Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson & Ellen Hagan

Reviewed by Annabelle L.
Grade 12

Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan is a book that follows four teenage activists in high school and the struggles they face based on their gender, race, and appearance. The chapters are divided by month and perspective. The story switches between two of the main characters: Jasmine and Chelsea.

Jasmine is a fat, black young woman who enjoys theater. Chelsea is an insecure, white young woman who loves to write. They are both very outspoken and attend a school well-known for its progressiveness with their other two friends: Nadine and Isaac. Despite how progressive the school advertises itself to be, it is not without the everyday prejudices against those who do not fit societal expectations. These four, in trying to promote activism and speaking out through their school club, end up in hot water with the administration. Of course, they fight back.

The book is beautifully written, showcasing fantastic poetry from the characters that develop them and the story more. It touches on subjects that most coming of age and activist YA novels skim over. Examples of this include the effect of the beauty industry on women and men, the controversial topic of Henrietta Lacks, and the pigeonhole of POC-related roles and stereotypes in media. 

They do fall into the common pitfall of feminism: male equality. A few examples of this include one of the main characters using the word "womanist" instead of feminist (which toes the line of misandry) and Isaac being called weak for not doing something he is uncomfortable with (most likely as a joke, however that is not an excuse). 

The characters are very diverse in race, ethnicity, and body type (but not so much in gender or sexuality). They have flaws, are well developed, and multi-faceted. For example, Chelsea despises the industries that would take advantage of her but still feels the pressure of the societal standards women are held to. There is a theme of lack of consequences and resolution throughout the book, which might be intentional on the authors' part considering most of the people who get away with their shenanigans are white. A teacher pushes a racist stereotype on a black student, is called out on it, and, though it is mentioned a few times throughout the story, there is no resolution. Students dress as racist caricatures on school property and get away with it. One male student sexually harasses multiple female students and gets away with it.

There's also no follow up with one of the main character's love interests after he ceases to be relevant to the story. It's almost as if he completely disappears. It even shows up in the finale. Watch Us Rise finished with an open-ending. The reader won't get to see the pay-off, but they do get the experience of trying to enact change. It's not as satisfying as I would like but it is a very good ending all around.

I would recommend reading this book. It's a good portrayal of the frustrations of high school as someone who doesn't fit societal standards. There are a lot of little things about this book that I have critiques about but as a whole, it's a very engaging story. It has an accurate portrayal of sexual harassment and how it is typically dealt with (i.e. not at all), it highlights women of color in all fields, and it has a good message about body positivity. 

Not many writers get an accurate sense of what high school is like or how teenagers talk to each other, but the dialogue doesn't feel forced. I would believe these were real conversations that people were having with each other. The only real criticism I have is, though the book is about activism, it's very cishet-centered activism. LGBT themes are vaguely mentioned but never focused on. The story talks about minority representation but mainstream media is very hetero-normative. Otherwise, the writing is captivating and the poetry is phenomenal. 8.5/10, would recommend.

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

Reviewed by Annabelle
Grade 12

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne is a futuristic YA novel that takes place in space. An ice age on Earth has forced humanity to the stars for centuries, with no end in sight. Ships are beginning to fail, some due to mechanical failure and others to a mysterious virus infecting the inhabitants.

The story follows Stella Ainsley, a young woman who gets an upgrade in her working position to be a private governess. She begins the story working in a poor, cramped, and struggling spaceship as an engineer and part-time teacher looking for other job opportunities. Her co-workers, though they understand why she is doing it, do not believe she will be able to escape her current situation. Luckily for her, one of her job requests is accepted! She is offered a teaching position on the illustrious, private, and rich ship: The Rochester. Her new boss is the handsome Captain Hugo who places her in charge of educating his younger sister, Jessa. As Stella works on the ship, odd things happen that nobody wants to talk about: arson, attacks, sabotage. She needs to figure out the truth and fast. She suspects lives could be at stake.

Donne's story does an excellent job of portraying government collusion to protect the wealthy and eliminate the poor. She does human persistence and adaptability justice, which is something not many science-fiction authors are capable of. Her main character is a perceptive, multi-skilled young woman with ambitious goals to improve her life. Stella is friendly and sociable, befriending most characters she meets throughout the book. Though lawful good, following the rules she is given, Stella is often described by other characters as bold, usually in reference to her rare protocol breaches when she speaks her mind to those above her status. In these instances, the reader would not see it as "boldness" but as the appropriate thing to do. It is later when she has to take on a government conspiracy almost alone that we see her true boldness. Captain Hugo's character, though, leaves much to be desired. He comes off like a White Boy Of The Month, all privilege and prestige but no actual desirable aspects past his appearance. His actions never have real consequences. He is a liar and keeps major secrets. Though the story ends before we can see if Hugo changes these negative character traits, how he is written does not give me much confidence.

The story, I admit, attracted me because it took place in space but I wouldn't recommend reading this book. Stella is an intriguing character but, in the end, is mildly disappointing. The story doesn't end satisfyingly with the solution feeling rushed. One, if not several, of the characters commit a war crime and it is not given the severity that is deserved. They don't even receive meaningful consequences for their actions, though that does not stop the other characters from acting as if they do. Overall, I gained nothing from the experience except a feeling of indignation and disappointment.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Reviewed by Kaitlyn K.
Grade 11

Do you like fantasy and folklore? Have you ever read a story based on African folklore? If not, you should try reading A Song ofWraiths and Ruin! Brown takes you back in time to a medieval setting and immerses you in a world like no other.

A refugee named Malik enters the desert city of Ziran during the Solstasia festival. This festival occurs once every fifty years and brings great hope to him and his two sisters. However, a spirit captures his younger sister and the only thing that the spirit truly wants is vengeance against the princess, Katrina. While Malik is trying to get closer to the princess to kill her, Katrina is facing her own problems, starting with an assassination and ending with a traitor. This book leaves you guessing at what the next page will bring.

The characters are brought to life in this fun, action-filled novel. Along the way Brown introduces several creatures included in African mythology that either leave you on the edge of the page or gasping in disbelief. The characters are brought to life as well, Katrina is shown as a musician in a bar as a way of escape from palace life while Malik's loyalty and compassion drives his every move.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy or retellings of old fairy tales. The style is very realistic, and the issues that arise are accurately depicted in a way that also entertains. There are also several action scenes throughout the books, and those were my personal favorites!

A Peculiar Peril by Jeff VanderMeer

Reviewed by Lisa W. 
Grade 9

Imagine if there was another version of Earth hidden behind a door in your basement. A Peculiar Peril by Jeff VanderMeer builds off of that concept and spins it into a story with twists, turns, and talking vegetables.

This book is about a teenage orphan, Jonathan Lambshead, who inherits his grandfather’s mansion following his untimely death. After arriving at the mansion with his two best friends to catalog the many contents of the house, Jonathan realizes that there is more to the house than piles of bird cages and old muskets. While exploring, he stumbles upon three doors in the basement, one of which leads to an alternate Earth known as Aurora. Aurora is led by the supernatural dictator Aleister Crowley whose life goal is to overrule alt-Europe and eventually all of Aurora. Using doll spies, dark magic, and the war-filled mind of Napoleon’s head - yes, the head is very much detached and alive - Crowley threatens to destroy the world. To defeat Crowley and his army of logically impossible things, Jonathan must accept his place as a member of a secret society, follow the clues tucked among the knickknacks in the mansion, and embark on a dangerous quest.

To quote Jeff VanderMeer himself, "The word escaped him, not only escaped him but sat at the edge of his mind making rude gestures at him." I’ve read my share of horrible books, nonetheless I think that this one, somehow, tops the list. The book starts off interesting, making me want to read more, however after the 4th chapter, everything goes downhill. There is absolutely no character development or backstory, just a few sentences here and there about Jonathan’s mother’s disappearance and that he’s an orphan in boarding school, but nothing else. None of the characters have any impact on the development of the plot: they’re just… there. This book is a total of 656 pages, which is perfectly fine, but considering the plot, this book should have only been 300-400 pages long. Prominent contributors to the extra 200 pages are long, confusing paragraphs that derail the reader from the actual scene and “humorous” but useless banter. These are common in VanderMeer’s eccentric style of prose, and therefore are mainly appreciated by fans of his work. Something to consider is that Jeff VanderMeer is a successful author of adult books, one of which became a movie with notable actors such as Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac, and this book is his first attempt at a YA novel; maybe he just doesn’t know what teens enjoy reading?

I would give this book 2 out of 5 stars for a unique plot. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who isn’t familiar with Jeff VanderMeer’s writing style, because it might be confusing and harder to appreciate. This could be an interesting read if you’re looking for  more eccentric prose, but for others, this book is most likely not one you’d enjoy.