This book follows Darrow, a lowborn Red man whose whole world has recently been turned upside down. From the blistering Mars mines to the secret city on the surface of the planet, Darrow discovers his life as a miner is a lie, and that the higher born Golds have been keeping the moderation to themselves. After his wife is hanged for rebellious behavior and he himself sentenced to death, Darrow narrowly escapes the grave waiting for him.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a dystopian novel about a 16-year-old girl named Katniss Everdeen who lives in the poorest region of her country, District 12. Every year, her country holds a competition called the Hunger Games where people are randomly selected and asked to fight to the death to win the games. Katniss is chosen to participate in the games for her district, along with a boy named Peeta. She must leave everything behind, including her friend Gale, to go fight in a game she might not live through.
Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer is the best book you will ever read!!! Ever!!! Although it’s in the fantasy genre, it has everything- fantasy, adventure, romance, action; it’s every reader’s dream book!!! I’ll give this book five out of five stars, but I’d give it six in a heartbeat if I could!
Projekt 1065, a historical fiction, written by Alan Gratz, tells the story of Michael O’Shaunessey during World War II. His father is the Irish ambassador for Germany. However, even though they are neutral, they are secretly a spy for the Allies. He is part of the Hitler youth, which essentially is training to become a Nazi soldier. He also meets Fritz and discovers that his house contained highly classified documents of a new plane that could be hugely beneficial for the allies.
In Life of Pi, we meet Pi Patel, a 16-year-old boy from India whose family owns a zoo. When political unrest forces them to move to Canada, their ship tragically sinks, leaving Pi stranded on a lifeboat with a few animals, including a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. As Pi struggles for survival, he grapples with profound questions about faith and purpose. His journey is not just a fight against the elements; it's a quest for meaning amidst the chaos.
Armada by Ernest Cline is a sci-fi novel that follows Zack Lightman, a teenage gamer who discovers that the video game he excels at, "Armada," is actually a government simulation training players to defend Earth against an impending alien invasion. When the threat becomes real, Zack and other top players are recruited to use their gaming skills in a battle for humanity’s survival.
Two Degreesis a survival book about climate change by Alan Gratz. The book is about three different stories, and how climate change impacted each of them, from snow to wildfires to floods, but it was not too good. I would give it a 3 out of 5 stars. The problem for me was that it was not the most readable because they were switching between stories (but I am sure that author Alan Gratz does that for his books), but the message about climate change elevated this book.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is a book about a young boy named Theodore Decker, who is dealing with the grief of losing his mother in a sudden terrorist attack in a museum that his mom and him went to go see. During the terrorist attack that killed his mom, he steals a painting called The Goldfinch, which later becomes the only thing he has left of his mother. Once he moves in with his mother’s friends, the Barbour’s, he meets a bad influence, named Boris. He starts to fall down a bad path.
A talented and feared assassin currently serving time in a labor camp, Celaena Sardothien, is only eighteen years old. After a rough childhood that forced her to grow up too soon, she became a revered murderer of the rich and terrible, all while keeping her identity a secret. At least, until she is caught. Thrown into Endovier, the cruel salt mines became her place of torture for a year. Everything changes when the Crown Prince shows up, needing a champion for his games. Dorian drives a hard bargain, and Celaena agrees to his terms.
Daughter of the Deep is a very captivating and thrilling novel about a girl named Ana. This book follows the journey of Ana and how she discovers the ancestral powers that she has inherited. As she discovers more about her roots and ancestry she must navigate her newfound powers and responsibilities and she must uncover hidden family secrets.
