Solitaire

Solitaire by Alice Oseman is a book where the reader can relate to at least one, or multiple characters. It makes you feel what the characters are feeling and brings you into their world. Solitaire follows the story of a girl named Tori who enjoys being alone and staying under the radar. Although she has friends and family she just rather not deal with people in general. That is until she follows a trail of post-it notes to a vacant computer lab, where she is introduced to the group Solitaire, and Michael Holden. Michael, a cheerful yet odd person, takes it upon himself to befriend Tori and that’s when things start to change. Solitaire begins to launch daily pranks that somehow all mysteriously connect to her. When the pranks start to get out of hand Tori believes that she has to do something about it instead of just watching it happen. Solitaire is a book filled with twist and turns that you will not see coming, and it has you invested from start to finish.

- KT

The Teammates

Dominic DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr, and Ted Williams made up the close knit friend group that all played professional baseball together, and won a World Series.  The Teammates A Portrait of Friendship, recreates the journey that DiMaggio, and Pesky took to Florida to visit their teammate and friend Ted Williams. Doerr however was unable to make the trip due his wife who had suffered her second stroke. On the way to see Williams stories are told by DiMaggio and Pesky about their early life and what it was like playing baseball with one another. It takes you back in time and shows you what it was like to be in each one of their shoes. They talk about their families, how they got into baseball, and what life was all about back then. Being an avid Red Sox fan this book gave me an insight on some of the greatest players in Red Sox history. If you love baseball, or value a good friendship, this is one book that you will not want to miss out on.

-KT

Where it began

Gabby, a once shy and invisible girl, gets the makeover of a lifetime which leaves her catching the attention of the popular gorgeous boy, Billy Nash. Everything in her life is starting to come together until one night she finds herself lying on the ground next to a crashed BMW. Gabby, now caught in a legal matter, doesn’t remember a single thing from the crash. With the help of her boyfriend that she adores Gabby believes everything will turn out to be okay. But as time goes on things start to dramatically change.

If you enjoy a book with a strong female character than this is not the book for you. Gabby is made out to be a weak girl with no self-respect, whose world revolves around her boyfriend. She’s naïve and believes every single word that comes out of Billy’s mouth. Not only does Where It Began have a weak character but it has a weak story line. After you’ve read about the whole book, something interesting happens, then leaves you hanging. While it follows the story of Gabby, and after events of the crash, it is not enough to keep you invested in the book.

-KT 

The Witch Hunter

The Witch Hunter was a hard book to put down. It brought me into the world of magic and I never wanted to leave. It made me feel many emotions and it opened up my imagination in various different ways.

In a country where witchcraft and wizardry is illegal, Elizabeth Grey works as witch hunter capturing all those who use magic. One night however, she gets accused for practicing magic and her whole world turns upside down. Left to be burned at the stake Elizabeth is saved by a powerful wizard, Nicolas Pervil. With no knowledge that Elizabeth is a witch hunter he strikes a deal with her; he will help her leave the country and be free if she breaks the deadly curse cast upon him. Soon enemies become friends, and the people she once trusted turn against her. Between the magic, suspense, and romance The Witch Hunter is a book that will be sure to put you under a spell.

-KT

The Longest Ride

            Ira Levinson is a ninety one year old man whose wife Ruth died nine years ago. Ira is in trouble. Driving on a long, windy road, he slides off the road in a snow storm. Now clinging for dear life, he continues to see his wife, who is reminiscing the life that they had, forcing him to hold on.  A couple miles down the road is Sophia Danko, studying art at a local college. She meets Luke, who is your average cowboy and introduces her to many adventures she never knew were waiting. But years apart, how do these two couples intertwine?

            I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Nicholas Sparks writes outstanding novels. I read this book because I have previously read many of his books, and each one is better than the last. It leaves you wondering throughout the entire book how the two couples are related and it shocks you when you figure out how they are. It is full of love and romance, which anyone who appreciates a good romance novel, should read.

 K.L.

The Spectacular Now

The book, The spectacular Now, revolves around a teenage boy, who is overcoming a relationship with a different girl, when he meet Aimee and is tempted to have something more than just a friendship with her. She is different, but a good different. She doesn’t wear a lot of makeup, she likes to read and draw, and Sutter loves this about her. She thinks she is some ordinary girl, but he sees so much more in her. As the book unfolds you see the everyday challenges of a normal teenager, until something extraordinary occurs. 

This book was amazing to read, especially being a teenager and understanding the different events that happen, because it is extremely realistic. The author. Tim Tharp, doesn’t make it seem like it’s something that wouldn’t happen in real life, and it seems like your average love story, until something so different happens.

K. T.

Staying Strong

The book, Staying Strong, is written by a famous song writer, Demi Lovato, who discusses the challenges of her life she has had to overcome, whether it’s with her health, her fame, or her family. She talks about the bumps in the road, and how she’s managed to recover from it, one of the main problems being drug abuse. She has discussed how she struggles to fit in with everyone else in the world.

This book was one that was difficult to read. It was interesting because it is a true story, but at the same time it was easy to predict what was going to happen and there wasn’t a big event that occurs throughout it. It wasn’t a good book for me, although it might be good for others, especially when it comes to receiving good advice.

 

Sharp Objects

The novel, Sharp Objects, tells the story of Camille Preaker, a girl living in Chicago who became a journalist originally from Missouri. She is a self–harmer from a family with a troubled mother, a dead sister and a living stepsister who she absolutely despises. She is forced by her boss to unwillingly return to her hometown, Wind Gap, to cover up the brutal murder of a local girl. What starts off as an isolated incident escalates into a series of murders, all occurring during Camille’s trip back home. As she joins the hunt for the killer and the case begins to unravel, Camille begins to discover the source of the evil may be a lot closer to home sweet home than she realizes.

This book was one that kept me on my toes, and not wanting to put it down. The author of the book, Gillian Flynn, is famous for writing amazing suspense stories. After reading her book, Gone Girl, I didn’t think she’d be able to compete with it, but this book was just as interesting, if not better. I am one for romance novels, but I recommend this book to anyone!

The Revenant

In Michael Punke’s The Revenant, Hugh Glass, a legendary explorer, is left for dead after a horrific bear attack. Somehow, Glass survives and is left with nothing from his kit and is not only driven to make it home to his family, but to also get revenge on his comrades who abandoned him. Glass goes on a gut wrenching adventure filled with inclement weather and vicious attacks.

            Punke takes us through the extraordinary journey of a Hugh Glass and what he overcomes. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a heroic story about a man stretched to his limits to achieve revenge. 

Where They Found Her

In a small, seemingly perfect town, there are always secrets to be kept. And in Ridgedale, there are plenty of secrets. When a baby girl is found dead under a bridge, all of the secrets are starting to unravel. Where They Found Her takes you through the story of three women who are all connected in a way.
I would not recommend this book because it jumps around between many characters and different time periods. To read it you need to have a great amount of focus and a good understanding of a difficult plot line.

The Girl From the Well

Tarquin is not your average teenager. With tattoos covering his arms and back, people aren’t always drawn to him. Okiku however, is. Being a 300 year old ghost, she has to pass the time somehow. Her favorite hobby just so happens to be revenge. When getting revenge on a deserving soul, she stumbles across Tark. She notices he has a spirit attached to him and she feels the need to protect him. But what happens when a trip to Japan takes a bad turn? Find out in Rin Chupeco’s chilling story filled with exorcist, eerie dolls, and ghost vigilantes. 

Me Earl and the Dying Girl

This fictional story takes you through the life of a 15 year old aspiring film maker. Greg’s well-developed plan of being friends with everyone, but at the same time not having any friends is soiled when is mother forces him to befriend a girl from school who is recently diagnosed with leukemia. Earl is Greg’s best “coworker”, they have about one thing in common but it has kept their friendship strong. As the three of these teenagers’ lives become intertwined the movie screen continues to roll. This book sucks you into the life of an average guy, it is so relatable it is almost as if you are reading a book about your own high school experiences. I would recommend this comedic book or (script) to people of all ages and people of all different backgrounds, because anyone can make a connection to the normal problems that arise in the life of a teenager. 

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler

This is the story of Knud Pedersen and the movement he started against the Nazi’s who were invading their homeland. After the Danish Adults decided it would be best for the safety of Denmark to accept Germany’s proposal, the confident young boys took matters into their own hands. With every sabotaging event, the rebellious group earned recognition as heroes and inspired Danes all around. This was a great read, hearing all the anecdotes of how challenging authority can make a difference made it hard to put down. Its non-fictional essence made it easy to become one of the boys and further your insight on what actually happened. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who asks.

The Martian

A man stuck on Mars and no one knows that he is alive. Mark Watney went on a mission which didn’t exactly go as planned. Now, all he has is his engineering skills, his ability to be clever, and his sense of humor to keep himself alive. The daily logs kept by the astronaut are realistic and contain the elements o0f science and suspense. It was a very intelligent read, at times hard to follow if you don’t have prior knowledge of certain conditions. Andy Weir’s imagination takes you on a journey to mars and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall

16 year old Avery June West was used to moving a lot because of her mother’s job, never allowing herself to get attached to anyone she meets. However, her curiosity towards two boys reveals more about her life than she ever could have imagined. The further she becomes in tune with her true identity the more danger consumes her. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fiction novels with a flushed out female as the protagonist. I would also recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a hint of mystery along with their romance because you won’t leave the edge of your seat.