The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston

I find Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior such a fascinating read because it blends fiction and nonfiction almost seamlessly, mixing legends of myth and fantasy with real world issues many immigrants struggle with today. Not only does Kingston allow the reader a glimpse as life as an Asian-American immigrant, but as a woman in the past and the present as well.

In accordance with the title, The Woman Warrior depicts the ever present sexism in society and unfortunately the home, all the while showcasing what women really do have to offer. This empowerment is portrayed equally through elements of fantasy, family responsibilities, and Kingston’s personal relationship with her mother. Though it is listed as a memoir, The Woman Warrior is far from just that, offering a touch of folklore and legend weaved between stories from Kingston and her mother’s lives. Character shaping events lie next to daily occurrences in this cultural experience of a book, one I am truly glad to have learned from a nuanced and realistic angle. 

Review Written by Emily, 11th Grade

The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter is a historical fiction novel set in the mid 1600s, set in a Puritan colony in Massachusetts. The novel follows the story of Hester Prynne, a woman who must wear a scarlet “A” on her breast as a punishment for committing adultery, as she had ended up giving birth to an infant as a result of an affair, her husband not in the country at the time she had conceived the child. The novel follows Prynne as she is shamed by her community as she nurtures and cares for her growing daughter, and also explores the stories of Chillingworth and Dimmesdale, two men who play a significant role in Prynne’s story.

With themes such as society, sin, guilt, and even female independence explored in a mid 1600 setting, Hawthorne crafts a story that is as eloquent as it is riveting. The Scarlet Letter especially makes an interesting read for those who enjoy more complex and allegorical messages.

Review Written by Elizabeth, 12th Grade

Hidden Figures Directed by Theodore Melfi

Three highly capable and gifted African American women are hired to be part of NASA's space program during the Race to Space operation in 1961. Despite their continuous efforts, Katherine, Dorothy, and Mary live in a society of discrimination toward women and people of color. As a single mother working a full time job, Katherine is promoted to perform crucial calculations with her intelligence specializing in mathematics. However, she faces frequent prejudice, both unintentional and intentional because of her gender and the color of her skin. All three women working at NASA are determined to be seen as equals and to finally receive the opportunities they deserve.

Based on a true story, Hidden Figures is an extremely inspirational and informative film that presents a realistic issue in detail. It explores the importance of equality; to people of all color and gender. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something educational and heartwarming with a touch of enjoyable humor.

Based on the novel by Margot Lee Shetterly
Rated PG

Review Written by Isole, 8th Grade

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

One of Us is Lying is a murder mystery book. It features five characters: Bronwyn, Simon, Nate, Cooper, and Adelaid (Addy). In the book, these five students are sent to detention, and while there, Simon suffers a fatal allergy and dies. However, it is announced the next day via a tumblr post that Simon’s death was not an accident and that he was murdered by one of the 4 students who were in detention with him.

I really liked this book because throughout the story, it was very hard to predict who the murderer was. The author did a very good job of making the clues confusing, but also making sure they made sense. The story had a bunch of twists and turns, so when the big reveal at the end happened, I was very unprepared. The ending was very shocking, and although it seemed like an obvious answer, I wasn’t able to predict it. Overall, this story was very captivating and was very difficult to put down.

Review Written by Victoria, 9th Grade

Night Witches by Kathryn Lasky

Night Witches is about a 16 year old girl who is in Stanlingrad when the Germans are surrounding her city. When the war begins her sister goes to fight and joins an all women bombing squad, the night witches. But she stays behind with her grandma and mother. Once they both die she sets out to join the night witches like her sister. She meets a soldier who helps her get past the Germans. Will she ever find her sister and the night witches?

This book is exciting and will make your heart race, but will also make you cry and learn about how cruel the Germans were in World War II. I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes to learn about history and what mistakes humanity has made.

Review Written by Lucy, 7th Grade

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi is a devastating yet moving memoir. After years of relentless studying and changes in passion, Paul finally reaches the peak of his career training as a neurosurgeon. However, the accumulation of hard work suddenly vanishes with a heart breaking diagnosis: stage 4 lung cancer. Knowing his fate, Paul chooses to confront his own morality with grace and acceptance while reflecting on the meaning of life.

I highly recommend reading this book. I liked how the powerful writing was able to make me appreciate the little things I take for granted while sending the message to always keep striving through the good and bad.

Review Written by Alina, 10th Grade

Fountain of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys is a novel that sheds light on the dark time of post-civil-war Spain. Ana is an impoverished girl who works for a hotel where she sees rich tourists and diplomats constantly that make many times more money in a day than her family could in a year. Her family suffers from the oppression under the dictator General Franco. Daniel is an American tourist from an extremely wealthy family who’s trying to capture photos of Spain that will get him into photography school, a future that isn’t supported by his parents. As their two stories collide and love starts to blossom, Ana shows Daniel the harsh reality of Spain’s dictatorship and Daniel starts to realize just how terrible things are. Through the many perspectives that the novel follows, the little-known horrors of this time are revealed as seen by different kinds of people. Even now, information about this time period is being uncovered despite it not being long ago because of how well it was covered up and forgotten. By the end of the book, you’ll know the true dangers of silence.

This book is extremely heart-wrenching and sad but opened my eyes to a historical period that I had never read about. A lot of the issues that this book addresses are still relevant today which makes it a really good educational read while also telling a beautiful and page-turning story. The relationship between Ana and Daniel is powerful but not overwhelming to the other important parts of the story and their romance is a great thing to root for. Just like Ruta Sepetys’s other novels, the characters are complex and very intricately written, making the book very realistic and vivid. I liked that this book was attention-grabbing and fast-paced because it heightened the interest of the story and allowed for the book to keep surprising the reader. Almost every chapter something new and shocking was introduced which kept the story fresh and captivating. I would give this book a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars because it’s honestly one of the best books I have ever read in almost all aspects. For mature fans of Ruta Sepetys, fans of historical fiction with romance, or just people looking for a fun way to learn more about historical events I highly recommend that you read The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys.

Review Written by Ada, 9th Grade

Spearhead: An American Tank Gunner, His Enemy, and a Collision of Lives in World War II by Adam Makos

This book is about a man named Clarence Smoyer and his tank crew and friends in his division, the 3rd Armored Division of the United States. The book also has the view of a man named Gustav Schaefer who was in a tank against Clarence in the city of Cologne. There Clarence in his T-26 Pershing had a duel with Gustav in his Panzer IV and a German Panther tank. Years after this Clarence returns to Cologne to meet with Gustav to get rid of his PTSD.

I liked this book because it shows the two reactions to the new American T-26, the people that drove it and the people that fought it. This book is good for people who are interested in the topic of WWII.

Review Written by Tidlen, 10th Grade

Everland by Wendy Spinale

London has been bombed. With it, a deadly new virus: the Horologia Virus, was released, killing those who survived the initial destruction. Gwen Darling and her two younger siblings, Joanna and Mikey must find a way to scavenge and stay alive, all while evading the nefarious Captain Herman Otto Oswald Kretschmer, or Captain Hook, and his band of Marauders. Searching for a cure, Hook and his group spend their days searching the cities for survivors to experiment on. When Joanna is snatched by the Marauders, Gwen reaches out to Pete, the leader of a group of survivors living in an underground city nicknamed Everland, and his second in command, Bella, a pixie like girl who flits through the city as though she has wings, for help. Gwen and Pete must find a way to rescue her sister before they all perish from the virus. As the cover well states, the only way to grow up is to survive. 

Taking a steampunk twist on the classic tale of Peter Pan, Wendy Spinale keeps the same storyline we all know and throws it into a dark, dystopian world. Everland is a beautiful retelling of an age old story, with amazing plot twists, beautiful visuals, and a unique take on each character.

Review Written by Lindsey, 9th Grade

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon tells the story of Christopher, a boy who has a mental disability but is extremely intelligent. His mother died of a heart attack, leaving his abusive and alcoholic father to care for him. When Christopher finds a dead dog impaled on a pitchfork, he launches his own investigation throughout the neighborhood to find the murderer. He goes to whatever lengths necessary to uncover the truth behind this mysterious death‒and his parents.

This is an intriguing and eccentric novel that shed light on mental disabilities. A person like Christopher would not normally be portrayed in a book, so it was heartening to see him get his own spotlight. There were also occasional diagrams and drawings in the book that helped break up the text and make it more enjoyable to read. Each chapter was unique and refreshing; I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. However, unlike a real page turner, this book is thoughtful and contains substance. I am hopeful that this book‒and many others‒will help pave the way for more new, diverse characters.​

Review Written by Eliana, 10th Grade

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Written by lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy is a memoir recounting various cases that Stevenson took involving the wrongly condemned and the poor. Throughout the novel, he particularly places a very strong emphasis on how racial inequality and bias plays a large part in the sentencing and incarceration of many of the African-Americans who he had helped fight for, and how both he and his readers could help stand up and fight against such bias. Through these cases, Stevenson also delivers a strong message of mercy and justice to his audience, as many of his clients were either wrongly condemned or accused.

I enjoyed reading this book especially because of how it relates to the current state of the world today, with Black Lives Matter steadily gaining support and people seeking justice for the wrongly accused and wrongly killed members of our society. I thought that the messages and themes of this book strongly resonated with what many people in the world are fighting and standing up for at this time.

Review Written by Elizabeth, 12th Grade

The Girl from Berlin by Ronald H. Balson

The Girl from Berlin by Ronald H. Balson is a heart-wrenching novel about a Jewish violinist named Ada who lives in Berlin during World War II. In a time where women aren’t given places in professional orchestras, Ada intends to be the first, and with her extremely advanced musical ability, it’s not too far-fetched of a dream. As Ada is progressing in the Berlin Youth Orchestra, Nazis are taking over Berlin, and Ada and her family are targeted as high ranking Jewish people. Ada’s amazing talent will help her survive, but will it be enough? Fast forward to modern-day, two lawyers, Catherine Lockhart and Liam Taggart go to Italy to help their friend’s aunt who’s being evicted from her villa. The aunt, Gabi, is scarred by her past, and to make up for the fact that she can’t talk about her past or how she got the property, she gives them the manuscript of Ada Baumgarten, telling them it’ll explain everything. How can Ada’s story save Gabi’s villa and why can’t Gabi talk about her past? Will Ada make it through the war? Read The Girl from Berlin to find out.

 I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in a matter of hours. I read a lot of World War II novels but almost none have been as emotionally touching as this. Through tears, laughter, shock, and internal pleading with the book, I couldn’t put it down. The integration of the modern-day storyline with Ada’s story is seamless and adds so many layers to both. Ada’s determination to break through the gender barrier in the music industry even while the war is inspiring and her devotion to her family through her chances to progress and get out of Berlin is a true testament of love. While this story does have its triumphs and happiness it’s also brutal and sad at points. Ada performs in grand theaters and experiences first love but also goes to places such as concentration camps and a terrible prison cell. If you are a mature reader who’s looking for an inspiring, rollercoaster-of-emotions book, or if you’ve read books like The Book Thief and The Librarian of Auschwitz, I highly recommend that you read The Girl from Berlin by Ronald H. Balson.

Review Written by Ada, 9th Grade

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

After Thomas wakes up in the Glade without his memories, he finds that the Glade is located within a maze in which the boys who populate the Glade must escape. However, one day the first girl appears in the Glade and throws the order of society out of place. Slowly, things out of the ordinary start happening, the boys stop receiving supplies and food and the doors that protect them from the Grievers stop closing at night. The Glade is thrown in chaos as the cyborg Grievers invade at night, killing one person at a time. Thomas and the Gladers must survive and escape the maze. This book include dystopian themes such as environmental destruction and survival.

James Dashner captures the highlights of these themes and manifests a thrilling story of survival and companionship. The Maze Runner is a captivating and exhilarating book that exhibits the loyalty and sacrifice of young children as they struggle to survive.

Review Written by Danielle, 7th Grade

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars is a romance book about a 16 year old girl named Hazel Grace Lancaster. Hazel is diagnosed with thyroid cancer in her lungs. She joins a cancer support group under her mother’s request and meets a 17 year old boy named Augustus Waters, who is an amputee. They fall in love, and this book follows their relationship.

I enjoyed this book because it showed how people who are ill or disabled can still live normal lives. The book was very emotional and touching, especially at the end, and teaches the reader a lesson about being happy with their life. To me, this book was very inspirational, and I really enjoyed it.

Review Written by Victoria, 9th Grade

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars is an exciting tale about a group of friends, known as the Liars, and their summer adventures over the years. It starts with the main character Cadence (or Cady), and we learn that she had an accident that caused her to lose her memory of what she calls, "Summer 15". Ever since she was young, Cady had spent the summer on her family's private island with her grandparents, aunts, and cousins and the island is where we meet the 3 other liars: her cousins Johnny, Mirren, and Gat. As the book continues, readers learn more about that mysterious summer as Cady regains her memory and tries to piece together what had happened.

I enjoyed this book because it was mysterious, but not scary, so I could read it at night without getting scared. One of the main themes in this book was family and Lockhart did a great job going into depth on their various family relationships and conflicts. I highly recommend it!

Review Written by Maddie, 10th Grade

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Maddy, diagnosed with a severe immunodeficiency illness, has never stepped outside of her home in eighteen years. Maddy lives alone with her protective mother and their hired supervisor, Carla. However, Maddy’s life completely changes once Olly and his family move into the house next door. Maddy begins to fall for Olly and as the two grow close, communicating through a window by text or phone call just isn’t enough. Maddy’s one wish is to be close to Olly, even if it means risking everything.

  Everything, Everything is a dynamically written romance novel that is both entertaining and emotionally connecting. By personal experience, I doubted that I would enjoy this particular genre. However, the story-line was compelling and explored something that I wasn’t quite familiar with. The novel was truly an unexpected page-turner. The book interprets the characters’ personalities well and illustrates each experience with imagination.

 Overall, I enjoyed this read and would recommend this book to teen readers who are looking for a novel that is moving and inspirational.

Review Written by Isole, 8th Grade

A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabury

When girls on the island of San Juan start to appear on the beach, drowned, 17 year old Lucas Knight finds himself being blamed by the people of the island, who are desperate to point the finger at someone. After his latest girlfriend winds up dead, Lucas panics. Frantic, he makes an unlikely friend out of Isabel, a girl cursed with poison, who can kill anything with just a touch. Isabel, who has been confined to the safety of a greenhouse filled with poisonous plants agrees to help him and the two embark on a journey to clear Lucas’ name and uncover the real killer.

A Fierce and Subtle Poison was written by Samantha Mabury, diving into the rich culture and lore of Puerto Rico. It is filled with beautiful description and entices it’s readers into wanting more. That being said, the book is very slow and unevenly paced, and finishes with an ending that is perhaps more annoying than mysterious. By the end of the book, I found myself confused, but happy, as the writing served the story justice, but the plot wasn’t as well thought out as I anticipated. Overall, this book gave a lot of mixed feelings, as it provided memorable, but not fleshed out characters, beautiful descriptions, but a weak plot, and a frustrating ending.

One thing that deserves more praise in this book, is the beautiful cover design, which drew me, and likely many others, to read it. The cover reflects the overall theme of the book exceptionally, and really is just stunning.

Review Written by Lindsey, 9th Grade

A Field Guide To Lies by Daniel Levitin

An informational book filled with interesting information, A Field Guide to Lies, as its title implies, teaches you how to identify the lies within what may seem to be statistical information, or in other words, “fact”. Although the topic may seem dull to some, the information covered within the book is interesting, and the language that Levitin uses creates a witty and amusing tone during his delivery. Most interestingly, or most importantly, Levitin covers an important source that many people automatically believe as reliable: the news.

Due to the TV as well as the internet, people have access to news as well as articles 24/7, and due to the news being considered a reliable third party source most of the time, people are inclined to believe what they see or read. However, Levitin covers small differences within wording or delivery that either misleads people or completely fooled. Levitin especially emphasizes the fact that “statistics are not facts”, which I found to be very interesting, as we are taught from a young age to believe that statistics are, in fact, “fact”, as they are numbers, or “cold and hard data”, as people like to say.

In this book, Levitin opens up a whole new way to see and interpret data, as well as bring up some very nuanced and open ended questions and analysis, which all comes together to create an informative yet very thought provoking book that is worth a read.

Review Written by Elizabeth Lee

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

In the second installment of the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder the cyborg, the Eastern Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive, is attempting to break out of prison. At the same time, in a different country, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother goes missing. While trying to find leads on her grandmother’s disappearance, Scarlet is introduced to Wolf: a street fighter who may have important information. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel their mystery, their paths cross with Cinder and Carswell Thorne, a pilot who escaped prison with her. All four of them will need to come together to stop the evil Lunar queen Levana, who will do anything and everything to make planet Earth her own.

I enjoyed the second book in the Lunar Chronicles almost as much as the first. All of the new characters were extremely intriguing, and the way their stories intertwine is brilliant. The numerous plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The book had just enough suspense to keep me wondering while it built up wonderful relationships between the characters. I would recommend this book to kids and teens that enjoy stories filled with action, suspense, and a little bit of romance.

Review Written by Asha, 9th Grade

The Whole Art of Detection: Lost Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes By: Lyndsay Faye

The Whole Art of Detection is a mixture of fifteen different stories that tell the life of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Lyndsay Faye, the author, was inspired to write this book because of the original Sherlock Holmes mysteries written by Arthur Conan Doyle and it is considered to be one of the many canons out in the world. This book spans the entire career of Sherlock Holmes and brings the reader along with the duo as they solve various crime mysteries that take them traveling around Europe. The Whole Art of Detection is divided into four parts, “Before Baker Street, The Early Years, The Return, and the Later Years.” The reader is able to see when Holmes and Dr. Watson first meet each other as new roommates and further on as they progress into crime solving partners. In "The Return," Faye goes further to describe the detective’s life, after he fakes his death at the Swiss waterfall, when he is forced to come out of hiding in order to attend his politician brother’s garden party. The book continues on until his last case called "The Adventure of the Mad Baritone." This case describes a former opera singer, Horatio Falconer, as he rushes into Holmes apartment pleading for help because he claims that he has been kidnapped multiple times, but the police just will not believe him. Everyone believes that Falconer is a madman and just an alcoholic, but Holmes suspects foul play and goes in and out of the house dressed as different disguises to observe Falconer's surroundings. Indeed Holmes catches the culprit behind Falconer's kidnapping cases and the book ends with the final crime mystery case.

I enjoyed this book because of the multiple mystery cases that Lyndsay Faye included. It was interesting to see the Sherlock Holmes series written in the perspective from a different author in a different time period. I also found it interesting how Faye was able to incorporate Holmes' entire career into one book and watch how he improved over the years.

 I would recommend this book to anybody who enjoys the Sherlock Holmes series, or anyone who is just looking for a good crime mystery book to read. The various crime mysteries really do capture the reader’s attention and make the reader not want to put down the book.

Review Written by Cindy, 10th Grade

Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Trevor Mkinney is just a normal kid in a normal school, when he gets a new Social Studies teacher: Reuben St. Clair. Reuben is a normal person, if one were to ignore the fact that his left eye is gone, as well as many other disabilities to his body and thin skin in multiple places near his face. Trevor’s world-changing idea started with a simple extra credit assignment, which led to the “Pay it Forward” act, created just by Trevor himself. The idea was to do something good for three people, and instead of getting rewarded, tell them to “pay it forward” by doing something good to three other people. Trevor’s plan was to start it off, and have it spread around the world. Although Trevor had a good idea, twists and turns, and many let-downs in the plot prohibit the reader from being able to tell if he succeeds or not. Through ups and downs, Trevor sticks to his morals, and his mom and teacher always stay on his side.

Pay It Forward is an amazing book, which not only hooks you right from the beginning, but also will teach you about persistence and perseverance. The genre of this book is historical fiction, but the well detailed events will surely keep you reading. The events in this amazing story will not make you disappointed, and this book is very well written and structured. Pay it Forward is such a great story, and I would really recommend you to read this amazing book.

Review Written by Victoria, 9th Grade

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The sudden deaths of thousands of innocent children all over America had startled everyone in the nation. The government responded with news broadcasts and parental guides with a list of symptoms that depicted the children who were potentially at risk. Children with these symptoms were immediately labeled as threats, sent to government camps in hopes to solve the issue. Ruby finds herself sitting on one of these bus rides after half of her classmates were found dead. Violence, tension, and fear erupts among the children as the bus reaches Thurmond, one of the government rehabilitation camps. At Thurmond, each incoming child is categorized into one of the five classifications: Greens, Blues, Yellows, Reds, or Oranges. Each classification describes children with a power such as specialized intelligence, telekinesis, or other supernatural abilities. However, Yellows, Reds, and Oranges were labeled more dangerous than others. Although she was evidently an Orange who is capable of mind control, Ruby manipulates her inspector to believe that she was actually a Green. Relieved, Ruby remains with her secret at Thurmond for five treacherous years. But how long can she truly last?

The Darkest Minds, a novel written by Alexandra Bracken, is an action-packed dystopian novel that I would recommend to all readers. The believable world and character narrative makes this book incredibly entertaining. Scheming, conspiracy, and discovery are all part of the events that occur.

Review Written by Isole, 8th Grade

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Westing Game is a mystery book about the murder of a millionaire named Sam Westing. In his will, he names multiple people living in a nearby apartment building, named Sunset Towers, as his heirs. Through his will and the game he has created with it, the heirs attempt to solve the murder of Sam Westing and win the game prize of $200 million dollars along with control of Westing’s company.

I really enjoyed this book because of the suspense and uncertainty that unfolds until the very end, when the answer is revealed. As clue after clue about the murder is revealed, questions keep multiplying inside the reader’s head. This made it almost impossible to put the book down after I started reading it. The ending of the book was very clever and took me by surprise, as I was not expecting it to end that way. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery novel.

Review Written by Victoria, 9th Grade

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Marissa Meyer’s Cinder was the perfect sci-fi retelling of the age-old tale of Cinderella. Instead of strictly imitating, Cinder takes on a life of its own with its vague references to the classic. The characters don’t strictly adhere to the original, possessing realistic motives and flaws that even if they are a cyborg or robot, are astoundingly human. New Beijing shines as an interesting and engaging city that along with the deadly plague screams engaging world building.

At first, I was hesitant to read sci-fi as I usually don’t understand the technical terms and futuristic devices, however my initial doubts with Cinder were doused quickly. Meyer explains the scientific concepts efficiently and effectively, and I understood and found myself enjoying the depictions. Although Cinder can be slightly predictable at times, the engaging rhythm from chapter to chapter makes up for it in full with a fantastic fairy tale mashup unlike any I’ve seen before.

Review Written by Emily, 11th Grade

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

How to Train Your Dragon is a fiction book by Cressida Cowell set in Viking times. The main protagonist, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, is the opposite of a Viking hero. He’s smallish and not muscular, even as the son of the chief. He has a secret: from observing dragons for so long, he can speak their language called Dragonese. He and nine other boys must complete the Dragon Initiation Program, where they must each catch and train a dragon. The boys go into the cave, where they have to each grab a sleeping baby dragon. Hiccup manages to grab one, but Fishlegs accidentally makes an entire stack of dragons topple down. Fishlegs hasn’t gotten a dragon, which means exile, so while they run out of the cave, Hiccup gives his dragon to Fishlegs. At the last second he manages to grab one. He didn’t get a good look at it, so he’s excited to see which one he got. However, when they reach their home in Berk, Hiccup sees that his dragon is an extraordinarily small Common or Garden dragon. Not only that, but he is also extraordinarily naughty and entirely toothless. In fact, his name becomes Toothless because of this. In Professor Yobbish’s book, How to Train Your Dragon, the only thing it says to do is to yell at it. Unfortunately, Hiccup is particularly bad at yelling, and his other attempts at training him with gratitude, greed, vanity, and revenge don’t work out. How will Hiccup be able to train Toothless? And when a giant mountain of a dragon comes, will Professor Yobbish’s method of yelling work?

This was a terrific book. I would rate it nine and a half out of ten. I liked how the Hiccup is an underdog and an unexpected hero, which made him very likable. If you like fantasy books and action books, this is the series for you. This is a must read for kids ages eight and up.

Review Written by Silas, 6th Grade

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Born A Crime is a memoir written by comedian Trevor Noah, who was born to a Xhosa mother and Swiss father, effectively making his birth illegal within the Apartheid government that his family had lived under during their time in South Africa. In his memoir, Trevor Noah recounts his experiences during school, as well as detail his journey to becoming a comedian later on in his life.

This memoir is a worthwhile read because it is amusing while emphasizing different themes such as race, identity, community, and personal growth.

Review Written by Elizabeth, 12th Grade

Deep Water by Watt Key

The book Deep Water is a suspenseful action book. It is about a girl named Julie who is visiting her dad for the summer and helping him with his dive shop. They take their clients, Mr. Jordan and his son, out to the Malzon tanks. Julie’s dad isn’t feeling well enough to dive, so Julie will lead the Jordans down. Once they get down there and Julie sees that the anchor won’t hold for long, she tried to get the Jordan’s to surface, but they were too far ahead. When they were about to surface they realize the anchor is gone. When they do surface they can’t see anything except for the dee blue Atlantic Ocean.

This book is suspenseful and intriguing. It leaves you on the edge of your seat every time you turn a page. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to experience the world right from their very own couch.

Review Written by Lucy, 7th Grade

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware is a haunting story following a young woman named Nora. After a traumatic event happened when she was in her apartment alone one night, she is invited to a bachelorette party for an old classmate. Nora had not spoken to this woman for many years, but was looking forward to a weekend in a beautiful cabin in the woods. She is greeted with warm smiles and a promising weekend. Then, she wakes up, injured and in the hospital, wondering what happened over the weekend. Ruth Ware writes this chilling tale to keep you on your feet and haunt your dreams. Although scary and frightening, this story analyzes the secrets of our past, and reminds us why we bury parts of our past so deeply.

Review Written by Katherine, 11th Grade

To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han is a novel that follows a high school Junior named Lara Jean. Lara Jean is quite a romantic through her constant daydreams, her love of romance novels, and the love letters she writes to get over her crushes, but she doesn’t actually want to act on these dreams of fairy tale romances. One day, her love letters get out and her five past crushes learn all of her deepest feelings, including the ex-boyfriends of her sister and her rival. In the frenzy of making sure her sister won’t find out, she and Peter Kavinsky, her rival’s ex, agree to fake a relationship and Lara Jean’s life dramatically changes. Suddenly she’s going to parties and lacrosse games and hanging out with a huge group of friends. Despite what she would’ve thought before the letters, she actually enjoys it and is starting to get really close to Peter. But it’s all fake, right?

This is one of my favorite books and has merited many rereads with its page-turning drama and relatable people. The characters that the author creates are extremely detailed to the point that I feel I know them as close friends. One of my favorite characters is Kitty, the mischievous younger sister that causes trouble and tries to act like an adult in the most hilarious ways. This novel is romantic, light, and the perfect book for anything from a cozy day inside to a day at the beach. Another great thing about this book is that they made an awesome movie that is almost as good as the actual novel. I would give this book four and a half stars out of five because it has a great plot, complex emotional events, and is an excellent feel-good novel. If you like books with film adaptations, characters who are super close with their siblings, YA romance novels, or books about high school, pick up To All the Boys I Loved Before and follow Lara Jean’s story.

Review Written by Ada, 9th Grade

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a book about the successes and failures that a person must go through to finally feel fulfilled and satisfied with their life. Amory, the main character, experiences love and heartbreak as he grows up. His complicated relationship with his mother drives his desire to be admired and loved by his classmates, throughout prep school and college. Amory's successes in college are followed by many failures, and his love life seems to be constantly changing. This book shows the lows and highs of a person's life, highlighting people's insecurities and desires. This Side of Paradise shows how failures and successes build up your life. If you are interested in classics, this is definitely a book that you should read.

Review Written by Katherine, 11th Grade

Posted by John David Anderson

At Branton Middle School, and in middle school in general, words are powerful. They are enemy-inducing weapons, and friend-building gifts. When cell phones are banned at BMS, Frost and his friends Deedee, Wolf, and Bench create a new system of communication: sticky notes. They leave them for each other all around the school. Before long, their sticky note trend catches on, and everyone at BMS begins to communicate that way. As the year progresses, the post-it war escalates, and Frost, with the help of some new friends, must stop the battle before their middle school devolves into chaos.

 I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a great take on the middle school experience, and I loved its light-hearted humor. The plot is extremely creative, and the characters were extremely entertaining. This story held my attention from cover to cover. I will definitely read it again. I would recommend this book to middle schoolers, and students entering middle school. It offers great perspective, and I think it’s a wonderful light summer read.

Review Written by Asha, 9th Grade

Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford

Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford follows the story of a young boy living in a brothel. While the setting does sound raunchy, the story, in reality, is a beautiful love story taking place both during the World Fair in the 1900s and years later after the young boy has grown up. The young boy, Ernest, is raffled off at the World Fair to find a new family, after being taken from China to Seattle. He is won by a woman who runs a brothel and becomes a butler for the girls living in the house. He becomes good friends with many of the young maids and the prostitutes, and those friendships cause many hardships throughout his life that cultivate in one dramatic end scene. The contrast in time periods keeps you on your feet and allows you to notice similarities between the young boy and his adult self. If you want a light read that will stay with you for a long time, this is definitely the book for you.

Review Written by Katherine, 11th Grade