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Dylan Elliott

June 10 2024

Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa

rating 5/5

This book follows Shinmen Takezō starting after the Battle of Sekigahara. It follows his life after the monk Takuan forces him to reinvent himself as Miyamoto Musashi. He wanders around Japan training, getting involved in feuds with samurai and martial arts schools, and finding his way through his life.

Its a book! Crazy right.

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Soren Huffner

June 10, 2024

The 57 Bus

by Dashka Slater

Rating 5/5

This book tells the real story of two teenagers. Sasha Fleischman is an agender teen who struggles with identity and chooses to wear a skirt. Richard Thomas is black and has a difficult upbringing and was raised in a rougher neighborhood. These two worlds collide when on a bus Richard gets dared to light Sasha's skirt on fire. Sasha is left with burn scars and Richard gets thrown into the justice system eventually getting tried for a hate crime.

I would recommend this book to almost anyone. The way it tells the story of both characters humanizes them and there is no good or bad guy. The 57 Bus also gives us a deep dive into important topics such as race, gender, and reconciliation. Each character could have their own story and how their lives intertwine is tragic and the book doesn't hold back a single punch. Truly a perfect 5/5.

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Marta Schlott

07/06/2024

by: Sara Zarr

Rating: 4/5

The book received this rating because it was really good but not amazing. It takes a while to get to the point and a lot of it is just boring text instead of a story, I had a hard time staying focused on the book because of this.

This book follows a girl named Jennifer. Jennifer's earlier years have been hard. Her dad left when she was a baby, so she only had her mom, who worked hard at her job while putting herself through nursing school. During this time, Jennifer was alone at home, watching TV endlessly and eating junk food. This makes her gain weight which makes her the target for the other kids to make fun of. She would be completely miserable if it wasn't for her only friend, Cameron. These two are always together, standing up for each other when the other kids are being mean.

Cameron's home life is abusive since he shows up with bruises regularly and her mother tells her never to go to his house. One day Cameron doesn't come to school and she becomes worried. The other kids tell her he's dead and she believes them. For the next 8 years, she thinks he's dead.

During that time, Jennifer's mother remarries and they move. She loses weight, makes good friends, and has a boyfriend.

Then Cameron shows up again. It turns out his mom left her abusive boyfriend and the family moved to California. During that time, Cameron never forgot about Jennifer, keeping tabs on her online.

Jennifer has to figure out how to fit Cameron into her new life, and if she wants to stay with her comfortable boyfriend or go to Cameron, who knows about her past and all her secrets.

In the end, this book feels very realistic and almost satisfying because of that. I enjoyed this book even if it took me awhile to finish it. I would recommend this to others if I was asked for recommendations.

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Lexi Gonzales

June 8, 2024

It ends with us by Colleen Hoover

Rating 5/5

This book follows the main character Lily and her journey of self discovery.

Lily grew up rich with a loving family. What most didn't know was the abuse that happened behind the scenes. Although, her father was successful he was a very angry man and caused a strain in the household. Lily witnessing his physical torment on her mother caused her to resent him. She became very unhappy and began to become distance towards her friends and family.

One day she meets a boy named Atlas who just joined her school. Although he has a strange demeanor she becomes drawn to him. One night she notices a light on in the empty house next door and she recognizes the mysterious transfer student. The problem is it's just him, no mom or dad just a lonely boy. She empathizes with him and begins to form an unlikely bond in hopes to keep him safe. Which soon springs into romance as they become closer. Eventually he finds a way to get out of his situation but it means moving away. Before Atlas leaves he spends one last night with Lily and wishes her goodbyes. Tragedy hits when Lily's dad catches them and beats Atlas nearly to death. Luckily Atlas escapes but Lily has no way to contact him, only knowing that he has moved to Boston.

Fast forward to her father's funeral years later, she decides to not give a speech as she did not respect him. Leaving for Boston the day after his memorial. Soon she meets a mysterious surgeon and she becomes entangled with his life. Her only goal is to finish opening her floral shop but what will she do with a boy from her past and a mystery man that could be her future?

I rated this book a 5/5 because it was so well written. I felt like I was Lily and I could understand every minor decision she made. Her flashbacks from her teen years to her present day memories was such an awesome way to advance the plot. Her dealing with her trauma and ending the cycle of abuse was so beautiful.

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Sam Whitman

Jun 7, 2024

Heroes of Olympus Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Rating 4.5/5

Percy Jackson finds himself wandering around San Francisco with no memories but his name. He keeps getting chased by monsters that won't die, but he eventually finds himself at Camp Jupiter. Camp Jupiter is a place for demigods-children of one Roman god or goddess and a mortal. Percy gets issued a quest that will reestablish his memories and save the camp. He gets assigned two other campers to go on this quest with, Frank and Hazel. They are sent north to Alaska, where a giant resides. There is a giant for every Roman god and each giant is supposed to counter one of these gods. Percy quickly becomes the leader of this quest because of his past as a which he slowly remembers throughout the book. He remembers that there is another camp, a camp in New York that worships the same gods but as their Greek counterparts. Follow Frank, Hazel, and Percy as they overcome obstacles to get to Alaska and eventually come home to save their camp.

I recommend this book because it is a continuation of the original Percy Jackson books. Like all of Rick Riordan's books, the writing, storytelling, and plot are all so enjoyable which adds up to a great read.

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Kaija Houff

June 7, 2024

Nothing More to Tell

BY: Karen M. McManus

rating: 4/5

The book "Nothing More to Tell" is a story following the murder that was never solved of a high school teacher, Mr. Larkin.

One of his old students Brynn joins a true crime show, and proposes this unsolved murder to be one of the stories. She begins an adventure investigating her ex-friend Tripp, and the other two students that found the body of their now dead teacher.

She uncovers shocking and dangerous truths, and begins to piece together what really happened that day, after reuniting with Tripp, and her old high school friends.

This book is a book written by the same author of the popular book, "One of us is lying." The story has many twists and turns, stopping at dead ends, and surprise doorways. There is a lot of puzzles, and mystery as you follow Brynn's adventure - Solving Mr. Larkin's death.

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Shinji Yamakawa

June 7, 2024

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

rating 4/5

Justyce is black teenager who goes to a fancy rich private high school. He's one of the 2 black kids at the school, and the other black kid, Manny, is Justyces best friend. At his school, Manny is best friends with a bunch of racist, white kids who believe that there are no racial injustices towards black people. So Justyce beefs with those kids, especially Jared, all book, but Manny doesn't see how bad those kids are. So Jared didn't like Manny and especially his friends, until Manny comes to his senses and beats up Jared because of a racist comment. Manny goes and gets things right with Justyce, and they go for a drive. A guy pulls up and shoots both of them because they were black. It's a sad book, but a very interesting book, and teaches you about a lot. I recommend it because its scary, but pulls you in, and it's very interesting.

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Finley Dalton

June 7th, 2024

The Hawthorne Legacy

By Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Rating: 4.5/5

This book is the second book in the Inheritance Games series, and includes theme seeds of mystery, romance, and relationships. The main character, Avery Grambs, became the world's richest teenager overnight after inheriting from Tobias Hawthorne. The last book was about Avery and Tobias Hawthorne's 4 grandsons (Nash, Grayson, Jameson, and Xander), solving the mystery of why a complete stranger would leave almost his entire fortune to a stranger. This time, readers are taken along on the journey of solving a new mystery, of who Avery's real father is. There is suspense, to solve this mystery and some romance between Avery and two of the Hawthorne brothers (Jameson and Grayson).

I recommend this book to anybody, especially people who love trying to solve mysteries, and enjoy a little suspense. I enjoyed how although this book was intense, it also mixed in some humor and lighter side plots. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that it took me a little while to get into it, as it took a while to set up the plot.

Overall, I would rate this book a 4.5/5.

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Liam Foran

June 7th, 2024

Blood Will Tell By April Henry

Rating 4/5

What happens when someone who's only ever wanted to be a hero becomes a suspect? When a woman's body is found in a Portland park, suspicion falls on an awkward teen who lives only a few blocks away, owns several knives, loves first-person shooter video games, and doodles violent scenes in his school.

I thought it was a really good book, although not as good as the last one. I think it had just the right amount of suspense, but fell short a slight bit when it came to the mystery part of it. If you read the first book of the series, Body in The Woods, you will most likely find that the mystery is a little bit deeper and harder to figure out. In this book, the mystery becomes fairly easy to solve pretty early in the book.

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Sebastian Girdharry

June 7th, 2024

1984 by George Orwell

Rating 4/5

1984 is a dystopian novel set in Oceania. Society is ruled by the ruling class called the Party. The Party preaches a figure called Big Brother, the leader of the Party. The book is centered around a character named Winston Smith. Winston secretly wants to work to rebel against the Party. The story follows his journey as he navigates through a world of surveillance and propaganda, seeking individuality in a society that demands conformity. The book is meant to be a metaphor on the dangers of totalitarianism and conformity.

I personally thought that the book was very interesting and had a fun time relating it to real world situations. I gave it a 4/5 because it was a bit of a difficult read at times but it was very well done. I would recommend this book for anyone who has a bit of patience for books and enjoys dystopian books.

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Rayna Brigham

June 3, 2024

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

rating 4/5

Thomas arrives in the maze, confused, he only remembered his name, nothing of his life before. He has to get use to the everyday life of the gladers. They are all stuck in the maze being watched by people from the outside. Every glader has a role in the maze. From early on Thomas knows that he will be a runner, everyone doubts him, they say he's too inexperienced. Then a girl comes with a warning that "everything will change" and shes the last of the gladers being sent. Thomas is determined to get out of the maze, even when everybody else lost hope.

I definitely recommend this book! I couldn't put it down, I found myself picking up the book whenever I was bored. It was a very introspective dystopian. The reason that I gave it four was because I didn't like the ending of the book, it wasn't a big enough plot twist for me.

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Rylan Payne

January 11th, 2024

Dear Life, You Suck

by Scott Blagden

Rating 4.5/5

Cricket is an interesting fellow. Living an orphanage for the last few years he is now a senior, and has only a few life paths, a drug dealer, a boxer, or ending his own life. He just wants what's best for his younger orphans.

I would recommend this book because it's thrilling entertaining and relatable!

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Liam Foran

January 9th, 2024

Body in The Woods

April Henry

Rating 4/5

Alexis, Nick, and Ruby come from very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom's mental illness; Nick's bravado hides his fear of not being good enough; and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn't understand her.

The three teens meet when they join Portland County's Search and Rescue. On their first mission, they are teamed up to locate an autistic man lost in the woods. What they discover instead is a dead girl. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three work together to find the girl's killer--before one of their own becomes another victim.

I though it was a really good book. It was pretty true to the real life team, because that's who it was written about, which was pretty cool. I would read it again, and also recommend the book to others.

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Sebastian Girdharry

January 9, 2024

No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthey

Rating: 3.5/5

Llewelyn Moss, a young married man in West Texas in the 80's, stumbled upon multiple pickup trucks with dozens of dead bodies. As he looked through the scene, he found loads of heroin and weapons. Gang and cartel activity has been on the rise for a while in the area. The last thing he found was $2 million in cash. With the owner of the money on his trail, he has to run to save himself and his wife.

Although the book was very entertaining, some of the plot points near the end of the book were not my favorite. It got pretty confusing but was still a fun read. I gave it a 3.5 because like I said, it was entertaining but confusing. I would recommend it for anyone who likes action books with nonstop action.

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Griffin Lathrop

January 9th, 2024

Under the Dome

by Stephen King

Chester's Mill is a regular small town, and has been for as long as anyone can remember. At least, until the Dome falls.

An invisible barrier appears around the town in all directions trapping the citizens inside. The hidden machinations of evil people within the town begin to unravel as veteran Dale Barbara, and reporter Julia Shumway rush to find a way to escape the Dome. and keep themselves alive while doing it.

5/5 book, fantastic prose, gripping tension, and sky high stakes. The audiobook is also a fantastic listen.

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William Naugler

January 9th, 2024

Rebound by Kwame Alexander

5/5

Rebound is about a kid who has recently lost his father and it follows his journey navigating this and playing basketball. This threw his life in a loop. Through his struggles, he begins to become cold toward his mom, and she eventually sends him off to his grandparents' house for the summer, where he finds a newfound love for basketball with his cousin.

This is an amazing story with a lot of character development. It shows how a new love is grown and the writing style is really fun and simple. They also include occasional comics that are amazing to read.

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Trevor Sorenson

May 30, 2024

Angels & Demons

By Dan Brown

Rating: 5/5

Robert Langdon, who also appears in several other Dan Brown novels, including The Da Vinci Code, is approached by CERN, a nuclear research lab, to track down a killer who stole and weaponized a substance known as antimatter and who claims to be a messenger of the secret society whose name was found as an ambigram branded on the chest of the murdered CERN scientist Leonardo Vetra: The Illuminati.

Elsewhere, the Pope has allegedly died of a stroke, and now the power of the papal office has fallen to the late Pope's chamberlain, Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca, until such time as a new Pope is elected. After the killer threatens to blow up the Vatican and murder four kidnapped cardinals, the Camerlengo attempts to maintain stability while Langdon and Vetra's daughter Vittoria follow the ancient Path of Illumination to find the Four Altars of Science, where they may be able to save the four cardinals and stop this killer.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries, because this is largely mystery-centered. Additionally, there are six ambigrams in the book. One is Illuminati, the others are the Four Ancient Elements, and the sixth is a MAJOR spoiler. This book is the reason why I started making ambigrams, and the Path of Illumination was the inspiration for Ash, the Ambigram Scavenger Hunt.

5/5

(Movie version: 2/5)

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Sam Whitman

January 9, 2024

Batman Nightwalker

Marie Lu

Rating: 3/5

Bruce Wayne is a senior in high-school and heir to the multi billion dollar corporation Wayne Tech. His parents were murdered when he was a kid, and now that he is 18 he inherits the vast fortune. When he leaves a charity auction early, he spots a police chase ongoing. To his regret he spontaneously chases the car down in his custom WayneTech Rolls-Royce and crashes it, stopping the criminal. He gets punished with janitor duty at Arkham Asylum a high security prison. At the prison, he meets a girl named Madeline in the special inmates section. She is a part of the criminal organization called Nightwalkers. She has refused to talk to detectives however seems to have a soft spot for Bruce. She tells him information on how to destroy the nightwalkers. However he finds out that he was actually the next target for them. He narrowly avoids getting killed and with the help of the police kill the leader of the organization.

I would not really recommend this book for someone because when you go into it you would probably think its a normal batman book but he hasnt actually became batman yet.

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Max Durias

January 9, 2024

Author: Trenton Lee Stewart.

Rating: 5/5

A bright young boy named Reynie Muldoon lives in the city called Stonetown and resides in an orphanage with his main friend Miss Perumal. Stonetown has been suffering from a phenomenon called the Emergency that has been harshly affecting the city. One day, Reynie Muldoon saw an ad in the newspaper that read: "ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?"

The special opportunity in question was a scholarship to the Boatwrite Academy. Reynie went to the Monk Building downtown and took an assortment of strange tests. Other shenanigans ensued with him making friends and becoming secret spies.

If you're looking for a fun brain-twisting mysterious, this would be the book for you. A personal 5/5 because it's unique with loveable interesting characters.

:)

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Savannah deeds

January 9, 2024

4/5

by: Jennifer Mathieu

Rachel walker is apart of a very religious family, shes 17 years old and the second oldest of 4 other siblings. Rachel always had doubts about her faith and that scared her because over time she thought he was not as godly as she once was. She hears about a girl who used to go to her church but one day she started to rebel against the church and her parents. Then her parents sent her to journey of faith which is a camp to get back in touch with god. Upon returning the girl, Lauren Sullivan ran away as soon as she could. Rachel was talking to her via email when she was not allowed, she gets caught, and her parents were going to send her to journey of faith. the place where they brainwash people and make them obey men, teach them how to be obidient to their husbands and much more.

Rachel ends up living with Lauren and when Rachel turns 18 she gets her GED and attends college, although she was never able to be accepted back into her family.

I reccomend this book, its exciting, and very dramatic.

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Marta Schlott

01/09/2024

The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

Rating: 5/5

The book receives this rating because it presents the story in such a unique way. The use of different perspectives, switching between first and third perspective, is so creative and really adds to the reader's grasp of who the characters are as people.

The book alternates from Natasha and Daniel's perspectives as they meet, hangout, and fall in love, all in the span of a day. The two meet because Daniel sees Natasha walking on the sidewalk, he is pulled towards her, and so he follows her into a nearby record store. In the store, the two see Natasha's ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend steal and call then out. Natasha walks away, isn't paying attention and almost walks into the street. Daniel sees a car coming and pulls her back, saving her life by simultaneously breaking her headphones. Daniel convinces Natasha to get coffee with him so he can say sorry. When they get there they start talking. Natasha thinks Daniel is just a helpless poet and is so attractive to him it makes her nervous while Daniel is open about his feelings for her. Eventually she agrees to hangout with him because she has time till her next appointment.

She has an appointment because her family is getting deported to Jamaica and doesn't want to go. Natasha doesn't tell Daniel this as they hangout and fall for each other and they fight because of this. In the end Natasha does get deported, but later the two meet on a plane, somehow finding their way back to eachother.

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Isaac Mautz

January 9,2024

4/5

shoe dog

By:Phil Knight

Shoe dog by Phil night is a memorial by the creator of Nike. Shoe dog is about how Nike started. It tells the story of Phil Knight and how he created the brand of Nike with help from his co-worker Bill Bowerman. The memoir starts from Phil selling shoes from his garage to making a million dollar company. Shoe dog illustrates the work and innovation that Phil has put into his company.

I would recommend this book to anyone. The book always has me interested because there are always interesting things going on in the book. It is a perfect book if you want to learn and read about real life entraprouneurship that it takes to build one of the most famous brands.

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Shinji Yamakawa

January 9, 2024

The Day Tajon Got Shot

by, Teen Writers of Beacon House

Rating 4/5

Tajon is the main character. He is a teen in High school trying to provide for his family by selling weed. One day he was selling weed and he got caught by a police officer but he shot Tajon. Everyone grieves about it and there's a whole bunch of different perspectives on their reaction. There are his friends reactions, his family's reactions, and most importantly the cops daughter's reaction. At first she was super mad about the shooting but then she realizes that her dad shot tajon.

If you want a sad/easy book to read I would recommend this book to you. I would rate this a 4/5 because it's easy but interesting. The different perspectives is a really unique way of telling the story.

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Lexi Gonzales

January 9, 2024

We were liars by E. Lockhart

Rating 5/5

This book is about a girl who goes to her grandparents island every summer. She is accompanied by a group of friends from different backgrounds. They soon become an inseparable group, the Liars. As time goes on they grow and learn together. One summer she falls ill after nearly drowning in the ocean, she can't recall what happened that night. Except she doesn't understand how, and no one will tell her, not even the Liars. As she revisits the island her world starts to crumble around her. She might not want to know the truth of her accident.

This story gets a 5/5 rating because the plot twists and the way this book was written was so refreshing and unexpected. The characters were all beautifully written and it felt so real. I can't even lie I cried this one GOT ME GOOD.

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Finley Dalton

January 9th, 2024

The Inheritance Games

By Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Rating 5/5

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is about a girl named Avery Kylie Grambs, who overnight becomes one of the richest people on the planet. After finding out that one of the richest people in the world, Tobias Hawthorne had left almost his entire fortune to her, Avery is both overwhelmed and incredibly confused as to why someone she never knew would leave an "average" girl like her their entire fortune.

Avery meets the rest of the Hawthorne family, including Tobias Hawthorne's 4 gradnsons, Nash, Grayson, Jameson, and Xander. Avery has to figure out who in the family she can trust, and who are her enemies that could potentially put her life in danger. This book is full of mysteries and suprises as Avery and the Hawthrone brothers (specifically Jameson and Grayson) work to solve mysteries and puzzles with the goal of figuring out why Avery is the heiress.

With the incorporation of mystery and romance, this book is very interesting and well written, with plenty of plot twists that results in readers not wanting to stop flipping the pages. I rated this book a 5/5 because of the intriguing plot and characters that the author establishes. I would definitely recommend this book, and will definitely keep reading this series.

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With the Fire on High

1/9/24

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Rating 4/5

Emoni is a teen mom that had an unplanned pregnancy in ninth grade, that pregnancy caused her whole life to just be about her daughter, babygirl. The thing is Emoni has a passion, a passion to cook. Her cooking makes people feel something. She enrolls in a cooking elective in her high school thinking it will just be a fun class, little did she realize that she would be the star student.

In that cooking class there is a trip to Spain that costs too much for Emoni to go on, but is a really good opportunity. Emoni ends up leading a fundraiser to go on that Spain trip. She gets attention from professional chefs who help her pay for the parts of the parts of the Spain trip that she can't cover. On the Spain trip Emoni gets practice in the kitchen by working as an actual chef in an actual restaurant. This experience helps her to realize that she want to be a chef when she grows up.

I really liked this book because it shows a really complicated perspective of a mother who wants to care for her child but also wants to live her life and follow her own passions. This is a book for anyone who puts others above themselves and needs to realize that they are important too.

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Zoe Cusato

December 29 2023

Holes

by Louis Sachar

5/5

This book is about a kid named Stanley Yelnats who gets sent to a juvenile detention center called Camp Green Lake. Where there is no lake at all,it has been dry for a long time. The punishment is to dig deep and wide holes all day in the blazing hot sun with little water. Stanley must dig to find the truth. This book is super fun to read. This book is both serious and funny.

If you want a funny and easy read I would recommend this book to you. I would rate this book a 5/5 because there is a mix of comedy and sincerity and is fun to read.

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Kaija Houff

January 9, 2024

The Battle of the Labyrinth

By Rick Riordan

Rating: 5/5

Percy Jackson is the main character. He is 15 years old, and he is the god Posidon's son. He has dyslexia, and ADHD, and throughout his life he struggled in school, and fitting in.He finds an amazing community at a camp for demigods, and has many adventures with his friends Annabeth, Grover, and his half brother, the cyclops, Tyson.

Growing up in New York City, him and his mom live together, always ready for the dangers of being a demigod. He risks his life on multiple accounts, and he needs to find a way to save his Long Island camp from the evil titan, lord Kronos.

This is a classic book, and i was happy to revisit the series. There is lots of action and adventure, and plot turning points, that come as a surprise.

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Dylan

January 9, 2024

4/5

by: Orson Scott Card

In the aftermath of his terrible war, Ender Wiggin disappeared, and a powerful voice arose: The Speaker for the Dead, who told the true story of the Bugger War.

Long years later, a second alien race has been discovered, but the aliens' ways are strange and frightening...again, humans die. And it is only the Speaker for the Dead, who is also Ender Wiggin.

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Trevor Sorenson

January 2, 2024

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Rating: 5/5

Hercule Poirot is a Belgian detective who becomes trapped on the famous Orient Express when the train becomes buried in a snowdrift. This is followed by the murder of Samuel Ratchett, who has been receiving threatening letters from a mysterious enemy. Ratchett's body is found in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Poirot takes it upon himself to solve this seemingly impossible murder, and in the process, he discovers a [SPOILER] the likes of which he could not imagine.

Agatha Christie is one of the most widely published authors of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare, and for good reason. Poirot's analysis of the evidence is very well-done and not deus-ex-machina enough to get on my nerves. While there does not seem to be any internal conflict initially, a major plot twist puts Poirot in quite a dilemma. Additionally, Ratchett's backstory and his history with the killer makes the theme of this story clear and is very clever indeed. Red herrings are also well-executed and do not cause any frustration.

My only complaint about this story is that sharing the theme would result in major spoilers. Aside from that problem, I would say that Murder on the Orient Express is a very good story that shows the power of [SPOILER] very well and I would recommend it to any fans of the mystery genre. 5/5 FOR SURE.

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Iris McFarlane

December 25, 2023

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Rating: 4/5

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, by Stephen Chbosky receives a rating of 4 out of 5. This poignant coming-of-age novel delves into the complexities of adolescence and the journey toward self discovery. What sets it apart is its narrative style and relatable characters.

The story unfolds through a series of letters written by Charlie, an introspective high school freshman. As he navigates the ups and downs of high school life Charlie forms friendships with step siblings Sam and Patrick who introduce him to a world filled with friendship, love, and personal growth. Throughout the novel important themes such as health, trauma, and the transformative power of connections are explored.

One notable aspect that stands out in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" is how skillfully Chbosky captures the essence of adolescence. The vulnerabilities, insecurities, and moments of self discovery experienced by the characters are portrayed with honesty and sensitivity.  The narrative structure using Charlie's letters allows readers to intimately delve into his thoughts and emotions forging a bond, between reader and protagonist.

While earning a rating of 4/5 demonstrates appreciation, for this book overall it does acknowledge some shortcomings.

Sometimes the story may feel a bit slow-paced. There could have been in depth exploration of certain plot elements. However, these small details don't take away much from the impact of the narrative.

To sum it up "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" is a portrayal of the ups and downs of adolescence. With its characters and powerful storytelling, Chbosky's novel is worth reading.

I plan on reading the book Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton next.

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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.