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Rowan Spain

June 11th, 2024

A Crown of Ivy and Glass

By Claire Legrand

5/5

A Crown of Ivy and Glass is about Gemma, a girl born in a rich noble family. But she constantly gets very ill and has something called "The Terror" sweep over her time to time. She is an outcast in her family as her sister was taken in her place to guard the Middlemist, a place where her world meets the demon world. Her family also has a feud with another noble family, The Bask's. And when a stranger named Talan D'Astier offers to help in exchange for him to redeem his family name, she has no choice but to begin her adventure.

This book was good, but some parts dragged on, or were not explained as well as they could have, even though they were central points to the plot. However, the world building is spectacular, and the world feels so immense and magical, even though the book takes place in only a few different places. Overall, I would recommend this book if you read and enjoy fantasy novels.

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The First To Die At The End by Adam Silvera

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The First To Die At The End by Adam Silvera

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June Haldors

June 10th, 2024

The First To Die At The End by Adam Silvera

5/5

The First to Die at the End, written by Adam Silvera is a gay romance centered around 1 boy who has a heart condition and is constantly afraid of dying and another boy who arrived in New York and is then called by a company called death cast telling him he's going to die today. It is a beautiful story about love and the fear of death. It follows Orion and Valentino as Valentino grapples with the idea that he's going to die by the end of the story. As the day goes by Valentino realizes that if he's going to die he wants Orion to live and promises to give him his heart. They travel through New York so Valentino can experience the place he wanted to live the rest of his life out in as Orion grapples with his trauma from 9/11 and Valentino reflects on his experiences with his homophobic parents.

This book is truly a masterpiece and a worthy prequel to the equally good book "They Both Die At The End". The story covers trauma, grief, and love in a beautiful and original way. I highly recommend reading this as it made me realize I should be living life more fully. I plan on reading "Rabbits" by Terry Miles next.

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Finn Snider

June 7

The Thief of Always by

Clive Barker

5/5

The Thief of Always, is a book about a kid whose name is Harvey Swick. Harvey Swick, at the start of the book, is feeling bored with his life, when all of a sudden, a man appears and takes him to a wall, in the middle of nowhere. Harvey watches, as the man walks through the wall, magically disappearing to the other side. Harvey follows and sees a massive house, a yard as big as a football field, and a river, along the back of the house. He is in paradise. As you read, you start to learn about the sinister background behind this place, and how every day, cycles through all the seasons, when in the outside world, a full year passes, every single day. You learn about the man, who is stealing these kids time on the earth, to be able to stay alive himself.

This book was incredible. The fact that it goes from a happy, incredible place, to being something that is incredibly evil and sinister, is incredible. Barker uses impeccable imagery, to paint a picture on how incredibly appealing this other world is, from receiving all the gifts one could want, to the smell of perfect food being cooked, he shows you what happens, not tells you what happens.

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Lukas Seely

1/17/24

Kingdom Keepers

Ridley Pearson

Kingdom Keepers, written by Riley Pearson, takes place in the magical Disney theme park. It follows a middle schooler named Finn. Finn, as well as some of his other friends have had Lucid Dreams(Dreams where you can move, think, and fully control everything) about waking up in a strange theme park. Finn is the first to meet a strange man named Wayne. He was leaning on a metallic sculpture of Mickey Mouse, and dressed in a workers uniform.

Wayne and Finn talk about what a crazy dream this is, but to Finn it feels, real, but Wayne hands him a button to return to his cozy bed. But, before Finn leaves Wayne tells him to look at the moon's shape when he wakes up, then he proceeds to whisper into Finn's ear the shape the moon will be in. Finn presses the button and wakes up. He looked outside of his window and Wayne told him the exact shape. He didn't want to think anything of it but all his friends began talking about the same dream with that same man.

Eventually, Finn, as well as his friends all find each other in the park. As always Wayne stood at the metallic statue. Wayne tells him about the Disney villains that are trying to take over the park. The leader being the evil Maleficent, Finn and his friends need to find their way around the park and take out all the villains that threaten the park.

I really enjoyed Kingdom Keepers, Finn really acted like how I did when I was a pre-teen. Which was just acting sarcastic and cocky. But it was also bland at some points, like when they would always wake at the same place. But other than those bland spots in the middle, the book was pretty good. I would rate it a solid 4/5 stars. Overall, I would recommend Kingdom Keepers.

I plan on reading through the hunger games series for the first time

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Jack Coffey

June 9th, 2024

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

5/5

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei is a graphic novel about the author's experience as a Japanese citizen of the United States during World War II. This book follows the author's memory as a young boy who, like many others, was forcibly taken from his home after pearl harbor. He talks about how after the pearl harbor attacks by the Japanese military, the people around him started showing hatred and resentment towards him and other Japanese people living in the country. Eventually, he is taken to an internment camp until the conflict between the United States and Japan settles down. The rest of the story is about his life after internment, starting from skid row all the way to voice acting for Star Trek.

This book is extremely eye opening, as it really shows what was going on in the country we call home. The illustration is also great. I really liked how it was also about the author, because it feels very real and personal, because it is. I also really like how it shows the progression in his life and how he made it all the way from skid row to famous for his voice acting and activism. Overall this is an amazing read that I would recommend to anyone. 5/5

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Web Berrier

6/8/24

No County For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

5/5

“If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?”

No Country For Old Men is a story about a man whose life is changed forever after stumbling into something he wasn't supposed to come across. he is then on the run trying to keep himself alive and away from the powers which want him and what he has found.

I tried to keep my summary as vague as possible so as not to spoil parts of the book, I would love it if everyone could experience this book with a fresh clean slate.

No Country For Old Men is one of the most interesting thematic reads I've had in a long time. The atmosphere it gives and the vibes it brings are soaked in rich deep, bloody, biblical meaning. Above all else, this book goes after my weak spot, American West fiction. Many people applaud this novel for having an amazing plot and an incredible thematic story. I enjoy it more for the plot (maybe because I don't fully understand the thematic elements.) Nevertheless, I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone interested in it, but with fair warning, it is very very messed up and the film which is also phenomenal is very graphic I would caution people to take discretion when looking into these pieces of NCFOM media.

I give this book a 5/5 for all the reasons listed above and for the reason that it not too long and so very well written.

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Wyatt Pyle

June 7th, 2024

Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The last Olympian by Rick Riordan

5/5

Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The last Olympian by Rick Riordan is the last book in the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series in which the reader follows Percy Jackson as he grows up as a half blood. Tension has been building up to this through all the books and it seems the war is about to start. As the war goes on Percy loses friends and loved ones and has to make difficult decisions to win this hard battle. Percy ultimately will have to face his rival and friend Luke to try and win this battle for Olympus.

I recommend this book only if you have read the previous ones in the series. The whole series is great and I highly recommend it. It brings Greek mythology and Fantasy together to make an overall great story to read and it is one of my favorite books of all time.

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Every Day by David Levithan

6/6/24

5/5

This book follows an entity who, every morning, wakes up in the body of a new person, always around their age. They have to maneuver the world through the body of that person. One day, they wake up in the body of Justin, a high-schooler, and end up falling in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. Knowing that the next day when A wakes up as someone new, they're probably never going to meet Rhiannon again naturally, they begin planning.

This book picks up relatively quickly, and the characters all feel incredibly real. The way the book is written makes you feel like you're really there with everyone. Aside from the whole "waking up every day as a new person" thing, everything in this book feels real. I highly recommend this book.

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Ellie Whitaker

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

5/5

This book is about a woman named Monique Grant, who's writing a biography about Evelyn Hugo. Evelyn Hugo is a fictional actress who's known for having had seven husbands. Monique is trying to find out all the details of Evelyn's life, while also figuring out how she's connected to Evelyn and why Evelyn chose her to write the book.

This is one of my favorite books because it has so much drama and plot twists. The book is fiction, but it feels like everything could have really happened. It was so good that I finished it in only one day over spring break.

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Julian Spinisteanu-Black

June 5, 2024

Everything We never Had by Randy Ribay

Rating 3/5

"Everything We Never Had" by Randy Ribay is a poignant and reflective novel that delves into themes of family, identity, and loss. The story follows the lives of characters who are navigating complex relationships and personal struggles. Ribay's narrative explores the intricacies of familial bonds, the impact of past decisions, and the journey towards self-discovery. Through evocative prose and compelling character development, the book captures the emotional depth of human experiences and the resilience required to overcome life's challenges.

I rate this book a 3/5 because it was not really for me. The story wasn't bad, but the characters were a little bit questionable.

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Mellori Wilner-Nugent

Jun 5,2024

The Tommyknockers By Stephen King

Rating 5/5

This book is a 1987 science fiction novel by Stephen King. The Story follows Jim Gardner and Roberta (Bobbi ) Anderson through a mysterious and horrifying experience. The story keeps the reader hooked and wanting more, with its apprehensive undertone. Stephen skifully uses his descriptive abilities to capture, and entertain the audience. I rate this book a 5/5 and I would recommend giving it a read as long as you can handle some blood and injury.

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Annalise Buckley

June 5th

5/5

This book is about two Pakistani American seniors in high school named Salahudin and Noor. The book starts off explaining that they got into a fight over the summer and are struggling to forget their 11 year friendship. Certain events reunites them and then they start a journey of grief, and forgiveness and growth. I would say more but I really don't want to spoil it.

I HIGHLY recommend this book. The characters and relationships are very realistic and the amazing writing makes you feel connected to the characters. The book touches on a lot of hard topic with such grace and respect. I finished this book a few weeks ago and it's still on my mind. Super super good please go read it.

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Aria Hein

June 3

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

4/5

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is about puzzles, mysteries, and loss.

The main character, Avery, is just a regular high school student until one day she inherits a multi-billion dollar fortune from Tobias Hawthorne whom she has no connection to. She then moves into Hawthorne house and has to solve puzzles and mysteries with the Hawthorne grandsons, as well as trying to figure out why she got Tobias Hawthorne's fortune and why he disinherited his family.

This book was really good and had many great plot twists. There was always something interesting happening, and I never got bored while reading it. Sometimes if I didn't read it for a while I got confused about what was happening, but the author does a good job of keeping the reader on track.

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5/5

Skye Schwartz

The Locked Door is about a girl whose dad, Erin Nearling, is a convicted serial killer and sends her letters every week. Her mom killed herself after being put in prison with her husband. The main character, Nora Nearling, was raised by her grandmother who forced her to change her last name to Davis. Nora Davis is a surgeon and when she finds out a patient of hers has been killed, the same way her father killed his victims, she is suspected for the murder. She has to figure out who is framing her for this, before any more people are murdered. She has to put down the guard she has put up for so long, figure herself out, along with other people.

I highly recommend this book. I loved the plot and the way the author wrote it. It was so intriguing and got me hooked immediately. it was really fun to read, I could not put the book down for the three days I read it. It is by far one of my most loved books I have ever read.

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe 

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe 

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Dominic Rodela

May 31, 2024

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

5/5

"Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" is a coming of age story that follows a teenage boy named Aristotle as he navigates life with his best friend Dante. Ari and Dante meet at a public pool while they're about 16 years old, they start to get closer as the summer goes on and end up being each other's best friends. Ari and Dantes relationship gets strained when Ari gets hit by a car after diving into the street to save Dante, but the eventually start to fix their friendship.

After the summer is over Dante and his family move to Chicago for his dads work, leaving Ari unsure if they would stay friends. As Ari enters the school year he is now 17, and he struggles making friends, not because he's bad at it but he just doesn't want to. Ari ends up being close friends with two girls a at his school named Gina and Suzy, and even finds a love interest at one point.

During the next summer Dante moves back to El Paso and him and Ari pick up right where they left off being best friends, but one thing changed, Dante came out as gay to Ari while he was gone which left Ari feeling conflicted with himself. As Dante starts to find boyfriends Ari expresses that he hasn't liked any of them, once again straining their relationship. Aris parents help him realize why he doesn't like them by pointing out to him that he's in love with Dante, and the Dante is in love with him too. The story ends with Dante and Ari being together and living happily.

I give this book a 5/5 because it did a really good job at keeping your attention and it was very relatable. It does a great job at building up whats about to happen and it felt like I was reading it straight from in Ari's mind.

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Jack Shaw

January 17, 2024

Tom Clancy Enemy Contact by Mike Maden

Rating - 4/5

Tom Clancy Enemy Contact is about Jack Ryan Jr. and his pursuit to stop an international criminal conspiracy the plot is filled with suspense, and action, making it engaging from start to finish

In the book, Jack Ryan Jr. faces a security breach and finds himself in two desperate fights, one in Poland and another in the United States. As he navigates through dangerous situations, he must rely on his skills and resourcefulness to uncover the criminal behind it all.

The book was fun to read and did not have any parts that made me want to stop reading it. There were some parts of the story that moved a bit too fast but other than that is was super good and for that i would rate it 4 stars.

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The strange case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde

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The strange case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde

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The strange case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde

James Saxton

5/5

The strange case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde follows the story of Mr. Utterson, a lawyer, after a strange story from a friend makes him try to figure out the connection between his friend, the renowned chemist Henry Jekyl and Edward Hyde, a madman. Once Mr. Utterson starts asking Dr. Jekyl about Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyl hides inside his house and doesn’t come out as often as he used to. After Edward Hyde brutally murders one of Dr. Jekyl's clients, Dr. Jekyl starts acting like himself again and comes out of his isolation. Two months later Dr. Jekyl starts acting strange again and enters his seclusion again and starts hiding from his servants and maids which attracts their attention. When Mr. Utterson and Dr. Jekyl’s servant, Poole ask to see Dr. Jekyl during his seclusion, they are declined by a defeated sounding Dr. Jekyl. When they ask again, they are met with Mr. Hyde’s voice instead.

I give this book a 5/5 because it builds up a sense of mystery throughout the book up until the end. In the beginning of the book there isn’t much information on Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, and since the book only follows the perspective of Mr. Utterson, it makes the connection between Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde more mysterious and confusing.

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Nora Taylor

Jan 9, 2024

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Rating: 4/5

"The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" is about two very different journalists who end up working together. After Mikael Blomkvist is convicted of libel against Wennerstrom he decides to take a break from his current job at Millenium Magazine, which he is part owner of. Soon after he gets hired by Henrik Vanger to help solve the mystery of his missing neice who dissapeared over 40 years ago. The other character is Lisbeth Salander, she is often considered strange to others but she is a remarkable journalist. Blomkvist and Salander end up working together to solve this mystery that most people gave up on long ago.

This book is really interesting. There were plot twists and parts of the book I didn't expect. I really enjoyed reading it because of how it was written and how entertaining the different characters are. The writing style sets the tone for the book and introduces the theme. There are so many characters in this book that are uniquely written and have many different personalities. It is super fun to see the characters interact with each other.

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Mellori Wilner-Nugent

Jan 11,2024

Murtagh By Christopher Paolini

Rating 4/5

This book is part of a universe that was created by Christopher Paolini in the series "inheritance". The Story follows Murtagh and his dragon , Thorn through their adventures in a Fantasy kingdom called Alagaësia. This book takes place a year after the events of the first 4 books but, as stated by the author, it is independent and not the official 5th book in the Inheritance cycle. It is a wonderful book full of good representations of damaged mental health and growth. I rate this book 4/5 but recommend reading the Inheritance cycle before this book so it makes sense.

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The ballad of song birds and snakes by Suzanna Collins

4.9/5

The story takes place after the war between the districts and the capitol in the perspective of a young Coriolanus Snow. The Snows are seen as a wealthy family but this is far from the truth the war left the Snow poor. Coriolanus lives with his grandma and cousin Tigris. Coriolanus is in his last year at the academy and he has been selected to be a mentor in the 10th hunger games where he is assigned the district 12 girl Lucy Gray  Barid. The story follows their relationship and how they grow. This book was a great read that was hard to put down Because the antagonist in the previous books was now our main character. We got to see his perspective and learn a lot more about him. I'm happy that it didn't turn around and make him seem like a misunderstood hero,  still keeping  him as the villain. Android this book and I would recommend it I rate it 4.9/5

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Aria Hein

January 9, 2024

The Lake by Natahsa Preston

Rating: 3/5

"The Lake" is about two best friends, Esme, and Kayla and what happens when they return to Camp Pine Lake as counselors in training after ten years. They didn't want to go back, because the last time they were there something really bad happened. But when they get their camp pamphlets, threatening them to go back, it doesn't seem like they have much of a choice. They have a lot of fun, becoming friends with the other counselors in training, and taking care of the younger kids. But after a series of extreme threats, someone taking photos of them when they sneak out late at night, a axe with a note on a cabin door, and a dead deer in the food hall, Esme decides enough is enough and tries to find their stalker. Which of course, does not end well.

The book started out really good, it had lots of nice hooks, and steady amounts of action, and good character development. But then the ending was really awful. I read another one of Natasha Preston's books and that book had a really bad ending as well, which is why I only gave this book three stars.

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Web Berrier

1/9/24

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a novel about true friendships, hardships, loss and being in love. The story begins when two estranged friends with troubled pasts meet again in college. Sam and Sadie, both avid gamers decide to get together to make a game. Ichigo.

This book is moving, it made me really think about all my relationships and how and what they have done to my life. That being said I hate this book.

Much like a well paced movie (The Ritual, Mandy as well as The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly) a book must be well paced, this book is not. The good stuff is plopped throughout the novel without much consideration. I know a book is a much different medium than a movie, a movie can be action packed and wild to the very end much like a book as well as being a slow burn. BUT this book doesnt do either of them well. It tries to take it slow and take time but it also has moments in the books that are fast and exciting but there is no good gauge on the in between moments.

I give this book a 3.5 out of 10 because it just disappointed me

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Jackson Quinn

January 9th 2024

By J.K. Rowling.

4/5

In the story it follows Harry in his final year of school however strange things begin to happen in Hogwarts and Dumbledores hand is starting to look pale and is shriviling due to a ring he is wearing on his finger which really concerns Harry.

Then when Snape takes over the dark arts class a new potions teacher arives who happens to know a secret from the dark lords own past which could be the key to defeating him once and for all.

I really liked the book and how things start to get dark dark and darker as it progresses so I give it 4 out of 5.

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Lukas Seely

January 9, 2024

Kingdom keepers by Ridley Pearson

Rating: 7/10

Finn has constantly had dreams of himself in Disney world, but one night his dream feels, more real. He looks around, although it is dark, he figures out that it is Disney world. He hears a man speak behind him, Wayne was his name and he was leaning on a statue. Finn believes this is a dream, but once Wayne hands him a button to leave this "dream," he asks Finn to ask his friends if they have had similar dreams.

The next day he asks his friends about it and they all have had the same dream. That night when Finn falls asleep he wakes up in the same place as before, but he sees all of his friends and Wayne. Wayne explains that he needs people from the real world to save Disney from the villains that have overtaken the park. They go on missions and take out the Disney villains one by one.

I rated it a 7/10 because it was the same thing over and over, But the characters were pretty good and I liked the beginning of the story.

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Rhea Irvin

January 9 2024

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Rating: 4/5

The main character is a man named Shadow. he is an ex-convict who, after getting released, learned his wife died in a crash, and flew home. in the airport, shadow meets a strange man who calls himself "Mr. Wednesday". Wednesday offers Shadow a business proposal that Shadow turns down, just wanting to get home.

upon reaching his wife's funeral, he learns how she got into the accident and takes up Mr. Wednesday's offer, having nothing left to lose.

I would recommend this book to anyone who like Gaiman's other works, and would recommend Gaiman in general. fair warning, this book has some explicit/lewd descriptions, so be warned. otherwise, 4/5

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Alex Banman

January 9 2024

推しの子(Oshi No Ko) by 赤坂アカ(Aka Akasaka), illustrated by 横槍メンゴ(Mengo Yokoyari)

Rating 4/5

Gorou is a Doctor in a remote village, but he is secretly a fan of the Idol, Ai. One day though, he finds out that Ai has gone on a long break Ai turns out to be pregnant with twins. Gorou is tasked with delivering the babies, but after being killed, he gets reincarnated as one of Ai's Children, and is named Aqua.

This story is about Aqua and Ruby, Aqua's twin sister, and how they live a life in the industry as prodigies, while also being the secret children of Ai. They encounter many problems like death, suicide, stalkers, depression, and love.

This has an amazing story, and I would love to rate this a 5/5, but I can't read most of the Kanji so It's a little hard to understand. So unless you can read Japanese very well, I cannot recommend this book series to you.

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Cantor Soule-Reeves

The Firm by John Grisham

4/5

Jan 9 2024

"The Firm" by John Grisham is a gripping mystery that follows a young and ambitious law school graduate who declines offers from wallstreet, to work at a tiny, unsuspecting (but extremely well paying) law firm in Memphis. what evil secrets will Mitch uncover about the firm, and how will he stop them?

I give this book 4/5 stars, because it is very interesting and keeps you on the edge of your seat, but it's a little bit slow to get into at first. If mystery is your genre, "The Firm" is the book for you.

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Jude Sheridan

January/9/2023

What Jazz Is by Jonny King

Rating:5/5

This book is about how to listen and experience jazz music, It explores the language and some basic music theory of jazz music. It follows stories from author Jonny King from the perspective of a professional jazz pianist. It talks about the history of jazz and how it has evolved and modern jazz relates to older music.

I rate this book a 5/5. I really enjoyed reading it and I learned a lot, it really helps you understand what is going on. Although it may be a little hard to understand at times if you haven't spent some time listening or playing jazz.

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Rowan Spain

January 9th, 2024

Throne Of Glass By: Sarah J. Maas

Rating 3/5

"Throne Of Glass" is about the Assassin Celaena Sardothien, who was imprisoned in the Salt Mines of Endovior, when she is chosen to become the Prince's champion for the King's challenge. During the challenge she must fight many opponents and also discover dark secrets about the King and his evil intentions.

This book can be a bit boring as it is the first in an 8 book series and this is the book that sets up the rest of the series, but overall it is good. If you are a fan of action and intrigue, this is the book for you. (I would rate this entire series a 5/5)

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Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

11/27/23

3/5

Stevie Bell get accepted into this fancy school "Ellingham Academy" where the famous Ellingham murders went down in 1936. Stevie has her mind set on solving the murders and finding the true identity of the killer, Truly Devious. While she's in school, she becomes friends with Nate, Janelle, and Ellie, and at least acquaintances with many others in the school.

Truly Devious (the book itself, not the killer in the book) is the first of a 4 book series, and this first one ends on a massive cliffhanger, so if you don't want to commit to reading the whole series, I wouldn't recommend picking up the first one. The pacing in this book is slow, too. Up until about two thirds through the book, almost nothing happens. I rate it a 3/5.

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Wyatt Pyle

9/18/23

Dear Evan Hansen by Jason Reynolds

Rating: 5/5

Evan Hansen is the main character. He is a 17 year old senior who recently broke his arm. He has anxiety and depression and has to write letters to himself issued by his therapist. His dad's new children do not help with his depression. After a suicide at his school which he is thought to be related to, he needs to deal with all of this stress on his shoulders.

This book is really sad and dark. You never know what is going to happen next. Every character is amazingly written and has their own story being told. There is more than one POV in the book which adds more to its interesting-ness. The book shows the struggles and stress of being him. It portrays how different people deal with being in this situation around a suicide. The family, the friends, and the outside world all play a big impact on the characters and how they grow and change throughout the book. The book was so good they made a play on it not too long ago. I would rate this book by writing a 5/5. It is really sad though so keep an open mind.

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Lauryn Lockman

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

5/5

Jan 9 2024

The Hate U Give is about a teenage girl named Starr that sees her innocent best friend get shot by a cop. She struggles with not belonging at her school, grieving her best friend, and having to testify against the cop.

I would recommend this book because the writing style is really impactful while still being easy to read. The characters are very complex and realistic. It shows how people of color are stereotyped to justify police brutality and how the stereotypes are dangerous.

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June Haldors

January 9 2024

The Kids Are Gonna Ask by Gretchen Anthony

Rating: 4/5

When Savannah and Thomas McClair's mom passes they move in with their grandmother Maggie. But they have always missed 1 thing and that is a dad. Their mom never told them who their bio dad really was so when they approach adulthood they start to wonder who really is their dad. So 1 day on their podcast that they filmed while eating dinner with a guest Maggie brings home Thomas asks Maggie about their father. When that episode of the podcast ends up going viral a strange media company approaches them with an opportunity of a podcast centered around them finding their dad. Can they find their father while navigating through controversy and setups?

This book was pretty good but I do think the characters could be obnoxious at times and just cause repeated conflict. But the plot and pacing were both very solid so I'd give it 4 stars

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Jack Coffey

January 5th, 2024

The Stars did Wander Darkling by Colin Maloy

Rating: 4/5

This book follows the protagonist, a 13 year old named Archie, and his friends as they go through life in their fictional small town of Seaham on the Oregon coast.

But after Archie's dad who works for a development company discovers a network of caves inside a cliff, strange things start happening to the people in the town. Archie and his friends must find out what is going on and how to stop it before it is too late.

This book was good, although it is probably intended for a preteen audience. The plot is interesting and makes sense with good pacing with some exceptions. The beginning of the book felt a bit slow and it felt like it wasn't really leading to anything. Luckily the author picks up the pace later in the book. Overall, I think that it's something worth reading if you don't really want to think about what you're reading or be challenged all that much. Colin Maloy is a great writer who is also from Portland and he has a good way of wording things.

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Ellie Whitaker

December 24, 2023

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Rating: 5/5

In this book, a high school girl, Pip, attempts to solve a murder. The case was closed years ago, but she believes someone was wrongly accused. As she is solving the case, she begins to receive threats that she'll be the next one murdered.

Sal Singh, who is thought to have murdered Andie Bell, has been villainized even though he hasn't been convicted. He is assumed to have committed the murder because he committed shortly after. This book also goes into racial stereotypes, because everyone thinks that he is more likely to have done something violent because he is Indian.

The plot of this book is really well thought out and paced nicely. It had a lot of suspense, and I didn't want to put it down. It's my favorite book now, and it has two sequels.

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Julian Black

Jan 9, 2024

After The Shot Drops by Randy Ribay

Rating 4/5

"After the Shot Drops" is about Bunny and Nasir, friends separated by circumstances. Bunny's basketball talent leads him to a prestigious school while Nasir faces money troubles. Bunny joins an elite team to help, straining their friendship. The book explores friendship, loyalty, and sacrifices, showing how choices impact relationships. It teaches about empathy, understanding, and forgiveness as they navigate challenges and rebuild connections.

I rate this book a 4/5 because he has a really good story with interesting characters. If you like basketball I recommend reading this book.

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Ben Cadiz

January 9 2024

Raw dog by Jamie Loftus

2/5

This book is a travel guide around the country with the author Jamie as she searches for the best hot dogs there are. she goes all around the country sampling little bits of each town's local favorite and discovers many interesting combos along the way. it has a lot of witty and funny commentary on the people, hot dogs, businesses, and just life.

The author did a bunch of research on each of the places she visits knowing the backstory to every little stand and even that one famous cashier. I didn't end up finishing the book because it started to drag in the middle when nothing was changing it just got boring of hearing the same things about the hot dogs. I wouldn't recommend this book to anybody that gets sick when thinking of slaughter houses and guts and that type of stuff because it is described pretty vividly multiple times. but if you can get through those parts it is actually very interesting to hear the history and evolution of the businesses. I would recommend this book to anybody that has the patience to read it and interest in hearing weird stories about the past.

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Web Berrier

January 9th. 2024

Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey

9.9/10

The Monkey Wrench Gang is a book about environmental terrorism. The book follows a group of 4 ragtag characters that decide to band together to fight the destruction of the American Southwest.

I am a big fan of these types of books, Two of my favorite books are about the outdoors (Into Thin Air and The Revenant) so I´m a little biased towards this style of writing and genre of book.

I rate this book a 9.9/10. I really was truly intrigued and kept me interested throughout the entire novel. The writing is amazing as well as the character growth and development.

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Skye Schwartz

January 9, 2024

The Collector by K.R. Alexander

Rating - 3/5

The main character, Josie, is a teen girl who moved into her grandmother, Jeannie's, house with her younger sister, Anna, her mother, and father. Josie struggles with this because she enjoys the weekend trips but doesn't want to leave her old Chicago life behind.

Her grandmother gives her and her sister three rules, one is to not leave their windows open after dark, another is there are no dolls allowed in the house, and the last is to never go by the house in the woods. This is because there is a woman named Beryl who wants to end Josie's

family.

When Josie starts school she meets a girl named Vanessa. At first she seems like a good friend, but Josie begins to second guess things when Vanessa's house is the house in the woods. Josie finds out that Vanessa is a brought-to-life doll using magic from a necklace. Not only is she a live doll but she is Beryl's. Beryl led them right into a trap. However after a lot of struggle Beryl is defeated by Josie leaving her family in peace, that is until she finds a Beryl like doll on her night stand a few days later.

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Annalise Buckley

December 20th 2023

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Rating: 4/5

Bree is the main character and she is at the University of North Carolina. After seeing a boy do magic, and realizing she also has magic, she tries to learn more about the magic community at the school. She learns about a secret society and decides to join so she can learn more about herself and her powers.

The book talks about the systemic racism in the society as well as her feeling of isolation at a predominantly white school. The author also talks about Bree's grief and the generational trauma she carries.

I rated this book a 4/5 because the world building was a bit confusing at times but the plot was solid and the characters were great.

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January 5th, 2023

Holly by Stephen King

4.5/5

The book Holly, is about a detective, named Holly Gibney, as she investigates the disappearance of a girl, named Bonnie Dahl. This matter was brought to her attention by the mother of Bonnie, Penny Dahl. This book is also incredibly interesting, in the way that it gives you insight and tells you how in the past, there have been very similar disappearances to the disappearance of Bonnie. It also puts into the perspective of the people who have disappeared, and even the situation that the suspected kidnappers are in. That is simply a very brief summary of this book, however there is so much more to the story, and the depth in this book is incredible. Easily one of the best books that I've ever read.

This book honestly blew my mind. I was a believer that books couldn't be scary or creepy, however this changed that. This book gave me the creeps on multiple occasions. I highly recommend it if you want a page turner, and you want to be creeped out. Time flies whenever you read it. Very incredible book, and I highly recommend

-Finn Snider

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Student Model
June 9, 2023
The Poet X by Elizebeth Acevedo
Rating: 4/5

Xiomara is the main character. She is a 15 year old girl who expresses her thoughts and feelings through poetry. In these poems she talks about the things she feels she cannot say aloud. She struggles with the expectation of staying true to her faith and begins to question if she even believes there is a god.

Growing up and living in Harlem, she is surrounded by drug dealers and teenagers becoming pregnant far before they are ready to be parents. Her best friend Caridad and her have to navigate high school together as they are finding out who they are and what they want to be.

I liked this book a lot. The author uses such beautiful poems to describe Xiomara's life and portrays herself as an author through Xiomara.

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Student Model
May 23. 2023
That Weekend by Kara Thomas
3/5
The weekend of prom, Claire, her friend, and her friend's boyfriend sneak away to a lake house to get away from the prom. They were supposed to go up the mountain to camp, but 48 hours later Claire wakes up with blood on her hands and no recollection of what happened before. Kat and Jesse are gone, and no one can seem to find them. As time goes on, Kat and Jesse are still nowhere to be found and Claire still has no memory of being struck on the head by some mysterious person. She decides to take matters into her own hands and try to figure out where they are or if they are even still alive.

This book has an interesting plot.I liked being able to read the whole investigation and the thought processes of different characters, especially Claire after she was injured. I found that the pacing was pretty boring because not a lot was happening in long spans of time. I would rate this book a 3/5 because it was interesting, but not great. I would not recommend this book to someone else because I think there are better books like this that you could read.

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Student Model
January 20 2023
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Rating 5/5

This book follows three different stories during three different time lines. Three of the main characters are Isabel, in the beginning of the book she starts off in Cuba during 1994. During this time her country is rioting and their family is unable to rest due to police trying to find her father. Their plan is to set sail across the Caribbean sea with a homemade raft. The second Character is Josef and his story takes place in Germany during the 1930's. During this time the Nazis took over and his family was threatened to be put into a concentration camp. His families plan is to set sail on a ship hoping to start a new life. The third character took place in Syria in 2015. His homeland is torn apart by the war. His family's plan is to walk a long way towards Europe. During these times these specific families experience catastrophes while trying to get to safety and start a new life in a new area.

I rate this book a 5 out 5 of because of the way the story ends and how the book transitions from one story to the other. This book was amazing and I would definetly read it again.