I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys is a
riveting historical thriller that grabs readers from the very first page. The
author weaves a tale of suspense and intrigue set against the backdrop of the
tumultuous political landscape the Cold War. The story captivates and leaves readers eager to uncover the secrets hidden within the plot.
At the core of the novel is protagonist Christian’s
moral dilemma. He grapples with choosing loyalty to someone close to him versus
loyalty to his own morals. Sepetys expands on this idea through Christian’s
psyche, which highlights the challenge of his decision. The narrative unfolds
in a war-torn setting, with Christian navigating a treacherous path of betrayal
and sacrifice.
Another aspect of the book that enhances its depth is the
incorporation of historical accuracy and modern storytelling seamlessly. Such
is the case with a house Christian’s mother cleans, as he must spy on the
homeowner which is told from through his unique lens but is a situation not
uncommon to the Cold War landscape. This demonstrates how Sepetys blends real
events with the fictional elements of the story, which not only enriches the
narrative but also provides a deeper understanding of the characters'
motivations and actions.
For me, the most captivating aspect of this book is the
author's way of writing, which will leaves readers immersed in both the story and
the characters. Her use of symbolism and foreshadowing adds layers of
complexity to the plot and allows the tension to build steadily. This creates a
sense of urgency within the reader that makes it difficult to put the book
down. As the story unfolds, the reader is taken on a rollercoaster of emotions
which is significantly improved by Sepetys’s voice.
As a whole, I Must Betray You is an excellent
read that combines a compelling hook, engaging storytelling, and a rich web of
plot details. Sepetys crafts a narrative that never fails to entertain and
leave a lasting impact. For me, this book was a must read and for fans of
historical fiction or mysteries in general, this is also a must read.
The Summer I Turned Pretty series, written by Jenny Han, follows Belly, an energetic teenager. Each summer, Belly and her family visit the beach town of Cousins, staying with their lifelong friends, the Fishers. Jeremiah and Conrad, the family's two boys, are Belly's best friends. Throughout the series, Belly gets caught in a love triangle between the two brothers, and relationships among the family become complicated. It is a drama-filled series that draws in the viewer. The TV show adaptation, starring Lola Tung and Christopher Briney, can be found on Prime Video. With a few exceptions that we'll talk about later, the TV series and the books are pretty similar to one another. Which is done better, the film series or the book?
TV Series
In many ways, the TV show is more developed than the book series. First of all, the characters are more complex in the TV series. In addition to giving the key characters—like Belly and Conrad—more nuance, the TV series gives interesting subplots to the supporting characters, who were seldom mentioned in the book series. We see side-character romances between Taylor and Steven, as well as Laurel and Cleveland.
The TV show's usage of music is yet another benefit. Many of the scenes in the show are improved by their use of catchy, trending songs such as those by Taylor Swift. One drawback of the show is that watching all of the episodes takes dedication. Two seasons are currently available, and the third and final season should appear in the summer of 2024.
Book Series
Original covers!
The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy debuted in 2009, many years before being adapted for the screen. The writing is only mediocre, and the plot lines are basic, but my main complaint is the characters. Belly, our protagonist, is constantly whining about something or another. It's quite tiring to read about her grumbling, and I quickly became disenchanted with her attitude.
The TV series tackles Belly's personality much better and is much more satisfying to watch. Despite these criticisms, the book series drew me in. They are quick and easy reads, not requiring much brain power to get through. The books will remain a staple on the bookshelves of teenage girls everywhere.
Verdict
After deliberation, I've found the TV series to be the best way to experience the drama. With its interesting subplots, appealing music, and sophisticated characterization, the TV show wins. I'm looking forward to the final season coming next summer!
The Twenty-One: The True Story of the Youth Who Sued the U.S. Government Over Climate Change by Elizabeth Rusch tells the story of
Juliana vs the United States, the highly controversial case that sued the
government over climate change. The account follows Julia Olson, a lawyer, and
twenty-one youth of all ages. They all have one thing in common - a history of
environmental activism and concern.
Julia,
who trained as an environmental lawyer, begins to discover the harmful effects
of climate change on youth. She hatches a plan with professors, scholars,
and other lawyers to file legal action against the United States. They decide
on the most unlikely plaintiffs - teens and children, ranging from as young as
seven to late teens. They file cases in different states, but it doesn’t work.
With their lack of success, they came up with ideas and decided on twenty-one
youth plaintiffs to go to the federal courts. They had to face off against oil
industry attorneys and federal government attorneys to get their case to trial.
The
best part of this book is that it is a real story. Its primary audience is
younger audiences, specifically younger teens. I thought that this book was
very inspirational. It tells teens and children all around the world that they
could do something, anything, to help their communities. This message is
essential to make a change in this world and to become a better society.
Throughout
the book, I found myself checking the Our Children’s Trust website for any
updates on Julianna vs the United States. I always look forward to reading the
latest news and updates.
The
account felt unreal (in a good way). Elizabeth Rusch tells the story in a way
that makes it feel like a novel or a movie. It has a mix of dialogue, a few
pictures, information about how the court system works, and a few thoughts from
the plaintiffs. With the many different types of writing, it felt like a
scrapbook of the whole case, which makes it enjoyable for younger teens.
In
conclusion, The Twenty-One: The True Story of the Youth Who Sued the U.S.
Government Over Climate Change is an essential read. It was captivating,
unique, and enthralling. I looked forward to reading The Twenty-One every night
and telling my friends and family about what I learned. It was inspirational
and motivated me to do something good for the world. I would recommend this
book to anybody interested in environmental politics or even just activism.
In Everything I Learned about Racism I Learned in School,
Tiffany Jewell attempts to expose the horrors of the education system with
eye-opening accounts and strong evidence. It is an essential read because of
its truthful information that can help young people understand another’s
perspective.
Jewell, with the help of many other authors and notable
figures, uses her own experiences to construct a powerful array of stories. In
some sections, for example, it could be a poem, and in another, it could be
Jewell narrating her own experience. The variety of resources presented in the
book helps create a vision for the reader and helps them step into another’s
shoes.
For the reader to understand what this book is about (it
can be a bit confusing to explain), I would like to discuss a chapter of it: “What I Didn’t Learn in History Class.” This chapter is Jewell’s narration,
reflecting on her history class. Throughout her years in school, she found a
common pattern - purposely skipping important events. In one section, she
observes that the history classes often focused on events long ago, not recent
ones because they were “too difficult” to talk about. They would often make up
excuses like they “didn’t have time” or it “wasn’t in the textbook.” I never
really considered this before reading. I realized that, throughout my
education, recent events were rarely discussed, like the Hamas and Israeli
wars. Instead, we discussed long-ago wars that are not as relevant.
Although there is not much wrong with this book, I found
it a bit too informal in some parts. For example, she often says “folks”, which
does not, in my opinion, make the writing quality as good as it should be. I
had high expectations for this book in writing style and quality, but it did
not meet them. However, the main purpose of this book is not to enjoy the
writing but to learn about the movement it represents.
I enjoyed Everything I Learned about Racism I Learned in
School because of its variety of stories and their impact on readers. It had a friendly
manner, which I believe will help contribute to its success come its release in February 2024. It has easy-to-read language in most sections and relatable
experiences (like the Hatchet chapter, which is a story that many middle and
elementary schools have read). With the relatable experience, it felt easier to
comprehend the harder parts of the book. A lot of the sections could be
upsetting, but Jewell added anecdotes and jokes to lighten the mood. The most
important part of the book, however, is the theme. Jewell’s message is
essential to hear, much like her other books. Everything I Learned about Racism
I Learned in School is one large call to action.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested
in learning more about racism, even though it is aimed at young adults. I truly
think that many people would benefit from hearing the other side of the story.
I learned from this book that for many issues, not just racism, empathy is
essential to solve problems.
Each year the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) awards a best young adult nonfiction book published that year. In December, five titles were named as nominees.
Winter Park Library currently has four of these
titles in our collection, and members of the Teen Book Guild read them and
share our thoughts below. On Monday, January 22, the winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults will be announced as part of the Youth Media Awards given at the LibLearnX Conference in Baltimore.
Dashka Slater’s book
follows the lives of students in a small California town after an offensive
private account on Instagram gets leaked. The account is filled with quotes
from the real people who were affected and how their lives changed. It deserves
to win since it shows the amount of damage just one decision can make.
Cyberbullying is a huge problem since people don’t have to confront their target in person. Accountable shines a light on the issue and
provides a real story to show the importance of thinking before you act. (BK) America Redux:
Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History by Ariel Aberg-Riger
This
nonfiction work smoothly incorporates both text and images/illustrations to
impart a large chunk of American history. But don’t be fooled into thinking it
reads like a textbook. It is the most creative depiction of historical
information I’ve ever seen, and it often looks like a scrapbook just teeming
with tidbits of history. Everything on the page catches your eye at once and
invites you to read more. It covers topics from the Civil War and abolitionist
movement to women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.
This
book is incredible in the way that it takes a subject that can so often be
dreadfully boring and transforms it into a creative format that entices the
reader while still getting the information across. Another highlight of this
book was that it combines well-known knowledge with more obscure facts that
would be new to most readers. Everyone who reads this stunning work will
certainly learn something new. (GH) Family Style: Memories of an American
from Vietnam by Thien Pham
Family Style tells the story of the
Pham family and their experiences through food. The family is originally from
Vietnam and immigrated to California. The book is separated into chapters based
on a certain food like Salisbury steak and croissants. Family
Style does a great job showing the ups and downs of moving to another
country in an interesting way. It is very important to learn about the
struggles of immigrants to gain empathy and learn that everyone deserves to be
treated well. This book deserves the award because it uses food to convey
messages about the characters’ lives which is unique but the plot is still
clear and to the point. (BK) Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting
Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself by Monica Edinger and
Lesley Younge
This
historical work uses the autobiography of Olaudah Equiano as its primary source.
Monica Edinger and Lesley Younge have compiled his accounts and added
insight of their own to this book, which is written in verse. This poetic way
of writing follows Equiano’s personal account of the transatlantic slave trade.
Very few primary source materials from this journey have been found, which
makes Equiano’s story even more important. You follow him as a young child in
Africa to his life of slavery (and then freedom) in America.
The prose
and poetry of this work is beautiful, and I love the way that the verse form of
Equiano’s account of his life is supplemented with additional information from
Edinger and Younge. The secondary annotations are seamlessly woven into the bookl
when needed and aid in the understanding of historical events. The verse form
makes for a quick read, but every sentence is packed with meaning. Equiano’s
story is must-read. (GH)
*Librarian note: Our Library does not yet have From Here in our collection, but it's on its way!
The Trial: There's Someone Inside Your House: Book vs. Film
Disclaimer: spoilers ahead.
Bailiff: The Teen Book Guild Court with the Honorable Judge Rayna .S, is now in session.
Today’s case regards the title, There’s Someone Inside Your House: Perkins (author) v. Brice (director).
Essential Information
There’s Someone Inside Your House, written by Stephanie Perkins, follows Makani Young, a teenage girl who has recently moved to Osborne, Nebraska. But as students at Osborne High School are murdered by a mysterious killer, she starts to feel her dreadful past will come crawling back into her life. It is a title that will get your heart pumping from the thrill and action, but swooning from the romance and comedy bits.
The movie adaptation, directed by Patrick Brice, can be found on Netflix. Now, the book and the movie in my--the amazing honorable judge, Rayna S.'s--opinion are very different, even though they follow the same plotline?! So let’s get into today’s case and find out which version, book or movie, is best.
The Book
The book has WAY more detail than the movie; each murder that took place evoked a feeling inside me. Every time a death happened, the reader would be in the victim's POV, giving them an insight into what the victims were feeling before their death. Whatever emotion the victim, it can be 100% guaranteed that the reader felt that exact same. Throughout the book, the murders became more personal and gruesome so that sometimes I found myself going crazy: "Come on, fight them!" "Get up!" "This is just sick!” or "NOOOOO!" (Side note: My mom came into my room with a concerned look on her face multiple times.)
Also, Perkins beautifully mixes the romance between Makani and Ollie, with the thriller and action part of the book: the relationship did not overshadow the plot. I found myself enjoying the little moments between the two teens. Plus, this allowed for Perkins to really dive into the personal issues of each character.
The only negative about the book is that it got really unrealistic and undescriptive around the last two chapters. Like it took the real out of realistic fiction, but just in those two chapters.
The Film
Click here to see the trailer
On the other hand, Brice’s movie did not evoke the same emotion; it was very underwhelming. In the first fifteen minutes, I thought the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes were overly harsh, but then after those few minutes I started to understand what people were saying. Unlike the book, I did not feel the need to scream at the television or even feel scared.
The overall casting of the movie was decent, except for the character who played Ollie. In the book, Ollie had pink hair and piercings which contributed to his awkward and outsider vibes, but in the movie, Ollie looked and acted like a regular guy; there was nothing physically extraordinary about him. Also, the dialogue made ALL the characters seem whiny and foolish.
The filmmakers also made unnecessary changes to the book for the movie. First, they changed the motive of the killer, which made no sense (but I don't wanna spoil it). Second, none of the deaths besides one took place in a victim's house! This is completely against the title, There's Someone Inside Your House.
Verdict
In the case of Perkins (author) v. Brice (director), I found that Perkins provided the best experience when it comes to the title, There’s Someone Inside Your House. The book provided so much necessary detail leaving me on the edge of my seat! In this case, the book is awarded the victory.
Now, we know what the honorable Judge Rayna, thinks, but what does the rest of the public decide?
Time for another Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by WPL’s Teen Book Guild!
This week’s theme is… Most Anticipated Reads of 2024!!
While 2023 was definitely a great year of reading for me, I’m anxiously awaiting some new releases in 2024! Many of these are from well-known authors in the YA genre or from authors
that have previously written books that I’ve enjoyed, but some of the books on this Top Ten List are new authors for me. I’m excited to dive into a new year of great reads in 2024!
Holly Jackson is one of my favorite YA authors. From her bestselling A Good Girl’s Guide to Murderseries, to her most recent thriller, Five Survive, all of her books have been a hit for me!
I have read the first book in this series (If He Had Been With Me), and I enjoyed it, so I’ll definitely be picking this one up when it comes out in February.
This is a new author for me, but when I saw the teaser description for this book, I was drawn in. It’s a cross between thriller and mystery, with a dose of mythology as well; I immediately added this to my TBR.
This is another new author for me, and Arthur’s debut novel drew me in with its stunning cover. And with a tale of family secrets and fairy tales, I’m anxious to read what’s inside!
I’ve read a couple of Emma Lord’s books in the past, and when I saw that she was releasing a friends-to-lovers YA romance that takes place in NYC, I was sold!
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé has previously written a YA novel (Ace of Spades) that I have heard lots of praise for. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m eager to read both Ace of Spades and her new release, Where Sleeping Girls Lie.
Faizal is another popular YA author (We Hunt the Flame) that I have yet to read any works by. But this new historical fantasy release sounds like the perfect book for me, complete with heists and an unlikely group of heroes.
I actually already have a copy of this book as an advanced reader copy (ARC), and I picked it up because I saw that it was marketed as Dumplin' meets Daisy Jones & the Six, which are two books that I loved. Can’t wait to read!
This was a super fun sounding rom-com, including prank wars and magic; positively pumped to pick this one up when it comes out (right in time for Valentine’s Day!)
Today
is another Top Ten Tuesday brought to you by the WPL Teen Book Guild! Top ten
Tuesdays are hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and this week’s theme is Best
Books of 2023.
From
timeless books like Pride and Prejudice to recent bestsellers like The Getaway,
I have compiled the ultimate list of my favorite books I read this year. These
books just stand out from the rest and are 100% worth checking out.
