, to making life decent in the slums. Now not everyone you meet is loveable, or likable, as the entire storyline of Lin and Khader Khan made me hate this novel, as I felt like it was a downward turn in Lin’s character development. Yet Lin's interactions with Karla, golden throughout the novel, and even the whole gang of Karla’s and Lin’s friends. My all time favorite character, hands out, is Prabaker, who I loved from the first time Lin met him, as he truly was a shining sun in this story. 

Plot and Writing:

Again, I am treating this book as fiction, and not just Robert’s autobiography. Like I said this novel is a journey, and it takes a while, almost two hundred pages, to really get invested into the story. Yet once you're in, and you find specific plotlines in Lin’s life to care about, this novel will take hold, and where it is still a steady journey, it is one you can enjoy. Where there are several plot points, I wish this novel had a bit more action, or at least sped up the boring parts in order to cut the page count down. Where there is so much richness of Indian culture in this novel, Roberts is also not, nor should be, the expert on the culture, and should have prefaced this novel several times, that it is his experience as a traveler in India, and narrow down the cultural aspects. 

Conclusion: 

This novel has a lot of love and hate, and honestly from the size of it I can see why. Lin (or Gregory) is a flawed character with a problematic past, trying to make a go at a new life in Mumbai. Making new friends, experiencing love, heartache, and crime again, this novel is truly a journey as it takes readers through the years of Lin’s life, from when he arrives in India, falls in loves with him, to where he is able to call this newfound country home.

[teenageread]

Review: All For One

Initial Thoughts: 

As someone who thoroughly enjoys the Hamilton Musical, and the previous novel in the series, this final novel disappoints me, not for what Alex did, but for how Eliza acted the entire novel. Obsessed with matching up an unlikely pair (explained in the plot), I hated any time Eliza had page time because of that, leaving half the story cringing, and the other half… waiting. Early on Alex meets Maria, whom from the musical and history we know he has an affair with. So where de la Cruz has Alex meeting Maria early on, nothing really happens until the climax of the novel, to be repaired very quickly and provided a cute concussion to make you hope and feel that everything is ending well for the Hamiltons (which they did - sort of). I think de la Cruz had the right idea for the story, even all the right components, but it was poorly executed with the drama placed on Eliza instead of Alex, and rushed ending, and unexplained forgiveness. What could have been a great story felt like a rushed high school history essay, and left a bitter taste as being the final for the trilogy. 

 Characters:

Eliza had the downgrade of the century for this novel. Where she used to be a critical thinker, and smart for her time, Eliza was someone you could depend on. So why she spent the entire novel thinking she could create the great love she and Alex had in two unlike pairs is beyond me. Eliza had no growth, spending the novel pregnant with no revelation about becoming a mother, and no character developing arguments with Alex on why he works so much, she is really just empty-headed besides her strange notice that she could be a matchmaker. Now, the unlike pairs, they were good characters. I love the introduction of Eliza’s brother John, and how society treated the first son of a prominent figure. Drayton can be a book boyfriend with him trying to give himself a better future, and being respectful to all the women in his life. Emma and Betty were fine, I loved it when Emma started finally standing up for herself, and Betty did not leave any negative impressions. The other third-person point of view we followed was Alex, and although his plotline was better than Eliza's, that did not make him an amazing character. In this novel, and more so than in the previous novel, Alex begins to show more of his faults and rashness in situations. Alex would rather be loved by the entire state of New York than Eliza and will fight anyone who slanders his name, despite them not being wrong. I felt like there should have been more turmoil in Alex, more internal fighting, than what de la Cruz gave us. Could be because she was trying to keep the novel YA, but I just felt like Alex’s character was lacking the emotion it could have had.  

Plot and Writing:

The novel starts off pretty strong with de la Cruz highlighting Alex’s success from the previous novel trial involving more work and time away from home, which is fine as Eliza was a stirring societal lady making friends and constantly having dinner plans. Then, Eliza gets pregnant, which we knew was coming eventually, and de la Cruz decides to ruin this female icon of a character by making her fall in love with the idea of matching unsuitable pairs to gain status in modern US society. Her entire plot line was trying to get Emma with John, and Betty with Drayton, whereas from day one you knew Emma was meant to be with Drayton, and Betty with John. It was so painfully obvious that you cringe every time Eliza is mentioned with them because you knew she was going to do something embarrassing to get John with Emma, which involved putting Drayton down. If this was a minor plot point it would not have been an issue, but the fact is that this is Eliza’s entire plot, for the entire novel. Despicable, and just awful. Then, when Eliza was not being a pain, Alex was doing a whole lot of nothing. He was in the presence of Maria Reynolds, a beautiful woman who wanted what Alex was going to give her. Except it took so long and was not interesting, nor hype worth when it actually happened. I felt like I was ready for this big release when Alex gave into his temptations and made this as steamy as you can for a YA romance. Yet I got one line and then the end of the chapter, and then did de la Cruz act like this only happened once? Girlie I read the entire novel for this! The writing was fine, with an easy-to-follow plot and de la Cruz did keep it moving, but the ending was just so disappointing. I felt the main plot of Alex cheating came too late, Eliza realizing that she was wrong, was long past overdue. The couples were partially engaged by the time Eliza realized she was pushing Emma towards the wrong boy! Thus with no time for the makeup, we went straight to forgiving, with Eliza not even seeming mad at Alex for what he did to their marriage. She kind of just shrugged her shoulders and was like that's fine, like a girl showing some pain, or at least having one last fight, as you two only really fought once and it was not even that bad. 

Conclusion: 

This novel had the right parts, but the wrong timing and lacked emotional depth. Could be because it's YA and we need a happy ending, thus why Eliza forgives Alex for breaking their marriage in one chapter so that the next could have a happy conclusion. I just wanted more from this novel, especially because it was the last in the trilogy. If de la Cruz wanted to do the Maria Reynolds scandal, they should have had it sooner and packed more of a punch, than just having it seem like Alex did it because he felt sorry for Maria.

[teenageread]

Review: Just Happy to Be Here

Trigger Warning: Homophobia and Racism 

Initial Thoughts: 

I really wanted to love this book, but Naomi Kanskia made it hard with probably the worst plot of 2024, and a main character who has no backbone because they were just happy to be here. Tara, a recent trans girl, starts her first year at the all-girls school and wants to join the Sibyl's Society, an exclusionary club with massive scholarships that could get Tara out of her homophobic small town. Unfortunately for Tara, she does not have the grades or talent for the group, but think she should get in because she is BIPOC and trans? This is honestly a question, as throughout the entire book Kanakia did not make it clear whether Tara thought she truly belonged with the Sibyls or not, as even Tara debated back and forth whether she was deserving of a position. Kanakia wanted to write this story to give an honest depiction of what it was like being trans, and the struggles that go with it, but the book was so inconsistent and lacked depth that it made it difficult to read and comprehend at times. 

Characters: 

As a main character, Tara is someone you can root for and support, and feel pity for everything bad that happens to her. I wish Kanskia gave Tara someone she could be real with, but because Tara, essentially, has no friends, or someone trusting relationship with her parents, there is one Tara could be herself with for the entire novel. Like I get that this is a real situation of having no one close to you to share your inner thoughts and be your most ethnic self with, but it made it such a painful read. Even as the reader, Tara held you at arm's length, making you want to shake her and tell her to actually share her thoughts and feelings, instead of bottling them up all the time. I hated how mean Tara was towards Liam, and even doubting his trans identity at points, but then getting mad when Liam tells Tara she does not stand up for their (as trans people) rights enough. She thinks Liam is over-exaggerating the trauma he faces, and dismissing his feelings does not put Tara in a good light. I get that the point of this novel was that Tara did not want to be a political pawn, or leader of an LGBTQ+ movement, but having Tara do nothing every time someone attacks her, just makes you feel sad and provides no hope.  The romance Kanakia also tried to start with Felicity seemed so fake, that honestly even at the end I felt as if Felicity would turn on Tara, as their friendship seemed ice-thin the entire novel.    

Plot and Writing:

Now even if Tara came with her flaws, and the plot had some holes, Kanakia could have saved this novel with some expert writing skills - which they did not. The writing of this novel was inconsistent, fell flat, there were little to no heart no heart conversations, and pacing was inconsistent. Tara does not trust anyone with her feelings, including the readers, so it makes the time she does give emotion rare, too late, and at a weird timing. It was just so hard to keep up with this novel and be invested where the plot kept turning in on itself, and the only thing Tara was consistent on was getting hormone medication, which when her parents finally agreed was not even that big of a plot moment that Kanakia wanted it to be. 

Conclusion 

I wanted to love this novel, and for Tara’s story to be one I recommend it to every one of the real-life situations trans girls find themselves in. But with the bad writing, inconsistent plot, and weak characters, it's a hard book to recommend despite its important message

[teenageread]

Darker by Four

Initial Thoughts:

June Tan essentially wrote an anime into a story. The whole concept screamed anime, with the character's name, location, and the whole action/fantasy/battling darkness, it would be cool to see what this would look like in show form. After all, this show has ties to Chinese mythology. How cool could this story be! Unfortunately, it was very underwhelming and lacked the depth that Tan could have out there. Nothing regrettable, but also nothing notable either. 

Characters:

First off, I love Nikai, even if he's a reaper. Tan opens the story with Nikai, his best friend Four, who promptly disappears leaving Nikai trying to save the kingdom as it is run by Ten. Ten is also a cool guy, a good anti-hero/god looking out for himself, vibe, as Ten is the true catalyst in story advancement. I would get the second book in this series just to continue on with the hunt for Four, and to dive deeper into what Four and Nikai’s friendship looked like. Unfortunately, this was only a side plot as the main story was taken from the point of view of Rui and Yiran, who were just alright. Rui, our strong girl, is meant to be the best exorcist in her class, and she carries that in this noble with her cocky attitude and her flirtation with the law. Rui is looking out for Rui, with her hard outer shell that she does not let anyone in, even Zizi, despite that being her romantic interest. Because of this, it is hard to get to know Rui, and it's hard to contact her as she feels aloof even with us readers. Zizi loved him though, but definitely did not get enough page time, however, it was extremely weird and almost offputting how they went from friends to lovers with absolutely no chemistry.  Same with Yiran, she tried to make him the bad rich boy, who's actually a sweetie but failed in the latter half making you still see him as this jerk. Plus, our characters spent so much time alone, that it made it hard to have a found family feel, as their storylines all seem disconnected.  

Plot and Writing:

This book is meant to be a series, and it felt that, as Tan opened up so many different threads of the plot, but left them to be solved in the next book, making this one feel rushed and, kinda pointless. The plot is there as this story has such a cool concept with lots of room to grow, it is just unfortunate that Tan made this novel a bit too big leaving it disconnected, as again, our characters all had their own plot going on with rare interaction between them. The writing was good, as Tan kept up a fairly good pace with multiple action scenes and several twists; the majority were predictable but still fun.   

Conclusion: 

This is an okay novel, and I think it would be worth reading if on vacation (like me) and after Tan released the others in the series to ensure that these plot holes are addressed promptly. I love Nikai and Zizi, Rui and Yiran, where boarding, are not hateable, and if you can get over not caring about the characters, the plot has some cool elements with it and I am excited to see where Tan goes, if I do not forget this novel in the meantime. 

[teenageread]

Review: Good in Bed

Initial Thoughts:

Holy that novel took a lot out of me, and honestly one I thought I would never finish. Jennifer Weiner sets this novel to be a novel about self-love, where our main character, Cannie Shapiro, a plus-size 28-year-old woman, is going to love herself and know she is worthy of love despite her father leaving her as a child. Which does happen, but goddamn it took a while (aka to the end of the book) to get there, and in the meantime, you had to watch Cannie make the worst decisions at every possible turn, pine over a loser man who probably can’t even tie his shoes (no offense Bruce), and have the most wacko situations work out in her scenario. In this novel, Weiner tells the story in a way like you should be rooting for and loving Cannie, but instead, I find myself rolling my eyes at this impossible novel, and a hated main character who spent the novel being weak, selfish, and the opposite of the screenplay Cannie wrote, because this girl needs to be helped at every turn.

Characters:

Cannie, who is the only first-person perspective you hear from in this story, is a crybaby, who never learned life is unfair, and that you need to love yourself if you expect anyone else to love you. As a character, she is quite witty, smart, and can hold fantastic conversations with others, but her self-deprecation at every turn for her size and the fact that she does not have a boyfriend at 28, really brings the novel down. Any time a character does not agree with her, she does a 180 and says the worst things to them, and then cries about how no one likes her, especially Bruce, whom she broke up with, but Weiner never decides to expand on besides that Cannie was just “done” with him. No one holds Cannie accountable for her actions in this novel, as she is allowed to flaunt, complain, cry, and fight with everyone, and then in the end, it is them who are begging Cannie for her forgiveness. 

Plot:

Honestly, the plot of this novel is so confusing, however, there are some steady themes in this novel that keep the plot going. First is that this novel centers around Cannie's life, so the main plot climax is Cannie realizing she needs to love herself, which happens far too late in the novel. Within this novel following Cannie’s life, there are the dumb choices she makes that bring us mini plot lines that conclude within their own part. Oh yes, this novel had to be that extra and have the story divided into parts. 

Writing:

Speaking of those parts, yes, Weiner felt this book had to be even more extra and divided itself into five parts of Cannie’s life, each featuring its own plot point. Now you would think these parts would be interesting, except Weiner writes them to be dull and with nothing happening, except for the last chapter. The last chapter of each part has some cliffhanger ending, making you want to read the next part, only to find the issue quickly fixed and back to the daily boring schedule of Cannie’s life. 

Conclusion: 

Overall this novel sucks and leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and despite its New York Times recommendation, Weiner writes this story about a victim-complex main star, who thinks everyone else is the problem, makes the worst decisions ever, and has everything work out to her advantage despite not growing to be a better person.

[teenageread]

Review: Destroy All Cars

Initial Thoughts:

This novel is delightful and hilarious if you get past Blake Nelson's sharp and witty writing. The novel is taken from the first-person perspective of James Hoff, a teenager who is against consumer America. Destroy All Cars, titled after James’s AP English class essay on how to save the environment we need to eliminate all cars, James is forced to live his hippy lifestyle in suburban America with peers who do not get it. Now I do not know why James got into AP English. If this is the best writing he can do, I do not believe he will be able to pass the course. I do believe he has good ideas about the environment, and as a fellow environmentalist, I do understand where James is coming from. However, purposely cutting holes into your shirt, and complaining about CONSUMER AMERICA (always in all caps), without actually trying to educate your peers is where I think James went wrong. This is why Nelson introduces Sadie, our activist girlie who James loves but also does not think she’s actually making a difference. This comparison of James knowing what's wrong but does not try to help, vs. Sadie who does not see the full picture but is still willing to try, made for an interesting dynamic, plus threw in a past relationship to add some drama. Unfortunately, this novel has a lot of whine and very little plot, This novel is very teenager that my mid-twenties could not handle, as I found James and Sadie to take themselves too seriously despite the fact that their doing low-scale good community work, and treating it like their at the white house. 

Characters:

James Hoff, a junior in high school and a hater of all things America. Sure he lives in society, has friends, goes to school, and consumes, but James hates it. Refusing to get a car or think about college, James writes mediocre essays in AP English, telling Mr. Cogwiller all the things going wrong in the world, and how there is nothing they can do. Pessimistic and a realist, I think James is the kind of person you either like or hate. He is whiny, he does think he's better than his peers and is content with watching the world burn and not doing anything about it. Thus I love how Nelson gave us Sadie and tied her to James for being his ex-girlfriend, and something James cares about. Sadie is a do-gooder, she tries her best, is involved in everything, and believes that she can make a difference. Both are strong characters who are self-assured in their abilities to do something (Sadie) or do nothing (James). They are well-developed enough characters, in the sense that Nelson wrote them as true teenagers - self-absorbed, no real idea of consequences, and kind of just going through life. Sadie wanting to feel her “freedom”, and James feeling like “no one understands him”, and more classic teenage ideologically that after a time does get boring. 

Plot and Writing:

The plot in this novel is not consistent, as there is really nothing going on, no big event, not one conversation that gives this novel its climax. Nelson truly just gave readers a glimpse into James’s life, and what he is going through in middle America. Divided into six parts, what I absolutely love is how fast-paced Nelson kept the novel with barely a page per chapter. Starting from January with the first essay on destroying all cars, Nelson takes readers into early June with James, with each day almost being like a diary entry from James as he just seems to talk to the readers about life, thoughts, and his conflicted feelings towards Sadie. Not that I would call this novel a romance, but that is a part of the plot, same with how James is an environmentalist, and this novel, I think, is just a realistic take on society in a pessimistic way.   

Conclusion: 

This novel is really about a teenager with no real plot. We have emo boy James Hoff who hates consumer America despite being part of it, wants to love Sadie but does not know how, and all in all just trying to survive and pass AP English. With its short chapters, I would recommend this novel, but not for readers to take it seriously and to just enjoy this silly ride. 

[teenageread]

Review: It Ends With Us

Initial Thoughts:

Ahh the book that was written for Tik Tok. Seriously, Hoover even had to add a blur at the start of the novel to remind readers to read the first novel first, because that is how the series works. Honestly, Hoover gets a lot of love and hate, but I personally loved It Ends With Us, as Hoover’s take on ending the cycle of domestic abuse. Thus, I was interested to see how Hoover would continue the story now that Lily got herself out of that cycle, along with her and Ryle’s baby Everson. And Hoover continued it. With this novel full of fluff, with a few deep moments, this novel does not ruin the series, but it also adds very little. Sure it was nice to see Atlas and Lily get back together, and experience that familiar type of love again. It was also beautiful to hear from Atlas’s perspective on how much he truly values Lily, but other than that, this novel did not contain a whole lot, nor progress the story any further than the first novel.

Characters

This novel was written from two first-person points of view: Lily and Atlas. Lily’s was the same as the first novel, with thankfully far fewer Ellen entries, and lacking flashbacks to her and Atlas’s past. Sure there were some diary entries read here and there, and even Atlas wrote some letters describing his side of past events, but in general Lily’s voice was the same as it was in the first novel, as she lacked any character development, besides growing the tiniest backbone to Ryle for Emmy’s sake. Reading from Atlas’s perspective, now that was the treat. Hoover wrote Atlas to be a book lover's dream boy by having him be extremely nice to Lily, just wanting to love her, and willing to accept her with all her baggage, including Ryle. He was just good, inside and out, and when Hoover tried to give Atlas his own plot perspectives like his mom coming back, Josh, and even the restaurants, it was nothing to distract him from his love of Lily. He just did it all, and not in an over-the-top way, but just did it, and it kind of made him bland. Don’t get me wrong Atlas’s love for Lily was amazing and what she deserves, but I just wish Atlas held her accountable for things, especially involving Ryle. Like the whole plot point where Ryle thought Lily went to the lawyer, our Atlas really should have pushed her to do that, instead of watching her struggle to handle the emotions of her ex-husband while still trying to live her life. Atlas was good for Lily, but Lily should be better for him, and that is done by getting her stuff together and dealing with the hard issues instead of letting Ryle, her ex-husband, control her life still. Now for everyone's most hated character Ryle, in which I wished Hoover made him more. Either more toxic, or better, Ryle in this novel is the same as the last, where his anger does get the best of him, he shows somewhat remorse, but not a whole lot. I just wish Hoover made him so toxic that he goes to jail, or in recovery where he is doing things to be a better person for his daughter, instead, Hoover has Ryle in the same place as in the last novel. This, like Lily, does not give him any character development, and nothing new for you to root for, or hate against. He is simply the same guy from the last novel with new things to pick fights with Lily about and hurt her in extreme ways.  

Plot

Like the first novel, this book’s main plot is a love story between Lily and Atlas, with a few extra details thrown in the sequel. The first is that Lily’s old love interest, Ryle, is still there and very much present, thanks to the baby that he shares with Lily. This novel has Lily fall in love with Atlas, go on a  few dates, have some drama because Ryle mostly scares Lily to run to Atlas, and so on and so on. Nothing original, and honestly runs pretty much the same as the first novel, only in this one Hoover gives us the impression that Lily will not break up with Atlas 

Writing:

I truly do enjoy Hoover’s writing style, of being easy to read, easy to follow along to, and just light and breezy with a few good moments in there. Perfect, easy read, and honestly the essence of a beach novel, or in this case, a book written for TikTok, as Hoover made that one pretty clear. 

Conclusion: 

Truly did not need this novel, but I am not mad that Hoover did write it. Sure it was all unnecessary, the plot drama unneeded, Atlas’s storyline irrelevant to the main plot. Honestly, Hoover could have attached this epilogue to the epilogue of the first novel and called it quotes, and it honestly would have worked. Sure it was nice to see Lily and Atlas get together, to have the Ryle situation somewhat sorted, and just get more time in this Boston world Hoover created. However, Hoover clearly lacks what makes a sequel a sequel, as they do not extend the world, give us more background of our characters (besides Atlas which they do), or expand the plot, as this novel, like the first one, is another love story where Lily gets to fall in love again, and this time, we hope, she sticks with it, and Atlas is not an abuser like Ryle was.

[teenageread]

Review: American Dirt

Initial Thoughts:

What a stellar novel that Jeanine Cummins brings to life, despite its bleak topic. We all heard tales of people illegally immigrating to the United States by crossing the Mexican desert for a better life. Cummins brings one of these stories to life in her story of how Lydia and her son, Luca, must do this dangerous journey as she escapes her family killer. The story is raw and powerful, bringing together the concepts of love, family, and survival as Lydia will do anything to make sure Luca survives the horrors that have befallen their family. 

Characters:

Written in the third person, Cummins starts the story following Luca as Lydia hides him in the bathtub when the cartel comes and guns down their entire family at Luca’s cousin's birthday party. Then switching to following Lydia, as she packs up her life to move Luca far away from Javier, leader of the cartel, former friend of Lydia, and the man that is out for their blood based on an article Lydia’s husband wrote about him. Lydia is a strong character, a dreamer who finds herself in a waking nightmare, longing for the life she had, as she pushes through for Luca’s survival. The grief she feels flies off the page, as she is tossed into an unknown world and has to see the unspeakable to survive. There is nothing not to love about Lydia, as you only feel pity about how her friendship has gotten her into this mess. Throughout the story, the past is revealed of Lydia and Javier's friendship, and where Cummins does not make him an active character in this novel, the past and his actions lead him to become a noticeable threat to Lydia and Luca’s safety. Where I wish for more Javier interactions, the past makes up for that, but I felt he could have been more of a player in this story, than just a lurking threat in the shadows. The real story stealers were the sisters Lydia and Luca ran into Soledad and Rebeca. I loved them from the first time Cummins introduced them, and loved them more once their past was revealed. These girls were strong, heroic, and genuinely lovely people who took Lydia and Luca on with warmth; showing good in a world that has seen too much bad. 

Plot and Writing: 

I love how fast-paced this story is, and how Cummins adds twists and turns at every possibility as Lydia and Luca make this treacherous journey to safety. Starting with the death of the family, Cummins had our characters running from day one, giving us a chase right until the end, and an epilogue to tie the story up into a neat bow. The writing was graphic and dark, making this not a light read, as Cummins does not shy away from the horrors that both Lydia and Soledad had faced. Yet, this novel was written with hope, as despite the horrors the women in this story have gone through, they were willing to fight for the next day, to survive, and to make sure those they are in charge of (Luca and Rebeca) saw a better future than their past. 

Conclusion: 

It was not until I finished the book that I began understanding the controversy behind this story, and the hatred for it. Cummins is not Mexican, nor has any strong linkages to the story she wrote about a Mexican family crossing the border. Yes, it is a good story, and Cummins does an excellent job writing it; however, there are plenty of Mexican authors who could have written a truer story based on their own family experiences. Where American Dirt is a work of fiction, we should be reading and celebrating the stories of those who have the experience, and ensure the world knows about their story and not a person who wrote about something they have no business interfering with. That being said, Cummins writes a powerful tale, and one that, I think, deserves to be read and enjoyed as a literary piece, deserving of its awards because it is a decent story, and Cummins is a talented author for crafting such a tale. 

[teenageread]

Review: L.A. Candy

Initial Thoughts:

Lauren Conrad took forever to get the plot started, or it could be me just forgetting this novel is the first of the series every page of the way. Conrad started the novel with two best friends who recently moved to LA and got discovered for this new reality show. An interesting enough concept, that just took forever to get going. Pages upon pages would go by before they got the contract, more pages before the first episode aired, and then finally when the girls began getting famous - that was the end of this novel. If shows had filler episodes, then this entire novel was a filler for the actual content of the series, which must be seen at a later date. This novel had so much potential, it just feels like Conrad filled it with enough junk to save all the drama and excitement for the next novel in the series, leaving the opening kind of bland.

Characters 

Where this novel is third-person point of view all the way around, we do follow specific characters around to see their daily interactions, the majority of which is following Jane, followed up by her number two Scarlett. Jane is your goodie, the girl next door, who wants to make it big in LA as an event planner. She is the one excited about LA living, and even more excited to be on the TV show “L.A. Candy” and for her shot at being famous. Scarlette is our go-getting, super smarty, super hottie, who where she can get any guy she wants, typically goes to those who will not challenge her - at least for one night. She is done with the California blondes and LA clubs, and where she is sassy she has a lot of likable qualities, like her loyalty to Jane. Where [in this novel] Jane and Scarlet are still besties, we see their character develop as they grow apart due to the show, with Jane becoming more of a reality star, whereas Scarlet is trying to erase herself for the season. Along with our girls, there are two others to make up the show, Madison and Gaby, however, Gaby does not get the spotlight (or plot lines), at all throughout the novel. Madison is the antagonist as she rivals Jane for the spotlight in the show, however, Jane does not see her that way as Madison hides her true intentions. 

Plot:

Like I said, the plot should be good, if Conrad could have gotten it going faster. Our girls are the prime stars of the hit new TV show “L.A. Candy”, a true reality show that follows four girls around L.A As they work and party; it should have been a fast catchy plot. However, Conrad wrote it slowly, maybe saving the juicy plot points for later on in the series, but from this novel we were halfway done before we even met the producer of the show and got contracts signed. There should have been more fights, more TV being invasive in their lives, and more relationship drama, than leaving it all to the last few pages. Sure Conrad did end off on a high note, with a cliffhanger ending leading to promises of excitement and plot twist in the next novel; but this one was not exciting enough to make that want a need. 

Writing 

Fun and easygoing, but very slow as Conrad filled this novel up with a small time plot and not enough character development to push the novel forward. Plus as a third-person point of view, it was hard to get read where the characters were mentally throughout the novel, as we only got to see their actions without hearing their plot process. 

Conclusion: 

Interesting plot, and likable characters, but slow writing makes this novel drag on. Still, I am excited to see where Conrad takes the girls in this series, as the cliffhanger ending is interesting enough to make you want to pick up the second book and see what is going on to the hit reality star girls, as LA Candy is about to get more wild.

[teenageread]

Review: Kill Joy

Initial Thoughts: 

For those of you who were missing Pip, or want to learn about her and her crime-solving abilities, Holly Jackson has this for you. A fun murder mystery party, starring Pip and others from the series, a night during the summer before senior year. This is before Pip even thinks of solving Andie Bell’s murder, as the novel ends with Pip deciding this factor, allowing this novel to be just a short made-up mystery of who killed Regional. With added factors such as character cards, and having the characters run around Connor’s house looking for clues, this novel is a fun throwback to simpler times in Pip’s life as she puts on the detective hat for the first time, and discovers that she is actually really good at solving cases. 

Plot:

A murder mystery party where friends dressed in the 1920s to attend Reginald’s 74th birthday party, each being a character within the house. When Ronald (aka Connor’s brother), shows up dead, the friends have to find clues and point fingers during conversations to uncover who the killer is. With Pip having her own ideas, and plot points being revealed throughout the novel, this mystery is highly addicting and makes the novella fly by.   

Writing

Unlike the other novels in the series, this one is light and full of good fun, compared to the other novels as the series holds a much darker tone. Taken from the third person point of view of Pip, we see her run around Connor’s house, as she and her friends try to solve the mystery. Happening in the short period of only one night, it makes sense as this novella only takes play during the entire Murder Mystery game. 

Conclusion: 

For fans of the series, short mysteries, or those who just thought the cover was cool, this novella is definitely worth the read. Written in ways for fans of the series to enjoy, and for others to pick up the series, Jackson writes this stand-alone prequel to be a fun mystery for all to enjoy.