Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor - OPTIONAL

 

Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor, 320 pages. Harper Collins, 2025. $16

Language: R (35 swears, 1 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (on page sex); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Lilah, a college student, is still reeling from the death of her beloved mother and her grandfather refuses to open up to her and talk about any of his history. Then Lilah receives a surprise email from a boy who lives in Rome - he has what seems to be an heirloom of Lilah’s family. Together Lilah and her grandfather travel to Rome to discover the connection. Meanwhile, in the past, Bruna is devastated the day her beloved younger brother goes missing and as she is searching for him, her parents are hauled off by the Nazi’s to a death camp. Now in hiding, Bruna joins the resistance, rediscovering Elsa, a crush from before and the two passionately reconnect amidst the horrors of World War II.

I am so disappointed that Taylor decided to unnecessarily graphically describe the girls’ passion. The rest of the book is as good as the author’s Paper Girl of Paris, but less accessible.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS