HCOS + Flex Learning Commons Book Review Contest - 2025 by Erin Duncan

The Negotiator

eduncan56 — 2025-09-24 22:35:48 UTC

In a family made up of 7 orphans, the one they worry the most about is Kate, a hostage negotiator. Her job is dangerous at the best of times. What happens when someone targets her specifically, and people get hurt? Watch as God draws a heart close to Him and the amazing things He does along the way.

The False Prince

2025-10-21 17:41:20 UTC

The book is about an orphan boy who is taken to pretend to be the prince but he must compete against other orphans in order to become the prince. I can't reveal much more without giving stuff away.

I Survived: Bombing of Pearl Harbour

2025-10-22 19:04:22 UTC

It is about a boy that lives in pearl harbor

The Fellowship of the Ring

2025-10-22 20:04:26 UTC

A wizard appears at a party that brings a young hobbit to an adventure with his friends. They plan to stop the dark Lord Saron's plan to take over Middle Earth. They don't know the dangers that lie ahead.

I survived the nazi invasion 1944

2025-10-22 22:55:21 UTC

A boy who survived the nazi invasion with his sister but it was not easy for them because soldiers were looking in the woods for them

Keep the lights burning Abbie

2025-10-22 23:57:52 UTC

A girl who needs to go to a light house and keep the lights burning

Waylon One Awesome Thing

2025-10-23 15:27:26 UTC

Waylon one awesome thing is a great book about a kid named Waylon who is very interested in gravity. At their school there are teams made of boys. a boy named Arlo (also known as king of the school) wants Waylon on his team, the shark punchers. but he has friends on both teams and a very crazy boy from grade one comes to school that everyone remembers.

Hercules Beal

2025-10-23 16:30:40 UTC

Hercules Beal is suffering under the loss of his parents. And his big brother is taking care of him in cape cod he is going to a new school were his homeroom teacher makes him do the 12 labors of Hercules the myth.

The Polar Bear Explorers Club

mmekateseverin — 2025-10-23 20:55:16 UTC

A girl named Stella who goes on an epic adventure in the mythical icelands.

Farmer Boy

mmekateseverin — 2025-10-23 21:25:07 UTC

This book is about a boy named Almanzo. The story is about his childhood life on a horse farm and a how he learns responsibility when his father gives him animals to raise.

Powerless

2025-10-24 03:48:57 UTC

It’s a fantasy romance novel where there was a plague ten years ago in Ilya causing elites to be born, elites are the vast majority of Ilya with powers, but there are some that are not as fortunate as others. Some are ordinary, no powers, no place in Ilya. They are banished to the scorches to try to make their way to another city where they will be safe but not many make it through the scorches. Until paedyn, an ordinary, her father knew she would be doomed if anyone found out so he trained her to be a maudane and hide the fact she is powerless by reading peoples body language and through weapons. Her father passes when she is 6 sadly and she is forced to live on the streets of the slums. Over time she becomes a great thief and can steal food without anyone noticing. One day she was walking in the slums when a fazer (someone who can faze through solid objects) goes through her, holding a honey covered bun. Paedyn tripped the guard chasing her and made a life long friend, Adena. Adena was amazing at sewing but terrible at stealing. Together Adena and paedyn lived in a garbage bag fort with pieces of fabric as beds. One day when paedyn was pickpocketing anything of value when walking around she spotted a tall man with a coin pouch (very rare in a place like the slums) attached to his belt and she bumps into him, stealing about half his coins. She thinks she’s never going to see him again but he gets attacked by a fatal (a group of people who have VERY dangerous abilities) and she saves him, earning her the title “the silver saviour”, little does she know she just saved prince Kai (keep him in mind he’s important). The 6th ever purging trials are coming up and she hates them, it’s where you put a bunch of elites Whi need to make it through deadly trials to win for entertainment. If you are chosen and run you are killed. Paedyn gets chosen and she’s taken away from Adena to be in the palace and trials, and that’s when she sees Kai again, she doesn’t like Kai. He’s Ilyas enforcer who kills ordinaries. There is 3 trials and 3 balls before the trials. For women it is expected to wear green at the balls but not needed paedyn wears a black dress and stands out. Her date? Kitt, Kai’s older brother and the king to be. During the ball paedyn and Kai dance at one point, they’re flirting, there’s tension. Then another song comes and she’s passed onto another guy. That night she’s drugged and taken in her sleep to a forest with the other contenders, they need to survive a week and they all have leather straps around their arms and need to have at least one to move on, she gets badly injured on her way to a river and when she gets there Kai has already set up at the river, he patches her up and they dance (really bad timing, I know) they fall asleep cuddling and they stick together for the first trial. On the last day they all go to the edge of the forest and fight for bands, Kai accidentally stabs his half brother and rushes him to the crowd to borrow a healers ability (did I mention Kai can borrow other elites abilities?) and heals jax (the half brother). The sun rises to its highest and the trial is over. Two people were lost. The next ball gets brought up by lenny, pedants guard, and he’s asking about her gown, paedyn says she knows the best tailor and goes to the slums to get Adena to help make her dress. again, every woman was expected to wear green but of course paedyn needed to get more votes and she wore silver. Just like her hair, she had her fathers dagger strapped to her thigh that was showing, she gets drunk and dances with both of the azer brother (kitt and Kai) and the next trial is at the bottom of a mountain and there were two groups, jax, paedyn, and some other dude I forgot the name to cuz he sucks versus Kai, Blair (I don’t like Blair) and Kai’s cousin who I also forgot the name to but she’s cool. They have to climb the mountain and the first person who gets the flag at the top wins, the climb the mountain and both teams arrive at the same time, everyone starts fighting and Kai kills the guys who I didn’t like but I forgot the name to and peadyn grabs the flag, winning. They train until the next ball where paedyn wears the tightest red dress you’ll ever see and she does the same thing as always, mingle and dance until she sits under a willow tree alone until a very jealous and drunk Kai sits next to her (Kai has a crush on her and can’t stand seeing her with his brother so much) the sit u der the willow tree and paedyn has him undo her corset because she can’t breathe. And he gets a little touchy and hold her waist, she pushes him away and says “only when you’re sober can you touch me”. The next morning the last contestants of the trials (paedyn, Kai, Blair, and Kai’s cousin) go to the bowl which has held every single trial except this one. The task for the last trial is to make their way though the maze and kill the criminal at the center, paedyn gets to the center first and who is the criminal? NO ONE OTHER THAN ADENA (she didn’t do anything except know paedyn was an ordinary) they broke her sewing fingers and paedyn rushes towards her just as a stick plummets though Adena a chest and Adena dies, Who killed Adena? BLAIR!! Why do I hate Blair? BECAUSE SHE DROVE A STICK THROUGH ADENAS CHEST!!! Paedyn cries and Kai’s heart breaks at paedyn being so sad. But the resistance attacks, ordinaries and fatals fight against elites, paedyn makes it out of the bowl to be met with the king who I forgot the name to (not kitt his dad) and they fight, he heads his sword and carves and O over her heart for ordinary and is about to stab her when she kicks him off and kills him. Kai sees this and his heart breaks again. He tells paedyn she has 3 days to run before he goes after her and she runs… that’s the end, read the next book to find out what happens next

Ember End(The Green Ember)

2025-10-25 23:17:45 UTC

Rabbits that fighting an impossible war against the tyrannical Prey Lords(birds of prey) this book is the 4th in the Green Ember Series and is so jampacked of cliffhangers I really can't say much more. !!BUT!! You have to read all the other books or it is going to be very confusing. There is so many little details that make a very intricate web.

Operation Happy

2025-10-28 20:05:07 UTC

The book is about a little girl named Jody whose family lives in Pearl Harbour. Her dad works for the military and they have to move around a lot. She has a dog named "Happy" who is blind. The story follows her experience through World War 2.

Dream Keeper Saga

2025-10-28 20:10:06 UTC

This book is about a twelve year old girl who has lost her dad and lives with her grandma and mom. Her mom works night shifts so she doesn't see her much. She gets bullied often in school. One day she finds a dragon in her kitchen. The dragon summons her into "The Realm" where she goes on a journey.

Dream Keeper Saga

amylynnness — 2025-10-28 20:17:48 UTC

This book is about a 12 year old girl who lives with her mother and grandma. Her mother works night shifts so she doesn't often see her. One day she finds a dragon in her kitchen. The dragon is there to bring her back to her dreams. She goes through many hardships but overcomes them.

The BIBLE

2025-10-29 20:57:21 UTC

This is a fantastic true story about God's redeeming grace and his plan to save the world, this book has many different true stories all leading up to or as a result of Jesus's time on earth and his death and resurrection

The Wingfeather Saga

2025-11-03 22:43:49 UTC

It's about a boy, named Janner, and his two younger siblings, Tink and Leeli, (Leeli walks with a crutch) and their crazy adventure, full of dragons, toothy cows, and much more!

How to Train Your Dragon (the book series)

2025-11-03 22:43:57 UTC

This book series is about a small ordinary Viking boy named Hiccup, his (super) small disobedient hunting dragon, named Toothless, and Hiccup's friends, Fishlegs and Camicazi, (Camicazi doesn't show up till book 3) and all the crazy adventures they go on!

Ranger's Apprentice

2025-11-03 22:44:03 UTC

This book series is about an orphan boy named Will who is apprenticed under a grim ranger named Halt, (I'd say more but I don't want to spoil it!!). It's set in a medieval world with knights and castles.

Peter Nimble

2025-11-05 01:19:39 UTC

Peter Nimble is a boy that had his eye plucked out as a infant and has grown up learning how to be a master thief. He gets called to another realm with his companion Sir Tod on a perilous adventure.

Holes

2025-11-05 03:19:14 UTC

when shoes fall on Stanley Yelnats head he has a choice to go to jail or go dig holes at camp green lake he picks camp green lake and their he meets zero and they go on a unexpected journey together.

The Inheritence Games

2025-11-05 19:21:22 UTC

This amazing book is about a common girl who was included in the will of the richest person in Texas. She has the chance to inherit billions of dollars. However, there is a catch. She has to live in the house with the Hawthrone brothers ( the billionaire's angry grandchildren) for a year. During this time, she uncovers secrets and learns about the twisted lives of these people. Alongside the Hawthorne brothers, she uncovers clues about her past and solves riddles upon riddles. Ultimately leading to the answer to the question, " Why was she chosen?"

Sonrise Stables

taquiring — 2025-11-05 22:12:07 UTC

The series is about a Christian homeschool family that has horses! The book also ties together fun, learning, and horse facts in a way that makes you not really know that you are learning.

Hatchet

2025-11-10 23:05:38 UTC

The book is about a boy who was riding to his dad's house in a bush plane and the pilot has a heart attack and the boy crash lands in the wilderness and has nothing but a hatchet to survive.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

2025-11-11 18:56:20 UTC

This is it a story about a toy china rabbit that was tossed overboard a ship, thrown in the dumpster and was hung as a scarecrow and at last found his owner again

Wings of fire the hidden kingdom graphic novel

2025-11-13 17:01:48 UTC

Glory isn't a skywing but she knows she's part of the prophecy when she realizes her tribe is getting kidnapped she decides to take matters into her own hands and enters a contest for being queen.

Wings Of Fire Graphic Novel The Hidden Kingdom

2025-11-13 18:39:32 UTC

Glory isn't a sky wing. but she knows she's part of the prophecy. when she realizes her tribe is getting kidnapped by night wings she decides to take matters into her own hands and enters a contest to become ''queen of the rain wings

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts

2025-11-13 19:53:39 UTC

Kelcie is a foster child, living is boston, Massachusetts, until she is pulled through magic tree into a school of magic, but she isn't able to fit in with the rest of the students... or control her explosive powers

Journey Under the Sea

2025-11-13 21:26:41 UTC

The book is about deep sea explorers.

Mortimer: Rat Race to Space

taquiring — 2025-11-15 01:03:07 UTC

This story is about Mortimer, a rat who goes to space as part of a science experiment. He wants to start a YouTube channel to convince humans that they over-think things.

Five on a Treasure Island

2025-11-15 01:13:35 UTC

Three kids visit their strange cousin George. Together the four kids plus their dog go to George’s Island and find a shipwreck with a map in it. They used the map and discovered something valuable on the island.

Kidsboro Series (Adventures in Odyssey)

taquiring — 2025-11-15 01:55:49 UTC

The story is about a kid-created town behind Whit's End and the adventures the children have there.

Little House in the Big Woods

taquiring — 2025-11-15 02:19:54 UTC

A girl and her family who live in a big forest in Wisconsin.

The Last Mapmaker

2025-12-03 02:49:40 UTC

A girl named Sai looks for the last mapmaker and her quest to the mysterious Sunderlands.