Hook’s Revenge by Heidi Schulz

In this amazing, deep, and intricate book by Heidi Schulz, a girl who is the daughter of a famous pirate is being brought up by her grandfather. Jocelyn is forced to be a proper woman, following extreme etiquette, doing certain chores, and to be brought up as elegant at a school for young ladies. However, Jocelyn doesn’t like that, and when she gets a letter from her father outlining that if she sees this letter, he is probably dead, everything changes. The letter states the beast that killed her father, urging Jocelyn to take revenge and slay the beast if she dares. The book follows Jocelyn on her adventure to magical lands, captaining a lousy crew of pirates, and getting constantly interrupted by Peter Pan.

One thing I liked about this book was the fantasy and worldbuilding, as it made me feel immersed in the story. One thing I thought could have been better in the book was the action and suspense, as some parts it slowed down. I would recommend this book to early teens, as the level of writing is quite remarkable, and there is lots of world building, plot points, and aspects that make it enjoyable. I don’t think there are any content/trigger warnings besides the idea of death and murder. A great read that I was introduced to, and well received as it was a New York Times best seller.

– Anirudh Balaji, Brambleton Library

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander

The fourth stall is a school mystery and business book about two boys, Mac and Vince, running a business in the fourth stall of their school bathroom helping many kids in their school do certain things, like sneak into R rated movies, get information, and anything along those lines, for a price. Mac and Vince are making a lot of money and seeing a lot of kids in their office (the fourth stall), when one kid named Fred comes to them needing urgent help to be protected from Staples, a supposed person who’s a high school crime lord and a myth but is really found out to be a real person. Mac and Vince find out that this case is worth a lot of time, risk, injury, and effort, as they deal with some of the most notorious criminals, gambling rings, and bullies.

One thing I really liked about this book was the business aspect of it and how these two kids are being smart and making money off of everyone else’s problems in school. One thing I thought could have been better was the description and action of certain events. I would recommend this book to late middle schoolers (around age 13), because this would appeal to them and be relatable to them, however still being a book on a younger teen side of things with some of its trivial problems and conflicts. Potential content/trigger warnings include gambling, crime, bullying, and minor violence and rule breaking.

– Anirudh Balaji, Brambleton Library

The Golden Tower by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

In the book Golden Tower, the last book of the Magisterium series, Callum is forced to deal with Alex Strike, a Devoured of Chaos that returns from the void with an army of his own, asking for Call and his friends to come as prisoners and causing a lot of problems for the world. Callum suddenly springs into action, as he is forced in a race against time to find a Devoured of each element in hopes of defeating Alex Strike. Him and his friends travel the world, while Call accesses the memories of the soul living inside of him to find out how exactly he must defeat a Devoured of Chaos. Call, while battling the villain and trying to save his friends, also finds out more of who he really is.

One thing I liked about this book was the action and suspense that kept me at the edge of my seat. One thing I thought that could’ve been better was that the book lacked sufficient description in some areas. I would recommend this book to any teenager because it contains fantasy, action, and romance that appeals to teens. Potential content/trigger warnings include death and violence. I read this series a couple years back, and it is still one of the best series’ I have ever read to this date; it is very similar to Harry Potter and very gripping.

– Anirudh Balaji, Brambleton Library

Hardy Boys: Murder at the Mall by Franklin W. Dixon

Hardy Boys: Murder at the Mall is a recent teen version of Hardy Boys books in which Frank and Joe Hardy work for ATAC (American Teens Against Crime) and are asked to investigate recent threats made to the local mall in Bayport by an extremist group called STEMM. Frank and Joe hardy scour the mall, investigate suspects like store owners, their friends, the watchman, suspicious teens, the mall owner, and more. Frank and Joe are taken aback when the case ups a notch as a murder occurs, and the case turns a whole lot darker, and a whole lot more political with the extremist group and people interested in acquiring the mall. Frank and Joe are forced to find the culprit before someone gets hurt.

One thing I liked about the book was the constant thrill and murder mystery aspect that made my heart beat fast. One thing I thought could’ve been better was the plot- it was just a whole lot of roaming around. I would recommend this book to early teens as it’s a murder mystery and has some teen aspects to it that they can relate to, however is simple and shorter than other books. Potential content/trigger warnings include murder, death, extremist groups, crime, and injury. A great read, perhaps one of the best Hardy Boys books written.

– Anirudh Balaji, Brambleton Library

Clutch by Heather Camlot

Something incredible is going to happen. Jackie Robinson is playing for the Dodgers, and he will change the world. 12-year-old Joey Grosser has big plans like Jackie Robinson a short distance away. He wants to leave his old neighbourhood, a dump, and move to Park Avenue, where all the rich people live. All Joey needs is some money, but every step to the front is like two steps back. Joey turns to the wrong man for help.

Clutch is a fascinating book, and it was terrific. The book is excellent and always kept me on my toes. I loved this book’s amount of detail and thought that went into making this book. Mrs. Camelot spent much time creating this book. Honestly, there wasn’t anything terrible about this book. This was one of my favorite books I have ever read, and it will be yours too!

Siddharth Dale, Gum Spring Library

Wonder by RJ Polacio

Imagine being born with a disorder and having 27 surgeries to stay alive. Auggie Pullman, a ten-year-old, was born with a condition and had to have 27 surgeries to be alive. After being homeschooled for five years, Auggie is starting 5th grade at a new school. Auggie is excited to go, but the only thing stopping him is the bullies. Auggie assumes they will make fun of his face and make his life miserable. Will he listen to these bullies, or will he stand up for himself and make friends.

Wonder is one of the best books I have ever read. The book is funny, emotional, and sad. This book teaches you about kindness and stepping out of your comfort zone. One thing I loved about this book was the amount of storyline and detail shown throughout the entire book. Another thing I loved about this book was the number of times I felt happy, sad, and even emotional. This book is one of the best books I have ever read. If you do read it, you will love it and keep reading it. This book was a genuine page-turner and always kept me on my toes!

Siddharth Dale, Gum Spring Library

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera is about two characters, Mateo and Rufus, who find out that they only have one day left to live. The story revolves around their reaction to this news, what they decide to do on their last day, and the story of the romance.
I enjoyed reading this book because it was so unique and different. It incorporates so many different aspects and points of views for just one day. Overall, this was a great book and I would recommend it to kids ages 14-16.

Shivani Sukumar(Gum Spring Library)

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a realistic fiction book revolving around gangs and how they struggle to fit in against society. The main character, Ponyboy, talks about how he feels at highschool as everyone sees him differently than others. He also talks about his relationship with his brothers and his experience with running away. 

This was a great book because it included so many aspects of gangs, violence, family dysfunction and more. It was very unique because it was written from the point of view of someone in an actual gang rather than from people talking about them from the outside. However, there was a lot of violence in the story. Overall, this was a great book and I would recommend it to kids ages 13-16. 

Shivani Sukumar (Gum Spring Library)

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover is a romantic novel about two characters, Tate and Miles, who meet through Tate’s brother. They live in neighboring apartments and soon fall in love. Conflicts arise but they prove that their love is stronger.

I liked this book because it was just a classic romance novel. It was interesting and had unique aspects. However, I did not like how all of the problems were expected because they are the same as every other book. Overall, it was a great book and I would recommend it to kids ages 15-17.

Shivani Sukumar (Gum Spring Library)

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng is a fiction novel about a mother and daughter, Mia and Pearl, who move into Shaker Heights, Ohio. They meet the Richardson family and soon they are entangled in drama. Later on, a new family(the McCulloughs) are introduced and they are adopting a Chinese baby. However, conflicts arise as the biological mother is revealed and a fight for custody begins.
I enjoyed reading this book because it was so unique and dramatic. There were so many little stories going on and that just added to the interesting aspects of the novel. However, I didn’t like that a little too much was going on and some short stories were let go. Overall, it was a great book and I would recommend it to kids ages 14-16. 

Shivani Sukumar (Gum Spring Library)