Harper has always loved to read and now that she’s into more preteen/young adult novels, there’s been big demand for me to share her recommendations. I was totally blown away by her reviews and how well written they are – I didn’t touch or edit a single word! I hope these reviews help you build your child’s summer reading list & of course, there will be more to come as summer progresses. I hope your preteen/teen enjoys these reads as much as Harper did!
*All book synopses are copied directly from amazon.com.
Book Title: The Raft
Book synopsis: Robie is an experienced traveler. She’s taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there’s a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie, doesn’t panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft.
And then . . . she’s in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that’s when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there’s no sign of help on the way.
Rating (4.5/5 stars):
Harper’s review: I loved this book mostly because of the twists and turns, the book had so many surprises it left me on my bed in shock. I love the characters too, the characters contribute to the story in such a great way. I love that it is a thriller but it is also a sort of mystery once you get into the book. Robie developed so much for the better and I love that even when she was scared she didn’t give up! There are some parts that were a little sad and graphic so I wouldn’t recommend this to younger kids buf for kids around my age I would say it’s a perfect book!
Book title: The Detour
Book synopsis: Livvy Flynn is a big deal – she’s a New York Times-best-selling author whose YA fiction has sold all over the world. She’s rich, she’s famous, she’s gorgeous, and she’s full of herself. When she’s invited to an A-list writer’s conference, she decides to accept so she can have some time to herself. She’s on a tight deadline for her next book, and she has no intention of socializing with the other industry people at the conference.
And then she hits the detour. Before she knows it, her brand-new car is wrecked, she’s hurt, and she’s tied to a bed in a nondescript shack in the middle of nowhere. A woman and her apparently manic daughter have kidnapped her. And they have no intention of letting her go.
Rating: (4.5/5 stars)
Harper’s review: This book was absolutely unhinged, and I loved it! It had crazy twists and turns and I love that it did not end where I thought it would end. The character is an overall nice person and she grows from this experience. I love how they used flashbacks to her childhood to show how her actions pulled back memories. I feel the characters couldn’t have been better and there are so many surprises in store! For this book I would recommend it 11+ because the subject and the things that happen while he is in the house is a little bit more for older kids. Overall I love this book.
Book title: The Thousandth Floor, The Dazzling Heights, The Towering Sky (This is a series of 3 books).
Book synopsis: (book 1) New York City as you’ve never seen it before. A thousand-story tower stretching into the sky. A glittering vision of the future, where anything is possible – if you want it enough.
Welcome to Manhattan, 2118.
A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. But people never change: Everyone here wants something…and everyone has something to lose.
Leda Cole’s flawless exterior belies a secret addiction – to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.
Eris Dodd-Radson’s beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.
Rylin Myers’ job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world – and a romance – she never imagined…but will her new life cost Rylin her old one?
Watt Bakradi is a tech genius with a secret: He knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy by an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.
And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is Avery Fuller, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.
Debut author Katharine McGee has created a breathtakingly original series filled with high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, where the impossible feels just within reach. But in this world, the higher you go, the farther there is to fall…. (book 2) New York, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amidst high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…
LEDA is haunted by memories of what happened on the worst night of her life. She’ll do anything to make sure the truth stays hidden—even if it means trusting her enemy.
WATT just wants to put everything behind him…until Leda forces him to start hacking again. Will he do what it takes to be free of her for good?
When RYLIN wins a scholarship to an upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being there means seeing the boy whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return.
AVERY is tormented by her love for the one person in the world she can never have. She’s desperate to be with him… no matter the cost.
And then there’s CALLIOPE, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who arrives in New York determined to cause a stir. And she knows exactly where to begin.
But unbeknownst to them all, someone is watching their every move, someone with revenge in mind. And in a world of such dazzling heights, just one wrong step can mean a devastating fall.
Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying and Big Little Lies, the sumptuous second book in the bestselling Thousandth Floor series has all the drama, romance and hidden secrets that landed the first book in this series at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list! (book 3) When you have everything, you have everything to lose.
Welcome back to New York, 2119. A skyscraper city, fueled by impossible dreams.
Leda just wants to move on from what happened in Dubai. Until a new investigation forces her to seek help – from the person she’s spent all year trying to forget.
Rylin is back in her old life, reunited with an old flame. But when she starts seeing Cord again, she finds herself torn: between two worlds, and two very different boys.
Calliope feels trapped, playing a long con that costs more than she bargained for. What happens when all her lies catch up with her?
Watt is still desperately in love with Leda. He’ll do anything to win her back – even dig up secrets that are better left buried.
And now that Avery is home from England – with a new boyfriend, Max – her life seems more picture-perfect than ever. So why does she feel like she would rather be anything but perfect?
Perfect for fans of Kiera Cass and Anna Godbersen, and with all the drama, romance and hidden secrets from The Thousandth Floor and The Dazzling Heights, this explosive finale will not disappoint.
Rating: (6/5 stars)
Harper’s review: These books are sooooo good! Once I got them I couldn’t put them down, I would go shopping with these books in my hand. The whole series has so many storylines and interesting characters that are so different yet so intertwined. Everyone becomes involved in every character’s lives. My favorite character was Eris because her whole life is so interesting yet so relatable. Of course the other characters are just as captivating too! The whole story just makes you think and the drama is amazing. So many twists and turns, if you blink you miss it! The subject matter and language is for older kids so I would recommend 12+. WARNING: once you flip the first page be prepared to never let it down! My words don’t even begin to capture the greatness of these books!
Book title: The Compound, The Fallout (This is a 2 book series)
Book synopsis: (Book 1) Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they’ve become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy. No amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day. As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary―and their sanity―Eli can’t help but wonder if he’d rather take his chances outside. Eli’s father built the Compound to keep them safe. But are they safe―really? (Book 2) Eli and his family lived in an underground shelter they called the Compound for six years. They thought they were the only survivors of a nuclear attack, but when Eli learned that it was all a twisted experiment orchestrated by his tech-visionary father, he broke the family out. His father died trying to keep them imprisoned.
Now, the family must readjust to life in the real world. Their ordeal has made them so famous, they must stay in hiding―everyone from fatalists preparing for doomsday to the tabloid media wants a piece of them. Even worse, their father’s former adviser continues to control the company Eli and his twin brother are the heirs of.
As Eli tries to determine who the family can trust, he learns the nightmare of the Compound―and his father’s experiment―might not be over. The Fallout is S. A. Bodeen’s highly anticipated, thrilling sequel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Rating: (5/5 stars)
Harper’s review: These books were so crazy and had so many twists and turns! I loved the characters and I believe the story would not be as good without them. The characters gave a depth to the story and I think without them and their experiences the story wouldn’t have been as captivating. And don’t even get me started on the supplements, unethical, but a great storyline and just made the story even better. These books are soooo good and again, I. Never. Put. It. Down. They were just unbelievable and there were betrayals, twists, turns, unexplainable events! I would recommend it for 10+ because it’s just such a great book. One thing I would have changed was the cluelessness of a certain character (not giving any spoilers) overall that comment would not diminish a star because the author made up for it with an amazing storyline. It should definitely be made into a movie.
Book title: The Island
Book synopsis: Jagged Island: a private amusement park for the very rich—or the very influential. Liam, James, Will, Ava, Harper, and Paisley—social media influencers with millions of followers—have been invited for an exclusive weekend before the park opens. They’ll make posts and videos for their channels and report every second of their VIP treatment.
When the teens arrive, they’re stunned: the resort is even better than they’d imagined. Their hotel rooms are unreal, the park’s themed rides are incredible, and the island is hauntingly beautiful. They’re given a jam-packed itinerary for the weekend.
But soon they’ll discover that something’s missing from their schedule: getting off the island alive.
Rating: (4/5 stars)
Harper’s rating: This book was so good, I mean this book was as good as a horror/murder mystery book could be. The book was scary but not to the point of nightmares. I love that they put in the mystery aspect of it to not reveal who the killer was, but make it even more suspenseful. The characters in this book just made it all the better and don’t get me started on the reveal of the killer! You can’t know who and who not to trust in this book! The setting was a gothic theme park so I feel that it contributed to the story in an immense way. I recommend this book for 11+ years of age because there is a little bit of language and the murder aspect is a little graphic. I love this book and I highly recommend reading it while it’s raining or in the dark, totally optional but I felt it gave a scarier feeling!
Thank you, sweet Harper, for sharing these reviews!
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