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The Echo Room

Parker Peevyhouse

Rett and Bryn, both sixteen, wake in a locked facility, unaware of how they got there, whether they can trust each other, and who or what is with them. As they explore the seemingly abandoned outpost, they find scarce stores of food, water, and equipment, as well as cryptic signs left behind by others. They also discover the outer door has been intentionally jammed from the inside. During their investigation, they black out and wake up memoryless again, which happens over and over until they discover the trigger. This is an irresistible premise Is this a psychological experiment? A test? A punishment? and Peevyhouse primes it for maximum suspense, keeping tight to Rett’s disoriented, frightened point of view.

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Catching Fire

Suzanne Collins

The second installment of the popular series The Hunger Games, Catching Fire revolves around Katniss Everdeen learning that her actions in the previous novel have sparked various feuds around the district. Katniss, along with Peeta must compete again in the Hunger Games, but with past victors; with the uprising of a rebellion, Katniss is in the center of all attention. Katniss’s loved ones are punished and held hostage as a way for President Snow to control her life. New characters are introduced, some that aid Katniss and Peeta in their journey, while there are others who seem like threats. Katniss Everdeen must relive the horror of the Hunger Games but with more issues, obstacles and a larger burden on her mind.

 

For readers that enjoyed the first book in the series, Catching Fire will intrigue them equally, especially with the protagonist under fire. This allows the reader to gain the knowledge of trust as well as dealing with serious issues in their lives. For readers that have not started this series, I highly recommend reading the previous novel as events in the story will become easier to understand. I definitely recommend this novel to readers of all genres especially due to its excitement, suspense and lessons on family. -Eesa K.

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The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

The reaping of The Hunger Games, an annual competition where members of various districts fight to the death, changes the life of 16-year old Katniss Everdeen as she takes the responsibility of feeding her family. After her little sister is chosen, Katniss volunteers and takes the place of her sister in the games. Katniss, temporarily teaming up with Peeta Mellark, a teenager who is also selected to represent their district in the games, learns the values of family, perseverance and trust and gains a variety of skillsets. With the aid of her deadly crossbow, Katniss is able to survive, gather food, and fight for her life, until she is blinded by the media and the effects of the games as she must pretend to love Peeta for the sake of her own safety.

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a novel that has raised the bar of quality regarding books in the adventure and sci-fi genre. The book is action packed with lots of twists and turns and constantly leaves the reader questioning how the next scenes will unfold. The Hunger Games without a doubt is a must–read and is suitable for all ages. –Eesa K.

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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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Rabbit & Robot

Andrew Smith

Cager has been transported to the Tennessee, a giant lunar-cruise ship orbiting the moon that his dad owns, by Billy and Rowan to help him shake his Woz addiction. Meanwhile, Earth, in the midst of thirty simultaneous wars, burns to ash beneath them. And as the robots on board become increasingly insane and cannibalistic, and the Earth becomes a toxic wasteland, the boys have to wonder if they’ll be stranded alone in space forever.

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The Martian

Andy Weir

The Martian is a science fiction novel set in the not-too-distant-future during the first steps of humanity’s journey towards the planet Mars. Mark Watney, the book’s main protagonist, is a botanist among the first astronauts to land on Mars, the ARES III crew. However, their mission is cut short as a massive sandstorm crashes down on their base. In an attempt to evacuate the planet, Mark Watney is whisked away in a horrific accident, forcing the ARES crew to leave him behind. Alone in the harshest places known to mankind, readers are introduced to a foreign world of peril and emptiness like the lone wanderer, Watney. Mark Watney, equipped with his snarky attitude and rockstar-like wit, must surpass many obstacles and work new ways to survive Mars’ unforgiving landscape and dwindling supplies while NASA and Watney’s own crew create a plan to get him back home.

 

Most of the book follows Watney on the Martian planet as he super-renovates his Martian habitat while we connect to him more personally in this trying time. The pacing is great as the characters are always presented with new challenges, both physically and mentally, while cracking some well-executed jokes. The novel’s characters are all enjoyable and relatable, although their characterization becomes stale as the story progresses.

 

The Martian is a love-letter to sci-fi readers as the story is packed with carefully-crafted writing while leaving a sombre note on the idea of humanity. In conclusion, Andy Weir’s The Martian is a great novel that gets readers excited about space travel and its future. Although at times the book’s quality gets blunt, it never fails to pick itself up with a fantastic and rewarding story. -Joshua G.

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Stained

Cheryl Rainfield

“Stained” by Cheryl Rainfield is an astonishing yet dark book based on the experience of being abducted Rainfield had gone through, just like the main character in the book.

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows wants nothing but to be an average teenager-despite the fact that she has a port wine stain splattered across half her face. Because of her birthmark, she gets many unwanted stares and gets bullied by peers quite regularly.

One day, on her way home from school, she is abducted but not by any random person – but by someone very close to her family. She is held captive with the very minimum to eat and abused both physically and mentally. She thinks she will stay here forever, especially since no one will ever suspect this person to abduct her.

Sarah knows her will to live is up to her, and that she must fight hard and try to escape. This spectacular book has you asking many questions like, “will Sarah make it out?”, “how long will Sarah be kidnapped?”, and many more.

The book is in both Sarah and her friend’s Nick point of views – one to show how Sarah is coping, and the other to show how everyone else is. Personally, I liked the fact that you could see what was happening in the outside world and how Sarah’s parents were dealing with her abduction along with what Sarah was doing, which doesn’t always happen in books like this very often.

This book is a must read for every young adult, that will definitely keep them up all night reading the book! -Khadeeja F.

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The Bad Beginning

Lemony Snicket

The life of the Baudelaire children goes entirely downhill after their parents were killed in a tragic house fire, leaving behind a vast fortune. The series focuses on the lives of Violet Baudelaire, a fourteen-year-old inventor, Klaus Baudelaire, a 12-year-old literature enthusiast with a photographic memory, and Sunny Baudelaire, 2-year-old with joy for biting things. In the Bad Beginning, these gifted children are sent to live with a distant relative who goes by the name of Count Olaf, a man with distinctive physical characteristics such a slender body, and his notorious eye tattoo on his ankle. Count Olaf, later seen as the antagonist of the series, gives his best attempt to steal their fortune; his efforts include framing others, lying, and even trying to murder the children. As the title states, the unlucky children face a series of moments which can be summed up with despair, pain and agony. The Baudelaire children come together and work as a family to escape from Count Olaf, protecting their parent’s fortune, and learn the truth about trusting others.

This book along with the remaining books of the series allows readers to follow and grow with the characters and potentially relate with certain individuals that shape the plot of the book. Fans of the mystery genre will definitely adore this novel, and will continuously wonder how the story will unfold next. This book teaches and encourages readers to utilize their skills to the fullest, to believe in their abilities, and work as a family to overcome any obstacle, no matter how severe the issue. The story is well-written, suspenseful and I definitely recommend this novel to readers above grade 7. – Eesa K.

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Carve the Mark

Veronica Roth

Cyra Noavek and Akos Kereseth have grown up in enemy countries locked in a long-standing fight for dominance over their shared planet. When the ruling Noavek family kidnaps Akos and his brother, Akos must serve Cyra, the sister of a dictator who governs with violence and fear. Cyra has a reputation for transferring extraordinary pain unto others with simple touch, and her tyrant brother uses her as a weapon against those who challenge him. Nevertheless, as Akos fights for his own survival, he recognizes that Cyra is also fighting for hers, and that her true gift—resilience—might be what saves them both.

When Akos and Cyra find themselves in the middle of a raging rebellion, all of their beliefs about their world and themselves are in question. Fighting for what is right might mean betraying their countries, their families, and each other.

When the time comes, will they choose loyalty or love?

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