Teens
Save the Enemy, by Arin Greenwood
Teen Reviewer: Iris Borne
Zoey Trask’s life is a mess. A year ago her mother was killed and her father still isn’t out of mourning and gets more depressed with each day. Her brother has to be monitored constantly and the burden is left to her. She feels like it is impossible to put her life back together until a boy named Pete takes a sudden interest in her.
TEDxYouth@KC invites those 25 and younger to be a part of our annual TEDxYouth event that will take place in November. We are looking for passionate and engaged individuals that are putting their idea worth spreading into action. We are also looking for those youth interested in event planning, set design and construction, and video production for TEDxYouth@KC.
Join us on Saturday, August 16th at 1 p.m. to learn more, give input, and participate in the creation of an amazing TEDx event. The presentation will be hands-on and interactive and attendees should expect to be there for two hours. So come out and have an impact on this event. If you don’t show up, you can’t be heard.
TEDxYouth@KC is presented by the Kansas City Public Library, Camp Fire, Science City at Union Station, and TEDxKC.
Great, by Sara Benincasa
Teen Reviewer: Keely McLouth
What would your life be like if your mother was famous? Most of us think Life would be amazing!, but that is not the answer for Naomi Rye. Not only are her parents divorced, Naomi has to spend a whole summer with her uptight, famous mother. In this intruiging story, Naomi is prepared for her usual summer of famous people and fake friends.
Awaken, by Katie Kacvinsky
Teen Reviewer: Keely McLouth
Imagine a world full of technology, but not like what we have now. Imagine something more, a lot more, different. Where people can't remember what it's like to have human contact with people other than their families. Yes, they are in each other's presence, but they aren't connecting.
The Chaos, by Nalo Hopkinson
Teen Reviewer: Iris Borne
The Chaos is centered on Sojourner, aka “Scotch”, who starts developing black blemishes all over her body. She dreads going to school and fears that somebody might discover her past if she’s not careful. When her parents go out of state, she and her brother Rich see a chance to be free of their overbearing parents.
Shelter: A Mickey Bolitar Novel, by Harlan Coben
Teen Reviewer: Jade Johann
This book is about a teenage boy named Mickey Bolitar who is facing major life changes. How would you feel if you witnessed your father’s death, had your mom go into rehab, and then have to live with your uncle and move to a different school? These are things Mickey is dealing with. His life is a roller coaster spinning out of control.
A World Without Princes, by Soman Chainani
Teen Reviewer: Iris Borne
A World Without Princes centers once again on Sophie and Agatha, who are finally home. Having escaped the school master, they can now live in peace…or so they thought.
The Space Between, by Brenna Yovanoff
Teen Reviewer: Keely McLouth
Darkly beautiful and twisted, The Space Between is a mysterious story unlike any book I've ever read. With many twists and turns, Brenna Yovanoff's writing continues to surprise me. This book touched my heart with many waves of emotions as Daphne and Truman take on a dangerous adventure to save Daphne's brother from the most threatening duo on Earth.
Bite-Sized Magic: A Bliss Novel, Book 2, by Kathryn Littlewood
Teen reviewer: Iris Borne
Bite-sized Magic is centered on Rosemary Bliss, who won the Gala des Gateaux Grands baking competition, beating her evil aunt Lilly and winning back the Bliss Cookery Booke. Sadly this brings her much unwanted fame. All Rose wants to do is bake sweets with her family at their bakery.
Changeling, Order of Darkness series, by Philippa Gregory
Teen Reviewer: Zeke Pedrino
I think that Changeling: The Order of Darkness Book One is a fantastic book. I think this book is fantastic because it is fast paced and has action, which I am fond of. It also has a lot of religious based ways, most are catholic, which is surprising and allows me to learn about other religions.
Sea of Shadows, by Kelley Armstrong
Teen Reviewer: Grace Anne Pedrino
Twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are the Keeper and Seeker of their small village, Edgewood. The Keeper and Seeker's job is to keep quiet the souls of the Damned - the dead people's souls.
But, on their mission to do so, they are separated and abandoned in a wasteland that is no longer empty. As they journey back together they experience many hardships, such as betrayals and abandonment. But even those tragedies are no match for the brewing war.
The Sea of Shadows was an extraordinary book. It was written wonderfully and with care. It made me feel as though I was right with the characters all along. It was an amazing book. I literally could NOT put it down. The characters were very realistic. They even had realistic reactions. Even the minor characters had realistic reactions. Even so, the ending made you need the next book, it was so good. BUT, I personally could have gone without the cliffhanger ending. Regardless, it was a great book. 5 stars.
Enjoy these teen reads for Women's History Month.
Historical Teen Fiction:
- The Good Braider: a novel by Terry Farish — Sudanese refugees
- Newes from the Dead: Being a True Story of Anne Green, Hanged for Infanticide at Oxford Assizes in 1650, Restored to the World and Died Again 1665 by Mary Hooper — 1650 Oxford, England
- Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl — 19th Century England
- Copper Sun by Sharon Draper — 1700s American slavery
Our Oh My Teen book group interviewed author Ari Marmell about his young adult novel Thief's Covenant, the first in the Widdershins Adventure series and the group pick for November. A brief synopsis of Thief's Covenant: "She is Widdershins, a thief making her way through Davillons underbelly looking to find answers, and justice with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god with no other worshipers but Widdershins herself."
Q) Why did you select to write Theif's Covenant from a female perspective?
When I very first started to envision this book, the main character was male. Problem was, as I tried to develop the basic story and the outline, it just didn't feel right, no matter what I did with it. It only started feeling like it was working when I decided to make Shins female. So, bottom line? Purely a creative decision that felt right for the book and the character. Nothing more complex or detailed than that.
Q) How does your role-playing experience impact the development of your plot and characters?
Book reviews came in at all hours of the day and night during Teen Tech Week! After you read some of them below, why not check out the book? We'll put up more soon. BTW - no need to stop just because TTW is over. Text in some more!
Beautiful Creatures By: kami garcia & margaret dtohl
A girl. A boy. A hidden family secret. And a love story. What more could you want in a good book?
Warriors Into the Wild by Erin Hunter: I like it because it tells how it all begins, the saga, the friendship, and the struggle to prove his worth. Try it soon.
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