Science Fiction

Tobey Maguire reprises his role as Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, made in 2007. In the third installment of the franchise, Peter must go through the motions of vengeance and remorse while dealing with 2 of his most grueling foes yet, Venom (Topher Grace) and Sandman (Thomas Haden Church).

This movie is a conflicting place. It continues the trend of Spider-Man having to save MJ (Kirsten Dunst) from the villain(s). In some parts, it felt too packed with a run time of 2 hours and 19 minutes. I feel like if they stuck to one villain, it could have turned out better. The movie is still

After crash landing off the coast of Maine, The Iron Giant (Vin Diesel) finds himself at a power plant, where he is rescued by Hogarth Hughes (Eli Marienthal). After discovering him, Hogarth practically adopts the giant and helps him evade the public and especially a nosy government agent, Kent Mansley (Christopher McDonald).

This movie was absolutely stunning. It holds a special place in my heart and is definitely a staple of my childhood. The 2-D animation style still holds up today and the music pairs beautifully. No place feels boring or misplaced and the pacing is great. The ending

The Giver, by Louis Lowry, is a Science Fiction book. Jonas, who lives in a futuristic society, is selected to be the new receiver of memory. In his community, there are strict rules. For example, one being the precision of language. Therefore, the people in the community do not know colors, feelings, and holidays. Jonas, when selected to be the new receiver of memory, has to hold the painful experiences that occurred in their past. Will Jonas be able to handle the pain and continue living in his community? Or will he leave?

I think The Giver is an interesting book. I don’t, however, love

The disease, Letumosis, is eating away at the shining city of New Beijing. Kai, the Prince, of New Beijing is holding a ball in a few days. And the Lunar Queen Levana is plotting. Meanwhile, Cinder, part metal and full-time mechanic, is facing her malicious family, prejudice, and mounting chores with only her tools and her android with a “flawed personality” Iko...

The premise was so eye-catching. But, the book was so disappointing. Meyer’s writing fell short. The main problem was that writing wasn’t vivid and it left the book without depth. The plot was predictable, I failed to feel

The Oracle Code is a mysterious and thrilling graphic novel by Marieke Nijkamp. This book is about a girl named Barbra, but everyone calls her Babs.  She got shot and has to go to a rehab school where they try to fix kids like her. Barbra makes some friends who help her find former students who disappear without a trace. I love the way the author tells the book like tiny stories woven together to create a mystery, but I didn’t like the way the author presented the plot, I for one thought it was a little creepy and boring. I recommend this book to anyone who likes creepy or scary things. That

Tom Holland plays Peter Parker in John Watts’ Spider-Man: Homecoming. After fighting with the Avengers and acquiring a new high-tech suit from Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Peter must return back to normal life. Living with his aunt May (Marisa Tomei), Peter must keep his identity a secret while trying to prove himself to be more than a friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man by facing his most threatening villain yet, the Vulture (Michael Keaton).

This movie was a satisfying watch. We get to see the almost father-son dynamic between Peter and Tony with Peter messing up and Tony having to save

Tobey Maguire plays Peter Parker (Spider-Man) in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2, made in 2004. In the second installment of this franchise, Peter is torn on whether he should continue the mantle of Spider-Man, or put down the mask and pursue his love for Mary Jane (Kristen Dunst).His conflicts with his idol-turned villain, Dr. Otto Octavios (Alfred Molina), leaves him lost and makes him realize the struggle of living a double life. He must defeat Doc Oc before his identity as the hope-giving Spider-Man disappears from him forever.

This film was stunning. Sam Raimi created a wonderful balance

Andrew Garfield plays Peter Parker (Spider-Man) in Mark Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man, made in 2012. In this reboot, after getting bitten by a genetically modied spider, Peter Parker builds a relationship with his father’s former colleague, Dr. Curt Conners (Rhys Ifans), and helps him with a project. This would have dire consequences as Peter learns what it means to truly be Spider-Man.

This was a joy to watch. Mark Webb’s different approach to the web head definitely works. It makes this movie necessary and different from the Raimi trilogy. This film dives more into the mystery of the

This book is about a girl who loses her memory and becomes engaged to her father's enemy. However, she does not remember loving him. Doctors tell Aria that she has lost her memory. Therefore, Aria goes looking for answers, and meets a boy named Hunter. Can she find the answers as to why she lost her memory?

I liked reading Mystic City because it contains good details. For example, Aria loses her memory. I like that she has to search for the answers, and she meets another boy, whom she believes is better for her. I like that the author gives a good description of the characters. It allows

Matt Damon plays Mark Watney in Ridley Scott’s science fiction film, The Martian, made in 2015. Mark is abandoned on Mars after a big storm comes through the crew’s camp. His fellow astronauts including Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain) and Chris Beck (Sebastian Stan), escape Mars safely, but leave him behind after coming to the conclusion that he had died due to debris. Mark makes contact with the crew and with NASA back on Earth and communicates with them to try and get him off the barren planet. Being a botanist, he plants potatoes and lives off rations as long as he can to stall time until

The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout is a fast-paced sci-fi novel with a lot of mystery. One night, Evie Dasher is trapped at a Luxen club during a government raid. There, she meets Luc, the arrogant teenage club owner. As Evie gets caught up in Luc’s world, her whole world turns upside down. This book was fantastic! I really liked Evie as a character; she felt relatable. The mystery of Evie’s past and its relation to the present was the best part of the story, but the tension between Luc and Evie was very entertaining.

Spoiler Alert! Read the book Illuminae prior to reading the review.

Gemina, the sequel to Illuminae, tells the story of Nick and Hanna, two residents of the Heimdall jump station. Nick is part of a criminal gang, while Hanna is the commander’s daughter. After the BeiTech invasion of the planet Kerenza, the company’s next mission is to destroy the jump station before the ship of refugees from the planet reaches. A team of BeiTech  assault soldiers is inadvertently let in by Nick's gang, and they quickly take control of the station. Nick and Hanna have to fight for their lives and retake

Ender’s Game follows a brilliant 6-year-old kid named Andrew “Ender” Wiggin. Set in the future, humans are fighting a war with an alien race called “buggers”. The humans win the war, but are fearful of another attack, and so they train gifted children in a satellite called the “Battle School” to become future commanders against the buggers. Ender is born as a third child in a world where only two children are allowed due to the giftedness of his siblings, Peter a sociopath and Valentine, a caring sister. He gets into a fight at school, and his promise is seen by Colonel Graff, a commander of

Rebecca Hanover’s sci-fi thriller, The Similars, is the first book in a duology of the same name. In this novel, six clones, the Similars, were made of six socially elite students. The Similars arrive at the exclusive Darkwood Academy, and Emma, a student at Darkwood, doesn’t know who to trust as her friends keep disappearing. To save everyone at Darkwood, especially the Similars, Emma and her friends must push back against the hidden motives that plague the school. This book was fantastic! The plot, the characters, the mystery, it was all thrilling! Emma’s emotions towards Levi as they

Steelheart takes a realistic look into a world of superpowers. Unlike most traditional stories of superheroes who are role-models that use their powers for good, these superheroes are corrupt, evil dictators who have transformed Earth into an authoritarian wasteland. Called Epics, they were created by a comet which flew over the Earth a few years prior to the story. Steelheart follows David, a boy whose father was killed by Steelheart, the most powerful Epic, and ruler of  Newcago, an apocalyptic version of Chicago transformed entirely to steel by Steelheart. Steelheart is an invincible, 7

The story of Dune begins with Paul Atriedes, son of the Duke Leto. Leto is assigned to govern over the hostile desert world of Arrakis, the only source of melange. This “spice” is highly coveted, as consumption of it can cause, most notably, heightened mental abilities and limited foresight. However, the Duke’s acclimation of the planet was planned so that the Atriedes family might be left vulnerable. Paul must learn to navigate the new worlds of Arrakis and interplanetary politics, or his family will not survive.

This book starts out slowly, fleshing out each main character. Then the

As a rewrite of Obsidian, I expected Oblivion to fall flat or be a copy, but Jennifer L. Armentrout’s writing truly made this addition as spectacular as its predecessors. Oblivion is a new version of the first book of the Lux series, Obsidian, but from Daemon’s perspective instead of Katy’s. This book was eye-opening and helped to decipher some of Daemon’s more confusing moments from Obsidian. Oblivion was absolutely brilliant; I couldn’t have asked for anything more from a novella.

The Rise of Skywalker had a tremendous battle with an amazing storyline that made the best conclusion for the Skywalker Saga. For many fans of the Skywalker franchise, it may be sad that it ends with this movie but once you watch it, it will blow your breath away. This movie was the best ending Star Wars could ever do for the Skywalker Saga. I loved this because this played back to Luke Skywalker trying to save Darth Vader. Instead in this Rey was given information about her past that changed her forever and which forced her to confront her fears of joining the dark side of the force with Kylo

Red shouldn’t have picked up the letter. Shouldn’t have betrayed her people. Shouldn’t have replied. But she did, and now nothing will ever be the same again. Red is a time traveler working for the Agency, a technotopia, while Blue is an agent for the Garden, a vast, organic entity rooted in nature. As rivals, they travel through strands of alternate realities and dimensions, influencing them to guide the path of the future in an all-encompassing war. They were made to be enemies — so why does it feel so right when they craft the words that bridge the untraversable gap between them?

This

Meet Tru Beck, a girl that lives in a parallel universe where time has stopped.  After time had stopped, her father discovers a new switch in their house; and he decides to build many, many boxes around this switch. In Tru’s school, there is a new class where students have to figure out how to solve the frozen time problem. Tru has no interest in this, but she does think it’s interesting how she threw a javelin farther than anyone has in history. Tru and family are trying to stick together amid the time stopping situation.

This book is written similar to poetry; it isn’t written like how a

Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi are my favorite Star Wars movies of all-time. I love them because they have action, adventure, betrayal, reality, and a happy ending. I have always liked the 4-6 Star Wars movies better than any other because this was how Anakin Skywalker succumbed to the dark side of the force but his son, Luke Skywalker, tried everything to stop him. These next three movies are about Luke Skywalker's journey with the Rebellion to stop the oppressing force of the Empire and save his father.

I recommend these next three movies in the

Rogue One was an amazing movie that had action, mystery, adventure, and new knowledge towards the watchers. Rogue One is about a band of rebels who are led by Jyn Erso to obtain information to destroy a secret weapon that the Empire is building. This movie takes place between the 3rd and 4th movie of the Skywalker Saga and could be called the 3.5 Star Wars movie. It is entertaining to watch and spectacular to listen to. My favorite part about Rogue One is the difference in format Star War put in this movie. Instead of introducing this as a Star Wars movie; it is a Star Wars Story. This movie

I loved how Star Wars: The Force Awakens introduced new and different characters into the main roles for the next 3 movies. The appearance of Rey, Fin (FN2187), and Kylo Ren was amazing. After the fall of the Empire, the rebels took control of the galaxy and helped its people. There were a few who still believed in the dark side of the force, the First Order, and took it upon themselves to attack the Resistance. There was a confusing point throughout the movie to whom the new Jedi was going to be. A stormtrooper, Fin, saw how the First Order treated people and left but there was also a girl

Solo begins with Han and Qi’Ra, a friend, escaping their home world. They get separated and Han goes on his mission to gain enough money to save his friend. This movie is my favorite Star Wars story and is a lot different than what you would expect from Han Solo. If you have not seen the original 4-6 Star Wars films then Hans Solo is an overconfident weasel who tries to talk his way out of debts that he gets into. It makes the movie seem funny when you see a younger version of Han Solo who is nothing like the older version. This movie is an amazing watch and I recommend it to people who love

Star Wars The Last Jedi was my favorite movie in the 7-9 Star Wars films because it was in the format of The Empire Strikes Back. After the conclusion of The Force Awakens, Rey journeys through the Galaxy to find Luke Skywalker. While Rey is on her own mission the Resistance is attacked by the First Order. I watched this movie in theaters for the first time and I had an amazing time sitting in the dark and looking at this tremendous movie. I recommend this film to people who love watching Star Wars movies and who loved The Empire Strikes Back movie. To compare this movie to any Star Wars film

In the prequel to The Hunger Games, the reader gets accustomed to the notorious president of Panem, President Coriolanus Snow, through his adolescence in the 10th annual Hunger Games. Coriolanus, a student at the Academy, becomes a mentor to the District 12 darling, Lucy Gray Baird. Afraid of losing his chance at the Prize, the scholarship for the University given to the mentor with the winning tribute of the Hunger Games, with the seemingly weakest tribute, Coriolanus throws everything at risk to win a chance for a better life apart from the commoners in the districts. By breaking the rules

Join friends Alex and Anthony in a long journey that forces them to face their feelings. In a small town where basic necessities were taken away, lives Alex and her best friend Anthony. Alex, having her own regrets about family, decides to help Anthony find his mom. As they both walk ten miles to the next town over, they come across some unusual sights. This book is full of raw emotion and friendship, perfect for those who want a glimpse of reality.

This book is perfect for those who want a mix of fiction, and realness. I love how this book takes a deep dive into the thoughts and feelings

Captain America The First Avenger was an amazing movie which was very different from every other Marvel movie. Currently when you think of a Marvel movie, you think of a movie that has high tech equipment and different types of sets. I like this movie because it displays how Captain America started out instead of screening him in The Avengers without any background knowledge of him. The movie starts out with Steve Rogers at an army camp where he trains to become a soldier. He was a lab rat in a project which gave him enhanced strength and speed. He used it to stop Hydra but as we know Hydra

After teenage hacker extraordinaire Barbara Gordon is paralyzed by a gunshot wound, her father sends her to the Arkham Center for Independence, or ACI. There, she will undergo rehabilitation, as well as adapt to her new lifestyle. However, something’s just not right about the ACI. Strange sounds can be heard at night, and patients start to go missing one by one. After her new friend disappears, Barbara vows to solve the puzzle of her new home — before it’s too late.

Although I usually don’t gravitate towards graphic novels, I liked this one. I really enjoyed the art style, and it also

In a society where a one child policy is enforced, Ava Goodwin has a secret, one that her mother died for. That secret is Mira Goodwin, or her identical twin sister. In order to prevent being found out, they have traded places every day for the past eighteen years. It was great for the both of them, their biggest concern being an upcoming ball, until one day their act is exposed. Now on the run, their bond as sisters and willpower are tested as obstacles are pushed into their way. Will they be able to survive? Or will the Rule of One prevail?

The Rule of One by Ashley Saunders and Leslie