March 2, 2022

Review by Kelly

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

In the novel This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp, two characters, Sylv and Autumn, are held hostage by Autumn’s brother due to mental issues and violence at home. Meanwhile, Tomas and Clarie are outside trying to find ways to help rescue the hostages taken by Autumn’s brother, Tyler, in the gym. This book is a rollercoaster of emotions and tells the tale of a school shooting spun with grief, death, and raises questions on the negative consequences of school shootings. In addition to the tweets and blog posts between each chapter, the writing really absorbs the reader into thinking this type of situation could occur to them in their school.

January 20, 2022

Review by Alanna

The Lost, written by New York Times bestselling author Natasha Preston, is a fantastic young adult thriller and a gripping tale of a small-town case that must be cracked from the inside out.

The novel follows Piper, a teenage girl interested in mysteries and puzzles, on an amateur sleuthing adventure. With secrets thickening the air, teenagers in her hometown continue to disappear one by one and are labeled by the town as runaways. However, after one of their own classmates vanishes, Piper and her best friend Hazel become increasingly doubtful of the town’s assumption and most determined to uncover the truth about the disappearances. Ultimately, their discoveries lead them directly to the missing teens… and, less fortunately, to their captors. Can they all escape?

January 14, 2022

Review by Carina

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is a beautiful story of two heroes who share an unbreakable bond. It is a retelling of The Iliad, but through the eyes of Patroclus, friend of the great hero, Achilles. Set in Ancient Greece, Patroclus, son of Menoitius, is a disappointment to his father. He is small and slight, unfit to be prince. At age ten, he is exiled after his unintentional killing of a boy. He is sent to be fostered in the small country of Phthia where he meets Achilles, son of the sea goddess, Thetis. Patroclus and Achilles quickly become the best of friends and try to persevere through the war at Troy. But they have no idea what the cruel Fates have in store for them.