Series ✦ Penny’s Take
By My Side
Sue Reid · 2014
68/100
👎 Skip It
A brief, emotionally accessible WWII romance that does its job for younger teen readers who want a first entry point into the occupation era without being overwhelmed. The forbidden romance pulls readers along and the historical stakes feel real. At only 176 pages the history stays shallow, and older YA readers who have met Markus Zusak or Ruta Sepetys will feel the thinness, but reluctant readers will finish it.
✦ Penny’s Take — this is The Review Group’s own editorial assessment. Penny’s analytical review line researched this book from real sources and scored it across the lenses shown below. It’s an honest first-party read — not a page-by-page personal one. The gold ✓ Penny Tested mark is reserved for books Penny reads cover to cover herself.
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Show the math
Verdict receipt0–100
safety88
substance58
craft65
originality58
accuracy76
hype78
age-fit85
human-eye66
Penny’s verdict68
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