Michael Vey: The Hunt for Jade Dragon by Richard paul Evans

This Story continues from a little bit after where The Battle of the Ampere left of. The Electroclan are taken to a farm where they are able to rest. At the farm they meet a lot of loved and new allies. Not long after, they are given, once again, another mission by the Voice. The new mission is to save a young taiwanese girl, dubbed Jade Dragon, who was kidnapped by the Elgen because she knew the formula from the MEI(a machine that can produce electric children). This book is a little different from the other books because instead of being chased after the Elgen the Electroclan are working to stop them from commencing their plan. If you are into the superhero and villain type stories I definitely recommend this book for you. It is filled with lots of action and Adventure. Its incredible to see how far the Electroclan has come. The story captivates the reader and doesn’t let them skip a word. I definitely think this is a book everyone should try.

Wasil Mir, Gum spring Library

Michael Vey: the Battle of the Ampere by Richard Paul Evans

This is the is the third book in the series. The story continues from where rise of the elgen ended. Michael is in the jungle where he was rescued by indigenous tribe members. As this is happening the Electroclan are in captivity of the Peruvian army who are working for the Elgen. Michael goes through a lot of hardships but in the end is able to rescue his friend. It seems they are finally able to live in peace. However, the voice has another task fr them which is to sink one of the Elgen boats, the ampere. This book is filled with action and it pulls the reader in. It is great to walk alongside the character and see how they change and grow closer together. This book is book is perfect for those who love a long series in which the story progresses at a perfect pase. This book is also for those who are interested in adventure and action. I definitely recommend this book for all age groups.

Wasil Mir, Gum Spring Library

The Giver by Lois Lowry

This book is a dystopian book set in a world where your job, spouse, and practically entire life is decided for you. The main protagonist, Jonas is given the job, Giver. At first he is unable to understand what job he received but soon realizes its importance. After understanding the truth of the world that has been kept from the people Jonas starts to rebel and is soon seen as a criminal. The is plenty of symbolism in the story but my favorite by far is how the color of the setting begins to change as Jonas starts to see the beauty of the world. This book can be enjoyed by everybody but its main focus are on audience that enjoy dystopian novels. However this book has a mix of other genres too making it enjoyable for anyone.

Wasil Mir, Gum Spring Library

Michael Vey: The Rise of the Elgen By Richard Paul Evan

This book picks up where the last book, Michael Vey: The Prisoner of cell 25, left of. It is about how the Electroclan (Michael and his friends) recieve help from a secret source. The secret source will help the kids find Michael’s mother, however in return he wants them to destroy the power plant that Michael’s mother is being kept in. This book is filled with action making it a must read for those into action. Richard Evans uses this story to show the strong bond between family and also to strengthen the bond between the Electroclan. This story is able to keep the readers on the edge of there seat, therefore I believe that you should try thy this book.

Wasil Mir, Gum Spring Library

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell of 25 by Richard Paul Evans

This work of literature is a perfect read for all ages that enjoy sci-fi novels about adventure. This story is about a group of kids being born with special abilities being hunted by the a secret organization. The main character, Michael Vey, witnessed the kidnapping of his mother by the same organization to draw him in. He lands an attack on the organization and is able to save the rest of the special kids that are in custody. At the end of the book all the kids ban together to help Michael save his mother. This story teaches lessons about the bonds of friendship. This book has a great hook that swiftly pulls the reader in. I was unable to stop myself from reading. This is why I think this book is something you should read.

Wasil Mir, Gum Spring Library

The Dragon prince: Through the moon by Peter Warmen

This book, a continuation of the Netflix series, is an incredibly entertaining piece of literature. The book is about an elf, Rayla, who hasn’t been able to get past the loss of her loved ones. She is so desperate that she passes through the mortal plane to see her parents but ends up getting trapped leaving her to be saved by her friends. This books art style is very satisfying and the story pulls the reader in. The characters also have a lot of build up which ties there emotions to the audience. So if the characters feel sad, so will the audience. In the end of the book a valuable lesson is learned by the main character Rayla. she understands that though it is difficult to forget things you have lost, it helps to focus on the things that you have. I recommend this book to people of all ages that enjoy graphic novels. This is an amazing book that you must try.

Wasil Mir, Gum Spring Library

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games takes place in the ruins of North America, now known as the nation of Panem. There’s the Capitol surrounded by twelve districts. To keep the districts in line, every year, they make them send one boy and one girl, both between the ages twelve and eighteen to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. 24 tributes go in, but only one living tribute may leave. After volunteering to take her sister’s place, Katniss Everdeen finds herself competing in the Games and she’ll have to make tough decisions to make it out alive.

One thing I like about this book is how it managed to keep me engaged throughout the entire thing and how it made me root for Katniss from the beginning. It had memorable characters and a very interesting plot that had me hooked until the end. This book has moments where it’s funny without meaning to be. For example, when the other tribute is announced, Katniss remembers when she first met him and realized she never thanked him for something he did in the past. When she realizes this, she says, “But it’s not going to seem sincere if I’m trying to slit his throat.” I’ll admit, that did give me a good chuckle. I also like how this book has a good sense of continuity and acknowledges previous events, even when it seems the reader has forgotten about them. I also like how despite all the violence in the book, it highlights the value of devotion to your family, because Katniss is always thinking of her loved ones throughout the Games and the reason she’s trying to keep herself alive is because of them. This book is divided into three parts. “The Tributes”, “The Games”, and “The Victor” A criticism that I have with it is that the first part of the book, “The Tributes”, where Katniss and the other tributes are training, does kind of drag on a bit and I found myself wanting the actual Hunger Games to start about three fourths into it. Other than this, I don’t think that I have any other criticisms about this book. I think it’s really good! I’d say that this book would be mostly enjoyed by teenagers. Kids would be too innocent to understand the weight of the situation Katniss and the others are in, however, I’m not saying that adults wouldn’t enjoy it either. All in all, this is a great book that I really recommend to those who haven’t read it.

-Sophia Bendek

Cascades Library

The Guy I’m Not Dating by Sophie Kinsella

This book was very interesting and different from any book I have ever read. It had everything that a teenage girl would read about, drama, romance, mystery, and comedy. It was about a girl named Kara who had retired parents living in Florida and a guy named Gabe who also lives in the area near Kara. They make an interesting trip down to Florida together with other friends and make lasting memories that in the end pay off. The detail in every scene made me feel as if it was a movie and I could picture everything happening right before my eyes. Some scenes made me laugh out loud while others made me want to keep reading in anticipation of what was going to happen next. While some books make you wait until you get to the middle to become interesting, this one was fun to read from the start. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a good romance book that, at the same time, would make you laugh. 

-Anshu Telhan

Cascades Library

Looking for Alaska by John Green

**Let me preface this review by saying it contains mentions of suicide.**

Looking for Alaska by John Green is a poignant realistic fiction book about what it means to love– and to lose.

Miles “Pudge” Halter ventures to Culver Creek Boarding school, looking for some excitement in his life. There, he meets friends such as “The Colonel,” Takumi, and Lara. He also meets one Alaska Young, a spunky girl who Miles is immediately infatuated with. The group soon become tight-knit. However, they find their bonds dissolving after (spoiler!) Alaska’s untimely and unexplained death. Miles and The Colonel struggle to deal with this loss, but they are determined to know what happened to her.

I felt sad, excited, giddy, and plain heartbroken while reading this book. John Green certainly takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. Because of that, I loved this book! Miles’s grief is written wonderfully and is portrayed accurately. It is really interested to see him and the others finally come to terms with Alaska’s death. Additionally, it is never stated explicitly how Alaska died. It was a car crash, but Miles never found out if it was because she was drunk or if it was a suicide. This leaves it open for interpretation. I give this book a 5/5. People who like realistic fiction would like this book. I would recommend this book to readers in high school and up, as this book does contain curse words, drinking, and mentions of suicide. It will take a certain level of maturity to read this book.

Though this book talks about suicide and other upsetting topics, John Green manages to create hope in the characters’ lives. His writing is a beautiful thing to witness in Looking for Alaska.

Review by Manmayi Ghaisas, Gum Spring Library

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

When it comes to thrilling novels, no author does it better than Sabaa Tahir. A Reaper at the Gates is the third installment in the applauded An Ember in the Ashes series.

Where did we leave off? Laia and Elias just finished their daring mission to rescue Laia’s brother– and they did. But lives were lost, and souls were given up. Now, Laia finds herself alone again, trying to fight the dangerous Nightbringer. The Nightbringer is a magical being who threatens to take over the world as they know it. Laia is one of the only ones who has gotten close to him, and she is determined to defeat him. On her mission, she realizes that there are enemies hiding in the shadows– but there are long-lost friends, too. Meanwhile, Elias struggles to cope with his decision to become the new Soul-Catcher he made at the end of A Torch Against the Night. We learn more about him and his life.

Sabaa Tahir is the queen of writing climaxes. The climax of this book was hard-hitting (with yet another plot twist. I’m seeing a pattern here). However, I thought the middle was a little half-baked. It was a bit slow at times. Therefore, I will rate this book a 4/5. I would recommend this to readers who like high fantasy, action, and romance genres. Additionally, I would recommend it to readers in high school or above due to the scary scenes and violence.

A Reaper at the Gates is a beautiful third installment, and continues addressing the themes of love, loss, and power in the An Ember in the Ashes series.

Review by Manmayi Ghaisas, Gum Spring Library