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Top Ten

Katie Cotugno

This novel was written in the form of a single top ten list, the top ten moments of high school for Ryan and Gabby. They tell their side of the story for all ten moments and slowly piece together their friendship as a whole. Gabby is a socially awkward, shy, and a slight outcast. She has anxiety and hates parties no matter how many she goes to. Ryan is a hockey player and jock who likes to party with the many friends in his popular circle. Nothing can break these two best friends apart. No matter how much they resent each other and no matter how different they are, they are friends forever.

This book was written very nicely with sweet lovable characters. However, it was hard to follow with the timelines of the chapters because one moment of the ten takes place in their senior year and the next in freshman year 3 years earlier so you have to pay attention and remember what has happened already before that year and what comes later. Also, you are only told about ten moments of their friendship, but then you don’t get a full backstory nor a full view of how their day to day friendship was. I would definitely recommend Top Ten but beware of the timeline jumping back and forth. Also, because of them only discussing ten moments of four years of friendship, it’s hard to connect Gabby and Ryan’s stories together. You don’t even hear about how they first met in detail until quite far into the book but it ends up coming out like ten short stories of these characters of these two friends that are polar-opposites. A bit different than other books I’ve read, but good for fans of cute love stories. – Zoe P.

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A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember is a movie adaption from the 2004 book of the same name by author Nicholas Sparks. It is a romance film consisting of two high school teenagers, Jamie and Landon, who unintentionally fall in love with each other. The two teenagers get thrown together due to a mishap that happened with Landon and his friends, as a result of having to do community service hours. The two get close by having shared interests and then begin to fall in love. The love continues to grow until it’s unconditional and forever. Though there is a truth that will need to be told from Jamie, a Christian girl who always carries a Bible, for that truth may be connected to why she has never truly loved someone yet, before Landon came into her life.

I think this movie is great and so amazing due to many reasons. First of all, it’s because of the incredible love Landon and Jamie have shown in the movie and how that kind of love is almost every girl’s fantasy, including mine. Second, the movie relates to world issues that happen in high school and the world, which was well portrayed in the movie. Also, the movie includes how people can change, be a better version of themselves, and be capable of pure love. Moreover, if you’ve read and loved the book by Nicholas Sparks, you will love this movie adaptation.

In conclusion, I believe A Walk to Remember is a great movie for romantics and people who love a great love story. You will certainly love this movie and may have tears at the end. – Ally M.

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Turtles All The Way Down

John Green

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there is a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. Together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

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Joyride

Anna Banks

Joyride is a great story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, with a huge plot twist that you would never expect. Carly’s parents have been deported, so she and her brother are trying to bring them back home. But when she suddenly meets a boy in an unexpected and unusual situation, Carly begins to fall for him. The story is told through the alternating perspectives of Arden, Carly’s crush, and Carly who is trying to balance the responsibilities of her demanding life while dealing with her new feelings about Arden. Lies between them build and when they are revealed their relationship begins to shatter.

An action-packed book, Joyride is exactly like the title states: a joyride among the most unlikely friends, with silly pranks that will make you laugh heartily with Carly and Arden learning how to enjoy life. Carly is torn between the life she is told to live and the chance the cute boy is giving her to live and have fun. She is trying to find a balance between the two worlds but sometimes there isn’t a middle ground to be found. There is also a strange mysterious man who is helping to bring back her parents and family from Mexico. There are unexpected twists as you figure out who is really the bad guy and who Carly’s real friends are.

I would recommend this book because of the unpredictable plot twist and enjoyable pranks throughout. Joyride shows teens trying to rebel through mostly harmless crimes and gags, but is also about a harder more rugged way of life that shows some people’s reality. – Zoe P.

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Eleanor & Park

Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park is a story about two people — a girl named Eleanor who is a little chubbier than the rest of the girls at her school and dresses funny as if she’s searching for attention. Park is a normal kid who has normal classes and a normal family, so the last thing he wants is Eleanor, the chubby girl who stares at him, to ruin this. Park and Eleanor go to school on the same bus, and start to bond over comics and music. Eleanor and Park learn things about each other that they never knew and tackle things like abuse and self recognition together. A story about how even two of the most separate and opposites of people can become close if they keep an open mind.

I personally thought this book was enjoyable but it had an awkward elevation by the middle. It started as if they hated each other and all of a sudden they unrealistically became crazy about each other. I didn’t enjoy that because it wasn’t very relatable; it was a good way to show how people sometimes can just click, but to me, it felt like it was forced and not a normal transition. There were some parts I really loved and some I just couldn’t handle. I have mixed feelings about this book but at the end of the day it was not bad. I had a good time reading it and I loved reading about Eleanor’s life because it made me realize that you don’t always know what’s happening in peoples lives and why they act they way that they do or dress in the way they do. It taught me to never be judgmental because nothing good comes from judgment. – Fatima S.

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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Becky Albertalli

Simon is penpals with Blue, but he does not know their real identity. Blue and Simon talk about life and all their little mishaps in life, without any personal details, so they can’t figure out who the other is. He starts to suspect who his pen-pal/secret admirer is and when they get to know each other better all he wants to do is know who Blue really is, even though Blue is strongly opposed to it.

When a fellow student at their high school finds an email between them, he begins blackmailing Simon to help him get a date with his friend Abby or else he will spill the emails. Simon feels there is no choice but to obey. Every major event will make you rethink how you thought the story would play out. A heartfelt story of blackmail, pen pals, friendship, and the struggles of life.

You won’t want to put this book down and the characters have been written as relatable and realistic. Becky Albertalli’s beautifully written plot is comparable to those of many teen’s struggles and therefore makes the overall story take you through every page in a way that makes it seem as if you are in the story too. An emotional rollercoaster and by the end, you will be wishing for more.

I would recommend this book to most people, this plot will have you hanging off every word not wanting to take a break. Warning: you may have the urge to eat Oreos and Reese’s pieces while you read! Also even after reading, I still do not completely understand the connection to the Homo Sapiens Agenda even though it is mentioned somewhat throughout the book. A very quick read but a moderately sized book for teens and up, as the information sometimes needs an understanding of the subject matter. – Zoe P.

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Six Impossible Things

Fiona Wood

Six Impossible Things was a hilarious book that made you laugh at the situations Dan experiences — like a company bankruptcy and a divorce lead to a move into a deceased family members’ home. These life-altering changes lead to the discovery of an attic connecting his house to the house of the girl next door, but not just any girl — a girl he’s been watching and admiring. Although they have never met, he knows more about her than he should. She’s even number 1 on his list of six impossible things list! Nothing can go right for Dan; no matter how much he worries and plans, there always seems to be a little blip, something changes, or he gets caught.

Not at all overly dramatized like many other teen novels, which make for a better plot. I would recommend this book for people who have enjoyed My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. I wish Six Impossible Things would have had a more detailed and emotional ending compared to the abrupt ending that it had, but it was still a great book and overall enjoyable. No matter how many times the others at school tried to put him down, he would get back up only slightly fazed and continue to try. Dan doesn’t give up, and although the list is of Impossible things he refuses to stop trying to obtain his goals and complete the list, Dan doesn’t give up trying to achieve his six impossible things. This book teaches a very good lesson that sometimes we forget, that what you want may seem impossible but if you persevere and don’t stop even when odds are against you, you may just surprise yourself and achieve the so-called impossible, if not how would the world have advanced? – Zoe P.

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The Edge of Seventeen

Nadine Franklin is an awkward 17-year-old who believes she has it worse than everyone. Her best friend Krista is the only human Nadine socializes with. The one person she goes to with all her problems is her teacher, Mr. Bruner. Nadine’s all time crush, Nick, hasn’t even spared her a glance, and her perfect brother Darian gets all of their mother’s attention. When Nadine finds out Krista and Darian have been seeing each other behind her back, Nadine feels neglected by her best friend. She replaces her with Erwin, a classmate, the one person who would listen to her rant endlessly. Little does Nadine know, Erwin has a huge crush on her but Nadine being so is oblivious towards his feelings, and doesn’t treat him with importance. One day, Nadine gets in contact with Nick and goes out with him, but comes home disappointed with his arrogant behavior. Nadine must learn what is really important in a friendship to save the ones that matter most.

The Edge of Seventeen is unique, funny and relatable in every way. The main character Nadine goes through numerous relatable situations that you will feel as if you’re playing Nadine’s part yourself. I would recommend this movie to everyone in high school though mostly to people who don’t step out of their comfort zone just like Nadine. There isn’t a moment in this movie that doesn’t seem true, this movie would definitely be my number one choice for a movie marathon. – Abrish Z.

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The Gathering (Darkness Rising, #1)

Kelley Armstrong

Maya is in grade 11 and lives a pretty ordinary life. Since she was adopted, she doesn’t know much about her biological family or how her life would be if she lived with them. The only clue she has is a paw shaped birth mark that sits on her hip. However, Maya had never really thought about her biological parents as she is happy with living with her adoptive family in a very small community on Vancouver Island until strange events start to happen in the small town. Events that for some reason make her think of her best friend Serena’s strange and ‘freak accident’ drowning. For instances, mountain lions always seem to be near wherever Maya is. And a mysterious new boy starts to slowly draw her in.

After a ‘reporter’ starts to come around the island and ask unusual and out of place questions, Maya and her best friend Daniel feel that something is off. As they investigate further, a puzzle starts to form about her biological family, the medical institute in her small community, and the incident of her best friend’s death. As she dives deeper down into this entanglement, relationships start to form, even in a way she would never expect.

‘The Gathering’ was enjoyable for me to read as I connected it to my life and my experiences. This book draws you into a web of secrets, puzzles, and questions that can only be answered by guessing and reading. My recommendation for this book would go out to people who relish in fantasy novels, as well as trying to figure out many mysterious questions and characters. – Juliana M.

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Be More Chill

Ned Vizzini

Be More Chill takes you through the life of Jeremy Heere; a loser and a nobody with a desperate crush on a girl and a wish for popularity. All of this changes when one day his bully, Rich, tells Jeremy that he needs to become cool. Rich gives Jeremy his secret to popularity; a Squip. The Squip is a new piece of technology yet to be released, a supercomputer in the form of a small grey pill that communicates with you through your brain. It tells you how to fit in, make friends, make everyone love you, and so much more. Jeremy knows he needs a Squip, and everything will change when he gets it.

A funny yet at times depressing book has a large theme of social structure within high school, and how popularity and coolness affects teenagers. The novel shows a rather ugly side where the way the boys treat girls as if they were objects, and is insulting and misogynistic. It has gotten mixed reviews from many people as it also features homophobic slurs, and some see it not at all like high school.

In my own opinion, I found it an enjoyable read. While it was not too exciting, and Jeremy is not the most memorable of characters, the way he goes through his problems and everyday life is certainly entertaining.

There has also been a musical adaption. The musical, while much different from the book, is very good. It is important to note that the way they are characterized differs from musical to book. Even if you are a not a fan of the book, you may still enjoy the musical, and vice versa. All in all, I recommend both musical adaption and book. – Danielle A.

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