Teen and Staff Reviews

Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie is a mystery novel. While investigating a mysterious

light coming from the sports pavilion, 2 teachers stumble upon the body of their games mistress

among the lacrosse sticks. She is shot through the heart from point blank range. When the

exclusively all-girls school is thrown into chaos and madness, they discover that a particular

student knows too much. She knows one thing. Without the aid of Hercule Poirot, she will be the

Go Ask Alice is the diary of a young drug addict. Our narrator’s life transformed from an

idyllic all-American coming of age story to a life filled with vice. It starts when she goes to a party

and ends up drinking an LSD-laced soda, and is drawn into a life of parties, dubious dealers,

and toxic relationships. Though she is supported by friends and family, she can’t seem to drag

herself out of the addiction she has fallen into, and eventually her life ends from a suspected

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black features Suren, a former Queen of the Court of Teeth of

Elfhame. After the events of The Folk of the Air series, Suren finds herself back in the mortal

world scavenging for food and secretly keeping an eye on her former foster family, longing to be

a part of them once more. She is constantly being hunted by a hag from her old court known as

Elizabeth “Biz” Martin Grey seems to have everything in control. She has her mother,

she has the twins, Billie and Dart, she has Grace, and she has her father, who tells her stories

about her as a child. But, Biz knows that her father died when she was seven. Still, she seems to

have everything in perfect shape. That is, until she almost drowns in the ocean, and a new boy

named Jasper jumps in to save her. Biz is grateful, until she realizes that he ignores all the time

What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About is a series of essays written by those who feel

certain feelings towards their mothers, whether their estranged or close, all essays convey

different emotions. Many are about their mothers’ pasts, while others are about their mothers’

not being there when their children needed them. Many are long, while others are short. The

essays are deeply personal but let the reader have a small glimpse into the writers’ lives. A

The Song of Achilles narrates the tragic love story of Patroclus and Achilles. It follows

Patroclus, who murdered a boy and was exiled to a different kingdom, where he soon meets

Achilles. While wary at first, the two form a close bond and run away, where they meet Chiron

and train with him. Everything seems to be going fine, until Achilles is called by his father.

When the two arrive at the palace, they are greeted by Odysseus, who draws Patroclus’ name,

1984, an iconic dystopian novel by George Orwell wastes little time with pleasantries;

something is off with this world from the brilliant first line: “It was a bright cold day in April,

and the clocks were striking thirteen” (Orwell 1). Protagonist Winston Smith works for the

oppressive Oceanic government; he mulls over past news and texts to alter the past in order to fit

the desires of the government. As the novel progresses, he grows wary of the government’s

Title, Author, Genre: Into the Wild, Narrative Nonfiction, Jon Krakauer

Paris Peralta has just been convicted of murdering her famous husband. Suddenly, the

quiet life she had ensured for herself bursts, and she is labeled as a golddigger who killed her

husband for the money. However, the fact that gets glazed over is that there was a similar crime

involving Ruby Reyes, nicknames the Ice Queen, who had killed her rich husband by stomping

on his neck with an ice skate. Paris knows she didn’t kill her husband and her lawyer is

Six Crimson Cranes features Shiori’anma, who is about to enter an arranged marriage.

But she harbors a secret, that she possesses forbidden magic. When trying to hide a creation she

has made, Shiori eventually falls into a lake, and meets a dragon who helps her survive. Upon

waking, Shiori is punished to create a tapestry for her soon-to-be husband as an apology, and is

accompanied by her cold and distant stepmother. Shior soon meets Seryu, the dragon she had