Book

Suzanne Collins’ YA dystopian novel, The Hunger Games, is absolutely perfect. Panem, future ruins of North America, is ruled by the rich in the Capitol and split into twelve districts. Each year, two tributes of ages ranging from twelve to eighteen years old, from each district are forced to compete in a deadly competition known as the Hunger Games.

The main character, Katniss, was amazing; she was unique in a way that made her more tangible, but not unlikable. Collins’ whole world was utterly astounding, and the premise of the games and the points she made about society were phenomenal. I

The sequel to The School for Good and Evil, A World Without Princes, was very engaging, but It had problematic gender representation. In this book, Sophie and Agatha begin in their village, but when Agatha wishes for the prince that she left behind, the two friends return to their former fairytale school. The only problem is that the school has changed due to the unique ending to Sophie and Agatha’s story; it’s no longer a school for good versus evil, but rather a war between boys and girls.

The main problem is the sexism that plagues the story throughout; there is no equality, girls are

Ali and her cousin, Emma, visit their mothers’ childhood home. On their vacation, Emma decides to make friends with people. Both the girls go looking around Maine for a child around Emma’s age. One day, they meet a girl named Sissy. She spoils Emma and scares her by telling her about a murder. Even though the girls are frightened, they ask their aunt more about the story. As the story goes on, Ali and Emma realize that Sissy is not who she says she is.

I think this book was a job well done. Mary Downing Hahn has really interested me more in her books. Though this story is really good, it

Lauren Morrill’s Meant to Be is a contemporary young adult romance. In this book, Julia, a stereotypical nerd, lives out her dream of going to London when her class takes a school trip. Instead of following her carefully planned itinerary, Julia is forced to pair up with Jason, whose main goal in life is to have fun and break all of the rules while doing so.

This story is super cute. Julia and Jason’s dysfunctional dynamic makes the whole book. The only negative thing that I have to say is I didn’t love Julia because of her superiority complex, but her self-righteousness makes her seem real

One of Using Is Lying, by Karen M. McManus, is a Mystery/Thriller novel. The story unfolds around four teens after their classmate, Simon Kellhelro, dies. Brownyn, Nate, Addy, and Cooper become suspects in the murder. The four suspects each had a motive to kill Simon. Slowly by slowly, the supposed murder reveals the secrets of the four students. The four suspects become closer and vouch for each other.

I really enjoyed this book because the story has many twists and turns. This is one of the best books I have ever read. Having that said, I think everyone would enjoy this book, especially

The Girl with the Louding Voice, by Abi Dare, is a powerfully unforgettable story about Adunni, a 14-year-old Nigerian girl who wants nothing more than to go to school and become a teacher. Her mother encourages her to continue with her education and find not just her voice but her “louding voice”. Adunni’s life becomes hard and arduous after her mother’s death when her father, who is in need of money for himself and her brothers to survive, “sells” her to a much older man to be his third wife. What follows is a life of abuse and misery and a discontinuation of her schooling. Throughout her

In How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Bill Gates discusses how at this point, climate change is unavoidable; too much time was not used to solve the climate change crisis, so wildfires, rising sea levels, increased storms for some and droughts for others are inevitable now and in the future.  However, the worst consequences of climate change are avoidable, just so long as every country can achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.  Although the world is far from net-zero emissions, Gates mentions the current technologies governments and researchers can use to significantly reduce greenhouse gas

We all know about Auggie in the book Wonder, but R.J. Palacio made another book about other people’s point of view from Auggie’s time. Auggie and Me features Charlotte, Julian and Auggie’s friend Christopher’s view during Auggie’s time and a little after as well. This book is a good book if you want to see the bullying of Auggie from Julian’s point of view. This book is wonderful, but you should read it after reading Wonder.

I loved this book; I read it multiple times. I really like seeing all the points of view and not just those points of view but in Wonder we see a lot of point of views

If you are a fan of The Time Traveler's Wife,  Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and/or The Two Lives of Lydia Bird you should give Oona Out of Order a try.  (And if you haven't checked out any of the previously mentioned titles, you should!)  The novel was published in the early part of 2020 (in the Before Times) and may have slipped by unnoticed.  It's a hard book to explain because time travel but not in your typical sense and yet it was easy to fall in love with Oona and her story.

"By turns tragic and triumphant, heartbreakingly poignant and joyful, this is ultimately an

10-year-old Alanna of Trebond wants to be a knight. Unfortunately, in the land of Tortall, girls of noble birth are sent to the convent to learn the skills they will need as the wives of knights and lords. Her twin brother, Thom, wants to learn to use the powerful magic that they were both born with, but as the only son of the fief of Trebond, Thom must become a knight of the realm. Alanna and Thom trade places, so that Alanna, disguised as a boy, can travel to Corus to become a great knight and Thom can travel to the City of the Gods to study magic. Assisted by her servant and former soldier

You-Know-Who is back. Harry did not think he would return, but he did. Harry has to go back to Hogwarts, thankfully, and has protection from his professors. Until he doesn’t. A new professor has joined the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where Harry learns all about new spells and new techniques to defend himself from Voldemort. But, this professor is not a good one. She teaches in the “safety” of her classroom. The pink might look like she is friendly, but trust me, she is not. Harry goes through a lot in this book, and if you want to find out what happens to Harry and Voldemort, read Ha

August Snow is a former Marine, police officer, and a product of a loving Mexican/African American family. He loves his hometown of Mexicantown, Detroit and hates seeing the decay, drugs, violence and corruption running through the city.  He’s bought and renovated a number of houses on the street to bring them back to their former glory. After being fired by the police for uncovering high level corruption, August wins a $12 million lawsuit against the city for unfair termination. Traveling the world for year to regain his perspective and deal with his parents deaths, August yearns for his city

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is about two main characters, Malik and Karina. This book is fantasy fiction with a little bit of West African culture as inspiration for key parts of the book. The point of view shifts from Malik and Karina throughout the book to show two very different perspectives, one a poor refugee, and the other a princess. Unfortunately, both Malik and Karina need the other to die in order to save someone they love. Throughout the entire book, the reader can see Malik and Karina grow together, while simultaneously trying to work up the nerve to kill the other.

I thought

After being invited to the most fun party ever, Meg and Minnie both decide to sneak out of their houses and go to the party. What they do not know is that their night is about to become terrifying. One by one, people start to die. Meg and her crush, TJ, investigate the area. The killer will go to any extent to kill off the teens. But, at the end, Meg is shocked. She did not expect the killer to be who they are.

This book was by far the best book I have ever read. I love the storyline, and it makes me want to read the book again and again. This book is really interesting, and anyone who

Alianne of Pirate’s Swoop wants nothing more than to have fun and be a spy like her father, the spymaster of the kingdom of Tortall. After an argument with her mother, the famed Lioness and King’s Champion, Aly decides to leave home for a brief taste of independence. When she is captured by slavers and taken to the Copper Isles, she finds that her knowledge in the art of spying is about to be put to the ultimate test. Navigating a confusing world of colonialism and magic, Aly makes a deal with the god of tricksters: keep two girls alive for the summer, and he will return her home to her family

Zahra, a Jinni, has been imprisoned in her lamp ever since her last master and best friend, Queen Roshana, was killed by a Jinn. She has just resigned herself to an eternity alone when a boy, Aladdin, stumbles across her lamp—and picks it up. Now Aladdin, the son of long-dead revolutionaries, has the power to finally create the change he had believed impossible—and to get revenge on the monarchy that killed his parents. However, in this Aladdin retelling, Jinn and their magic are outlawed, and Zahra’s existence, and Aladdin’s association with her, could get them into trouble both with the

Jamie Watson and Charlotte Homes, the teenage descendants of Sherlock and John, get off to a rocky start when they first meet at boarding school. But when they’re both accused of the same crime, they must team up to investigate a murder, clear their names, and, perhaps, become friends.

Fans of mystery interspersed with humor will enjoy this book, the first installment of Brittany Cavallaro’s series. The central case takes time to develop, but the fast-paced story will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Scott Ferdowski has trouble sticking with his passions. He’s smart, but lacks commitment, despite the variety of activities his high-achieving parents sign him up for. So when they leave town at the start of his summer vacation, Scott spontaneously decides to ditch his internship and become a bit more “gritty.” As his summer progresses, Scott meets a crossword-obsessed college student, a brilliant professor, and a cast of other characters. Through it all, he explores his newfound freedom, ultimately gaining perspective about his own life.

Scott’s first-person perspective offers a humorous

Blade Morrison’s life seems perfect. He’s a skilled guitarist with a famous musician for a father, and he has plenty of money and girls to choose from. But despite this, Blade feels lost. The one girl he truly cares for can’t be seen with him. His father’s face covers the tabloids. And ever since his mother passed away, he doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of his family. Solo explores Blade’s search for identity through poetry, following his quest for love and belonging.

Solo illustrates a multilayered story in an incredibly bold, creative format. The book is told through the poetic

Logan, Shay, and Autumn are struggling. Each struck by the loss of someone they love, they’re unsure how to move forward. Music, the passion that once linked them, now brings back memories they’d rather forget. And they’ve turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms that leave them more and more alone. But while these characters seem buried by grief, they aren’t lost forever. As the story progresses, each comes to terms with the tragedy they’ve faced, building the courage to ask for help and slowly returning to music as an outlet for the hurt they feel.

This book’s shifting perspective offers

Iris is a twelve-year-old girl who was born deaf. She loves fixing radios and she loves her Grandma and Grandpa. Iris learned about a whale in school. Its name is Blue 55, and it sings songs but not one replies. Iris feels how hard it would be for no one to reply to what they say, because that is what happens to her, because she is deaf. Iris talks to a scientist who is studying about Blue 55 and trying to tag Blue 55. Iris talks with her and asks if Blue 55 is deaf. The scientist said that they already tested that and Blue 55 is not deaf. Then, Iris comes up with an idea to help Blue 55 know

Red, White and Royal Blue is a sweet, funny, and lighthearted romance between Alex, the First Son, and Henry, the Prince of Wales. As a result of their rivalry being photographed, a staged friendship follows which then leads to a secret between the two. When their secret relationship gets exposed, the Heads of Family and other handlers must find a way to fix the campaign. Will the damage be fixed? Will Alex and Henry’s love fix it?

I enjoyed this cute and light read and definitely enjoyed the slight enemies to lovers. I think it was a fluffy book with moments of funny, serious, touching

The Starless Sea is about Zachary Ezra Rawlins who discovers a rare book hidden in a library. As he turns through the entrancing tales, he finds a strange story from his childhood. He then finds a bee, a key, and a sword which leads him to a doorway–a hidden place far below the surface, a place of lost cities, seas, and lovers. As Zachary travels through this strange yet magical world, he discovers the purpose of his own life and in his story.

When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be an interesting read and keep me hooked. It did turn out to be good, however, I was confused

The Henna Wars has amazing characters, POC, and LGBTQ+ representation. This is about how Nishat doesn’t want to hide who she is, but she doesn’t want to lose her family. It only gets harder when a childhood friend, Flavia, comes back into her life and Nishat falls for her. When a competition invites students to create businesses, both Nishat and Flavia choose to do Henna. As the story progresses, Nishat deals with being outed, homophobia, racism and realizes she needs to choose whether she should follow her heart to Flavia or keep her family happy.

I think the most compelling part to me was

This book is realistic fiction. The main characters of this book are Maxine, London, Alice, and Rose (Maxine’s sister). The main characters want to get out of the place they are trapped in (The Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded) because they are diagnosed as morons, imbeciles, and idiots because of something “bad” they did. Their parents dropped them off there because they didn’t want them, and the main characters know that they won’t come back. That is why they don’t see a reason to leave.  London tries to get out but she gets caught on a farm she ran to for food and water. London

Esperanza is a young girl who moves into a house on Mango Street with her family.  This house   is not what Esperanza dreams of though since it is in terrible condition and it is very small.  The house is in a Latino neighborhood in Chicago.  Esperanza matures during the year.  Esperanza makes friends, develops a crush, and is assaulted.  The novel also talks about some of the tragedies going on in some other people’s lives who live on Mango Street.  Esperanza learns a lot from her experiences and from her neighborhood.  Esperanza vows to exit Mango Street and give herself a better life.  Will

Cross-stitching: the final frontier. These are the exploits of the librarian Charles. His three-week mission: to explore strange new books. To seek out new crafts and new materials. To boldly make where no man has made before!

I am a maker. I love exploring new ways to express my creativity through the things I create. I am often at my happiest when I am trying a new craft or project, anticipating the learning and challenges ahead of me.

I am also a Star Trek fan. My dad introduced me to the series through Star Trek: Voyager, and I enjoy the show’s focus on using science and logic to

Kiss Kill Vanish is a young adult thriller written by Jessica Martinez. Valentina Cruz is the daughter of the most powerful man in Miami. After witnessing her boyfriend, Emilio, and her father murder a man, she runs away to Montreal. There, things become even more confusing when further secrets about Valentina's life are revealed.

I absolutely loved this book's plot and its organization; seeing glimpses of the past made everything more exciting. However, I did not like Valentina's character. I didn't see any growth from the spoiled rich girl she was before running away, and worse, she

Maggie Somerville was murdered in her bedroom. Specks of dust from vacuum cleaners and fibers were scattered to obscure suspicions. Nils Shapiro, an excellent Minneapolis private detective, comes to observe. He decides to find the killer, but no one is ye tof suspicion. Shapiro works with the police department to search backgrounds. When he puts his theory to test, he finds that the killer is closer to him than he thought.

Finding a book that I could read and enjoy is a little complicated, but if I do, I could finish it in one day. The beginning of this book was relatively slow and did not

The Hinterland — a fairytale world filled with magic, violence, and wickedly beautiful promises. In this collection of twelve dark fairytales, author Melissa Albert brings to life the stories that make up the very backbone of her debut novel, The Hazel Wood. Within these pages, girls grown from apple blossoms, women in bearskins, and grooms with the eyes of lions perform a precarious dance, toying with the fibers of life. Travelers look for truth, sisters seek vengeance, and maidens strike deals with Death, whose shadow is an ever-present reality that looms over the stories’ throbbing