Teen Reviews

Review by Amber Elias, 15 Thorn By Intisar Khanani In a small, far-off kingdom, Princess Alyrra lives a life of contempt and yearn. She mourns the loss of her father, tries to meet the impossible standards of her loveless mother, and survives the hellish abuse of her wretched brother. Alyrra’s […]

Review by Sam Redfearn, 14 Don’t Breathe A Word By Jordyn Taylor 1962: The Cold War is causing widespread fear and distrust in America, spurring communities across the country to build fallout shelters in case of a nuclear attack. Connie is a sixteen year old girl attending Hardwick Preparatory Academy […]

Review by Hailey Chen, 13 Muse By Brittany Cavallaro The stage is set in the year 1893 and Claire Emerson, a girl said to bless those she touches, is planning to escape. Held captive in her own home by her father who is delusional that she can bless him and […]

Review by Jasmine Sov, 15 All of Us with Wings By Michelle Ruiz Keil Xochi, a 17-year-old Mexican-American girl running from the pain of her past, is the live-in governess of Pallas, a smart 12-year-old who lives with her rock star family in post-punk San Francisco. Thanks to the band’s fame, […]

Review by Amber Elias, 14 Soulswift By Megan Bannen When Gelya, a Vessel who sings the word of the Father or the One True God in the eyes of the Ovnists, becomes tangled in a military secret alongside Tavik, an Elathian Kantari Two-Swords, AKA the epitome of a heathen, the pair […]

Review by Jasmine Sov, 15 The Lightness of Hands By Jeff Garvin After Ellie Dante’s dad—a once-great stage magician—attempted an ambitious trick on live TV and failed, his career went completely down the drain. Now, Ellie and her father have been struggling to make ends meet, living in an old […]

Review by Sam Redfearn, 14 When You Look Like Us By Pamela N. Harris When You Look Like Us is a story told from the perspective of African American high schooler, Jayson Murphy. He lives with his grandmother in a neighborhood that is generally considered to be the “bad part […]

Review by Jasmine Sov, 15 Of Salt & Shore By Annet Schaap Emilia “Lampie” Waterman is the lighthouse keeper’s daughter, and it’s her responsibility to light the lighthouse’s lantern every day so that incoming ships won’t crash into the rocks. One stormy night, she forgets, and a ship is subsequently […]

Review by Isabella Henriquez, 16 Felix Ever After By Kacen Callender Though his name means “lucky” in Latin, Felix feels far from being lucky at all. He thinks that he has one too many minority labels. Not only is he black and queer, but also transgender. He often struggles with […]

Review by Jasmine Sov, 15 Red Hood By Elana K. Arnold On homecoming night, Bisou Martel is with her boyfriend on the dance floor when another boy, Tucker, gets in the way to try to dance with her instead. After standing up to Tucker, Bisou later has an intimate moment […]