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Teen SRC 2021- The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Written by Lucian C.
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The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking Book 1) eBook : Ness, Patrick: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

The Knife of Never letting Go by Patrick Ness is about a world where most of the women are gone because of a “disease” which also causes all male creatures to have their thought come out into verbal format for everyone to hear called the “Noise”. The story follows Todd, the only boy left in the town where everyone else was already a man. This “disease” was said to be from an alien species called the Spackle that had used biological weapons against humans during their war, wiping out all the females.

This book was among one of my favorite books with the many plot twists and properties of “Noise” that I had never thought of before. It also showed how many figures would often make up stories in order to cover up a dark history or to turn a group’s hostility to another group. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read dystopian fiction and is okay with grammar errors.

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Teen SRC 2021 – All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Written by Olivia X
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So, I’m sure we’ve all heard of this book by now, right? All the Bright Places – a young adult fiction novel written by Jennifer Niven – explores themes like community, individuality, mental health, and trauma. I personally think it was actually a rather educational book for teens. The main characters, Theodore Finch and Violet Markey, are both struggling through their own problems. Will their love be enough to heal each other’s scars?

Violet and Finch first met on top of a bell tower. If it weren’t for their coincidental meet, it’s possible one of them –or both of them- would have jumped that day. But they saved each other from doing so, and ever since that, they slowly begin to feel less insecure about themselves. They make memories together, precious moments filled with laughter and delight…until Finch starts slipping back into the black hole that he’d just managed to crawl out of.

I did enjoy this book, and I like how the author uses lots of symbols. For instance, the flower and the bird. I think it provides some emotional depth to the plot. I also think this novel can actually teach you a lot of things about mental health; I, for one, certainly learned quite a bit.

The one thing I’m struggling on with this book is finding excitement. This book review, so far, probably isn’t showing much enthusiasm either, because I found the book rather boring. I don’t know WHAT IT IS with me and popular books, but somehow I’m almost always slightly disappointed by them. I could say, truthfully, that I liked this book, but there were no scenes that left a deep impression on me, and it’s not my number one book recommendation. I think some of that has to do with the fact hat I predicted the ending after the first chapter, but hey, the book was enjoyable at least.

I’d rate All the Bright Places 6/10, and I’d recommend it only if you have a lot of time on your hands. Again, it’s not a bad book, but the plot line was a little too monotoned for my preference. By the way, if you do happen to enjoy the novel, they made a film out of it on Netflix!

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Teen SRC 2021 – Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Written by Olivia X
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Caraval, a fantasy fiction book written by Stephanie Garber, dives deep into a magical world of puzzles. “Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.” That is true. But what if you don’t know what you desire the most? What if a mischievous, young sailor takes the place of the most important person in your heart?

This novel is about Scarlett Dragna and her sister, Dontella Dragna. They grew up listening to stories about Caraval, the magical performance that only occurred once a year. Since they were nine years old, Caraval has always been their dream. Now, suddenly, seven years later, Scarlett receives an invitation to Caraval. But is Caraval really the enchanted place everyone thinks it is? And if it really is so magical and innocent, why is everyone there so secretive? Scarlett has to draw a line between illusion and reality, in order to save her sister in time.

This book is SO magical, and I don’t mean just the plot. I read for around five minutes, I swear, and suddenly I finished the whole book. Please do not ask me how that happened; I don’t know myself. But what I do know is that this is the best fantasy book I’ve ever read in my entire life. I have no words for the amount of elegant description of beautiful settings, the captivating way Garber writes about the characters. It was the perfect amount of everything; I really don’t know how else to describe it. The happiness and heartbreak was so carefully balanced, the romantic aspects not overwhelming the plot, and the story itself full of magic.

Normally, I have a “things I didn’t like,” or critique section in my book reviews. Let’s just say, I stared at the computer for ten minutes and couldn’t think of a single piece of criticism to write. The book was amazing.

I’m sure I’ve made this overly clear throughout my book review, but in conclusion, I’d rate this book 10/10. I really hope other people will read the book and like it as much as I did. Also, there’s actually a series to this book, and I’ve got nothing but over-the-top excitement and high expectations for that. I seriously could not recommend this book more, go try it for yourself and hopefully, embark on the same thrilling adventure I went on while reading!

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Teen SRC 2021 – All This Time by Mikki Daughtry

Written by Olivia X
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I’m not much of a romance reader. I’m more of the “fantasy, horror, and phycological thriller mix that keeps you awake past midnight thinking about the book” kind of person. But, you know, I saw this book at the library and I give full credit to the cover art, because if it hadn’t been that darn elegant, I probably wouldn’t have picked the book up in the first place. So, All This Time is a fiction romance novel by Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott, that sends you on a whole whirlpool of emotions.

When Kyle’s girlfriend dies in a car crash, he can’t find the motivation to do anything. Kyle blames himself for Kimberly’s death, and it seems that everything around him is a constant reminder of the nagging pain over his loss. And then he meets Marley – a girl who’s suffered from her own loss – and Kyle slowly starts recovering, his life becoming more whole than it ever had been. There’s a problem, though. Does Kyle really like Marley as “just a friend?” And even though Marley’s all sunshine and rainbows on the outside, that doesn’t mean she’s completely healed from her loss…

Can I just say…I don’t re-read books. Unless I’m bored out of my mind, I rarely read books again. Why? Well, there’s plenty of new books out there that I want to read, and I wouldn’t want to spend my time reading the same plot that i’ve already read instead. And anyway, not a lot of books are interesting enough to re-read anyway. Or so I thought. I must’ve re-read this book around…four times?! I even returned it, and then borrowed it again from the library just to read it a second time. THAT’S how good it is. The plot twists are truly amazing, and completely unpredictable. You become so, so attached to the characters, so when you read about them, you actually feel something for Kyle and Marley. All This Time describes emotions in the most precise way possible, and even for me, a black-hearted “sadist” who likes to read about murders, this book was heartbreaking.

(sadist/saddest? get it?! worst pun ever, I know, but I have no sense of humour… so there you are.)

This is definitely my favourite romance book. Yeah, I mean, it’s true that I’ve only read like two romance books in my life, but I have a feeling this one’s going to stay at the top for quite the while. Are all romance books this good?! Hopefully not, otherwise my favourite “fantasy, horror, and phycological thriller mix that keeps you awake past midnight thinking about the book” thing might possibly get bumped down to second-favourite genre. 10/10 for All This Time with no hesitation!

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Teen SRC 2021- One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Written by Hannah Nei
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One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

From reading only 10-20 pages of One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus, I really like the pace its going at and it keeps wanting to make read more. It’s not going too slow but it’s not going too fast at the same time it goes at an even pace without being too detailed or too vague. I also like how you know the conflict cause it makes people want to read to the conflict then the climax and read the resolution to know how people would solve the conflict.

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Teen SRC 2021 – Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

Written by Olivia X
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Good Girl, Bad Blood - Jackson, Holly

Good Girl, Bad Blood – a teen mystery book written by Holly Jackson – has been #1 on my reading list, ever since I finished reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder a while ago. By the way, quick recap: I absolutely loved that novel. It was thrilling, suspenseful, and easily the best mystery book I’ve ever read. So how was its partner in the Good Girl series? Let’s find out…

In Good Girl, Bad Blood, Pip is turning her first solved mystery into a podcast for people all over the world to stream. She feels like she’s finally falling back into the rhythm of her own life again, after losing so much to be able to solve the murder last time. So, you can imagine how she feels when one of her best friends comes knocking on her door, stating the three simple words: “My brother’s missing.” Will Pip sacrifice herself again and accept the investigation?

Just like the first book in this series, Good Girl, Bad Blood has a phenomenal plot, and the amount of suspense crammed into a relatively short book is truly impressive. Again, Jackson succeeded in making me turn each page with bated breath, too intrigued to put down the book even for a short while. I think my favourite thing about the book was honestly the dialogue, especially between Ravi and Pip. I must’ve been smiling way harder than what was considered “natural” reading the dialogue between those two; IT REALLY WAS TOO ADORABLE.

I’m going to have to say though, I liked the first book better. Maybe it was because I had relatively high expectations for this one, but I think the ending was significantly more underwhelming, and we all want a plausible ending in a mystery book, especially since that’s what the clues and suspense in the whole novel is leading up to. I’m also starting to get rather annoyed by Pip; I think her personality always becomes as bland as a piece of stale bread whenever there’s a mystery she has to solve. Like, come on, we want to know who the murder is, but that doesn’t mean the main character isn’t any less important.

I would give this book 8/10, simply because it’s missing that little bit of spark throughout the entire thing, which most likely has to do with the main character’s lack of personality. I do recommend this book, though, and I think it’s definitely worth reading, especially if you’ve already read the first one. Speaking of, there’s a third book in this series that I haven’t gotten around to yet! Looking forward to binge-read another one of Jackson’s novels 😉

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Teen SRC 2021 – The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson

Written by Rosie
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“The other, louder part of her mind told her that something was wrong, wrong, wrong.”

The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson is the fourth instalment in the Truly Devious series, although you could 100% read it as a standalone.

After solving the Ellingham cold case, Stephanie “Stevie” Bell finds herself bored… that is, until she receives a message from the owner of Sunny Pines, once known as Camp Wonder Falls, in Barlow Corners. He wants Stevie to help him out with a podcast on another unsolved case, the Box in the Woods murders.

In 1978, 4 camp counsellors went into the woods, and none came back out. They were stabbed brutally, and 3 of the 4 victims showed signs of head injury. These teens were Todd, the cocky Mayor’s son, Diane, Todd’s girlfriend and mediocre student, Eric, the camp weed dealer, and Sabrina… the local high school’s star student. I’ll let you decide who stands out.

It will surprise no one that I literally could not put this book down. I promise I tried, but I failed. I finished it at 11:30pm last night, which did nothing for my fear of the dark, but I genuinely could not stop turning the pages. Maureen Johnson has once again created a mystery that hooks the reader from the first page to the last.

There are lots of things to love about this book. It’s fast-paced, it creates amazing atmosphere, and Stevie talks through her thoughts very clearly, making it easy for the reader to immerse themselves. When she’s on the edge of a breakthrough, the anticipation is intense because the story is so absorbing. There are also several flashback scenes which are super helpful in keeping the reader engaged, because they feel like extra hints that not even Stevie has.

Unfortunately, I didn’t like every single aspect of the story, which is to be expected. Like I mentioned before in my review of Truly Devious, I don’t find Stevie a very likable character. Don’t get me wrong, I think she’s a great fit for narrating murder mysteries; she’s calculated, cold, and not very emotive. But she’s definitely not someone I’d like to be friends with, which detracted from my appreciation of the novel.

Another thing is the complicated romance between Stevie and David; it just didn’t belong in the book at all! It served no purpose, and it was so weird seeing Stevie suddenly feel things whenever he came around. So I apologize, but in the case of this novel in particular, I am back to being a romance hater.

Other than that, I have nothing else to critique, the beginning was a bit slow, but the other parts of the book made up for it! The mystery was well crafted as always, and it definitely lived up to my expectations.

I would rate The Box in the Woods an 8.5/10, and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of murder mysteries!

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Teen SRC 2021 – The Toll by Neal Shusterman

Written by Rosie
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“We are imperfect beings… how could we ever fit into a perfect world?”

The Toll by Neal Shusterman is the third and final book of the Arc of a Scythe Trilogy, a Dystopian series set in a world where humanity has conquered death. Those who die are simply deadish, able to be revived within a day, and old age is no longer a concern either; anyone and everyone is welcome to ‘turn a corner’ and go back to a certain age at any time. Scythes manage population control, gleaning people to make sure the Earth does not exceed its population capacity. But of course, with great power comes great responsibility, and some just do not possess that needed quality.

As this review is for The Toll, and not the first two books of the series, there will be spoilers for Scythe and Thunderhead. If you haven’t read those yet, I recommend that you do that first!

Regardless, onto the review.

Going into this, I had high expectations. Scythe and Thunderhead were both incredible reads, and I was hoping that The Toll would wrap the series up well. I was not disappointed; this book left me reeling with a variety of emotions, and even now, I’m still processing the ending. It’s been such a journey seeing the characters develop throughout the years, and in contrast to what I critiqued in my review of Scythe, I have come to relate to the many protagonists in this world, and it brings me so much joy to follow them on their many adventures.

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Teen SRC 2021- Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

Written by Inshal
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I opened Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin expecting a light-hearted romcom with Muslim lingo, fun anecdotes, and maybe a bit of serious discussion on what life is like as a South Asian Canadian Muslim woman. I was not expecting to be punched in the gut with beautiful characters, amazing writing, a fully-developed plot, and just an overall WONDERFUL book that feels like home. It is not often that I will openly rave about a book, (so enjoy it while it lasts) but Hana Khan Carries On deserves every compliment it gets and then some. It quite literally made me tear up. And it made me laugh. SO. MUCH. (Rashid, best and funniest character hands-down, gets all the comedic credit.)

Also, my fears about bad Muslim rep were completely wrong (THANK GOODNESS). Hana Khan Carries On manages to carry with it a nuanced and deep reflection about life as a second-generation immigrant, about Muslim love stories, loss, ambition, and family relationships. Every single plot line is so AMAZING, I am seriously in awe. There is a side plot to appeal to everyone, and even I, a self-proclaimed romance critic, loved every bit of it. The overall feel of the book is more of a classic than any light contemporary romance I’ve ever read (and I admit I haven’t read many, but still) which helps. It offers a rivals-to-lovers slow burn, includes so many twists and turns, offers well-developed side characters and CHARACTER ARCS THAT ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD. 

Anything else I could say would be redundant because I just loved reading this so much. I even finished it in a matter of hours (and will be rereading!). My only criticism is that the resolution wrapped up too quickly and that I could have down with a hundred more pages! *sigh*

Basically: If you haven’t read this book, go read it right now. 10/10, I have found a new favourite. 

P.S. This is not qualified as YA because the protagonist and other characters are in their 20s BUT there is absolutely nothing graphic or inappropriate in the book. In fact, it’s much more benign than some YA I’ve read AHAHAHA, don’t worry about that!

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Teen SRC 2021 – The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Written by Rosie
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The Kite Runner eBook by Khaled Hosseini - 9781408803721 | Rakuten Kobo United Kingdom

“For you, a thousand times over.”

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a historical fiction novel set in Afghanistan, and the United States. It follows the life and journey of Amir, the son of a a rich Afghan businessman, whom he calls Baba. Amir is rather sensitive and intelligent, and has a talent for storytelling. He and Hassan are best friends, having grown up together, but he is jealous of how Baba seems to favour Hassan over him.

This envy, combined with Amir’s ever-growing desire to prove his worth to Baba, leads to the unthinkable. He turns a blind eye when Hassan is sexually assaulted, and pretends he has not seen. Because of this, Amir is weighted with guilt, and for many years, he looks for a way to redeem himself.

The Kite Runner is one of those books that is felt deeply. It reaches into you and plays with your heartstrings. It evokes all kinds of emotions from you, from joy to heartbreak. For this reason, I loved it. It was a gorgeous, albeit devastating read, and it truly affected me. Hosseini writes with a distinct style that changes with the characters’ ages, and it genuinely feels as if I watched Amir grow up, making it all the more engaging. The characters are so well developed, and I especially appreciate the realism with which Hosseini depicted them. He makes you realize that the world really is all different shades of gray. That people are flawed; we’re not bad, we’re not good, we’re only human.

This book is also extremely relevant given recent events, and I am so glad I had the chance to learn more about Afghanistan and its people. The ending was very open, and I actually really liked that. It leaves a tinge of hope, because what happens next is up to us to decide.

Overall, I would rate this book a 9/10. I have yet to dislike a historical fiction, and The Kite Runner was no exception. I would recommend it to anyone who isn’t opposed to a heavy, emotional read that tackles many, many important topics.

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