The Fault in Our Stars

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Briefly, what was it about?
This book is about the willingness to love someone for what is inside the person not just their appearance. It details to journey of One Hazel Grace and Gus through love, hard times, misery, comradery, and loss.


Tell why you LIKED or DIDN’T LIKE the book.
I liked this book because it reached into my heart when telling the romantic story of one falling in love and it deals with cancer which is a common topic for some people.




What age group would like this book? Ages 12 and above

Would BOYS like this book? Yes
Would GIRLS like this book? Yes

This book would appeal to teens who like...
Romance, Love, Shenanigans, Loss, Adventure, Revenge

Your Name: Megan
Age: 18
Grade: 12

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Title: Something Like Normal

Author: Trish Doller

Briefly, what was it about?

Travis Stephenson arrived home for a month while on leave from being deployed in Afghanistan with the United States Marine Corps. Travis is currently suffering from undiagnosed PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) after seeing his best friend, Charlie Sweeney, die in combat. If this wasn’t enough his girlfriend recently dumped him…for his brother, not to mention he finds out that his parent’s marriage is falling apart. Talk about a vacation. Then he runs into Harper, and although their first meeting doesn’t go entirely well, what with her punching him in the face and all, they seem to get thrown together a lot and become closer. The Marine was hopefully for a normal stay, but what he got was so much more.

Did you like the book? Yes

Why? I myself am sort of fascinated by the United States Military and have the greatest respect for them, which helped me appreciate this book a lot more than possibly your average reader (but still read it! It’s really good! And cute J). Anyway, I loved the protagonist and since our ages are actually very close he was very relatable in a way. Plus the book isn’t all military; there is romance along with friend and family dynamics that way out number the military aspects. I loved Travis and Harper; I became attached and sad about Charlie, understanding and upset about his kind of messed up family, and fell in love with his Marine buddies and their friendship together. All in all, this book has many different sides to it which can create a unique experience for every reader. I couldn’t put it down.

Who would like this book?

1.      Age group? 15 and older

2.      Gender? Both

3.      This book would appeal to teens who like… Military, romance, family issues, close/understanding friendships, bonds between people, recovering soldiers, ct

Your age: 17

Grade: 12

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

TEEN BOOK REVIEW

Title: Fever     

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Briefly, what was it about? In this sequel to Withered, Rhine and Gabriel have just escaped from the mansion and are now on the run and trying to make it across the country to Manhattan, and to Rhine’s twin brother Rowan. However, this journey isn’t as easy as it may seem to be. It also seems as though Housemaster Vaughn won’t give up his ‘property’ so easily. With no plan and many delays it seems at times that they may never reach Manhattan, and even when they feel the safest, tragedy can strike.

Did you like the book?

Yes

Why?

I thought it was an adequate sequel; however I think that the first book was better. I also have a feeling, based on the writing of the previous book and how this one ended that the third has the potential to be very good. I did like the characters in this one, and you were introduced to some very interesting, if not always good ones. You also see the relationship between Rhine and Gabriel grow, Rhine makes some very interesting discovers about herself, and the ending to me was very good. Some things were finally said that needed to be said.

Who would like this book?

1.      Age group? 14 and older

2.      Gender? Female

3.      This book would appeal to teens who like… Withered, post-apocalyptic, romance, overcoming obstacles, etc.

Your age: 17

Grade: 11

Name: Katelyn

The List by Siobhan Vivian

TEEN BOOK REVIEW

Title: The List

Author: Siobhan Vivian

Briefly, what was it about? Every year on the week of homecoming a list comes out at Mount Washington High School naming the ugliest and the prettiest girl in each class. The List follows the lives of the eight girls named and the ramifications that come with being prettiest or ugliest during homecoming week. One could be homecoming queen, one’s life could fall apart, and in this high school it seems that anything could happen.

Did you like the book? Yes

Why? I thought it was so interesting! There were a couple of twists in the story line, but mainly it was just so easy to see what goes on behind closed doors. It had a real quality to the writing, as in yes this is what some people’s lives ate like. Things may not be as perfect as they seem. How being named the prettiest of your grade can ruin your life and being called the ugliest can make it. I was captivated in this book, eager to see what would happen next and what paths each of the girls lives would take.

Who would like this book?

1.      Age group? 15 and older

2.      Gender? Female

3.      This book would appeal to teens who like… High School, drama, friendship, cause and effect

Your age: 17

Grade: 11

Name: Katelyn

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Title: Article 5

Author: Kristen Simmons

Briefly, what was it about?

In this dystopian novel Ember is taken away from her mother because of Article 5, which says no unmarried person can have a child. If that wasn’t bad enough the love of Ember’s life, Chase, was the one who took away her mother and got her landed into a reformatory. Now all Ember wants to do is be reunited with her mother, and she gets some unlikely help in her journey.

Did you like the book?

Yes, but I was slightly disappointed

Why? I liked the book, and it was a good dystopian, but it didn’t quite read my expectations that I had. I’ve read some truly spectacular dystopias and even though this one was good it didn’t quite measure up. However, I loved the relationships that occurred, I really liked the characters and unlike the overdone ‘teens fighting the system’ routine it was more of living with the system and resistance activity.

Who would like this book?

1.      Age group? 15 and older

2.      Gender? Both

3.      This book would appeal to teens who like…  relationships, dystopian, corrupt government/conspiracy theories

Your age: 17

Grade: 11

Katelyn

Ultraviolet by B.J. Anderson

TEEN BOOK REVIEW

Title: Ultraviolet

Author: B.J. Anderson

Briefly, what was it about? Alison wakes up in a psych ward of a hospital, with no clue as to how she got there. Later she remembers fighting with the most popular girl in school, Tori, punching her in the face, and then her disintegrating. But Alison isn’t like everyone else either, she sees sounds as colors, hear colors, taste when someone is lying. This and the disappearance of Tori, lands her a prime suspect of a murder, and a patient of a Pine Hills Psychiatric Facility. When a certain psychologist takes a certain interest in Alison, she begins to wonder if she actually is insane after all…

Did you like the book? I did

Why? I loved the fact that the diagnoses for Alison are real and the book was incredibly well written. The very ending got a little weird for me and was slightly disappointing, but the book was still really good and I recommend it.

Who would like this book?

1.      Age group? 16 and up

2.      Gender? More female

3.      This book would appeal to teens who like… stories with a twist, fiction, self-discovery

Your age: 17

Grade: 11

Katelyn

Welcome

Welcome to the Brown County Library TeenZone, a place for book reviews by our libraries' teens (and the occasional staff).  If you are in grades 6-12th and are interested in contributing reviews and earning service hours, contact us at: BC_LIBRARY_FICTION at CO dot BROWN dot WI dot US .

You can find us online and place holds on any book that catches your eye through our catalog.