Title: The Old Man and the Sea
Reader: Katherine, Grade 7
Rating: 4 Stars
Title: The Old Man and the Sea
Reader: Katherine, Grade 7
Rating: 4 Stars
Title: The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron
Reader: Jaya, Grade 10
Rating: 5 Stars
In The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron, Stefania
Podgorska is a cheerful, Catholic, 16-year-old, Polish girl living with a
Jewish family, selling chocolates in their grocery store, and enjoying a secret
first romance, right up until the Nazis invade Poland during World War II.
Starting by just trying to help her beloved employers when they are taken to
the Jewish ghetto, Stefania eventually makes the courageous decision to save
Jews from extermination or camps by hiding them in her home while also trying
to care for her younger sister and deal with Nazi surprises. The Light in
Hidden Places is a heart-wrenching story that is very realistic in showing
the horrors and stress that Stefania witnessed and suffered. Because it is
based on a true story, I constantly found myself wondering what I would have
done in those situations and whether I could have been as brave and selfless as
Stefania. The book reminded me of a reverse The Diary of a Young Girl/The
Diary of Anne Frank, where a teenage girl is experiencing a lot of firsts
in life during Nazi occupation, but in this case, Stefania is the savior hiding
others, rather than the one hiding. I give the book 5/5 stars and
enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Title: Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Reader: Jaya, Grade 10
Rating: 5 Stars
Sixteen-year-old Simon Spier,
the main character in Becky Albertalli’s Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,
is secretly gay, and although he loves his family and friends, it sometimes
feels like they just don’t get him. So, it is a big deal when Simon starts
chatting anonymously online with “Blue”, someone from his high school who seems
to understand him perfectly. As they get closer through emails, Simon must deal
with falling for someone online while puzzling out Blue’s true identity, and
deal with the challenges of high school, being gay, and coming out to his
family. One of my favorite things about this book is how
relatable the characters are, as Simon’s struggles and insecurities are both
heartwarming and understandably nerve-racking. Some young adult books only
portray the stereotypes of high school, but Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda
isn’t one of them. The author does an excellent job of conveying how high
schoolers really act, think, and feel, especially when faced with troubles. She
also does not belittle typical teenage issues and realistically shows the ups
and downs of high school. I love this book, give it 5/5 stars, and
recommend it to readers who enjoy teen romance, LGBTQ+ stories, or realistic
fiction.
Title: Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao
Reader: Jaya, Grade 10
Rating: 4 Stars
In Amelie Wen Zhao’s Blood Heir, Crown Princess Anastacya Mikhailov, a secret Affinate with a feared and reviled ability to control others through their blood, fled the royal palace months ago after being framed for her father’s murder and named a traitor to the Cyrilian Empire. Desperate to find her father’s true killer, Ana enlists the help of crime lord Ramson Quicktongue, but soon discovers through Ramson’s underground world that life for Affinates in Cyrilia is not what she had believed. Corruption is engulfing the empire and Ana becomes involved in a mission greater than simply clearing her name. Blood Heir is a fast-paced story filled with interesting characters, impressive fight scenes, cons and double crosses that kept me engaged and surprised. I liked how the author used this fictional adventure to explore serious, real-world problems like oppression and exploitation, and to ask the reader to think about choices and injustice. Since this is the first book in the series though, do not expect satisfying closure because Blood Heir ends without wrapping up any of the storylines. I give the book 4/5 stars and recommend it to middle to high-school fans of fantasy adventure who can tolerate loose-ends and appreciate some social commentary.
Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Reader: Jaya, Grade 10
Rating: 3 Stars
After Mara Dyer
wakes up unharmed in the hospital with no memory of the accident that killed
her best friend and boyfriend, her family moves from Rhode Island to Florida,
and Mara meets charming, popular Noah, a boy who helps her navigate a new
school and a new state. Already plagued by hallucinations and nightmares,
violent and gory occurrences start to follow Mara wherever she goes, leaving
her to decipher what is reality and what is imagined, if the corpses appearing
have something to do with her, and if Noah knows more than he lets on. This
book is suspenseful with unexpected plot twists that keep the reader guessing. The
author writes the darker parts of the story well, really conveying Mara’s
panic, emotions, and general experiences as she faces hallucinations and deals
with trauma. I never imagined a book could be creepy, funny, and romantic all
at the same time, but The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer combines all three.
However, there are many over-the-top stereotypical characters in this book,
like the attractive/accented/wealthy/bad boy romantic lead, the
Jewish/bisexual/black best friend, the mean/popular girl with a sidekick. Also,
the
novel does not conclude with a satisfying ending, as it is the first in
a trilogy and events continue in the next book. I give The Unbecoming
of Mara Dyer 3/5 stars and would recommend it to teens who enjoy mystery,
dark fantasy/the paranormal, horror, and romance.