Category: Young Adult

Title: Backlash
Author: Sarah Darer Littman
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Format: Paperback
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

He says: You’re an awful person.
He says: What makes you think I would ever ask you out?
He says: The world would be a better place without you in it.

Lara just got told off on Facebook.

She thought that Christian liked her, that he was finally going to ask her to his school’s homecoming dance. They’ve been talking online for weeks, so what’s with the sudden change? And where does he get off saying horrible things on her wall? Even worse–are they true?

It’s been a long time since Lara’s felt this bad, this depressed, this ugly. She’s worked really hard to become pretty and happy – and make new friends after what happened in middle school.

Bree used to be best friends with overweight, depressed Lara, but constantly listening to Lara’s issues got to be too much. Secretly, Bree’s glad Christian called Lara out. Lara’s not nearly as amazing as people think. But no one realized just how far Christian’s harsh comments would push Lara. Not even Bree.

As online life collides with real life, things spiral out of control, and not just for Lara. Because when the truth starts to come together, the backlash is even more devastating than anyone could have ever imagined

Review:

This story deals with the important topic of cyberbullying.

Lara attempts suicide after a boy she was chatting with online tells her to kill herself. She survives, but that incident spirals into problems for two different families. Ultimately, the bully gets in trouble for pushing Lara too far, but the story asks the question of who is really to blame for the whole situation.

Cyberbullying is a problem in today’s society. Things that are said online can really affect someone, and cause them permanent damage, just like how Lara attempted to take her own life. However, the bully can turn into the victim when they face the backlash of their actions. This story shows how bullying can spiral out of control and affect the bully’s family.

What to read next:

Want to go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Anything But Okay by Sarah Darer Littman

Have you read Backlash? What did you think of it?

Title: The Field Guide to the North American Teenager
Author: Ben Philippe
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 8, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Norris Kaplan is clever, cynical, and quite possibly too smart for his own good. A black French Canadian, he knows from watching American sitcoms that those three things don’t bode well when you are moving to Austin, Texas. Plunked into a new high school and sweating a ridiculous amount from the oppressive Texas heat, Norris finds himself cataloging everyone he meets: the Cheerleaders, the Jocks, the Loners, and even the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Making a ton of friends has never been a priority for him, and this way he can at least amuse himself until it’s time to go back to Canada, where he belongs.

Yet, against all odds, those labels soon become actual people to Norris. Be it loner Liam, who makes it his mission to befriend Norris, or Madison the beta cheerleader, who is so nice that it has to be a trap. Not to mention Aarti the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, who might, in fact, be a real love interest in the making. He even starts playing actual hockey with these Texans.

But the night of the prom, Norris screws everything up royally. As he tries to pick up the pieces, he realizes it might be time to stop hiding behind his snarky opinions and start living his life—along with the people who have found their way into his heart.

Review:

I really enjoyed this book! It was funny and entertaining.

I was laughing within the first couple of pages of the story. There were lots of references to pop culture, such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Friends, which were subtle but so funny! They weren’t always explained, which made them more exciting when I discovered one, because it was like an inside joke with the book.

I could totally relate to Norris’s experience as a Canadian going to a warm climate and having trouble adjusting to the hot temperatures. Montreal is even colder than Toronto, and though I haven’t ever been to Texas, I can imagine how hot it would be. I love the heat, so I don’t think I would mind, but I wouldn’t like sweating through multiple shirts a day.

Though the story was a lot of fun, it became quite serious towards the end, including a run-in with the police. I would love to see what happens with these characters in a sequel!

What to read next:

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Have you read The Field Guide to the North American Teenager? What did you think of it?

Title: Princess in the Spotlight (The Princess Diaries #2)
Author: Meg Cabot
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: June 26, 2001
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

She’s just a New York City girl living with her artist mom…
News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that’s why a limo meets her at the airport!)

Downer: Dad can’t have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.)

Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material.

Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmére, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne.

Well, her father can lecture her until he’s royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty–no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what’s a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo?

Review:

There are a lot of changes in Mia’s life in this book. Her mother is pregnant and is planning on marrying her algebra teacher, Mr. Gianini. Her mother plans to have a small wedding at the city hall, but her paternal grandmother takes over the wedding and plans a big event at the Plaza. It was fun to see how everyone reacted to this big wedding (both in anger and excitement), which most people dream of but cannot afford to have. 

Mia also has a secret admirer in this book. She hopes it is her crush, but she only finds out who it is at the end of the book. 

This book takes place over a very short period of time. It only spans about a week and a half. It is fast paced because the chapters were short and quick to read. 

I love rereading this series. Some references are a bit dated, but it is still a great series for young adult readers today. 

What to read next:

Princess in Love (The Princess Diaries #3) by Meg Cabot

Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

Have you read Princess in the Spotlight? What did you think of it?

Title: The Afterlife of Holly Chase
Author: Cynthia Hand
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 24, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she’d become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn’t.

And then she died.

Now she’s stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge–as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly’s afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change. . . . 

Review:

I loved this book!

This story is a unique twist on A Christmas Carol. A company called Project Scrooge plans out a night of ghosts for a new Scrooge every Christmas Eve. They spend the whole year studying the Scrooge so they can provide the most effective memories for that night. However, this year is different because Holly, a former failed Scrooge, falls for their current Scrooge, Evan Winters III.

Though this book is centred around Christmas, it does not have to be read during Christmas. I read it at Christmas because I thought it was meant to be a holiday story, but it could be read any time of year. Most of the story takes place in the year leading up to December 25th, so it could be read at any time.

I was completely surprised at the ending. I never could have guessed what happened. I won’t spoil it, but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised.

I really enjoyed this book. I’ll be recommending it all year!

What to read next:

The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Aston, Jodi Meadows

Have you read The Afterlife of Holly Chase? What did you think of it?

Title: My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life
Author: Rachel Cohn
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: December 18, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

“I’m here to take you to live with your father. In Tokyo, Japan! Happy birthday!”

In the Land of the Rising Sun, where high culture meets high kitsch, and fashion and technology are at the forefront of the First World’s future, the foreign-born teen elite attend ICS-the International Collegiate School of Tokyo. Their accents are fluid. Their homes are ridiculously posh. Their sports games often involve a (private) plane trip to another country. They miss school because of jet lag and visa issues. When they get in trouble, they seek diplomatic immunity.

Enter foster-kid-out-of-water Elle Zoellner, who, on her sixteenth birthday discovers that her long-lost father, Kenji Takahari, is actually a Japanese hotel mogul and wants her to come live with him. Um, yes, please! Elle jets off first class from Washington D.C. to Tokyo, which seems like a dream come true. Until she meets her enigmatic father, her way-too-fab aunt, and her hyper-critical grandmother, who seems to wish Elle didn’t exist. In an effort to please her new family, Elle falls in with the Ex-Brats, a troupe of uber-cool international kids who spend money like it’s air. But when she starts to crush on a boy named Ryuu, who’s frozen out by the Brats and despised by her new family, her already tenuous living situation just might implode.

My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life is about learning what it is to be a family, and finding the inner strength to be yourself, even in the most extreme circumstances.

Review:

This was a great story. When I first started reading it and I saw that Elle was in foster care, I thought it was going to be a stereotypical story of a girl who has to survive foster care. However, she had a “Princess Diaries” style discovery when her biological father sent for her to come to Tokyo.

The rest of the story was reminiscent of Crazy Rich Asians. Elle went to an elite international school in Tokyo, and she lived in a hotel with a gorgeous view of the city and 24/7 room service. I had never had a desire to go to Tokyo, but after reading this book, it looks like so much fun!

I was a little disappointed at the ending. It felt rushed and sudden. There were some important issues that were mentioned, such as teen pregnancy and alcoholism, but they weren’t explored very much. I would love to see what happens to Elle after the ending of the story.

What to read next:

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares (Dash & Lily #1) by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

The Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries #1) by Meg Cabot

Have you read My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life? What did you think of it?

Title: The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5)
Author: Lemony Snicket
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 8, 2000
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Dear Reader, 

If you are looking for a story about cheerful youngsters spending a jolly time at boarding school, look elsewhere. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent and resourceful children, and you might expect that they would do very well at school. Don’t. For the Baudelaires, school turns out to be another miserable episode in their unlucky lives. 

Truth be told, within the chapters that make up this dreadful story, the children will face snapping crabs, strict punishments, dripping fungus, comprehensive exams, violin recitals, S.O.R.E., and the metric system. 

It is my solemn duty to stay up all night researching and writing the history of these three hapless youngsters, but you may be more comfortable getting a good night’s sleep. In that case, you should probably choose some other book. 

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

Review:

This story is a little different, because the Beaudelaire children go to school. However, it is not a typical school experience. They are ostracized from the rest of the school by having to live in the “orphan shack.” Since Sunny is a baby, she can’t go to school, so instead the vice principal (their guardian) makes her work as his secretary!

Of course, the story wouldn’t be complete without Count Olaf coming after the siblings. He gets past the security system the principal set up, and poses as the coach for the school.

The Beaudelaires make some friends named the Quagmires. They are a brother and sister, who were triplets but their other brother died in a fire just like the Beaudelaire’s parents. There are many similarities between the Beaudelaires and Quagmires. I can’t wait to see what happens in their friendship.

Have you read The Austere Academy? What did you think of it?