One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake

This is the sequel to Three Dark Crowns. The battle for the throne has begun, and each of the three sisters plot in their own ways to be the last one standing. Katherine, once the weakest sister, is now more powerful than ever before. Arsinoe, who now knows of her secret ability, must find out how to use it to her advantage without anyone else finding out. Mirabella, the strongest sister and who everyone thinks will be crowned, faces attacks which weaken her power and threaten her life. As the queens battle for the throne, everyone on the island eagerly wait for who will be the last one standing.

I rate this book 4/5 because the plot further advanced in this book, and there were many plot twists. I also liked the level of action in this book, which kept me hooked the whole time, though it did not have the level of action the first book had. There was also lots of complexity in the characterizations, and it would help the reader develop a three dimensional understanding of the character, and see the character the same way as a real person.

I would recommend this book to ages 13+ because there are some inappropriate parts and many graphic details/violence. I would also recommend this book to people who really liked Three Dark Crowns. 

Book Review by Sasi Valiveti

Gum Spring Library

 

Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian

Lady Smoke is the second book in the Ash Princess series, which picks up the story from the ending of the Ash Princess. After escaping imprisonment by the Kaiser, Theodosia is on the run in a ship of rebels, plotting to overthrow the Kaloxavian regime and reclaim her rightful throne. Thousands of miles away from her people and homeland, Theodosia and her rebels must from alliances with foreign nations, and the best way to do so is to auction herself off as a bride to the kingdom which would pay the most. With the Kaiser closing in, time is running out and Theodosia must rely on her wits to find out who she can trust the most.

I rate this book 2/5 because the plot lagged a lot and I had to skip many parts of the book because they were overly repeating or diverted from the main plot. There also was not that much action in the book, and most was meaningless dialogue which had nothing to do with the plot. The ending of this book had a plot twist which I found interesting, but overall there is nothing worth reading in this book. 

I recommend this book to ages 13+ because there are inappropriate aspects of the book and there are some graphic details. I recommend this series to people who like to read fantasy and who like the Red Queen series because they are highly similar. The first book of this series, Ash Princess, is good but this sequel is not nearly as interesting or action-packed.

Book Review by Sasi Valiveti

Gum Spring Library

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

This is a coming-of-age story about a young girl named Billie Jo who lives in an area of Oklahoma called the “Dust Bowl” during the Great Depression. Her family is extremely poor, and struggle to live of their small income they get from farming. In the midst of her depressing life, Billie Jo finds comfort in playing the piano in their house, a wedding gift from her father to her mother. Then one day, after her mother suffered severe injuries after her father accidentally leaves a pail of kerosene on the stove, Billie Jo is left with severe burns on her hands which made her not able to play piano. Her immense grief is only made worse when her father neglects caring for her mother, who is not yet dead, who begs for water to soothe her burns. With a dying mother and an alcoholic father, Billie Jo has no one and nothing to comfort her grief and loneliness. Written through free verse poems, this story is about Billie Jo trying to wrench past the brutality of her life and find a glimpse of light in the darkness.

I rate this book 5/5 because I liked how real the author portrayed the main character and it was very interesting to learn about the aspects of the Great Depression and what families faced during this economic crisis. I also admired the main character because despite the failures and grief she went through, she did not give up on herself and instead tried to find happiness, which took lots of courage and strength to do especially because she did not have anyone to help her.

I recommend this book to all ages and all readers because there are many things that people can learn from this book. By reading it, I learned many things about not only the great depression but also how to deal with difficulties that may come with life. I highly recommend it to people who liked reading To Kill a Mockingbird, Brown Girl Dreaming, and other coming-of-age stories. 

Book Review by Sasi Valiveti

Gum Spring Library

 

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

This story takes place on the isolated Island of Fennbirn, where queens rule, and at the end of her reign, she gives birth to triplet girls, each with different abilities. In a regular generation, each of the triplets are born with one of three abilities: elemental, who can control the elements of nature, poisoner, who can withstand the effects of any lethal poison, and naturalist, who can control plants and animals. Once they reach the age of 16, two shall perish and one shall be queen. This first book sets up the setting and the rising tensions when Mirabella, the elemental, Arsinoe, the naturalist, and Katherine, the poisoner, are preparing to battle for the throne of Fennbirn. 

I would rate this book 4.5/5 because I really liked how the book showed the point of view from all three of the triplets and how they feel about the fact that they need to kill their own sisters for the throne. The book also shows the lifestyle of each of the characters, as they are raised separately, and shows how their surroundings influenced their personalities. It keeps the reader hooked until the end, at which there is a twist in the plot and completely changes the reader’s perception of the characters.

I would recommend this book to ages 12+ because there are many graphic details and there is a bit of romance and inappropriate things, which I had to skip as I read. I would also recommend this book to people who like to read fantasy, like Harry Potter, and dystopia, like the Hunger Games, because I think this book combines both elements.

Book Review by Sasi Valiveti

Gum Spring Library

“The Sea of Monsters” By Rick Riordan

“The Sea of Monsters” is a book by the American author, Rick Riordan. This funny, action-packed, and wildly popular novel is the second book of the well known “Percy Jackson” series. It is a mix of fantasy and mythology as Percy Jackson, the main character of the story is troubled to see that his former peaceful school year, was abruptly put to an end when monsters showed up at his junior prep school. Percy receives more bad news when his friend, Annabeth Chase arrives to tell Percy that the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood were poisoned by an unknown enemy. If failed to cure it, the only safe place for “demigods” like Percy and Annabeth will be destroyed. Percy and his friends must sail to through the Sea of Monsters to save the camp, but along the way of his journey, he will find a long lost family relation that makes him doubt his heritage as an honor, or really a harsh joke.

The fast-paced content makes it hard for readers to put down, and its relatable and likable characters allow readers to connect with the book strongly. I would highly recommend this book to readers who like realistic fiction with mythology, and would not mind having a few chuckles.

I rate this book a Five out of Five

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Glass Sword is the sequel to Red Queen. Mare’s blood is red, but she has silver abilities. The crown calls her a fake, but she manages to escape from the silver king, her friend who has betrayed her, and uncovers something new: she is not the only one of her kind. Pursued by the silver king, she recruits both red and silver fighters for her rebel army to overthrow the crown. But along this path, she risks becoming the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

I would rate this book a 4/5 because it was more action packed than the first book, because in this book the plot is more straightforward and there were not many parts of the story which lagged. This book really captures Mare’s struggle of becoming a red leader while trying to maintain the dignity and rights of her people, which is made increasingly difficult because of her ability.

I would recommend this book to ages 13+ because again, there is some language and inappropriate parts but for those who have read Red Queen, I highly encourage reading this sequel. I found this book much better than the first one, and there are many things that get revealed in this book which readers have been wondering from the first book.

Book Review by Sasi Valiveti

Gum Spring Library

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom named Norta, which was inhabited by people of two different bloods: red and silver. The reds are like regular humans, while the silvers possess supernatural powers that allow them to rule and terrorize the reds. Mare Barrow is a red who lives with her mother, father, three older brothers, and little sister. She supports her family by smuggling and stealing, and when getting caught one day stealing from a boy, she is instead given money. The next day, Mare is taken to the king’s palace and given a job as a service. Then, one day during her duties she becomes involved in an accident, and discovers a deadly power of her own, something capable of ending silver control.

I would rate this book a 3.5/5 because I really liked the action involved in the story, but I did not like the amount of romance that was in it because it stopped the story from progressing and was highly unnecessary. But I felt that this book captured social class conflict and courtroom life, and was very vivid with its descriptions of the story. While I was bored at some parts, I felt that this book was very immersive and the plot was easy to understand.

I would recommend this book to ages 13+ because there are some language and inappropriate parts. I also recommend this book to readers of fantasy and science fiction because I felt that this book combines both of these genres together.

Book Review by Sasi Valiveti

Gum Spring Library

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 is a science-fiction novel written by Richard Paul Evans. This story is about a soon-to-be 15 year old named Michael Vey with Tourette’s with a secret. He has powers that gives him the ability to shock; he has kept this secret hidden to everyone other than his best friend, Ostin. Three bullies beat up Michael, and Michael mistakenly uses and reveals his power to a cheerleader named Taylor, also with alike powers. Taylor and Michael both obtain a scholarship from “Elgen Academy” and eat at a restaurant, PizzaMax, with Michael’s mom. Taylor and Michael’s mom are abducted by a man named Dr. Hatch. This story describes Michael’s journey to rescue Taylor and his mom from Dr. Hatch and the difficulties he experiences.

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 is an excellent and suspenseful book, filled with plot twists and turns. It displays the importance of loyalty and courage, all while telling a story involving anticipation. I highly recommend this book to children 11 and over, as this book was exciting to read and quite straightforward to comprehend.

-Nicole Shou

Gum Spring Library

Maze Runner by James Dashner

Maze Runner is about a 16 year old boy named Thomas who does not remember anything about himself but his name. He has been placed outside of a maze with several other boys who also do not remember anything about themselves. All they know is that they must solve the maze in order to save himself and the other boys. The maze is extremely large and are inhabited by monsters, and they must start from their safe zone from the middle of the maze and try to find a way out. Every day, some of the boys, called runners, are tasked with finding a way out, and Thomas wants to become one of them. As the story unfolds, the boys navigate through parts of the maze they have never done before, and they also uncover dark secrets about the maze’s history and how they ended up there in the first place.

I rate this book 4.5/5 because it found it a very interesting story even though I do not read science fiction that often. I liked the teamwork and problem solving that were put into solving the maze, and many of the examples in this book can be applied to real life situations. I also found it interesting because there were also many surprising mysteries uncovered in the book which hooked me to the story even more.

I would recommend this book to anyone because I think it would appeal to all ages. I also think that readers of all genres would really like this book because of its great plot line and action. No part of this book kept me bored, and overall I strongly recommend this book.

Book Review by Sasi Valiveti

Gum Spring Library

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian science fiction novel written by Ray Bradbury that was published in 1953. The story is about a man named Guy Montag, who is a firefighter. His duties, however, are not to put out fires, but to start them. In the book’s world, all literature has been banned, with television screens being the main source of entertainment. The firefighters’ duties are to burn any books that are found. Montag believes that he is content with his life until he meets a girl named Clarisse, who changes his view of the world around him. The book is told through Montag’s perspective as he attempts to change the society around him.

This book is a very famous novel and for good reason. The story has many themes about the importance of literature and the dangers of mindless entertainment from technology. Fahrenheit 451 is expertly written. The book is very fun to read and is filled with action-packed scenes and complex, interesting characters. I would give this book 5 stars and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction.

-Matthew Wang (Gum Spring Library)