This book was weird.
It felt like a windstorm of ideas blowing in my face; a mad prophet's ravings before catastrophe, and a tangled mess of actions and consequences - but somehow they all connected together? It was a bit of an experience.
Grasshopper Jungle is a story about the end of the world, but like many teen novels, it is simply a backdrop to Austin's personal dramas. One of its tags on Libby is "humor" but I think it's more of a tragedy if anything. The main character and his best friend inadvertently bring about an apocalypse by way of 6-foot tall, ravenous grasshoppers after accidentally breaking a jar they really shouldn't have broken.
The book weaves together the stories of Austin, his childhood experiences, as well as those of his brother, Polish ancestor, the mutant grasshoppers, and random strangers around town (such as his principal, his friend's mom's boyfriend, and a vulgar policeman being memorable ones). It's a lot.
I found this story's distinctive style very difficult to tear myself away from. It was authentic to the protagonist's personality, and it reminded me of the narration of classic epics. It stands out in its themes of memory, religious trauma, sexuality, and identity (and somehow being an apocalyptic story as well). The symbolism was uncanny, and the way the outside world and past timelines mirrored Austin's mental state was very artistic and unique.
Onto my criticisms and confusions: #1 has to be the male characters. I think that every single male character in this story thinks constantly about every other character in a grossly objectifying way. Honestly though, this applies to most of the female characters as well, who are just as lustfully self-interested. Very interesting, but it was a... strange experience to read the nuanced and morally grey portrayal of Austin's ancestor, a gay man who had not-consensual relations with a woman to see if he could "love" anyone other than his dead Communist lover.
Austin himself relates to this ancestor because he, too, is "confused". His gay best friend Robby continually makes advances on Austin, and Austin reciprocates because he is completely in love with Robby. He is also in love with his girlfriend, who doesn't take too kindly to the fact that Austin has kissed Robby during their relationship. Austin even documents the POV of the murderous, bi-curious, mutant grasshoppers.
The ending was extremely abrupt. I'll admit, I was glued to this book for the last quarter, and the ending made me stand up and think "what in the world did I just read". However, in all honesty, it very much suited the style of the book. It never deviates from being a chronicle of the end of the world, and the world around Austin certainly comes crashing down.
Grasshopper Jungle is a weird book that made me think, and I don't regret reading it. It is quite graphic, but if you're interested in this swarm of a book, I highly recommend reading it and forming your own opinion. I might read the sequel, but I'm a bit afraid of what it might hold.

Now that I'm older, I really should be reading at a level closer to that of my peers. However, there's just something about some children's books that draws me to them, and The Popularity Papers definitely has that spark.
Lydia and her best friend Julie are in their last year of elementary school. Lydia's older sister underwent a dramatic change between elementary and middle school, in which she embraced goth fashion, secluded herself from others, and generally became a stranger to them. To avoid becoming like her, Julie and Lydia decide to observe and emulate the "popular" kids in order to get more friends before going into sixth grade.

First off, this book has no clear antagonist. Instead of "the popular kids" and the "nerds" being a black-and-white distinction, its easy to see how all the children in the story are just that - children. For example, popular girl Gretchen has no qualms over calling out another girl's odd and homophobic questioning of Julie's two dads.
I also love the diary-style dialogue in which Julie and Lydia communicate through scribbled notes in the margins, and the art in this story is very unique.
The book embodies a child's curious, scatter-brained nature while still being entertaining and maintaining themes of kindness, authenticity, and finding friends in unexpected places. It's a favorite of mine to re-read, and I highly recommend this book to read with young siblings, to clear the mind between heavier books, or just as a fun, rainy-day read.

When I had initially read this book I had given it five stars, but now that I look back, it definitely got knocked down to a four.
Feyre, a human, ends up killing a wolf and is taken away by a fae for retribution. This book was supposedly a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it did not seem like it, at all. I did like the concept of the book, but some of the characters are so unlikeable I was confused with the motives behind their actions. That kind of made it hard to enjoy some of the plotlines. This book was a lot of world building, which I enjoyed, but it does not pick up until closer to the end. I did overall like this book and I think it is worth picking up.

I really liked the concept behind this book—it felt unique and pulled me into a genre I don’t usually read. The story follows 17-year-old Cassie Hobbes, who gets recruited into a special FBI program made up of gifted teens, each with their own talents that help solve crimes.
I thought this was a good strong introduction to the series and the characters. I really liked the team dynamic and how each character brought something different to the table. Their interactions were interesting to read and made reading more enjoyable.
That said, there were moments when the writing felt a little dramatic and some plot points came together too neatly, like everything just worked out a little too perfectly. It made certain scenes feel less believable, even though the overall story was still really engaging.
I did however enjoy the twists. Even when I had some suspicions, I was still surprised, and those moments definitely added to the excitement. I'm curious to see how the story and characters develop in the next books.

I read this book's Spanish translation, something I don't often do because many translations are disorienting from bad word choice and tonal shift. However, I really enjoyed this particular translation! It was poetic and had good flow. It's hard to find good books in Spanish just because of their relative scarcity, so I'm glad that PPLD has this one, and I hope they can continue to increase their collection of books in other languages.
This book is a coming of age story about Piedad "Piddy" Sanchez, a 16 year old girl in New York who switches high schools after she and her mom move away from their old apartment. At her new school, she is severely bullied by Yaqui Delgado, a classmate who lives in a bad neighborhood and thinks Piddy is stuck up and "a fox". During this time, she must deal with her changing body, growing apart from an old friend, getting along with her mother, and other problems.
My favorite part of this book was Piddy herself. She wasn't a perfect protagonist who always made the perfect, most logical choice. She also wasn't a character who was unreasonable simply for dramatic effect. She felt like a real person, and her motivations, struggles, and choices always made sense for her character. I admired her resilience and values. Despite touching on themes such as sexism and poverty, the book doesn't go as incredibly in depth on them as the themes of abuse, family, and hope. However, it makes sense because this book is, at the forefront, a story about Piddy and what she discovers about herself in the face of challenge.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a classic coming-of-age story with an interesting, relatable protagonist, and I especially recommend the Spanish translation for anyone struggling to find captivating stories in Spanish.

This book is very, very good. While I tend to steer away from biographies and non fiction literature, this book was very interesting and fun to read. Exploring Trevor Noah’s childhood-young adulthood, this book educates its readers on the racial and violent issues that occurred during the apartheid era within South Africa. This book is extremely well written and often times witty. It had me laughing, then crying, then laughing again. I really recommend it!

I loved this book! The writing is excellent and it has a very unique storyline. The main character of the novel is Williams, a butler that takes care of a wealthy manor. However, Williams struggles to separate his work and life. While he is very proud of himself and the work he accomplishes, he struggles to obtain things that other humans find joy through such as: hobbies, a lover, a family, etc. I’ve never read a book like this before, and I can see why it’s so well-known and critically acclaimed!

November 9th, 1938 was nicknamed the night of broken glass, and it was on this day that Michael’s eyes were opened to the horror that was the nazi’s. Shops were destroyed, Jews were beaten, killed, and arrested. Soon Michael discovers that his parents, the ambassadors for the Irish embassy in Berlin, are secretly collecting information for the allies against Germany. With his photographic memory and determination to bring justice to a Hitler ruled Germany, Michael will help with the cause however can even if it means becoming the most convincing nazi youth. He will uncover secrets that the nazi’s are hiding, that only he can prevent.

Projekt 1065 by award winning author Alan Gratz is a masterpiece in writing giving an accurate representation of World War 2. He shows the terrible truths of the time and the way the citizens were brainwashed in a captivating plot and immersive story. With perfect descriptions and thrilling plot twists you will be interested in the book the entire way through. This book is an example of an amazing historical fiction book, and I believe that many people will enjoy this novel.

I first read this book for a school assignment, but quickly fell in love with the outstanding novel Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen. Hatchet is a perfect survival book for nature lovers. Paulsen writes about a boy named Brain Robeson. With parents divorced, and a secret eating him from the inside, Brian’s life is in turmoil; However, his life changes the moment his plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness on a flight to his father’s house. Can Brain survive, or will he succumb to the sheer power of nature? Hatchet is a top notch book and will please any reader.

What initially drew me into The Poppy War was all the great things I had heard about the book and it's author R.F. Kuang. Fang Runin, the female main character, was both enjoyable and relatable at many times as she fought for a spot in Sinegard, the country's most elite military academy, in hopes of getting away from an arranged marriage. The book spans over a few years and eventually deals with some very intense and dark themes throughout the book. Kuang does not shy away from any details and makes the book feel incredibly real and allows a deeper connection with the character's emotions.
The pace of the book really picks up towards the second half, and I was constantly surprised where the story went next. The Poppy War is also very heavily inspired by Chinese folklore, but Kuang adds her own touch to the story, making the book seem very unique. I really enjoyed this book and is a definite five star for me.