Teen Book Reviews

The Screaming Staircase is about three teenage ghost hunters named Anthony Lockwood, George Cubbins, and Lucy Carlyle. This story is set in an alternate universe where there are ghosts coming back from the dead tormenting the living and the only people who can stop them are kids. The trio begin to solve the murder of a young woman, but they quickly find out that there is more to the story than they realize.

As someone who enjoys genres such as thriller and murder mystery, I think this is an excellent book that incorporates the two genres and makes for an enjoyable read. The story is very unique and opens up a whole new world for the reader to explore. I especially liked the first person point of view which follows the main character Lucy Carlyle because it allows the reader to feel immersed within this eerie and action packed world. Another thing that I enjoyed about this book was the complex world of ghost hunting and psychic abilities that the author, Jonathan Stroud, created. These key details really elevated the story and had me thinking even after I finished the book. I recommend people read this book because it is entertaining and has a unique plot.

Catching Fire is the sequel of the highly respected book series, The Hunger Games, and immediately follows the arrival of the 74th Hunger Games’ victors, Katniss and Peeta. Due to the actions pulled by Katniss and Peeta in their recent games, a rebellion has been sparked in each district. The new victors are faced with challenges within their hometown and the capitol. Katniss has the choice to obey orders or risk her and her loved ones to danger.

As someone who thoroughly enjoys dystopian novels, Catching Fire has been the most compelling story I have ever read. The message conveyed by Suzanne Collins about classism can be reflected and compared to the world around us. The connection of violence to entertainment is a concept the author uses to show the disconnection of classes between the rich and the poor. The main character, Katniss, is the perfect embodiment of rage and rebellion towards injustice. The plot was engaging and riveting, as there were an adequate amount of twists and turns to advance the story and its significance. The story was built on symbolism and messages as a way to convey its main theme to the audience. I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys moving pieces regarding social justice and futuristic societies.

In this final book of the How to Train Your Dragon series, it seems as though all the cards are stacked against Hiccup. The Doomsday of Yule has arrived, and Hiccup only has 24 hours left to save everyone. Alone on Hero’s End, he has to recover the ten lost things from Alvin the Treacherous and become king before it’s too late.

This book is an amazing end to an amazing series. Seemingly meaningless events all come together in this final installment. The plot twists and turns are so well written, and the foreshadowing is very well done. The characters’ interactions with each other are well written and all of the characters have defined personalities, and most of them are very dynamic characters. It’s a very good finale to the book series as it’s very dramatic and fast-paced. I love how there are so many lessons and also that there are still surprises even when you think all has been revealed. Overall, this is one of my favorite books, and I would definitely recommend it.

This book follows captain Alosa, a 17 year old pirate, who was sent on a mission to find the missing part of a map for her father, the Pirate King. To search for this hidden parchment, she intentionally gets captured by the enemy crew of the Night Farer ship, which happens to have a handsome first mate, Riden. As she plays her role, she has to be careful who to trust and what to believe.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves strong female protagonists, action-packed plots, slow-burn romances, and sarcasm at its highest. I love how Alosa is a girl my age who is intelligent, loyal, and brave because it is very inspiring and allows me to relate to her. Alosa's character has depth, as shown through her rough past with her cruel father and through the other supernatural side of her that hardly anyone knows about. As well, I love the enemies-to-lovers romance that grows along with the characters. We get to see Alosa and Riden battle between their heads and their hearts, while both keeping secrets. Overall, this book will make you laugh, empathize, and hold your breath all at once. I love how Tricia Levenseller kept me on my toes and ended the book with a shocking cliffhanger that she led with into the, once again excellent, sequel.

In this twisted fairytale, a 16-year-old cyborg finds herself in the middle of a dangerous game. Cinder doesn’t know why she is being targeted, but she is determined to find out. Along the way, friendships are made and slowly Cinder finds clues about her past. Her life soon becomes intertwined with Prince Kai’s, who eventually trusts her. To prevent war, Cinder must find out about her past and do it before she is caught.

Cinder is a sci-fi twist of the original Cinderella fairytale. Meyer took certain parts of the fairytale and made it her own. Cinder is a compelling take on the original Cinderella story. It tells its own tale, while incorporating pieces from Cinderella. Personally, I believe that it is an amazing take on the fairytale. There is sci-fi, action, romance, and mystery. Even if you’re not a science-fiction reader, the book will still be entertaining. Before you realize it, you’re slowly joining the characters on their intriguing journey. I recommend this book to all types of readers. There are many different components to this book that makes it a good read for all readers. As someone who doesn’t enjoy reading sci-fi, I thought this book was amazing. Cinder is definitely a must read for all readers.