Teen and Staff Reviews

After Mahavir Singh Phogat’s failure at winning a gold medal for the country, he vows to fulfill his dreams by training his daughters for the Commonwealth Games despite pressures from those trying to stop them due to their situation (status) and gender. The girls fight and give their all to fulfill their new dream given by their father. We are able to see the sacrifices of the girls, family, and those around them to succeed.

After the wedding ceremony of Surinder Sahni and Taani, Surinder discovers that his new wife does not love him the way he loves her, as she is not able to digest her past. She has lost her lover and her father wishes for her to marry him before his death. She decides to enter a dance competition, Surinder puts on a disguise and joins the class and tries to become friends with her. She falls in love with her husband in the disguise of her dance partner, Raj, unaware that he is her husband. He wishes to understand if she will truly love him for what he is and if she can prove to be loyal.

A bomb disposal expert (Samar - Shahrukh Khan) has a bitter and lonely life and is not able to fall in love until he accepts his past with Meera (Katrina Kaif). He reunites with his love through those around him opening his eyes (Akira - Anushka Sharma). The songs truly express his pain and progression of the plot of him opening up viewpoints through his new friend, Akira, who accompanies him on his dangerous missions. As they get closer, he gets closer to his love he left in the past. He must learn to distinguish between friendship and his lost true love.

The Maze of Bones is the first book in a series called The 39 Clues. The story follows brother and sister Amy and Dan Cahill who are at their grandma's funeral and have a chance to discover something that will change the world forever. All they have to do is find the 39 clues, but that is no easy task. Will the Cahills or their evil relatives find the clues first? This book is full of adventure, mystery, and lots of suspense.

Kelsier is the famed Survivor of Hathsin. He Snapped, coming into his powers and escaping the pits where the Lord Ruler of their realm sent him to die after his criminal activities. He’s back and more powerful, and he’s setting up a coup against the government. But layers and layers of deception lie within his plans, and at the heart of it all - Vin. A young girl, barely aware of her potential, susceptible to love and fear but also filled with great innovation, skill, and bravery. But even with these advantages, it’s hard to succeed in overthrowing an immortal and all-knowing being.

Summary: The Giver by Lois Lowry is a dystopian young adult novel that takes place in a seemingly perfect but tightly controlled society where all aspects of life are regulated and emotions are suppressed. The story centers on Jonas, a young boy chosen to be the Receiver of Memory, a position that exposes him to the hidden truths and emotions of the world before the society's strict regulations.

Summary: White Rose by Kip Wilson is a young adult historical novel in verse that tells the gripping true story of Sophie Scholl, a courageous anti-Nazi activist in Nazi Germany during World War II. Through beautifully crafted poems, the book portrays Sophie's transformation from a young and idealistic student to a fearless resistor who, along with her brother Hans and their friends, forms the White Rose resistance group.

They Called Us Enemy, by the incredible George Takei, tells the story of the Japanese internment camps during World War two from the perspective of young George himself, who experienced it. This book shows the truth about the horrors many Japanese- Americans faced in America during World War II. From being forced to leave their homes and belongings behind, to living in stable cars that reek of manure, George tells the horrifying story of his childhood, and the war that overshadowed it all.

The first in the series that includes the acclaimed Odyssey, The Iliad is less celebrated, but just as worthy of praise. While slightly confusing with the number of characters, the few that you get attached to have incredible stories. The meddling gods make for a fun battle as they each pick their side in the infamous trojan war.

The incredible epic spanning over nine years, with giants and sirens and witches who turn people to pigs. The Odyssey by Homer is a difficult read, but incredibly rewarding. The characters are interesting, and Odysseus and his crew get into countless iconic stories. Reading it will also assist in many other things as many other iconic stories allude to The Odyssey.