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.