These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Title: These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Reviewer: Aditi N., Grade 9

Rating: 4 Stars

A mysterious plague has engulfed 1920s Shanghai, leading victims to sever their own throats. The city's two main gangs are forced to put aside their long-standing rivalry and work together to repress the source before it's too late. Among the animosity are ex-lovers Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov, who are both heirs to their respective gangs. Past betrayals and rivalry between their clans are keeping them apart. An alliance is formed, clues are unraveled and discoveries are made. It is a mystery, a monster-hunt and a Romeo and Juliet retelling, all rolled into one.

The author’s eloquent writing was by far my favorite aspect of this book. It seemed to flow naturally and complemented the ornate setting of Shanghai. Each page brimmed with emotion and elegance. Artfully built suspense provided a dark aesthetic as the novel progressed. The action-packed plot was pleasantly paced and featured outstanding characters. Although I couldn’t connect with any of them, I enjoyed the diverse representation that the book had to offer. The prose was thoughtfully laced with themes of communism and colonisation that left me thinking long after I finished reading it. I would recommend this novel to fans of dark mystery and forbidden romances.

Alone by Megan Freeman

Title: Alone by Megan Freeman

Reviewer: Louisa, grade 8

Rating: 4 stars

What would you do if everyone suddenly disappeared? How would you survive if everything you took for granted, like the heater, stopped working? Could you handle the psychological effects of being alone? In the book Alone by Megan E. Freeman, you can live this reality through Maddie, the relatable main character. Through poetry, you read Maddie’s incredible journey, both mentally and physically. When all the people in her small Coloradan town disappear, she has to fight to survive and learns about gratitude and resourcefulness along the way.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot because it never got boring. I always wanted to turn another page or read another poem, and I was worried for Maddie, the main character. Her character was convincing and so was how she survives and what challenges she faces. It was clear that the author did her research about natural disasters and what would happen if everything stopped working, and that made it more compelling. Putting the story into verse added a lot to it too, because it made it significantly different from other survival stories like Hatchet and Island of the Blue Dolphins. The poem format also helped the writing focus on some of the emotional and psychological effects that come from being alone for years on end.

I would recommend this book to fans of survival or adventure stories and books written in verse. It’s very engaging and is exciting all the way to the end, while also letting you connect with the character, and it’s good if you’re looking for a quick, satisfying read.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Reviewer: Louisa, grade 8

Rating: 5 stars

Imagine a world similar to our own, with the same imperfections and beauty, but at the same time so different in its countries, people, and abilities. In the book Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, this world comes to life with amazing authenticity, with complicated nations, races, and religions. In the center of this world lies an island called Kerch, the smallest nation. A bustling, competitive city, Ketterdam, sits at the northern tip. Ketterdam is home to some of Kerch’s most notorious criminals and convicts who roam the dangerous streets of the Barrel. Among them are Kaz, Inej, Nina, Matthias, Wylan, and Jesper. They risk their lives every day as they fight to survive in their harsh world, but when Kaz receives an opportunity that offers a way out of the hardship in the Barrel, he takes a chance that may make them rich beyond their dreams, or put them all in their graves.

Reading this book kept me on my toes the whole time because the action, as well as the dialogue, pulled me into this intriguing story. I really enjoyed it because the characters, their relationships with each other, and the world they live in just felt so real to me. Leigh Bardugo did an amazing job creating the plot and the characters seem like actual people. Each character has a unique background and secrets you could never guess, and because the book’s chapters switch from being narrated by each of the characters, you come to understand their motives and trauma as the story unfolds. I really connected with a lot of them, and that made the book even more compelling because I got concerned and anxious for them.  

There is a sequel to this book as well; Crooked Kingdom, which is also by Leigh Bardugo, and it is equally excellent and clears up the questions at the end of Six of Crows. I recommend reading both because the second offers more great dialogue and will make you attach to the characters even more. Ultimately, this story will be very appealing for fantasy fans and anyone else who likes adventure and suspense.

 

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

 

Title: We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

Reviewer: Aditi N., Grade 9

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

We Hunt the Flame is set in a fantasy world, Arawiya, which is inspired by ancient Arabia. It follows Zafira, a fearless huntress in a patriarchal society, on a quest to retrieve a jewel that will restore magic and put an end to the cursed forest that has caused her people to suffer. She crosses paths with Nasir, an assassin and the crown prince, who has embarked on a journey to steal the jewel and kill her in order to prove himself to his father.

Faizal's lush, eloquent writing furnishes this book with exquisite charm. Although the narrative was slow to develop, it definitely picked up with action-packed twists and turns near the finish. The plot is predictable at times and follows familiar tropes, but the characters and setting are vibrant and well-crafted. I particularly enjoyed the deep connection between Zafira and Yasmine, as well as Nasir and Altair's amusing banter. Overall, this was a memorable novel perfect for Aladdin enthusiasts, with an exciting ending

A Blade So Black by LL McKinney

Title: A Blade so Black by LL McKinney

Reviewer: Ariana, Grade 11

Rating: 3 stars

This was not the story I was expecting. On the night her father died, Alice ran from the hospital and was attacked by a Nightmare. A creature born out of fear and anger from humans. She was rescued by her mentor, Addison Hatta, and started her year-long journey of becoming a Dreamwalker. This role is a human who can travel into Wonderland and defeat Nightmares. As of late, Alice has been dealing with daily life concerns, which led to a faulty mission. To correct her mistake, she must go on a journey to find a gem lost long ago. 

Alice is a fierce African-American female ready to fight and save her friends. She has weathered the loss of her father, the feeling of helplessness, and blossomed into a warrior. This book is simple with its characters, worldbuilding, and storyline. I adore the mother-daughter relationship! It is the most realistic one I've read. The narrative is cute and fluffy but deals with serious issues of being a Black person (like police brutality). 

The book was fast-paced and modern in its references. While it was enjoyable, I felt like this book lacked from about the sixty percent mark to the end. If this book were a little longer, the journey would have been more realistic and the worldbuilding would have benefited. The writing felt stiff and chunky in sections. However, I do appreciate the intentions and the complex world the author was trying to create. I would recommend this book to anyone starting fantasy.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Title: One of Us is Lying by Karen M.  McManus

Reviewer: Louisa, grade 8

Rating: 5 stars

One of us is Lying by Karen M. McManus is a thrilling novel filled with suspense and shocking plot twists. This mystery is centered around four high school students that have never before had anything to do with one another; Bronwyn, who will most likely get into Yale at some point, Cooper, whose life is all baseball, Addy, the perfect prom queen, and Nate, Bayview High School’s resident bad boy. These seemingly unrelated teens get drawn together in the face of a murder investigation where they are the suspects, and while secrets are uncovered and truths are revealed, they start forming an unlikely friendship.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it kept me interested the whole time, and as new developments shocked me, it got more intriguing. It was also easy to understand and relate to the characters and their conflicts. The whole plot is very believable, and it is full of subtle clues and red herrings that turned me in every direction possible while reading it. As well as spinning a mystery, Karen M. McManus incorporates real-world problems in our society, such as substance abuse and homophobia, into her book. This helps make the story even more real and engaging because the characters have real problems and conflicts that make it easier to connect to them. 

Overall, this book was excellent, with a suspenseful plot that makes it a real page-turner. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting mystery or just a good book in general.  

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Book: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Reviewer: Yasmin, Grade 11

Rating: 5 stars

 

This is the first book of an ongoing series; a mystical take on the Salem witch trial following the story of a girl named Deka as she battles both the people around her and the monsters of her world. In a society reminiscent of old Salem, with similar expectations of women’s characteristics and purity, Deka faces difficulties in the face of her society’s close minded expectations that have been drilled into her since childhood. In Deka’s small town, every girl’s dream is to go through the ritual of purity, where they officially step into adulthood. This is Deka’s only hope for acceptance in her town, where many discriminate against her due to her mixed heritage. However, on the day of the ritual, her village is attacked by demon-like creatures that have been ravaging the entire country. In an effort to survive, Deka reveals some miraculous- and condemning- abilities. Before she knows it, she is found guilty of witchcraft, imprisoned, tortured, then whisked away by an agent from the capital city, and her life is turned upside down. This story is a never-before seen take on one of the most infamous events in American history, and takes multiple unexpected twists and turns, keeping you guessing the whole time. The world building is well done and complex, and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something unique in the fantasy genre as well as dystopian, as it explores various social issues in a high tension, fantasy world.