Pasadena Public Library
Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 16 All Kinds of Other by James Sie Jules is trying to navigate his sophomore year of school at a new school while figuring out what it means to be gay. Jack is in the same boat as Jules and starting over at the same school […]
Reviewed by Elise Chen, age 15 Where Echoes Lie by Shannon Schuren In the heart of a small Kentucky town, under the spectral arc of the moonbow, “Where Echoes Lie” by Shannon Schuren unfolds the tale of Rena Faye, a girl caught between dreams as vivid as her photographs and the weight of […]
On Wednesday the 22nd of May, patrons and staff of the Jefferson Branch Library embarked on a quest to rescue a family who had been kidnapped by goblins. A dungeon was discovered, Bugbears were charmed with magic, giant rats were slain with Eldritch Blasts, and a stove was moved to […]
Reviewed by Elise Chen, age 15 Lies like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez Set amidst the towering pines on the deep lake of the fictional town of Gap Mountain, five friends, called “The Monsters,” recently graduated high school, and are off to live the summer of their lives. However, faster than they can […]
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 […]