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A Castle in the Clouds

by Kerstin Gier

Amazon.com: A Castle in the Clouds (9781250300195): Gier, Kerstin ...

High up in the Swiss Alps exists a marvelous hotel, where rich guests pay for extravagance and Christmas and New Years is an event to behold. When Sophie Spark signed up for her internship there, she did not expect anything but beautiful nature and maybe a kiss or two. However, when guests start arriving and weird things start happening Sophie is sure criminals from the past have resurfaced at the hotel. It will take guts, will and smarts to figure this out, and Sophie Spark has all three.

In this atmospheric and mysterious setting, Kerstin Gier has created a cast of characters that will keep you on your toes!

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The Vanishing Stair

Maureen Johnson

In Maureen Johnson’s second installment in her Truly Devious Series, readers delve into the present while keeping an eye on the past. Stevie Bell has solved one mystery, but the murders of the past still haunt her. However, when she is forced to leave Ellingham Academy against her will, she must try to move past her obsession with the case. Then, a deal is struck and Stevie is whisked back to Ellingham Academy where the past never leaves and the present stalks the school like a ghost. A captivating mystery with twists and turns, The Vanishing Stair will leave readers wondering and wishing for the final and third installment.

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Truly Devious

Maureen Johnson

Stevie Bell is finally getting what she wants- a chance to attend the famous Ellingham Academy in Vermont. The school boasts a different kind of curriculum, where the greatest inventors, thinkers and creators come together to explore and learn. For Stevie however, this is chance of a lifetime. As a true crime enthusiast, Stevie has dedicated her young life to solving the murder of Albert Ellingham’s wife and daughter, the founder of the school. Maureen Johnson weaves two story lines into the book, taking readers back to the early days of the school and the murders as well as following Stevie on her hunt to find the murderer decades later. A truly captivating novel, lovers of true crime and mystery should not wait to pick up this book.

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Macbeth

William Shakespeare

Macbeth is a tragic play that revolves around the psychological effects of regrets and how the human mind works to gain redemption. Macbeth, with the aid of Lady Macbeth, kills the current king to become the next king. However, the guilt of murdering the King sends Macbeth and his wife into a state of mental shock, depression and fear as both are unsuccessful in their attempts to forget about their evil actions. Macbeth is later greeted with prophecies that initially seem impossible to occur, but as time progresses and the mental state of Macbeth deteriorates, the prophecies seem real. To cure his pain, Macbeth kills many that seem to be a potential threat; however, this results in a power shift from the public. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, attempts to forget about her pain which leads to a very tragic end for her.

 

The play by William Shakespeare dives into a new view of the human mind and the negative effects of lying, regretting and cheating. Shakespeare touches on gender roles, family values and moral lessons that allow readers to become better individuals. The storyline is very interesting, includes fairy tales, ghosts and other mythical creatures. I definitely recommend this play, although I advise readers to read a modified version or find a translator to increase understanding. -Eesa K.

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The Wrong Girl

R. L. Stine

Poppy Miller swears she will get payback for Jack Sabers’s cruel prank that humiliated her in front of all her friends.

Then her classmates start turning up dead.

All eyes are on Poppy. Is Poppy being framed? Or did the kids of Shadyside High mess with the wrong girl?

In this all-new Fear Street story, only one thing’s for sure—someone is out for DEADLY revenge.

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Lord of the Flies

William Golding

The Lord of the Flies focuses on a group of young British boys who are stranded on an uninhabited island after their plane crashes. The boys have an entire island to themselves without the guidance or supervision of parents; it is the perfect paradise and freedom. As time passes, the boys are able to establish a leader and a mini-system to ensure survival. Soon, the lack of civilization on the island begins to affect the mindset of the children as some begin to imagine a beast lurking around. The panic causes a large amount of havoc as some boys are killed and sacrificed in the name of the beast. Ralph and Jack, the leader of the boys, try to maintain peace. However further confusion and conflicts lead to the separation of groups. The boys essentially become savages and begin to turn on each other. Will anyone of them survive? Or will the “beast” become a reality and kill everyone?

 

This novel is very interesting in the sense as it is not what the average book contains. The plot and moral values one can gain are very new, different and a tad strange. The novel takes a couple of twists, each plot twist is tragic and dark. I would recommend this book to students above grade 9 as it involves killing and involves talks about the dark side of the human mind.-Eesa K.

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