The Secret History is a captivating novel that blends elements of psychological thriller, school drama, and Greek tragedy. The novel begins with Richard Papen, a working-class student from California, who transfers to Hampden College in Vermont. There, he becomes fascinated by an exclusive group of five Classics students led by their professor, Julian Morrow. Richard manages to join this tight-knit circle, which includes the twins Charles and Camilla, the smart Francis, the reserved Henry, and the angry Bunny.
The Outsiders is about a boy named Ponyboy Curtis. There are the Socs which are the wealthy kids and the Greasers who are Ponyboy, his brothers, and their friends. One-night Ponyboys friend kills a Soc to save Ponyboy from being drowned. They run off to hide in a church, until that church catches on fire. They save some kids that were trapped in the fire. Johnny gets seriously injured and dies. Darry, one of Poyboy’s brothers, dies the same night. Ponyboy reflects on his life and his losses.
Callie is a girl who loves theatre. A middle school play called ‘Moon over Mississippi’ was created. Callie wants to be in it, but she can't sing. She decides to work backstage to still be a part of the production. How can Callie be a help to the backstage when she knows nothing about stage props, and will her lack of knowledge prevent the show from going on? This book was hard to put down. The part that I love is that it's a graphic novel and you're able to see the pictures in real time. Callie’s story about friendships, relationships, and learning experiences is an experience for me.
Everyone wants to be Daisy Jones. She has it all — talent, beauty, charisma. Meanwhile, Billy Dunne’s band, The Six, are so close to fame — they just need something extraordinary to push them across the threshold. That something extraordinary, a producer realizes, is Daisy Jones. Nobody knows what it is, but when they’re all together, they make magic. Their first album, Aurora, rocks the country, propelling them to the top of the music scene. But behind the curtain, nothing is as it seems.
Four teen friends, Celeste, Steph, Gina, and Eva, are all members of a famous band, Moonlight Overthrow. All was good until Celeste and Eva underwent a messy breakup, causing the band members to break away. All band members had formed their own path until a storm brings the four members together, for one last show.
June’s daily life revolves around her best friend, Jess. But when June gets sent away to Virginia because of underage drinking, it seems to be the start of a series of bad events for her. While living with her grandmother, she goes through growth, discovery, and learning to be independent.
Real, Not Perfect is a book that will definitely stir up feelings of hope and optimism in your soul. Tessa, an only child, seems to have a perfect life. She has good grades, she is adored by her parents, and she is active in her swim team and in church group. But, it all falls apart when she finds out her parents are divorcing, her best friend moves away, and she gets stuck in an unbearable drama class. She soon makes friends in her drama class that help her see the brighter side of life.
Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy, the first book in a series of the same name, was excellent. After running away from school, Lissa, a Moroi princess, and her unofficial guardian/best friend, Rose, are caught and forced to return to St. Vladimir's Academy. There, the two girls must figure out who's after Lissa, all while trying to navigate a high school filled with vampires.
The first book in Rachel Renée Russell’s Dork Diaries series, Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life, captures what it’s like to be a tween/young teen girl. Nikki Maxwell must try to fit in at a new, preppy school that she attends on a scholarship. Nikki will have to navigate friends, crushes, and popular enemies, recounting it all in her diary.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is probably one of my least favorite books I have read in a while. The story attempts to paint trauma and mental illness in the eyes of a teenager. It tries to be relatable to the reader, and while I believe that this could have been achieved, the main character of the novel is quite frankly a horrible character.
