The library at all locations will have adjusted hours in observance of Thanksgiving:
Wednesday 11/27: closing at 1pm
Thursday, 11/28 & Friday, 11/29: closed
Library operations will resume on Saturday, 11/30.
The library's temporary locations are at the Beech Street Center and the E.C. Benton Library. For more information, including hours of operation, please click here.

Category: Teens

Book Review: Little Fires Everywhere

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

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In the novel Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, the story circles around the lives of the Richardsons, a rich family living in the peaceful and orderly town of Shaker Heights. The family has 4 children, Lexie, the oldest, Trip, Moody, and Izzy, the youngest. Their lives drastically change when Mia Warren and her daughter, Pearl, move in the rental house near the Richardsons residence. Everyone is captivated by the abnormal lives of Mia and Pearl, as Mia is a freelance photographer, and they have been known to move around from place to place, never setting roots in one particular area for too long. When a custody battle emerges between a Chinese women, Bebe Chow, who left her young infant daughter, May Ling, whilst struggling through difficult times, and Linda and Mark McCullough, May Ling’s adoptive parents, who want to keep her and claim they can give her a better life. When Mrs. Richardson finds out that it was Mia who encouraged Bebe to pursue this lawsuit in order to get May Ling back, Mrs. Richardson begins to obsess over Mia’s past life, desperate to find anything that could be used against Mia and eager to help her childhood friend, Linda. This decision eventually leads to a more complicated relationship between Mrs. Richardson and Mia, and inevitably leads the two family’s relationship into a fire of chaos. This breathtaking novel makes readers wonder about friendship, motherhood, and human nature, all while coming together to create a compelling story. I really loved reading this book! The writing and plot was amazing and I could not put it down! I think anyone reading this book will enjoy it very much!

–Review by Teen Volunteer, 8/8/24.

 

Book Review: The Kite Runner

Posted on by Maya Escobar

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

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The novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, follows the life of Amir, a young boy from Kabul, Afghanistan. The novel goes through Amir’s childhood in the 1970’s, to his move to the US, and his return to Afghanistan again as a young man. As a child, Amir struggled with fulfilling the expectations of his father, Baba. Amir’s relationship with his childhood best friend, Hassan, led them to share a close bond, almost like brothers. Despite this, Amir’s jealousy drove him to betray Hassan, breaking their bond, and eventually driving Hassan away. These actions began to haunt Amir well into his adulthood. Almost a decade later, Amir finds out that Hassan is now dead and his only son, Sohrab, has been left alone in a now Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Eager to make amends to his past actions, Amir returns for Afghanistan in hopes of finding Sohrab and confronting the past that he left behind. This breathtaking novel takes the reader on a journey of full of redemption, brotherhood, and making peace with the past. Reading this book was truly amazing. I loved how the author described the story with such detail and the writing, setting, and plot was very enjoyable. I would recommend this book to other people my age as well. 

–Review by Teen Volunteer, 8/8/24

Book Review: Age Matters

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Age Matters by Enjelicious

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This webtoon follows the life of 29-year-old Rose Choi, as she struggles to get her life back together again. After her ex-boyfriend cheated and dumped her, Rose is in need of a job. She eventually takes over her best friend’s odd job, which includes cooking and delivering meals to an unknown boss. This boss, however, turns out to be 23-year-old Daniel Yoon, the CEO of a successful business, Lime. Though their relationship starts off a little rocky, with Daniel’s secretive and cold demeanor contradicting Rose’s upfront, honest personality, the two eventually fall in love with each other. This light-hearted, humor-filled romance story was a fun summer read and I would definitely read it again!

–Review by Teen Volunteer, 8/8/24.

Book Review: I Think Our Son Is Gay

Posted on by Maya Escobar

I Think Our Son Is Gay by Okura

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This manga follows the lives of mother Tomoko Aoyama and her eldest son, Hiroki. Hiroki is gay, but is too afraid to tell the rest of his family, including his mother, father, and younger brother, Yuri. Despite this, Tomoko knows her son is gay, but wants him to come out on his own. Yuri is also aware of Hikoki’s sexuality. Tomoko’s husband, constantly travels for work, but unintentionally hurts Hiroki’s feelings because of his outdated views on gay people and homosexuality. This slice-of-life manga makes the perfect read for anyone, as it covers the challenges of growing up, as well as relationships with family and friends. I love reading the manga series and I enjoyed the light-hearted story and humor throughout all of the books!

–Review by Teen Volunteer, 8/8/24.

Book Review: Purple Hibiscus

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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In the compelling novel, Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the story is set in Nigeria, where it particularly centers around the life of 15-year-old Kambili Achike. Growing up under the strict, religious rule of her father, Eugene Achike, Kambili, Jaja, her older brother, and her mother are constantly faced with Eugene’s erratic actions to keep strict religious purity and practice a foundation in their household. Kambili and Jaja are sent to visit their Aunt Ifeoma, Eugene’s sister, in Nsukka. They soon realize how vastly different Aunt Ifeoma’s household and family dynamic is from their own experiences. Faced with a newfound freedom and expression, Kambili begins to question the strict oppression provided by her father and is soon faced with a desire to find her own voice and identity. This fascinating story offers ideas of family dynamics, oppression, and religion that clash in order to create a unique and beautiful perspective. I loved reading this novel, it was amazing to be able to explore the different personalities and aspects of each character, and I highly recommend it to anyone else!

–Review by Teen Volunteer, 8/8/24

Book Review: Chain of Thorns

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare

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As a huge fan of Cassandra Clare’s work and the Shadowhunter Chronicles, I’ve been eagerly waiting for the third book of the trilogy The Last Hours for many years. You can only imagine my excitement when I finally got my hands on Chain of Thorns.

For some context, the book is based in the Shadowhunter universe in the early 1900s. Shadowhunters are a race of human-angel hybrids, and were created centuries ago by the Angel Raziel to protect the world from demons. Their angel blood gives them enhanced strength and agility to aid them in their fight against evil.

The story starts from where the second book left off: following the main character, Cordelia Carstairs, as she attempts to escape the danger and heartbreak of Edwardian London. But while she tries to forget her sorrows, Cordelia is forced to return to the city after receiving shocking news that threatens the wellbeing of her and her loved ones. She finds herself unable to confide in her closest friends who are each dealing with their own internal struggles.

All of the Shadowhunters – except Cordelia and her friends – decide to abandon London to seek safety in Idris, the Shadowhunter homeland. Left alone in a city void of its usual liveliness and facing imminent death, the small group must face a deadly army with nothing but courage and trust on their side.

The writing of this was amazing, with unexpected twists to gut punching scenes to witty lines that make you laugh. One thing I love about Clare’s books is that no named character can be labeled as ‘unimportant’, and this book is no different. Cordelia may be the star, but one could easily resonate with one of her friends, or even one of the ‘villains’. There are some segments where it is clear that she wants to wrap it up quickly to keep the plot going, but at least that means a reader hardly has time to be bored!

The main characters have a bittersweet full-circle moment in the epilogue, with a scene where the characters reflect on how far they’ve come since the beginning of the series, setting the stage for future possibilities. I do have to say that some of the characters sadly didn’t have a very satisfying ending compared to the others, or a part of them was mentioned previously in the story but not expanded upon. I think it would have made it even better if everyone had their fair share of justice.

Despite those flaws, Chain of Thorns is a compelling finale to The Last Hours series overall. It seamlessly weaves together intricate character development, intense battles, and heartfelt moments. I would recommend this to fans of romance, fantasy, and action, though it is important to note that the story contains sexual content, as well as violence and substance use. If you’re someone who loves some thrilling fantasy and you haven’t tried the series yet, this is definitely for you.

-Review by Teen Volunteer, 7/18/24.

Book Review: Supernova

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Supernova by Marissa Meyer

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Supernova is the last book of the Renegades trilogy. The Renegades are a faction created to restore order to Gatlon city by capturing villain anarchists whose goal is to wreak havoc. It is good to note that most Renegades and Anarchists hold different superpowers. The story revolves around Nova Artino who holds two identities. She is a member of the Renegades but secretly works undercover for the Anarchists in spite of revenge for killing her family (well, according to her perspective). 

Although Nova clearly seems to side with the Anarchists at this point, her feelings about the situation get even more complicated when she develops an affection for Adrian Everhart, a dedicated Renegade, who also happens to be a sentinel, or one that operates outside of the Renegade’s jurisdiction. 

As the story progresses, the Renegades and Anarchists begin fighting over the Ace helmet, a super helmet that amplifies superpowers. It becomes the main point of the story as Nova is tasked to retrieve it for the Anarchists. She does so, but not easily. In the end she successfully returns the helmet to the Anarchists.

These events push the Anarchists and Renegades into a massive battle in which just as the Anarchist leader is about to be executed, the Anarchists come in clutch and pull off a convincing victory against the Renegade forces. Many Renegades also end up losing their powers and dying. Surely a massive blow. How can they get back up?

Adrian is also taken captive in the aftermath of this battle. In order to retrieve him, the Renegades march to the Anarchist base. The anarchists demand that the Renegade captain drink a potion (that ends up not harming him) in exchange for Adrian. The Renegade captain accepts but the Anarchists still don’t return Adrian. Nova, who was working along with the Anarchists at this time, is tasked with killing Adrian. This is also where her double identity is revealed to the Renegades. The Renegades explain to Nova that the Anarchists killed her family and not the Renegades. Learning this truth, Nova sides with the Renegades in a final battle that permanently defeats the Anarchist forces.

This book was entertaining to read due to the sheer amount of action and battle scenes. However, some sections of the book dragged too much on trivial details that did not contribute much to the plot. While the superhero genre is quite typical, the book approaches it in a unique way to create a different experience. It is also nice that the main character holds a double identity since it contributes so much to the complexity and messages of this book. The themes of betrayal and loyalty are presented very nicely at the resolution and the book ends convincingly.

However, this book did have several downsides to it. Superpowers were obtained through traumatic experiences and lost in dumb ways. While the story is not supposed to be realistic, I think this is taking things too far out of the realm of sensible things. My biggest concern reading this book was that Nova could never figure out who truly killed her family and then just believed the Renegades at the end. That was the one big unconvincing scene in the story.

I would recommend this book to young readers who enjoy action-packed stories with intricate character dynamics. While not the pinnacle of the genre, it offers a fun and engaging experience that many will find enjoyable. 

-Review by Teen Volunteer, 7/15/24.

Death Knell: A Shadowdark RPG Megadungeon 2024

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner

A bell tolls throughout the seven realms, bringing with it a fear of the unknown and a quivering dread that chills all mortals’ bones. A mysterious dungeon island has appeared, a dark peak in what was once open oceans. United for the first time in centuries, the nations of Regnis send heroes to explore its depths and the dark secrets–or treasures–within.

Join us for this is a virtual Shadowdark RPG Megadungeon, with rules based on traditional D&D 1st Edition, and using Discord and Owlbear.rodeo. Players can explore a vast new dungeon level each week (from June 26 – July 31) with Game Masters from across the country. Open to ages 13-21. Limited registration, so act fast!

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