This book follows a friends group of high school girls after making what they call a sex pact. They realize that they have just under a year of high school left and they want to experience something before they move on in life. In some ways this book falls into the romance category but it is not like your stereotypical romance novel. I know many people have concerns about things like this because they think it glorifies something very intimate and somewhat dirty but the way Lindsey Rosin wrote this book is very tasteful and, I would say true, to the high school experience and mind. After reading it, I would suggest that this was written to be empowering not objectifying. I really enjoyed reading it because there is a lack of media and acceptance of female sexuality specifically in the teenage years. Obviously it's not a book for everyone and if the topic makes you uncomfortable then I would suggest you find another book to read. With that said, I think it's a great book for high school age girls because not only does it talk about things lots of things not necessarily taught but it also has a lot of humor in it. In terms of vocabulary and book length it's not a hard book to read. Due to the fact that the subjects of the books are teenagers it's pretty easy to relate to the characters at my age. The overall concept of the book is very reminiscent of American Pie but it's much less vulgar. Rosin also makes sure to touch on the emotions and complications of relationships and sex. One thing I really like is that she not only included heterosexual relationships but homosexual ones as well which I believe is very relevant to our culture now. I would most definitely recommend this to any girl who is looking for a light hearted and relatable book.
This book was very popular a few years back amongst the girls who loved romantic books. I had very high expectations for it since it had its own movie. I was let down with a sad, sappy story that barely intrigued me.
It's what you would think of when someone brings up the average young adult novel. It's the classic story of a young beautiful girl, but supposedly normal, girl who faces a challenge. Along the way, she has a love interest who is head over heels for her. In the end she faces her challenge and lives happily ever after. The book was a bit boring to read. I have read books that have made me cry with the characters, and been angry with the characters, and so on. This... was not one of those. There were many sad things that happened in this book, but the author just couldn't reach me. Overall, I give this book 2 out of 5 stars for the lack of originality and its failed attempt to try to make it sad.
This is an amazing book! However, if you do not like the classic-book-writing style, this book might bore you out of your mind. You have been warned! But, if you don’t mind the style of writing, you will love this book! Besides from being a classic it is also a romance novel. I really enjoyed this book and I hope you will to!
Reviewer grade: 8th
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is a beautiful, classic novel that has an extremely compelling story. The book is about a Parisian opera house that is “haunted” by a mysterious and alluring phantom. The phantom falls in love with soprano Christine Daaè which causes a ton of trouble for the opera house. It is a story about romance, obsession, suspense and mystery. The book was extremely interesting and thought provoking. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of classic literature or the Broadway musical. The story does go more into depth in Christine’s childhood and the phantom’s backstory. I also enjoyed the psychological suspense aspect of the story as well. This book was very detailed and at some points extremely complicated, which made that story even more interesting. There were some boring parts, but most of the time the book kept me engaged. This book is a somewhat hard book because of it’s old fashioned style of writing that may not appeal to the younger reader.
There is no swearing in this novel. Overall, I would recommend this to an older teen who has an interest in Broadway based stories.
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins is about a girl named Isla who has not so secretly liked one of her classmates (Josh). What happens when they have a chance encounter in Manhattan and have a romantic connection? Will Josh remember their encounter when school starts? I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 because it was a good story, but it was quite slow and didn't keep me interested most of the time. I would recommend this book to people who like teen romance. I read this book because I generally like Stephanie Perkins's books, but this one was not a personal favorite.
Grade 9
Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins is about a high school student named Lola. Lola has a boyfriend whose a little older than her but still very sweet, a loyal best friend, and an impeccable fashion sense.
Her perfect world comes crashing down when her old neighbors move back into their old house. What happened with her and her neighbors? How will she survive living next to them? I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 because it kept me in suspense the whole time and the author made the romance between the main characters come to life. I read this book because I love Stephanie Perkin's books. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes teen romance.
Grade 9
I love this book. The magic surrounding Tita and her cooking is at times beautiful, funny, and heartbreaking. This book is told by Tita's great-niece and one can imagine the magic as real or as a result of storytelling. Your choice. Either way, this captivating quick read is a must.
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is a teen romance placed at the academy of SOAP (School of America in Paris). The main character Anna is forced to go to SOAP by her parents, though she would rather stay in Atlanta and spend her Senior year with her friends and possible boyfriend (Toph). When she gets there, she instantly gets home sick, but later meets a great group of friends; St. Clair, Mer, Josh, and Rashmi. They help her get used to her new environment, but she has strange feelings for St. Clair, who has a girlfriend (Ellie). And it turns out Mer also likes him. How will Anna deal with a whole year at SOAP and deal with her feelings for St. Clair? Will she end up with Toph from Atlanta? I would rate this book a four out of five. It was interesting, dramatic, and an amazing love story, but I also got very frustrated with some of the decisions some of the characters made. One of my close friends recommended this book to me and I ended up reading more of Stephanie Perkins books afterward. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romance stories and books placed in Paris.
This is a fantasy book and twist on Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”.
This is a unpredictable book with all kinds of twists and turns. It does have some romance and mystery in the book too. The book is told in two perspectives and keeps you on your toes. It definitely isn't your average fairytale. It is one of the best books I have read all year.
Reviewer grade: 8th
If you didn't already guess from the title yes, this is a romance book. It is realistic fiction and isn't part of a series. It is a pretty short read. With heartbreaks, lies, high school drama and some hospital visits this book will be hard to put down. The book is a little predictable but it isn't your typical love story. This is another great book I have read this year.
Reviewer grade: 8th
This is a realistic fiction-romance novel. The book is a little predictable and doesn't have a cliffhanger. The book isn't part of a series and is a pretty short read. I recommend this book to any girl who enjoys realistic highschool love stories. I really liked this book and I think it is a great book to read.
Reviewer grade: 8th
Kylie Chan mixes modern life with traditional Chinese mythology in her enthralling tale. The story follows Emma, a nanny for a young girl of a wealthy business man living in Hong Kong. As Emma becomes more and more connected with her charge, she become more entangled with a mystery that surrounds the household. She soon discovers that her employer is an ancient Chinese God, and is pursued by demonic forces. Kylie Chan writes with a faced-pace adventurous quality that keeps readers on their feet.
(Reviewer Grade: 12)
Powerful women dominate the world...that is at least in the country Matrus. Across the toxic and poisonous Veil River lies Patrus. In contrast to Martrus Partrus is ruled by men. Women may not leave the house without her husband, and are under legal custody of the man. Though Matrus doesn't treat their men much better. The few men in Matrus have no power, but are free.
Violet Bates a Matrian citizen is given an opportunity to cross into Patrus or alternatively sentenced to death. With a rough past Violet must make a hard decision. Her fate lies in The Gender Game. This book is a dystopian romance nothing new on the surface. We have already seen that in Hunger Games and Divergent. What Bella Forrest does is create a complex environment which you can't help but be engulfed by. Not only that but The Gender Game shows perspectives of citizens of both Matrus and Patrus. You should read this book if you are a lover of dystopian books and suspense. Though I must say the first half of the book wasn't all that suspenseful but it perfectly set you up for the rest of the series. I'm sure you will find this two complex societies thrilling and it will be worth the read.
In the near future, if Queen Victoria’s reign and the general principles of the time had been perpetuated, crown princess Victoria-Margaret is travelling to Toronto to masquerade as a commoner so that she can have a proper debut season. Regardless of who she meets, however, she will be required to marry a strong genetic match to ensure the strength of Queen Victoria I’s line. At the same time, non-socialite Helena and her beau August are heading to Toronto for Helena’s debut, and introduction into high society. The three will meet, and the events of the summer will change their lives forever.
I’m a huge sucker for books set in Victorian and Edwardian England, so I was eagerly anticipating this read. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. Part of the problem is that the charm of reading about Victorian England is that it is in the past. We certainly don’t accept a lot of those social sexist, racist and classist norms now (or at least, we pretend not to, but that’s a whole different discussion) and I think that’s for the best. It was weird to read a book about the future that’s not meant to be a dystopia where many of those awful norms are still acceptable. The author does acknowledge this in a note at the end, which is why I’m giving this two stars instead of one. There were also quite a few worldbuilding holes, if you will. For example, at one point, Margaret has a question about sexual identity. Bear in mind that this is a near future book in which the characters have access to computers and some form of the internet. So, instead of doing whatever the equivalent of googling the question would be, she e-mails her uncle, the archbishop, which no teen ever would actually do. Little inconsistent things like that popped up relatively often, and I found that it pulled me out of the story.
Speaking of the story, there’s not much in the way of plot here. That’s perfectly fine, if plot is being sacrificed for character development, but the characters here were not particularly compelling. The POV switches between the three main characters, and while all of the characters were nice and likable, they were also fairly bland. I didn’t care about anyone but Margaret until a big reveal about halfway through the story, at which point I started to find Helena interesting as well. I never could make myself care about August. All of that being said, I definitely think that romance readers will respond positively to this novel. I just kept getting bogged down in the worldbuilding or lack thereof, and never could connect with the characters. It wasn’t for me. Thanks to Dutton Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the eARC. 2 stars.
Safe Haven is one of Nicholas Sparks's many romance novels. Main character Katie's status quo is quite somber and desperate, with an abusive husband and no independent life of her own. Safe Haven shows Katie's journey as she struggles to get away from her old life. Although I normally do not enjoy romances, this one was different. The storyline was gripping and thrilling. The writing was perfectly suited for the plot. I recommend this book to anyone, whether you like romances or not.
Throne of Glass does not fulfill the promises it makes on the back of its dust jacket. Celaena is an assassin, the best assassin in the world, who got a life sentence of hard labor in a mine. But Celaena is nothing like an experienced or smart assassin. She’s reckless, overly arrogant, easily frustrated, and vain; she would rather gape at herself wearing fancy dresses in the mirror, sleep in, eat candy, get angry over her lack of skill at billiards, or read all night than worry over a competition that she knows her life depends upon. A good protagonist could have some of these features, but it is just illogical for someone in her position. In fact, the book soon starts skipping over the competitions entirely to focus more on Celaena, who does nothing to seem either cool or likable. She never acts like an assassin or like her supposed inspiration character, Cinderella. Celaena has very little to no humility, grace, or compassion. Celaena is neither a compelling assassin nor a charming Cinderella.
Reviewer Grade: 9
Caraval is about two sisters who find themselves in a game on the island of Caraval hosted by the world-famous Legend. One sister is intrigued by danger and loves to live on the edge. The other sister is cautious and protects her sister over all else. However, they both agree on one thing: The game of Caraval looks amazing. When they finally get invited to play, however, they start to get an odd feeling that something about this "game" is not quite right. Then one sister goes missing...
I liked this book much more than I expected to. Because of the exciting and suspenseful style, I got through this book in 24 hours. I loved all the characters, as well as all the twists and turns in the plot along the way.
Garber writes in a way that makes this book impossible to put down.
My one complaint about this book is with the last 50 or so pages. I found the ending drab and predictable, unlike the rest of the book.
Overall, however, I strongly recommend Caraval.
See, here's the problem: I wasn't that enamored with the first book in this series (Me Before You). It just didn't wow me. So with that book as a jumping-off point, this book didn't stand a chance at getting above 3 stars. Still, it was pretty good. The ending was super cheesy, though, which tempts me to give it 2 stars. But hey, I'm feeling generous, so 3 stars it is.
As is likely the case with many readers, I was assigned to study the play "Romeo and Juliet" in a high school English class. While it's true that I was led on to read the book out of obligation, I ended up forming some pretty spirited opinions on the novel. I definitely was not engaged in this read, but even still, am able to respect its excellence in the context of Shakespeare's time.
As a reader, you can tell that the language used is vastly different from that of the common, English vernacular. For this reason, it can sometimes be a challenge to understand what is going on in the plot, especially since the story is told through the lens of a play. Before attempting this read, I would certainly brush up on some basic play terms, to grasp a better understanding of the composition of such a work.
Another factor contributing to the difficulty of this read is Shakespeare’s use of Iambic Pentameter, a rhyming scheme ideal for sonnets where three sets of rhyming quatrains and two lines of rhyming couplets are alternated. I found it truly impressive that Shakespeare manages to devise these rhymes with so much detail and insight. To go through with reading this novel, I would have to suggest to understand the rhyming scene of Iambic Pentameter, as doing so allows you to come to terms with a greater appreciation for Shakespeare’s work.
I found the plot itself to be a bit too inconstant. While at first the novel seems somewhat believable, the ending turns totally wild and unpredictable. I don’t mean to critique Shakespeare’s work, as his play was truly revolutionary for its time, but to a 21st century teen, this novel may not be the most enjoyable.
In terms of the themes, the novel excels with powerful and proactive lessons.
Reflecting on the plot, and Shakespeare’s use of literary devices such as foreshadowing, can lead to meaningful conversations and analyses about life, love, and happiness.
Overall, I would pin my recommendation on this book, but only if you take the time to understand the niche delicacies of Shakespeare’s writing. At face value, the novel may not seem the most exciting or engaging to the reader, but by appreciating the literary masterpiece found in Shakespeare’s work, you’ll definitely enjoy the read!
Reviewer’s Grade Level: 10
This is the last book in “The Selection” series. However it is just as good as the previous books. “The Crown” is part of a series and so reading the books in order will keep you from being very confused. There really isn't a cliffhanger in the book because it is the last in the series.
But the book is still unpredictable and grabs your attention. If you like romance stories read “The Crown”. It is beautifully written and is one of the best books I have read this year.
Reviewer Grade: 8