Written creatively through letters, emails, and memos to and from characters, Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple is the story of a woman struggling with her past. Bernadette Fox is a former architect whose claim to fame was also her downfall. Now vanished from the architecture world, she lives in Seattle with her successful husband and tenacious daughter, Bee, and does all she can to avoid social interaction. While Bernadette is preparing for the family trip to Antarctica that Bee has been anxiously awaiting, a confrontation with another parent sends her spiraling out of control, resulting in Bernadette’s sudden disappearance. This book explores the difficulties of mental illness and how our actions affect one another, told through many different perspectives. Bernadette’s opinionated personality will have readers laughing, and her insights are truly relatable. A rollercoaster ride of emotions, this novel is beautifully and creatively written to portray a woman’s imperfections and a daughter’s determination to find her mother. Teen and adult readers alike will connect with Semple’s characters and appreciate her sense of humor in Where’d You Go, Bernadette.

After reading the critically-acclaimed book WONDER by R.J. Palacio, a family member bought me this book for Christmas. It technically has no plot but instead gives you a positive quote for every day of the year. Each quote and the book included is displayed creatively and colorfully to really amp you up all day every day. This book is called "Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts"
so, at the end of each month, there is a short story told by Mr. Browne teaching the audience lessons. I would recommend this book to any age group, if you're into life-lessons and positive quotes, then surely you should barrow this book (or buy it for year-round use). Reviewer Grade: 8

Garth Steins creates a beautiful image of the friendship between a man and his dog in The Art of Racing in the Rain. The narrative follows a dog named Enzo and his owner, Denny Swift, as they navigate the ups and downs of life.
The story is told from Enzo’s point of view as Denny leads his life as a professional race car driver.
I didn’t really enjoy this book. Enzo’s character felt a little bit forced and annoying. The writing style is somewhat similar to John Green’s in that it has this “fake deep” tone. I also thought the book was too depressing. Most of the time I like reading sad books, but with this one, it felt like there was always one bad thing after another. I probably wasn’t in the right mood to read this book, but I still wouldn’t recommend it.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng poetically depicts the social intricacies and injustices of American suburban life. The narrative follows Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl as they move to a new town called Shaker Heights. The two become involved with the Richardson family, and Mia clashes with the head of the household, Elena. Meanwhile, a scandal arises when there is a dispute over the adoption of a Chinese-American baby.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing style was perfect for the story, and it reeled me in every time I picked up the book. This style also added to its provocative depictions of social injustices. I adored how Ng wrote both sides of the debate (about the adoption) equally, letting the readers decide who to side with. She didn’t dehumanize any of the characters. My only problem with the book was Pearl’s arc. There was a lot of focus on her character, and I personally thought she was a little bit boring. Her storyline was very predictable and flat. Besides that, it was a great book that was simultaneously lyrical and thought provoking. I highly recommend it.

A story of a chronic illness, and the five feet that separates two people from life or love.

Stella has cystic fibrosis, which is an illness that causes buildup of mucus in the lungs. Most patients, if they never received a transplant, drown from the mucus itself. However, Stella has hope; but as that hope seems to be dwindling down, she meets a boy by chance, Will, who shows her how beautiful life really can be. No longer is her mind filled with death, but it’s filled with pure love and happiness. But here’s the catch, Will had cystic fibrosis as well, and his is incurable. “Five Feet Apart,” leads us through an enchanting love story of two teens who can never touch, never feel, never hug each other. They love in ways you can’t explain, and even though they know their love is short-lived, they stay together, through every breathable moment.
(Reviewer Grade 9)

A story of wildly eccentric Eleanor and her battle with discovering her worth.
Eleanor Oliphant lives a normal, planned out life. Vodka and pizza on weekends and work throughout the week. An ordinary job, nothing special.
Ordinary co-workers, sometimes rude and harsh, but normal nonetheless. All seems well until Eleanor sees the love of her life. Johnnie, a musician with sparkling brown eyes and a whiskey aura about him. She plans on creating a relationship with him; one with long walks, cuddles, and warm cups of tea.
All seems well until Eleanor meets Raymond, a junkie with an unshaven beard and a smoker's cough. Raymond shows Eleanor kindness and compassion without expecting anything in return. Eleanor realizes that she's never quite know how that feels, she's spent her whole life being unaware of how good people can be. "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine," is a masterpiece at work, with the challenging lesson of learning that everyone deserves love, and no one should ever feel alone. Loneliness is a dangerous thing and can infect you like a virus, but Eleanor learns to battle that and discover her worth.
With a heart-wrenching twist, you'll never expect, "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine," will leave you completely speechless, so go ahead, and pick it right on up.
(Reviewer Grade: 9)

A story of social classes and hierarchy in a world under collapse.
Teenager Denver Reynolds has always envied the popular kids. But when catastrophe strikes, she must pull herself together and work with the people she despises most. You would think that a tsunami would put people in their places, but the terrifying reality of popularity is that it's infectious and makes people privileged. But when Denver and the popular kids are faced with life or death, it makes sense to try to work together. "Lifeboat Clique," is filled with laughs and riveting backstories. With know-it-all Denver, country-girl Abigal, flexible Sienna, dumb Haley, and egotistical Trevor we learn how people can put their differences aside and see each other for who they truly are and what unique abilities and useful characteristics they possess. Overall, "Lifeboat Clique," is a must-read, with twists and turns you'd never expect, it will leave you holding your breath; all you gotta do is jump right on in.
(Reviewer Grade: 9)

Nobody was more devastated than Hazel Grace’s mother when Hazel was diagnosed with lung cancer. Hazel was forced by her mom to attend a support group for cancer patients because her mom thought it would be beneficial for her mental health. At first Hazel was not excited to be in a support group, that is until she meets Augustus Waters. Augustus is a young man who had lost his leg to cancer, but through all of his hardships uses cancer for the basis of his sarcastic humor. Hazel and Augustus hit it off, and enjoy the bliss of a whirlwind romance. However, their happiness is cut short by a sudden tragedy that leaves one of them in total despair. And as John Green writes in this novel “Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.”
Reviewer Grade:12

A tragic story, reflecting the struggle of a girl who clings to life. This novel brought many tears to my eyes as I read it. The main character Mia and her family had just been in life threatening car crash; when in the hospital Mia wakes up but outside of her body. She is faced with a heartbreaking
decision: to stay and live, or to die and leave. Mia while in this conscious drift apart from her physical body re-lives all the life changing moments of her past and witnesses all of her relatives and friends as they come to the hospital to potentially say goodbye. Mia is then faced with the decision of whether she should stay. Sadness, memories, romance, heartbreak, the novel If I Stay has it all.
Reviewer Grade: 12

A modern take on Jane Austen's "Pride and Predjudice", "Pride" focuses on Brooklyn proud Zuri who writes poetry and hates seeing her neighborhood change. Zuri deals with the introduction of a rich new family to her block and the subsequent gentrification of her neighborhood. With themes of romance, reluctance, and pessimism, "Pride" makes for an interesting exploration of modern romance. Along with that, there is an interesting insight on the idea of what a neighborhood is: people you know, places where you know what to expect, and the true feeling of home. "Pride" is a great read for those who want a romance but also relate to the struggles of high school and family as a teenager.

Seventeen year old Emily lives a life full of curiosity. Curiosity of her biological father and his whereabouts. Curiosity of her father's motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror. Her curiosity overcomes her and she agrees to an extended summer vacation to visit her father and her relatives she has never met before. While with her father she becomes intrigued with her fathers motorcycle club, and the young and gorgeous boy OZ whose apart of it. They lead a forbidden romance filled with adventure and love, but when a rival club comes to town will it destroy their future plans, or is their love strong enough to overcome challenges? I adored this book, its twist and turns kept me glued to the page and urged me to read the sequels. The danger mixed with the romance was a brilliant way to keep readers interested.
Reviewer Grade: 12

A novel about a romance between a photographer and a model takes an interesting and intriguing take on unique love stories. Eve is a photographer with a troubled past, when she meets the gorgeous up and coming model Alex a romance blossoms. With both of their careers on the line, and Eve’s past catching up to her will their love survive to modeling industry? This novel was nothing like other romance novels and kept me wondering what was going to happen with every page turn. I especially loved the change in cliche where instead of the girl being the model, the man was the model.
Reviewer Grade: 12

his novel brought every single emotion to mind while reading. Whether it was joy, love, anger or sadness; this novel made me feel many things. This romantic novel brings you through the road of love and romance as well as heartbreak and tragedy. Louisa Clark is a young woman leading an extremely mundane life, that is until she finds a job as the caretaker for the wheelchair bound Will Traynor. Through the adventure of love and romance, Louisa learns from Will that life is too short to waste and that she deserves more from life. This novel is absolutely riveting but also teaches a lesson on the importance of living your life to the fullest.
Reviewer Grade: 12

A beautiful romance, and a classic boy next door love story. A young girl, Samantha Reed lives in a home in which messiness is avoided at all cost.
Samantha can’t help but look at the alluring chaos across the fence at her neighbors, the Garretts. She becomes swept up in a whirlwind romance with the extremely handsome Jace Garrett. This novel was extremely riveting and cute, it wasn’t predictable like most romance novels and always kept me reading and wanting more.
Reviewer Grade: 12

This book is a compilation of short stories, which are filled with humorous tales and great short stories. I personally really liked this book because of how every story was a perfect duration. I often find it hard to commit to a book for more than a week, with this book, I was constantly entertained by the fun theme of all the stories. If you're looking for a great compilation of bed time stories, or just don't have the time to commit to a long chapter book, this book is perfect for you. If you are looking for one great story to start the adventure, my favorite was The Squid Who Fell in Love With The Sun.

Reviewer Grade: 8

I picked this book up from the library, not really knowing what to expect. I ended up falling in love with the book and I finished it up in a day. If I'm Being Honest, cowritten by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, is a tale about a girl named Cameron who has it all. She's popular, pretty...but most importantly extremely honest to the point where she hurts people. The book begins when Cameron decides she wants to hook up with a boy named Andrew. She and Andrew have been friends for a really long time and for the past year she's realized she wants to step up their relationship a little.
However, when Andrew rejects Cameron because he sees her cruelty up close, Cameron decides she needs to prove to him that she's a good person. Next, Cameron makes a lost of people who she needs to make amends with, one being a boy named Brendan Rosenfeld. Cameron ruined Brendan's social status in sixth grade when she gave him a mean nickname. The more people she makes amends with, however, the more she realizes that she might not be doing it just for Andrew after a while.

Reviewer Grade: 10

I bought the book Our Chemical Hearts a couple years ago, but it remained untouched on my shelf for a long time. This summer, however, when I realized I needed something new to read, I picked it up and wondered why I started it so late. Our Chemical Hearts, by Krystal Sutherland, is a love story with lots of drama and twists and turns. This book will fill you up and break your heart simultaneously. The main character of the book is named Henry Page.
Henry, a highschooler, has been single for pretty much his entire life. He's watched his friends go in and out of relationships, with the trend of every relationship ending in heartbreak. When a mysterious girl with a cane dressed head to toe in boy clothing transfers to Henry's school, he never imagined he'd fall for her. This girl's name is Grace and she has a sketchy past. As he gets to know her more, Henry wonders if they will work out together because she is just so very broken. This book is very beautifully written, deep, authentic, and would be great for fans of books like Eleanor and Park, Holding Up The Universe, or All the Bright Places.

Reviewer Grade: 10

The Unexpected Everything, by author Morgan Matson, is a novel with an underlying that sometimes life doesn't go as planned, but that's okay; sometimes even the unexpected things are the best and most enjoyable things you ever experience. The main character of the Unexpected Everything is a girl named Andie. Her life has been pretty rough for the past years. With a father who is a congressman, she feels like she has to always put on a sort of "facade" and this is something that seems to be constricting for her.
Andie's mother, whom she loved dearly passed away a few years back from ovarian cancer and, even though it's been quite a while since her death, Andie still hasn't come to terms with this loss. Andie has some plans for this summer. She is going to take a premed course, as she hopes to find a career in medecine in the future. However, when her plans change, Andie is flustered and realizes that her vision of this summer has now fallen apart, and she has no choice but to make new plans. This book is fun, cute, and full of adventures as well as drama. I have now read all of Morgan Matson's books and love them! I'd recommend this novel to anyone who is into romcoms, adventures, or anyone who is looking for a fairly easy read. You won't be able to put this book down!

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close follows a nine-year-old boy named Oscar coming to terms with life after his father's death on 9/11. When looking through his dad's things, Oscar breaks a vase and finds a key and a mysterious envelope labeled "Black". He decides to embark on a mission to find every person named Black in New York City in an attempt to find the one Black who knew his father. Along the way, he meets new friends and discovers more about those he already knew. This book is written from the alternating perspectives of Oscar, his grandmother, and his mute grandfather whom Oscar has never met. This adds an interesting layer to the story, as Oscar lost a parent in 9/11 and his grandparents, both children at the time, lost their families in the bombing of Dresden. This shows a theme throughout this book that grief from war and terror is universal. This book's overall commentary on the human experience and grief, both individual and collectively experienced by a nation, shows the skill and thoughtfulness of the author. On a personal level, I did not find the characters particularly enticing and had a hard time following the plot at times, but I would still recommend the book, especially to someone with an interest in 9/11 or the world wars.

If there was one word to describe this book it would definitely be "yuck". It's like when Squiduard took over Spongebob's shift for a day and instead of a krabby patty he fried a boot. It has absolutely no plot. there is paranormal activity that we never figure out and we don't know what happened to Abby. If i could rate this a -10/10 I would.

A young woman dealing with grief pours out her emotions in a long emotional letter to her friend who commit suicide. I didn't quite like this book due to the long bland feel of the story. We hear her stories through her thoughts, where she rambles on about rather uninteresting things, like mice, a cat, etc. This emotional woman tends to ramble on and on about the slightest details which can make some parts feel long and drawn out. Overall, I didn't like the depressive, bland and boring mood of the story. Reviewer Grade: 7

Wild Bird, by Wendelin Van Draanen, is an amazing, unforgettable book that you won't be able to put down. The theme of Wild Bird is that anyone can transform their lifestyles and become better people. This book's main character is a willful, fourteen year old girl named Wren whose biggest fault is being unable to say no. This has lead her to be involved with the wrong crowd and make very bad decisions, including smoking weed, shoplifting, and even being a drug runner for her "friend" Nico. One day, Wren ends up in the hospital, being both wasted and having drugs in her system. Her parents used to believe she was "sick" but this day in the hospital they realize she's been lying to them. Before she knows it, Wren is sent off to an eight week camp in Utah that supposedly helps change the lives of people her age with similar issues and addictions. Wren is extremely angry at her parents and the doctors and everyone who she thinks may be to blame for sending her here. But there in the desert of Utah, Wren learns to survive and she begins to realize over time that maybe it isn't their fault after all, and that maybe, just maybe, she needs to change her life around. In the desert, Wren has to face her feelings and realizes that there is no escaping her mistakes.

This book is amazing. I love the way the author created the character of Wren. She's willful, which at first was a weakness, but she later uses it as a strength. She's courageous and as the book goes on you just fall in love with her. I recommend this to anyone who may be struggling with an addiction, anyone who knows deep down in their heart that their life needs change, and, of course, to any readers who love books with adventure and drama.

Reviewer Grade: 10

Have you ever felt like you were ever in a situation others thought was terrible, but you felt was normal and were happy with? If so, you should consider reading the book "All Rise For The Honorable Perry T. Cook". Perry is a young boy who grew up in jail, but never committed any crime. Once his mother was placed in prison, she gave birth to Perry while held behind bars.

Perry has grown a family at that facility, and loves his mom and all the workers at the jail. However, Nebraska gets a new district attorney who realizes what is happening to Perry. He believes the situation is terrible, and sends him out to a foster family.

Perry must find a way to get back to his mother, while learning about the new home he has been placed in. Can he ever find a way back to where his life lies? This is an amazing book for anybody who's ever felt their life was stolen from them. I highly recommend you read this book if you have any interest in doing so.

- Reviewer Grade 8

I really enjoyed this book. Though cheesy, it was full of cute romantic scenes. If you are into romance, you would LOVE this book. The medical element of the story was very interesting and added some meaning to the story. However, the unrealistic relationship in this story can become irritating further through the book. It follows two main characters (Madeline and Olly) on a journey finding love despite Madeline's deadly illness that prohibits her from being outside. Away from the world for almost her whole life, Madeline has gotten used to being alone with her mother and nurse. But Olly changes everything, and soon she doesn't want to be trapped outside anymore.
This book's twist at the end made me rate it 4 stars rather than 3, because its is executed beautifully and smoothly and will make you gasp out loud in surprise. I highly recommend this book for the romantic type, or if you liked the book "The Sun Is Also A Star". Though this book starts out slow, it later picks up pace and becomes more interesting and attaching. If you are willing, give this book a try. You won't regret it!
- Reviewer Grade 8

All Our Broken Pieces is the story of Lennon, a teenage girl with OCD and a tragic backstory, and Kyler, a teenage boy with a sad past of his own. When Lennon moves in with her dad in the famous neighborhood of Bel Air, Los Angeles after a tragic accident, she expects to feel wildly out of place. But then, she is assigned to work with Kyler for a school project and that sparks the beginning of a raw and beautiful romance. This gritty honest novel is a work of art, read this book if you want a heart wrenching, realistic teen romance.

In the follow up to To All The Boys I've Loved Before, Lara Jean continues to charm and delight us in another unique story of love. Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky are together-- for real this time. Lara Jean is trying to figure out how to make a real relationship work when another boy who she sent a love letter to-- John Ambrose McClaren, suddenly re-enters her life. At the same time, Lara Jean begins volunteering at a nursing home, and makes memorable friends who help her navigate her high school life. Lara Jean is just as charming and relatable as in the first book of the series and I immensely enjoy her voice and personality. Readers should know that this book focuses a lot on Lara Jean's middle school years, and explores her friendship with Genevieve more than in the first book. By the time the novel is over, readers will feel as if they have known Lara Jean all of her life. Lara Jean's family is still as much an important part of the plot as her relationships are, and fans will be delighted to know that Kitty is just as sprunky and unique as in the first novel. The reason why I only rated it 4 stars is that the book takes a confusing turn with Lara Jean's feelings for John Ambrose. I personally did not enjoy their connection because it felt like she was forcing Peter out of her life for someone who she thought was better. I also felt that she was overly nostalgic and pained about why her and Gen's friendship ended in the first place. All in all, I enjoyed this installment to the series, but not as much as the first one.

This book is an interesting and suspenseful novel. It is filled to the brim with moments that will have readers on the edge of their seat. Monster also is written in a unique format, in the form of a movie script written my the protagonist Steve Harmon, who is awaiting trial for a crime he didn’t commit. This story is written with intense figurative language that paints a terrifying image depicting the horrors of prison. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great suspenseful read. Reviewer Grade: 7

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour, written by Morgan Matson, begins with communicating the past of the main character, whose name is Amy Curry. Amy is a girl whose passion is drama. She often played the main role in her school's musicals. This was before something very tragic took place in her life; something she keeps blaming herself for. The past year for Amy has been pretty awful. Her mother decided on a whim to move to Connecticut, forcing Amy to somehow get their car from their home, California, all the way across the country. The biggest problem is that Amy has been terrified to be behind the wheel since the fatal car accident she got in which killed her father.
Also, her twin brother has been a mess since their father's death. He was stoned regularly and went out late to friend's parties. That was before their mother decided, also on a whim, to send him to rehab in North Carolina. Now Amy is forced to be alone in her home in California which is seeming less and less like home as strangers come in with the realtor checking out the house.
Next, Amy's roadtrip gets started, but with an unexpected visitor named Roger, and the tables turn. I think this book is a beautiful display of picking one's life up after tragedy, and rediscovering who you are once dreadful obstacles get in your way. The characters are very round and developed and the book is impossible to put down! I recommend this book to anyone who has recently gone through something traumatic or anyone who is into fresh starts and adventures.

P.S. I Still Love You, by Jenny Han, is the second book to the To all the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy. The central character is a girl named Lara Jean. She is a quirky shy girl who loves to bake, enjoys scrapbooking, and is into fashion. The first book of the series begins with a crazy start.

Lara Jean wrote love letters, five in all, to boys that she used to be in love with when she was younger. One day, her young sister Kitty, who previously got in a fight with Lara Jean, decides to get back at her sister by sending out all of these private letters. This changes Lara Jean's life completely. P.S. I Still Love You is a good continuation to Lara Jean's story but I'm trying not to spoil it so I suppose I'll leave it at that. Overall, I love Jenny Han's writing technique. She adds suspense and plot twists to keep the books going and keep things interesting. This trilogy is a must read for fans of chick flicks or romantic comedies; you can't put it down.

Aysel is a girl who is held back by her dark past and whose life is influenced greatly by her violent father and his sins. Instead of working, Aysel explores a disturbing website called "Smooth Passages". This website includes different people who wish to commit "partner suicide". Aysel is a very depressed girl and is intrigued by Smooth Passages. She soon discovers a boy who lives close by and contacts him but the closer and closer it gets to their suicide date, the more Aysel wonders if maybe living wouldn't be so bad after all. I thought that this book was fairly well written but the only problem I had with it was that it was predictable. All in all, i enjoyed the book but it wasn't my all time favorite.
Reviewer Grade 10