Teen Book Reviews

Once Upon a Broken Heart is a magical story about a young girl trying to navigate the ups and downs of her world. Evangeline is a hopeless romantic who one day finds her own true love… that is before he decides to get married to another. After Evangeline finds out the terrible news, she goes to the Prince of Hearts to convince him to help her. He does indeed help her, but it comes with a price.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape to a fantasy world that has a few mysteries sprinkled in. I loved the whole magic system and world-building. The pacing was a little bit weird for me because it goes fast then slow then fast again, but I was able to overlook it. I will say that it seems as if this book’s purpose is to set up for the next one. I don’t mind that at all, but the second one will most likely have more action and plot. Once Upon a Broken Heart also had a cliffhanger which left me wanting more! The characters were great too, I enjoyed the friendship dynamics and of course, I liked the Prince of Hearts and how he was involved in the plot.

In Holly Goldberg Solan’s creative book, Counting by 7s tells the story of outsider Willow Chance whose life gets turned upside down after coming home to the news of her parent's death. Willow has just entered her first year at a new school. Willow has not had many friends but now friends might just be what she needs. The question is how she will continue her life after the loss of her parents.

I read this book as a school requirement for a self-selected reading book. I had been hearing about how good this book is for years. After finishing my last book, I finally had the chance to see what this book was all about. After reading the first few pages, I fell in love. I highly recommend this book. It gives so much detail about the experience and talks about the time leading up to, during, and after the event of her parent’s tragic death. This book shows you every little detail of how her life changes. So if you are looking for a book, go check out Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan.

When Alex sneaks out at night, a witch traps him in a magical apartment. A mysterious fellow prisoner advises Alex to tell the witch a scary story, so he does, and the witch keeps him alive that night. But he's running out of stories. One day, he finds a faded escape plan in a book. With two friends, some magic, and a determination to choose his own fate, Alex puts the plan to the test.

When I first saw Nightbooks, I didn't plan to read it. I skimmed the first few pages and returned it to the library shelf. I was back a week later, however, to borrow the book. Its story intrigued me. The action began immediately, but I had questions about the main character that hadn't been answered. The antagonist had a dark and witty personality, yet her motives weren't outlandish. She had human emotions and human vices. I recommend Nightbooks because the storyline isn't too predictable, and the plot twists were unexpected. J.A. White's thrilling fantasy stayed in my mind long after I had finished the book.

Starr Carter lives in an urban neighborhood with her family; however, she goes to a private school in the surrounding city outskirts. Her world changes when Starr’s childhood friend is shot by a police officer during a traffic stop. Now, Starr must battle to get justice for her best friend despite being threatened by a gang, and facing many stereotypes at her school and throughout the media.

I would recommend this book to others. It’s such a great depiction of the daily lives of many African-Americans, including issues that occur in the community. The Hate U Give speaks on more than just violence and injustice, it shows unity, kindness, and acceptance. There is also a movie in this book, however, the side characters in the novel add so much more to the story; it’s worth the read!

In Poison for Breakfast, author Lemony Snicket finds himself in an unfortunate circumstance upon the discovery of a note that says “you have had poison for breakfast” after his meal. He works to track each ingredient to its source in the hopes of discovering which food or drink has poisoned him. Throughout his journey, he is forced to process the idea of his seemingly imminent death, taking both himself and the reader on a most mysterious and philosophical journey.

Poison for Breakfast is my go-to book recommendation, as it combines the thrill and humor of Snicket’s typical writing with a more dark and thought-provoking twist. As Snicket processes the idea of his death, the reader is taken on a philosophical journey through the idea of life and mortality and is captivated by excellent storytelling and mystery. With a glimpse into his mind, Snicket is careful to reveal enough information about the mystery to keep the reader invested while making sure not to reveal the entire plot. This philosophical approach to mystery combined with a perspective-altering plot twist at the end makes this book a must-read for more mature Snicket fans.