Kat's in the Stacks | ValleyCottageLibrary

A blog full of reviews from VCL's Teen Coordinator 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.

Grades 6-8

Grades 9-12

khohlfeld

Apr 10, 2020
2 min

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 Jason (Jay), born in the Philippines and raised in the Midwest, on a journey of discovery. After he finds out his cousin and childhood best friend has been killed, Jay takes it upon himself to return to the Philippines and investigate. His family back in the Philippines is unwilling to speak about what happened to his cousin Jun, which only prom

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khohlfeld

Jan 10, 2020
2 min

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 Muslim of Circassian descent. The book starts off with a bang, as Allie's father is persecuted before her eyes for speaking Arabic on a plane. Other such incidents indicate a growing Islamophobia to Allie, and she's beginning to come to grips with her feelings about it. Her parents are essentially non-practicing Muslims, and Allie has grown

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khohlfeld

Dec 6, 2019
1 min

Dear Alaine, Let's Hang Out

Yes! Highly recommend. First of all, Alaine is an engaging character with a strong voice. I felt like I knew her (and totally wanted to hang out with her) by the end. After a bit of a kerfuffle at school, Alaine is sent to Haiti to work with her aunt's non-profit group for the spring semester of senior year. Alaine doesn't know all that much about her family's country, but that is all about to change. Told entirely through emails, journal entries, and news clippings, Alaine u

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khohlfeld

Nov 13, 2019
1 min

Frankly, I Loved This Book

Frank Li is a Korean-American living in Southern California. It's his senior year of high school, and he's finally found a girl he'd love to date. One problem: his parents only want him to date Korean girls, and his crush is white. Frank's friend Joy is in a similar predicament, so they hatch a scheme to fake-date each other to get their parents off their backs. Will this go disastrously wrong? Maybe! David Yoon provides a well written perspective I don’t often see in contemp

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khohlfeld

Nov 12, 2019
1 min

The Real Stair-Master

I could not put this down! I was instantly invested in Jo Kuan and her story. She is a bright, witty, and wise character that totally makes this book worth a read even if you don't generally like historical fiction. By day, Jo works as a housemaid to a wealthy Atlanta family. By night, she writes a controversial advice column for a struggling newspaper under the pseudonym "Miss Sweetie". But that isn't Jo's only secret... The plot is intricate, fast paced, and absolutely sati

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khohlfeld

Nov 12, 2019
1 min

I Totally Heard These Rhymes

I really enjoyed this one! First of all, do yourself a favor and get the audio book. The multiple narrators really bring this story to life, especially because the point of view rotates between the main characters. The basic plot is three Brooklyn teens work to get their friend's raps posthumously produced. But how and why did he die? Can they even pull this off? In this book you may expect to find: character development, NY hip-hop history, friendship, social commentary, mys

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