Teen Book Reviews

During a sea voyage, Jaron and his crew are captured by pirates led by Captain Strick, who levels shocking accusations against him. In the chaos, Jaron discovers his brother’s crown and sword among the pirates' belongings. Fueled by determination, he is desperate to uncover how the pirates came into possession of his brother's items.

I highly recommend this book for its amazing mix of unexpected plot twists, rich fantasy elements, and intriguing mysteries. The story follows a heroic king who embodies selflessness, going to extraordinary lengths for his kingdom’s well-being, even when faced with life-threatening situations. Throughout his narrowing journey, he encounters moments that push him to the brink of death. With quick wit and clever strategies, he evades fate repeatedly. For Jaron, the protagonist, predetermined destiny doesn’t exist; his unwavering loyalty and resourcefulness always makes him ready to help those in desperate need.

In The Lying Game by Sara Shepard, Sutton Mercer, an upper-class teen, finds out that she has died. She must haunt her twin sister Emma, who she didn’t know existed. Emma, a foster kid, finds a video of Sutton and travels to find her sister. Realizing that her sister has died, she is forced to impersonate her sister. Can Emma fool everyone into believing she’s Sutton, and can she find out who killed her sister?

I would recommend The Lying Game to any reader who enjoys series and has not yet read the Pretty Little Liars series. The Lying Game is well-written and fast-paced, for anyone looking for an intriguing book. However, those that have read other books from Sara Shepard, such as the Pretty Little Liars series, may find it to be a cheap knock-off of those other books, as Shepard is infamous for reusing tropes and storylines. Either way, it is a great book, and the author does an excellent job of showing the differences between Emma and Sutton’s lifestyles, pointing out the theme that we should be grateful for what we have rather than focusing on what we don’t. The characters are well-developed and most readers will have a hard time putting it down.

The book Wonder was written by R.J. Palacio and published in 2012. This book follows a young boy in the 5th grade named August (Auggie) Pullman who suffers from a face condition. It is his first time attending a public school after being homeschooled for most of his life. This book includes the hardships and lessons August Pullman learns about people and life as a whole.

I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy emotional riveting pieces such as this one. In this story, the author perfectly captures the emotions of not only Auggie, but his loved ones as well. Auggie Pullman is put through difficult lessons that teach him the cruelty of mankind. Through his trials and tribulations though, he was able to seek those who truly loved and cared for him. The thing that stands out with this book is how the author includes multiple points of view. Everyone's point of view ties into their emotions and the impact Auggie has made in their lives. The main message of the story really teaches the audience how important it is to be kind because you never know what someone is going through.

In the book, The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart, four extraordinary orphans are brought together by a puzzling man named Nicholas Benedict to embark on a perilous mission. They must infiltrate the L.I.V.E. corp. school as students to investigate the source of The Emergency, a baffling phenomenon involving hypnotic activity.

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a clever and suspenseful mystery/adventure novel. Trenton Lee Stewart leaves readers on the edge of their seats with cryptic codes, a mysterious machine, and so much more! With bizarre plot twists and puzzles that you can solve alongside Trenton Lee Stewart’s vivid characters, you won’t be able to put this book down. The Mysterious Benedict Society is a must-read.

The main character is Theodore Boone. He knows a lot about law and he wants a job in the courtroom. His family helps out at the local shelter and there he meets a boy named Julio. At the same time Mr. Duffy is accused of murdering his wife for money, but there is no proof. Julio’s cousin saw the murder and has evidence. After showing evidence, Mr. Duffy’s trial was postponed.

I recommend this book for many reasons. First, it is a good educational law book for kids. It talks about law and gives an idea about how a trial works in court without going into too much detail. Second, it is a good detective book as Theodore Boone has to figure out some of the evidence for the Duffy trial. It has a lot of suspense, too, as Theodore thinks a lot about the evidence. To sum it all up, I think it is a really good book to read.