Audio, Movie, and Book Reviews for
Christian Young Adults (ages 11-17)
Why do I do book reviews?
As a follower of Jesus Christ, I'm concerned about what I read. I love to read! I enjoy a variety of types and styles of books. What you'll see here are my comments and suggestions about books that I've read or am currently reading. I currently review books for several Christian publishers; I also enjoy posting reviews about books that I've really enjoyed from our local library, or books that friends and family give me to read. Enjoy!
Books for Young Adults (ages 11-17)
Here are some books for an age group which can be hard to please. I only select books for this location which I feel are promoting the right kinds of values I want all young adults to have!
I've placed the Young Adult book reviews all in one column here, or you may go back to my Tabs (left hand side) and choose a specific book review to read on one individual page.
I've placed the Young Adult book reviews all in one column here, or you may go back to my Tabs (left hand side) and choose a specific book review to read on one individual page.
Asking for Trouble by Sandra Byrd
Sandra Byrd has a really nice, casual style of writing that captivates a teen audience. As I read this book, I enjoyed all of the subtle cultural differences that were described by an American living near London, especially since I spent the first five years of my life in New Zealand, which is similar in many ways to England. I knew right away that this book would appeal to my 12-year-old daughter, so I gave it to her to read and review. Here is what my daughter had to say about Asking for Trouble, by Sandra Byrd:
When 15-year old Savannah “Savvy” Smith moves to enters her new school in England, there isn’t any room for her. Everyone has their own “group.” There’s the newspaper staff group, the nerd group, the popular group (Savvy calls them the “Aristocats”), the drama group…the list goes on and on. There isn’t really a group for her, though, being new.
One day, she sees a flier for a position in the school newspaper. This is what she has wanted all along; however, they don’t think she’s experienced enough. She still ends up with a newspaper job, but it’s not writing by a far shot: she gets to deliver the papers.
As the book goes on, “Savvy” deals with all the normal aspects of being new and trying to fit in. She has to cope with giving up her old friend in the States, attempting to make new friends with some of the “Aristocats”, and trying to get a spot on the newspaper staff.
Along the way, Savvy gets her relationship with God back together and learns valuable life lessons. While the book may be short (261 pages), it will give you a lasting impression on how God can truly help you out in life.
Another thing I noticed while reading the book is that although Savvy “obsesses” a little bit about a boy she liked in the States, she never really attempts to get a date or make the guys in the new school like her, as is typical (quite unfortunately) for most girls in the teen years. Also, the book contains no swearing or violence.
I would recommend this book for ages 10+. (This is not because of any negative content; it’s just because I feel people around this age would fully appreciate the storyline.)
Click here to view the book trailer for Asking for Trouble by Sandra Byrd. Enjoy!
Kelsi, age 12
Tyndale House Publishers has provided me, Julieanne Miller, with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a book review on my blog. No other compensation was provided.
When 15-year old Savannah “Savvy” Smith moves to enters her new school in England, there isn’t any room for her. Everyone has their own “group.” There’s the newspaper staff group, the nerd group, the popular group (Savvy calls them the “Aristocats”), the drama group…the list goes on and on. There isn’t really a group for her, though, being new.
One day, she sees a flier for a position in the school newspaper. This is what she has wanted all along; however, they don’t think she’s experienced enough. She still ends up with a newspaper job, but it’s not writing by a far shot: she gets to deliver the papers.
As the book goes on, “Savvy” deals with all the normal aspects of being new and trying to fit in. She has to cope with giving up her old friend in the States, attempting to make new friends with some of the “Aristocats”, and trying to get a spot on the newspaper staff.
Along the way, Savvy gets her relationship with God back together and learns valuable life lessons. While the book may be short (261 pages), it will give you a lasting impression on how God can truly help you out in life.
Another thing I noticed while reading the book is that although Savvy “obsesses” a little bit about a boy she liked in the States, she never really attempts to get a date or make the guys in the new school like her, as is typical (quite unfortunately) for most girls in the teen years. Also, the book contains no swearing or violence.
I would recommend this book for ages 10+. (This is not because of any negative content; it’s just because I feel people around this age would fully appreciate the storyline.)
Click here to view the book trailer for Asking for Trouble by Sandra Byrd. Enjoy!
Kelsi, age 12
Tyndale House Publishers has provided me, Julieanne Miller, with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a book review on my blog. No other compensation was provided.
June Bug, by Chris Fabry
I don’t know if you are familiar with the timeless classic, Les Miserables, a French story written by Victor Hugo, about an escaped criminal who runs from the law, "adopts" a daughter while on the run, and settles down living a very moral and humble life as an "unknown" in a new community.
June Bug is a modern-day take on the captivating story of Les Miserables. I first watched Les Miserables when I was in 8th grade, staying up late one evening with my dad. It was a memorable evening because we didn’t have cable television, and decent, well-made movies rarely appeared on tv. He enjoyed explaining some of the portions of the movie to me that I didn’t understand.
I was very curious to see how Chris Fabry would interpret Les Miserables into his own story. While the modern story, June Bug, has some differences from the old French tale, it also has many similarities.
Author, Chris Fabry
I found the story to be captivating. I couldn’t wait to finish the book! I even read for several hours one Saturday to reach the final page in the book; this is a luxury for me as I rarely read during the evenings or weekends. You’ll find me reading while the girls are at their violin lessons or at youth orchestra rehearsals, and that is about all I allow myself to read for pleasure. Maybe that is going to have to change! After finishing June Bug last Saturday, I had this great feeling all day, clear ’til bedtime, about the book and about being able to sit and read while it was fairly quiet in the house.
My daughters, ages 10 and 12, read this book before I did. They really enjoyed the book. My 10-year-old finds it difficult to read books that really capture her attention, but she is now begging me to purchase some of Fabry’s other books. The character development was excellent; the twists and turns in the story kept me captive. I was surprised up to the end of the book, and I shed a few tears when I finished the story. I wish one or two events at the end of the book had resolved in a different manner, but I suppose that was because I didn’t want to cry, LOL.
If you enjoy books with good character development, jerks and twists, and that allow you to become very emotionally tied with the plot and characters, you will enjoy this book. It has a pro-Christian theme, which I enjoyed, instead of people’s religions always being slammed as in many modern day books. I am looking forward to reading this author’s other works.
June Bug sells for $11.99 on www.christianbook.com .
June Bug is a modern-day take on the captivating story of Les Miserables. I first watched Les Miserables when I was in 8th grade, staying up late one evening with my dad. It was a memorable evening because we didn’t have cable television, and decent, well-made movies rarely appeared on tv. He enjoyed explaining some of the portions of the movie to me that I didn’t understand.
I was very curious to see how Chris Fabry would interpret Les Miserables into his own story. While the modern story, June Bug, has some differences from the old French tale, it also has many similarities.
Author, Chris Fabry
I found the story to be captivating. I couldn’t wait to finish the book! I even read for several hours one Saturday to reach the final page in the book; this is a luxury for me as I rarely read during the evenings or weekends. You’ll find me reading while the girls are at their violin lessons or at youth orchestra rehearsals, and that is about all I allow myself to read for pleasure. Maybe that is going to have to change! After finishing June Bug last Saturday, I had this great feeling all day, clear ’til bedtime, about the book and about being able to sit and read while it was fairly quiet in the house.
My daughters, ages 10 and 12, read this book before I did. They really enjoyed the book. My 10-year-old finds it difficult to read books that really capture her attention, but she is now begging me to purchase some of Fabry’s other books. The character development was excellent; the twists and turns in the story kept me captive. I was surprised up to the end of the book, and I shed a few tears when I finished the story. I wish one or two events at the end of the book had resolved in a different manner, but I suppose that was because I didn’t want to cry, LOL.
If you enjoy books with good character development, jerks and twists, and that allow you to become very emotionally tied with the plot and characters, you will enjoy this book. It has a pro-Christian theme, which I enjoyed, instead of people’s religions always being slammed as in many modern day books. I am looking forward to reading this author’s other works.
June Bug sells for $11.99 on www.christianbook.com .
