Teen and Staff Reviews

Teen Review
Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies

By William Golding
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Basil Park
Jun 1, 2023

This classic novel is one that I have read before, but am reading it again! As you may know, a plane with many British boys on it gets shots down and crashes on a lone island in the ocean. The plane drifts away into the sea, leaving the boys stranded on an island. This book is about their experiences on that island and how those boys managed themselves without any adult supervision.

Teen Review
Through the Dark

Through the Dark

By Alexandra Bracken
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Basil Park
Jun 1, 2023

Through the Dark is a collection of stories that were mentioned (but not explained) in the Darkest Minds trilogy. I feel like I was a bit too critical going into this book as I don’t really like side-books to series, but this collection of stories was actually very good. The stories included in this collection are like actual stories from minor (but also kind of huge) gaps in the series.

Teen Review
The Serpent’s Shadow

The Serpent’s Shadow

By Rick Riordan
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Nihanth D.
Jun 1, 2023

The Serpent’s Shadow is the third and final entry in The Kane Chronicles and is written by Rick Riordan. In this final book, Apophis, the serpent of chaos, plans to throw the world into eternal darkness. Carter and Sadie Kane must stop him from doing so by relying on a dangerous ghost and ancient spells to save the world. I thought the first two books in this series were very good, but I have to say that this is the best one yet. All the characters in this book shine, from Carter and Sadie Kane to Ra.

Teen Review
The Throne of Fire

The Throne of Fire

By Rick Riordan
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Nihanth D.
Jun 1, 2023

The Throne of Fire is the second book in The Kane Chronicles and is written by Rick Riordan. In this book, Sadie and Carter Kane must rush quickly to prevent the deadly serpent Apophis from destroying the world. This is the sequel to The Red Pyramid, a book which I liked a lot because of how new it felt.

Teen Review
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

By J.K. Rowling
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
May 31, 2023

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is a wonderful and popular fantasy book written by J.K

Rowling. This book is about a 16 year old teenage wizard with a strange lightning scar on his

forehead named Harry. In his sixth year, Harry suspects there are new dangers lurking within

the castle walls. Dumbledore is more intent than ever on preparing the young wizard for the

final battle with Voldemort. Throughout the book we learn more about the history of Voldemort

Staff Review
The left hand with a dragon's talon growing in place of the ring finger, the background showing a very muted face of a dragon staring at the reader

Dragon's Keep

By Janet Lee Carey
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
May 31, 2023

“The real dragon haunted my head and heart.”

What makes Dragon's Keep work for me is its approach: a medieval fantasy written more like historical fantasy than high fantasy.  Yet it has that sliver of magic and magical creatures (dragons, of course) to spice up the lyrical story.   In other words, the author avoids over-doing the chosen one approach, and instead creates very believable characters in a believable world.

Teen Review
Black Brother Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Black Brother, Black Brother

By Jewell Parker Rhodes
Star Rating
★★

Rated by
Aadit G.
May 31, 2023

Rating: 2.5

My rating for this book is a 2.5 because the book is bland in my opinion and does not have intensive detail. This book failed to get my interest and I believe the main reason  was not enough detail.

Summary:

Teen Review
Malibu Rising

Malibu Rising

By Taylor Jenkins Reid
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Nala C.
May 31, 2023

If Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid had to be described in one word–that word would be summer. The story is so captivating, and it’s one of those books where you don’t realize where the time has gone. I definitely recommend reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo first, but Malibu Rising follows the four kids of Mick Riva, a famous singer. 

Staff Review

We Rule the Night

By Claire Eliza Bartlett
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
May 31, 2023

We Rule the Night caught me completely off guard with its immersive fantasy historical fiction world and narrative of fierce women. People who like the concepts of living aircraft, military, wartime, and magic will enjoy this. There is also the idea of traitors thrown into the mix.

Teen Review
Top Gun Maverick

Top Gun- Maverick

By Joseph Kosinski
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Brayden P.
May 31, 2023

Top Gun Maverick follows the aftermath of the original Top Gun and we see Maverick go back to Top Gun and train the new up and coming pilots in the academy. They are training for a top secret mission that is extremely hard and requires no mistakes or it is over. Maverick has a lot of things in the past trying to weigh him down and this almost stops him.

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