Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is a New Adult, romantic fantasy novel set in the Basgiath War College in the fictional country of Navarre. It follows Violet Sorrengail, a fragile twenty-year old girl who was trained her entire life to go to Basgiath and train as a scribe. In Basgiath, there are multiple wings and different academies: one for riders of dragons (who function as the airborne protection of Navarre against its neighbors), one for scribes, one for infantry, and one for healers.
This historical fiction novel by Anthony Doerr is a novel set against the backdrop of World War II and primarily follows two main characters, Marie-Laure LeBlanc and Werner Pfennig. Marie-Laure, a blind French girl, flees Paris with her father when the Germans invade. They seek refuge in Saint-Malo, carrying with them a precious jewel from the Museum of Natural History, where her father worked. As they navigate the challenges of the war, Marie-Laure's father constructs a miniature model of the city to help her memorize its layout.
All Your Perfects is an emotionally charged novel that intricately weaves together the past and present of Quinn and Graham's marriage. The story unfolds through dual timelines, providing a poignant glimpse into the couple's early days of falling in love and the current challenges threatening to unravel their once-perfect union. At the heart of the narrative lies the deeply personal and often stigmatized issue of infertility.
Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer is about Juliet, whose mother passed away, and Declan, who works at a cemetery for required community service. Juliet writes letters to her mother as a way to feel connected to her, and Juliet leaves these letters at her mother’s grave. Though she never received any response, she returns to her mother’s grave one day to find a response to one of the letters. The response was written by Declan, although neither knows who the other is.
Summary: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a novel set in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death. The story follows Liesel Meminger, a young girl sent to live with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, during World War II. Despite the grim backdrop, Liesel finds solace in stealing books and sharing them with her neighbors and the Jewish man hidden in her basement. The novel explores themes of the power of words, the impact of human connections, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Summary: Beloved tells the story of Sethe, an escaped slave, living with her daughter, Denver. The novel starts with the runaway of Sethe’s two sons, Howard and Buglar, and the death of her mother-in-law, Baby Suggs. These events open the theme of the story and introduce the malevolent baby ghost who haunts 124. As more characters show, the novel begins to entwine past and present, revealing flashbacks of Sethe’s past in slavery. With the appearance of Paul D, the main conflict begins to unfold.
Summary: My Side of the Mountain is a coming-of-age story featuring Sam Gribley, who leaves his family’s crowded New York City apartment for his great-grandfather Gribley’s land. The bulk of the story takes place within the Catskill Mountains of New York, where Sam learns to survive off the land and make new friends– both animal and human. He grapples with internal and external conflicts, fighting not only the force of nature but also the struggle between wanting isolation and the companionship of others.
Summary: The story starts with 15-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone, who discovers the body of Wellington, his neighbor Mrs. Shears’ dog, dead on their lawn. Christopher decides to investigate the context of the murder and uncover the culprit. Throughout his investigation, we learn more about Christopher’s life, personality, and defining characteristics. Although it is not explicitly stated, it is highly suggested he has a form of autism. These traits aid and hinder him in his investigation.
The Third Twin by Cynthia James Omololu is a mystery thriller about 2 identical twins who have to figure out why their dates keep turning up dead. Ava and Alexa (Lexi) are seniors who are part of a relatively wealthy family in California. When they were younger, the twins made up an imaginary third twin named Alicia who was blamed for their naughty actions. However, when they got older Ava and Lexi decided to date and dump boys with the persona of Alicia.
The Giver by Lois Lowry is a futuristic dystopian book about a boy named Jonah who lives in a utopian community where everyone is completely equal and life is seemingly perfect. On his 12th birthday, when everyone in his age group receives their job assignments, Jonah receives the assignment of the Giver. The job of the Giver is to hold the memories of life before the world became perfect, and it is through this job that Jonah uncovers the dark truth about his reality.
