teenadvisorycorps's blog

Callie VanDrexel thinks she knows exactly what her future holds, until her mom accepts a job at an animal santuary in Florida, forcing callie to leave the circus and put her high wire dreams on hold. She is still struggling with the recent death of her grandmother, Victoria, and the move is doing little to help her cope. Fifty years earlier Victoria runs away to the circus with a plan to make a new life for herself in Texas. But as time goes on she gets closer to the members of VanDrexels Circus, and findes her place on the highwire. After a while Texas seems less and less like the right path to take. Frustrated and confused Victoria writes down lessons she picks up from the circus on scraps of paper that she stores in her jewelry box. 

We Walked the Sky telles the story of Callie and her grandmother, Victoria. Their journey shares a powerful message about love, change, and the difference between running from and running to. Throughout the book Victoria's many secrets unravel through a series of journal entries and random notes, leaving Callie to put the pieces together to reveal the shocking truth about her beloved grandmother. In the novel Callie and Victoria both learn to embrace change and deal with the hardships of life. 

Jinghua has been exiled from her home and forced into slavery after her kingdom was conquored by the Mongolian empire. While stealing apples for her brothers ghost, she meets Khalaf, prince of Kipchak Khanate. Kind and smart, Jinghua is enamored by him. When Kipchak Khanate is attacked, Jinghua follows Khalaf and his father as they flee. Jinghua finds herself growing more deeply in love as the journey progresses, but Khalaf has other ideas. Turandokht, the Great Khans daughter, offers anyone who can answer three of her riddles her hand in marriage. Khalaf can save his Khanate and help his people if he is successful. But, if he fails to answer correctly, the consequence is death. 

    Based off the opera Turandot, The Bird and the Blade has a very play like style. It’s very character driven and there is a ton of dialog. Definitely my kind of book. 

    First of all, this book is hilarious. The way Jinghua describes her circumstances and basically everything Timur said made me smile. The humor also made it really easy to connect with the characters and sympathies with them. I don’t think Timur would have been likeable or even bearable without his amazing snarky comments. 

    It could be just because The Bird and the Blade is based on an opera, but all the characters were very well written. Every character had their own unique personality, even characters that only appears for one chapter. The characters react to different situations in ways that fit their personalities perfectly. It makes them seem more realistic, and again, easier to sympathies with. 

    The structure of the book was super cool. It skips through time, but in a very organized way. It makes the transition between timelines seamless and understandable. The riddles that Turandokht tells splits other more monotonous parts up and makes it more interesting as a whole. It also connects the riddles back to experiences that Khalaf had in the past which really tied everything together, and connected the past and present in an interesting way. 

    The ending of the book was full of plot twists that I didn’t see coming at all. They were the type of plot twists that make you want to reread the book to pick up on the clues that you overlooked. The twists aren’t revealed in an overly dramatic way either, they are revealed naturally through flashbacks and normal conversations. The ending of the book itself just felt like a giant plot twist, realistic, but still unexpected. It felt like a treat for finishing the book. 

    The only complaint I have is that it was a bit slow at some parts. Not unbearably so, because there were still things going on, just not for the plot. I think that’s to be expected of a book based off of an opera though. 

    Overall I would give The Bird and the Blade a 4.5/5. I really enjoyed this book, it was hilarious and entertaining. The characters were lovable but realistic and the plot was great. I really hope Megan Bannen continues to write because I would love to see more from her.

Beatrice is studying to become a doctor, so when she was kicked out of her boarding school, she is unsure of what she will do next. Hearing of her expulsion, Beatrice’s uncle, Leo, invites her to come live with him. Little does she know, Leo runs a speakeasy, Hey Nonny Nonny, in their basement. As Beatrice is introduced to the other residents, she unravels more about Hey Nonny Nonny and the business of running a speakeasy. One resident, Benedick, a writer-hopeful, leaves his boarding school to get away from his father’s ideal future for him. Accepting bootlegging as a better destiny, he resorts to Hey Nonny Nonny, his second home. When they first meet, there is a curiosity sparked between the two, but each of Beatrice and Benedick’s conversations seem to end negatively. Despite this, there is an allure that draws the two towards each other.

Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George transports you to the roaring twenties. Following six residents of Hey Nonny Nonny, you see glimpses and exploration of the varying aspects of the 1920’s including prohibition, women’s rights, jazz, and gangs. I adored the dialogue and banter, especially between Beatrice and Benedick. Not only is the dialogue fitting for the time, but it also feels relevant today. In addition, I enjoyed the balance between light-hearted relationships to more serious issues pertaining to operating the speakeasy. Furthermore, the multiple themes contributed to the drama and intrigue of the story. Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George is a fun and delightful story about the glamorous (and not so glamorous) 1920’s.

On October 7th, 1961, a tornado touched down at the drive in theatre in tiny Mercer, Illinois, killing dozens of teens. Almost fifty years later, on the anniversary of the tragedy a tornado tears through the exact same spot. Soon after the shocking event, three teens' paths start to cross. With everyone on high alert from the recent tornado the three of them start to notice some mysterious occurances, all while their own lives are spiraling out of control. We Speak In Storms is a rich and insightful book with a lot of emphasis on the characters's journeys as friends and as individuals. The story is told from the perspective of three teens; Callie, Joshua, and Brenna. Sprinkled through the book you get a couple mysterious and resonating paragraphs from the kids who were killed by the tornado fifty years prior. These short chapters are really enjoyable because they add some contrast to the style of the book. Over all the aspect of the novel that stood out the most was the unique voices and journeys of the characters. 

Teen Advisory Corps member Claire R was entranced by Marie Liu's forthcoming The Kingdom of Back about Mozart's mysterious and largely forgotten sister.

The Kingdom of Back was an inspiring story that will make you want to learn about Wolfgang Mozart's sister, who quite clearly was almost forgotten. Marie Lu brings her into the picture, and displays her struggles as a female composer in the 18th century. But there was also a magical part of the story, the Kingdom of Back. There is another plot line intertwined in real life, involving her desire for fame, and toying with the ideas of imagination and reality. The Kingdom of Back is a perfect story for music and fantasy lovers, and you just might learn something as well.

Claire enjoyed Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika and Mirtza Moulite, She says:

Alaine, an aspiring journalist, has always looked up to her mom, the host of the popular news show Sunday Politicos. Tuning in to watch every episode from her home in Miami with her father, Alaine is able to “connect” with her mom. Being a feminist and believer of justice, her mom is not afraid to call out guests for saying the wrong things, but on one episode, her response seems uncharacteristic. Due to backlash, she travels home to Haiti to stay with her sister. When Alaine goes to school the days following, she faces a lot of reminders of her mom’s behavior in a not-s0-nice manner. Outraged by her peers reaction, Alaine takes a class assignment too far and ends up getting into a lot of trouble. Disappointed by Alaine’s actions, her father sends her to Haiti to volunteer at her aunt’s organization. It is then that Alaine learns some surprising information regarding her mom. Though it is not under the best circumstances, Alaine is glad to finally visit “the Homeland” and be able to spend time with her mom. And while she’s there, she learns more about her family’s past and what it could mean for the future. 

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite is an intriguing story that unravels through journal entries, letters, postcards, emails, and text messages. In addition to uncovering Alaine’s family history, you are immersed in Haitian culture. The glimpses of Haiti that are sprinkled throughout the book add to Alaine’s discoveries, and further immerses you. Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite is an endearing story emphasizing the importance of family and leaves you thinking about the chances you would take for the people you love.

Teen Advisory Corps member Marley enjoyed What Makes Us by Rafi Mittelfeldt. Pre-order your copy today!

"Eran Sharon is passionate, maybe a little too passionate. He is quick to anger and always seems to escalate any situation he’s in. After a video of him pushing a man at a protest goes viral, the press is quick to discover that the father Eran has never met was a terrorist. While news vans and reporters pile up at his door, Eran is left wondering if extremism is hereditary or if he has a chance to be different from his father.

    What Makes Us is the type of book that will make you think. It brings up the classic nurture/nature debate, asks if violent protest is different from terrorism, shows how media twists reality, etc. It definitely added an extra layer to the book, making the reader wonder alongside the characters about where they stand on these issues. 

    Rafi Mittlefehldt sometimes shifts into second person in his writing, which also added a level of connection to the characters. He makes the reader look through the eyes of his characters and see their perspective on issues. It made it easy to empathize with the characters.

    Eran’s character development felt very realistic. His development doesn’t start out of nowhere, there are a couple of triggers that spurr him forward along the way. Mittlefehldt shows him thinking about how he acts and how he wants to act as he works to control his anger. I appreciated how Eran slips up a couple of times before he starts to improve and still isn’t perfect by the end of the book. Sometimes it feels like YA books either have no character development or the character develops out of nowhere and is suddenly perfect by the end of the book, so having a book that actually had realistic development was a pleasant surprise. 

    To nitpick, some points in the book that were written to be giant shocking moments fell a bit flat. I think it might be because there were so many moments that were supposed to feel surprising that it wasn’t anymore. Some of the less important points were a tiny bit overwritten too, which might have contributed to that. 

    Overall, I really enjoyed What Makes Us. It was easy to get into, and the characters were likeable. The beginning reminded me of Anger is a Gift and the rest—especially Mittlefehldt’s writing style—reminded me of Picture Us In the Light. I’d give What Makes Us a solid ⅘ and I would recommend it to people who want a realistic book that deals with difficult issues without being too sad. 

Claire says Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo is tops! 

Lucky, one of Korea’s most popular k-pop stars, is about to make her American debut on The Later Tonight Show. But after watching her last performance from her tour, she realizes that her heart may not be in it the way it once was. Hungry for a hamburger,—as her strict diet has not allowed her to indulge in one—Lucky runs away from her hotel to find one. Jack, a destined-to-be banker, has been forced to intern at his father’s bank during his gap year. Bored at one of the banquets, Jack makes an excuse to leave early. Soon after, he receives a text from the editor of the celebrity gossip magazine he secretly works for and heads off to the hotel where the magazine’s next scoop is staying. Both running away from their realities, Lucky and Jack cross paths in the elevator and end up meeting again later that night.

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo follows a cute romance that develops between two teens who take a break from their life for one day. From its announcement, I have been looking forward to reading this book because like many other people on the planet, I love k-pop. I was excited to read about a k-pop idol, and I especially enjoyed the way Goo developed Lucky’s character by discussing the various struggles that an idol goes through—it felt very real. In addition, the relationship between Lucky and Jack developed nicely—I loved reading their dialogue and their thoughts about each other. I also thought that the characters’ self-discovery was a nice inclusion in the story to add an extra element to the character’s relationship. Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo is a summer-y read that will inspire you to follow your dreams.

Teen Advisory Corps member Claire has this to say about Hope and Other Punchlines by Julie Buxbaum

Abbi Hope, nicknamed Baby Hope, has been well-known her whole life since she was captured in a famous photo taken on 9/11. Recognized wherever she goes, she has heard many peoples’ stories and remains a symbol of hope for them. But wanting to escape from her life-long legacy for a little while, she takes a job at a local day-camp and spends the day with four-year-olds, her senior counselor, and Josh, the other junior counselor. Meeting for the first time, Josh instantly recognizes Abbi and wants her help on a mission to track down the other members of the Baby Hope picture. Not having much of a choice, Abbi agrees, and together they set out to hear from the other survivors.

Hope and Other Punchlines by Julie Buxbaum is a hopeful story about two teens whose lives are significantly tied to 9/11. As someone who was born after 9/11, I know the devastation of the day, but I will never be able to understand it the same way. Buxbaum’s story allowed me to learn about the true impact of this day and how it still resonates years later. Abbi and Josh’s stories work cohesively to provide different perspectives on 9/11 and are accessible to readers who may not remember 9/11 or who were not alive yet. Hope and Other Punchlines by Julie Buxbaum is certainly not an easy book to read, but definitely an important one.

Teen Advisory Corps member Zoe had this to say about Stolen Time by Danielle Rollins. 

Stolen Time isn’t so much about time travel as it is about why you really do not want to be living in Seattle in the future. Seriously, Danielle Rollins’ depiction of the year 2077 showcases a city devastated by an earthquake and tsunami that permanently flooded the area. And then, of course, there’s the rumored cannibal who leads a gang to terrorize Seattle at night. This apocalyptic state awaits our heroine Dorothy, who stows away on board what turns out to be a time machine in 1913. In the future, the pilot must accept Dorothy into his gang of teenage time travelers as they search for their missing leader.

The novel’s concept is tantalizing, but don’t expect a major focus on travel to different time periods. Instead, the dystopian themes take prominence, and a major portion of the book is actually more of a heist story involving breaking into a 1980s military base. Of course, that has an appeal of its own, but the reading experience would have been more enjoyable had I not gone into it expecting a wide variety of time travel. Readers do get introduced to historical elements as the teens discuss when and where they lived before being picked for the team, though these characters do not play major roles.

Ironically, my main complaint about Stolen Time is the pacing. The story takes place in what felt like about one day, which is not nearly enough time to develop the relationships central to the story. Plus, Dorothy seemed to adjust to 2077 life just a bit too fast for someone abruptly ripped from Victorian life. However, the more scientific aspects of Rollins’ work were very interesting, and the last section of the book made for a very exciting read. Overall, the future (sequels) is ripe with possibility.