"Reel Culture" by Mimi O'Connor (165 Pages)

The perfect book for film enthusiasts, "Reel Culture" is an easy little read about iconic films throughout the ages. From "Gone With The Wind" to "Silence of the Lambs" and everything in between, this books tells you about their success in the box office, important lines, and why people were so fascinated with them. "Reel Culture" is a fun way to learn more about the movies your parents loved. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for something to read!

Reviewed by Alli Sweeney

"The Passage" by Justin Cronin (766 Pages)

In this stunning, post-apocalyptic novel, Justin Cronin brings about the end of the world in the form of a virus: changing the infected into super-strong, super-fast beings who will stop at nothing to consume flesh. Injected with a revolutionary form of the virus that makes her immortal, Amy Bellafonte witnesses all the carnage and spends one hundred years wandering the country. When she bands together with a group of people searching for a safe place, secrets are uncovered that may ultimately save the world, and Amy and her friends may sacrifice everything to stop the infected. A heart-stopping thriller not for the faint of heart, I couldn't put this book down until I knew the ending. I strongly recommend it if you're comfortable with lengthy books.

Reviewed by Alli Sweeney

"This is Not a Test" by Courtney Summer (322 pages)

Anybody you know will tell you school is like a prison or at least the last place any kid would want to be. But for Sloane and the rest of her friends, school becomes a sanctuary. In the middle of a zombie apocalypse, Sloane Price finds her way to her abandoned high school and instantly makes refuge. Within a week, five more teens find their way to this high school and it almost seems like it’s a miracle. But those doors can only protect them for so long. This book is very dark and questions friendship and family and whether the one person you’re closest to would sacrifice as much for you and you would them.

Reviewed by Jazmin Straffin

"The Future of Us" by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler- 356 pages

If you literally had your future in your hands, wouldn’t you do anything to make it perfect? For Emma, that’s her goal. It was the mid ‘90s where the internet was just becoming accessible and all of the fast-working websites was not even thought of yet. A new computer and a free trial run for dial-up internet is what every average teenager wants. And for Emma, that’s exactly it. But after being on the internet, she discovers “Facebook”, which has not even been invented yet. Not only does she find her friends and family’s pages, she finds her neighbor, Josh’s page. She immediately shows him the page and he is instantly skeptical. But once information starts to surface onto his page, he has to believe it.


Reviewed by Jazmin Straffin

"One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies" by Sonya Sones (268 Pages)

In a coming-of-age story that tears at your heartstrings, Ruby is a girl who has to go live with her movie-star father after the death of her mother. Angry and bitter at him for ignoring her for these past fifteen years, Ruby does everything she can to make sure her father knows how much she hates him. When confronted with the normal struggles of teenage life AND being a movie star's daughter, Ruby speaks in a voice that is easy to relate to and is easy to grow attached to. Set up in verse-format and a quick read, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would strongly recommend it.

Reviewed by Alli Sweeney

Last Night I Sang To The Monster by Benjamin Alire Saenz (239 Pages)

Zach is living in rehab- he knows he is an alcoholic and he knows he needs help, but he doesn't remember how he got there and he doesn't want to remember. Throughout this beautiful novel, Zach struggles with his addiction and memories of his childhood while learning to remember. In "Last Night I Sang To The Monster" we learn about the Monster- the one that lives inside all of us, and how we can control It. This novel truly touched my heart and after reading it I immediately wanted to share it with others.

Reviewed by Alli Sweeney