Fiction
Nonfiction
I enjoyed this audiobook quite a bit during long commutes - Tom Hanks' soothing voice envelops you as he tells the story of Danny & Maeve as they grow and experience many of life's common hardships, and the many lines that can be traced back to The Dutch House. I am partial to books with observable character development, and I felt that was seen for a few characters within the novel. I would recommend this book.
It's odd how the main ideas presented in the original Ender Saga have almost no depictions of combat or war in them at all. It is then appropriate that the second book in this prequel trilogy pulls out all the stops and shows what a horrific battle against ant-like aliens would be like in the not-to-distant future. After all, war is hell, and the atrocities committed by a species trying to terraform Earth to their specifications are quite gruesome.
Fortunately, Earth Afire does not focus too much on the gory details of war. There are still subplots being explored that bring realism to this doomsday scenario—like needing to go against orders and bureaucracy to save people. The reader finally gets to spend some significant time with Mazer Rackham, who is absolutely the most interesting character in this prequel trilogy. His story is where Earth Afire really shines. Sure, there are still some leftover characters from Earth Unaware who stick around to continue their plotlines, but the events happening on the ground are much more interesting than outer space sabotage.
While I feel Earth Afire has some strengths over its Earth Unaware, ultimately it's the downbeat middle book in a trilogy that focuses on the destruction of Earth. There is still hope for humanity with a few last-ditch efforts, but it's clear the Formics have the advantage on so many levels. Also, being a prequel book, Earth Afire suffers somewhat from the fact that we know what will happen to some of the main characters. They can't be killed off because they must ultimately win the day and stall the Formics long enough for Earth to launch their own counterattack.
A visceral image of alien war on Earth, I give Earth Afire 4.0 stars out of 5.
I rate this book three stars. The book tells the story of Pi, a young boy who escapes a sinking ship full of animals onto an escape boat. The only problem is, he is stuck with a tiger on the escape boat. The book explains the journey Pi takes to tame and live with the tiger. I can relate to Pi in the sense that we will step up to incredible levels when necessary. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Prequels sometimes get a bad rap because they often feel unnecessary. If the story was important enough to start at the very beginning, then that's where the series should have started. Still, there is a comfort in prequels that comes from knowing what will happen. Little details that the reader knows will become important for the main part of the series act as subtle nods in the early stages of the series' lore. Earth Unaware is the first book in the Ender's Game prequel trilogy and flawlessly introduces the events that lead to the Earth's drastic response.
Orson Scott Card co-wrote Earth Unaware over a decade after publishing the first books in the Ender Saga. In that time, science advanced to the point where a near-future scenario like the one presented in Earth Unaware could be plausible. All the reader ever knew about the first Formic War from the original series was that the Formics invaded our planet without warning. The beautiful twist in this book is how a few miners out in the Kuiper Belt knew this threat was coming but had unexpected challenges that prevented them from warning Earth.
Unfortunately, the most realistic parts of this book had to do with corporate greed and an ignorant public (much like the plot for Don't Look Up (2021)). The action is certainly exciting and the stakes are quite high since Ender's Game already lets us know what will eventually happen. The only thing I'm disappointed in with this book is how little Mazer Rackham was involved. It was like the authors only mentioned him in passing to introduce him, even if he's arguably the most interesting character out of all the lore presented in Ender's Game.
A plausible, action-packed start to the Ender's Game prequel trilogy, I give Earth Unaware 4.0 stars out of 5.
The House of Scorpion is a book set in the future in a place called Opium with a boy named Mateo who is a clone of a huge drug lord who goes by "El Patron". This book has always been a favorite of mine since I read in 6th grade for the first time, it stuck out to me because the creativity, plot, setting, it is such a fun book to read and the book also has a sequel, so its great that the book continues. There wasn't really a time I disliked the book, it always had my attention, and I think that truly matters when reading a book. I choose this book not only because its a childhood fave but I feel like others might love to read this book as much as I did.
Dune is the first book in a series by Frank Herbert (something I didn't know until after I had started reading). This was a wonderfully imaginative book with interesting characters, conflict, and world building.
You follow Paul as he travels to the planet of Arrakis. You similarly follow those close to him, notably his mother, Jessica, as they all grow accustomed to the unfamiliar landscape and the politics that encompass it.
While the language of the characters originally threw me off, I grew accustomed to it and it helped immerse me in the story and characters. Seeing the dynamics and customs of not only the Atreides family, but also natives of Arrakis, was interesting and better as they intertwined with each other.
Also seeing the various themes of the story was also appealing (thanks English class!) as they intersect with each other in ways I've never seen before.
This is a great book and I recommend it, even if Sci-fi isn't your normal genre.
Reviewer's Grade: 11
Goodbye Stranger is a love letter to the changing points, the shaky areas of childhood that help us figure out who we are in a world that constantly wants us to change. Bridge survived a being hit by a car, currently wears cat ears, and wonders why she's still alive. Sherm writes letters to his grandfather and refuses to answer his calls. Emily and Tabitha made a pact with Bridge to never argue, but are being pulled inextricably apart by text messages and social justice clubs. An unnamed wanderer navigates a world where everything is made of lava, and best friends are replaced by horrid outsiders. As their stories collide and come apart, they'll need to figure out what to do when those they know best become strangers.
I read Rebecca Stead's "When You Reach Me" when I was in middle school, and it blew me away. I read her "Goodbye Stranger", now in high school, and found that the change in years didn't change the impact. The thing that astounded me was, despite me being well outside the age range of her characters, I found the book entrancing for all ages. The characters problems and personalities don't seem juvenile or trite. They seem human, a little heartbreaking, and highly relatable. I think the thing that makes this book are the characters. They're each as unique as a fingerprint, but they maintain their ability to sound strangely like the people you go to school with, or work with, or live with. Each of their motivations are perfectly obvious, each of their flaws on stunning display, fleshing out characters that feel like you'd see them wandering around your school on any given day. The book has a lot of heavy topics and sorrow packed into barely 300 pages, but still feels light enough that you aren't miserable the whole time. There's a lot of heart, a lot of happiness, and a lot of good changes alongside the tragedies of middle-school, or just regular, life. The book has a floating quality that makes it feel strangely detached. I can't tell you if this is a good or bad thing, but its definitely intentional, and it definitely messed with my ahead enough to make me want to keep reading. The only concrete things I can really say about this book is that the prose was excellent, the writing was accessible, the characters were interesting, the topics were thoughtful, and the ending was satisfying.
All in all, this book is really hard to describe. It's happy and sad and very realistic and very detached from reality and simplistic and strangely complex. I don't know what to call this book except a good read for those that like small stories, cat ears, friendships, broken friendships, and the infinite potential of strangers.
Reviewer Grade: 11
Horton Halfpott is a comedy novel about a kitchen boy's life, love, and mystery. Horton Halfpott follows its titular character as he navigates the cruelty of the nobles, a new-found crush, and the investigation of a stolen "Lump". The book's core is its comedy, with a narrator adding to each movement with foreshadowing and direct acknowledgement of the reader. Targeted for kids ages 8-12, the humor is clever but not so much as to confuse a younger audience. Characters are likeable and the main characters are well-developed considering how short the novel is. Although the mystery's conclusion is evident to the reader, watching the detectives' and antagonist's plans in work adds an element of tension to the book, especially during the second half. The only major issue I had while reading was pacing. Most chapters are quite short, and the book could easily be reduced from almost 50 4-5 page chapters to 15 longer chapters. With such short chapters comes some whiplash as certain characters take control of the perspective for a page or two before the reader swaps to a different character. This had some jarring results, especially around the 3/4 mark of the book.
Overall, Horton Halfpott is a great story with some formatting problems holding it back from being a fantastic one. This story is still a worthwhile read for pre-teens, however.
Baby & Solo is a story about friendship, heartbreak, movies, and The Things That Are Wrong with us. It follows Joel, fresh out of treatment for years of mental illness and ready to begin his life. He applies for a job at the local ROYO video, and finds himself thriving with a clean slate, especially around the enigmatic and acerbic Nicole "Baby" Palmer, someone who might be his first real friend. But as life begins to spiral out of control (as it usually does) he finds that he might need to face his past if he ever stands a chance of moving forward.
This book was brilliant. I have no other words for it. From the first chapter, the startling humor and charm of our protagonist kept me turning pages. And as the cast emerged, with Baby especially being a breath of fresh air in a world so choked with mediocre or boring female characters, I found myself unable to put it down. This book is around 400 pages, and I sped through almost all of it in one night, it was that gripping. The first thing I have to commend this book for is its heady sense of life. Some books merely create the illusion of life in its characters and story, but this one felt more like a movie (ironically) where I could almost see the character's faces, hear their voices, and bask in their triumphs or tremble before their struggles. Something about the rawness of the characters made me more attached to a book about teenagers from the 90s who worked in the equivalent of a blockbuster than any contemporary iPhone using, slang abusing teenage stereotype from the 21st century. Another thing that's amazing about this book is the prose. For one, I didn't expect it at all. It was a funny book, a sort of dark-comedy, with a loving attachment to Star Wars and laughable hatred of Dirty Dancing. I didn't think there'd be some parts of this books with absolutely gorgeous writing, that could take you from laughing to nearly crying with a few well-placed, beautiful lines and startling deep writing. Another thing: this book is really sad. But not a cheap, overworked kind of sad. It's the sadness that seeps through the snarky lines and hilarious antics. There's a melancholy to this book that soaks into almost every page, and genuinely makes you realize that life is a tragedy for these characters, and that their triumph is being able to smile through it. The ending nearly broke my heart, but the promise of moving forward, the promise of getting better, kept me smiling through my tears.
I could rave about this book for hours, but I don't want to give a single thing away, because I desperately want the very few people who read this review to read this book. All in all, this book is astounding. I would recommend it to absolutely anyone, but especially those that like quick humor, fantastic characters, 90s nostalgia, and books that tears your heart apart while putting it back together.
Reviewer Grade: 11
I rate this book five stars. The book is an autobiography written by Shawn Johnson about her experience growing up as a gymnast. Beginning with her experience in school and ending with her experience at the 2008 Olympics, the book is both motivating and inspiring. I can relate to Shawn Johnson in her determination and the in the way she dreams big. I would recommend this book to anyone, and it is in my top ten books of all time.
The Last Fallen Star is a great book for anyone who is in to magic and mystery. This book is full of action and has a amazing message. I think that the message is to accept yourself even if you are different and for people to learn how to accept someone who is different. This story tell of a Korean girl who tries to get powers to be the same as everyone. Her sister wants to help but something goes wrong, the it is a race to see if the sister can be saved. Overall I think this is an amazing book. There is a second book “The Last Fallen Moon”, and I can’t wait for it to be released. I will totally recommend this book to anyone.
Grade 7
In the third installment to the beloved Percy Jackson series, we reunite with Percy and friends once again, in another harrowing quest. When the goddess Artemis is believed to have been kidnapped, after a mysterious disappearance, it's up to Percy and the gang to find her before the Winter Solstice, where Artemis' vote on the Olympian council may just determine the fate of the war between the titans. Additionally, Percy is also tasked with finding the monster who Artemis was supposedly hunting before her disappearance--a monster that may have the ability to destroy Olympus.
Just as the other two novels thus far, The Titan's Curse is another exciting and suspenseful addition to the Percy Jackson saga. The anticipation of seeing how each and every book builds up to the other and seeing how the story begins to reach its climax is very exciting. The Titan's Curse details into more of Percy and Annabeth's dynamic, and we see other new characters being brought to the spotlight. As always, I was entertained by many of the Greek mythology references sprinkled throughout the book, and how Riordan puts his own spin on these old myths. I also enjoyed, like in the other two books, how we were slowly able to watch how everything begins to unfold, and how new information is brought to light. Because of The Titan's Curse, and its other two counterparts, I am eager to see how the series will reach its finale, and how everything we've learned so far builds up to the climax of the series. Overall, Riordan crafts another thrilling addition to his series, and I am eager to learn more about Percy's future adventures.
Reviewer Grade: 11
A classic novel about the "American Dream," and the qualms of social classes, this 1925 based story is centered around four main characters. Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, and Daisy and Tom Buchanan. This novel was written in a way, where all four of these characters come from different social classes and walks of life. We are given insight into the personal lives, fears, and secrets that each of these characters carries with them, and as we slowly begin to know all of these characters' stories, Fitzgerald immediately throws us for a loop. The Great Gatsby unearths every little dirty secret every character in this novel hides and turns all of our familiar characters into something much more sinister. The Great Gatsby speaks volumes on the importance and issues of social classes, and the so-called "American Dream." All in all, a highly renowned classic, The Great Gatsby lives up to its fame and delivers beautifully written lines and shocking twists.
Reviewer Grade: 11
This book is a great way to be introduced to larger ideas while still being entertained by an athletic young adult novel. In the book, Michigan is a high school hockey player who is forced to push back against misogynistic stereotypes when she joins a boys' team. What happens when teenage boys are encouraged by (or at least not restricted from) adult role models to play into the idea that Michigan doesn't fit in? The play between unreliable adults and teenagers who make mistakes but are still doing their best is one of the most realistic and fulfilling stories. It sends a message about the athletic community as well as public schools and the way they respond to serious situations. I highly recommend this read.
Grade 11
“Pax” is a story about a boy and his fox. Peter has been taking care of Pax since he was a small kit. Over time Peter and Pax became very close. Peter’s father makes him leave Pax in the forest because Peter has to go live with his grandfather. Pax can’t go with Peter to his grandfather’s. After arriving at his grandfather’s house Peter realizes the mistake that he made, he decides to go after Pax. Pax who is hundreds of miles away is still holding out hope that his boy will come back, learns a couple of things about life, and makes a few friends. Peter makes a friend on the way and learns many things on his journey. Both of them want each other but will they find each other again, over hundreds of miles?
“Pax is an amazing, emotional book. It tells an amazing and eloquent story. By showing both Paxs’ and Peter's points of view you become very attached to them and you desperately want Peter to succeed. It portrays a relationship between a human and an animal beautifully. The ending made me feel many emotions. In my opinion, the ending was beautiful but if you really look at it it could be called rush with the way it was written. The ending was amazing and undesirable but at some point in the book, I knew that it would end that way. The book shows change so well, from Peter and Volas's relationship to Bristle and Pax's relationship, and just the characters in general. The writing describes everything and it was a beautiful writing style. We don’t know where the book takes place so things that are brought up in the book throw you for a curve. We don’t see what happens with Peter’s grandfather due to the ending. This book was beautifully written and it touches your heart, while some events in this book are unlikely, so much of this book will remind you of real-life. This is a book about change and it is so applicable to life. “Pax” is definitely a book to read when you want a book that will touch your heart and make you feel many emotions.
In William Golding’s allegory, Lord of the Flies, he tries to prove the point that humans are bad, and need to learn how to be good. This book was written soon after World War 2, so it makes sense that he believes this. He does a very good job of proving his point with the characters for example.
The first character I will be talking about is Ralph. In the beginning of the story Ralph is happy that there are no adults on the island, and he messes around. Eventually, Ralph is elected leader by the other kids on the island. He is a good leader, and he is the primary representation of order, civilization, and productive leadership.
The other character I want to talk about is Jack. Jack wants to be leader as well, but gets out voted by Ralph. Although Jack isn’t the primary leader of the boys, he gets to be leader of the hunt. On a hunt he has an opportunity to kill a baby pig, but he decides not to. After this he started only caring about killing this pig and Ralph was sick and tired of it. Jack even decides to break off from the group to start his own. Almost everybody joins Jack, but Jack was a terrible leader. He only cared about having fun, not about survival. Jack represents the chaos in people.
Overall, William Golding does a very good job using this book as an allegory. The characters are very well written to fit the ideas he was going for. My favorite is Jack, because of his development throughout the entire book. Although Jack is the antagonist of the story, I still like how he represents the craziness in the world.
Harry Potter is an unusual boy who lives with his uncle, Vernon Dursley, his aunt, Petunia Dursley, and his over pampered cousin, Dudley Dursley. He has constantly faced neglect and cruelty at their hands ever since he got left on their doorstep 10 years ago. Since then, strange things that he couldn't explain seemed to happen around him, especially because of the fact that they detest the "ugly" lightning bolt scar on his forehead. He was punished for this even though he didn't understand why any of these things happened to him. Little did he know that he would receive a mysterious letter, that his uncle confiscated immediately, that would reveal to him that he wasn't just a normal kid, but a wizard who is old enough to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When the letters continue to come, his uncle takes his whole family to hide out for a few days. His uncle soon learns that hiding from wizards isn't so easy and Hagrid, the groundkeeper at the school, finds him and takes him to help him navigate this new world. Not only this but Harry also founds out that his parents weren't killed in a car crash like he was told, but were actually murdered by an evil wizard named Lord Voldemort. He tried to murder Harry too, but when he tried to his power broke and all that Harry was left with was his scar. Most reckon that he died, but Hagrid doesn't believe that, that is true. This synopsis sums up the perfect prompt for the story of Harry Potter. As the book goes on he meets many other amazing characters including his best friends Ron and Hermione and the eccentric headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. I would recommend this book to anyone even if they don't like fantasy because it feels so relatable.
I liked this book for a multitude of reasons. It wasn't predictable, it had amazing characters, and a set-up for an amazing series where each following book complements the impressiveness of the last. I was not the one who decided to read this book. The first person who read it to me was my mother and I am so glad she did. This is not only one of the best books that I have read all year, but probably all of my life.
Reviewer Grade: 8
The second installment to the Percy Jackson series, Percy, after successfully finishing his first quest, is now faced with another task. The borders that protect Camp Half-Blood are slowly dissolving, and more and more dangerous mythical creatures are finding their way in, disrupting the safety of the campers. To help preserve Camp Half-Blood's peace, Percy and his friends embark on a journey to the Sea of Monsters, in order to find the highly coveted, magical Golden Fleece.
I really enjoyed The Sea of Monsters, mainly because we were able to see more of Percy and the gang's adventures, but also because of the other characters we met in this novel. Tyson, while a surprising addition to the cast, easily won my heart, and I loved his innocent and kindhearted character. I also appreciated Riordan fleshing Clarisse out more and liked how we were able to understand her more. After reading the book, I found that Clarisse wasn't the typical "bully" we thought she was from the first book. Of course, I also liked reading interactions between Percy and Annabeth, and it was exciting to see how Annabeth and Luke's backstory began to reveal itself.
Once again, The Sea of Monsters was just as entertaining and humorous as The Lightning Thief, and I enjoyed the creativity that Riordan manages to inject into his stories.
Reviewer Grade: 11
Heidi by Johanna Spyri is a story about a young orphan girl who is sent to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. This story was very enjoyable and enchanting to read, and I particularly liked reading about the day-to-day activities that occurred in the Alps, and the people who Heidi met. I loved the mountain setting of the novel, and it made the story feel very cozy and lovely. The bonds that Heidi made with her cranky grandfather, and many other friends she made in the mountain were very heart-warming and wholesome to read about. Even though this novel is labeled as a children's story, the novel had some valuable morals littered throughout it, and in my opinion, the plot could be easily enjoyed by all ages. I'd recommend this classic to anyone who likes an easy, but heartwarming read.
Reviewer Grade: 11
The sequel to the dystopian novel, Scythe, Thunderhead delves deeper into Citra and Rowan's stories. Citra, now newly ordained Scythe Anastasia, is an up-and-coming junior Scythe, and already has begun to stir the pot in the community. With her unique gleanings, and progressive thoughts and opinions, Citra becomes a highly respected and wise Scythe, a Scythe who even the Thunderhead recognizes of value. Rowan on the other hand, after escaping the Scythedom, becomes the feared Scythe Lucifer, a black-cloaked vigilante Scythe who gleans Scythes that are driven by corruption. An equally as fast-paced and page-turning novel as the first book in the trilogy, Thunderhead was a fantastic installment to the series. I especially loved how this novel dived deeper into the inter-workings of the Thunderhead, and it's thoughts and opinions. I found it to be very interesting to see how an inanimate being like the Thunderhead, could still have morals and a conscience. This book, just like the first book in the Scythe series, was just as beautifully written, and the plot twists continue to be well developed and unexpected. The cliffhanger was also very interesting, and it was enjoyable to see the Thunderhead and it's "character development" that led to said cliffhanger. Overall, this novel was just as good as the first book in the trilogy, and I could not recommend it more.
Reviewer Grade: 11