And The Trees Crept In

Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? Ever feel like danger lurks around every corner? To escape her abusive father, Silla takes her little sister, Nori, to find their Aunt Cath, who lives in a remote manor called La Baume. Apparently, La Baume is cursed and now that the two girls have arrived, The Creeper Man won’t allow them to leave. The Creeper Man lurks in Python Woods, waiting to scoop up the girls if they cross the trees. It’s easy to stay away from the woods, except...the trees keep getting closer. The roots twist under the ground, coming closer and closer to the manor as it sinks into the earth. Then a mysterious boy named Rowan comes from the woods, and somehow makes things better. Is he a figment of Silla’s imagination? What has Silla’s reality become? What if it’s not her reality at all?

And The Trees Crept In is a thrilling horror novel full of twists and turns. You never know what to expect. As you read on and discover Silla’s notes and journal entries, you feel what Silla is expressing through her writing, you feel her mind slipping. It’ll make you question your own reality, and will get you thinking from a different perspective.

CJ

Ruthless

All her life Ruth has cared most about one thing. Winning. She’s tough and even sometimes mean to others, even being given the nickname “Ruthless” by the other people at her parent’s barn. When Ruth wakes up in the back of a pickup truck, covered in dirt and feeling broken, she proves just how ruthless she is. She’s taken to a cabin in the middle of nowhere before she figures out anything about her captor. Bound with rope and zip ties, Ruth discovers the horror of her situation. There were six girls before her, all younger than she was, and they all were never heard from again. Ruth escapes, but her captor is hot on her trail. He has the advantage, but Ruth isn’t about losing. While trying to keep herself in one piece, and remain sane, she needs to figure out just how far she’ll go to win. She knows she needs to survive, but how far will she go?

Ruthless is a book that never stops moving. On every page there is a whole new challenge for Ruth to face. It’s jammed packed with action while still making your heart hurt for this girl. It’s hard to put down once you start reading, and if you have to, you’ll be looking forward to the next time you pick it up. Ruthless really keeps you wondering how far Ruth will go to survive.

CJ

Flashfall

    Orion is one of the many subpars in a place called Outpost five, which lies beyond a deadly, radioactive flash curtain. On the other side of this flash curtain lies the city-state of Alara, and to get there, subpars are expected to mine 400 grams of a precious element called cirium. This element is the only thing that can protect people from radiation caused by the flash curtain. Orion is lead ore scout in her outpost- somehow she can feel the cirium, it calls to her. Together, she and her partner Dram mine tunnel nine, a tunnel full of cirium and danger, which not many live through. Soon secrets about the government are uncovered, and Orion starts a rebellion. She finds out everything is not as it seems, and lusts for freedom. Many punishments later, escaping death on more than one occasion, Orion thinks she’s found a way out. The only thing is, can she save her outpost? Or only the ones she loves?

    Flashfall is jammed-packed with action and suspense. There’s something new on every page and the event keeps you looking for more. It takes you for an adventure, and it keeps you wanting more. It’s full of twist and turns, and has very strong characters. It’s a hard book to put down, and once it’s over you’ll still be asking.. What’s next? When is the sequel coming out?

CJ

Very in Pieces

Very Sayles-Woodruff has gone her whole life being labeled smart. But when it comes to art or figuring out the meaning of poems, she has a hard time. Her entire family seems to have something special about them, while Very is the odd-one out. She’s a straight-A student who goes to college classes, while everyone else around her is artistic. Very has always been the one her family relies on because of this, but then her life begins to fall apart. Her grandmother becomes ill, her mother drinks constantly, her father is never around, and her little sister Ramona starts rebelling. While her life is falling apart, there is a sculpture building up on their house. While this sculpture is coming together, Very continues falling apart. She becomes intrigued by it, wondering who created it and why. Could it be Dominic, a rebellious artist who seems to have a thing for her? A fan of her grandmother who’s creating it as a memorial?

Very in Pieces is a book full of twists and turns, and is a book that can relate to anyone who’s felt out of place or felt like their life is on a downward spiral. It shows that even good things come from the bad, and that everything works out in the end. It helps remind you that everyone is different, and everyone is good at something different- just each in their own ways.

CJ

Conviction

Braden was dropped off as baby to his father’s doorstep. He grew up alongside his older brother Trey. The boys were raised as Christians as their father was highly religious. Their father was not only religious, but also an abusive alcoholic. Because of this Trey left home as soon as he could. On the other hand, Braden thought he had the best dad in the world. Braden was a star baseball player, famous in his high school league for his fastball. Braden inherited this love and talent for baseball from his father, who played in the minor league. Braden and his father connected the most from baseball, which created the bond that they share. Then his father is arrested for a hit and run on a police officer. He is convicted of murder. Although, in this book- conviction isn’t always a legal term. Braden prepares himself to testify in the trial, insisting his father is innocent. Although when Braden finds out his father is off the hook, he feels guilty. Why?

    This book creates a suspenseful feel, while bringing you through Braden’s life. Some things are brought forth to you, making the book tie together and creating tension. It really puts you in Braden’s shoes, and you really start to feel what Braden feels.

CJ

Cuckoo Song

Triss was a normal girl until her accident. However, she doesn’t remember anything that happened or why she has weird symptoms. She is starving all the time, her sister hates her, and she gets angry over things she shouldn’t. Next thing she knows she sees her dolls start to move. Her parents start keeping secrets from her and acting weird. Triss takes us into a fantasy part of the city and meets some different creatures while trying to fix whatever it is happened to her. 

This book created a feeling of suspense. The beginning was a little slow so it took a while to get into but after it started to pick it was an interesting book. It is set in post-World War One with fantastic elements. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys a suspenseful, supernatural book mixed with historical elements. 

A.K.

Technically It's Not My Fault

Technically It’s Not My Fault, by John Grandits is a fun, quick book made up by concrete poems. The relatable poems grab the reader’s attention with the creative shapes and ideas. Although Grandits’ book seems almost too middle school, he creates a fun read.

It made me laugh with a poem about a thank you letter written to a grandmother regarding a sweater that was bought. It had footnotes at the bottom of the page changing everything that was originally said. The poem was written in letter form and made me want to keep reading because the shapes were intriguing. 

A.K.