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A blog full of reviews from VCL's Head of Teen Services Katrina Hohlfeld & Teen Guest Authors. Check back for new reviews on all things YA! Want more? Check out Katrina's lists for summer reading recommendations.
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Summer Vibes For A Cold Season
Special Guest Post by Teen Volunteer, Brianna P. The Summer I Turned Pretty is a coming of age book and a romance book set in the summer. Every summer that Belly Conklin can remember she has spent her summer at Cousins beach with her mother’s best friend Susannah. And her two sons Conrad and Jeramiah, which Susannah and her mom foretold that she would end up with one of them. Belly has been chasing Conrad for as long as she could remember, and she hopes this is the summer it
khohlfeld
20 hours ago2 min read
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Icarus & The Son
Here’s a new one for all those Greek myth lovers out there! I know there’s plenty of us. This is a contemporary re-telling of the story...
khohlfeld
Jun 7, 20242 min read
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Throw Yourself Into This Book!
This novel follows Sam, a modern Korean American girl who ends up accidentally hitching a ride into the 1990’s. What’s more? She ends up...
khohlfeld
May 17, 20242 min read
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If You Read This Book, I’ll Read it Again
What a ride! This story stars Mar, a transmasc nonbinary pirate who is also hiding a magical secret. Growing up on the sea, Mar has seen...
khohlfeld
Apr 26, 20241 min read
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Lots to Love Here
*Special Guest Post by Teen Volunteer, Emily* Love & Gelato is a mixture of an adventure, romance and coming-of-age novel set in...
khohlfeld
Apr 22, 20242 min read
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Long Live the Scandal!
Ooooo the royal drama! In this alternate-reality Britain, James has just inherited the throne. As the young, shy, mixed-race King, the...
khohlfeld
Mar 29, 20241 min read
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The Book That Made 41 Million Dollars
*Special Guest Post by Teen Volunteer, Madeleine* When Brandon Sanderson announced that he had written four secret novels over the...
khohlfeld
Mar 22, 20241 min read
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Swiftly Check This Out
*Special Guest Post written by Teen Volunteer, Theo* This book tells the story of a girl named Shenanigan Swift who grows up in a family...
khohlfeld
Mar 1, 20241 min read
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Now is the Time to Read
This beautiful and timely novel in verse follows Sadie, a Black, queer poet with anxiety who is interested in community organizing and...
khohlfeld
Feb 2, 20242 min read
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(You) Should Read This
I've read this book more than once in the span of a few months, gushed about it to MANY people in person and online, and I still can't...
khohlfeld
Feb 18, 20222 min read
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A Series So Epic and Magical
If you are a fan of fairy tale re-tellings, you simply cannot miss Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreakers series. Beauty and the Beast happens...
khohlfeld
Feb 12, 20212 min read
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One You Can't Miss!
Alright this one really caught me off guard. I picked it up for a light read and I got hit with some major feels. Skye Shin is talented,...
khohlfeld
Oct 5, 20202 min read
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Aquatic Adventures and Screaming Submarines
If you were in the mood for an action-packed deep-sea adventure with monsters, you should check out Deeplight by Francis Hardinge. Hark,...
khohlfeld
Jun 1, 20202 min read
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The Marvel-ous Loki Gets a Book!
If you happen to love the complex and somewhat nefarious Loki like I do, this is the next read for you! Full of just as many plot twists...
khohlfeld
May 1, 20202 min read
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What Would You Be Sainted For?
This is an interesting perspective that I’m very glad I took the time to read. "Patron Saints of Nothing" follows high school senior...
khohlfeld
Apr 10, 20202 min read
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What Do You Carry?
"What I Carry" tells the story of Muiriel, so named for the John Muir Medical Center that nurses found her abandoned outside of as a...
khohlfeld
Apr 9, 20202 min read
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The Epitome of Social Distancing
Are you feeling isolated these days? Astronaut Mark Watney may give you a new perspective, because you can't get much more social...
khohlfeld
Mar 30, 20202 min read
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Michigan, I'm On Your Team
Michigan, I'd be on your team any day. This contemporary novel follows Michigan Manning, a dedicated hockey player and high school...
khohlfeld
Mar 4, 20201 min read
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Truly Hooked On This Series!
If you are looking for a well-written YA murder mystery, then look no further! I started reading Maureen Johnson's "Truly Devious" series...
khohlfeld
Feb 11, 20202 min read
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Can She Be It All?
Don't be fooled by the cotton candy cover! This novel surprised me with its depth. The main character, Allie Abraham, is an American-born...
khohlfeld
Jan 10, 20202 min read
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