by J.K Rowling

5 Stars

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Book by JR Company

Harry kicks off his second year at Hogwarts after a terrible summer vacation with his relatives. Just as he starts packing up his bags, he receives a letter from a mysterious creature claiming, if he returns to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, disaster will strike immediately. Confused and worried, Harry sets out on his journey, back to his wizarding school to see what was wrong. The beginning of Harry’s second year at Hogwarts starts with fresh torments and horrors begin to arise, including a spirit who haunts the girl’s bathroom and other unusual events. But the real danger begins, as he discovers that a mastermind is turning the students of Hogwarts into stone. Harry and his friends have been assigned a difficult task, and it’s up to them to find out who this mastermind really is. Could it be Hagrid? Could it be Hermoine? Or possibly Harry himself? Find out by reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  

Overall, this book was an absolute gem. It’s filled with adventure, imagination, and fantasy that helps the reader engage more in the story. This exciting sequel makes me never want to put the book down. The words written in the story bring the wizarding world to life, making me and other readers wish this all would exist. It was well-crafted and included a surprising plot twist during the end. This book is a must-read, and I recommend this to all ages who love fantasy, action, and humour. I would give this book a 10/10. 

Ahmed Q.

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by J.K Rowling

5 Stars

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Rowling J.K.: 9781408855652:  Amazon.com: Books

Harry’s life is gloomy and filled with despair. With his parents dead and his uncaring relatives who he’s stuck with, he’s forced to live in a dark, tiny closet located under the stairs. Every day seems the same to Harry, being mistreated by his relatives and being bullied at school. But one day, his downhearted life soon changes as he receives a letter claiming that he’s no ordinary boy, but a wizard. A mysterious visitor soon saves Harry from his relatives and brings him to a mysterious school called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry’s first year at Hogwarts academy was phenomenal, but there was still one problem. A secret object was hidden in the castle walls of Hogwarts. Harry realized that it was his duty to protect it from evil hands that could cause destruction to the whole world. By doing so, Harry will go through the toughest of forces that he could’ve never imagined. 

To conclude, this book was absolutely amazing, and one of my favourite Harry Potter books from the series. There was never a dull moment, and J.K Rowling kept me engaged from the beginning to the very end of the novel. I would definitely recommend this book because it keeps you engaged without ever putting the book down. The book makes you love the characters and their personalities. Remember to not only read this but the whole series as well. The rating that I would personally give this book would be a 10/10.

Ahmed Q.

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by Rick Riordan

5 Stars

The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, #1) | The lost hero, Heroes book,  Heroes of olympus

Jason has amnesia. He wakes up on a bus full of kids he doesn’t recognize, and a girlfriend and best friend he’s sure he’s never met. His friends inform him they go to the Wilderness School for “troubled youth,” but he has no idea what he’s done, or why he’s even there, but he can tell that something is terribly wrong.

Piper has a way with words. She’s been sent to the wilderness school for stealing a BMW, except she didn’t really. She simply asked the car dealer for it, and he obliged. But Piper’s dad is missing, her boyfriend Jason doesn’t recognize her, and she’s having awful nightmares that may lead her down a horrible path. 

Leo is good with tools, he’s known for his expert ability with them. He spent his childhood running from foster home to foster home but finally feels comfortable with his friends Jason and Piper. Of course, with his luck, things take a turn for the worse. 

Monsters attack the three on a field trip, and Jason can somehow fight them off using wind powers. However, it’s not Jason who saves them, but some teenagers calling themselves demigods, flying down from a chariot. The trio is taken to a place called Camp Half-Blood, where they learn they are children of the Ancient Greek gods. But Jason, Piper, and Leo are special even amongst demigods and must embark upon a quest that could determine the fate of the mortal world. 

This is the first book in the series after the Percy Jackson books, and I think fans of those books will love it. The Lost Hero has lovable characters, an excellent plot, and like all of Riordan’s books, plenty of humour. I’d recommend it to younger audiences or anyone who read the Percy Jackson books!

Michelle G.

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A Song of Wraiths and Ruin

by Roxanne A. Brown

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

The Solstasia celebration is a time of great rejoicing, and for Malik, it is an even greater joy because he gets the chance to leave his war stricken home. Malik plans to start a new life in Ziran, where the celebration takes place, but his plans get turned upside down when a sinister spirit kidnaps his sister. Malik quickly realizes that his sisters kidnapping was meant as payment into the city; to save her, he strikes a deal with the spirit: he will kill the crown princess Karina in order to get her back.

Karina, however, has plans of her own. Her mother has been assassinated and her court is on the brink of mutiny . With nowhere else to go, Karina decides to use ancient magic to bring her mother back, which calls for the heart of a king. And Karina knows just how she’s going to get one: offer her hand to the winner of the Solstasia celebration.

Malik and Karina’s paths crash together in this intense and romantic own voices novel. An action packed and lush story, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is fast paced and engaging read.

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By Sarah J. Maas

5 Stars

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Being locked in an iron coffin and tortured for 11 months is not something anyone could ever wish to experience.  For Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen, it is her reality.  With knowing what giving into Maeve would do to her friends and world, Aelin will not yield.  As her mate and friends search for her, she has to withstand the gruesome techniques by Maeve’s second in command and sadist, Carin. When Aelin is finally free, she will stop at nothing to bring Maeve and Erawan, the Valg king, crumbling to the ground like ash.  With her fiery power on a tight leash, she digs up more and more to prepare for battle.  But will Aelin have any left, or will the lock take everything she has, including her life?  

This final book in the series is an emotional roller coaster.  With the story written from the point of view of every character, you get to see how each one is fairing throughout the novel.  I can’t express in words how much I love this book!  It is the best ending to a book series I have ever read in my life!  The amount of times my emotions were all over the place is too many to count, and I am so proud of Sarah J. Maas for creating such beautiful characters to which so many people can relate.  This book was amazing!  More than amazing, it was earth-shattering, and I am so happy she shared this story with us.  For anyone who loved the series as much as I did, prepare yourself because this book is the best one yet!

Julia F.

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By Sarah J Maas

5 Stars

Image result for a court of thorns and roses

When a magical wall separates humans and fae, a young girl does not expect her life to take such a drastic turn.  When 18-year-old Feyre accidentally kills a fae in wolf form, her whole world is turned upside down.  Since the hatred between humans and fae has been ongoing for many years, Feyre does not expect a fae to show up on her doorstep demanding retribution for his companion’s death. Nor does Feyre expect the fae to be Tamlin, the High Lord of the Spring Court himself.  Instead of demanding blood for blood, Tamlin decides to take Feyre back to his land where she will live out her days.  Soon her hatred toward the High Lord turns into friendship and maybe something more…  But something evil is lurking in the fae lands, and Feyre is determined to find out what it is and stop it before it destroys Tamlin’s world and her own.  

Honestly, this book is phenomenal.  I loved everything about it.  I couldn’t find a flaw in this magnificent piece of literature.  The characters were well thought out, and the book deals with anxiety and depression, and teaches readers to stand up for the ones they love even if it is hard to do at the time.  The mystery, action, romance and sarcastic remarks made me laugh, cry, and wonder what would happen next.  I suggest reading this book not only because it is a great story, but because it deals with some of the problems with society that need to be addressed. 

Julia F.

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By Victoria Aveyard

5 Stars

Image result for red queen by victoria aveyard

When society is divided by the colour of your blood, red bloods are servants, and silver bloods rule them all. Mare Barrow is a red blood who wishes to stay out of the spotlight and help her family. But when she is called to the palace to work, Mare is found out to have magic even she did not know she possessed. In a world where only silver bloods should have such abilities, Mare becomes the center of attention to the royal family, especially to Cal, firstborn and next in line for the throne.  To keep the news of her newfound powers a secret, Mare is forced to act like a long lost silver blooded princess and becomes betrothed to the youngest prince, Maven.  But hiding the colour of your blood is harder then it seems.  As time goes by, will she be able to keep her identity a secret, or will it come crashing down on her and everyone she loves dearly?  

This is one of my favourite books.  I love it so much that I have read it more than once.  This book is incredibility well written and catches the reader’s attention within the first chapter.  It is full of action and magic and is set in a time when kings and queens rule but they possess modern-day technology.  The author did an amazing job showing that no matter who you are, what you look like, or what the colour of your blood/skin is, you can do anything you want.  Don’t let the decisions of closed-minded people refusing change stop you from doing what is right for the world.  I recommend this book to anyone who loves a strong female lead and who is looking for an adventure of a lifetime. 

Julia F.

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By Sarah J Maas

5 Stars

Image result for throne of glass

In a world where magic has been taken away, Celaena Sardothien is taken from the salt mines of Endovier and brought to a castle.  Why?  She is Adarlan’s assassin, or, was.  Celaena has been a slave in the mines for a year.  She never thought she would leave that place, but something unexpected happens.  She is brought to the castle to fight in a competition that, if she wins, will not only crown her the Kings Champion, but will also earn her the freedom she deserves.  Throughout the novel, Celaena befriends the stunningly handsome Crown Prince of Adarlan, the Captain of the Guard, and a devoted princess from a faraway land.  But with evil works at play, the fight for her freedom becomes not only that but also a fight for her survival.  As her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena finds herself thrown into a path made by the gods just for her.  Now she must eliminate the evil at work before it destroys her world and everyone she cares about.  

This book is really one of a kind.  It is filled with action, magic and mystery that has you sitting on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next.  If you like surprises, then this book is something you would enjoy reading.  Just when you think you know what is going to happen, a plot twist pops out of nowhere and has you wondering why you didn’t see it coming.  I would rate this book as 14+ due to the use of provocative language once or twice. If you don’t mind that, then I highly recommend reading this novel. 

Julia F.

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by Cassandra Clare

5 Stars

Image result for city of bones

The book takes place in 2008 when fifteen-year-old Clary Fray has her whole world turned inside out after an interesting night at the Pandemonium Club.  Clary sees three shockingly attractive teens covered in black markings sneak into a back room and decides to follow them. There she witnesses those teens kill a young man, or so she thought. The next day, when her mother disappears, Clary is tossed into a world she never thought existed. A world filled with vampires, werewolves, fairies, demons and shadowhunters.  She learns that shadowhunters are half-human half-angel beings that keep her world safe and their world in check.  On her quest to find her mother, she receives help from the three shadowhunters she saw in the club who are wondering how a mundane person like Clary can see them.  With her newly found companions, Clary finds herself uncovering the truth of her mother’s not so bright past, and the life she would have led as a shadowhunter.  

If you are someone who likes to read novels filled with magic, action and romance, then you will definitely want to read this.  If you usually don’t read books and want to try it out, this book will definitely get you into reading.  It is not just words on a page. It’s a whole other world that you’ll want to be a part of.  I would rate this book as 14+ due to the mature language that was used a couple of times.  Overall, this book was phenomenal, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good read. 

Julia F.

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By Rick Riordan

5 Stars

“Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood.”  

You could say Percy Jackson is a pretty average 12-year-old boy.  

Image result for the lightning thief

He’d probably say the same, despite being labelled a “trouble-maker” and getting kicked out to a new school every year. But this year has been great for Percy. He finally made a friend in his school, Grover, and has almost made it through the school year without something messed up happening. That is until a seemingly normal class trip to a museum took a turn for the worst. Percy couldn’t believe his eyes when his math teacher turned into a full-blown monster and was even more shocked when he defeated her. This was the first duel he faced as a demigod. Percy is brought then to Camp Half-Blood, the only safe place in the world for people like him, children of the Greek gods and goddesses. What Percy didn’t expect is that he already had a bad reputation with the gods. They believed he stole Zeus’s master bolt, one of Olympus’s most powerful weapons. Now, Percy must complete a risky quest—return the master bolt by the summer solstice. Will he succeed in his mission, or forever be known as the lightning thief? 

In my opinion, The Lightning Thief is an absolutely incredible book for children, teens, and even adults alike. Percy has an easy-going, funny, and slightly sarcastic personality that makes the book not only easy to follow but also very entertaining. This book also is an amazing way to familiarize yourself with Greek mythology, as author Rick Riordan depicts in a modern scene making it easy to learn. In conclusion, if you’re looking for a new read to enjoy that has an adventure quality while also being fun and educational, look no further than The Lightning Thief.  

Michelle G.

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