Take Me With You by Tara Altebrando

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This book follows four high schoolers- Eden, Eli, Marwan, and Ilanka. They all barely know each other, but somehow find themselves in an empty music classroom after school. They each got a message from their music teacher that they should meet him there, but he is nowhere to be seen. Instead, all they find is a small black cube. They are all confused and annoyed that they have been wasting their time- until the black box lights up with some words: ‘Do not tell anyone about the device. Never leave the device unattended.’ And then the most mysterious of the messages- ‘Take me with you… or else.’ They all follow along- it’s probably just some prank or some type of test from the school. But they’re all really busy- they can’t waste their time on some dumb prank. But as the rules get even more mysterious and chilling their not sure what to do. Should they leave the box… even when they don’t know the price?

I really liked the characters in this book and how it switched perspectives. It was a little hard since it switched at each chapter, but I still think it really helped build suspense in the story. I also liked how each character had a side plot going on, it really helped keep the story interesting. I also really like how this book connects to AI.

Another thing I really liked about this book was the accuracy at the life of a teenager- everything in this book is something I can imagine happening in real life!

This book is super fast paced and there is never really a slow moment. I don’t usually like thriller books, but this one is amazing and is really a very good book for a broad range of readers. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a good book, but just keep in mind that this book is a little chilling. I actually give this book 5/5 stars! It’s a really great book and I really loved it!

-Review by Teen Advisory Board Member, 11/23/20

Skyhunter by Marie Lu

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This novel is about Talin, a striker for Mara, the last free nation as she fights to keep the Karensa Federation away from her home. The Federation creates Ghosts by taking humans and changing the way they look and act. When a prisoner of war, Red, is captured, Talin saves him and they become striker and shield. Together with Adena and Jeran, they fight to keep hope alive in Mara. 

The characters are AMAZING. They are probably one of my favorite parts. First of all, the main character Talin. She is extremely smart and is a true fighter. When escaping her home, Basea, she loses her voice to poisonous gas and has to use sign language as a result. She is treated as an outcast even though she is a striker, one of the highest ranking people. She rarely complains about her situation (I know I definitely would have). She was a great character to read from. Next is Red, the Skyhunter. I loved reading Red’s backstory about how he got his wings and how his story and Talin’s connected. Something I appreciated was how romance was never forced onto Talin and Red even though they were literally in each other’s’ minds (however, I predict that the next book will go into it further). Lastly, Adena and Jeran. Their dynamic is amazing. Adena is very smart and is the one that ends up finding a way to prevent Ghosts from attacking humans. Jeran is very loyal and has a great heart (I also totally ship Jeran and Aramin, the Firstblade). The four of them make a great team and almost succeeds in bringing down the Federation. Bonus character: Talin’s mom. Talin’s mom is so cool! She is supportive of Talin and understands the danger that comes with the job. 

This book is also very action packed. So many things happened and there was not one moment where I was bored. The worldbuilding was great and everything was described well. It was cool to see the contrast between the Federation and Mara. There are also a lot of discussions about discrimination which I appreciated. One more thing: the cover is beautiful. 

The one complaint I have is that it was sort of predictable. Sure there were some parts where I didn’t see something coming, but for the most part, the plot followed the basic fantasy formula. It was also slightly unrealistic. For example, Adena comes up with a way to defeat the Federation in almost a day, something people haven’t been able to do for a very long time. There were also a lot of conflicts that seemed to sway in favor of the group. There were many near death moments especially when the group went to the Federation but somehow made it out. The ending was also slightly flat in comparison to the rest of the book even though it ends on a (predictable) cliffhanger. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and flew through it. I would give this book a 4.5/5 stars, knocking off half a star for the predictability. If you want an action packed book with great characters then this book is for you! 

-Review by Teen Advisory Board Member, 11/11/20

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

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This medium paced story follows two perspectives, Janelle (Ellie) and M0Rr1S (Morris), as they go on a journey to save the world. Two years ago, an alien invasion left a huge misunderstanding between humans and the Ilori with a war breaking out. With their more developed technology, the Ilori was able to gain control of earth, establishing human colonies. To keep them from resisting, the Ilori banned all music and books as they thought it was a form of expression and emotion, something most Ilori didn’t know. Here comes Ellie, the secret librarian. To rebel, she keeps a small collection of books and lends them to people in her New York colony. One day a book goes missing. Enter Morris, an Ilori who loves music and finds Ellie’s secret stash of books. They meet and embark on a quest to save humanity from a vaccine the Ilori are developing to erase the minds of humans. 

Something I loved about this book was the inclusion of the LGBTQ community and its discussion about race and politics. Ellie, the main character is a bi demi black girl with anxiety. Morris, though not confirmed directly in the book, could also be seen as demi. One of my favorite quotes is Ellie talking about her experience with racism, “I’ll never understand why. We didn’t do anything. We just lived. They took our security and our peace of mind. But it wasn’t enough. I-”. They have many discussions about race and sexuality which I appreciated. 

Peppered throughout the book are references to books and music because of Ellie’s love of reading and Morris’s love for music (relatable). It was fun to see her reading/describing the books to Morris, especially the ones I’ve read and loved, and watching them as they sang together. I also really liked the twist at the end with Morris and his brother, Brixton. I did NOT expect him to be a good guy. It went from “I hate this guy” to “oh, WHAT” in a matter of seconds. 

The book itself was quite predictable with some basic tropes. For example, there is a bit of insta love between Morris and Ellie, which is something I personally don’t like. Ellie even says “Every story I’ve read where someone says they love you after a week is ridiculous. It’s a cheesy trope”. However, they did have a great connection so once I was able to look past the insta love, their chemistry was quite enjoyable. I was able to figure out who the Starry Eyed really were early on and see how their songs related to Ellie and Morris. 

Overall, I would give this book a 3.5-4/5 stars. There isn’t necessarily a lot of action at the beginning but the ball does get rolling. The world building is amazing especially when describing the Ilori and how they function (I wasn’t confused at all and I get confused very easily). I would recommend this book to people who want a book with great representation and wholesome characters who go and try to save the world together while falling in love.

-Review by Teen Advisory Board Member, 11/03/20

Bloom by Kenneth Oppel

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Bloom is not what you’d call a “regular apocalyptic book”. Not at all. Within these pages is a fast paced story with gut wrenching plot twists that you wouldn’t dream of. The novel follows the three teenagers Anaya, Petra, and Seth, who after an ominous rain have to figure out why these new toxic plants have taken over the world and why they are immune to them. Time is running out for them and the rest of the world to figure out what is happening and how to stop the invasion which has only started. All they can ask is, what secrets bind them together?

I’d recommend Bloom by Kenneth Oppel because of it’s creative play at imagining invasive species, plant biology, and plant behaviors. Constantly under danger, people have to live in their “new normal” in this book. Sound familiar? This book was so thrilling that I went and searched up when the next book in this trilogy was coming out (December 1st 2020). The 3 teenagers have to navigate the scary, harsh world that they now live in and throughout this book we see how they adapt, grow, and answer their unanswered questions.

-Review by Teen Advisory Board Member, 10/21/20

Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera

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Eury has been tormented by an evil spirit, Ato, since she was very young. She visits New York in hopes that the evil spirit won’t be able to find her there. In New York, she meets Pheus, a boy who sings the best bachatas around. However, Ato discovers where Eury is; it is up to Pheus to save Eury.

This modern play on Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice is a great romance that shows everyone has something going on in their lives and it’s important not to judge. Pheus eventually learns that you should always try to help even if you don’t understand what’s going on. I really appreciated the lessons that this book teaches, while also seeing how Eury and Pheus figure out what is best for them.

-Review by Teen Advisory Board Member, 10/21/20

Broken Wish (The Mirror #1) by Julie C. Dao

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A long time ago, a witch living near a couple who wished to have children helped them in return for friendship. The couple, for fear of being social outcasts broke the promise. Now, the child of the couple – seventeen year old Elva is all grown up. She is happy, she has everything she wants and needs and yet she has the gift of magic which she must hide from everyone. All of this changed when Elva and her brother find a series of letters between their mother and someone named Mathilda. Eventually they figure out that Mathilda is the witch of the forest. Now, Elva is thrown into a mix of magic, danger, and angry townspeople as she tries to find and help Mathilda and cultivate her own magic.

What a ride. This book was a very intriguing mix of emotions and themes, with a big emphasis on conformity and fear. I would give this book a ⅘ stars rating, mostly due to the wonderful story and rich characters, while also having a few areas that could have been explored further.

Something that I often notice in novels set during the witch trials is that there is a sense of unrealism with the power of the magic users and the danger that supposedly faces them. However, I enjoyed this book very much. It was very simple magic that was shown here, rather than the two witches – Elva and Mathilda using wands, they used herbs and premonitions, and more subtle approaches, which made the danger facing the two so much more believable. Also, it is the ultimate cottagecore fantasy and made for a great setting.

The characters in this story were also all very real and understandable. I immediately fell in love with Mathilda, and the secondary characters of Elva’s family, lover, the townspeople all made sense and fit the world nicely. I also enjoyed the name dropping of Grimm fairy tales, that was a really nice touch. I think what made these characters so understandable is that their problems and hopes were still very applicable to modern day, which is something that you see so often missed in historical fiction – when the plot and characters are so focused on the event, that the simple human spirit gets taken away.

Now, I wish to discuss Elva for a moment. She is, in my opinion, a secondary character in her own story. While some subplots including her lover, her understanding of the world, and her relationship with the people around her made sense, the biggest piece of the story – Mathilda had so much more growth and depth that Elva. From my reading of the story, it feels as if Elva just exists. She is kind, happy, welcoming, and magical, and yet what does she crave? Nothing! Aside from perhaps an understanding of her powers and then later making sure Mathilda is accepted, sixteen year old Elva seems more like a 10 year old child hoping that the world is all sunshine and daisies. Her motivations are all over the place, and I really wish there was something more there. But, at the same time, she was a very nice positive piece of this otherwise sort-of depressing book.

The story was great. The worldbuilding and the plot was so fantastical and real, it seemed like definitely a story that could have happened. It enthralled me and I was even able to finish this book within a day, something I don’t often do with more fantasy books. Yet it all made sense, the historical backdrop with the magical elements, and the ending, my god the ending. The ending was incredible and sad, and just so many feelings. Plus, the ending made me so excited to read the remainder of the series (3 more books!). Also, even if one doesn’t exactly love the first book – since all the books are written by different authors, I think that will create a really unique voice for each of the characters and time periods. The writing for this book in particular was good. The descriptive pieces of the mood and tone were very immersive, and it was enjoyable to read.

I want to finish off by talking about a character I loved, absolutely loved – Mathilda. I love Mathilda. I love her character, she not only had the mystery and cottagecore feel to her, but she was also the person who we could most likely relate to. The feeling of being an outcast, of being betrayed, and then using that to guard oneself up is something that has probably been felt in one way or another by many of us. Not only that, but she really had the best character arc of all, and she was just so satisfying to see on the page – her as a really powerful and unique woman.

All in all, I feel like this book is a great book, and especially with the interesting and unique way the series is structured, I will definitely continue and try to read the next book. If you’re looking for a light fantasy/historical fiction mix, this book is for you!

Review by Teen Advisory Board Member, 10/21/20