Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand

I like the way the author, Laura Hillenbrand, beautifully wrote Unbroken with passion. The way she described the story made it feel like I was right there with Louis Zamperini. I saw how he changed as he got older. He used to be a little boy who ran and stole whatever he could get his hands on. Then, he became a track runner in high school and soon, with the help of his brother Pete, made it all the way to the Olympics. He decided to be an airman and risk his life, then became a castaway drifting at sea. The craziness didn’t stop there; he later got captured by the Japanese.

I liked how the author paid attention to detail. She gave examples or scenarios for specific things. One instance of this would be that she gave a specific example of when Louie and the other POWs stole a newspaper from a dozing guard and tried to trace a map from it. Another one of her strengths would be that the book flowed neatly. I did not feel like it was moving too slow or too fast. Additionally, she used strong vocabulary. The words that she used were spot on, and I felt as if there was no other word that could describe it better. There was this part when she said that Louie was “ringing with shock,” and I don’t think there was a better way to explain that. I also liked that she added humor to an otherwise serious book.

Something I didn’t like, however, was that at one point, I was a little overwhelmed with all of the words because they were too difficult to understand. I suppose this only strengthened my vocabulary, but it was a little tedious to keep looking things up.

I would recommend this nonfiction narrative to anyone. I think it is best suitable for sixth grade and up because it relates to other things that they are learning. Even people who don’t enjoy nonfiction as much or even at all would like this book. I generally don’t like this genre, but this book had me on the edge of my seat. This book wasn’t written with a whole bunch of facts on a page. It was written as a story. The character had such an unpredictable journey that I couldn’t even believe it was real. People who like historical fiction would also really like this book. I loved this book and would read it again.

SY (Gum Spring Library)

Keeper of the Lost Cities By Shannon Messenger

“Keeper of the Lost Cities” is the first book in this series featuring a twelve year old girl, named Sophie, who can read other people’s minds. All she wants is for her life to be normal, but when she meets another telepath, Fitz, she has to leave behind everyone she ever cared about and start a new life, in a new world, with new people, and new enemies with abilities far beyond what she thought was possible.

Overall, this book is a fun and interesting read for anyone who enjoys reading about fantasy fiction. It is a book that would intrigue people of all ages. It has many characters all with different personalities and behaviors which makes for exciting interactions between them. I would rate this book a 9/10 because of the cliffhangers that make me read on and on and on.

Neev P. (Rust Library)

Dune by Frank Herbert

“Fear is the mind-killer” Frank Herbert, Dune.

Dune by Frank Herbert, is a heartfelt story centered around a planet, Arrakis, that seems almost uninhabitable and is filled with spice. The protagonist in this book is Paul, son of Leto Atreides, king of the Atreides Empire, and Jessica, who is a part of a sisterhood of warriors and masters of manipulation, called Bene Gesserits. He will be the only hope to save Dune from the Harkonnens and Baron Vladmir Harkonnen from claiming the Arrakis Throne. But after living for years on a water filled planet, Paul cannot save Dune alone.

Overall, Dune is a book that takes you on a journey to another planet, literally. All of the different kinds of people, trained for different reasons, means that there is almost always a character the reader can relate to. Dune is filled with intense conversations, bloodthirsty warriors, giant sandworms, and people trying to change the planet. Although it is extremely confusing in the beginning of the book, the rich character and terrestrial development, the underlying theories suddenly surfacing, and the everlasting messages, makes this one of the best books ever written.

Frank Herbert uses an intricate and complex writing style in Dune. At the beginning of every chapter there is a quote from an outside character, who is referred to as the Princess Irulan, which gives the reader clarification and an insight to the future. This provides the book with much needed information and clarification without spoiling anything. Frank Herbert also writes about characters’ thoughts which give us insight on their thinking process and reactions. This is useful because throughout the book there are realizations that invoke fear, confidence, or other emotions inside the mind of the characters. This, in turn, gives the reader a better understanding of the characters. A wonder to science-fiction, Dune is a must read book that has an everlasting impact on the world today.

Neev P. (Rust Library)

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a thrilling mystery novel with many twists that will leave
you shocked. This book is about a girl named Pippa who has a school capstone project. She
decides to research the case of Andie Bellman, an alleged murder victim who lived in Pippa’s
area. As she researches more into the case, she finds some interesting details that lead to
close friends and family being more involved than she thought. With the help of the victim’s
brother Ravi, they use a map to find out the possible routes leading them to more possible
convicts and find out that Andie’s closest friends are extremely included in the murder. While
the investigation is going on, Pippa receives threats to stop the investigation leading to her
losing someone she loves dearly. Through the chaos, she eventually finds the true murderer.

I enjoyed reading this book because of the thrill and murder mystery aspect. It keeps
you on the edge of your seat. What I liked most about this book was the added details of
drawings, hand-written notes, and little parts of the book that engage you and make you feel like
you are a part of the story. I would recommend this book for middle schoolers to high schoolers
or any young adult. It is a great book to get you zoned in and it is something you can finish
quickly if you are invested in the story. Overall, I think this is a great book.

Rachel Yi (Gum Spring Library)

Insignia by SJ Kincaid

Insignia starts in the future with Tom at the Dusty Squanto Casino, where he is struggling to make money to stay the night. With an alcoholic father, Tom’s only hope is video games. His skills are brought to the attention of the Intrasolar Forces, and a few days later, Tom receives the opportunity of a lifetime: to train at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy for teens. Once he arrives, he comes to the shocking discovery that everyone there has a neural processor implanted in their brains and also has this implanted in Tom’s brain, and his life changes forever. He quickly makes friends, becomes tall and smart, and becomes a good fighter as well. 

Not just friends, he makes a good amount of enemies too. Tom ends up getting sabotaged one too many times. However, he overcomes all of his obstacles and fights against Medusa, a powerful combatant and a good friend of Tom’s. He wins the battle and eventually makes up with Medusa, and in the end, Tom gets promoted to the next level of the army and keeps his friends as well.

There were several aspects of the book I enjoyed. I liked the humor included in this book and I enjoyed the drama and mystery in this book as well. I also enjoyed the action that was described in Insignia. Honestly speaking, I do not believe that there was a single part of the book that I disliked. I would definitely recommend this book for everyone, but especially for Dystopian, Science Fiction, and Fantasy lovers. I enjoyed reading this book and I hope the readers out there will enjoy it, too. 

Review By: Shruti Gnanasekar (Gum Spring Library)

Tags: Fantasy, Dystopia, Science Fiction

Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter me series by Tahereh Mafi

The Shatter Me series is about a 17 year old girl named Juliette Ferrars, with a lethal touch. Her touch can paralyze, kill, and take living organisms’ energy. She was imprisoned in an asylum by her parents to keep her locked away from the real world, after she killed a little boy with her touch. Juliette is partly insane, caused by isolation and horror at herself. She lives in an empty prison cell all by herself, lonely, and shattered. One day someone shows up as her cellmate, and her world changes from there. This series is definitely amazing and well written. I personally enjoyed it very much. I felt like I was part of the book while reading. It really gives you a look into Juliette’s life and what she went through, how nobody understood her and never gave her a chance. In my view, I did not dislike anything about this series, I felt emotionally attached to the characters. This book is definitely for young adults and mature audiences. I would definitely recommend this series, you wont regret it!

Subject: Dystopia, Fantasy, Mystery

Misha Chenari (Gum Spring Library)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is one of the most popular books of 2022. It exploded in popularity in 2020, and thousands of readers flocked to immerse themselves in the story of Addie LaRue, a woman who is immortal. Born in France, she has been alive since the 1700s. Flash forward to 2014, she lives in New York City, living her life as an invisible person. Why? Because in a moment of desperation in 1714, she made a deal with a demon for immortality– and became cursed to be forgotten by everyone she met. As a result, Addie has no friends. No significant other. Nobody can remember her name or her face. The only person she has is the demon who she made the deal with. So what happens when, after 300 years, somebody finally recognizes her? The concept sounds magical. The execution, however, was not. This book was unbelievably boring. It was unnecessarily long. There were too many confusing filler chapters that made every page a struggle to read. Schwab filled this novel with too many “buzz words”: words that sounded pretty and sparkly on paper but failed to make a point. Addie was one of the flatter characters I have read in my life; she was not funny, or serious, or determined. The dialogue was painfully unrealistic. The plot was half-cooked and simply not explained well. Should I go on? Schwab had the potential to make this book so amazing and complex; however, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue simply missed the mark. (Although, this is not to say I am disregarding Schwab’s ability as a writer, simply this book.) I would rate this book 1.5/5 stars, and unfortunately, I would not recommend this book to anybody. I was so excited to read this book. But after reading the final page, I felt nothing but disappointment. 

Review by Manmayi Ghaisas, Gum Spring Library

The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett is one of the highest-regarded historical fiction novels of 2020. The beautiful story spans over 3 generations, switching between flashbacks and present prose. The story revolves around two twins, Desiree and Stella. They live in a small town in Louisiana called Mallard– a town too small, too suffocating for the two girls, so one day, they decide to run away. What’s more: the girls are half-black but light enough to pass off as white. When Stella decides to do just that, she abandons Desiree with no explanation, and the twins slowly drift apart, apart, apart, until they have no contact at all. The Vanishing Half switches between Desiree’s and Stella’s point of view. Readers get to see the two wildly different lives they lead; we get to see their children grow up, their families, and their reflections on the past. Soon, Desiree’s and Stella’s children’s lives intersect, and readers are left wondering if Desiree and Stella can muster up the courage to face each other after decades apart. I loved The Vanishing Half for so many reasons: first, the way that Bennett switches between generations made me feel like I was reading multiple stories at once. It was flawlessly executed and wonderfully woven. I also loved all the characters: they were amazingly real, something I always appreciate because it makes the story that more interesting. Elements of historical fiction were artfully added into the story without making it read like a history book. With that being said, I wish Bennett went into more detail about why Stella decided to live her life as a “white person.” Similarly, other character’s decisions were just glossed over, leaving me with more questions. Overall, I would give this book 4.5/5 stars. I would recommend this book to those in high school and older and those who like historical fiction. I never grew tired of this book, and I completely understand why this was rated Goodreads Best Historical Fiction book of 2020!

Review by Manmayi Ghaisas, Gum Spring Library 

Counting Down With You by Tashie Bhuiyan

Counting Down with You is a romance novel revolving around teenager Karina Ahmed. When her strict, suffocating parents leave overseas for a month, Karina expects nothing to change. She expects to continue working towards medical school, even though that’s her parents’ dream, not hers. But, in fact, everything does change, when the boy she agreed to tutor- Ace Clyde- lies and tells everyone Karina is his girlfriend. Karina has no choice but to play along, but only until her parents come back. T-28 days. But when Ace and Karina begin to develop real feelings for each other, Karina’s life gets exceptionally complicated. How can she choose between Ace and her parents, who won’t let her date in high school? How can she give up her freedom and go back to her suffocating life? Counting Down with You was a magical book. The characters were insanely likable and the plot made me extremely giddy. I loved the representation in this book- from people of color to mental health struggles. Something I did need to get past were the cliches in this book: a bad-boy named “Ace” who wears leather jackets, and is secretly soft inside? Totally cliche. And a brown girl with family issues who’s expected to be a doctor? Another cliche. I was hoping that Karina’s character would go past the stereotypes we see in today’s media. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Karina and Ace’s interactions in this book so much. I loved Karina’s character development and I definitely believe she is a character that most people can relate to. Counting Down with You earns 4.5/5 stars from me. I would definitely read it again and would recommend it to others. Those who are in middle school and above would enjoy this book. Additionally, lovers of romance would enjoy this book, specifically those who like fake-dating tropes. Counting Down with You was a book I was waiting to read, and it sure didn’t disappoint! 

Review by Manmayi Ghaisas, Gum Spring Library 

Frankly in Love by David Yoon

Frankly in Love by David Yoon is a quirky, light YA romance novel by David Yoon. The story revolves around high-school-going Frank Li; he is Korean-American with traditional Korean parents who have his whole life planned out for him. The one rule he can’t get over? He must marry a Korean girl. Which makes things hard when he starts dating Brit Means, a white girl at his school. To keep his parents happy, he pretends to be in a relationship with his family friend, Joy Song, who his parents approve of. Frank thinks he’s found the answer to life: but when unforeseen circumstances, unexpected feelings, and quarrels with his family get thrown into the mix, Frank begins to wonder what his life should really look like. Should he throw caution into the wind and stand up to his parents? Should he lean into his parents’ idea of him? And more importantly, who is Frank and what does he want? Frankly in Love features interesting, more casual writing. Yoon’s diction is easygoing, fitting for the point of view of a teenager. Most of the characters were likable, and the plot was easy to follow. However, my issue with this book was that it seemed half-baked, which made it forgettable and dropped the overall execution and sophistication of the book. The main love interest, Brit, was not developed enough- she was boring at times, and I felt myself wondering how Frank and Brit complimented each other. Additionally, it seemed like some conflicts were added in only for the author to not expand on them later. The book was still enjoyable to read, but I doubt I’ll remember it years down the road. Frankly in Love is 3.5/5 stars for me. I would recommend this book to high schoolers and above, and those who are fans of realistic fiction and romance novels. 

Review by Manmayi Ghaisas, Gum Spring Library