Pasadena Public Library
Reviewed by Elise Chen, age 15 The Stepping Off Place by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum Reid MacGregory can’t imagine her life without her best friend and social anchor, Hattie Darrow. It’s the summer before senior year, and Reid is deeply embedded in Scofield High’s popular crowd, courtesy of Hattie. However, when summer […]
Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 15 As If on Cue by Marisa Kanter Natalie has been a lifelong rival of Reid. So when the school cuts all funding for the arts, ergo cutting Natalies’ hope of directing her student-written play, she finds herself up against Reid again to allocate funding for the arts […]
Reviewed by Jasmine Sov, age 17 Damned If You Do by Alex Brown Ever since Cordelia Scott’s abusive father left when she was ten, life has been pretty normal. Now in her senior year of high school, Cordelia has other concerns: stage managing the school play, crushing on her best friend, […]
Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 15 Prom Theory by Ann Labar Science, which Iris excels at, has helped Iris Oxtabee navigate a world of tricky social interactions, so she’s positive science can explain anything. This includes love. However, while Iris sees it as basic chemistry, based on hormones and external stimuli, her best […]
Reviewed by Jasmine Sov, age 17 It All Comes Back to You by Farah Naz Rishi Kiran Noorani thought she’d never have to see Deen Malik again after he ghosted her three years ago. Who would have known that Kiran’s sister Amira would fall in love with Deen’s brother Faisal? For the […]
Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 15 What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter Online, Halle Levitt is known as Kels, the creator of One True Pastry, a popular young adult (YA) book blog that pairs custom cupcakes with book covers and reviews. From tons of confidence to friends, Kels […]
Reviewed by Jasmine Sov, age 17 The Tragedy of Dane Riley by Kat Spears Ever since Dane Riley’s dad died, Dane hasn’t been able to feel okay with himself. He’s flunking his classes, being a jerk (sometimes) to the girl he likes so she doesn’t set her expectations too high, and he […]
Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 16 Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester During the summer before her senior year of high school, Veronica seizes her chance to audition at her Florida town’s underwater mermaid attraction, Mermaid Cove, and fulfill her long-held dream of becoming a professional mermaid. Due to her […]
Reviewed by Jasmine Sov, age 17 The Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett In a small town in Colorado, a girl has been murdered. Senior cheerleader Emma Baines was always the good girl at Jefferson-Lorne High School. Her suspected killers are three of her classmates: Claude, the troublemaker who gets around; Avery, […]
Reviewed by Kaelin Leen, age 16 Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi During the Third Crusade, a young soldier named Rahma al-Hud follows her older sister Zeena into war over the Holy Land, which is threatened by the false Queen Isabella and the Faranji […]