The Thunderhead, an all-knowing artificial intelligence was able to solve all of the world's problems, it could even bring back the newly deceased from the dead. Religion, creativity, hard work, and passion are obsolete, and jobs only exist to give people something to do. Everything is perfect, every accommodation is met, anyone can speak to the Thunderhead, and the Thunderhead can solve anyone's problems. However, because the Thunderhead’s purpose is to help humanity it vowed to have nothing to do with the problem of overpopulation and the humans would have to create that system.
The Scythedom is an organization of people whose job is to glean (or cause the permanent death of an individual). Scythes are treated with the highest honor and have to pay for nothing and wait for no lines, but they carry the tough burden of ending other people’s lives. Every scythe must meet a quota and must follow a list of rules. However, even with great respect no man-made thing is perfect and the drive for power may corrupt the Scythedom.
Citra and Rowan end up as apprentices for a scythe and they will soon learn the guilt and hardship of the job. Only one of them will become a scythe, they must learn and train constantly leaving their old lives behind. Through many plot twists the pair must do what they can to navigate their new environment. How will the other scythes react to a scythe having two apprentices? How will Citra and Rowan change?
Neal Shusterman’s Scythe is an amazing book. It portrays the mental toll and thoughts of the protagonists perfectly and demonstrates their character development amazingly. The world-building is immaculate, and the vocabulary and characters get you immersed in the book quickly. Every detail is looked over and every character is thought out thoroughly, all having unique backstories and different approaches and thoughts to the world around them.
Scythe is also a philosophical masterpiece and touches on subjects like the drive for power and corruption in society. Throughout the book I was thinking constantly and wondering about how the society works. I recommend this book to everybody for its thorough story and how it brings up many deep questions in a unique, subtle, and phenomenal way.

Christian is living in terrible conditions inside of communist Romania, and as the citizens of surrounding countries revolt for a change of government Christian might house the power to alert everyone not directly involved. Every day he is starving, tired, and paranoid, every Romanian is being watched, and any secrets will be uncovered. Soon his whole world is forced to change when he is pulled out of school and has to make a deal to preserve his family's lives. I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys Is a beautifully crafted story with an eye-opening plot. It has unique insights and a variety of interesting characters. Every chapter is equally as impressive with a storyline that keeps you reading. I Must Betray You is an amazing historical fiction book that I recommend to everyone.

I have heard mixed reviews about this book so I kept a neutral expectation for it. This book completely broke my standards. The magic, lore, and world in the this book is so unique, creative and perfectly easy to understand and be captivated by. There were some points where I was slightly bored but I’m ever so glad I stuck through because when it did get dramatic, oh did it get dramatic. This book is perfect for those who like an equal mix of fantasy and romance and a small portion of action, of course.
The female main character is totally relatable especially for those who can relate to the role of the cautious yet extremely caring older sibling. Scarlett risks everything for her sister and she has such a big heart. Scarlett’s decisions will have you on the edge of your seat, because in this book it’s hard to forget that everything is just an act.
Speaking out for the hopeless romantics, the two main male characters, Dante and Julian, are everything! I swear I blushed a couple times because of them. The story wouldn’t be nearly the same without them.
This book will forever be engraved in my memory. You will never forget the feeling of the magical world inside Caraval and Isla de los Suenos. Even though it wasn’t 5 stars, this will definitely be in my top books of the year.
I didn’t quite understand the intensity of this repeated quote but always keep in mind, “remember it’s only a game”.

Reviewer Grade: 9

A novel about a civil war veteran alone (or at least he thinks he is) in the American frontier, Dances With Wolves is an exciting adventure story about belonging and acceptance for those different from you set in the 1860s. Lieutenant Dunbar, the main character, must come to terms with his Native American neighbors, his internal struggles, and his own past.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I was expecting to, and it even made me laugh out loud several times. I really liked the description and the way Blake writes. I would recommend this book to anyone aged eleven or twelve and above, because of violence and one or two adult themes, though all of it is done very tastefully. Although technically there are no cowboys in this story, this book had a cowboy kind of feeling because of its setting and the characterization of Dunbar. It was quite entertaining and versatile. It is somehow both a lighthearted book and an in-depth commentary on how relationships define us as members of the same species, despite cultural boundaries and mentalities.

What if your parents could choose to just ... get rid of you? If their child is 13-18 years old, the parents in this book can. The children are put to good use, essentially used as organ donors for those who need it. This young-adult novel details the adventures of Connor, Risa, and Lev, three children who were chosen to be unwound. This was for different reasons in different situations, but it results in their lives being thrown together on the same path.

Shusterman is very good at creating realistic, living characters that interact in a detailed web of situations and settings. I would recommend this book to anyone, but warn that some of the scenes can be scary for those who don't do well with too much suspense. Every part of it was engaging, and it manages to perfectly add philosophy and moral dilemma to an excellent story without compromising the believability or soul of the book. This is definitely worth a read, and it is the first installation of a series, so if you enjoy it as much as I do, check out the rest.

This book is about a motherless fourteen year old white girl named Lily. She must learn to overcome her own prejudice and grief, in addition to her struggles at home, which would not be possible without the help of three African-American beekeeper sisters and their unwillingness to give up on her. Although there is some adventure (there are conflicts with racists and Lily's father), mostly this book is a coming-of age novel and about Lily's search for a place where she belongs, growing up in the American South of 1964.
I personally strongly disliked this book, because I found the main character insufferable, but I can appreciate the writing style and
the thoughtfulness that was put into it. If you are looking for a coming-of-age story in which the writing is very descriptive and honest, maybe this book is for you.

If I could recommend any book I've ever read, its this one. This book is a minute by minute recount of a school shooting at a high school, which as a teenager in America, feels like a very real situation that can feel almost bound to happen. The storytelling is unparalleled, and as a reader I felt as if I was in that high school, sitting on the bleachers, waiting to see what was going to happen next. It has such good raw emotion- fear, anger, sadness, terror. From the second I started reading I could not put it down, and by the end you feel neither unsatisfied nor satisfied, just as I believe the author intended. It does cover a very dark topic, and is very descriptive, so be careful if you are sensitive to that kind of material.

The Crucible was a book I enjoyed simply because it is all a big metaphor. Even though the book is set at the time of the Salem Witch Trials, it is actually the author's views on the Red Scare in the US and "Mccarthyism". I love the character development throughout the story, and Miller truly makes them all come alive. The decisions they make, especially Proctor's, are very relatable and do not feel forced, which pushed me to keep reading. It is a beautiful play that takes a dark time in America to explain another dark time, and its use of rhetorical devices and fantastic writing makes it incredibly valuable.

The Things They Carried was a book I had to read for school, but one I started to enjoy. I love the way the author uses very descriptive language to portray every setting and character, making you feel like you are right there with them. The book does a greta job at addressing various moral dilemmas in society and how the "societal rules" change during times of peace and war. Overall this book was not my preferred genre, however the writing is superb and it is a great book to challenge thinking. While it may be hard to relate to characters at times, it definitely makes you stop and think about yourself and where you are.

In "If I Stay," Gayle Forman crafts a narrative that delves into themes of life, death, and the power of choice. While the novel has garnered praise for its emotional resonance and exploration of complex emotions, it may not appeal to all readers. Some critics have cited issues with pacing and character development, feeling that certain aspects of the story lacked depth. Additionally, the nonlinear structure of the narrative has been divisive, with some finding it engaging while others found it disjointed. Overall, "If I Stay" offers a thought-provoking examination of grief and love, but its execution may leave some readers wanting more coherence and depth.