Book Reviews

Projekt 1065 is a historical fiction novel set during World War II, following thirteen-year-old Michael O'Shaunessey, the son of an Irish ambassador to Germany. Michael joined the Hitler Youth as a spy for the Allies, working secretly with his parents against the Nazis. He meets multiple key characters that are important to his mission and the conclusion of the book, such as Fritz, a boy Michael's age in the Hitler Youth, and Simon, a British pilot.
The story is well-written and very realistic, which is perfect for a historical fiction novel. The plot is a distinct and interesting concept that strongly conveys the messages and themes of war, bravery, and sacrifice. Something I really enjoyed about the book was its complexity. There were multiple major events that all came together around the end, which made it a more layered, deep, and realistic story. The writing of the characters was especially remarkable, as each was unique and fleshed out, contributing to the impact. The mood throughout the book is consistent and action-packed, and the vivid descriptions, along with being written in first-person, really let the reader visualize what's happening and help them connect with the characters. The emotions and character reactions are expressed well and feel believable, which adds to the depth of the story. Overall, the novel was engaging, suspenseful, and deep, highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and action.

Inside Out & Back Again tells the story of a young girl named Kim Ha escaping Saigon during the Vietnam War with her family. Inspired by the author's personal experiences as a refugee, the story is written in a simplistic yet powerful way using free verse poetry.
The book itself has few words that describe so much more, packed with metaphors and deep themes of war, hope, and change. The story is realistic and tells about not just the events on the ship to flee, but also the family's struggles to fit in and adapt to their new environment after finally finding refuge. The story is difficult to put into words, written beautifully and honestly, with so many hidden messages. It shows how much a person's life can change in a single year, and how much it affects them and the people around them. The emotions are masterfully conveyed through descriptions and tone in the writing, along with the underlying innocence of being told from a ten-year-old's perspective. The relationships are clear as well, showing the close bond between Ha and her family, and how much they care about each other, especially in difficult situations. Overall, the story is a great read, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to read something new, emotionally deep, or just because.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld is a dystopian novel set in a future where people are strictly divided by age and appearance. Littlies are young children who live with their parents until they turn twelve, when they are labeled Uglies and move into dormitories in Uglyville. When they turn sixteen, they are pressured into undergoing an operation that changes their appearance to become Pretties, who can move to the paradise of New Pretty Town. The story follows Tally, a fifteen-year-old girl a few months from her sixteenth birthday, who is looking forward to becoming a Pretty and joining her best friend Peris in New Pretty Town. Like most Uglies, Tally sees the operation as a turning point in her life, as Uglies are treated in a way that makes them feel inferior to the Pretties and pushes them to undergo the surgery. One day, Tally befriends another girl her age named Shay, who doesn't want to become a pretty and tries to convince Tally to join her before running away. Things only go down from here, as Tally is offered an impossible decision by the authorities and begins to learn the truth about the operation and the seemingly idyllic nature of the society she grew up in.
This book was a great read, and I really enjoyed the concept. The characters were written well and were realistic in a way that showed off their individual motivations and traits. Shay and Tally's views on society and being pretty are clearly different, and that affects their actions throughout the story. The ending is powerful, written so similarly yet different from the beginning of the story, which helps to emphasize Tally's character development and shows how much the events of the story changed things. Something I especially liked about the story was its unexpected plot twists. Some parts surprised me, proving my predictions wrong and making the story even more engaging. The novel is packed with symbolism and themes of conformity, individuality, and beauty while being easy to read and understand. It does great as the first book for the series, sparking interest in the world and characters and making readers want to know what happens next. I recommend this book for fans of science fiction and dystopian novels with some adventure and good plot twists.

The Hobbit is a well-known book, widely considered a classic by many people. It takes place in J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional world, Middle-earth, and follows the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, who also makes an appearance as a side character in the author's series, The Lord of the Rings. The novel is an adventure in which the wizard Gandalf convinces Bilbo to join him and twelve dwarves in hopes of finally being able to infiltrate their stolen home on Lonely Mountain to reclaim their treasure and take down the dragon Smaug. The group embarks on a journey, traveling to many different places, discovering objects that could help them on their mission, and facing obstacles along the way. It's a complex story with diverse and unique concepts that set it apart from some other novels of a similar genre.
While I enjoyed the story and the world-building, along with its distinctive plot, I wasn't very familiar with the story's writing style, and it was slightly difficult to understand the story at times. Another part that slightly threw me off was the characters' voices and personalities. It was a bit difficult to grasp their individual traits, which is something I tend to look for a lot in stories. Sometimes they seemed to break character or switch between two character tropes, which was a little confusing. However, those points were likely because of my unfamiliarity with the author's writing, as The Hobbit was the first of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books I’ve read. Other than that, the novel was a very good read that I enjoyed, from the world-building to the deeper themes of greed, bravery, and heroism. The contrast between Bilbo around the beginning of the story and around the end shows the character development in Bilbo over the course of the story and contributes to the impact of the story. The events were also written very well, and the adventure was exciting. The mood and tone were also described in a way that strengthened the imagery and made it more vivid. Overall, it was a good read, and I would definitely recommend it for those who enjoy books with a mix of adventure and fantasy with deeper under

Outwalkers takes place in a dystopian near-future England where the government implants tracking chips into its people at birth to maintain surveillance over everyone, preventing anyone from leaving the country, which has been closed off from the rest of the world. The story follows Jacob Riley, or Jake, whose parents died in a car accident three months prior to the events of the novel. As an orphan, Jake is sent to a Home Academy, a dismal, oppressive orphanage run by the government. But Jake's main goal throughout the entire story is to find his grandparents in Scotland, keeping the promise he made to his parents if anything ever happened to them. Jake escapes, reuniting with his dog, Jet, and comes across a gang of children like him called the Outwalkers. He travels with this group of runaways through the heavily monitored and dangerous country in hopes of finding safety beyond the borders, relying on each other and doing whatever it takes to survive.
This book was an amazing read, full of action, emotion, and chilling realism. The characters are very well-written, each shaped by their different lives, circumstances, and goals, making them feel real and human. Each character has their own distinct voice and personality, which helps the reader truly connect with the individual members of the group. The story has powerful themes of survival, freedom, and loyalty. While there are a few topics that may be better suited for slightly older audiences, Outwalkers is overall a compelling adventure with a very strong emotional core, perfect for fans of dystopian novels or character-driven stories.

Whitney Curry is determined to spend her semester in Paris with a bang. She plans to travel to all the best tourist spots! The Eiffel Tower, The Seine, etc. Her itinerary is filled to the brim with places she HAS to visit. Whitney's idol, Josephine Baker inspires her own theatre performance. She must work on her play. NO DISTRACTIONS. But her trip takes unexpected turn when she meets Thierry Magnon. Thierry Magnon is many things. He is grumpy, strikingly handsome, a soccer player, and Whitney's French tutor who is set on showing Whitney the real Paris. Is this French boy worth the distraction?

Readers will fall in love with Ravynn K. Stringfield's creative nonfiction "Love Requires Chocolate." I picked this book because of my interest in romance. I enjoyed Whitney Curry's bubbly personality and her chemistry with Thierry Magnon from the start. The book was very predictable but a good cheesy happily ever after. I related to Whitney's to-do lists because it also helps me organize my thoughts. This is a memorable book that I've read this year.

Harley Quinn Ravenous is a YA fantasy superhero novel. This book is the second of three Harley Quinn novels in the DC icon series. The DC icon series is known for its unique, intriguing, and refreshing take on DC villains and heroes; this book encompasses all of these traits. Harley Quinn Ravenous continues to follow Harley's adventures throughout college. My review grade of Harley Quinn Ravenous is a solid 10.

Brought to readers as the #1 New York Times Bestseller book by Adam Silvera, a tiny glance of the genius title and its illustrative cover leaves readers wondering. “Never judge a book by its cover” they say. But doesn’t the cover define the book? Doesn’t the cover give us an insight on to what the author is feeling? “A bold, lovely, and haunting story of loss, hope, and the redeeming power of friendship” -Lauren Oliver writes on the cover. A tragedy in fact. Silvera’s catching title uncovers a world in which a calling service called the “Death-Cast” calls people 24 hours before they die. On September 5, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio. With totally different reactions, emotions, and experiences, Mateo and Rufus greet each other on their End Day through an app called the Last Friend. Now, the two strangers spend their final hours together on an epic adventure through their city to live up their last day without any regrets.

I immediately noticed this book through its title. I thought to myself, “Who would give a book such a depressing title?!” I mean it’s certainly unique?! I enjoyed hearing different perspectives and stories throughout the book. The switching of characters throughout the chapters was really interesting. The author shows how much death affects people. The death of a loved one affects every relationship the deceased had in their life. Silvera did a very good job at demonstrating that. The book was very predictable but a heartfelt story. I can relate to Rufus’s friends Malcolm and Tagoe who so desperately want their friend to be okay. This book was one of the best tragedies I have read this year, and I hope to see more books like it.

The Winter Soldier: Cold Front is a YA novel that focuses on Bucky Barnes' life before and after WW2. What I like most about this book is that it goes back to the comic book origins of the winter soldier. One thing I disliked about the book is how he and Steve Rogers met. This is an intriguing story that combines Bucky's past and his future. My review grade on The Winter Soldier: Cold Front is a solid 7.

In this prologue and upbringing of one of Disney’s greatest villains, #1 New York Times bestselling author Hafsah Faizal envisions his childhood. When Jafar and his brother Rohan were young, their mother told stories about a golden scarab and a magical lamp. As time goes on, Jafar’s protection over his younger brother, Rohan, is shadowed by his parents untimely deaths, the siblings resort to thievery and mischief. Jafar’s longing for the House of Wisdom sets the two on a journey to the city of Maghriz. The brother’s are trapped in a game of power by Maghriz’s Sultana. As Jafar’s ambition grows more and more, brotherhood steps out of the picture. Will Jafar corrupt himself for a position of power or will he give it up for his brother’s sake? Faizal’s book “The Wishless Ones” shows what steps it took for Jafar to become Agrabah’s royal vizier in a suspenseful, thrilling, wicked tale.

This book is both excellent and engaging. I personally picked this book because of “Aladdin” being one of my childhood favorite movies. I enjoy how this book captures ideas said in the movie. The book shows you that Aladdin is not the only way romance ends. In this book, you will find that Jafar’s experience with romance differs from the one you see with Jasmine and Aladdin. Anyone, Disney enthusiast or not, will love the story and plot of this book. However, the book lacked some important details that could have changed and adapted more like the story with Iago, Jafar’s pet parrot. I loved how the description of characters and their emotions played out; I thought it was very powerful, her descriptions. I can relate to Rohan who finds himself calmer in the shadow of someone else. This book was amazingly written so that you can understand Jafar’s actions in the popular Disney film.

Britney Griner is used to the endless pressure from her father, coaches, and peers. The WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist reflects on battles she has faced both on and off the court. Griner fights for social issues that started from her college Baylor University in Waco, TX’s homosexuality policy to her image on the Phoenix Mercury team with Dina Taurasi. Griner's ability to black out family drama and relationship struggles once she steps on the court really attracts readers. Readers are reminded to embrace who they are.
In all honesty, this memoir felt very close to home. I chose this book because of the real-life topics included. I enjoyed Griner's connection to her childhood. However, I would have been more intrigued on a deeper analysis on her detention in Russia, this book surprised me. I related to her emotional struggles and writing her feelings away. This book was one of the best books I’ve read this year!

The Fever Code is a fictional YA dystopian book and is one of the prequel books to The Maze Runner series. It provides context on the character's decisions and choices later on in the original series in a comprehensive and intriguing way. This book is one of my personal favorites because of one character named Thomas. The Fever Code shows his journey to the man he becomes later on in the books; a man who would do anything to save his friends and figure out the truth. My review grade on The Fever Code is a solid 9.

This book, "The Thing About Jellyfish" By, Ali Benjamin, is quite honestly one of the best books I have ever read. It is about a young girl, losing her best friend and thinking that maybe if she finds out how she died, which she though the initial way was false, would solve her feelings and take away the grief and sorrow, sadly it did not as you would expect. This book was amazing and it helped me with the grief I soon had to overcome. What I had enjoyed about the book was how it didn't sugarcoat mental health and thoughts of those, because sugarcoating and beating around the bush about serious things about mental health is an impossibly selfish thing to do. I also enjoyed how it was written, the format plus it being in first person really helped. I chose to read this book, because I thought it was about jellyfish and I do love jellyfish, but I also read it because I knew it had death in it and I had to do a book report, I couldn't have picked a better book to do so. I think the only thing I didn't like about the book was probably that it didn't include real problems. There was a part of the story where I thought she would've gotten disciplinary or even just a little bit of consequences, but no, none were involved. One thing the reader must know is that it does include a small part of homosexuality, but that is NOT what the book is about. I think anyone who is going through grief will be able to relate to this book. And I highly recommend to the age of 13+ of any gender.

There’s a reason The Wonderful Wizard of Oz continues to have cultural influence over 100 years after L. Frank Baum wrote it. Aside from its popular adaptation as a movie in 1939, which earned the story most of its visual representation, the original itself is a solid piece of children’s entertainment. Something about the isekai into a fantasy world coupled with these unique characters has kept a spot in pop culture that’s hard to deny. The world-building itself is likely why others continue to adapt Baum’s work today.

As an adventure, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has great character motivations which accentuate their individual flaws. From Dorothy wanting to return home to the Scarecrow wanting brains, the Tin Man wanting a heart, and the Lion wanting courage, each character has a part to play so that the entire team can achieve their goals. That anyone can find at least one character they can relate to speaks to the universal nature of the cast. To top it off, all of this is accomplished in a format that’s approachable to everyone, including the children it was originally written for.

Even though the strength of this story still stands up today, comparison to the movie version highlights some of its weaknesses. The end seemed to ramble for quite a bit, even if there were interesting concepts introduced that highlighted the fantasy aspects of the story. I can appreciate that it wasn’t framed as just a coma dream like the movie does, which helps to sell the journey as true character development. Overall, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz remains a classic piece of literature and is an easy enough read that everyone should try it.

A great fantasy classic that still holds up, I give The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 4.0 stars out of 5.

It's difficult to follow up a successful and iconic work like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. There are always questions about how much from the first book to keep in a sequel and how much new material should be explored. Make it too much like the original and it might not ignite that same spark. Veer too far away from what made the first book successful and it might be too hard to ride that success into the second one. Ultimately, The Marvelous Land of Oz had a tough spot to fill, but it did an OK job of it.

With a world as rich and varied as Oz, there are a lot of interesting places to go and concepts to explore. The Marvelous Land of Oz decided to continue world-building without Dorothy, which is probably what made it feel less relatable than its predecessor. There wasn’t that human element that anchored all the wild and fantastical elements compared to a boring life in Midwestern America. Sure, there are still a few remnants of the original crew this story visits, but they almost feel like an afterthought to tie everything together.

The best thing about The Marvelous Land of Oz is that it built up more of the lore. I liked the twist with Tip at the end, but there were also a lot of new characters to keep track of. That so many of the characters are just sentient versions of things (like Jack Pumpkinhead or the Sawhorse) or talking animals doesn’t really inspire too much in terms of creativity. If this were trimmed down a bit and added as an epilogue to the first book, it may have been better, but it still has some value as a standalone.

A non-Dorothy story that expands the lore of Oz, I give The Marvelous Land of Oz 3.0 stars out of 5.

The third book in a large series always feels like it doesn’t have the weight of expectations on it and can relax into its own story. It’s far enough from the first book that it doesn’t get as many direct comparisons, but it’s also taking advantage of any feedback from the second book that either worked or didn't. Ozma of Oz isn’t nearly up to the level of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but it pulled enough elements through to make it feel as successful as that first book.

First, Ozma of Oz brought Dorothy back. Her missing presence in The Marvelous Land of Oz left me longing for the reaction of an average human to these fantastic settings and characters. Second, the plot felt much more simple compared to the second book. The singular focus helped bring the characters together for a common goal that didn’t get distracted by introducing too many different ideas and concepts for this world. That they weren’t even in Oz for most of it probably helped, since it didn’t have the burden of tying everything back into that land’s lore.

Of course, even in the areas where it was successful, Ozma of Oz doesn’t quite live up to the strength of the first book. Sure, it has a better antagonist than The Marvelous Land of Oz, but he pales in comparison to the threat of the Wicked Witch of the West. Since her desire to return home did not fuel Dorothy’s adventure, this just feels more like a fun jaunt through a new world instead of a concerted effort to leave. Overall, it still felt like a return to what made the original great.

The return of Dorothy and a simple plot to the Oz series, I give Ozma of Oz 3.5 stars out of 5.

Imagine being violently thrust overboard into the ocean and taken aboard a mysterious submersible inhabited by a man filled with vengeance and brilliance. This is exactly what happened to Pierre Aronnax, a french naturalist and assistant professor at the Paris Museum of Natural History in the book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The book starts by describing very odd occurrences happening at sea thought to be caused by a massive sea creature. Aronnax and his friend Conseil set off on an expedition to find and kill the beast. What they don’t know is this is a much different kind of beast. One made of steel and brimming with the power and knowledge of its creator. This beast, the Nautilus, becomes their captor and their home as they journey through the ocean’s depths. This is a classic tale of adventure, excitement, and revenge. I really enjoyed how this novel is very quick to action. The story begins almost instantly. While this novel is among my top favorite books, I did not appreciate some of the racist depictions of the natives inhabiting Papau New Guinea, which did not age well. This book is a perfect quick read for kids or adults seeking a fun narrative about adventure. I believe that this book is a fantastic book, and my favorite classic. Overall, this book is a wonderful and insightful story full of imagination and excitement.

This book is a great read, covering topics such as bullying, the challenges of moving to a new country, family life, and more. It's told from two perspectives, showing how two people with completely different backgrounds can form a valuable friendship. Ravi, who recently moved from India to America, struggles with fitting in and adjusting to the new culture and customs, while Joe deals with constant bullying and an auditory processing disorder. The book is easy to read and understand, but still has a strong and deep message. Both characters feel very realistic, and their stories are well-written, showing how their experiences, personalities, and circumstances influence their thoughts and actions throughout the story, and how those ultimately bring them together. Overall, it's a meaningful story that reflects how understanding and empathy can lead to friendship, no matter how different people may seem.

In “The Darkest Minds”, the first book in the Darkest Minds trilogy, a disease called Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration (IAAN) has killed 98% of the population aged 18 and under. Those that survive the disease obtain powers, each classified by a color. These surviving children are put in camps to help “rehabilitate” them. The main character, Ruby, is an Orange hiding as a Green. However, when she gets the opportunity to escape from her camp, she finds herself on the run across the country with other kids like her. With everyone after them, will they be able to stay safe, or will Ruby and the others get sent back to their camps?

This book is an exciting story with relatable characters. It’s full of action while still discussing themes such as the darkness of human nature, and what people will do to survive. Bracken weaves a wonderful story where the characters feel like your friends and the world is similar enough that it is easily relatable. Several times throughout this book, I found myself thinking of what I would do in this situation, or of what it would feel like.

The movie adaptation of this book was similar and followed the same general plot. While several events differed, it was very similar. Still, I would recommend reading the book first so you can understand the depth of the plot line and the characters, as the movie is unable to show this to the same extent.

His Majesty's Dragon follows British Navy Captain William Laurence after he captures a dragon egg from a French ship. This book takes place during the Napoleonic wars, and instead of airplanes European air forces use dragons. Laurence must leave his comfortable life behind when he is required to become the dragon's master. Laurence befriends the dragon (named Temeraire) and together the two learn how to fight alongside other dragon's and their riders against France.

I found this book very enjoyable. The characters, the plot, the writing style, and of course the dragons made me enjoy the story as I was reading it. However, it had a slower pacing compared to other books I read which sometimes made it hard for me to pick up the book. I also found the descriptions of how the dragons are ridden into battle confusing, and I wish the author had used a more clear explanation.

If you are a fan of historical fiction and fantasy, I think this is a great mix of both genres. It is slow at times but still an interesting read, which is why I rated it 4 stars.

Calling all word nerds! If you love learning about the wonderful world of words, then Ursula Dubosarsky’s “The Word Snoop” will tickle your fancy. Find new fun in the English language as the Word Snoop and you navigate the history of the English language, the origin of the alphabet, and all the exciting and obscure ways that you can play with both! Surprise and intrigue await as you explore rebuses, mondegreens, Spoonerisms, and more. Plus, crack some cool codes along the way! Whether you are excited by confusingly simple oxymorons and find an awesomely good tautology delightful, or just forgot the difference between a anagram and a pangram, “The Word Snoop” is sure to be a great read.

This is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year. Dubosarsky’s fun and educational style of writing is both easy and entertaining to read. Paired with illustrator Tohby Riddle’s humorous cartoons, this book is hard not to like. As a writer and grammarian, I simply loved the experience that this book offered. I’ve never had so much fun learning about something I thought I already knew! It’s definitely worth a read.

Avery Grambs is used to barely scraping by: with her mom dead, her dad nowhere to be found, and her half-sister's abusive boyfriend moving into their small apartment, Avery spends her days living inside her car and can only dream of a stable and financially secure future. That is - until she gets summoned to the will-reading of the late businessman Tobias Hawthorne (who also happens to be filthy rich)...and finds out that he left her almost all of his assets under a certain condition: she must live in the enormous Hawthorne estate for at least a year to inherit.

For her, it should be a perfect turn of luck: she'll never have to be worried about money ever again, right? But Avery is just as confused as the family. She's never met Tobias Hawthorne and has no familial connections with him that she knows of. Furthermore, the Hawthorne family are obviously not very pleased with a complete stranger inheriting what should have been rightfully theirs: Tobias' daughters firmly believe Avery is a con woman, and their hypercompetitive sons - Grayson, Jameson, Xander, and Nash - see her as an obstacle, a puzzle to solve. But as cryptic messages behind Tobias' will reveal themselves, Avery finds out that her inheritance is indeed part of a game, engineered by the puzzle-obsessed businessman, and she becomes entangled into the Hawthornes' complex family drama as she discovers secret passageways and compartments, as well as the secrets kept by the Hawthorne boys, unraveling truths of stories better left untold that could destroy the family - and Avery herself.

I will be honest, this novel felt extremely messy, and I had a very hard time describing the plot to other people asking about the book who haven't read it already. However, The Inheritance Games does have its merits. Barnes does a good job at giving her book emotional output: there were moments in the story where I genuinely felt pity for what some of the characters have gone through, and I feel especially sorry for the two prospective love interests, Jameson and Grayson. The intricate family drama was a bit excessive and made the novel feel like an on-paper-rendition of a soap opera, but it was intriguing, and I felt engrossed in it (although I really hope they find a way to resolve it somehow). The storyline itself, although it had its golden moments, moved along way too slowly for me and never seemed to get anywhere: the book spans 91 chapters, and by chapter 60, I was wondering when it would end - or if it would ever end, for that matter. The ending as well was incredibly unsatisfying: most of the questions posed about Avery's inheritance at the beginning of the book were either not answered at all or very vaguely addressed, and the cliffhanger only infuriated me more. I do understand that this book is the first in a series, which would explain the cliffhanger, but I felt so tired out from the plot that I considered not reading the rest of the books. There were also not as many puzzles as the plot promised, which disappointed me, and the story was mainly focused on the family drama as well as Avery's strange relationship with Grayson and Jameson (which isn't a completely bad thing, but I started this book thinking there would be more puzzles, and the few that were in the plot were only okay, not brilliant).

As for the characters, I honestly found Avery to be a slightly dislikeable main character: she was as much of a mess as the Hawthorne brothers were, and at times she was honestly kind of stupid. I did enjoy Xander and Nash. Xander was such a funny, lively character, and his obsession with robots and mechanics made him even more endearing. And Nash, unlike most of his family, was actually level-headed and calm, and I respected him for his demeanor, even though his role was also supposed to be controversial, as well as Xander's. Overall, the book was an entertaining read, and there were parts of it that I did love, but it did feel melodramatic and stretched out. I don't think I'll read the rest of the series, but this book was by no means a completely unpleasant experience.

I read this book when I was in middle school, and I loved it then. I think it's a wonderful fantasy read with a story told in multiple points of view. The story follows a girl named Luna, who is raised by a witch, and Antain who is trying to hint the witch. Luna was accidentally fed moonlight by the witch, which gives her magical abilities. As she grows older, Luna struggles to contain and control these powers. I think the story is touching and a makes it a good coming of age book about love and self-discovery.

I would say I enjoyed this book. It's about a small group of people, but mainly a young Nick Carraway and a Jay Gatsby. One thing I like about the book is the complex relationships across the characters. Their interactions with each other as the story progresses become more interesting as you learn more. There were some parts during the reading when I got confused by the plot, but that was probably just me. I also feel that towards the end, the plot moves way quicker and intensifies in drama. I would recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it because it's just a classic American novel.

This book is a good resource historically. Hosseini's writing provides a good perspective of what it's like to have lived in Afghanistan. The story itself is interesting. There is plenty of text to analyze about the struggles of an impending war, which I think is good to gain understanding from other cultures. However, I found that there were some scenes throughout the book that were unnecessary. They were a part of the story but went into extreme detail that made me uncomfortable and covered very mature topics. Overall, I give this a three. It's not bad, just not my cup of tea, so I wouldn't be recommending it to someone myself.

This book was definitely interesting to read. I didn't exactly dislike it but it wasn't my favorite book ever. The book is about a dystopian world with a special act that lets people "unwind" their teenagers. This process involves repurposing their organs and body parts, donating them to people in need and justified this as the life doesn't really end. It's the premise of the book and brings up some heartbreaking scenes to read. In my opinion the plot isn't bad. It's about three teens that come together to try and escape being unwound. What I like about it is that it's a powerful adventure and there's a lot of unique characters. Even though it wasn't my favorite book I've read, I don't think it a waste of time and would recommend it to those who enjoy science fiction and action.

After reading Gary Paulsen’s other Hatchet books, I knew I had to read The River. The story is simple: Brian has been rescued from the horrors of the wilderness, with scars to prove them; but a group of men who want to educate people on nature survival are asking him to travel back to the desolate Canadian Forests! Read as a simple, and seemingly safe, plan falters and leaves Brian back in the wild, alone. His only hope: to raft down a river and hope for somebody to rescue him.
Although this novel gives off a less tense survival vibe, it is certainly still entertaining. I would certainly recommend this entire series to anyone who loves a good nature book with a twist. The River: A Hatchet Adventure, is worthwhile. Read and submerse yourself in a survival book of hardships and adventure!

Gary Paulsen has done it again in his fifth and final Hatchet series book. Brian is back in the comfort of the Canadian wilderness, and he has promised to visit a native hunting family on his venture back into the forests. However, his trip turns into a massacre when Brian arrives to a horrific scene. Brian must claim vengeance over whoever, or whatever did this. Join Brian on his hunt in another excellent adventure from Gray Paulsen. This book is yet another wilderness hit! Totally recommended to anyone who loves a good nature book.

He has finally done it: Brian survived the terrors of nature and has finally returned to his home town in New York. Everything is better now, or is it? Is city life as wonderful as Brian dreamed it to be while stuck in the middle of the Canadian Forests? Or has Brian become part of nature? To find out, read the third book in the Hatchet series, Brian’s Return.

I knew that I had to read this book after completing Gary Paulsen’s previous two books in the series. Brian kept growing on me the more I read, and I couldn’t get enough of Gray Paulsen’s descriptive writing. Although this book holds less of Brian’s wilderness struggles, Brian now encounters a whole different kind of hardship. I completely suggest this book to any wilderness lovers out there!

When I finished reading Gary Paulsen’s initial book to the series, Brian’s Winter was on my list. The novel twists the first book, Hatchet, with an alternate ending! Brian now remains stranded in the Canadian Wilderness, but here’s the catch: in order for Brian to survive, he must endure Canada’s brutal winters. Can Brian get lucky enough to survive yet another season in the wild, or will he succumb to the sheer power of Mother Nature? Find out by reading Gary Paulsen’s Brian’s Winter.