Book Recommendations
| Once Upon a Broken Heart, Stephanie Garber | |
 | Keywords:Romantic, Funny, Intense, Magical |
| Description:Once Upon a Broken Heart is a young adult fantasy romance that follows Evangeline Fox, who encounters a dangerous deal with Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, to stop her one true love from marrying her stepsister. In order to receive his help, she must kiss three people of Jacks choosing. This book is filled with magic, chaotic themes, and a journey to the Magnificent North. I love the magic in this fun read. It is a great fairytale romance that will leave you feeling every emotion. I highly recommend to read the Caraval series before starting Once Upon a Broken Heart because Caraval provides an important backstory for Jacks. | |
| Recommended for: I recommend this book for ages 13 and up. It is a fun fantasy read, if you love that you will definitely enjoy it. | |
| The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides | |
 | Keywords:Intense, Unsettling, Fast-paced, Cinematic |
| Description:The Silent Patient is a phsychological thriller that focuses on Alicia Berenson, a painter who refuses to speak after murdering her husband. Theo Faber, Criminal psychotherapist, is obsessed with unclocking her voice. He investigates her past trying to unlock her motive, leading to a shocking twist. I really loved the plot twisting tension in this novel. It is very fast-paced and will have you hooked from the beginning. The author Alex Michaelides did a very well job with this book. | |
| Recommended for: I recommend this book for ages 16 and up due to mature elements. It is a psychological thriller containing strong language and moderate violence.. | |
| The Naturals, Jennifer Lynn Barnes | |
 | Keywords:Fast-paced, mysterious, romantic, addictive |
| Description:This book follows a 17 year old Cassie Hobbes, who is recruited into a top secret FBI program for young teenagers with natural crime solving skills. She meets other gifted teens and together they work to solve cold cases and face a dangerous serial killer that resembles her dark past. This book had me HOOKED from the beginning. It was a nice easy read and it was fun learning each individual teens natural gift. The characters are unique and it includes a popular love triangle. | |
| Recommended for: I recommend this book for ages 13 and up. If you love murder investigations, this book is for you. | |
| Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom | |
 | Keywords: Heartfelt, Reflective, Inspiring |
| Description: Mitch Albom reconnects with his old university professor after 15 years. Unfortunately, his professor, Morrie, is slowly going through a fatal disease. Morrie chooses to spend the time he has left being positive. He has a unique perspective of life which is shared in this memoir. I recommend this book because it has complex philosophies talked into simple stories. It addresses many topics such as forgiveness, marriage, relationships, etc. Morrie gives the most "raw" impact about advice in life. My favorite quote from this memoir is "The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in." - Morrie Shwartz Recommended for: I recommend this book for ages 13 and older due to mature themes of grief and death and anyone seeking an inspirational, heartfelt quick read. | |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini | |
 | Keywords: Grim, Historical, Moving, Heart-Breaking, Powerful |
| Description: Set in Afghanistan, it moves through time within the perspective of two women. It starts in the Soviet occupation, into a time of war and unbalance, and then into Taliban rule. It starts off with Mariam, one of the women, as she lives in a rural area, fostering a difficult relationship with each of her parents. It follows her life through marriage, children, and struggling to belong in a world where she's expected to cook, clean, raise children, and never speak out of turn. The story then moves to Laila who has grown up in Kabul with a progressive family who also has a complicated relationship. Their lives change and intermingle as political unrest and disasters rushes its way through Afghanistan. It's not a book directly talking about history, giving a timeline of wars and random names you won't remember. It gives meaning and perspectives to the individual lives being affected. Through the view of the two women, it shows the struggles they had to face being under the control for the Taliban and battling with the cultural ideas in that time. It shows how the wars and decisions of the government had an impact on people, on families. It helps you to understand the reality and the harsh lives they have faced. It's a book that sticks with you for a while. It makes you value your life and the freedoms we have here. It's just a riveting book. Recommended for: This book is for someone who wants to read something impactful. Many know of Hosseini's other book, The Kite Runner. Like that book, this one is also set in Afghanistan and carries heavy themes. I'd recommend it being an older age read as it has themes of war, violence, death, forced marriages, abuse, and miscarriages. Overall, as much as it is a good book, it is a very heavy book and a few times I had to take a pause while reading it. | |
| There There, Tommy Orange | |
 | Keywords: Exciting, Sad, Informative, Tense, Unflinching, Interconnected, Honest |
| Description: In a new view of Native American culture in a new age, Orange highlights individual stories of people in different generations, races, classes, and identities. Each chapter is set from a new person's perspective, all of which are all coming together at the Big Oakland Powwow. It explores how each person's life has been affected by time and place as well as culture and upbringing. It brings in the idea of the "Urban Indian" and how each identifies with it. This book gave me a new view of America and the people that occupied it long before European countries discovered it. In most book and movie adaptations, they focus on the killing of Natives from disease and violence, the taking of land, some white savior ideas set in a historical background. As important it is to learn the past, we also need to highlight the present. This includes the fallout of colonizing tribes, trying to maintain native culture in a modern context, the idea of what being "enough Native" is, and the struggles they still face related to systematic racism, prejudice, and poverty. This book focuses on all of that and does very well sharing different perspectives. It was a very interesting book with a powerful ending. For being his debut book, Orange uses it to cement himself as an important and persuasive writer and I look forward to reading some of his other stories. | |
| Recommended for: Anyone who wants a new and modern perspective on Native American culture and the shift towards urban practices. Some heavy themes of alcoholism, death, violence, abuse, generational trauma, suicide, poverty, and colonization. In two parts, some direct history is narrated by the author that is heavy. It highlights the horrible things that have been committed against Natives and how they have suffered. So I'd recommend 16+ read this book. | |
| Fairy Tale, Stephen King | |
 | Keywords: Funny, Adventurous, Page-Turner, Interesting |
| Description:It's unlike other Stephan King books. One of his newer ones, it follows a young boy who saves an old man after he fell and broke his leg. The boy takes on the role of caregiver for the anti-social, grouchy man. Through this he learns of his past, finding something supernatural in his backyard. After the man dies, it's all left to him, the house, the dog, the giant well to another world. In there, he meets new people and learns about their troubling history. The young boy becomes an unlikely hero in this adventure-fantasy novel very different from King's usual wiring style. This book was far from what I expected and I found it rather fun. Some reviewers disliked it as it was not a usual Stephan King book but I found it refreshing. It was an adventure book in a new world with interesting characters and plot points with elements of King's typical horror/mystery style thrown in. It was a good book to start the year with and I got really involved in it. Give it a chance. It may not be like his other books, but King's storytelling is detailed and interesting, leading to a turning of page after page at 3 am to finish it. | |
| Recommended for: Recommended for teens aged 16 and up. It doesn't have the same effect as some of his other books though it can follow some heavy themes like parental death, alcoholism, violence, and oppression as well as some strong language throughout as is usual with King. | |
| No Longer Human, Osamu Dazai | |
 | Keywords: Grim, Questioning, Dread, Exploratory |
| Description:No Longer Human follows a man named Yozo as he limps through life trying to figure out why he doesn't feel "human". It starts in his childhood and leads up into his struggling adult life. From a young age, he's felt different, alienated. So he covered it up with humor and wit. This follows him as he grows up and meets new people. This book features themes of suicide, social conformity, misunderstanding by others, hidden self-hate or shame, and asks the main question of "why?". This book had an impact on how I viewed the world and how other people besides myself function within it. There was a specific quote that stuck with me, "What is society but an individual?". This follows the theme of our fear and desires living in each individual person. The idea of a "failed human" lives in this book and is explored in a profound way. It was very different from the mysteries or classics I usually read, but it was well worth it and stuck with me for a while after. As much as it may be a bit grim to read, it was worth it to get another perspective from someone who struggled through life. I may not have feelings of being an outcast as deep as the author, but I identified with some of the things he mentioned. It was a short read that left an impact. | |
| Recommended for: Teens ages 16 - 18 and adults. It has mature themes in it and would likely be recommended for readers 18 and above. This book is meant for people in the "discovering life" stage, people trying to figure out who they are and why they may not feel like others their age. This is for people who want to read a different perspective on life in a different country. | |
| Powerless, Lauren Roberts | |
 | Keywords: Romantic, Action-Packed, Funny, Fantasy |
| Description: In the Kingdom of Ilya, everyone has powers, except for Paedyn Gray. In a society that purges the powerless, Paedyn has learned to survive by stealing and pretending to be a psychic. Paedyn is orphaned and lives with her best friend Adena in the Slums of Ilya. Meanwhile, in the royal palace lives half-brothers Kitt and Kai. Kitt is the heir to the throne while Kai has spent his whole life training to protect the kingdom and rid it of the powerless. When Kai makes a venture to the Slums, Paedyn unknowingly robs Prince Kai and gains the attention of the Kingdom in a dramatic act of raw strength. When the Kingdom hears of her and nicknames her the silver savior, she is forced to compete in the purging trials. At the risk of revealing her true powerlessness to the kingdom, Paedyn must play along and fight to survive among those who harness the most powerful abilities in the Kingdom. Meanwhile, Paedyn manages to capture both of the Princes interests while a rebellion brews in the shadows. I am recommending this book because I thought the world-building was exceptional and brought all the characters to life. Paedyn is a great protagonist because although she is flawed, her character changes throughout the story and shows great character development. This book also contains two excellent princes who deliver many lines that will make you laugh, cry, smile, maybe even all three at once. The plot continues to progress steadily throughout the story and you'll never see the plot twists coming. Filled with angst, betrayal, and battle, Powerless will have you on the edge of your seat til the very end. | |
| Recommended for: I would recommend this book for anyone 13 and up who enjoys reading books like the Hunger Games or Red Queen. The world-building will completely immerse you in the story, so if you like reading about magical powers then this book is for you. | |
| This Woven Kingdom, Tahereh Mafi | |
 | Keywords: Magical, Surreal, Vivid, Romantic |
| Description: Tahereh Mafi has created an illustrious world with a vibrant story based on Persian mythology in This Woven Kingdom. The book follows Alizeh, a unique young woman who just wants to live her life unnoticed and quietly. Alizeh is a Jinn, a magical and ancient race of people who were created from fire, and she hides this truth about her herself, for the world has not been kind to Jinn. Alizeh is more important than she lets on and someone begins to notice her and her skills a bit too much, and this someone is of great importance. Now, Alizeh must know who are her friends and who are her enemies. I loved this book mainly for Tahereh Mafi's beautiful and one of a kind writing style, and yes while the first book moves slower than the rest, it is just as good in my opinion. I also without a doubt loved the book for Alizeh, She is such a refreshing female lead, she isn't too violent, but she certainly isn't weak; she is generous, bold, and colorful. She is just a young woman trying to survive in a world that hasn't been kind to her. A quote that best captures this book: "Alizeh, who had no ally, no kingdom, no magic, and no resources, knew her life was best spent simply trying to survive". | |
| Recommended for: I would recommend this book series for people who are looking for a fantasy book that has depth to it. I would say that this book series is best for people who are at least 13 and up, due to violence and romantic themes which develop over the series. | |
| Better than the Movies, Lynn Painter | |
 | Keywords: Romantic, coming of age, fake dating trope, short and sweet |
| Description: BTTM follows Liz and Wes, high schoolers who have grown up together as neighbors while they start a fake relationship together in order to catch the attention of the boy Liz likes, Michael. During the process of their fake dating scheme, Liz realizes her compatibility with Wes and how it has grown through all these years. Wes and Liz’s feelings are confusing and all scrambled up, and whether she wants to still pursue Michael or if she’s feeling something different for her childhood best friend is what is found out by the end of the book. As someone who doesn’t really read all that often, I finished this cute story so fast and was hooked on to the chemistry and tension between the different characters. I think this cute rom-com really resembles a typical highschool love story movie and could be the right book for someone who’s into those types of films. This book is the first out of a I think trilogy! I have yet to read the other 2 but the story of Liz and Wes is continued after BTTM. | |
| Recommended for: Teenagers who are looking for something easy to get into with a sweet and short rom-com story. | |
| We Were Liars, E. Lockhart | |
 | Keywords: Mystery, Grief, Questionable, Guilty, Memory, and Secrets. |
| Description: The main character in this book is Cadence. She comes from a rich family. Every summer she goes with a friend and her cousins to her private island. They call their group the liars. During the summer trip, Candace loses her memory. She doesn't remember anything that happened in her past and goes through an emotional time. After 2 years, she goes back to the island to try to gain her memory back. Nobody from her family is telling her what happened which is why she decided to go. I recommend this book because of the major plot twists that occur in the book. This book has these plot twists that resist you from putting the book down and to continue reading. Some parts of the book have poetic pieces which makes everything from the book comes together. You understand the book more clearly with the poetic parts. | |
| Recommended for:This book is recommended for people who like shocking plot twists in books. They enjoy twists that change up the way they thought about the book or the character. This book is also for people who enjoy mysteries about certain things in people's families. | |
| Ugly Love, Colleen Hoover | |
 | Keywords: Emotional, heartache, love, and pain |
| Description: A girl named Tate Collins meets a pilot named Miles Archer. When they first meet each other, they both didn't like each other. Miles stated when they first met that he isn't looking for love. As time goes on, they are in a weird relationship that doesn't consist of love or anything due to Miles not wanting it. As they are in the relationship, Tate is falling for Miles. But Miles doesn't want to be in love due to his traumatic past. I recommend this book because it's not a normal romance book. There are lots of bumps that both the characters go through during their relationship. This book shows the not so pretty things about getting in a relationship with another person. When I was reading this book, I enjoyed this book very much. | |
| Recommended for: This book is recommended for people who enjoy emotional romance books. This book isn't a typical romance book because there are plot twists that change the perspective of the characters. It's recommended for people who are adults/early adulthood. | |
| Frankenstein, Mary Shelley | |
 | Keywords: Horror, monster, grim, exciting |
| Description: Victor Frankenstein is a man in the 18th century that is interested in the science of life and death. With the power of electricity, Victor believes he can play as God and create life. However when he is met with his creation, chaos consumes his family. I read this book in my English class and I actually really enjoyed it. Even though it was a lengthy book it kept me interested with the conflict between Victor and the monster. | |
| Recommended for: This book is great for anyone fifteen and up. There are some dark themes but it is a compelling story that people of all ages could enjoy. | |
| The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald | |
 | Keywords: Romantic, sad, satirical |
| Description: Jay Gatsby leads a lavish life in order to impress the love of his life. The life he leads offers him no form of happiness or relationship. Gatsby's main attempts at love are recalled by a close friend, who is his only real relationship. This book was a roller coaster of emotions, which always kept me on my toes. And it is probably the most classic love story. It does a really good job at highlighting the negative parts of chasing money over family/love. | |
| Recommended for: This book would be enjoyable for anyone over the age of 13-14. Especially for people who enjoy love stories. | |
| Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer | |
 | Keywords: Tragic, adventure, insightful |
| Description: Chris McCandless is a young adult who travels by himself all around the west coast to escape a life filled with money and poor relationships. During his travels he creates meaningful relationships and escapes money. Eventually, finding himself to want nothing to do with society, he disappears into the wilderness of Alaska. He keeps a journal recalling his life up until his death. This book was very interesting in terms of seeing what was inside his mind. He chose to follow his transcendentalist ideals, without much preparation and disregarding the consequences. While it was sad, Krakauer offered a different point of view on the story. Rather than seeing it as a tragic, suicide mission, he saw it as a journey of self-improvement gone wrong. | |
| Recommended for: This book should be read by those aged 15 and older. It is for anyone who enjoys a story about a more tragic way of finding yourself. | |
| Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury | |
 | Keywords: Powerful, suspenseful, intense |
| Description: This book is about a firemen whose job is to burn all books in the society he lives in. The society that Guy Montag lives in (the main character in the book) is a society where all books are banned. Nobody is allowed to get information from books because the society claimed that all books will give those the information that they shouldn't have. Where nobody should get that type of information. Throughout the book, you will see what Guy Montag's true opinion on the society that he lives in and what he does with the opinions that he has. I recommend this book because of the way the author writes this book. They write it in a way where you cannot put the book down because of how interesting the book is. I enjoyed this book the most because we see the character development from Guy Montag and how his opinions change on what his job really means. | |
| Recommended for: This book is recommended for people who like philosophical literatures that talk about issues that occur in the society that people live in. The age group is above 14 years old and mainly if they are in high school. The type of person that would enjoy this book is if they like literature about what could possibly happen to the society we live in. | |
| The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd | |
![The Secret Life of Bees](https://suemonkkidd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Sue-Monk-Kidd-The-Secret-Life-of-Bees-663x1024.jpg") | Keywords: Hopeful, historical, inspiring. |
| Description: This book takes place in South Carolina in 1964. The main character of this book is a 14 year old girl names Lily Owens who lost her mother at a young age. Lily wants to find out more about the mystery of her mother's death. Lily has a father who's distant and harsh, but is mainly being taken care of by Rosaleen who's her African American caregiver. The town that they live in is full of racist people which causes Lily to run away to find more about her mother's death. I recommend this book because throughout the book Lily is doing everything that she can to keep the few memories that she has of her mother in her head. She does everything that she can to find out exactly why her mother died and other people that her mother may have known in her life. | |
| Recommended for: This book is recommended for teens above 14 years old and adults. The type of person that would enjoy this book are those who are interested in history and historical time periods. | |
| I am the Messenger, Markus Zusak | |
 | Keywords: Mystery, action-packed, humorous, grim |
| Description: Ed Kennedy, a nineteen year old taxi driver, was always known as the “least-accomplished” of his family. Compared to his younger brother, Thomas, who goes to the local college and frequently helps out his parents, Ed lives a monotonous life with no definite purpose. However, on an ordinary day, Ed miraculously prevents a robbery in the local bank. From that day on, he was known as a small hero of his town, but little did he know, his career of preventing bad was far from ending. A few weeks after the incident in the bank, Ed started receiving playing cards from an anonymous person in the mail. These cards offered clues that led to a variety of tasks ranging from enjoyable to gruesome. Over time, after accomplishing challenging tasks such as killing another person and helping a grandma escape her loneliness, Ed gained confidence and became a better version of himself, realizing that he was destined from the beginning to help others. This book is a great book that I recommend for the reluctant reader. Reading the book, I was astonished by Zusak’s ability of using description. Through his eloquent writing, I was able to picture scenes vividly in my head, making me feel as if I was Ed himself. Furthermore, the suspense and anticipation incorporated into the book made it enjoyable to read. Moments such as when Ed knocked on the dusty door of Edgar Street kept me on the edge of my seat. It’s a great book! | |
| Recommended for: This book is most suitable for students grades 8-12. I feel certain that every reader will enjoy this uniquely formatted book. | |
| Night, Elie Wiesel | |
 | Keywords: Holocaust, survival, death, trauma, torture, faith, loss, survival, humanity |
| Description: Night is a work of Elie Wiesel, describing his experiences about the Holocaust. It chronicles the experiences of being a young Jewish boy inside several Nazi concentration camps, incluidng Auschwitz and Buchenwald, losing family and beliefs. Using personal experiences, Wiesel covers issues of suffering, survival, and how war humanizes people against their will. He wrestles throughout with the devastation of innocence and the problem of hanging onto hope while facing what cannot be believed. I recommend the book Night because it provides powerful, firsthand evidence of the Holocaust; the themes, survival, loss, and resilience in human spirit stand out, while Wiesel's writing is poignant for insights into history and humankind, thus making for a compelling read. | |
| Recommended for: Night by Elie Wiesel is for readers 16 and up, especially those interested in history, the Holocaust, or survival stories. It's best for those who can handle emotional stories and non fiction. | |
| Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero, Rick Riordan | |
 | Keywords: Humorous, exciting, action packed, suspense, and romance (the friendly and funny kind, one way or another). |
| Description: This book basically maximizes the elements that compose a good book packed with what satisfy readers. Completely controlled in pacing and tone, the author balances a faultless comic banter against the deeper notes that reveal characters' vulnerability. The reason I'm recommending this book is because once you've read a simply amazing book like this it just doesn't feel right not to recommend this book and let others in on the fun. | |
| Recommended for: Readers from ages 8-14 that love action packed books with enjoyable humor will love this book. Readers that are in for action, suspence, romance and laughs might as well be in for this book! | |
| Wings of Fire: The Dangerous Gift, Tui T. Sutherland | |
 | Keywords: Humorous, relatable, and anti-boredom |
| Description: A whirlwind of story, alternating with wry sarcasm, Wings of Fire fans won't just like it, they will love it!! Sutherland is offering a terrific cast that is effortlessly diverse. All of the well constructed characters bring different skills, personality, backstory, and interests. I am recommending this book due to its well-paced vast variety of genres and characters. Just reading it will get your blood pumping, plus it has a humorous disposition. | |
| Recommended for: Readers from ages 11 to 15 that love humorous and relatable books will find this a most exhilarating page turner. Readers from all over the world that are looking for something to cleanse their boredom might as well be looking for this book. | |
| Time's Convert, Deborah Harkness | |
 | Keywords: Action and adventure, romance, vampire, gore |
| Description: The main character in this All Souls Trilogy spinoff is Matthew's son Marcus. Chapters flip-flop between the past and present, revealing both Marcus's life before and after he was turned into a vampire during the Revolutionary War. This book's secondary focus is on Phoebe's journey of self-adjustment after she turns into a vampire. Despite all of the preparation that went into her change, she soon finds that becoming a vampire is not as simple as she had thought. This book is very similar to Twilight, another series of novels which I really like. This book is sort of a prequel to the All Soul's trilogy that Deborah has written. It has quite a bit of action, romance and many other genres that just give a lot of character to the novel. | |
| Recommended for: This book is recommended for the young adult or high schooler, not really preferred for the younger audience. It's about vampires somewhat like Twilight. | |
| The Book Thief, Markus Zusak | |
 | Keywords: Gut-wrenching, sadistic, gloomy, grim, mysterious |
| Description: This book is set during the time of World War II, and it is narrated by Death. "The Book Thief" is about a girl named Liesel and how she overcame the many challenges of her life, while meeting interesting people along the way. At the start of the book, one of Liesel's loved ones dies, and she is sent to foster parents. At first, she finds it hard to adjust to her new life and finds her foster parents rather odd, but soon she finds new friends and finds solace in a new hobby of stealing books to read. As the war goes on, Liesel develops a deep bond with her foster parents and develops new friendships with the kids in her school, the Hitler Youth Academy. Will she survive the hardships of war, or will she be overcome by Death? "The Book Thief" is a very interesting book that I strongly recommend. The book really expresses the hardships and realities of war, while it still has heartwarming moments such as when the main character develops profound connections with other characters. The book is also entertaining because of the ways Liesel can get away with stealing books. A very unique thing about this book is that Death narrated it. Throughout the book, Death also tells us about his perspective on the war, and it shows that he is also sympathetic in certain ways. | |
| Recommended for: This book is recommended for ages 13 and above. People who are interested in the historic-fiction genre will love this book. | |
| The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain | |
 | Keywords: Action and adventure, violence, gore |
| Description: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is set in the 1840s Mississippi Valley where Huck and Tom continue their adventures. Huck faces the threat of being ''civilized'' by the widow Douglas, while his friend Jim believes Tom's father is alive. Huck stands to inherit $6,000 but his father, Pap, wants the money. Pap kidnaps Huck, prompting Huck to escape down the river, faking his death to avoid him. This book was very intriguing because of the crazy adventures a 14 year old goes through, such as travelling to different states and faking his own death. I really recommend anyone to read this book at least once in their lifetime. | |
| Recommended for: This book in general is recommended for middle school going kids as well as early high school going kids, but anyone above the age of 12 who likes action and adventure themed novels will surely appreciate this story. But just to be warned there are scenes with abusive parents, narcotics, etc. | |
| City of the Dead, James Ponti | |
 | Keywords: Action-packed, espionage-like, mysterious, intense |
| Description: A series of attacks hit London, and a team of spies lead by Kat are sent to investigate the British museum and test the security. As they do more research on the attacks, hidden messages are discovered, which leads them to the city of the dead, also known as Cairo. There, they find out more clues and ultimately come to a conclusion about the ominous and mysterious attacks. I am recommending this book because it really works your brain along the way of reading it. While I was reading it, I tried to discover clues likes anagrams, and what some messages really meant. This book is also very satisfying to read because the team discovers many clues along the way, but it is towards the end of the book where they actually put together these clues together to come to a conclusion. | |
| Recommended for: City of The Dead by James Ponti is great for readers ages 10-14 who love solving mysteries and riddles. It involves a lot of code-cracking, and an interest of coding might even spark after reading this great book! | |
| The Seance, Joan Lowery Nixon | |
 | Keywords: Supernatural, enticing, thrilling, unpredictable, hard-to-put-down |
| Description: This enticing and thrilling book is about a girl named Lauren, who has to deal with a “sister” named Sara. Sara isn’t Lauren’s biological sister, she is fostered and is older than Lauren, and prettier, meaning all the boys are wrapped around her well-manicured finger. These two don’t get along at all, but after finding out that there is a girl at their school who can hold seances, which are sessions to talk to the dead, Sara tries her hardest to get Lauren to go to the Seance with her. After a lot of convincing from her best friends and Sara, Lauren agrees to go to the Seance with them, held by Roberta Campion. But just like Lauren thought, things take a turn for the worst when Sara starts acting weird during the Seance, and ends up falling on the candle and ruining their source of light. When they get the lights back on, the girls find the shocking truth that Sara has disappeared from the house, even though the doors were still locked. The next day, they find out that Sara’s deceased body was found in the swamp. Later, another girl from the Seance is also found dead in the swamp. Now it’s up to Lauren to find out what happened before it’s her turn. I’m recommending this book because I personally found it SO thrilling. It was full of plot twists and things you never saw coming. It left me on the edge of my seat the whole time and I could not put it down. It is by far one of the best thrillers I have ever read and I 100% recommend this book for others who also like thrilling and supernatural books that leave them staring at the wall once they finish that last sentence. | |
| Recommended for: Kids who range from grades 5-8, but it is an amazing book for anyone older who wants to read it. It is meant for those who are into the paranormal/horror realm, and people who love books that have them on the edge of their seat trying to figure out what happens next. | |
| The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros | |
 | Keywords: prejudice, discrimination, sexism, male dominated world, Latinx, justice |
| Description: Esperanza, a young Mexican American woman, is the protagonist of this novella. The story is told through vignettes that tell the story of her family and the Latinx community in Humboldt park, Chicago. Using literary devices and a poetic style, Cisneros follows Esperanza as she struggles to discover her identity as a Chicana, her Chicano positionality, her English and Spanish speaking role, her growing sexuality, and her gender as a woman in a patriarchy-ridden society. In the end, Esperanza finds that her community is Mango Street, and because others cannot escape, she has to use her strength to stand up for the women and fight against prejudice and sexism. This book is about a girl whose life is pretty similar to some girls in California. Being a foreigner isn't easy for a woman in a male dominated country. The story also explains the struggles of such a girl and how she copes with it in her daily life. Young teen girls who can relate to this story would love this story and such girls can be found all over the nation especially in California. | |
| Recommended for: This book is recommended for tweens and teens. The main point of the book is about the struggles of a young girl from Mexico who is having issues with getting along with the male dominated world outside of her country. People who can relate their life with this book would enjoy it quite a lot. | |
| Hoot, Carl Hiaasen | |
 | Keywords: exciting, suspense |
| Description: This book's main character is a boy named Roy. He is a new kid who moves to Florida. On his first day of school, Roy is bullied on the bus. But he sees something odd on the bus. Roy sees a boy running without any shoes or backpack. Roy's curiosity gets so intense that he followed the running boy, but he can't keep up. He sees the running boy running without any shoes every day. Soon a girl named Beatrice finds out that Roy has been chasing behind the running kid. It turns out that the running kid is Beatrice's stepbrother. On the way to school, Beatrice tells Roy to stay away from the running boy, but Roy doesn't. After a few days, Beatrice tells Roy everything about her stepbrother. The truth is that the running boy had been sent to Juvi Hall even though he didn't do anything. So he had escaped from Juvi Hall. And now, he trying to save some burrowing owls that were abandoned. But the problem is that there is a new Mother Pula pancake house that is being constructed right above the owls. So Beatrice's stepbrother is laying traps to stop Mother Paula from making the pancake house. The assistant at the construction site doesn't care about the owls. Roy and Beatrice start to help the running boy to save the owls, but will they be able to save them? | |
| Recommended for: I recommend this book so that people can know about the importance of nature and animals. This book also shows how to speak up for the right thing. Grades 6-9. | |
| Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo | |
| Keywords: fantasy, complex, action packed | |
| Description: A group of six and their leader go try to pull off an impossible heist. There is amazing character building and world building. Once you get through the first few pages, it is nearly impossible to put down. It is an extremely entertaining book. | |
| Recommended for: I would recommend this book to those who are into fantasy novels and who have an active imagination. Students in 8th-10th grade. | |
| The Bone Witch, Rin Chupeco | |
| Keywords: dark fantasy, magic, necromancy | |
| Description: Tea doesn’t intend to raise her brother from his grave. It just happens. She learns that she is a bone witch, one of the most feared type of asha there is. Tea is taken under the wings of Lady Mykaela, who is a bone witch as well. In a different timeline, Tea is exiled and is telling a story to a Bard about her life when she was an asha novice. While telling her story, she raises daeva, one of the most terrifying creatures in existence, from their graves. Readers will be captivated by this dark fantasy story and its memorable characters. (first in series) | |
| Recommended for: This book is for middle school students and fantasy/dark magic lovers. Perfect for you if you want to read late into the night, not being able to rip yourself away from the book. I am recommending this book because of how it captivated me from beginning to end. I loved all the ways the unnatural portions fit right in like it was the most normal thing in the world. | |
| The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho | |
| Keywords: Deep, thoughtful, spiritual, encouraging | |
| Description: The story follows Santiago, a young shepherd who leaves his sheep to follow a dream he had about treasure hidden in the pyramids of Egypt. Along the way he meets deep, intriguing characters who influence his journey. I really enjoyed this book, it moved at the perfect pace and I felt connected to the characters at every moment. Though the advice given to Santiago is fictional, it felt just as applicable to a modern human life. It’s a book you’ll check out again and again. | |
| Recommended for: The Alchemist is a fantastic book for fans of high fantasy, magic, and spiritual journeys for grades 6 and up. If you enjoy reading about characters who are open to change and new experiences, then this one is for you. | |
| The Woman in the Window, A.J. Finn | |
| Keywords: Thrilling, fun, exciting, surprising, mysterious | |
| Description: An agoraphobic woman who has locked herself in her home for almost eleven months spends her (abundance of) free time drinking too much, playing chess online, and spying on her neighbors through her windows. This has been a habit of hers for a while, but one night, everything changes because she sees something at the house of her new neighbors. Her world changes overnight and she is forced to question what she saw happened, or better yet, if it happened at all. This book was such a page turner, and I finished it in only two days, even though it has a good four and a half hundred pages. The pace is fast, and the chapters are short, making it easy to just keep flipping through. The writing is suspenseful, the characters are well made, and the twists are never ending. The book will keep you on your toes. One of the best thrillers I've read so far! | |
| Recommended for: This book is recommended for highschoolers and young adults that are interested in thriller/mystery books. | |
| All of Us Villains, Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman | |
| Keywords: competition, survival, magic, battle | |
| Description: Everything changed for the seven families of Ilvernath that participated in the Tournament. When the book A Tradition of Tragedy was published, the murderous ways of these seven families came into light, how they would send seven of their children to fight to the death, and the one who came out alive would be awarded with high magick for the next twenty years. Then the cycle would repeat again. After the release of the book, paparazzi and reporters and even the government hunted down the families. But when the time for the Tournament came, and with the whole world watching, of course everything went wrong. Briony Thorburn forcefully took the name of champion, one who competes in the Tournament, from her sister. Isobel Macaslan lost her sense for magick, both high and common, and Gavin Grieve resorted to a test experiment that made sure his magick use was restrained to his life. But within it all, a way to end this horror has been found. The only question is if the champions are smart enough to be truthful. Yet even that could be too much for children bred and raised to kill others and trust no one but themselves. I am recommending this book because it is like the Hunger Games, except more rich and with more fantasy and lore to it. It has unexpected twists and turns that will keep you up at night reading. | |
| Recommended for: People who like books about shifting loyalties, a competition, and people fighting to be the last ones standing. Perfect for Hunger Games fans ages 13+ | |
| The Black Witch, Laurie Forest | |
| Keywords: fantasy, magic, action, adventure | |
| Description: Elloren Gardener is the granddaughter of the famous Black Witch, who killed the Icaral, a winged demon, of the Prophecy. People are stunned by how much she looks like her grandmother. Elloren lives with her uncle, but when Aunt Vyvian takes her with the intent to have her wandfasted, a kind of marriage, Elloren tries to refuse. She goes to the University, and is doomed with two Icarals, her aunt’s way to torture her until she agrees to wandfast. Elloren faces many difficulties, like one of her roommates trying to kill her, a girl who is a powerful mage and is quite jealous of her, and, above all, Elloren, for the first time, sees how cruel her people are to other species. I am recommending this book because it’s fast-paced, especially for people who don’t like to wait for action. It is very different from other fantasy books, leaning a bit more to dystopian than others do. | |
| Recommended for: People ages 13+ who like fantasy, magic, and different worlds. For people who like to read a well-written story with a complete history and background, and different fantasy religions. | |
| Caraval, Stephanie Garber | |
| Keywords: magic, fantasy, mystery, descriptive | |
| Description: Scarlett Dragona has for seven years been waiting for a letter from Legend, the mastermind behind the magical world of Caraval. People say that Caraval is a whole different dimension, with magic potions, creatures, and secrets. When she finally gets the letter, she's already engaged in a mysterious count, and she knows her father will kill her sister, Donatella, if he finds out that she has escaped. But then a mysterious sailor offers to take Scarlett and Tella to Caraval, and also pose it as a kidnapping so their father wouldn't find out. Though Scarlett only wants safety for her sister, she's dragged along by her sister's immense feeling for adventure. But when Legend kidnaps Tella and announces that whoever finds her would win Tella and a wish, Scarlett knows she will have to win the game before anyone else does, and to make sure her sister doesn't go mad like the girl who got fantasy and reality mixed up. | |
| Recommended for: For people ages 12+ who love fantasy, magic, and wonder. Also for fans of mystery and suspense. I loved that this book combined mystery with fantasy. It was a very enticing book about love for siblings, magic, and sacrifice. | |
| Spy School, Stuart Gibbs | |
| Keywords: suspenseful, amusing, thriller | |
| Description: Ben Ripley is elated when an agent from the CIA comes to recruit him for a secret school for spies in training. But as soon as he gets there, he's attacked by men in black suits and helped by a girl who might hate him. In the following weeks, he's attacked by assassins, makes more than a few enemies, and also badmouths the principal. With the help of a girl named Erica, Ben figures out that the authorities are hiding secrets, and there might be a mole in the school. And they're coming right after Ben. This book was humorous and suspenseful; amusing in a deadpan way, and suspenseful in that there was a lot of frustration and going back to square one after learning more. | |
| Recommended for: Middle school students ages 9-13, Gordon Korman fans, Rick Riordan fans | |
| Raybearer, Jordan Ifueko | |
| Keywords: fantasy, lyrical | |
| Description: This book is about a young girl named Tarisai who was raised in isolation. Tarisai is commanded by her mom to befriend the prince so she can kill him. I'm recommending this book because I found I lost myself in this rich world. It's so unique and unlike anything I have ever read. | |
| Recommended for: I would recommend this book to someone 8th grade and up who is into fantasy novels. If you are looking for something unique, exciting, heartbreaking yet uplifting, this is the book for you. | |
| A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson | |
| Keywords: suspenseful, thriller, engaging | |
| Description: In the town of Fairview, everyone agrees on one thing: Andie Bell was murdered, and the murderer, Sal Singh, later killed himself. But Pip isn’t so sure, and she researches this for her Capstone project. As she starts to investigate, the accepted story and the evidence she gathers don’t match up, and she realizes that the murder case has gaps in it. With the help of Ravi Singh, Pip digs deeper; what was once a school project is now a mission to clear Sal’s name. But someone doesn’t want her investigating, and others are hiding secrets. It’s up to Pip to solve the case and find out what really happened before someone else is taken, or worse, killed. | |
| Recommended for: Murder mystery, thriller, and suspense fans and readers ages 13+ and fans of One of Us is Lying. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is written like a true crime podcast, and this format with the original story narrative makes it a fun read. The book is a well-written case, with connections to be made everywhere. It is similar to One of Us is Lying, as it gives you information about the case as well as the problems the main character is facing as well. The ending is very surprising, one that readers will probably never guess. | |
| Howl’s Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones | |
| Keywords: comedy, fantasy, magic | |
| Description: When Sophie took over her stepmother’s hat shop, she didn’t expect to be turned into an old woman by the wicked Witch of the Wastes. She comes across Howl’s castle, and makes a deal with the fire demon, Calcifer. Calcifer tells Sophie that she will have to find a way to break his contract with Howl and free him. In return, Calcifer will try to find a way to break the spell the Witch placed on her. In the following month, Sophie works as a cleaning woman for Howl’s castle, and they travel around. Along the way, Sophie is chased by a scarecrow, pretends to be Howl’s mother, and tries to protect her sister Lettie from Howl. Sophie also learns that she may have own magic. I am recommending this book because I liked the humor and comedy in the story, and it’s pretty fast-paced. It’s hard to put down once you stop, because you just want to know what Sophie and the other characters will do next. | |
| Recommended for: For readers ages 9 & up and fans of fantasy, magic, and spells. | |
| We Were Liars, E. Lockhart | |
| Keywords: summer, cousins, privilege, lyrical, atmospheric | |
| Description: There’s nothing like getting together with your cousins in the summer. These cousins look forward to their family’s annual trip each year because it's when they get to catch up with each other. Everything is great until one night, it's not. This book definitely takes an unexpected twist. I'm recommending this book because it keeps you in suspense. Maybe even confuses you a little, in a good way. It keeps you thinking and paying attention. | |
| Recommended for: Recommended for teens and young adults; someone who enjoys reading already. | |
| Since You’ve Been Gone, Morgan Matson | |
| Keywords: summer, honest, engaging | |
| Description: When Emily cannot get into contact with her best friend, Sloane, she panics. That is until she receives a letter from Sloane with a list of things to do outside of her comfort zone. I'm recommending this book because of how amazing the writing is. The writing made it feel like the characters were real and like you were there with them in real time. | |
| Recommended for: I recommend this to anyone in 8th grade and up who hasn't read it. You will fall in love with the characters and the writing style. | |
| One of Us is Lying, Karen M. McManus | |
| Keywords: Mystery, murder, suspenseful, secretive | |
| Description: Simon Kelleher - the writer of a blog that exposes all - has some secrets to share about 4 students who are deemed to be perfect. Bronwyn - the smart, Harvard bound student; Nate - the felon of the group; Addy - the perfect, pretty girlfriend; and Cooper - the MLB destined star. One fateful day, these 5 students are all given detention. Simon dies. Who could have killed him? Which one of the detention kids committed this crime? Together, the remaining 4 juggle through the difficulties of being suspected murderers, and reveal their deep, dark secrets, which are enough to make anyone stop trusting them. I enjoyed this book because the secrets made me more invested in the novel, to find out if the characters would be caught. I also enjoyed it because it had a plot twist at the end, which was something that did not occur to me. It was a great mystery book, that kept me guessing. | |
| Recommended for: Teens aged 13 and older, who enjoy murder mysteries, and suspenseful novels filled with secrets that will keep you on edge. | |
| Twilight, Stephanie Meyer | |
| Keywords: romantic, energetic, action, beautiful, exciting, intriguing, strong | |
| Description: Twilight is about a young girl named Bella Swan. Her parents are divorced and she had been living with her Mom for a while, but Bella's Mom tends to move from place to place a lot with her boyfriend. Bella starts to realize she wants to stay put in one place for a little while so she decides to move to a small town named Forks in Washington with her dad. Forks is the complete opposite of what Bella is used to; Forks has a wet, very cold climate, something Bella is not very fond of. One day Bella arrives at her new school in the middle of the year which makes her a bit nervous. She meets a lot of new people, people that tend to be a bit more on the extroverted side while she is more introverted. As the day goes on, Bella arrives at one of her classes and is sat beside a mysterious young man who would change her life forever. This is one of my favorite books and it definitely made me interested in reading the rest of the series. This book series is also a movie series, which is also amazing. This teenage story is not your classic coming of age story and has many different interesting aspects that aren't really used in the typical girl meets boy style of writing. I really enjoyed this factor about this book because it made the book very unique in its own way. I also really liked the use of detail in this book. When I read it for the first time, it felt as if I was a part of the story, still, every single time I read this novel I always feel as I am sucked into the story-line. This book is an amazing book to choose if one is going for a drive, at the beach, sitting by the pool, or even flying on an airplane. | |
| Recommended for: I would recommend this book for older teenagers, around the ages of 13 and over. It is the perfect choice for those that love romance, whether it be movies or books. | |
| Why Fish Don’t Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life, Lulu Miller | |
| Keywords: Scientific, historical, introspective, biographical | |
| Description: Lulu Miller takes the reader on a journey as she details the story of David Starr Jordan, a 19th century scientist and explorer set on discovering as many fish as possible, even as the universe creates constant roadblocks. It’s not the normal read for me but turned out to be endlessly enjoyable. Interestingly, did not make me hungry for fish. | |
| Recommended for: This book is a great read for people ages 15 and up wanting something both historical and thought-provoking. If you’re an NPR listener, a history buff, or one with an affinity for niche interests, this book is for you. | |
| The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller | |
| Keywords: sad, grim, adult books for teens | |
| Description: A classic retelling of the Iliad from the point of view of a minor character, Patroclus. Strong characters with a beautiful plot. | |
| Recommended for: I would recommend this book for someone in 9th to 10th grade who just started reading as a pastime and who just hasn't found the right book yet because this will lure them in. I normally would recommend reading the original story or source material, but not this time. If you have any interest in Greek mythology, this book is for you. | |
| Iceberg, Jennifer A. Nielsen | |
| Keywords: Tragic, adventurous, mysterious | |
| Description: 12-year-old Hazel sails away from England to find a job in New York City. Things at home have been hard ever since her father passed away two years ago. Once Hazel boards the Titanic, she learns that there is a fire on the ship. She also learns that the captain has once caused a disaster while sailing another ship. Hazel turns more and more curious after finding out more and more about the Titanic, and the secrets it holds. She also starts to sense that something is off about the ship and grows insecure. She tries to find out as many things as she can about the ship, but before she can do this, disaster strikes. I recommend this book because it really shows how a person overcomes hardships. It is also very adventurous, and while I was reading, I could picture all the scenes that were happening. Finally, I recommend this book because it brings a life lesson, which is to be careful of who you make friends with, and who you stay away from. | |
Recommended for: This book is recommended for kids in grades 5 to 8 who love other adventure and mystery books. It is also recommended for people who like tragic books that are based off of true events. | |
| All the Bright Places, Jennifer Niven | |
| Keyword: heart-wrenching, love, tragedy | |
| Description: This book is about two teens struggling with their mental health. It is about a girl who learns to live from a boy who wants to die. | |
| Recommended for: I am recommending this book for anyone dealing with mental illnesses. It'll break your heart and fix it at the same time. I would recommend this book to someone in 9th grade or above. The message of the book is something worth hearing and reading. The book left me speechless and I didn't know what to do with myself for the rest of the day. | |
| Delirium, Lauren Oliver | |
| Keywords: sci-fi, dystopian, romantic, lyrical | |
| Description: In the year 2091 in the U.S., love has been considered a disease and is commonly referred to as deliria, or Amor Deliria Nervousa. A cure for it has been found and is required for people of at least 18 years. Most people are afraid of the cure. Lena isn’t. She’s always believed wholeheartedly that the potential for love in her heart was disgusting, something to be ashamed of. She wants to be cured from something that had the potential to ruin her, like it did to her mother. Her friend, Hana, is quite the opposite. She’s prettier and more rebellious than Lena. While Lena prepares to be the perfect wife for her approved match, Hana goes to underground parties and listens to music unapproved by the DFA (Deliria-free America) But when she meets Alex, an Invalid who pretends to be Cured and shows Lena that the government has been lying all along, Lena wonders whether her entire life was ever true. | |
| Recommended for: Sci-fi and dystopian fans. Ages 13+ This is a very riveting dystopian tale about what it means to learn the truth and change completely. | |
| Dorothy Must Die, Danielle Paige | |
| Keywords: Adventurous, exciting, entertaining | |
| Description: Amy is a high schooler who lives in Kansas. She is bullied at school and lives with her mother who ignores her. One day, there is a tornado and Amy’s mother ditches her to go to a tornado party. Soon the tornado hits Amy and sweeps her into the land of Oz. She discovers that Dorothy is a tyrant and a heartless villain that rules over Oz and is corrupted by its magic. She learns that the only way to return home is to help Oz first. In order to take down Dorothy, she must strip her of her power by killing her. With the help of her newly found friends, Nox, Gert, Glamora, and Mombi, she must train in order to kill Dorothy and save Oz once and for all. I like this book because the author puts her own spin on the classical book “The Wizard of Oz”. It has plot twists and leaves you on the edge of your seat. | |
| Recommended for: This book is recommended for readers who like fantasy and adventure. I would recommend this book for ages 12+ because it has mild language. | |
| Divergent, Veronica Roth | |
| Keywords: romantic, action-packed, thrilling, energetic | |
| Description: Beatrice Prior, the protagonist of this story is a shy, young girl who lives in a society in which classes are ordered and made up by different sections of the society known as factions. The five factions include Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Amity, and Dauntless, all very different sets of living. At a certain age, all in the society must take a test, one in which their biggest fears are presented, and the results conclude the faction they best fit into. There is then a ceremony, in which they pick a faction that sets them off to live a new life. While Beatrice is born into Abnegation, however, the test does not quite think so. I really enjoyed the energy in this book, seeing how Beatrice explores the sets of life and obstacles she faces were very interesting to read about. Those that love both action and romance will definitely enjoy this story. | |
| Recommended for: Those that are 13 and older who love all things dystopian when it comes to books would definitely enjoy this romantic, powerful story. | |
| Lock Every Door, Riley Sager | |
| Keywords: Surprising, suspenseful, creepy, exciting | |
| Description: Jules moves into The Bartholomew building in New York which has a twisted and dark past to be unraveled. With apartment sitters and friends going missing, Jules must figure out the secrets of the building in order to save herself and her friends before it’s too late. I have always been an enjoyer of thriller books that keep me on the edge of the seat to keep me reading. This book definitely did, with many new twists added to always keep you reading to find out what’s next. The flow of the book is perfect, keeping you on edge of your seat the whole time. Everything is perfectly calculated and leaves no plot holes by the end. | |
| Recommended for: This book would be recommended to someone aged 14+ years. I think someone who enjoys suspense and whodunnit books would like it. This book is a thriller with a bit of murder mystery thrown into it. | |
| As You Wish, Chelsea Sedoti | |
| Keywords: adventurous, exciting, delightful, engaging, and expressive | |
| Description: Madison is a small town in the Mojave Desert. It's in the middle of nowhere and it's not the most exciting place to live. But Eldon wouldn't wish to live somewhere else because it's almost his 18th birthday. If you live in Madison, everyone gets a wish on their eighteenth birthday and it always comes true. Many of Eldon's classmates wish to be beautiful or to be rich. Eldon doesn't know what to wish for, but he has seen how wishes can hurt the people he loves. All Eldon knows is that he has 26 days to figure out his wish and for the rest of his life, he has to live with consequences. I am recommending this book because you can be so invested to the plot. When I was reading this, I thought I was only going to read a couple of chapters. I was so interested in the story that I ended up finishing this book in a day. But I also would recommend this book because it makes readers realize to be content with what they have. In this book, many characters have wished because they weren't satisfied with their lives. But at the end of the day, these characters live with consequences from their wishes. | |
| Recommended for: Recommended for 14+ or young adults who enjoy the genre fantasy fiction. | |
| They Both Die at the End, Adam Silvera | |
| Keywords: love, friendship, tragic | |
| Description: The title is self-explanatory. You'd think you're prepared for what's going to happen but you'd be very wrong. If you were going to die today, what would you do? When these kids get the call, they have to figure it out quickly as they’re on the clock. | |
| Recommended for: I would recommend this book to someone in 10th or 11th grade who wants to spend their weekend cuddled with a good book. It's definitely for someone who doesn't mind shedding a tear or two. I'm recommending this book because it kept me entertained. I read it in two days. | |
| Maus, Art Spiegelman | |
| Keywords: grim, sad, suspenseful, violent, gory | |
| Description: A young Jewish boy and his parents during the time of the Holocaust in World War 2. He was a part of Nazi occupied Germany where he was to hide from the Nazis and not get caught for if he and his family got caught they would have to suffer by living in ghettos, be forced to work, or be sent to concentration camps and be tortured there and pray so that you could at least die. This book has been softened by the writer as he makes it a graphic novel and he makes it child friendly by adding mice and cats as the characters, but the main story is about the writer as he and his family try to survive the Holocaust as Jews. The story of the Holocaust is important to know for everyone around the world as humans make inhumane decisions and laws and we must learn from this story so that humans in the future don't make such a mistake again as it will only lead to disaster and chaos. It is about a story that is essential for everyone to know and learn from. | |
| Recommended for: I would recommend ages 10 and up should read this novel. | |
| An Ember in the Ashes, Sabaa Tahir | |
| Keywords: thriller, action, rebellion | |
| Description: Laia runs when her grandparents are shot by the Empire, and her brother Darin taken captive. Laia goes to the Resistance, who, albeit grudgingly, tell her that they will free Darin, if only for the reason her parents were the best resistance leaders in the decade. Laia works as a spy against the Commandant of Blackcliff, where the feared masks are trained. She is the Commandant’s personal slave, ensuring punishments and being slapped for even being a few minutes late. She meets Elias, who is part of the Trials to pick a new Emperor, and who doesn’t treat slaves as less than human. As they both realize they have a common goal and enemy, their choices will affect everyone in the entire Empire. I am recommending the book because it is very interesting and thrilling. It has a lot of twists and turns, and the characters are memorable, not all in a good way though. | |
| Recommended for: Magic, thriller, fantasy and dystopian fans ages 13+ | |
| The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas | |
| Keywords: racism, justice, murder | |
| Description: Starr doesn’t like to go to parties, so when she meets her childhood friend Khalil there, she’s happy to make up the lost time. But when Khalil is murdered by a cop, and no one intends to investigate, Starr feels like breaking. People are calling him a gangster and a drug dealer, and Starr’s friends at school suggest he might have had it coming. And since Starr was the one who saw the murder herself, only she can tell the truth. But even if she tells the whole, gruesome truth, people might not want to hear it. This is a very good book about the real problems the world is facing. Racism and police brutality and even murder at the hands of cops are all true things happening. It is also a very witty book, with likable characters. | |
| Recommended for: People ages 13 and up who enjoy reading about racism and murder | |
| On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong | |
| Keywords: coming-of-age, poetic, adult books for young adults | |
| Description: This book involves many themes such as generational trauma and the emotional burden that refugees/immigrants may carry from their homelands to their new life in America. It mentions struggles with racism, poverty, drug addiction, sexuality and more. This book has gorgeous writing. It's powerful and makes you reflect. | |
| Recommended for: I recommend this book for people who have immigrant parents, are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, and students in grades 8 and up. | |
| Love & Gelato, Jenna Evans Welch | |
| Keywords: romantic, exciting, sweet, funny | |
| Description: Lina goes to Italy after her mother’s death to live with her dad for the summer, with the intention of going back to America at the start of school. There she meets a boy named Ren, and the two of them become close friends. They travel around Florence going to all of Lina’s Mom’s favorite places around the city. Lina meets many new people and tries many new things, including gelato. She and Ren try to figure out what life might have been like for Lina’s mother and how it affected Lina’s life now. When the time comes for Lina to either stay in Italy or go home, she has to make a very hard decision that shocks many, including herself. I am recommending this book because it got me out of a reading slump. It is lighthearted and fast paced, as well as a cute, summer read. | |
| Recommended for: This book is recommended to anyone starting at the age 13. Someone who loves fast pace, cute romances will love this book! | |