Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer

Nita spends her life dissecting unnaturals for her mother hoping to one day become a doctor. However, her world changes when her mother brings home instead a little boy for her to dissect. She finds herself with a dilemma of whether to follow her mother or her conscience. When she ends up in a cage herself, she goes on a mission to get out while questioning what’s right and wrong. 

 This book is a thriller for teens that will grab their attention. 

 Review written by Quincy, Grade 9

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan

Pearl is keeping a secret. She is afraid to tell her mother that she has multiple sclerosis, a degenerative nerve disease with no cure. Pearl’s mother, Winnie, has her own secrets. She is haunted by a difficult past which she has kept buried for many years. The only person who knows of both secrets is Aunt Helen. One day, Helen tells Winnie and Pearl that she has a brain tumor. She says that before she dies she wants no more secrets. She makes them promise to tell each other everything that they have been hiding. So Winnie begins to tell Pearl about her past life in China, a life that she tried so hard to forget… 

I enjoyed this book. Winnie has a very distinct and likable personality that shows throughout her storytelling. The author does a very good job describing certain Chinese family interactions and aspects of Chinese culture. Like Pearl, I have Chinese heritage but was born in America, and I can relate to many of the family dynamics and uncomfortable moments that she describes.

Review written by Jacqueline, Grade 10

Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare

 

Romeo & Juliet is a play about two lovers who are from rival families. Their parents would never approve of their relationship, so they meet up in secret, falling harder for each other every day.

I have very mixed feelings about this play. I disliked how much emphasis there was on “love at first sight”, because I personally don’t believe that you call fall in love with someone as soon as you lay eyes on them. This made the book seem kind of unrealistic and hard to relate to. However, I did like how the ending was tragic. The ending strayed from a stereotypical “happily ever after” that is common in these kinds of love stories, making it very refreshing to read. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys classic love stories.

Review written by Victoria, Grade 9

The Greenglass House by Kate Milford

Milo is a Chinese boy adopted and raised by parents of European descent. This has led him to feel different and separate from his family. His family runs an inn which has a history of criminal guests. One winter break he finds that a several people decided to stay at the Greenglass House in what is typically a quiet time of the year with no guests. Each of them seem to be looking for something in the Greenglass House, but Milo can’t seem to find out what. 

This mystery story combines elements of role play games and finding your true identity while engaging readers in a story that Milo will never forget.

Review written by Quincy, Grade 9

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

King of Scars is a book about a young king named Nikolai Lantsov, who is struggling to conceal a dark secret: he has an uncontrollable ability to turn into a winged monster every night. On top of this, he has to work to save a country that is still recovering after almost being torn apart from a major civil war.

I found King of Scars to be a great read. There was a nice combination of elements I enjoy in most books: fantasy, action, and humor. I really liked how the author used Nikolai’s literal demon problem to represent people struggling with their own inner demons. It gave a nice feeling of reassurance that those people were not alone. Another thing I liked about this story was Nikolai’s character. Despite being a king, he didn’t have the stereotypical traits of one. He wasn’t selfish, snobby, or annoyingly stuck-up. He was actually very down-to-earth, funny, and kind-hearted. His likeable character made the book more enjoyable. I recommend this book to people who enjoy a humorous fantasy story. I would also recommend reading the Grishaverse series by the same author, in order for King of Scars to make more sense.

Review written by Victoria, Grade 9

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

A Wish in the Dark is a fantasy book set in a Thai-inspired world. This book could be read by anyone, but the best age group to read this book would be children around the age of nine and up to teenagers around the age of seventeen. 

While showing a beautiful and creative world, Christina Soontornvat also manages to show each character’s individual perspective of it and how privilege amongst certain classes has affected their world. The main character Pong, who was born into prison always sees the colorful city lights as freedom, which he will eventually get to see closer. However, when he escapes prison he realizes that the outside world isn’t perfect, thus beginning his adventure to find the one thing he always wanted.

Review written by Quincy, Grade 9

Crank Palace by James Dashner

Crank Palace is a short novella about Newt, a character from the Maze Runner series. Newt has caught the Flare, a lethal, non-curable virus that slowly sends its victim into madness. This book narrates Newt’s last moments, and how he comes to terms with his inevitable fate.

I personally really enjoyed this book. The author did a great job of keeping Newt’s character consistent, even though the last book he was in was published several years ago. All the dialogue and inner thoughts of the character were exactly as I expected. Another enjoyable part of the book was how the reader was able to see a world destroyed by a virus from the eyes of a character who had the said virus. It was interesting to read about a main character who you knew wasn’t going to have a happy ending. I think if you are someone who enjoys apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic fiction stories and likes the Maze Runner series will enjoy this novella.

Review written by Victoria, Grade 9