About Louisville Public Library's Review Crew

The library’s Review Crew offers local teens in grades 6-12 the opportunity to earn community service hours for school or other organizations by reviewing teen books or adult books with teen appeal. We hope to provide local teens with great reading recommendations from their peers while also providing a flexible means of earning volunteer credit.

To join the Crew, please email Teen Services Librarian, Jessica Schwartz, at jschwartz@louisvilleco.gov for more information and review writing guidelines. You will be asked to write a sample review. If your review is accepted, you will be eligible to earn one community service hour for every review submitted. 

Ratings are out of 5 stars:

·         1 star = didn't like it

·         2 stars = it was ok

·         3 stars =  liked it

·         4 stars = really liked it

·         5 stars  = it was amazing

   

Why Fish Don't Exist by Lulu Miller

Book: Why Fish Don't Exist by Lulu Miller

Rating: 5 Stars 

Review Writer: Phoebe G.

Why Fish Don’t Exist follows Lulu Miller as she recounts the biography of famed fish taxonomist David Starr Jordan interspersing segments of her own life’s story. Miller attempts to find meaning and order in the world through the life of David Starr Jordan, potentially leaning more than she would have originally liked. 

 

My favorite part of the book was definitely how well the story kept me invested in the characters and what was going to happen next. I never fully knew what the next big plot point would be. I also thought the shorter length was nice so that I could read this book as a quick break from the other things I was reading. 

 

I think the only part I didn’t like was the change from the plot of the novel to a description of the taxonomy of fish towards the end of the book. The change didn't feel too abrupt, however, I had wished there had been a larger focus on the taxonomy interspersed with the plot. 

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes non-fiction, anyone who enjoys a fast paced plot, and anyone looking to read about the obsessive nature of humans. 

Overall I would rate it 5 stars.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Book: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Rating: 4.5 Stars 

Review Writer: Phoebe G.

The House in the Cerulean Sea follows Linus, a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth as he learns about the value of family and individuality despite prejudice. It is a slow paced, slice-of-life fantasy novel focused on the connection between Linus, the magical children he meets, and the adults in charge of the orphanage Linus is staying at. This is also the first book in a two book series although the second novel doesn’t follow the same characters.

I liked how well developed even the most minor characters were and how realistic the plot of the story felt. Every character’s reactions and emotions within the story make sense and feel unique to them.

I think the ending felt a little rushed and could have used more time to develop. I also felt that the big plot twist wasn’t as surprising as it could have been, however, that didn’t make the story any less enjoyable.

I would recommend this book to readers who like Douglass Adams as the writing style and humor feels similar. I would also recommend this book to anyone who enjoys slice-of-life style stories.

Overall I would rate it 4.5 stars.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Book: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Rating: 4 Stars 

Review Writer: Phoebe G.

Wuthering Heights is a classic novel that explores the themes of violence, desire, and generational trends. It is the account of a man named Mr. Lockwood as he learns the history of his newly acquired house, Thrushcross Grange. Lockwood also learns of Wuthering Heights and meets his unpleasant neighbors Heathcliff, Cathy, and Hareton. After only one night stuck at his neighbor’s house Lockwood sees a ghostly figure and is quickly sent home. 
 
I really liked how Wuthering Heights showed the many ways and reasons why people can become cruel. It was written with large amounts of visual imagery that set the book beautifully in the English moors, however, the descriptions of violence were written bluntly. This helped make the violent acts seem commonplace yet separate from the character’s lives on the moor. 
 
I found the language a little challenging to grasp at times due partially to the age and also because of how dense it was but it was always possible to understand if I spent time on it. I also found most of the main characters fairly unlikable but their worse qualities also helped add to the story and how well it was able to explore its themes. 
 
I think the target readers for this book are definitely people who want to read classics, people who want to explore themes of violence without excess gore, and more mature readers. 
 
Overall I would rate it 4 stars.