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by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 

“Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future. The Inheritance Games follows Avery, whose plan is to go through high school, secure a scholarship, and leave. But when millionaire Tobias Hawthorne passes away and leaves Avery nearly his entire fortune, her circumstances quickly shift. The problem? Avery doesn’t even know who Tobias Hawthorne is, let alone why. Avery must relocate to the enormous, secret passageway-filled Hawthorne House in order to claim her fortune. The old man, who also enjoyed puzzles, riddles, and codes, has left his mark in every corner of this place. I found the characters to be nicely written, which was one thing I noticed when reading this novel.

The primary character, Avery, was intriguing, but I thought there was more to her that we should know. She was a character who was undoubtedly intelligent and skilled at solving problems, but I think there’s more to her. Once I remembered everyone’s names, it was simple to tell each brother apart who get introduced as Avery makes her way through her journey because they all had distinctive personalities. It became a little more challenging for me to keep track of the other side characters once they were introduced but weren’t given any tasks to complete. I’m hoping that further books will feature these characters. Although I wouldn’t describe these developments as fantastic, I was entertained enough to be surprised nonetheless. To entertain and divert the reader is, in my opinion, a delicate balance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book overall. It was a cozy mystery with some entertaining puzzles and drama thrown in, and I’m eager to read more works by these authors and others in this genre.” 

Manaal

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by Lisa McMann

“The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann is about two 13-year-old twins from the land of Quill; Aaron, a Wanted, soon to be sent off to the university to train to be a part of the Quillitary, an army so fearsome that no outsiders dare to cross the walls and chain-link dome that protects Quill. Alex, an Unwanted, is sent to his death for being too creative, like the other twenty Unwanteds from the annual Purge. In Quill, creativity is a crime and the high Priest Justine sends all thirteen-year-old children to death in the Great Lake of Boiling Oil each year. However, the Death Farmer, Mr. Today, has a secret. Every year he saves the Unwanteds from death by hiding them in his magical world of Artime, where they can express their creativity safely from the Governor’s watchful eyes. Not only is art abundant, but with it comes a variety of magic and a life so different from the one in Quill. When Alex and his friends Lani and Meghan realize they are free, Alex has a new goal; to save Aaron from Quill. 

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure, friendship, and magic. The story shows a contrast through Aaron and Alex’s view of the desolate, strict Quill and the creative carefree Artime. It shows that creativity is just as important as intelligence and strength. Throughout the story, you also meet a variety of important and unique characters designed carefully to bring the story together. As the cast develops and changes, you are always excited to see what happens next. After all, in the world of Artime, anything can happen.” 

Kyle M.

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by Stephenie Meyer

“ Twilight follows seventeen-year-old Bella Swan as she leaves Arizona and moves in with her father in the gloomy Pacific North-West town of Forks. She is not expecting to like it there. She has given enough reasons over the past few years not to go there. Not only that, but she will have to find new friends and adjust to a new school. Bella rapidly establishes some new acquaintances at school, but she is immediately attracted when she notices a boy named Edward Cullen seated with his siblings in the cafeteria. Even though Edward is nearly unfathomably gorgeous and beautiful, he is also an outcast. Despite living in Forks for two years, Edward and his family have never completely been acknowledged by the locals. When they initially meet, Edward is distant; at moments, it almost seems as though he can’t bear to be in the same room with her. However, over time, they develop an unexpected bond. Bella still isn’t able to figure out exactly what makes Edward so unique from everyone else, despite the fact that she falls madly and completely in love with him. Bella learns about the ‘cold ones,’ which is an Indigenous legend about vampires. She knows that although Edward is a vampire, it has no bearing as to how much she still absolutely adores him. Everyone in Edward’s family are vampires. Even though it occurred at the close of World War I, Edward too was turned into a vampire at the age of seventeen. Edward’s adoration for Bella is mostly a joy and a source of pain to him. She is the very first woman he has adored since transforming into a vampire, which makes loving her a pleasure. A pain because, notwithstanding the swearing off human blood and exclusively hunting wildlife, his thirst for human blood never really decreases, and the slightest smell of her gratifies it further.  

Although the book is targeted at young adults, it may be appreciated by audiences of all ages and will appeal to both teenagers and adults. Bella and Edward’s bond is endearing and captivating. Their inconceivable love has a melancholy air to it, yet they both refuse to give up the belief that their union would survive. The tension in the novel rises to a ridiculous level as Bella and Edward’s relationship transforms into a desperate struggle for survival. I personally was immediately drawn to Edward from the get-go, and never thought otherwise. If you’re looking for a book series to get emotionally and physically attached to, I would deeply recommend giving this a try.” 

Sara D.

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by Stephen King

“The Outsider, probably my favourite horror novel by far, is a thrilling and disturbing story from the twisted mind of Stephen King. We’re introduced to a horrific crime centred around an 11-year-old boy whose corpse was found after an unspeakable crime in the park. Piles of evidence point to neighbourhood Little League coach, Mr. Terry Maitland. But slowly, new evidence and discoveries are found and blows the case wide open. 

This book was a wild ride of fear and drama that was virtually impossible to put down. I mean some crazy stuff happens. Unfortunately, there aren’t many things I can say without spoiling this book, but trust me: for anyone who loves horror or thriller, this book is a must-read. If you do plan to read this novel, you should know that this story contains homophobic language, homicide, suicide, sexual assault, swearing, and gory depictions. 

This book was definitely a good read and worth the $25.99. Some parts had me too scared to even go to the bathroom at night. I would say this book should probably be read by people older than 12 for sure. Not only is it pretty scary, but the gore is pretty intense. This book has also been made into an HBO mini-series, but if I’m being completely honest, I preferred the book. This book also contained little Easter eggs from another Stephen King series known as the Bill Hodges Trilogy. Overall, I rate this book 4.8/5 only because it was longer than necessary in my opinion and my attention span isn’t great. Otherwise, it was amazing.” 

Raheil B.

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by : Namina Forna 

“Deka, age 16, is terrified and eagerly awaits the blood ceremony that will determine if she will be accepted into her village. Deka, who already stands out from the others due to her unusual intuition, prays for red blood in order to feel more at home. However, on the day of the ritual, her blood turns a purplish gold tint, and Deka knows she will suffer an outcome worse than death. Then a mystery woman approaches her and offers her the option to either remain in the village and accept her fate or to join an army of girls who are just like her in fighting for the emperor. They are known as alkali-near-immortals with exceptional abilities. The biggest threat to the empire can only be stopped by them. The characters had a strong sense of development and reality. Deka developed alongside us, and we gained insightful knowledge about her world in the process. She felt genuine and unforced in how she learned. She had real and profound relationships with the other Aliki. Forna does not, however, devote much of the page to illustrating the development. We catch the crucial details, and although not spending the entire time with Deka, we can still make out the genuine friendship and trust that have grown over this period. In the end, her boyfriend Keita proved to be such a wonderful character. It’s intriguing to see how this friendship develops because, like with the girls, we only get to see little glimpses of their interactions. 

Although the world is highly imaginative, it is not so fantastical that it is impossible to imagine. You can see the parallels to the real world that Forna made while writing, brought the universe to a whole new level. Without being info-dumpy or making the reader feel overburdened by the magical features, Forna was able to inform us about an entire world and how that civilization is organized. Overall I found the plot and the story structure itself to be very intriguing and organized. Nothing was unnecessarily added to the story and nothing seemed to be missing either. From the amazing cover art to the story, It really was such a satisfying read and I will for sure recommend this book to anyone!” 

Manaal

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Cinda Williams Chima 

“In Trinity, a town in Ohio, teenager Jack Swift lives an ordinary life after surviving a deadly heart condition when he was a baby. However, one day he forgets to take his medicine and discovers he is more powerful than ever before until which leads to disastrous consequences. Soon his mysterious aunt shows up under the guise of genealogy and searching for a family heirloom. One thing leads to another, and he discovers the Weir, a secret, magical society of enchanters who can convince others into anything, sorcerers who craft magical amulets called Sefas, warriors who are physically strong and skilled at combat, seers who can see things others can’t, and wizards, who rule them all. The wizards are divided into the Red Rose and White Rose, and in an endless fight for power, they invent the Game, where each Rose hunts down a warrior and forces them into battle against another, nearly bringing them to extinction. When Jack’s world turns upside down, will he be able to survive the wizards that now hunt him down? 

Warrior Heir is a perfectly refined tale, with readers following Jack as he discovers the truth about his family, friends, and Trinity. It has many shocking points and surprises that, through a second read, you can find phrases foreshadowing future events that you may not have paid much attention to before. This book can be read countless times and is just as good as the last. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys modern fantasy and secret groups. The books only get better from here!” 

Kyle M.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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