January 2, 2022
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Rating: 5/5

      Ryland Grace finds himself the sole survivor of the Hail Mary voyage, a last ditch effort to save humanity. There is one problem, the mission required him to be put in a coma, and he woke up with no memories of where he is or why. As his memories return he has to navigate a new solar system in an attempt to find a solution to earths problem. Ryland is faced with difficult situations one after another. He is left to face each obstacle completely alone. Or so he thought.
     This is a well written Sci-Fiction book similar to another of Andy Weir's books, The Martian. With much higher stakes, this book exceeded my expectations and is (in my opinion) a far better book than The Martian. It's hard to put down once you've started reading it, and does a good job balancing real science with sci-fiction. Not only did I enjoy the book immensely, but it taught me a few things about the real world and how it works. It is perfect for anyone who enjoys science and reading. 

January 3, 2023

Wool by Hugh Howey

Rating: 4.5/5
Review by Kael Uyeda

It has been centuries since the Earth’s atmosphere has become toxic and deadly.

The last remaining life on the planet resides within a massive underground silo where humans and animals have thrived for many generations. The people of the silo’s only view of the outdoors is the feed from some old cameras filming the horizon. The residents of the silo are forbidden to speak of the outside world, and those who do are sent outside to clean the cameras before they die. This also goes for those trying to dig up lost information, information certain people want to be forgotten. This leads us to Julliete, a mechanic from the lower levels of the silo, who is beginning to sense something wrong in the silo. People are being sentenced to clean the cameras left and right. Others are poisoned and supposedly killing themselves. All this seems to lead back to some sinister force pulling the strings and controlling the silo, silencing anyone who speaks against them. And now Julliete is determined to find out about what's going on, and put a stop to it. Even if that means going beyond that dangerous and forbidden horizon.

This is a really great read, with compelling and really interesting characters. It’s a great representation of how lies and deceit can be used to manipulate and control people. Every chapter ends at the perfect spot so that you’re dying to know what happens next. Overall, a really great book that I would highly suggest. 

1/3/23 

The Summer I Turned Pretty By Jenny Han

Rating 5/5

The Summer I Turned Pretty tells the story of fifteen-year-old girl, Belly, who continues to grow and mature after many summers at the same beck house. She stumbles upon the many components of growing up on the way. The book pans through her eventful summer vacation at Cousins Beach, where she hopes to fall in love. The series focuses on her romantic encounters especially when she finds herself stuck in a love triangle with two brothers, Jeremiah and Conrad. Belly struggles to choose between the two boys throughout all of the books in the series. 

This book is a well written romance novel that keeps a steady plot where many questions can be asked as we . I didn't expect how much I would like the novel and the series but it greatly surprised me how every time I finished one of the books I needed to get the next. I think this book is perfect for people who love romance stories especially with love triangles. 

A book I would be interested in reading next would be is  “It start With Us” By Colleen Hoover. 

Ellie Voss-Rothmeier

Isabel Fogel

January 4th, 2023

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Rating: 4.5/5

 

Harry is about to enter his third year at Hogwarts when he accidentally blows up his Aunt Marge. Thinking that he will be expelled from Hogwarts for using magic, he runs away from home. But when he is found by the Ministry of Magic, they do something completely unlike them - they don't punish Harry and instead give him a hotel to stay in for the rest of the summer. Soon, Harry realizes that the Ministry is keeping him safe because a dangerous wizard criminal, Sirius Black, is on the loose and planning to kill Harry. When the school year at Hogwarts begins, strange omens continue to appear as Sirius Black gets closer to him. As more and more information is unveiled about Sirius, Harry and his friends must race to find the truth before the danger finds them.

This book is well-plotted, well-paced and engaging, with darker and more complex themes than the first two Harry Potter books. As Harry himself becomes older and more mature, so does the writing of the books, which makes them all the more interesting to read. The elements of mystery and suspense are well-done and the foreshadowing perfectly builds to the plot twist at the end. Overall, a great book that marks a turning point in the Harry Potter series from childish to mature and thematically light to grim.

Teacher: Zachary Hill

January, 5th, 2023

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 

Rating: ⅘

     In the story Of Mice and Men, two men named George and Lennie are on their way to a muddy farm, as farm hands. Lennie is mentally ill, which means George has to look after him and be willing to make changes to his life, so he can protect Lennie. As both men arrive at the farm, they meet several other farm hands and the boss's son Curley. Curley is a young man who has a hard time controlling his anger, which worries George.  George decides to do his best to hopefully keep Lennie out of trouble. Days go by as both men work on the ranch, and Lennie occasionally slips up making Curley angry. George and Lennie are forced to make hard decisions during their time at the farm in order to help their friends. As George and Lennie continue to live on the farm, the more George realizes that Lennie is not made for this lifestyle. So now George has an important decision that will change his and Lennie’s lives forever.

     I would recommend this book because it is a suspenseful story, with relatable characters, and a fantastic ending. The story is probably one of my favorite fiction novels that I have ever read. The book is fairly short so it can be finished in a few days. The author John Steinbeck also wrote another book I enjoyed called The Red Pony. Between the two books I much prefer Of Mice and Men because of the characters and the plot. I will definitely re-read this book in the future.

January 5, 2023

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Rating: 4/5

A small, quirky cafe in Tokyo, Japan is home to a magical chair that can transport you into the past. However, it has many rules. You can only visit people that have visited the cafe, you may not leave the table, you must drink a cup of coffee to return to the present, and you must leave before the coffee gets cold. Most importantly, no matter what you do, you cannot change the present. This novel follows four people that travel through time, and observes their connections with the people around them. 

I really enjoyed this book. I found the stories of how each person decides to time travel touching and interesting.  I was intrigued by the character’s ability to go back and recapture a lost opportunity. The author does a great job of displaying the tender relationships between characters and intertwining the stories. I recommend this book if you enjoy a thought-provoking and heartwarming read.

January 5, 2023

Iron Gold by Pierce Brown
rating: 4/5

10 years after defeating the sovereign and liberating the tyrannical society, A warrant for Darrows arrest appears, from circumstances manipulated by the Ash Lord. Darrow flees to Venus on a hunt for the Ash lord's head

Lysander Au Lune and Cassius Au Bellona, 2 golds, get stuck in the middle of a political uprising while recovering undercover in the outer rim of the solar system. After their identity is discovered, they must protect a safe from the rim dominion which contains information that has the potential to start another war.

On mars, Ephraim, a former member of the red rising, and elite thief, is hired by the duke of hands to steal 2 valuable children; Darrow's son and Sevro's daughter.

Overall this book was a good addition to the red rising series, but felt weak compared to the fast pace of the first 3 books. The first 3 had more conflict and twists and turns, and are definitely books I would recommend to someone who likes reading about war and sci fi.  I would probably recommend Iron Gold to someone who really enjoyed the trilogy, but maybe not to someone who didn't quite enjoy the first 3 books. I think overall it was a solid book that made sense in the series and helped set up the last book, Dark Age.

January 5, 2023

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Rating: 4/5

Lane is the kind of boy who plans out how to be a high school valedictorian in kindergarten, and he has determined which college he’s going to before he could walk. He’s overachieving, straight A’s and has everything planned out. Until he finds out he has tuberculosis, and has to be taken out of school and brought to a place for quarantine. There he is met with a bunch of depressing teens who all have tuberculosis. As he tries to adapt to his new lifestyle, he meets this trio of kids who are a little more upbeat than the rest. As they figure out how to fight their tuberculosis alongside being a teen, they become friends. As some get sicker and some get healthier and there are a lot of emotions. It’s a wild roller coaster of feelings, and it's hard not to empathize with the characters. 

I really enjoyed this book, it's sad, but it is a real page turner. Written by Robyn Schneider, this book is heart wrenching and funny all in one.

Noticing patterns in modern day society could be a coincidence, or not. K was always noticing little details that the average person wouldn't- seeing the number 21 on someone's shirt, soon seeing the number appear again on a bus, and many more times. Rabbits is an underground game that K had discovered when he was 13. He had overheard Emily and Annie, his childhood friends, found a website that gave directions to enter the game, Rabbits. The only way to enter the game was to drive on a road in the dark, with a specific radio station playing. The game sounded interesting so he joined in on the fun. K was soon found in a car crash, with the words ringing in his head. The door is open. Years later in 2021 Seattle, he had an obsession with the game- gaining more information everyday. Learning that there were ten iterations so far- and ten winners of each iteration. K is being taken through puzzles that go deeper and deeper. He is sought out by the 9th iteration winner, Alan Scarpio, told that the eleventh iteration of the game was beginning but something was off that would affect the game, and the whole world. 

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was super hard to put down and I finished it quickly. Rabbits takes you down many plot holes and puzzles and unworldly experiences that keep you guessing every time. The whole plot was mind blowing and creative. I recommend this book if you want to feel engaged with the story and like a good mystery. 

May 30th 2023

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Rating: ⅘

The Hunger Games is a novel written by Suzanne Collins. It’s a dystopian story set in a distorted America. Katniss Everdeen, the main character of the story lives with her family in a city, district twelve, known for its extreme poverty. When Katniss gets picked to play in the hunger games, her world turns upside down. The Hunger Games is an annual ritual where twenty-four kids get picked to fight to the death. They are left in an arena of trees, rivers, mountains, and animals until they all die but one. Every year the games are watched by the rest of the world, and the winner gets fame and lives wealthy for the rest of their lives, but the twenty-three losers are dead, and all that is left of them is their mourning families. You don’t choose whether or not you participate, you get picked by random. 

Today, as readers across the world read this story, many connections are made between this novel and our real world. Although our world doesn’t have something this extreme, and this obviously unlawful, we still see many wrongs similar to this around the world. This book defines the scariest outcome our country can imagine.

I really liked this book, it kept me turning the page until the end. I like this style of writing and the genre this book was written in, and hope to read similar books in the future!

May 25, 2023

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Rating: 4.5/5

Gone Girl is a novel by Gillian Flynn. It's a psychological thriller set in a small town in Missouri, and explores the marriage of a seemingly normal couple. When Amy, the wife, goes missing, everyone suspects her husband Nick. Throughout the story there is plot twist after plot twist, and everything that happens is unexpected. Each chapter shifts different people's point of view which fills the book full of different perspectives, and constantly uncovers new facts. While reading this book I was always left  wondering who is telling the truth. With every page turn is a complete turn of events. 

I really enjoyed this book. I don’t really like mysteries like this, but this book was really good.

May 30th, 2023

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Rating: 5/5

Jude Duarte was an average kid. Eating fish sticks and watching crappy tv. She and her two sisters led a normal life. Unfortunately that changes for either better or worse. When a mysterious figure enters their home- and murders their parents, nothing would be the same again. Their parents' murderer informs them of a world where nymphs and fairies bask in the moonlight- and ogres romp in a duskly wood. Whisked away to another realm,  the three sisters struggle to adapt to the new outlandish ways the land of faerie throws at them.

 Jude and her three sisters are raised by the killer of their parents, Madoc- he teaches jude how to wield a sword. Taryn on the other hand (Judes twin) dabbles in faerie etiquette and passes the time sewing. The oldest among the three sisters is Vivian, she was not born from her human parents, and instead the pure blooded daughter of Madoc. 

Since Jude and Taryn are living with Madoc, a high ranking general for the king of Elfhame- they both attend a prestigious school in faerie. There, Jude meets Cardan- the king's youngest son. Cardan despises Jude with a passion, endangering her, almost drowning her- all because she is a simple mortal. But deep down he thinks of her at every living moment, and he hates it. 

Whilst attending school and engaging in swordplay, Jude is sought out by the second prince Dain, soon to be crowned king. He has a proposal for her, she works for him as one of his spies, and she is granted a spell that protects her from the torment of faeries. In the land of faerie humans don't have any power over the fae. The fae can control humans- make them do malicious things. Jude happily accepts this offer, and starts her training as a member of the Court of Shadows. 

Soon after her training has just begun, Jude is thrown into chaos and malice, the heir to the throne of elfhame killed. And tasked with an almost impossible mission. Find a new heir to the throne, or die trying. 

I really enjoyed this book. This is probably my number one favorite book of all time. I recommend you read it if you love fantasy and adventure, also a romance side plot. 

I would not recommend this book to those who are sensitive to detailed accounts of disordered eating or generally sensitive content such as struggles with mental health and trauma because of just how descriptive it is. 

June 6, 2023

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

Rating: ⅘

My Year of Rest and Relaxation is a contemplative story about a young woman living in Manhattan, New York. She has everything one would need, a good job, a best friend, and a rich boyfriend, yet she is still unhappy. We follow our narrator as she goes through meeting after meeting with her unhinged psychiatrist, adding more and more prescription medications to her collection. The only thing that she wants is sleep and is constantly chasing after it with a cocktail of drugs. After doing this for many months, she still feels unsatisfied. She decides that she needs to sleep for half a year, hoping that it will change her outlook on life. To do this she hires the help of a photographer, who will bring her food and other items she requests in exchange for getting to document the experience. 

I did enjoy this book, however, it was rather heavy at times. The narrator was struggling through a deep depression and had nobody to help her through it. This book also had a very monotonous tone with little dialogue, which aptly captured the mentality of the protagonist. Overall, I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a reflective, pensive read.

June 13th, 2023

Refugee by Alan Gratz

Rating 4/5

Refugee follows the story of three different kids as they partake in dangerous journeys in search of refuge. All three characters flee their violent homelands in different regions of the world and during different decades. Josef and his family flee Nazi Germany in 1938, Isabel and her family flee Cuba in 1994, and Mahmoud and his family flee Syria in 2015. Each takes a different journey, but faces similar issues as they search for a way out.

I enjoyed this book because it shows three different views on a similar topic. It also bounces around different timelines which is nice because the book never truly get bland. I also think it is written very well. I would recommend this for others because it follows 3 different interesting stories all about a very interesting topic.