I really liked this book. I read it after watching the movie and it was similar, but still had some differences. I really liked the different things that happened when the end started coming. With the progress of Thomas emotionally and physically it shows the progress of not only the other Gladers, but also the book and Glade itself. Even though I watched the movie before reading the book, I still was able to be surprised and enter the world of the maze. Even though there is a lot of things going on it still is a thrilling rollercoaster of emotions. As Thomas grows more knowledgeable of the maze I did to. It brought the truth to my eyes as Thomas realized it for himself.

First off, if you're looking for a comedy, this isn't it. Move along. This novel is the first in a four-book dystopian series. Lowry has a new take on dystopia as she describes what appears to be the perfect community--no hunger, homelessness, or unemployment. It is a well oiled machine. Jobs are assigned, as are spouses and children, who come from predetermined Birthmothers, which is one job of many. However, Jonas isn't assigned to a job. He is selected to be the new Receiver. Within the job, he learns exactly what's wrong with his community and discovers what wondrous things his community has omitted. I know it sounds boring but I have read it so many times; the whole series, actually. I think it is a great book for tweens and above. The whole series is great and I really liked them.

After a mysterious accident in which Mr. Green's wife dies, Mr. Green is desperate for a new nanny, being afraid of his children and children in general. However, being the stingy tax lawyer he is, he doesn't put an ad in the paper and merely puts a sign in his front yard. One rainy night, a petite, well dressed pig shows up for the job. At first, Mr. Green has reservations, as one does when hiring a former flying pig (she worked at a circus) but once she told him her hourly rate: 10 cents an hour, his greed overcame his skepticism and his children, Derek, Samantha, and Michael got a new nanny. Soon, it becomes apparent that Nanny Piggins is much more qualified than a human nanny, namely, she can bake extraordinarily good cakes, and disregards trivial things like school. Derek, Samantha, and Michael soon begin to love Nanny Piggins, even through the antics she gets herself into. This book is the first in a series, but you don't have to read them in order, as each chapter is its own story, and with a title like Nanny Piggins, how can you resist reading it?

Right from the first sentence, you can tell this book is definitely not boring. I have lost count of the amount of times I have read Maniac Magee. It tells the story of Jeffrey Magee, who lives with his aunt and uncle, who are unhappy but refuse to get divorced, after his parents are killed in a train accident. After living with them, the unhappiness soon gets to Jeffrey and he runs away armed with one great power: the ability to run. In this book, the west side is all white people while the east side is people of color, and Jeffrey, a white boy, ends up on the east side. The reason this book is so good is the way Jerry Spinelli shows how people can change and how just one boy united the west side and the east side. One boy, who is faced with many tragedies but still continues on his mission that even he doesn't know what would be the final result. Not only is this book by Spinelli good, but you should definitely check out his other ones!

Stella is sick. No, not with the typical cold or flu, as Stella would rather have, but with a rare disease: Cystic Fibrosis. Her lungs have been faulty all her life and she hopes to obtain a lung transplant soon. In order to fulfill this goal, Stella attempts to maintain constant control of her life, risking nothing that would prevent her from getting the transplant. That is until she meets Will, who's only thing in common with Stella is his Cystic Fibrosis. With no care about control (or his medication) Will is fascinated with Stella and her orderly life. However, their illness prevents them from coming closer than six feet apart, and any close contact could jeopardize everything. Stella wants nothing to do with Will, how could she risk everything she's ever wanted? Yet as the two become closer, being six feet apart seems unbearable.
This was a good teen romance that captured what it's like to be controlled by something completely out of control or reach.

Abby desperately wants a baby. Nothing has worked out; not the treatments and not the potential adoptions. Losing hope and grieving with her husband, Sam, Abby is shocked when a solution finally arises: Monica. Monica is Abby's assistant at work and has offered to be Abby's surrogate. Despite the deep worry Abby feels, she convinces Sam, who doesn't like the idea, that this is the chance to finally have a child. With the conditions set and off to a great start with Monica, Abby is ecstatic about the future of being a mother. Except, when things start going downhill and Monica's behavior begins to raise concerns. As Abby becomes even more suspicious of Monica, she experiences a downhill spiral of events. Abby, with no one to turn to, realizes that Monica may not be such a miracle after all...

I would be surprised if you haven't already read this book--not just because it's well-known! If you don't know the classic story of a neglected child turned super-genius, I'm telling you, you're missing out. When least favorite child Matilda teaches herself to read at the age of two, she soon unlocks a whole new realm of possibility. With her parents out of the house at least one day of every week, Matilda is free to go to the library and read whenever. With her new intelligence, she finds creative ways to punish her parents' cruel treatment. But the fun really starts when she starts school. Run by the tyrannic Trunchbull, Matilda has to find a way to help her teacher, Ms. Honey with an even better power than knowledge that she got from books. I would say this book is a must read for kids of all ages!

Margret "Jet" Mason's motto has always been "there's always later." But everything changes when, on Halloween night, someone breaks into her house and fatally hits her on the back of the head three times. The doctors tell her that, due to the resulting brain aneurism, Jet only has seven more days left to live. Determined to solve her own murder, Jet and her childhood friend, Billy, set out to expose the secrets surrounding that night. With Jet's time running out, they must find the killer before it is too late.

"Not Quite Dead Yet" is one of the best books I have read all year. Holly Jackson blended her signature captivating murder mystery with an almost "The Fault in Our Stars"-style doomed romance, causing me to completely fall in love with this book! Not only were the characters both relatable and loveable, but I was moved to tears by how real all the situations felt. This book is a perfect mix of a thrilling and twisty mystery and heartbreaking love story, perfectly executed with Jackson's amazing writing style. I would recommend "Not Quite Dead Yet" to anyone, regardless of whether or not YA murder mysteries are your go-to genre, as the unique plot makes this book truly one of a kind.

For any Hunger Games fans out there, this book is incredible! Sunrise on the Reaping revisits a favored character from the original books: Haymitch Abernathy. The book revolves around his experiences before, during, and after the 50th Hunger Games.
When Haymitch’s 16th birthday comes around, he must sacrifice himself for the one he loves and is selected to be in the “Second Quarter Quell” — a game with more opponents and decreased odds, especially coming from District 12. He faces challenging experiences in the Capitol with threats from President Snow, differentiating friends versus foe, and watching those he cares about die. He realizes after the games he will never be safe or at peace like he dreamed of.
The book brilliantly portrays themes seen throughout the original trilogy and the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: love, despair, resilience, and defiance. The relationship between these themes in all of Collins books made this book not only a heart-wrenching shocker, but it also explained how Haymitch Abernathy’s 50th games shaped the 74th Hunger Games. If you’re looking for a book filled with love, heartbreak, plot-twists, defiance, and a nostalgically classic dystopian feel, Sunrise on the Reaping is the book for you!

Eric Ly's life is falling apart. His best friend is dead, his sister is moving away for college, and Eric can't seem to deal with his loneliness and grief. So, in order to cope, he creates fake scenarios in his head to hold on to what he had, until one of them seemingly comes to life. During a summer trip to Japan, Eric had met - and shortly lost contact with- a boy named Haru. And now, in a random cafe in Chicago, Haru has miraculously found his way back to him. But the problem is no one can see Haru except for Eric.

Nonetheless, Eric now has a new person to connect with during these hard times - even if Haru may not be real at all. But his twisted imagination and lingering grief lead him to question the circumstances around him and lose control of his life. And slowly, Eric realizes he must come to terms with reality, even if it means he must lose Haru and the fake scenarios he's created.

When I first picked up this book, I had pretty high expectations for it. The book's concept intrigued me, and I also did enjoy reading You've Reached Sam, the author's debut work. That being said, this book somewhat disappointed me. The plot saw so many changes in direction to the point where it felt rather aimless, and Eric's self-destructive decisions did irritate me at times (which may have been the intention given Eric's mental state, I won't discredit that). Haru's character, despite his proclaimed importance in the book's blurb, was honestly not very important to the story, and I genuinely feel like the book could have sufficed without him. The story was like a collection of Eric's memories and experiences; this introspectiveness doesn't inherently make a book "bad," but these books also aren't for everyone. The climax of the book did have some emotional substance, and it was pleasant to see Eric find his way and grow from his grief, but overall, I found this book to be a bit directionless. However, I do know that the novel was also very hard for the author to write, having to match his newfound success for You've Reached Sam (which also touches on grief and loss), so I do wonder what he might have done had he not been creatively restricted.

"The Queen's Spade" by Sarah Raughley tells the story of Ina Omoba, better known as Sarah "Sally" Forbes Bonetta, who was Queen Victoria's African goddaughter. After being taken from her homeland in Nigeria and witnessing her friend's murder at the crown's hands, Sally is determined to get her revenge on Queen Victoria and her inner circle. Enlisting the help of her friend, Rui, Sally works behind the scenes to expose secrets and create chaos, ruining the lives of all those who had hurt her. This is a true story based on Sarah Forbes Bonetta's real life in the 1800s, reimagining her life to create a YA romantacy.

When I read the synopsis for this book, I was really excited for its potential. The idea of reimagining such an interesting historical figure's story was really intriguing, and the revenge plot seemed exciting. However, after reading this book, I was sorely disappointed. The plot fell flat, as the storytelling was often confusing and seemed unorganized and even rushed. None of the characters were developed, and it was hard to like any of them. Additionally, the ending was dissatisfying, left a lot of unnecessary loose ends, and was not historically accurate at all, which was heartbreaking and took a lot away from Sarah Forbes Bonetta's story. I was really looking forward to reading this book, but the execution was so poorly done that I could not enjoy it. I would not recommend reading it.

"The Wedding People" is a book about a divorced woman named Phoebe who goes to a fancy hotel in Rhode Island. Little does she know, there's a big wedding happening while she's there. She meets the bride, who confides in her whenever something happens. The two become friends quickly, as they bring out different sides in each other. One night, Phoebe goes to relax in the hotel hot tub, and she meets a man there. The two talk, and Phoebe realizes that this stranger brings something out in her that she hasn’t experienced before.

“The Wedding People” is definitely one of my favorite books that I have read. The characters feel so human with all their flaws, feelings, and experiences. Every single character is likable in their own way. Multiple characters have character development that benefits the storyline. Their realizations and discoveries are so poetic that I felt the emotions behind the writing. The author phrases things so well, it feels like you are experiencing what is happening. The book is able to cover heavy topics without being smothering or ridiculous. The plot twists were unpredictable and surprising, but they were realistic and believable. Overall, this book is truly a work of art that I really enjoyed.

The Cruel Prince is just straight up amazing. I LOVED Jude and her development as a character and how it was done. Cardan is a 10/10 no notes. This book is the original enemies to lovers and I am here for it! The only thing about this book is it can tend to have a lot of politics which might confuse readers but otherwise this is a masterfully written book that transports readers to the land of Faerie. Would recommend this to most if not all fantasy readers as it is a staple of the genre.

"Louder Than Hunger" by John Schu is a story told entirely through verses as it follows Jake Stacey and his journey living with and treating his anorexia. Throughout the book, Jake struggles through his everyday life, trying to ignore The Voice in his head that tells him not to eat, insisting that he's not worthy of love or affection. When Jake is finally admitted into a hospital to help him overcome his eating disorder, he resists, refusing to talk or interact with the other patients. The voice is louder than ever... but Jake doesn't know whether or not to listen to it anymore. Based on a true story, this book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride as you are completely pulled into Jake's story.

"Louder Than Hunger" is an extremely powerful and impactful story. While reading it, I was struck with how real all the characters felt, and I was moved to tears multiple times during this read. Schu does a great job with making you connect to the characters and situations, while still creating a page-turning tale that puts you in Jake's shoes. This story is unlike any I have ever read, as I had never read a story like this written in verses before, which made the story all the more impactful.

First off, I love Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and this novel did not disappoint. A bunch of kids with talents like analyzing people and detecting lies solving cold cases in the FBI? Yes please! Cassie's backstory was well thought out, and I loved her character development. The mystery was also very well thought out and the plot twists omg! The only part I didn't love was the hinted at love triangle mainly because it didn't feel essential to the story. I loved the You chapters (serial killer perspective), which were equally creepy and interesting. This book is perfect for mystery lovers, the only thing I wouldn't recommend doing is reading this in the dead of night haha.

The Revenant Games had everything you could ask for--action fantasy and romance. Follow Bly, a 17-year-old looking for a way to bring back her dead sister after an accident she’ll never forgive herself for. She decides to compete in the revenant games. Anyone can play, but the games are deadly. Follow Bly on her breathtaking adventure as she fights for everyone she loves. It’s vampires versus witches and Bly wants to win for both sides. When she meets the boy who changes her view on life she can’t decide whether she saves her sister or the boy she loves.

After reading A Court of Thorns and Roses, I was hesitant to pick up Throne of Glass, but I was pleasantly surprised. Throne of Glass is masterpiece. Celeana is a take no prisoners kick butt character and I fell in love with her narrating immediately. This is now my new favorite series, and I am happy to say it only gets better from here. Maas's world building skills are on full display here and mixed with the captivating plot, it was a quick and exciting read. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy with girl power main character!

If you are looking for the perfect enemies to lovers/romantasy look no further! Fourth Wing is a masterpiece by Yarros who combines master world building skills with an exciting and engaging plot. I really liked Violet's determination, perseverance, and acceptance of her circumstances. Her character was well rounded and a 5-star narrator. Xaden and Violet's chemistry was off the charts, and it really added that final piece to the plot. I would definitely read again and again and again. This is the perfect book for romance and fantasy lovers.

A Court of Thorns and Roses was really disappointing mostly because of the main character Feyre. She was whiny, obnoxious and all around a dislikable person. I struggled to finish to read this book and didn't finish the second one. This plot has the potential to be great with a few tweaks and character changes but instead it fell flat. This book is all hype and no substance and the only redeeming part of the book was Rhys. I would not recommend this book to anyone with little patience for terrible books.

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi is full of twists and turns. The book is packed with action from cover to cover, that makes this book almost impossible to put down. Not only does Tahereh Mafi write an enjoyable book plot wise, but she also works to develop her characters. I liked how the author makes her main character, Juliette, aware of her obsession over her romance, and has Juliette work towards not making her romance her entire personality. It made the book, and Juliette, less annoying. It also shows Juliette's growth to become more independent and not helplessly rely on others. Tahereh Mafi also makes Juliette's development realistic, with relapses into her old unconfident self-appearing throughout the novel. I enjoyed this book because of the character development and plot. I thought it was a great addition to the series, without being repetitive or boring.

Unite me was a enjoyable, quick read. I read the first half of Unite Me (Destroy Me) before the second book and the second half of Unite Me (Fracture Me) after the second book, which is the recommended reading order.

Destroy Me follows Warner directly after the first book, and Unite Me follows Adam, directly after the second book. Both books serve as bridges between the first, second, and third book. Despite being short glimpeses into Warner and Adam's lives, neither provided too much information as to become overwhelming, or too little information to be unsatisfying. The novellas also reshaped my perspectives on many of the characters. Tahereh Mafi does a wonderful job of showing how the "good guys" aren't always good and the bad guys aren't always "bad." Overall, I would recommend this book if you are reading the Shatter Me series. Not only is it enjoyable, but also necessary to fully understand some of the characters.

After being chosen for nothing but bait, Ben is in the middle of a plot to blow up spy school. But let's start from the beginning--good at math, less than good for most other things, that is an accurate summary of Ben. But soon he is approached by a debonair, picture-perfect spy, recruiting him for the CIA's very own spy school. Question: what happens when you give an inept person a gun? Answer: doesn't end well. That is a lesson Ben learns very quickly as he is suddenly thrust into a foreign world where everyone knows everything except for him. He makes a few new friends--Zoe, quick and capable, and Murray, the human equivalent of a sloth. But soon, he realizes, after getting assaulted in the middle of the night, he was just picked because they needed believable bait. However, he convinces the school to let him stay and soon he is training in earnest. Soon after, a surprising and yet unsurprising betrayal forces Ben into a very uncomfortable situation. But you should probably figure that out for yourself. I loved this book, with its balance of humor and action and I hope you do to!

I read this book because I had read a couple other books by the same author. I will say this--Gary D. Schmidt does not disappoint! I have loved all of his books both because of his relaxed writing style, intense characters, and bittersweet plot. This book is a spinoff of one of his other books, The Wednesday Wars, but you don't have to read that book before this one, it just has one of the characters from it. It follows Meryl Lee Kowalski, who is haunted by "The Blank," as she calls it. It is her feelings of numbness after her boyfriend Holling Hoodhood died and she never even got the chance to say goodbye. She is sent to a boarding school, where she neither tries nor cares to fit into the primpy, stuck-up rules and procedures. Eventually, she meets a runaway named Matt, who is borderline paranoid, and for good reason. As she struggles to find her "Accomplishment," as stated by the headmistress, she learns that people can change, and that people are not always what they seem, especially herself. This book is definitely top five for me--hope you enjoy it too!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi follows Juliette, a teen girl labeled as insane and dangerous by the government. She has always felt alone due to her power, or curse, of destruction. She cannot touch another person without feeling immense pain. However, when one of the government officials takes interest in her powers, she is released from the asylum as he holds her hostage as a hopeful weapon. With the help of an old friend, Juliette learns that she might not be as horrible as she thought, and might be deserving of the love she has never had.

I really enjoyed this book! All of the characters, especially Juliette, have strong personalities and character traits. I especially thought seeing how Juliette's obsession with numbers worked as a way for her to cope from past trauma was interesting. However, I thought the book's pace felt slow at times and rushed at times. For instance, Juliette's romance with another character felt like it was moving really fast, and sometimes I couldn't tell how much time had passed from the last significant event. Overall it was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend!

“What If It’s Us?” is a LGBTQIA+ romance book involving two teens in New York. The two main characters, Ben and Arthur, meet in a post office. Ben, 17 years old and a New York resident, is there to mail his ex-boyfriend’s stuff back to him. Arthur, 16 years old and staying for the summer because of an internship, held the door open for Ben and became interested in him. The two hit it off, but they end up getting separated by a flash mob proposal. The two keep thinking of each other and how they want to meet again, but they have a hard time finding each other. Arthur finally figures out a way to get Ben’s email, and the two reconnect. Their whole summer together is filled with ups and downs, laughter, and drama.

“What If It’s Us?” is a sweet, well-written book. The characters are very likable and diverse. Arthur and Ben have a realistic relationship, with the two having their ups and downs since they come from different backgrounds. Arthur, coming from a well-off white family, and Ben, coming from a lower-class Puerto Rican family. The two also have some very sweet romantic moments that touched my heart. The plot has a nice climax, and the ending makes sense for the characters and the story. Overall, I would recommend this book to people who are fans of LGBTQIA+ romance.

This book has all the makings of a great book--a sweet plot, magic, and of course, candy. The storyline follows Nate, who moves to a new town and joins a club with three other kids: daredevil Summer, steadfast Trevor, and brainy Pigeon. When the new sweet shop shows up in town, they have no idea how good-or dangerous-the candy could be. Mrs. White, the owner, is the sweet old lady who owns the shop, but is that all she is? Can normal people make candy that lets you leap twelve times as high as you could? Soon, she has recruited the four kids. They do special missions in return for magic candy, but something doesn't feel right. Soon, the kids begin to suspect Mrs. White. However, they might be too late, and how can they expect to fight against magic? This book is full of unexpected twists and is an enjoyable read. The combination of candy and magic is too good to resist. Definitely check it out!

The Doughnut King is the second in a series, but you don't need the first one to enjoy the second! It follows Tristan, son of a foodie family who, in the first book, moved from New York City to Petersville, about as small a town as you can get. Through Winnie, the general store owner, and her magic life-changing doughnut recipe, Tristan begins to enjoy the town. But as his business grows, he has a supply problem with his doughnuts. The best solution is a doughnut robot, and an expensive one. The only way to earn the money is to go on a cooking show: Can You Cut It? However, there seems to be something personal about the host's hatred for Tristan. Even if you don't love reading about food, this book is a must read! The plot is just plausible enough to be believable but outlandish enough to keep reading!

I originally only picked this book out because I had read another book by this author, but now I read these books more than the other book! It follows an 11 year old Friday, though in the last book I believe she is 15, who has four siblings and two parents who are theoretical physicists. She has been raising herself almost her whole life, and read all the books in her house, which is a lot. She is a genius, but she is horrible at interactions with other people. She wears an ugly brown cardigan so people notice her less! So, after solving an attempted bank robbery, she decides to spend her cash prize on boarding school. However the boarding school is full of rich and stuck up students who keep getting in trouble. They learn to call on Friday, who solves their problems, like the school's very own Sherlock Holmes. However, there is also a problem with a swamp yeti that she is yet to solve... With the help of her sleepy roommate Melly Pelly, Friday is on her way to becoming the most annoying girl in the school!

When my mom recommended this book to me, I was skeptical, because I don't read a lot of ghost/horror stories. However, though there are some eerie specters and situations, the overall feel of the book is dry comments and tea parties. This book takes place in an alternate London, where an epidemic has broke out. It's called The Problem, and it is ghosts returning from beyond the grave. There are many agencies that people hire to fight against ghosts using salt and iron. Only children and teenagers can see and hear ghosts, but everyone can die from ghost touch. Some children are born with psychic talents that allow for easier recognition of ghosts, and so can defeat them easier. The series follows Lucy Joan Carlyle, an agent who joins a small company, the smallest in the city, and the ghosts they find, but in the third one, an especially large outbreak plagues London. Every agency is out every night (ghosts don't come out during the day) fighting ghosts and searching for the source of the outbreak. Lucy and her team, charming and fearless Lockwood, the leader of the group, George, a crusty intellectual, and Holly, perfection personified and a new addition to the team, need to find the source. They need to find it quickly, before there are more casualties. Overall, I loved the writing style, as the characters seem real though the circumstances are outlandish and the whole series is definitely worth reading. I personally have read all the books at least twice, and some parts still surprise me!

This book is in my top five of all time. I really enjoyed the writing style as it makes the characters easier to relate to. Every time I reread it, I noticed something new, a detail here and there. The plot seems sad in the beginning, and sad things happen, but the end puts the sweet in bittersweet. It follows the main character, Doug Sweiteck and his transition to Marysville as he struggles with two big secrets that Schmidt reveals through the actions of the characters--so read carefully, you don't want to miss anything. When Doug sees James John Audubon's paintings of a variety of birds, they change his life. The character growth between all the characters is astonishing and it shocked me. Definitely check it out!