Penfield Public Library's YA Lit Reviews

  Esperanza Ortega had the perfect life. Her father was the owner of a big ranch called  El Rancho De Rosas. She had money, a big house, beautiful dresses, and lots of friends. However, on the eve of her 14th birthday,  tragedy struck. It was a tremendous  blow to her and the whole family. More troubles forced Esperanza and her mother to flee their home. She had lost everything. Her life was uprooted and had turned upside down.  I loved this book; it is a fantastic work of art. I love how Pam Munoz Ryan shows how Esperanza has changed as a result of her troubles. This is a story of fear, love, heartbreak, loss, and determination. I would recommend this to just about anyone who wants to learn a little bit about Mexican culture, and those who are looking for a captivating read. -Reviewed by Aaron

Life As We Knew It is a fictional diary about a 16-year-old girl named Miranda who lived in Pennsylvania. When she first heard warnings about an asteroid hitting the moon, she easily dismisses them, just like everyone else. But when a fatal event causes the moon to knock closer into orbit, altering Earth’s climate, Miranda’s life drastically changes. Grocery stores run out of food, gas prices go up, and everything else is completely closed. Miranda witnesses catastrophes like mass tsunamis, weather changes, and more, all while writing in a diary almost every day. She writes about struggles between her family, friends, and how hard it is to survive. But just as everyone may seem to get used to this apocalyptic world, another catastrophe happens completely sending life out of control once more. I would recommend this book for people who enjoy science fiction or apocalyptic books.  -Reviewed by Vivienne

                Prisoner B-3087 is a heartbreaking novel about a Jewish boy’s struggle to survive in concentration camps. Yanek Gruener was only 10 years old when Hitler started his war against Jews. Yanek had to learn how to share his apartment flat with several other families and how to work for hours just to get barely enough food. At only 13 years old, Yanek was sent to his first concentration camp.  Follow Yanek through 10 painful, murderous, and deadly concentration camps where every minute is a struggle to survive, and every day is a miracle to live through. It is a truly fascinating tale based on a real Jewish man who lived through the dreadful experience of brutal concentration camps that seemed impossible to live through. -Reviewed by Vivienne 

  We Were Liars is a thrilling tale that follows Cadence Sinclair Eastman, the eldest grandchild in the Sinclair family. Cadence’s (Cady’s) family owns Beechwood Island. Every year the “Perfect” Sinclair Family spends the summer at the Island. Cady, Her Cousins (Mirren and Jonny) and their friend Gat make up the four Liars. The book shows the four growing up with each other in their blissful summers. Up until summer 15 that is. Cady’s father leaves her and her mom before they were supposed to depart to Beechwood. Cady is determined to have a perfect summer without him. And she does until her accident. After her accident she cannot remember anything after summer 15. And no one is telling her what happened. There are secrets everywhere. Follow along as Cady tries to reveal them and remember her accident. -Reviewed by Keaghan

 Meet Kat, the newest Alpha Girl of Glitter Girl Cosmetics, chosen to launch their new product line! Forty-eight hours after she posts about the products on her blog, over half the school is sporting her picks… The only person not excited about the launch is Kat’s best friend Jules. As Glitter Girl starts to come between their friendship, Kat will have to decide what is more important to her, Jules, or her identity as an Alpha Girl… Recommended for anyone who loves fashion and glitter, Glitter Girl is the perfect quick and fun read! -Reviewed by Kennedy

 Cody and Marnie, best friends since forever, have always shared their love of baseball and their competitive spirit. When Cody breaks his arm two games before the state championship, it is up to Marni to take his place. Fitting in on the boys team is easy for Marnie, but what happens when she starts to fall for Cody- and the feelings are mutual? Perfect for anyone who loves a good sports romance book, Out of Left Field will have you turning it's pages right until the end! -Reviewed by Kennedy