by ·0 Comments

by Lauren Shippen 

5 Stars

The supernatural tale, ‘The Infinite Noise’ follows the story of Caleb Michaels and Adam Hayes. The writing captures the view of neurodivergent, queer teens, describing the struggles of everyday life. 

Caleb appears to be your average ‘nice jock’ stereotype. Before a certain incident, Caleb would label himself as normal, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. But when he gets into a fight and is sent to therapy, Caleb soon discovers he is an empath. All of a sudden, his constant feeling of being overwhelmed was explained. As Caleb grows into this new ‘superpower’, he takes more notice of his classmate Adam. This leads to a complicated understanding of both their feelings. 

 The main plot consists of this constant struggle to understand emotions, the inability to communicate, and the general teen experience. While Caleb continues his therapy sessions, he learns more about being an empath, how to control it, and others like him. Adam has his own struggles, being one of the only gay boys in his area and fighting depression. As the characters learn more and grow closer, they’re forced to see the world in a different light. 

This beautiful book is heartwarming, throwing you up and down on the emotional spectrum. You will find yourself empathizing with the characters, forming an attachment, and genuinely understanding them. It is an engaging read, slow-paced at first but speeds up as you continue. I believe that anyone could thoroughly enjoy this and find it entertaining. 

This charming piece of work is full of vivid imagery, strong feelings, and everything else you could want. 

Sarah B.

View in Library Catalogue: Print

by ·0 Comments

by Angeline Boulley

4 Stars

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley is a story of an eighteen-year-old Ojibwe girl named Daunis Fontaine. Daunis has not had the best year, and tragedy strikes Daunis left and right. She puts her future on hold for her family. The only bright spot she encounters is meeting Jamie, a dashing recruit in her brother’s (Levi) hockey team with a secretive past. Daunis falls for Jamie, but he isn’t who he says he is. 

 Daunis has a special place in her heart for the reservation and her family. She would do anything for it. When Daunis witnesses a shocking murder and sees the rise of a lethal drug, she goes undercover for the FBI. Using her chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine knowledge, she will do anything to save her community. It’s safe to say that what she will find won’t be as pleasant. 

Firekeeper’s Daughter is a YA thriller and mystery. Firekeeper’s Daughter is Angeline Boulley’s first book. For a debut novel, it is surprisingly good. I did not have high expectations when reading this, so it wasn’t anything I expected. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am not a big fan of thrillers and mystery. I prefer fantasy, but was it impressive. I loved how I gained knowledge about Ojibwe culture, and I love how this book ties into reality. It made it easier to see life in Daunis’ shoes and relate to all the characters present. It was an extraordinary, intriguing, addicting book. I would spend most of the day reading this book, never wanting it to end. I would recommend this book to everyone, even if this isn’t your favourite genre. This book is suitable for ages 12+. 

Jahnvi V.

View in Library Catalogue: Print | eBook

by ·0 Comments

by: Alexandra Horowitz

5 Stars

A wonderful book that makes the world come alive, this non-fiction piece by Alexandra Horowitz follows her adventure in learning about the often ignored parts of the city she walks through every day. In each chapter, she enlists a different expert on a subject to walk with her around the city so as to notice much more about the world, the people, and even her own senses. She goes on 11 different walks through the city with people who study geology, animals, the auditory world, and even one walk with her dog, in which she explores how smells may play a big factor in a dog’s life, as just some examples. Each chapter is short enough to give you an overview of the subject being discussed while still keeping you interested. Personally, I loved this book. After reading each chapter, I felt like I had new knowledge that could help me view the world through a new lens each time I went on a walk around my city. It was interesting to hear the perspectives of different experts, especially when you don’t know anything about the subject. Horowitz writes in a very accessible way, which helped me feel involved in every chapter, even with topics I never thought I would be interested in before! For example, after reading a chapter about the geology of the city, I went out and noticed that the walls that make up buildings almost always have signs of past life (like insects) inside of the rocks, which I would never have paid any mind to previously. Overall, I really enjoyed how Horowitz wrote this book with the reader in mind, not adding complicated terms that lose the reader instantly. A once bland city comes alive with new knowledge after reading this book.

Piper I.

View in Library Catalogue: Print | Large Print

by ·0 Comments

by: Tessa Bailey

5 Stars

Wow. So it was not what I expected from this book. Based on the title, I expected a cute little romance book, but boy, it was so much more!

 This was my first Tessa Bailey book, and now I want to buy them all. I never expected to give this 5 stars either, but this book was just full of surprises!

So to start, Brendan is an absolute catch. He is so super sweet, and I love the grumpy guy act he has going on and how he’s only sweet to his girl kind of vibes. I loved his character. He is amazing and gives these real-world men high standards to live up to.

 As for Piper, she’s super cute and spirited. I loved seeing her journey and reading about her finding her purpose. I love stories that I can relate to. I think everyone can relate to this in a way. Piper finding what feels like home to her and figuring out what makes her happy and satisfied was so touching to read. It makes me think of my life and finding those things as well, finding that purpose in my life. I loved reading about her.

 I found myself smiling so often and laughing when reading. So many moments just caught me off guard. I find it pretty rare that I laugh out loud at books, while this had me laughing and smiling. I was specifically in love with their relationship and how they worked through their problems.

Overall I loved this book. I cannot wait for Hook, Line and Sinker! (Fox and Hannah) I’m ingrained in this book, how their story unfolds. It’s not even out yet!!

 Five Stars.

Kayla

View in Library Catalogue: Print | eBook | Downloadable Audiobook

by ·0 Comments

by Christina Lauren

5 Stars

The Unhoneymooners By Christina Lauren has to be one of my absolute favourite books I’ve read this far. Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating shellfish that has gone bad, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And it only gets better from there. Luck plays a constant role in this book. Olive truly is convinced that her life has been defined by a series of unfortunate events, all due to her ruthless bad luck. The best thing about this book is that it’s a fun, quick summer read. The not-so-good is the angst. I thought this book made me feel like I was there and made me laugh at times, and I recommend it to anyone who loves rom-com with a passion.

Kayla

View in Library Catalogue: Print | eBook

by ·0 Comments

by: Barbara Kingsolver

  In 1959, a family of evangelical Baptists from America relocated to the Belgian Congo on a mission to spread Christianity. Led by Nathan Price, the father of the family, the mother and four children experience the beauty, horror, and undoing of their family, all while the Congo faces its own political turmoil. Nathan Price is a single-minded man, not letting anything get in between him and his dream of setting up a church and baptizing the people of the village where they reside. The people of this village have different views on religion and community than Nathan, yet he is determined to turn them into his way of thinking. He drags the family with him on his mission. This book spans three decades, each with new problems for the family. Told from the perspectives of each of the four children, they give their own insight into the Congo, their father, and their other siblings. Each character has their own voice that you can easily pick up on throughout the writing.

I loved this book because of how Barbara Kingsolver discussed religion, politics, race, and of course, both America and postcolonial Africa through the lens of the Christian Americans. Not only that, but Kingsolver also examined the character’s journeys in understanding more about the people of the Congo. It is a good look into an issue I didn’t know anything about before. We hear from the children as they move away from their preconceived ideas about Christianity and assimilate further into the Congo’s culture. Kingsolver has created a wonderful book full of thought-provoking ideas, characters that you both resent and feel for at the same time, and the misunderstanding from the American standpoint of other cultures, people, and languages that leads to the Poisonwood Bible.

Piper I.

View in Library Catalogue: Print | Audiobook CD

by ·0 Comments

by: Taylor Jenkins Reid

5 Stars

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was the first book I read last year, and it was a great choice. Ageing and unsociable Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is ready; to tell the truth about her glamourous and notorious life. But when she chooses an unknown magazine reporter named Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astonished than Monique herself. This book goes over the themes of loyalty, betrayal, loss, sacrifice, and tragedy. Despite what the title may imply, it doesn’t focus so much on the husbands; but rather on Evelyn herself, where we learn very quickly that there’s much more than meets the eye. I would have to say that I didn’t just enjoy the book and that I loved it, and I recommend everyone to at least read it once in their life because it was beautiful.

Kayla

View in Library Catalogue: Print | eBook | Downloadable Audiobook | Audiobook CD

by ·0 Comments

by Karen M. McManus

One of Us Is Lying was my first YA “Whodunit” book, and it did not disappoint. Karen M. McManus writes in a way that hooks you right from the very beginning and keeps you guessing until the end!  

One of Us Is Lying follows the story of five Bayview High students, Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, Cooper and Simon. Bronwyn is an intelligent and introverted girl whose goal is to get into Yale. Addy is the popular high school girl who wishes to become the homecoming princess. Nate, also known as the school “bad boy”, is on probation for dealing and doesn’t believe he has a future doing much else. Cooper is a star athlete who has many successes ahead of him. Finally, there is Simon, the outcast and the creator of Simon Says, the high school’s notorious gossip app.  

On Monday, these five students find themselves all wound up in detention. At the end, only four exit the classroom. Why you ask? Because Simon is dead, and according to the investigation, it wasn’t an accident. Simon had planned to reveal dirty secrets on the four survivors the next day. Once this is found, Bronwyn, Addy, Nate and Cooper all become prime suspects… is one or all of them guilty? 

This novel is definitely a page-turner. It is impossible to put down once you start reading as you want to figure out what happened to Simon. The story is told from the viewpoint of the 4 “prime suspects”, so you get to really relate to each of the characters in unique ways. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to any teenager or YA!

4 Stars

Emma O.

View in Library Catalogue: Book | eBook | Downloadable Audiobook

by ·0 Comments

by Justin A. Reynolds

I was first intrigued in Opposite of Always because I saw that Angie Thomas, one of my favourite authors, had commented that she thoroughly enjoyed this book. I can confirm that this book is one of the best love stories I have ever read. Justin A. Reynolds has done a beautiful job with this novel. When reading the back of the novel, you might think that it could come across as a bit “sci-fi”, but I guarantee it isn’t like that at all.  

Opposite of Always follows the story of two teenagers, Jack and Kate. When Jack and Kate meet at a party, they are instantly compatible. Jack feels as though he might be falling hard for this girl. Soon enough, Kate is meeting Jack’s best friends, Jilian and Franny, who she wins over just as quickly as she did Jack…  

But then Kate dies. Typically this is where the story would end, but no. Kate’s death sends Jack right back to the party where they met. Jack thinks he might be losing his mind because there is Kate standing right next time him, breathing, alive and healthy. Jack doesn’t know what is happening, but if he has the chance to save Kate, he will take it. Will he be able to save Kate, or will their story end just as abruptly as it did the first time? 

This novel is funny, heartfelt, beautiful and everything in between. I strongly suggest this book to any YA reader or even a young teen who loves unexpected love stories. Justin A. Reynolds had me hooked right from the first sentence all the way to the last. This book is definitely one of my top three favourite books that I have read. I look forward to reading more books by this amazing author.

4.5 Stars

Emma O.

View in Library Catalogue: Book

by ·0 Comments

by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You is a romance novel written by Jenny Han that is the sequel to the novel To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. After recovering from a heated fight, Lara Jean and Peter’s relationship begins to grow, and Lara Jean learns what it is like to be in a real relationship. She begins volunteering at the Belleview retirement home and gets closer to Stormy, an elderly woman who gives Lara Jean relationship advice. One day, Lara Jean receives a letter from a grade school friend John Ambrose McClaren, informing her that he received the old love letter she wrote to him. They become pen pals, and when Lara Jean discovers that the neighbourhood tree house she and her friends used to hang out in will be cut down, she plans a reunion party and invites John. When John and Lara Jean reconnect, her past feelings for him suddenly begin to resurface, causing her to be more confused than ever. Lara Jean finds herself being pursued by two boys, discovering that love is often painful. Between her current boyfriend, Peter, and her past crush, John, she must decide who she should really be with.  

P.S. I Still Love You is a lighthearted and adorable book centred on romance. If you enjoyed the previous book, I would highly recommend picking this one up! I love how relatable Lara Jean is and how the storyline kept me guessing throughout. This book is all about finding yourself, finding love, and experiencing heartbreak. If you are looking for a heartwarming young adult romance novel, this is the ideal book to read!

4 Stars

Emily K.

View in Library Catalogue: Book | eBook | Downloadable Audiobook