Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Seattle is under attack. A group of mass murders are decimating the city. What seems like a horrible crime to most appears to be something more supernatural to the nearby town of Forks. The Cullen family begins to investigate these killings, wondering if the cause might be one of their fellow vampires. Bella Swan is much opposed to this, as she just recently reunited with Edward Cullen. Losing him again is not an option for her. Upon Edward’s return, his relationship with Bella grew a bit more complicated. Jacob Black is now a very large part of her life, and neither he nor Edward feels like sharing their time with the other. Unfortunately, the Seattle killings may force them to unite. In the midst of danger, Bella must decide whether to remain friends with Jacob, or become a vampire and spend eternity with Edward.

The Edward vs. Jacob conflict in Eclipse is wonderfully excruciating. It is impossible to picture Bella living without either of them. Jacob is a ray of sunshine, and he was always there when Bella needed it most. However, Edward is the love of Bella’s life. I can’t imagine choosing between my closest friend and the desire to become a vampire. This story had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

The reading level is not difficult, but understanding the first two books is very necessary. I would recommend Eclipse to fans of Romance, Sci-Fi, and Drama for readers age 12 and up.

Review written by Asha, Grade 9

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

In New Moon, we revisit Bella Swan and her relationship with the Cullen family. After saving her from countless hazardous situations, Edward Cullen decides that the only way to keep Bella safe is for his family to leave the town of Forks. Deeply crestfallen by the vampires’ departure, Bella begins spending time with Jacob Black, a werewolf! Although they become great friends, Jacob’s life is unpredictable and he distances himself from Bella. In an attempt to distract herself from the added sorrow, Bella decides to try her hand at cliff-diving. Taking her actions out of context, the Cullens believe she has passed away. Heartbroken, Edward runs to Italy to confront the Volturi, the most powerful group of vampires in existence. He hopes that he can prompt them to end him. Still alive, Bella has to make it to Italy in time to clear up the situation and save Edward. New Moon is an incredibly detailed book. Reading Twilight is a must if you are to understand it.

I really enjoyed the deep dive New Moon took into the vampire universe. The history of the Cullens and other vampires around the world was fascinating. An entire novel could be written on that topic alone. The introduction of Jacob Black was remarkable, and he quickly became one of my favorite characters. His development provided newfound uncertainty and anticipation. I felt as though I couldn’t get through the story fast enough. New Moon was a very fun read. 

 This book is slightly more complex than the first Twilight novel. There are more mature themes regarding mental health and death. 

 Review written by Asha, Grade 9

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

 The Grace Year by Kim Liggett is about a girl named Tierney who’s about to embark upon her grace year. In her society, it is believed that girls receive magic in their sixteenth year, and therefore all sixteen-year-old girls must spend a year together in the woods to burn through all of their magic. Tierney has spent much of her life trying to discover as much as she can about the grace year but to talk about it is forbidden. All she knows is that many of the girls don’t make it back alive and even the girls that do are never the same. Tierney has been told that the Poachers in the woods and the magic growing inside them all is what will kill them during this year, but soon realizes that maybe the girls she’s supposed to be working together with are the greatest threat of them all. Will Tierney make it back or will the other grace year girls decide she isn’t worth it.

This novel had a great premise and although the storytelling got a little patchy at times, the feeling of living in the story never swayed. The general idea of this novel is a Handmaid’s Tale-like society with a Hunger Games ideal where instead they send you off to Lord of the Flies. There’s also a subplot very reminiscent of Delirium. Liggett did a great job seamlessly blending all of these ideas together so instead of creating chaos, the story gives the reader a more reminiscent feeling of all of its influences that have long finished their story arcs. One thing I really loved about this book was how well the character of Tierney was written. She has a determination to make things fairer and can see what’s wrong with her society, even though it’s all she’s ever known. Plenty of great female characters and positive bonds between them makes this a decent feminist read while still staying in the dystopian genre. Overall, I’m very glad I picked up The Grace Year, and while it might not be one of the top books of the decade, it’s still most definitely a worthy read.

Review written by Ada, Grade 10

Out of Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Out of Easy, a book by Ruta Sepetys is about a teenage girl, Josie Moraine, in the 1950s French Quarter of New Orleans trying to escape the struggles that she has with her family and seeking a dream in attending a college outside of New Orleans. She works at a bookstore and lives there occasionally to get money for applying to college. Though she plans for an escape, a mysterious death involving a man, which seems to be her “real” father, keeps her from going out.

This book is mainly filled with secrets and mystery, but friendship also takes part in it as well. Every person seemed to support Josie in a way that encouraged her to keep on challenging. I liked how each character had their own relationship with Josie, which made the story more deep and interesting. I also liked imagining how New Orleans in the 1950s looked like. The story features different parts of the town, from the downtown to the gorgeous residential area, of course, including Josie’s bookstore. 

I would totally recommend this book if you like stories taking place in a classical setting, involving friendship, but also a twist of secrets and mysteries.

Review written by Yuuto, Grade 9

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams

In an America where light skin is the beauty standard, Genesis finds it hard to feel pretty as an African American. When her family moves once again to a new home, Genesis is forced to adapt and find her way around a new school. She finds comfort in listening to artists such as Billy Holiday and uses music as a way to cope.

This book is about finding self-love, mending family bonds, the power of music, and finding beauty within yourself.

Review by Quincy, Grade 9

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Sixteen year-old Isabella Swan moves back to Forks, Washington to finish out high school living with her father. Bella arrives expecting the wet, gloomy town to be incredibly dull and monotonous, but her life soon takes a thrilling turn. On her first day at Forks High School, Bella comes face to face with the mysterious Edward Cullen. He is distant and cold, and seems to have an unwarranted hatred for her. Edward’s eyes change colors, he is extremely strong and fast, and he avoids the sun at all costs. Intrigued by his suspicious behavior, Bella begins to look into Edward and his family’s history. She is astounded by what she finds.

I greatly enjoyed reading Twilight. The story is full of suspense and mystery that leaves you constantly on the edge of your seat. Bella’s quick wit and dry humor make her a wonderful protagonist, and Edward’s cool composure and mystifying personality compliment her perfectly. Their transition from aversion to affection is charming. The unpredictability of the story made it impossible to put down, and it left me very eager to read the rest of the series.

The language is very straightforward and accessible. However, the story is very detailed, and the book is nearly 500 pages.

I would recommend Twilight to fans of mystery, romance, and science-fiction who are 12 years and older. 

Review written by Asha, Grade 9

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is a young adult fantasy novel about a girl named Celaena Sardothien. Celaena is imprisoned for her crimes as an assassin and gets withdrawn from the labor camp she’s doing time in by the crown prince to compete to be the king’s Champion. The position of Champion is a heavily sought-after position for criminals of all sorts to do the king’s dirty work in exchange for relative freedom. Celaena is determined to win but dark forces are working against her. As other competitors are brutally killed off in mysterious circumstances, she fears for her life. Can she stop the killings and become the Champion or will she be thrown back to the unforgiving work of the salt mines or maybe even worse, meet an untimely end herself?

This book opened up a whole new world for me. Although I don’t normally love fantasy, the world-building and complex character backstories pulled me in. This is one of those books that is so extraordinarily well thought out that you feel like you’re actually living with the characters and you forget that you’re reading. Maas does a wonderful job of writing the story in such a way that you find yourself trying to solve the little mysteries along with the characters while also being constantly surprised with the twists and turns and the ever-increasing magic in the world. Another thing I loved about this book was how well gender equality is written. Although the world isn’t a place of gender equity, this book surpasses the Bechdel test and has really great role models. While female characters in most books are either strong and heroic or fashionable and cute, Celaena is a morally rough character who kills - a lot - but also does it wearing the newest fashion. Her confidence in herself and her ability to stand up to people who underestimate her is admirable and makes for some hilarious scenes where we get to see the extent of her sass. Overall, if you’re looking for a new fantasy world, especially if you’re tired of the common sexist tropes in the genre, this is a great novel for mid to late teens. 

Review written by Ada, Grade 10