Book Reviews

review by Jacob Chon, age 16 The Final Six by Alexandra Monir     Naomi, an Iranian-American high schooler, and Leo, an Italian orphan, have barely anything in common. Although both experience the firsthand tragedies of climate change, they live on opposite sides of the globe. That is, until they are selected into an elite […]

review by John Chon, age 16 Whisper by Lynette Noni     Whisper, by Lynette Noni, is a science-fiction book, one of many that have proliferated the scene as of late. This book is set in modern day, and it really puts the fiction in science fiction, with magical science that does not check out. […]

review by Jacob Chon, age 15 A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia Cole     Olivia Cole’s A Conspiracy of Stars is an immersive novel of humans stranded on a distant planet. Much like colonists from earlier eras, these people must learn how to survive and thrive in their new world. The book centers around […]

review by John Chon, age 15 Hooper by Geoff Herbach     Hooper, by Geoff Herbach, is unique in many ways, especially in its subject matter. The book follows an awkward, young high schooler, who centers his entire life around basketball. To quote the protagonist, Adam, “Basketball is a passport.” He is very adept at […]

review by Nina Dinan, age 15 I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda, with Liz Welch     The story of how a middle school, pen pal assignment became a life-changing correspondence and friendship begins with two students, Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda. She […]

review by Aminda Zou, age 14 Just a Normal Tuesday by Kim Turrisi Summary: It’s just a normal Tuesday…until sixteen-year-old Kai finds a suicide note from her beloved older sister, Jen. Now Kai is the only child in a family reeling with grief. Unable to make sense of her sister’s choice, Kai begins to […]

review by Jacob Chon, age 15 The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott     The City on the Other Side is a short and interesting novel about a young girl thrust into a war between fairies. Isabel, a daughter of a wealthy family, must learn how to play the part of a […]

review by Kara Eng, age 19 The 13th Continuum by Jennifer Brody     The 13th Continuum is a dystopian novel where the apocalypse was predicted. It follows the story of Aero and Myra, members of colonies whose main objective is to recolonize the earth. However, it’s been 1,000 years since any of the colonies […]

review by Kara Eng, age 19 Not the Girls You’re Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi     Not the Girls You’re Looking For is a unique coming-of-age story. Our protagonist, Lulu, is a multiracial, teenage girl growing up in Texas. Despite often feeling out of place, Lulu is a strong-willed girl who takes […]

review by Kira Toal, age 16 The Awakened by Sarah Elizabeth Santana     The Awakened by Sara Elizabeth Santana follows Zoey Matthews, a teenage girl whose life is torn apart by “Z:” a virus that wipes out a third of the population within weeks, and then reanimates their corpses. The undead victims are […]