The movie Race follows the story of Jesse Owens in his life and athletics, leading up to the 1936 Olympics. Jesse starts out in his home state of Alabama with his family, girlfriend, and daughter. People know how great of an athlete he is, but his full potential is realized when he gets the opportunity to go to college at Ohio State University to participate in track. He becomes a star, beating world records and making it look easy.
Reviews by Category: Teens
Check & Mate
By Ali HazelwoodCheck & Mate, by Ali Hazelwood, is a witty and sweet read about rival chess players. Mallory Greenleaf has quit chess, and instead works as a mechanic to care for her mother and sisters. However, when given an opportunity to return to chess, Mallory finds herself matched up against world champion Nolan Sawyer in a charity chess tournament. When Mallory beats Nolan, she finds herself roped back into chess and has to deal with the complicated emotions she has for the game and her growing feelings for Nolan.
Forget Me
By Kim HarringtonSummary: Forget Me by Kim Harrington is a gripping young adult mystery novel that revolves around the life of Morgan, a teenager with the unique ability to witness memories by touching objects. When Morgan touches a blood-stained scarf, she becomes entangled in a dangerous mystery involving a missing girl and a potential murder. As she navigates through the twists and turns of the investigation, Morgan must confront her own past and the secrets surrounding her abilities.
Silent Alarm
By Jennifer BanashSilent Alarm by Jennifer Banash is a dark novel which follows the story of Alys, whose world shifts dramatically when her brother decides to shoot up her school, killing fifteen, including her boyfriend’s younger sister. The story paints a dramatic landscape of the aftermath, as her family and community struggle to move on from the incident. As Alys only wants things to be normal again, everyone in her life turns on her.
Lu
By Jason ReynoldsLu is a track-related book written by Jason Reynolds. In the final book of a four-book series, Lu is the co-captain of the Defenders, his track team. Lu is a leader and shows that with his friends Ghost, Patina, and Sunny. His only weakness is that he can sometimes let his ego take over. But when he must do hurdles on and off the track, he wonders if he can handle it. Unexpected twists do happen, causing Lu to rethink some things, but in the biggest stage, the most unanticipated difficulty occurs.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
By J.K. RowlingHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is about 11-year-old Harry Potter who discovers something magical. He’s a wizard. The book follows Harry through his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This book really keeps you on your toes because there are so many good plot twists. I thought the theme of teamwork in this book was great. My favorite part is when Harry first learns he’s a wizard and my favorite characters are Hermione Granger and Hagrid. This is my favorite book of all time.
The Land of Stories: A Treasury of Classic Fairy Tales
By Chris ColferThe Land of Stories follows Alex and Conner Bailey as they travel through the fairy tale world after they unexpectedly arrive there. They must work together to find their way out before it’s too late. This book is really great because it’s full of adventure and great characters. I really like how this book plays into some classic fairy tales like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. My favorite part is when they first enter the fairy tale world and my favorite character is Froggy.
The Maze Runner
By James DashnerSummary: Thomas wakes up realizing he’s in an elevator and with a severe headache. He can’t remember his age, birthday, or even who his parents were. He figures out that he’s been dropped in a maze with a bunch of other teens and no discoverable way to escape. He starts getting memories. Some that will change everything. Dive in as Thomas tries to figures out how to decipher this endless puzzle, discover who put them there, and unravel his true identity.
A Court of Mist and Fury
By Sarah J. MaasA Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Mass is an adventure-filled fantasy romance book that picks up almost right after A Court Of Thorns and Roses left off. As Freye is dealing with the horrors of what she went through under the mountain, she must learn how to be who she has transformed into. A powerful immortal being with a mortal heart, in a world she knows very little about. As a greater evil looms, she navigates the politics and passion of her world.