A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

 Book: A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

Rating: 4 stars

Review Writer: Vihaan J.

“A Door in the Dark” by Scott Reintgen is an intense story about a magical world. The story starts off with Ren Monroe, a student at the Balmerick University of Magic. Ren’s life takes a wild turn when a transport spell fails for her, leaving her stranded in the wilderness with a group of her classmates. What I loved most about this book is how real the characters felt. Ren is a great main character with a mix of bravery and fear. This story kept me on the edge of my seat with its twists and turns. Reintgen’s writing style pulls you into the magical world with imaginative writing. Another thing I liked was the dialogue, which was very witty, adding to the characters’ relationships and personalities. However, one thing that I didn’t love was the pacing of the book. There were some parts that seemed very dry and predictable and the action wasn’t always the best, but the overall experience was still very enjoyable. Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of fantasy and adventure. Specifically, this is the perfect book if you are an older teen who likes books like Harry Potter or Hunger Games.

The Dare by Natasha Preston

Book: The Dare by Natasha Preston

Rating: 4 stars

Writer: Vihaan J

The Dare by Natasha Preston is a thrilling story about Marley, who lives in a town where seniors must complete these dangerous dares as a tradition. These dares start off as a little bit of fun, but they quickly begin to threaten lives. The book kept me hooked with its suspense and unexpected twists. Marley is a well-developed character, and peer pressure struggles make her more relatable. Additionally, the tension builds with each new dare, hooking you in and making you want to keep reading. One thing that I didn’t like was the parts of the book where the dares became unrealistic and the ending seemed too perfect. However, The Dare is a great book for fans of thrillers who also enjoy a bit of mystery. It is perfect for older teens looking for suspense.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Book: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Rating: 4 stars

Review Writer: Vihaan J.

“Iron Flame” is the second book in Rebecca Yarros’s “Empyrean” series. The story picks up where “Fourth Wing” left off. It follows Violet Sorrengail, who has survived her first year at the brutal Basgiath War College, only to face even more dangerous trials in her second year. As she navigates through the hazardous aspects of the college, Violet must use her determination and intelligence to uncover secrets and survive the challenges she faces. One of the best features of Iron Flame is its well-developed characters. Violet’s resilience and wit make her a great protagonist, and her relationships with her friends add depth to the story. The tension between Violet and Xaden also kept me engaged in their story. This plot is very fast and full of twists, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The book balances action with character development well, and the introduction of new characters makes it a great read. One thing I didn’t like about the book was the huge number of twists and the fact that it left off on a cliffhanger. Overall, Iron Flame is a thrilling sequel to the Empyrean series that will be a fun read for those who like action and adventure novels. I think it is perfectly suited for older teens and young adults.

The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud

Book: The Hollow Boy

Rating: 5 stars 

Review Writer: James S.

In Jonathan Stroud’s novel The Hollow Boy, the Lockwood & Co. ghost hunting agency take a case from Ms. Wintergarden who recommends the agency to DEPRAC for the Chelsea ghost Outbreak. One thing I liked about The Hollow boy is the continued atmosphere of mystery and surprise. I also like how Stroud adds in Holly Munro, the new office assistant, into the group seamlessly and makes sure to show the reactions of everyone. I also like how Stroud made sure that Lucy’s character began to develop and learn about her Talent. One thing I don’t like is that Lucy is overly untrusting of Holly even though Holly tries to be as nice as possible. I also don’t like how they say that Poltergeists are invisible while in past books they were only described as a faint shape that can barely be seen. Another thing I didn’t like was how Stroud ended the book on a cliffhanger. In the end, I give The Hollow Boy 5 stars out of 5

The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud

Book: The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud

Rating: 4.5 stars 

Review Writer: James S.

The Whispering Skull is the second book in the five book Lockwood & Co. series by Jonathan Stroud. The Whispering Skull follows Lockwood & Co. a group of children in an alternate London who eradicate ghosts for a business. Lockwood & Co. is made up Anthony Lockwood, George Cubbins, and Lucy Carlyle. As George Cubbins is experimenting on a skull in a jar it suddenly speaks to Lucy. One thing I liked about The Whispering Skull is that it  kept the moody atmosphere from the first book and the weird quirks of each character. I also like the little bits of detail that show us what might happen next. I also like how even though a new character is introduced, the skull in the jar, Stroud introduced them and eased them into the story and its plot. I also like how the villain in the book is not very clear until the end giving the book an air of mystery. One thing that I didn’t like about Stroud’s The Whispering Skull is that his details were a bit inconsistent and that it made the book a little annoying. I also didn’t like how the names of some ghost sub-types were changed from the first book.

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

Book: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

Rating: 5 stars 

Review Writer: James S.

The Screaming Staircase is a novel written by Jonathan Stroud about a group of psychic investigation agents, ghost catchers, in an alternate London where ghosts have suddenly begun to appear. The agents, Anthony Lockwood, George Cubbins, and Lucy Carlyle, are part of a group called Lockwood & Co. which helps the citizens of London clear out the ghosts on or in their property. Stroud was able to incorporate an element of surprise and mystery while still making the book packed with action and detail. He was able to make encounters with ghosts and their eradication packed with action while the monotonous days feel slow and sluggish. He was also able to achieve an air of trust and interest between the characters and Lucy. Stroud also incorporated Lucy’s backstory and history without the story feeling stopped or it being a flashback rather bringing it up as a distant memory. One thing I don’t like about The Screaming Staircase is the suddenness of the cases that take place during the book. I also don’t like how Stroud doesn’t elaborate onto certain ghost types that are talked about in later books. In the end, I give The Screaming Staircase a 5 stars out of 5.

If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

Book: If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

Rating: 3 stars 

Reviewer: Jackie C.

If You Could See The Sun by Ann Liang, takes place in modern day Beijing, China. The book is centered around a girl named Alice Sun, who, you could say, leads an “invisible life" at her elite international boarding school in Beijing. Coming from a poor family, Alice aims for greatness in her academic life in hopes of procuring a well paying job so she can finally bring her family out of poverty. With the tuition fee now raised, Ann is informed by her parents that they can no longer pay for her tuition. Despite that, Ann has a much more pressing matter at hand: she is turning invisible at random and can not figure out why or how to even control it. Though faced with such a problem, Ann soon realizes that there is a positive side to her situation. Information, such as secrets, are precious things that people are willing to pay quite a price for, and not only that, she is surrounded by China’s most influential and rich teens. As Ann tries to balance her schoolwork, stealing secrets, and her growing relationship with her rival, who also happens to be her business partner, things start to fall apart. Alice’s jobs quickly change from stealing secrets to more serious crimes, and she must decide if helping her family is worth betraying her morals, or even losing her life.

I felt that the plot was overall good and enjoyable, but in all honesty it was a bit hard to get into the book at first, as the pacing was quite slow. None of the characters really stood out to me either and the author did not  explain how the main character got her power, which I found quite bothersome. Despite that, it was still a good read because the pacing eventually quickened and I wanted to keep reading it to see what would happen. I would give it three out of five stars. I would recommend this book to those who like school life books and high stakes.