Book Review: All the Stars and Teeth

Hey hey everyone! I'm here today with a quick book review for ya! In the spirit of making a valiant effort to be consistent, I'm aiming to post a book review on the first of each month. Today, I've got an awesome read for you guys, so let's get into it! 

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

Genre: Fantasy, adventure | Series: Book 1 of 2 | My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

If you love anything to do with pirates, adventure, and magic, give this book a try! You’ll be instantly swept into a vivid, seaside world that glimmers like the ocean. Dive in and meet Amora, the princess of the kingdom of Visidia, and follow her on a twisty adventure throughout her kingdom.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer — the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder — and more peril — than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

This was one of my favorite reads of 2020, and the second book, which just came out in February, is high up on my TBR. I connected easily to the main characters – they are an excellent cast – and the world-building is stellar. If you can, I recommend reading this book on a beach! Perfect for fans of fairy tales and mythology, this book will sweep you away.

Stop by the library and take home this gorgeous book today!

Read this one? What did you think? Any suggestions for future reviews or things we should read? Let us know in the comments! 

See you next time! 

-Anna

Teen Book Reviews: The Color Purple and Homegoing

As we finish up Black History Month, I am excited to share these two compelling books by African American authors, reviewed by our teen volunteer Sarah. Sarah wrote these thoughtful reviews on The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. 

For more information or to place a hold on these books at the library, click on the title links below. You can also borrow the ebook using the free Libby app or at owwl.overdrive.com

Review of The Color Purple, by Alice Walker

book review by Sarah B. 

      Privilege. Something that many of us have grown up with. In The Color Purple by Alice Walker, it dives into the harsh reality that African American women endured during the 1900's. As it takes place in Georgia and Africa, two sisters, Celie and Nettie, communicate and write their two different experiences with society. Walker depicts the environment and its impacts on each of the women, and although some characters brought damage and unhappiness to their life, the empowerment of the female gender in this book made it truly remarkable.

         As the sisters are directed into two different lives from their abusive and manipulative father at a young age, Celie is forced to marry an abusive man, Albert, while Nettie becomes apart of a kinder family who treats her and what she does for them with more respect than what was 'normalized' during that time. Nettie becomes a part of helping a family, Samuel and Corrine, who adopted Celie's children who she had to give up, Olivia and Adam. Both females act as mother figures either to Albert's children, especially to Harpo who struggles with how to act appropriately and respectfully towards women, or as Nettie towards Olivia and Adam. Celie writes letters to God, expressing her experience with abuse by Mr.      . Yes his last name was used with a blank space which I find quite amazing. It is almost as if he didn't deserve that title because of his abusive actions but Celie would still have to respect his male figure. As Celie meets Shug Avery, she is provided with guidance with finding her voice and strength to live her life freely. Later in the book, Nettie experiences a missionary trip in Africa with her new family and writes to Celie her experiences with this new unfamiliar environment and what she learns from the people she meets. One quote that stood out to me during her time in Africa was, "an African daisy and an English daisy are both flowers, but totally different kinds'' (135). African Americans, including these women, had to find a way to endure through the mistreatment and struggles that were because of the uneducated and inaccurate opinions of the white race. Both characters grow and learn their true selves throughout this book.

         Overall this book made me fall in love with reading about African Americans, especially women, voices and perspectives. I would definitely recommend this book as it was a challenging but very interesting read. These women empowered me as a reader as it showed their strength and leadership they faced in the mean and cruel world and that giving up reflects weakness to a woman's character which allows justification to the male gender with their 'superiority' they feel over women. Other books like this include I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou which is an autobiography of Angelou and her story in overcoming racism and setbacks and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe that is about African American's perspective and experience with Europeans in the 19th century. It was truly a good read and if you are 16 and over, make sure you grab a copy!

 

Review of Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi

book review by Sarah B.         

       If you're looking for an engaging book that comes from multiple characters perspectives then I have a book for you! After I completed The Color Purple, I was eager to find more books that revolved around African Americans. Homegoing follows the timeline of generations among a family from the times of slavery to freedom, each member of the genetic line having a different challenge and environment they were living in but at the end finding their way back to their original roots.

         It begins with the separation of two sisters, Esi and Effia. Both were born in the Ghana region where conflict between the Asantes and British were increasing. Esi was put into slavery under the castle where Effia was forced to marry James Collin, a powerful man that allowed this slavery to take place in the dungeon, shut out from the rest of the world. There the story follows the journey of their children, and each generation until the end of the story where Marjorie, from Effia's line of family encounters Marcus, from Esi's line and explores the history of stories that the book dives into. From forced marriages, to escaping the life of the unwanted, to working in dusty coal mines, to the fear of fire and the damage it tolls, and to the life in the city of isolation, Gyasi depicts how each character was transformed and shaped as they embody their peers and environment. I thought it was very fascinating how the book began with the historic feature of the Asantes and the war they were fighting in the country of Ghana against the "white men" and ends with how African Americans were faced with life in Harlem, where they were surrounded by a completely different population of color and how they were impacted with trying to maneuver a way of life and family. The symbolism of fire and the black stone necklace that was carried down to generation played a huge role in representing that change or continuation from their past but also how it reminded them of it leaving a permanent or valuable reminder of their other family and their trials that led them to the life they were able to live. Read about the escape, the growth, and the courage among these characters in this amazing novel.

         This was one of my favorite books I have read. From my past review, I mentioned how much I like reading through African American lenses and voices and it continues with this engaging masterpiece. It is a whole other side of the world that you get to read about and it educates the reader on the different lives that African Americans were faced to live in through the nineteenth century and beyond, conflicting between different areas of the world as well. This book is about growth, independence, and strength as these brave warriors live on through their relatives' experiences and endure new struggles and people on their own. Other books like this include The Vanishing Half and The Mothers by Brit Bennett, two other African American based novels. Another amazing read that I definitely recommend and would be a great read to start during February break!

____________________________________________

Have you read either of these books? If not, has Sarah inspired you to pick one up? Let us know in the comments if you have any feedback or any other book recommendations.

Teen Book Reviews: Sadie and The Sun is Also A Star

I'm excited to share these book reviews recently submitted by two of our teen volunteers. Sarah reviews Sadie by Courtney Summers and Olivia reviews The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. I hope you enjoy these, and maybe you'll find your next great read!

Review of Sadie, by Courtney Summers

by Sarah B.

It can be terrifying knowing that we don’t really know anyone. We can establish a feeling of trust with them but their actions can be shocking and gut wrenching, each cell in our body covered with chills at this disbelief. Ultimately it is a game with ourselves. Wondering where we went wrong or what we could have done better to prevent it. Sadie Hunter unravels a world of the unknown in hopes to find answers and validation with regards to her sister’s death. She learns independence and self-worth when fighting this battle alone. In Sadie by Courtney Summers, you get to follow the suspenseful encounters and adventures she faces while at home, a radio host, West McCray tracks her steps trying to figure out what happened to her.

         Sadie Hunter is on the search and is declared missing as she is trying to find her sister’s, Mattie Southern’s, killer. West McCray takes the challenge of trying to find Sadie as worry is rising in Cold Creek, Colorado. Sadie’s mother, Claire, abandoned her and her sister when Mattie was eleven to live through her alcohol addicted reality. May Beth Foster, their “adoptive” mother watched over them but Sadie had an eye like a hawk over Mattie and dictated her whole life solely out of protection and fear that she would lose her to. Sadie unravels many secrets from people of her past and meets people from all different kinds of towns, making friends and enemies along the way. From Ray’s Diner, to Silas Baker in Montgomery and the Bluebird Hotel, danger is a prevalent factor that Sadie endures throughout her journey, keeping an eye out to stay safe physically but also trying to keep hold of her sanity in the process. But the mystery of Mattie’s killer is that motivation factor that never leaves her mind no matter how horrifying it may be.

         In all honesty I decided to tackle this book as it was Barnes and Nobles monthly pick and I heard good reviews about it! I really enjoyed Little White Lies by Philippa East and wanted to read another thriller. This plot really does emphasize how manipulative and mysterious people can be. Putting on a blank face and an act around you and others to hide their darkest intentions. I enjoyed how Summers convinced the reader that it could be one suspect but then had you thinking again when another suspicious character was added to the storyline and their background with Sadie and her family. The ending definitely took a twist and left you more in interpreting what you think happened than being very direct with it. Personally, it was not one of my favorite books but if you are at the age of 14 or 15 and love reading mysterious thrillers, then I would recommend this book to you! According to GoodReads, a book similar to Sadie is Wilder Girls by Rory Power! This book follows a girl searching for her missing classmate escaping the school while they are supposed to be quarantined because of an infectious outbreak and facing the dangers ahead. 

Review of The Sun is Also A Star, by Nicola Yoon

by Olivia O.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon is about a girl who is trying not to get deported, and a boy who has to tell his parents he wants to be a poet. This is an excellent book because it touches on mature subjects like deportation and illegal immigrants, but explains them in a great way. This story is told from multiple different perspectives, so you can see how it is through another character's eyes. The perspective changes are usually between the two main characters, Natasha Kingsley and Daniel Jae Won Bae, but sometimes through minor characters' eyes, like Natasha’s dad and the Woman at the customs office. I would recommend The Sun is Also a Star to anyone who likes realistic fiction and romantic novels. The age group I would recommend would probably be 12 and above. Overall, The Sun is Also a Star is a great book about romance and deportation, and I would definitely read a second time.

____________________________________

Have you read either of these books? What did you think? Have you read anything lately you would recommend to other teens? Let us know in the comments.  

You can find both of these books in the young adult section of the library. Use these links to place a hold:

Sadie

The Sun is Also a Star

The ebooks and audiobooks are also available online using your library card through the free Libby app or at owwl.overdrive.com/

 

Teen Book Reviews: In Her Skin & The Burning Girl

Do you need a new book to read? Check out these reviews by our teen volunteer, Emma!

In Her Skin, by Kim Savage

Jo Chastain  is a sixteen-year-old con who always wanted love, money and safety after her mother was beaten to death. But will she go as far as impersonating a missing girl to get this and how long will she be able to survive behind all these lies?

Jo has been living at Tent City in Boston the last few years, she has suffered through sicknesses and coldness with her friend Wolf. To get off the streets, she takes on the challenge to become Vivienne Weir who went missing at the age of nine. Becoming Vivi would set Jo into living with the Lovecrafts who give her money, love, security, and a sister Temple. Little did Jo know was there were more ties to Temple Lovecraft and the “disappearance” to Vivi than one would know.

So will Jo be able to escape the Lovecrafts grasp before its too late?

-Emma W.

The Burning Girl: A Novel, by Claire Messud

Julia and Cassie’s friendship dates all the way back to young girls. They considered themselves sisters and shared their life with each other. Both girls always wanted to leave their birthplace and everything that's expected of them. But will this ever happen?

Cassie starts acting weird and starts putting herself and her friendship with Julia is grave danger. Will there forever long promise of friendship survive these problems, or will everything collapse around them?

-Emma W.

Both of these books can be borrowed from the library. You'll find In Her Skin in the Young Adult area and The Burning Girl in Adult Fiction.  

Teen Book Review: Far From the Tree

 Looking for your next great book to read? Check out this book review of Robin Benway's Far From the Tree, written by our teen reviewer Sarah B.!

Far From The Tree by Robin Benway

         Family can be questionable and complicated. Sometimes one may find a relative later in their years causing curiosity and wonder. Robin Benway portrays the struggles and hardships three siblings face when meeting each other after more than fifteen years of their lives in Far From The Tree. Follow the journey of finding their long lost mother as Grace and Maya are happily adopted and Joaquin, their brother, has been fostered for all of his life and being able to understand two different stories of growing up. Each sibling has to learn trust with each other and understand the importance of family, even if their deepest and most humiliating secrets are revealed, when they just met.

         Grace and Maya seem to have perfect families, but obviously that is just not the case. Grace has to come back after dealing with a teen pregnancy, Maya’s parents are fighting constantly on top of her mother’s “covered up” alcohol addiction and Joaquin has troubles with accepting that he has a chance of getting adopted. With all the struggles each has to face at home, they soon become transparent to the importance of needing each other. As some more than others are more apprehensive and frustrated with the idea of searching for their mother, their bond becomes everlasting and their protection over each other shines brightly. As they meet more often, they see similarities in each other that make them feel closer and bring more comfort to their crazy lives. 

         Although this summary is quite short, it truly was an uplifting and affectionate book. Benway emphasizes the crucial understanding of sincerity and embracing of one’s flaws. All three siblings struggled with hiding their most regretted secrets about their life to each other, paranoid that judgement or conflict would occur as their situation with meeting was fragile enough. Instead of feeling ashamed about them, it should be something to acknowledge and a way to prosper growth. She creates so much tension but at the same time comfortability between the characters. Joaquin, in my opinion, was one of the most interesting characters to read about. His past can overwhelm him in negative ways and his journey to overcome that part of his life is fascinating. He deals with trust and allowing people to love him as he has dealt with rejection from other families and tries to avoid the pain for himself and the people around him. Each character learns and grows from each other accepting their flaws and embracing their truth. According to GoodReads, readers who read this book also enjoyed With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo. This book follows the journey of a girl’s love for the kitchen and how her talent distracts her from the reality of her family and home situation. Overall this book brought much joy to my heart and I would definitely recommend it!

-Review by Sarah B.

This book is available to borrow through the library, as a downloadable audiobook using the Libby app or through owwl.overdrive.com here: Far From the Tree audiobook. You can also pick it up in print at the library or place a hold it on it here: Far From the Tree at owwl.org

Have you read Far From the Tree? What did you think?  If you haven't read it, are you interested? Please leave any book recommendations in the comments!

Teen Book Reviews: Kids Of Appetite and Little White Lies

Check out these two book reviews by one of our teen volunteers, Sarah B.

Kids Of Appetite by David Arnold   

Review by Sarah B.

         The world is full of hidden mysteries. As you get involved in these unsolved dilemmas, the more problems can occur. The Kids Of Appetite by David Arnold was a storyline that involved the importance of friendship when dealing with adversity; but also the idea of acceptance, disregarding the past but understanding times in need of help when one might feel all alone.

         This novel takes place through many areas in New Jersey, following the adventures of the KOA; Victor, Mads, Baz, Nzuzi, and Coco. It follows the different points of view, alternating between Vic and Mads. Ultimately it begins with the questioning of Vic and Mads in interrogation rooms trying to solve a crime. Victor has some troubles at home, and meets this group of people who take him in and help him complete his mission revolving around his deceased father. They take on many destinations that circle around these two endless lovers. From the “Flower Duet” on repeat to red lights coming together to Coco’s love of ice cream and to understanding that each person views the same sunset even from different areas, patience and endurance are vital factors in completing this quest. All of these characters grow and learn from each other through each of their pasts which assists their goal. You might wonder why the book started in interrogation rooms with police, but that is a mystery that you have to solve.

         Quite honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed taking on this book. Arnold utilizes many similes and metaphors to compare the group's adventures or struggles to lessons that are remote to unusual things that Vic’s father taught him. He also displays many short sentences to highlight times of confusion, fear, and annoyance; resulting in emphasizing the emotion felt by the characters in certain situations. There were many shocking points near the end but that is what makes a book so great. I definitely connected with the characters' pasts, so much so that there were points in the plot where my emotions got the best of me and I did end up shedding some tears! One of my favorite characters would have to be Coco. For someone who is so young, she truly understands what it is like to lose things you love but how to overcome that barrier and understand what the other side of the world is like. She has a big voice but she would not let others tear her loved ones down and is definitely not afraid to protect them against that. I personally enjoyed how Arnold ended off the book, the fulfillment and satisfaction with the ending made it likable and he avoided leaving it unclear. I did some research and if you like the books, Astray by Emma Donoghue or Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle then I would recommend the Kids Of Appetite!

(Kids Of Appetite is available to borrow as an ebook on owwl2go.owwl.org or using the Libby app)

Little White Lies by Philippa East

Review by Sarah B.

 

        It can be a scary world outside the walls that make you feel the most safe. One stupid mistake can lead to years of trauma and misery. This vulnerability can be dangerous and impact one’s life in unimaginable ways. Little White Lies by Philippa East is a novel about adjustment to life after experiencing pain and trauma. It follows the journey of Abigail White, who is dealing with this burden of confusion when she is found and returns home. She has to endure building relationships all over again, and allowing people to come back in her life that she is unsure whether to truly trust or not. 

         The novel is spoken mainly through Anne, Abigail’s mother, and Jess, Abigail’s cousin as they have to adjust to the fragile Abigail after not seeing her for seven years. Left with pain and guilt from the day of the disappearance, Anne has to reconnect with her daughter and build a relationship that has broken, even though trying to be perfect can be worse than not trying it at all. Jess, on the other hand, has always been close to Abigail, as she thinks of her as her other half. Adjusting to her new surroundings, indulging in past memories, Abigail struggles with understanding how everything happened and trusting her loved ones. To a new routine, escaping the dark and experiencing a teenage life, unexpected birthdays and activities, and the trial, this novel follows the White and Brady family as they take on this scary but glorious chapter of introducing Abigail back into their happy family. The question is, why doesn’t Abigail seem as happy to be home after all these years without her family? That is something that keeps Anne up at night as she and Jesse unravel secrets and lies that were attempted to be buried but soon escape into reality.

         This book was one of a kind. Truly I have never quite read something like this before but I very much recommend it. Just being able to understand how easily mistakes can lead to the most unimaginable consequences can just open your eyes on how careful you need to be. It is hard to trust someone after being brainwashed, and seeing the rebuild of Anne and her daughter Abigail is just another chapter in all the other issues they have to face with reestablishing her mental health. The ending with the trial just leaves you on the edge of your seat as secrets from the most unexpected people unfold leaving you questioning who you can trust in the world. It gave me chills thinking about how people can just put on a mask to get what they want. Jess was by far one of my favorite characters. She is always thinking of the positive with Abigail and does not think of her any differently from the last time she saw her. She broadens Abigail’s horizons on everything she has missed. Obviously she makes mistakes along the way, sometimes forgetting the delicacy that has to be taken when introducing Abigail to new things but betters herself from that and does not let others' opinions get to her otherwise. I believe I would recommend this book for teens the age of 14 or 15 and over but seriously such a great novel. East truly connected you with understanding Anne’s anger, Jesse’s empathy, and her family’s disappointment. But of course the hardest one to connect with is Abigail as she is lost like a fish at sea just trying to accept what happened and how to go from there. Little Friends by Donna Tartt which is about a girl trying to figure out the mystery about her brother’s death as she uncovers family secrets is a book that I would relate to Little White Lies. Both are suspenseful and mysterious books at its finest. Overall, such an intriguing book as hardships turn into lessons and acceptance to trust.

______________________________________

Have you read anything lately you want to share with others? We want to hear about it!