Category Archives: Young Adult/Teen 12-18

Review: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Kittyhawk and the Curse of the Yukon GoldKitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold
Iain Reading
Published November 30, 2012

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Teen adventurer Kitty Hawk’s dreams come true when she receives funding which allows her a chance to study the behavior and habits of humpback whales in waters off the coast of Alaska. Aboard her trusty De Havilland Beaver, Kitty observes and documents information about the whales from the air. The altitude gives her more than a bird’s eye view of the whales, though. When she spots a suspicious boat she fears may be carrying stolen Yukon gold, she stops to investigate – and gets swept away in a conspiracy stretching all the way back to the gold rush itself.

The story begins a bit slowly – Kitty’s whale-watching venture, while fascinating, doesn’t translate to text with a lot of power and excitement. The early chapters are peppered with flashbacks, which also slowed the story and muddled the timeline. Once Kitty becomes involved in the gold theft scheme, the author’s ability to lace history and fact in with the story becomes a lot more engrossing. As Kitty traverses the territory so long ago walked by hopeful miners, she learns a bit of the area’s history from an unlikely source.

The timing during which I read this book couldn’t have been more perfect. I read the last page aboard a cruise ship sailing the inner passage on my way to Juneau. Like Kitty, I saw humpback whales (from a boat rather than plane, though) and later had the pleasure of taking a train up through White Pass. I enjoyed having some background and a little bit of fantasy about the area on my visit. Young readers interested in Alaska and the history of the gold rush would enjoy the balance of history and fiction in the story.

Profanity and Crude Language Content
Mild profanity throughout, moderate frequency.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
A man threatens others at gun point. No shots are fired.

Drug Content
Men drink beer around a campfire.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Rebels by Jill Williamson

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Rebels (The Safe Lands #3)
Jill Williamson
Blink – Zondervan
Published January 1, 2014

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Mason and Omar’s friends helplessly watch from their hiding places as the brothers face liberation, a process which remains a mystery to all Safe Landers. Once the boys learn what it is to be liberated, they begin plotting to bring the truth to all the people of the Safe Lands. After all, the only way to bring freedom to the Safe Lands is to expose the horrible secrets that fuel the leadership’s power.

From his place in hiding, Levi continues to pursue his one goal: getting his people free of the Safe Lands. Before he can make his move, though, his wife Jemma is captured and forced to serve as a Queen, a woman carrying a child for the Safe Lands. Levi vows to rescue her, but each day’s broadcasts seem to show Jemma slipping further into the ways of the Safe Landers.

Series readers will not be disappointed in this thrilling conclusion to a fascinating series. As her readers have come to expect, Williamson delivers an immersive story world. Each major character faces a great challenge to his or her beliefs or expectations about life and really wrestles through the disappointment. Romances are kindled and fears conquered.

Some of the drug content and concern about the thin plague, which is often transmitted sexually (experiences are not described) make this series a bit too heavy for younger readers. This is a novel more suited to readers ages fourteen and up.

Profanity and Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
A few kisses. Brief, vague references to sex.

Spiritual Content
Many characters wrestle with bitter disappointments which threaten to damage or destroy their faith in God. Though the threads of faith are a little more subtle in this story, there are some really deeply spiritual moments. My favorite moment is when Shaylinn attempts to explain the mystery of faith versus the law to a group of highly disciplined and judgmental people. The conversation doesn’t roll as perfectly in the scene as it did in her mind, which is just so true to the experience so many of us have had in trying to explain the deeper things of faith. Her courage despite the difficulty is heartwarming.

Violence
Mason and Omar face multiple opponents. Both are severely beaten. Details are minimal.

Drug Content
Omar continues to use drugs and alcohol as an attempt to relieve emotional pain.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Paper Towns by John Green

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Paper Towns
John Green
Penguin Group
Published October 16, 2008

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Popular and notorious Margo Roth Spiegelman shocks Quinten out of his low-key, rule-abiding existence when she drags him along with her on a night of pranks and misadventures. When Margo disappears the following morning, Quinten believes she left clues to her whereabouts behind, hoping he will find her. As he searches for clues, he realizes there’s much more to Margo than the queen bee people perceive her to be. Through the Whitman poem she leaves behind and the abandoned hideaway Quinten discovers, he learns about seeing past the faux exterior to knowing someone as they are and the importance of building a genuine interconnected community.

Quinten and his pals Ben and Radar team up to unlock the mystery of Margo’s disappearance. Radar’s parents’ odd collection provides that quirky humor classic to Green’s novels, though Ben’s constant trilling about girls becomes repetitive and obnoxious. The transformation of Quinten’s view of Margo is a bit predictable, though it’s deepened by the exploration of “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman and the story’s metaphor centered around “paper towns,” a reference first made by Margo herself.

As a native Central-Floridian, many moments in the story’s setting really resonated, calling to mind specific memories of drives down Florida’s roads and highways. It was fun reading something set in places so familiar.

While this was a fascinating story, it’s hard to compare it to Green’s other novels. The Fault in Our Stars in particular is a tough act to beat. Readers may enjoy this one more by reading it before devouring TFIOS.

Profanity and Crude Language Content
Extreme word choice, moderate frequency.

Sexual Content
Quinten’s best friend is pretty much obsessed with girls, whom he refers to as Honey Bunnies. While he has limited success, his comments can be crass and repetitive. Quinten looks through an open doorway at a couple having sex, hoping for a glimpse of the girl topless. One of Quinten’s friends plans to lose his virginity with his girlfriend on graduation night.

Spiritual Content
Margo briefly mentions her Jewish heritage.

Violence
A bully picks on Quinten and his friends.

Drug Content
Quinten goes to a party as the designated driver and witnesses his friends and other teens drinking alcohol and being generally and ridiculously drunk.

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Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, ,

Shatter Me (Shatter Me Series #1)
Tahereh Mafi
HarperCollins
Published November 15, 2011

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About Shatter Me

For months seventeen year-old Juliette remains locked inside a cold brick cell alone. She counts the days. Hours. Cracks on the wall. And then. Without explanation, a young man joins her in her cell, seemingly against his will. She recognizes him as Adam, the boy from her former life, the only one who ever showed her kindness.

As he begins to chip away at her outer shell, she warns him again and again that he cannot touch her. No one can. Though it is the one thing she desperately wants.

Juliette discovers Adam isn’t the boy she once knew. Now a soldier, he takes orders from a cruel, power-hungry commander. One who has discovered Juliette’s curse. A leader who will stop at nothing to bend Juliette to his will and use her curse to destroy all who oppose him.

My Review

Stark, powerful writing fills the opening pages of this haunting tale. Juliette clearly stands on the brink of insanity due to her long stay in solitary confinement. Yet when she’s released, she seems to acclimate quickly to life outside her prison, surrounded by people, and the beautiful intense writing fades to a more romance-oriented tone.

It’s hard to say whether that opening pace would have been sustainable for the entire novel, but the change between the first chapter and the last is so stark, it’s almost difficult to believe it’s the same novel. Juliette the love-starved, impassioned teenager obsessed with her new boyfriend doesn’t drive the story like the complex, writhing girl trapped in a world unprepared for her presence.

Following the popular vein of romantic dystopian fiction, SHATTER ME is likely to appeal to DIVERGENT fans. Be prepared – this romance packs a pretty hormonal punch when it comes to sexual tension and desire. Mafi keeps the descriptions fairly PG, but the characters’ intentions are also wildly clear. Read below for more details.

Content Notes

Profanity and Crude Language Content
Heavy use of profanity.

Sexual Content
Juliette is barred from human touch but longs for it. Sexual tension explodes. Then she discovers a man who can touch her with no ill-effects. In several scenes the couple passionately kiss and she vaguely describes being touched. She expresses a desire to have sex with him, but each time they pursue this opportunity, they are interrupted prior to actually sealing the deal.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Juliette’s captor wishes her to torture prisoners of war for him. She resists. Juliette and a small child are placed in a small cell in which spikes randomly emerge from the walls and floor. A commanding officer executes a soldier by shooting him in the head. A couple of scenes show soldiers battling one another and receiving gunshot wounds.

Drug Content
A soldier gives a child a sleeping pill to keep him unconscious through a battle scene.

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Review: The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Fourteenth Goldfish
Jennifer Holm
Random House Children’s
Published August 26, 2014

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

For eleven year-old Ellie, sixth grade brings new and uncomfortable changes. Her best friend seems to have left her behind. Her goldfish has died. And her mother brings home a strange, fussy teenage boy who claims to be her grandfather.

Grandpa Melvin claims to have discovered the secrets of eternal youth. Now that he’s a teenager, though, no one will take him seriously. With the help of Ellie and another student, he hopes to complete his research and finally win that Nobel prize.

Her grandfather’s passion ignites something inside of Ellie, and she begins to study the great scientists in history herself. The references to the life and works of Galileo, Newton Salk, and Oppenheimer add richness and depth to the story. The challenges her grandfather faces as a result of his newfound youth highlight the flaws in the theory that with eternal youth comes eternal happiness and perfection. Fun and humor fill the story from start to finish. The characters are memorable. Holm brilliantly captures the wonder and curiosity that motivate great scientists and translates it into an entertaining, intelligent story for youth.

I was a huge fan of Ellie right from the beginning of the story, and the crazy antics of her teenage grandfather made me laugh out loud more than once. I liked the balance of science to story– while there’s a lot of science-y stuff happening, there’s still a strong story, too. The Fourteenth Goldfish is a fun read perfect for science enthusiasts and kids who enjoy quirky stories about family relationships.

Profanity and Crude Language Content
Brief crude references to bodily functions.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Through the Balustrade by M B Dahl

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Through the Balustrade
M. B. Dahl
Taberah Publishing
Published May 1, 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

For the first time in her life, Roxan has a home of her very own. Safety. Control of her own space. Yet trouble isn’t far behind her. A shadowy figure threatens her from the window. Her new boss seems bent on punishing her. When a peddler offers her answers for the relentless persecution, she reluctantly agrees to follow him to a forbidden area. The journey jolts free memories which have been trapped in Roxan’s mind, but she wants nothing to do with the promises or responsibilities the memories would bring. She only wants her normal life back.

Abiga’s never had normalcy. As an outcast child left to die in the wilderness, she grew up doing what she must in order to survive. Sometimes she did terrible things. Maybe that’s why the Leader hasn’t given her a gift. Maybe he doesn’t want her. It’s clear he does want Roxan, though, the strange girl with a gift more powerful than even she can imagine.

With the gentle guidance of Altrist, the group of believers seek the freedom of a life away from Hyperion’s crushing rule. When the dark ruler sets his sights on destroying Altrist and his friends, hope seems weak and far. Only with the help of the Leader and the powerful gifts he gives can they escape.

The fantasy world quickly sucks readers into a story peppered with off-beat, interesting characters. Once or twice characters made small decisions that seemed out of place, but on the whole, they were consistent. Sometimes stories which strive for this allegorical tone quickly turn cheesy or become awkward in the attempt to preserve parallels with the source story. Through the Balustrade steered clear of that pitfall and kept the familiar themes feeling fresh through its detailed setting and complex relationships between characters. Dahl proves herself a wonderful storyteller, definitely an author to watch.

Profanity and Crude Language Content
No profanity or crude language.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters follow a Leader, an unnamed being who gives gifts and aid to his followers and promises to lead them into freedom away from Hyperion’s tyranny.

Violence
Battle scenes show characters fighting to the death. No gory details given.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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