Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Book Review - The Legacies by Jessica Goodman

 


The Legacies by Jessica Goodman is about a group of young socialites who pine to join an exclusive social club. People who have membership to the exclusive Legacy Club in New York City know that it is more than just an honor to be a member. Being a member gives you unfettered access to power and wealth beyond what they can get from attending a prestigious prep school. They are also guaranteed safety and security because members always look out for each other.

For high school seniors to be invited into the club, they will need to be nominated by a committee member and then make it through a week of events and the lavish Legacy Ball at the end. It is not surprising when Excelsior Prep seniors Bernie Kaplan, Skyler Hawkins, and Isobel Rothcroft are nominated into the club. Their families are well connected to each other and the club. The club is not only their safe haven but it also protects the families and their secrets and reputations. 

 

However, things become interesting when Tori Tasso is nominated. She is nothing like other nominees. She received a scholarship to the school and she lives in Queens unlike most of the other students who come from a wealthy background. Everyone is surprised when she is nominated because her family doesn’t have any affiliation in the  club.

 

Tori has a hard time fitting in with her other classmates. Unlike her, they never had to work hard to ensure food was on the table. They have their names on buildings, while doing nothing noteworthy to deserve it, and spend more money on material things than Tori could ever hope to have.

 

As the night of the Legacy Ball approaches, even Tori is wrapped up in the festive atmosphere she knows her connection to the Legacy Cub is her and her family’s ticket out of poverty. However, a betrayal occurs that changes the lives of everyone involved. The night was supposed to be the best night of their lives until one of them ends up dead. Who ends up dead? And why?

 

The novel is told from three alternating points of views: Bernie, Tori, and Isobel. Early on in the book, we learn that Bernie is Queen Bee at the school but she suffers from self confidence issues. She is afraid that people are only her friends because of her status and not because of who she really is. Her best friend, Isobel, seems to have a secret that she is keeping with Bernie’s boyfriend, Skyler. Isobel is afraid of telling Bernie because she feels that it will alter their friendship forever. As we try to piece together what causes the two women to drift apart, we learn about other secrets that could have led to the death on that fateful night. 

 

While I enjoyed reading how their friendship fractured and their journey through initiation went, I didn’t connect with any of the characters. The characters felt bland and stereotypical. I wish we got a glimpse into Bernie’s mother’s past and her motivation between disappearing and where she went. Bernie’s mother was an interesting character but we barely got to know her origins.

 

The book goes back and forth between the past and the present when the murder occurred. I believe it was to keep the reader guessing on who died and the events that lead up to it. However, I felt the dialogue and the story dragged on for chapters with no real progress. The book was a quick read and plot twists felt predictable and boring. I would recommend reading if you like young adult high school dramas.

Friday, May 4, 2018

Book Review - Picture Us In The Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert

Photo Credit - Amazon
 Danny Cheng always knew his family had secrets but when he found a box filled with old letters and a file on a wealthy Silicon Valley family, he realizes there is much more to the story that he was told. When he tries to talk to his parents about their past or his dead sister, they immediately try to change the subject. Danny receive a full art scholarship into RISD, he decides going to college can as a be a way to escape his parents.  He realizes then he would have to contemplate a future without his best friend, Harry Wong. However, when he delves deeper into his parents' past, he finds a secret that causes him to question his entire being. What is the secret that his family is keeping from him?

The first few chapters I thought was interesting but I found the book to be a bit boring and dragging towards the middle. It was hard to stay engaged with the characters especially with the way the chapters were formatted. There were quite a few dilemmas Danny faced in the book and it was a bit overwhelming. I felt that not enough time was spent on each issue. I felt the parts discussing the history of his sister was a bit confusing since it was narrated by a third person. If the story had less going on and was fast paced, I would have enjoyed it more. 

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Book Review - Hope Nation: YA Authors Share Personal Moments of Inspiration by Rose Brock

Photo Credit - Amazon
Words can have different meanings and invoke different feelings. Hope can bring out different feelings depending when it was and by whom. This timely, relevant anthology of essays by twenty four YA authors hope to invoke awe, inspiration and empathy. In this personal collection of stories, each author narrates how hope is a decision they made and help inspire readers to have hope.

When I first opened the book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I assumed it was going to be a bunch of boring or mundane stories. I was actually pleasantly surprised and found myself staying up late and reaching for this book throughout the day. I love the stories where the author opened about their personal lives and the obstacles they faced. They displayed how they had the perseverance and conquered their obstacles and how they enriched their lives with hope. I found many of the stories inspiring, hopeful, and enjoyable to read. I feel with the current political atmosphere, this book is highly relevant for readers who need a bit of hope in their lives. 

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**


BOOK DESCRIPTION
Hope is a decision, but it is a hard one to recognize in the face of oppression, belittlement, alienation, and defeat. To help embolden hope, here is a powerhouse collection of essays and personal stories that speak directly to teens and all YA readers. Featuring Angie Thomas, Marie Lu, James Dashner, Nicola Yoon, David Levithan, Libba Bray, Jason Reynolds, Renée Ahdieh, and many more!
"The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood."--Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We all experience moments when we struggle to understand the state of the world, when we feel powerless and--in some cases--even hopeless. The teens of today are the caretakers of tomorrow, and yet it's difficult for many to find joy or comfort in such a turbulent society. But in trying times, words are power.

Some of today's most influential young adult authors come together in this highly personal nonfiction collection of original essays, poems, and letters, each a first-hand account that ultimately strives to inspire hope.

Like a modern day Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul or Don't Sweat the Small Stuff for TeensHope Nation acknowledges the pain and shines a light on what comes after.

Authors include: Atia Abawi, Renee Ahdieh, Libba Bray, Howard Bryant, Ally Carter, Ally Condie, James Dashner, Christina Diaz Gonzales, Gayle Forman, Romina Garber, I. W. Gregario, Kate Hart, Bendan Kiely, David Levithan, Alex London, Marie Lu, Julie Murphy, Jason Reynolds, Aisha Saeed, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Jeff Zentner, and Nicola Yoon.
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Rose Brock is a twenty-year veteran professor who has dedicated her career to turning teens into book lovers. Building relationships with readers through books is her superpower. In addition to her career as a librarian and educator, Dr. Brock is also very involved in helping to organize the North Texas Teen Book Festival, a one-day event, which hosts sixty authors and has an impressive annual attendance of over 3,500 teens and tweens. She also serves as a team leader of the International Literacy Association's Young Adults' Choices project, which empowers teens to read and select the best books of the year. Dr. Brock was named by the Texas Library Association as the recipient of the Siddie Joe Johnson Award, an award given by the Children's Round Table to a librarian who demonstrates outstanding library service to children.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Book Review - Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Photo Credit - Amazon


Charlotte Davis ("Charlie") may look like an average seventeen year old but she has experienced more pain and heartache than some people twice her age has. She has lost her father and best friend while was "abandoned" by her mother who couldn't deal with the lost of her husband. Charlie learns to deal with the pain with the best way she knows how. With each cut, she tries to forget the pain and hurt but with each cut it adds a new dimension of pain and hurt. Will Charlie be able to forget the past and move on? Will Charlie be able to be happy?

The novel is a deeply heartbreaking, honest, raw and an engaging read. Once, I picked up the book I found it hard to put it down. Charlie's character is dynamic and realistic that is hard not to root for her. The novel was emotionally draining at points especially for so "many bad things" to happen to Charlie. As a reader, you feel for her; you want to take her up in your arms and tell her everything will be okay. A highly recommended book for any YA fan or anyone who has ever felt "lost" in life. 

A small side note, the novel does have graphic and sexual language. 

**Disclosure - I received an uncorrected copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**