Book Review: Jacky Ha-Ha by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein (adapted by Adam Rau and Betty C. Tang)

Book Review: Primer by Jennifer Muro & Thomas Krajewski, art by Gretel Lusky

Primer follows the story of 13-year-old artist Ashley Rayburn as she struggles to come of age despite a difficult upbringing. With her father in prison, Ashley has been bounced around from foster home to foster home, never feeling a sense of belonging. That all changes when she goes to live with the Nolans. They might almost…love her? Yuka Nolan is working on a top-secret project that will change military combat forever, and could be very destructive if it falls into the wrong hands. She brings it home for safekeeping and Ashley gets a hold of it. The project is a set of paints that gives superpowers to the wearer. Soon enough, Ashley learns how to use the paints and battles a notorious gang of villains. Will she be able to keep her superhero status and live out the life of a normal teenage girl? Or will the responsibility be too much for a young girl with a troubled past?

Book Review: Symptoms of a Heartbreak by Sona Charaipotra

Don’t let the title or the cover mislead you. Symptoms of a Heartbreak is not a feel-good summer romance that you can read with your toes in the sand. Rather, it follows the story of girl genius Saira Seghal, who becomes a pediatric oncologist at the age of 16. Her advanced academic intellect has earned her this title, but Saira still has the emotional maturity of a teenager. The year is filled with best friend drama, family health scares, and emotional attachments to patients. Saira thinks that when she gets her driver’s license, she will officially become an adult. Throughout the book, Saira learns that although she’s sacrificed a lot to become a doctor at young age, in some ways she is still happy to be a teenager.

Book Review: Unblemished by Sara Ella

For as long as she can remember, Eliyana Ember has lived a sheltered life in Manhattan, until one day her mother unexpectedly passes away. Numb with sorrow, she follows a friend to a party and gets kidnapped by a mysterious boy named Ky. She is brought to a parallel dimension called the Second Reflection, where good is battling evil. The Void threatens to wipe out the Verity, and a servant of the Void has usurped the throne. The locals believe that Eliyana’s grotesque birthmark indicates that she is the “Verity’s vessel,” with a special link to the good forces of the realm. If she has this power, it will manifest before her eighteenth birthday, which is just a few weeks away. Romance also abounds as El must battle her feelings for her old friend Joshua and new friend, Ky. She discovers that her mother is still alive, but being held as a prisoner of the crown. As El works to free her mother, she learns more about this strange new world and her place in it. Will El find a way to put aside her doubt and confront the darkness that looms over everything she holds dear? Read this book to find out!