Teen Book Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent
Author: Veronica Roth
Reviewer: Kinsey Manchester
Rating: 5/5 stars

In the sequel to the dystopian thriller, Divergent, Veronica Roth mesmerizes and captivates her reader once again with Insurgent. Tris Prior returns back in action in her warring world. The faction that she abandoned, named the Abnegation (selfless), has been attacked by her new faction, the Dauntless (courageous). The Dauntless, however, were under the influence of a simulation caused by the Erudite (intelligence). Now, three of the five factions are in a war. After Tris barely made it out of the conflict alive, she, her brother Caleb, and her boyfriend Tobias, are on the run to Amity, the peaceful faction. Here they seek refuge and safety for the time being. However, once Tris reaches the Amity, she realizes nothing is quite the same. Suffering from extreme guilt and grief over the loss of her parents, Tris barely hangs on with the help of Tobias. Secrets unravel, relationships change, and nothing is quite the same as it used to be. As Tris faces loss and death at every turn, she comes to terms with herself and what she is- Divergent. In the past, people have told her to fear being Divergent and that being Divergent is dangerous. However, as violence looms, Tris must fully embrace all parts of herself in order to save those she loves. What she doesn’t realize is what she might have to give up in order to do so.

In this book, Veronica Roth picks up right where she left off. While this is nice, if you haven’t read Divergent recently, I would recommend skimming over it. Otherwise, you may forget what’s going on, as I did when I first opened Insurgent. However, the fast paced beginning and the action from the start sets the tone for the whole novel. I absolutely love the fast pace and how quickly everything develops. I think that the author is very good at plot development. I have an idea as to what might happen next, but there is always a twist. As a reader, I love to be surprised and I think that she does that very nicely. Tris is a strong, stubborn, and relatable character. I often put myself in her shoes and picture doing the things that she does. What makes that so easy is the author’s effortless way of tying descriptions into actions. Some authors do not do a good job painting a scene without getting boring, but Veronica Roth puts in little details here and there that make it easy to know what she’s talking about. This book was excellent, and I recommend it to anyone who has read Divergent and enjoyed it. If you haven’t read either of these books, then you are missing out. If you like dystopian novels, action, romance, and adventure, then these books will soon have you captivated. When I reached the ending of this book, I was already looking online to see when the next one would be released. All I can say is that it is way too far in the future for my liking. 5/5 stars!

Book Review: A Girl Named Digit

Title: A Girl Named Digit
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Reviewer: Kinsey Manchester
Rating: 4/5 stars

Farrah “Digit” Higgins has spent her high school life trying to fit in with the popular kids. That might not sound too hard, but when you are a 17 year old girl who got a perfect SAT math score, is already committed to MIT, and recognizes numerical patterns in everything, being normal is a pretty difficult thing to do. In order to appear like a regular teen, she represses her intelligence with math. One night when she is watching a TV show with her four best friends, she sees a series of numbers at the bottom of the screen. She decides it is nothing, but when numbers appear in the same place of the screen for the next three weeks, she can’t help but try to crack what she believes is a code. Unfortunately, all she gets is the name JFK. Frustrated, she gives up on deciphering the numbers. The next day, a terrorist attack happens at the JFK airport, and Digit knows this is no coincidence. Not long after, the FBI decides to put her in federal custody because she has discovered an infamous eco-terrorist group and is in danger. The cute FBI agent, John, in charge of her protection appreciates Digit’s “talent” and finds her useful in trying to take down the terrorist group. Digit and John connect, which marks the first time that Digit has ever felt any true connection to another person, let alone a boy. Who knew that using her math skills would actually help her previously non-existent love life? But when Digit and John find themselves being attacked and found by the terrorists at every turn, can they keep each other alive?

A Girl Named Digit was a funny, well-written book. Digit was a hilarious, smart heroine who I enjoyed listening to. Often, she would try to say things in her head but end up saying them out loud, and therefore, embarrass herself in front of the gorgeous John Bennett. I found that particularly funny, because I have done that many times myself. I liked the supporting characters of Mr. Bennett, Mr. Higgins, Danny (Digit’s brother), and Olive (one of Digit’s best friends). I thought they were well-developed for supporting characters and added another layer to the story. Annabel Monaghan does a great job describing places, and I found myself wishing I could be in the story with them. The descriptions were so easily imaginable that it made it easier to connect with the characters and what they were feeling, seeing, and doing. I liked the relationship between John and Digit. The teasing, joking, and playing with each other was fun and cute in the desperate situations that they found themselves in. I liked the fast pace of the novel and how I finished the book quickly. I really have no complaints about this book and I think it was a really enjoyable book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action, adventure, and a little romance.

Book Review: The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

Book: The False Prince 

Author: Jennifer Nielsen

Teen Reviewer: Kinsey Manchester

Rating: 5/5 stars

 

In a faraway kingdom, a nobleman named Bevin Conner comes up with a clever plan. This plan, if successful, would save the country of Carthya from a civil war. Conner plans to disguise an orphan boy as the long lost Prince of Carthya. With the other Carthyan royalty dead, this Prince would be the new King, thus preventing the nobles from fighting over who should be King. Conner captures four boys and tries to teach them how to be upper class citizens in less than two weeks, when Conner plans to choose one boy as the long lost “Prince Jaron." One of the boys is a rebellious teen named Sage. He fights against Conner and refuses to surrender to him. Sage hates to participate in this act of treason against Carthya, but he soon realizes that he has no choice. If Sage is not chosen to be the Prince, he will surely be killed by Conner and his guards. Sage has a plan to ensure his own safety, but he has to be careful, because the other boys are just as motivated as he is. Sage can trust no one. When Conner decides who should be Prince Jaron, things start to unravel. Secrets are revealed and lies are told, and nobody can predict what will happen next. Even Conner and his foolproof plan are completely blindsided by perhaps the most dangerous revelation of them all.

The False Prince is a story full of danger, action, and mysteries. I finished this book in one day because I couldn’t put it down. I simply had to know the fate of Sage, who is an easily likable character. His defiance is admirable, even in the obvious face of danger. Despite Conner’s efforts, Sage continues to stay true to himself and not give in to the immense pressure of becoming someone else. The other boys, Latamer, Roden, and Tobias, were good competitors. I liked how Sage and Roden would agree when teasing Tobias, but Sage and Tobias would agree when teasing Roden. Errol, who was Sage’s personal servant at Conner’s mansion, was a funny character as well. He always laughed at how improper Sage would act and realized he was lucky to have been assigned the one boy with any character. Imogen, a mute maid, was a very caring and loving addition to this violent tale. She always took care of Sage when he was hurt and in the end, she proved to be a faithful friend. I thought it was very sweet of Sage to stick up for Imogen when she was in danger. The characters were wonderful, but the plot was even better. I expected a few things, which I ended up being right about. However, I did not come close to guessing the biggest secret of them all. It was a large, unexpected plot twist and I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the ending, even if it clearly leaves room for another book. After all, this is a trilogy. I recommend this book to any teen reader who enjoys a good adventure or action book!

 

Teen Book Review: The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Title: The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Author: Emily Danforth

Reviewer: Lauren Batchelder

Rating: 4.6/5 stars

When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief they’ll never know that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.  (Source: book summary)

The relief doesn’t last long, though, as Cameron is soon sent to live with her conservative aunt and grandmother. Despite their differences, she is able to keep her secret until Coley Taylor arrives in town. Good looking, spunky, peppy Coley has a perfect boyfriend, but it doesn’t stop Cam from starting to love her. They soon form an intense relationship and when Coley falls in love with Cam, things finally seem right. Then the world comes crashing down on Cam, when her Aunt finds out and sends the poor girl to a school to “fix” her and stop her from being a lesbian. This costs Cam the ability to love and accept herself, while she is still in the process of  trying to figure out who she is on her own terms.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a beautiful book about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life in your own way. I really enjoyed this book, because it was a topic that isn’t really discussed much, and I found it interesting that Danforth had the guts to write about it. This riveting page turner was beautifully told. I loved it and I am sure that you will too! 4.6/5 stars!

The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston

Title: The Woman Warrior
Author: Maxine Hong Kingston
Year of Publication: 1975
Genre: Memoir
Pages: 209

First Line: "'You must not tell anyone,' my mother said, 'what I am about to tell you. In China your father had a sister who killed herself. She jumped into the family well. We say that your father has all brothers because it is as if she had never been born.'"

Summary: Maxine Hong Kingston reveals aspects of her life and Chinese culture and history through her rich prose.


Review:  Kingston tells her stories in a unique prose style reminiscent of intimate story telling.  I read this book at the recommendation of my boyfriend.  Though, because of a lack of background, I did not quite get the full meaning of everything Kingston wrote about, I enjoyed what I did understand and came away with a new and more in-depth perspective of Chinese-American and Chinese culture.  This memoir might not be suitable for younger readers because of the depth and some content but is an enjoyable read for the summer.


Disliked: I didn't feel there was enough connection through each section to make it feel like a whole piece.

Liked:  Kingston's candid and ruthless perspective offers great insight.

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars


Author's Website: None

Book Review: Switched by Amanda Hocking

Title: Switched

Author: Amanda Hocking

Reviewer: Kinsey Manchester

Rating: 5/5 stars

 

Wendy Everly’s life has never quite been perfect. When she was six, her mother tried to kill her and has been locked up in a mental hospital ever since. Her brother and aunt raise her and care for her, because her mother hates her and believes she is a monster. Wendy has not been able to settle in one place, always changing schools and not ever fitting in. At her newest school, she meets a boy named Finn Holmes. Finn is a mysterious boy who seems to be paying a lot of attention to Wendy. He is the one guy who makes her feel like a normal girl. When Finn tells Wendy that all of her quirks add up to make her something more than human, Wendy doesn’t have a hard time believing him. Wendy’s mother may just be right about Wendy being a monster. Finn promises her a new life and a place where she can finally fit in; he tells her about a place called Förening. Wendy, believing him and also not wanting to admit how much she likes him, goes with Finn and leaves behind her family. She believes that she is keeping her family safe by leaving them behind because she believes that she is a monster. She is also interested in meeting people like her. Even when Wendy finds out that the people like her aren’t remotely close to being monsters, she still doesn’t love her new life. The only thing keeping her from leaving is Finn. Wendy misses the comfort of home as things become strained. She cannot be two different people and has to choose which will win over- her supernatural self or who she was raised to be.

I did not expect myself to like this book nearly as much as I did. I really adored this book because it was a supernatural book featuring creatures other than vampires, werewolves, and fairies. Amanda Hocking wrote a unique book and she wrote it well. Switched hooked me within the first few chapters. I finished this book in one afternoon because I couldn’t put it down. The characters were extremely likable. Wendy was a great main character and I loved how she was not afraid to stand up to those higher up than her. She cares for people and even though she thinks she is a monster at first, there is no way that someone that nice is capable of hurting anyone. Wendy’s brother, Matt, was a perfect supporting character. He was the best big brother, always doing anything for his little sister. Matt saved Wendy from their mother and he never stopped protecting and loving her. Finn was also a great match for Wendy and I loved how their relationship worked. It did not feel rushed like relationships sometime seem in books. Also, when Wendy met Rhys, I enjoyed Rhys, too. Rhys was a boy in Wendy’s new life at Förening and he was a good friend to her when she had nobody. The plot of Switched was fast paced and moved along quickly, but not fast enough that you felt like you were missing details. This book was the perfect start to a trilogy, and I absolutely cannot wait to read the next one. I recommend this book to readers who like action, supernatural, or a little romance. 5/5 stars!

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Year of Publication: 1925
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 182

First Line: "In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice I've been turning over in my mind ever since."

Summary: The Great Gatsby captures the romance and glitter of the Jazz Age in its portrayal of a young man and his tragic search for love and success. It is a rare combination: a literary masterpiece - and one of the most popular novels of our time.

Source: Back of book.

Review:  I read The Great Gatsby in high school and did not quite understand it as well as I wanted to, so this summer, I decided to pick it up again.  Being more able to grasp characters and keep them straight, I was better able to follow the plot-line and thus the subtleties of each character.  Fitzgerald has great command of the English language, allowing the prose to be beautiful and detailed.  If you haven't already read The Great Gatsby you should. You're missing out.


Disliked: Some characters are clearly only there for exposition purposes.

Liked:  Gatsby himself is so wonderfully crafted and Nick Carraway is such a great observer. I love the point of view this story is told in.

Rating:  5 out of 5 stars


Author's Website: None