Becoming by Michelle Obama

 Becoming by Michelle Obama

Reviewer: Minh, Grade 10

Star Rating: 5 stars

If there is a book in the world that could motivate you to get out of bed every day and chase your dreams, it would be Becoming. It is an inspirational book by Michelle Obama. A memoir of her life, starting from her childhood in the South Side of Chicago, going to college, to the journey of finding her voice, her time in the White House, and her motherhood. She did a great job in bringing readers into her story and reliving those moments. 

Michelle Obama is a powerful and inspiring woman, and this book proves it even more deeply. Michelle guides you through every page of the book with curiosity and builds up the fire in you to get up and create great things, just like she did. She empowers women around the world to use their voice, and believe in themselves.

The only flaw is it’s not a great choice for a quick read, because it’s a long story of her life, and reading it slowly would help you better understand the feeling of those moments. 

This is a perfect book for teenage readers because it’s so inspiring and it would lit the fire within you to better this world.

Educated by Tara Westover

Educated by Tara Westover

Reviewer: Minh, Grade 10

Star rating: 5 stars

A traumatized childhood, an incredible journey of finding her voice, and a wake-up call to everyone in the world. The book Educated is a memoir of Tara Westover's horrible past. She grew up as the seventh child of Mormon survivalist parents in a remote Idaho mountain. Lack of education made her deeply ignorant about the history of the world, and her father's radical belief is the only source of information that influences her perspectives. Along with that, she was abused and harassed throughout her teenage years. She was trapped in this world of hatred, confusion, and darkness up until she decided to build a happy life herself. With persistence and curiosity, she went from no formal education to attend two of the most prestigious schools in the world, namely Cambridge and Harvard University. 

This is one of my forever favorite books because it proves that there is a world of full possibilities for everyone regardless of their background and circumstances, and it especially opens my eye to the ongoing struggle that many people like Tara have been through. 

However, it is a tough topic to read about, it is filled with evidence of her family’s abuse, racist comments, sexism, and disturbing violence. It builds up the rage in me, and the worst part is it’s based on a true story. This book is perfect for readers who are interested in learning about the world’s issues.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez

 

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sánchez

Reviewer: Minh, Grade 10

Star Rating: 5 stars

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter was the 2017 National Book Award nominee, and that makes sense. This extraordinary book is the story of Julia Reyes. Julia was far from her family’s definition of perfect. She was rebellious and curious, wanting to explore the world, and dreaming of moving to New York City for college. The opposite to her stay-at-home sister, Olga, who still lives at home, dresses modestly, has a respectable job, and never dates. However, Julia discovers that Olga was not as saintly as everyone believed after Olga dies tragically from being hit by a truck. And as Julia starts to investigate her dead sister’s life, her life also takes a turn. She discovers her family’s unsettling past, meeting her first boyfriend, and facing the struggle of depression. 

I love the exciting storyline of this book and the fact that it is the perfect stereotype-shattering story. On the other hand, this book has profanity and violence. Nevertheless, the world is never bubbly as it seems, and this book does a great job in showing the dim view of our society. 

This book is suitable for readers above fourteen. Overall, it’s a great book to help readers understand how badly social stereotypes can impact people’s lives, and encourage people to overcome how society perceives them to truly be themselves. 

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

 Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Reviewer: Minh, Grade 10

Star Rating: 5 Stars

This novel builds around gossip, separation of social class, and people with boundless amounts of time and money. It is a romp through the lives of a group of crazy rich Asians, and a love story between Rachel Chu and Nick Young. Rachel Chu, who is a professor at NYU, falls in love with Nick Young and goes with him to his hometown, Singapore. Never having been exposed to Asian culture, not knowing anything but Nick’s down-to-earth description, Rachel was overwhelmed by their standard of living, not to mention the breathtaking richness of Nick Young’s family. Little does she know, Rachel has to choose whether her love for Nick is strong enough for her to get through the classism and jealousy of his relatives. 

I love the mystery and excitement this book brings, unveiling the glamorous wealth that covers the problem of materialism. Perfectly incorporating a modern kind of love with the midst of the scheming, and balancing out with the fascination of Singaporean-Chinese culture.

However, I can’t get over one big flaw of this novel--its continuous changing of perspective. It constantly skips from one character’s viewpoint to the other, which leaves you confused and wanting to skip to the part you want to read about.

Lastly, this book is perfect for readers who love mystery and enjoy exploring other cultures.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

 

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Reviewer: Ariana A., Grade 10

Star rating: 5 stars

I adore this book! Ever since Emoni got pregnant freshman year of high school, her life has been filled with making tough decisions for her daughter and abuela. Emoni’s life has alway been difficult as her mother passed away when she was young and her father’s abandonment left Emoni in the care of her abuela, who struggles to get by. We follow Emoni’s senior year in high school, where she faces the decision to chase her dreams and passion for cooking or to settle and struggle with her family.

I was sucked in from the first page, which started with a recipe for a broken heart. Emoni is such a strong and inspiring character. Her unconditional support from her friends and abuela is heartwarming. This book was beautifully written. You can feel how much heart and soul is put in every line. The writing feels real. No situation was exaggerated and the romance was natural, never felt forced. Oh, and the food descriptions! 

I love how this book isn't about a teenager coming to terms with being pregnant, but of a story about a teenager living after her pregnancy. Struggling with the responsibilities of parenthood and school. While Emoni is dealing with heavy responsibilities, her voice is true to her age. At times she is mature and every so often we see her youth showing, a luxury she can’t have. I recommend this book to everyone, especially teens as this will open your eyes and inspire you.

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez

 

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez

Reviewer: Ariana A., Grade 10

Star rating: 4 stars

This is a classical tale of adventure, loyalty, and forbidden love inspired by Bolivian culture and politics, with a dash of folklore magic. Ximena’s harrowing life is to be the decoy Condesa to protect Catalina, the last heir to the Illustrian throne. When the false king demands for the real Condesa’s hand in marriage, Ximena must become a spy and infiltrate the kingdom to return the crown to its rightful place. But what happens when her black and white beliefs on the entire community turns grey? 

This standalone has complex characters, vivid worldbuilding, and a beautifully written magical aspect. Ximena is a strong female protagonist who uses her “feminine characteristics” as her strength. On top of that, her unique ability of weaving moonlight into tapestries allows her to create and hide things. I love how this book incorporates strong female characters, not stereotyping them. El Lobo, the masked vigilante, will become your favorite character! The descriptions of the world, magic, and the food will leave you hungry, figuratively and literally, for more.

In the beginning, I was confused about everything but after a few chapters and connecting to the characters it became clear. This book allowed me to immerse myself in a Latinx fantasy that I don’t read often. Also, if you are expecting lots of action there isn’t much, as Ximena has to sneak around the kingdom for information. On that note, another book called Written in Starlight is set in the same world. Can’t wait to read it! 

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Reviewer: Ariana A., Grade 10

Star rating: 4 stars

Not only is the cover of the book stunning, but so is the writing style and atmosphere. An island-isolated girl’s boarding school in Maine is put on quarantine after The Tox has taken over. The Tox is infecting every living thing with terrible conditions and different “marks” for those who managed to survive the outbreaks. Everyone left is waiting for a cure, for an answer. This story follows a group of girls as one of them disappears and the other two go beyond into the dangerous lands outside the quarantine gates in search of her. 

 

The gore, the dread, the escalating tension, and the characters are all so good. The descriptions made me cringe, hold my breath, and speed read till it was over. I will admit that I read this book because of its cover, but I was not disappointed. The way the author incorporated switching points of views between the girls made this book more captivating. The girls are complex characters that are wild, passionate, independent, real and unapologetic. I like how their decisions weren’t for the world, but for each other. 

This book deals with disability in a great way. On top of that, the subtle love interest felt natural. I will say that if you pick this up there will be several moments that will leave you wanting more. More pages, more of an explanation, more of a conclusion and closure. The book’s ending was set up to have a sequel, though a prequel would be much appreciated.