Heartland; a book about a life of poverty in a country of opportunity. Heartland is a nonfiction memoir written by the author Sarah Smarsh. This book resonates with many, as it is set in western Kansas and is told from the perspective of a girl named Sarah Smarsh who is raised by generations of teen mothers. All Sarah wants is to escape the cycle of poverty and teen pregnancy through her education and determination.
Summary: The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the sequel to The Inheritance Games. In this thrilling young adult novel, protagonist Avery Grambs continues to navigate the enigmatic world of the wealthy Hawthorne family after inheriting their fortune. As she dives deeper into the family's secrets and rivalries, Avery must decipher puzzles and codes to uncover hidden truths about her connection to the Hawthornes.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is an emotional story about two teenagers hopelessly in love yet set apart by the unfortunate circumstances surrounding them. This young adult romance novel does contain some hard-to-process material, as the protagonist Hazel suffers from thyroid cancer affecting her lungs and doesn’t seem to have a will to live. Her pessimistic nature contrasts that of Augustus who also suffered from cancer but has a completely different outlook on the world.
The Giver by Lois Lowry is a book about a boy in a community based on sameness. He is selected as a receiver of memory, and the old receiver (The Giver) helps to give Jonas ancient memories. He acts as a source of wisdom in and for the community. I would rate this book a 3.5/5, as it is a good book for community research, and recommend it to those who love such novels. This book is relatable as the guidance of elders is always crucial.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a book about a 14 year old boy named Ponyboy Curtis, and his 2 older brothers named Soda & Darry. They are all orphans and have to struggle to succeed in a lower class area (The East Side). They are part of a gang called the “Greasers” and they are the working class street boys. This book is a good novel regarding how some people’s lives are, however can be a little confusing. So I would rate the book 2 stars, but recommend it if you like older novels.
Children of the Fox is a story about Callen, a thief who has to steal to live, but one day all of that changes. When Callen is offered a deal that might mean he’ll never have to steal again he’s faced with many hard decisions that might change the world forever. I loved this book because it has so may plot twists and you get to see Foxtail from Callen’s point of view. My favorite part is when Callen is introduced to his team, and my favorite character is Foxtail because she’s really kind and funny.
Belladonna, a fresh new fantasy from Adalyn Grace, got me up with high hopes when I first heard of it. A beautiful cover? An intriguing premise? Young adult fantasy? Sign me up! However, I was incredibly let down with the romance. Literally everything else was fine, just I really wanted the romance to not be the way it was.
Pride and Prejudice was a movie I was dreading to watch. After a rather boring experience with the book, which was extremely slow and hard to read, I had no interest in learning the plot of one of the “greatest stories of all time.” Regardless of my uninterested manner, I ended up watching the movie on a short flight. The experience of watching the movie was extremely different than reading the book. I was addicted from the first scene and loved it till the very end.
Summary: We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson follows the story of Henry Denton, a teenager who's been repeatedly abducted by aliens since his boyfriend's suicide. The aliens offer him a choice: press a button to save the world from impending destruction, or let humanity perish. Struggling with depression, grief, and the complexities of his personal life, Henry grapples with the decision while reflecting on the pain and beauty of existence.
The novel Haunting Adeline by H.D Carlton contains many aspects that readers may find disturbing. Such as stalkers, murder and cults. "Haunting Adeline" follows Adeline Reilly who catches the eye of a dangerous man named Z. Adeline is a successful writer who just moved into her late grandmother’s home. She soon finds out his motive behind stalking her.
