Book reviews

Reviewed by Jasmine Sov, age 16 A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C. B Lee The tale of Zheng Yi Sao is renowned all across the South China Sea—a tale of a woman pirate, her legendary Dragon Fleet, and a famous lost treasure. It’s just one of […]

Reviewed by Jasmine Sov, age 16 A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee Otori Miuko is just a simple innkeeper’s daughter—average in every way, meant to be gentle and demure and bear fat, healthy sons for a future husband. The problem is, she isn’t gentle and demure—her loudness is […]

Reviewed by Giselle Carlos, age 16 The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons Spencer Harris is ready for a new start. While weary of the burden of going into a private school, fifteen-year-old Spencer is determined to ease his parent’s nervous minds and make this year great, and most importantly, lay […]

Reviewed by Amber Elias, age 15 Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth Dispite how rough Aideen’s home life was, along with the father who was married to another woman with a completely different family, and her mother who let that wretched man use her over and over while struggling with […]

Reviewed by Jasmine Sov, age 16 Edie in Between by Laura Sibson All Edie Mitchell wanted to do after her mom died was to forget that she ever had magic—but it’s not that easy when it’s been in her blood for generations. After she discovers her mom’s teenage journal, it […]

Reviewed by Emily Battaglia, age 17 The Poetry of Secrets by Cambria Gordon Set in the tumultuous 15th century Spain, The Poetry of Secrets explores the struggle of 16-year-old Isabel Perez as she navigates a whirlwind romance, a perilous faith, and her position as a woman in a society where […]

Reviewed by Giselle Carlos, age 16 In the Same Boat by Holly Green Sadie Scofield is finally ready to accomplish her dream of crossing the finish line in the 265-mile canoe race, the Texas River Odyssey. Ever since her childhood, she’s dreamt of sharing stories like the ones her family […]

Reviewed by Jasmine Sov, age 16 Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp To eighteen-year-old Pen Prado, the center of her life is her father’s restaurant, Nacho’s Tacos. However when she confesses to her parents that she’s been skipping school and that what she really wants is to […]

Reviewed by Amber Elias, age 15 Who I Was With Her by Nita Tyndall Corinne knew who she was. Or at least she knew who she was supposed to be. She knew that she was supposed to get good grades in school and have an abundant social life. She knew […]

Reviewed by Hailey Chen, age 14 Shipped by Meredith Tate Wesley Clarke and Stella Greene are both desperate. They both need the coveted valedictorian prize (a full ride scholarship to a school of your choosing) for different reasons, and neither of them are willing to give it up. They’ve been […]