Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber is about a girl named Evangeline who is heartbroken over a boy that she loved. He ended up engaged to her step sister, and Evangeline was deeply hurt. She finds the church of the Prince of Hearts, a mystical fate related to all things love and heartbreak, and prays that the marriage does not go on. While there, she meets a mysterious boy who turned out to be the Prince of Hearts himself.
In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, the main character, Winston, lives in a totalitarian society where he silently rebels against the “Party Members”(the government). The novel takes place in the future and speculates what our society could become. Citizens in Oceania are constantly under surveillance and fear a fictional creation that the government threatens. Throughout the novel, Winston struggles in difficult situations and acts in different ways to overcome them.
Refugee by Alan Gratz is an exciting and emotional book that tells the stories of three young refugees from different times and places: Nazi Germany, 1990s Cuba and modern-day Syria. Josef, Isabel and Mahmoud as protagonists face tough challenges, like escaping danger and crossing dangerous waters to find safety and refuge. Gratz does a great job of mixing action with deep emotion, making the characters’ struggles feel real.
Mira is on her way home for the holidays, when her flight gets canceled due to a raging blizzard. Wanting to get home, she accepts an offer from an acquaintance, Harper, whom she met on the plane ride. In the car with Harper and Harper’s friends, Mira begins to feel like the other passengers are hiding secrets. Harper and Brecken seem to know each other. Brecken has an unsettling intensity and a tendency to break the law. Kayla is sleeping nearly the whole time, or is she? Then, there is Josh, the only passenger who is as paranoid as she is, but he’s ready to throw anyone under the bus.
NOVA: Mysteries of Sleep is an enlightening documentary that delves into one of the most essential yet least understood aspects of human life: sleep. This documentary provides a fascinating exploration of why we sleep, what happens during sleep and how it affects our physical and mental well-being.
Roger Highfield’s The Science Behind Harry Potter is an exploration of the intersection between magic and science, bringing the fantastical world of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series into the realm of real-world science. Highfield uses the wizarding universe as a foundation to discuss fascinating scientific concepts, from the physics of flying broomsticks to the chemistry of potions and the biology of mythical creatures.
Veronica Roth’s Divergent is a gripping dystopian novel set in a world where society is divided into factions based on virtues. Sixteen-year-old Tris Prior discovers she is “Divergent,” meaning she doesn’t fit neatly into one faction. As she navigates her new life in the Dauntless faction, she uncovers a dangerous conspiracy threatening the entire society. The book delivers fast-paced action and an intriguing world. I also enjoyed Tris’s personal growth and the romantic tension with Four that added emotional depth.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a powerful historical fiction novel set in the racially segregated South, following Scout Finch, a young girl whose father, Atticus, is an attorney defending a Black man falsely accused of assaulting a white woman. Through Scout’s eyes, the story explores themes of justice, prejudice and morality. This book is both thought-provoking and deeply moving. I admired the way Lee balances the innocence of Scout’s narration with the heavy societal issues the story tackles.
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone introduces readers to an enchanting world where Harry, a young boy who discovers he is a wizard, begins his magical education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry befriends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley as he uncovers the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone and confronts the dark forces of Lord Voldemort.
The summer drags on as Harry Potter awaits his journey for his fifth year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unbeknownst to him, Harry would soon be a part of the most secretive group in the wizarding world - the Order of the Phoenix. Finally returning to Hogwarts, Harry finds that nothing is as he expected. The school is colder, more divided than ever before and tensions begin rising between students and professors. Meanwhile, the rest of the magical community swirls with doubt, skepticism and denial, as one of the darkest wizards quietly begins a second uprising…
