Reviews of Teen Books

Click here to read reviews by PPLD’s Review Crew - book reviews by teens, for teens.
Insurgent
Roth, Veronica
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Insurgent, Divergent's sequel, takes place in Chicago, in the distant future.
In Chicago, there are five factions that each believe upholding and strengthening a certain aspect of people's personalities. People either devote their lives to one of the factions, or live factionless, empty. There is Abnegation, which is selfless, Candor, which is honest, Dauntless, brave, Amity, peaceful, and Erudite, intelligent. Tris, Insurgent's main character, is Divergent, which means she resists serums and can't be forced to think a certain way. Her boyfriend, Tobias, is also divergent. The Erudite want to kill all the Divergent, so they must hide their secret. Tris must fight the Divergent hating Erudite. After watching both of her parents die, she starts to go into depression and self doubt, not to mention the hard task of getting her best friend Christina to forgive her for doing a terrible thing. To destroy the Erudite, she must make sacrifices, even if it means she has to betray the one she loves the most to do what is right. This was an amazing book. While not quite as good as Divergent, the book was still great! I would definitely recommend reading it.
Reviewer Grade: 8

Reviewer's Name: Nicole B.
The 5th Wave
Yancey, Rick
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

I saw the trailer for this book and I wanted to read it before I watched the movie. I was slightly disappointed when I read this. I was hoping for a cool, unique, different aspect of an alien book but I was wrong. The book was extremely confusing to read, I found myself reading over a page 5 times to understand where I was at in the book. The plot jumps around in different time periods so many times without warning. The annoyance I suffered from the book might be different from your perspective of the book. There was also a love story that was going to emerge but failed miserably. The only thing I enjoyed, which is why I gave this 3 stars, was the action portions. Even though the writing STYLE was confusing, the writing itself is quite intriguing, kind of like a poem. Once you understood where you are at, the action scenes pull you in but then it goes back to round one, which is boring, confusing, and annoying.
Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Jade D.
The Alchemist
Coelho, Paulo
2 stars = Meh
Review:

I was underwhelmed by the entire concept of the book. I felt as if it was poorly written and extremely sappy. The whole "find your personal legend" to me was a reach to be creative but went downhill. I admit, some parts of the book pulled me in but the plot never seemed to satisfy me 100%.The message in the story is to follow your own legacy but it also has a supernatural element that helps Santiago through his journey and it seems that if an individual wants to find his own worth and legacy, you need some supernatural, god-like force to help you along the way and not a lot of people like the idea of that. The book was reviewed as amazing and one of a kind but I think otherwise. The way the author tried to make the story deep, failed and it seems like a silly fable at the end of the day.
Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Jade D.
Looking for Alaska
Green, John
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Looking for Alaska is a fantastic book for readers who want to be absorbed in feelings. The book revolves around Miles Halter, a skinny and shy teenager that moves to Alabama to go to a boarding school called Culver Creek Life comes at him fast when he meets his new room mate The Colonel, a Japanese kid with a Southern accent named Takumi, and a beautiful girl named Alaska Young. This group of kids enjoy smoking and drinking by the lake and pulling pranks while trying not to get caught by The Eagle, the schools headmaster. A love story appears and as the story progresses, the plot thickens and it is a rollercoaster of emotions that will keep anyone at the edge of their seats.
The book is a cliché love story but with a twist and not everyone can relate. It made me emotional but I wish there was more to the book. I felt like the book could've had more surprising elements to it but there was one part of the book that was definitely a shocker. Even though that one part of the book shocked me, I wanted to feel that way the entire time. Some parts were boring to me but overall it had a creative back story and layout.
Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Jade D.
Genres:
Scat
Hiaasen, Carl
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Scat, by Carl Hiaasen, was about a mean science teacher who disappears on a school field trip. Two students go on a journey to find their teacher. There are many plot twists and the book also goes in depth about all the characters. Over all this book was amazing and highly suggested for anyone who wants an easy read.
Reviewer Grade: 8

Reviewer's Name: Mollie A.
Awards:
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Lin, Grace
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon introduces a little girl named Minli, who lives in a town that goes through difficult times, with people each working from dusk till dawn. Minli though, seems to think that with the stories that her father tells her, there is some hope left. So, Minli sets on a difficult journey to meet the Man in the Moon (told in one of her father's stories) that will give her a fortune to help her family and the town that she lives in. When I started this book I couldn't put it down, the author of this book made this story seem like many stories, which is why I continued to read and finish this book. If I were you I would definitely read this book.
Reviewer Grade: 8

Reviewer's Name: Isabella P.
The Sea of Trolls
Farmer, Nancy
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

This book was about a boy and he is captured by berserkers and was taken on a great journey to find who he truly is. He learned to defeated some of his greatest inner demons and learned that there are two sides to every story. Also he learned the value of humbleness and that good thing come at a price. He also learns that patients there is beauty in everything. For a grade I give this book a 4.5. I loved this book. It was about an amazing adventure into new places and a road to self discovery. I had mighty beasts and gentle giants. It is a great book for teens and would recommend it for anyone that loves books with great quests and beasts with two sides. A light side that brings love and acceptance, and a dark side that brings chaos and hate. I hope anyone who reads this loves it as much as I did. The only thing I did not like about this book is that my favorite characters did not end up in a relationship, but there are other books in the series I have yet to read.
Actual Rating: 4.5
Reviewer Grade: 8

Reviewer's Name: Paige C.
The Dark Days Club
Goodman, Alison
2 stars = Meh
Review:

Lady Helen has lived almost her entire life in the shadow of her dead, treasonous mother. Because her mother did some shady stuff before she died, Helen has had to be the perfect demur lady, no small task for a quick witted woman in the Regency period. But as new information comes to light surrounding her mother's life and death, Lady Helen realizes that her mother had magical powers...that she passed along to her daughter. Soon, Lady Helen finds herself pulled into the dark underbelly of London as she works with the Dark Days Club to try to keep Londoners safe from a group of demons.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. There's a lot of world building, and Lady Helen is a very likable character who I think behaves in ways that make sense given the time period. There's a great build up to the reveal of the demons, and the mystery of Helen's mother and her powers unfolds very slowly and deliciously. The problem arises when the demons themselves are revealed. While I'll give Goodman points for originality with the demons and how they interact with humans, really, as villains go, they were pretty low-stakes and unfortunately kind of lame. I don't know, I mean, most of them follow rules and don't do anything bad, but they are hated by humans in the know just by virtue of the fact that they are human parasites, which really, isn't their fault. Things get a little more high stakes by the end, but I really couldn't make myself care. I actually put the book down for a week or so because I wasn't dying to know what happens, which is pretty rare for me.

I liked the setting, world-building, and the characters, and would maybe give the next book in the series a shot as the villains get a bit more villainous and less lame by the end. That and Goodman can write. She also clearly did her Regency homework. Overall though, for me this was just ok. 2 stars.

Reviewer's Name: Britt
Rivers of London: Body Work
Aaronovitch, Ben
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Peter Grant is part of the Special Assessment Unit, a police group in London that is called in to investigate the weirder cases. And the first case is pretty weird - it seems like there are a few cars in London that have developed a murderous bent. Grant and crew do their best to figure out what is going on...before someone else finds themself dead at the hands of their car.
This was really fun! The mystery was different from anything I've ever read, the world building happened quickly but thoroughly, and the characters were likable. While not spectacular, the art was pretty and made the story easy to follow. Oh, and major bonus, the characters were diverse! I liked this one enough that I just put the regular novel Peter Grant books on hold, and I'll definitely be checking out all future graphic novel installments. Harry Dresden fans, check this series out ASAP!

Reviewer's Name: Britt
Beautiful Creatures
Garcia, Kami
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Ethan Wate has lived in Gatlin all his life - and all he wants to leave his hometown more than anything. That is until he meets the new girl at school, Lena Duchannes, who lives with her strange reclusive uncle Macon. Typical teen love story, right? No. Lena and her family are Casters, meaning they have magical powers. Every girl in the family, when she reaches sixteen years old, is "Claimed" and becomes either good or bad - Light or Dark. Lena is terrified she will be a Dark Caster. Teaming up, she and Ethan search for a way to keep the ritual from turning her evil, discovering dark magical secrets hidden within the town along the way. This book is hilarious, adventurous, and romantic (the romance is kept fairly PG). The characters were likable and unique. The setting, Gatlin, is mysterious and fascinating. The rest of the series isn't as good as this one, unfortunately - but I'd definitely recommend this one to anyone who loved the Southern Gothic genre, romance, or adventure in general. (I'd rate it PG-13 for minor language, a little romance, and violence).
Reviewer Grade: 9

Reviewer's Name: Gillian P.
Awards:
Matched
Condie, Ally
2 stars = Meh
Review:

Matched by Ally Condie tells the story of a young girl living in a society where everything is chosen for you - who you are, where you live, who you marry. Cassia, the protagonist, is matched with her best friend - everything seems to be going great until it is discovered that she has also been Matched with another boy. This book had a lot of potential and an interesting concept, but I personally felt it didn't really deliver. The pacing was slow. There wasn't much tension. The characters were a little one-dimensional and cheesy. Although it wasn't one of my favorite books, it could make for a nice summer read.
Reviewer Grade: 9

Reviewer's Name: Gillian P.
And Then There Were None
Agatha, Christie
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

The name Agatha Christie is synonymous with unique and puzzling mysteries, but And Then There Were None is definitely one of her best. The plot is simple enough: ten people are invited to an island, stranded there, and then accused of a murder. And then one by one each person begins to die just like the people in the old nursery rhyme “Ten Little Soldier Boys.” However, the reader is kept in the dark as to who the murderer is until the very end, and the end is not at all what the reader might have expected. The plot moves along fairly quickly, but it doesn’t get confusing. The characters are fully sketched out which helps to make the story somewhat believable. The best thing about this book is that it is not at all cheesy; it is gripping and just frightening enough to make the reader want to finish the book before they turn out the lights at night.
Reviewer Grade: 11

Reviewer's Name: Grace O.
Inkdeath
Funke, Cornelia
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Cornelia Funke deserves major praise for Inkdeath, because this book, the last in a trilogy, is every bit as good as the first book (something that does not often happen). It continues where the last book left off, with Meggie’s family stuck in the fictional Inkheart world where her father has become a noble robber called the Bluejay. Because he is the champion of justice and the defender of the poor, he is wanted by many powerful nobles. Most want to kill him; however, one of them, the cruelest of them all, wants the Bluejay to save him. But this noble is the one whose death would set the people of the Inkworld free. The plot stalls a little in the middle of the book, but it is more than made up for by the surprise hero at the end. Like the previous books, it has rich characterization and heavy themes. Plenty of times the characters wonder whether our world is after all more “real” than the fictional world they are stuck in, and they often wonder if after all their entire existence is written out by some far-off author. And the book is so well written that the reader could easily find himself wondering also.
Reviewer Grade: 11

Reviewer's Name: Grace O.
Dandelion Wine
Bradbury, Ray
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Dandelion Wine is a book about an entire town in Green Town, Illinois. It follows many of the different citizens, but focuses on the character development of Douglas Spalding. The book starts with him and his Grandfather making dandelion wine, as a tradition as the beginning of summer. I am reading this for school, and at first, I wasn't thrilled with it. It has no plot, but instead makes up for it with the mini stories throughout the book. Every chapter is new, and about a completely different citizen of Green Town. I was shocked with how the book had many different themes, most of them dealing with love and death, but most of all grief. Each chapter changed my perspective of the world just a little bit, so by the end I felt almost new. I was able to relate to Doug very much, along with other characters. This book hits the hard questions, and views the tragedies of life through only a boy's eyes. I found myself gasping at parts, not because of plot twists, but because of the complete shock of innocence vs tragedy. It made me view life in a completely different way. This has defiantly made my top 5, maybe even 3, book list.
Reviewer Grade: 10

Reviewer's Name: Kaitlyn C.
Atlantia
Condie, Ally
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Atlantia is about a girl named Rio. The earth was polluted long ago, so to make a safe haven, the people made Atlantia, an underground city. However, the people below could not survive without some people staying above to farm, and send them supplies. Some people sacrificed their health below so that their loved ones could be healthy instead. This formed the two civilizations: Above and Below. Rio has always dreamed of seeing the stars, the sun, the Above. When your 15 you are able to choose were you want to spend the rest of your life. Once you choose, you cannot go back. Rio’s dream of going above is crushed when her mother dies in a mysterious way, and her twin sister, Bay, makes her promise not to leave her, thus trapping her in Atlantia. When the time comes to choose, Rio goes first, being the older twin, and chooses the Below. However, to everyones surprise, Bay chooses to go Above, and abandons Rio with no explanation. True, the best friend of another boy who chose to go up, thinks he knows why his sister left Rio, and together, they find the truth, about more things then they were looking for. I first picked up this book, about two years ago, when Ally Condie was in Colorado for a book signing. As a volunteer at the library, I was at the event, and got my copy of Matched signed, and bought Atlantia and got that signed as well. I didn’t read it until quit recently. I especially enjoyed the book’s themes. Unlike other YA novels, the focus on the book was not the romance, but the sisterly love instead. This made a great combination of the themes of love in the book. Atlantia always found a way to surprise me, and the plot twists kept on coming. Unlike Condie’s other books, the Matched series, this book wasn't overly romantic and predictable. I was defiantly not disappointed in the writing. Another thing, however, is the reason that Bay leaves does not fit the plot, and confuses me more than anything. Other than that, it was a very well put together book.
Reviewer Grade: 10

Reviewer's Name: Kaitlyn C.
Splintered
Howard, A.G.
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

In this book, you happen to meet Alyssa, the great-great-great granddaughter of Alice Liddell. You may think that's really cool, but no. As her great-great-great granddaughter, she must live with the legacy that the original Alice left behind, which happens to not be a very positive one. Everyone knows that the original Alice went to the asylum for being "crazy" after she came back from Wonderland, and most of her decedents are destined to follow. Those family members that were "destined to follow" include Alyssa's mother, Allison. Now Alyssa is living with just her father and occasionally goes to the asylum to visit her mother. Then, all the teasing from others about her family history pushes her over the edge. She ends up determined to find Wonderland and prove that no one in her family has been "crazy" at all! She decides to follow out with this plan A.S.A.P.. Once she finally gets there, (yes, Wonderland does exist in the book) she goes throughout it and sees that Alice's story has many things wrong with it, and that because of Alice's age at the time, she was mistaken about many things. You'll see White Rabbit and his descendant are NOT really cute rabbits at all. Then the "pretty" flowers from the original tale turn out to be almost like zombies! Eventually, you find out that all the characters you met in the original story, are backwards and creepy! Alyssa will encounter many trials that might keep her from ever going back to the real world. Or will they? I loved this book a lot even though I'm not a fan of the original 'Alice in Wonderland'. This twist made it really exciting, thrilling and like every chapter held an even better part of the adventure! Also, there is a little romance too! But I actually didn't pick this book out. I ended up getting it from a friend for Christmas, and I really didn't think I would like it. That is... till I started it! My favorite parts are seeing all the characters be so different from the originals! But, I also had a least favorite part, which was actually still a great part! It was when Alyssa goes to the asylum to visit her mother and something crazy happens, but I'll leave it a surprise! ;) I feel like I could even relate to Alyssa because I'm always trying to prove I'm right when others think I'm wrong, which might not be a very good thing but..... Anyways, I think that any one over the age of eleven can read this. (if their parents approve of zombie flowers and whatnot) So, if you're looking for a good book, you just found it. No matter if you like the original 'Alice in Wonderland' or not, this story will keep you engaged no matter where you are in its adventure!
Reviewer Grade: 8

Reviewer's Name: Alie M.
Aimee
Miller, Mary Beth
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Suspenseful, Mysterious, Heart Wrenching. These are just a few words to describe the novel, Aimee. Aimee, an intense novel written by Mary Beth Miller, focuses on the life of teenager, Zoe, who was just accused of aiding her best friend, Aimee, into suicide. Taking place after court, this exciting novel shows the struggles Zoe goes through regarding the absence of Aimee, separation of her former life, a very eager shrink, and the disapproval of her very existence from her parents and new town. Filled with a range of emotions from depression to elation, you will feel her journey from the personal dialogue and realistic depictions. Many characters interact with Zoe to enhance her very unusual everyday situations, such as (a personal favorite character) Chard, who was a love interest of Zoe’s ever since she met Aimee, Marge, a court-appointed shrink that frustrates and separates Zoe even further from normalcy, and Hope, a suicidal girl who shares classes with Zoe, who knows her story and is eager to become her only friend. Will she overcome all of the odds constantly stacked against her? Only you can find out! Pick up Aimee today and prepare to be unable to put it down!
Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Logan H.
Awards:
Genres:
Doon
Corp, Carey
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Doon is a romantic fantasy with heart breaking scenarios between lovers and friends. There is a lot of magic throughout the story. In Doon, the stakes are set high because an evil witch wants to take over. I love that the book was so unpredictable. I couldn’t put the book down.
Actual Rating: 3.5
Reviewer Grade: 7

Reviewer's Name: Caitlyn B.
Genres:
Neverseen
Messenger, Shannon
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

This is the fourth book in the series so it is continuation of Sophie’s story of her fight against a group called Neverseen. They have tried to kill her several times because they view her as a threat. They run to her creator, Black Swan, for help. This is a book of rebellion, betrayal, and Elfin drama. This is a fictional story that is unpredictable and fascinating. It is one of my favorite stories.
Actual Rating: 4.5
Reviewer Grade: 7

Reviewer's Name: Caitlyn B.
Finding Audrey
Kinsella, Sophie
2 stars = Meh
Review:

Finding Audrey is a heartfelt and touching story on a girl recovering from depression. The story is unpredictable at times. The author left out key details on what caused the character to become depressed. This book was not my favorite because it was not relatable to my life.
Reviewer Grade: 7

Reviewer's Name: Caitlyn B.

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