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Unravel Me
Mafi, Tahereh
Reviewed: July 24, 2024
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi is an emotion-filled and compelling sequel to the incredible dystopian novel Shatter Me. In this new addition to the series, we are provided with a deeper view of the characters and their complexities, and connections begin to grow where least expected. The story begins immediately after Shatter Me left off, with Juliette finally experiencing freedom and learning about the true capabilities of her power. Not only does she develop and evolve into a more confident and determined woman, but her relationships with both Adam and Warner begin to evolve,... Read Full Review
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Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results
Clear, James
Reviewed: July 17, 2024
Atomic Habits by James Clear, known as being one of the most impactful books of its time, describes how to break bad habits and create good ones. After a tragic baseball incident broke many parts of Clear's skull, Clear harnessed the power of habits starting in his college years to recover and put himself on the Academic All-American team. Many of the book gives historical and relevant examples of how simple, tiny changes in one's life can bring significant changes quickly. He describes habits at the most fundamental level, creating easy-to-follow plans for the reader. The book is... Read Full Review
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Belong With Me
Cunsolo, Jessica
Reviewed: July 10, 2024
Jessica Cunsolo's Belong With Me follows Siena Amato, a newbie to King City whose life is upended by a classmate's disappearance. Siena's search for normalcy and family becomes a terrifying ordeal as she becomes the leading suspect. As Siena navigates her new existence and faces peer and police scrutiny, suspicion weighs on her. Siena falls for Jason Parker, a charming but enigmatic man with a reputation, despite her best efforts to stay hidden. Siena is drawn to Jason but knows he could endanger her vulnerable circumstances. Siena realizes that Jason is not the reckless... Read Full Review
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The Little Prince
Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de
Reviewed: July 3, 2024
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is a profound classic that depicts adulthood from the perspective of a child and is my favorite book of all time. I initially read it as a young child and have since reread it multiple times, only enjoying it more with each read. The story follows a young prince who travels from asteroid to asteroid, embarking on a multitude of adventures and meeting a variety of flawed characters. However, there is one common trait in each of the characters he encounters: adulthood. Through these encounters, the little prince learns about the... Read Full Review
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You've Reached Sam
Thao, Dustin
Reviewed: June 26, 2024
Seventeen-year-old Julie Clarke’s life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Sam Obayashi dies in a tragic car accident. Overwhelmed with grief and the struggle to move on, she frantically calls his contact on her phone, only to hear Sam’s voice on the other end. Through this mysterious phone call, Julie gets to say goodbye one last time, but the more they talk, the harder it is for Julie to let go. The novel’s pacing is well-balanced and sure to be a tearjerker as the chapters move through moments of intense emotion throughout Julie’s journey. Dustin Thao, the author of this book,... Read Full Review
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Cinder
Meyer, Marissa
Reviewed: June 18, 2024
Cinder by Marissa Meyer is the first book in a 4-book series. Cinder takes a futuristic route into the classic story Cinderella, making the main character, Cinder, a cyborg mechanic, live in a world surrounded by a deadly plague. She lives with her stepsister and stepmother and has never been happy living with them, especially the mother. However, her life becomes messy when she gets tangled up with the Prince of New Beijing. Uncovering secrets and learning more about herself while dealing with a forbidden attraction, Cinder’s life is turning upside down.
Once I started... Read Full Review
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The Raven Boys
Stiefvater, Maggie
Reviewed: June 13, 2024
Growing up in a family of clairvoyants, Blue Sargent has been told all her life that if she were to kiss her true love, they would die. It’s a chilling prophecy, yet one that doesn’t bother Blue. Every year on St. Mark’s Eve, Blue accompanies her mother to the churchyard to survey the spirits who are fated to die soon. Blue never sees the spirits, as she lacks the psychic abilities the rest of her family was gifted with – that is, until this year. She sees the spirit of a boy who speaks to her. This interaction could mean one of two things: she killed him, or he’s her true love. Blue will... Read Full Review
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It Starts With Us
Hoover, Colleen
Reviewed: June 5, 2024
It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover is the sequel to the TikTok hit It Ends With Us. The sequel continues to follow Lily Bloom, except now she's a single mother dealing with her ex-husband, Ryle, and trying to be civil when co-parenting. Also in the picture is Atlas, Lily's first love. As they continue to rekindle their relationship, they hit problems along the way, whether it's Ryle or just that they are older and have more responsibility. From the first book to the second, we can see how time can change people and relationships in crazy ways.
I enjoyed this book... Read Full Review
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The Summer I Turned Pretty
Han, Jenny
Reviewed: May 29, 2024
The Summer I Turned Pretty is a coming-of-age novel by Jenny Han, a best-selling author known for the To All The Boys I've Loved Before series. It follows the story of a sixteen-year-old girl named Isabel Conklin, commonly known as "Belly," and her unforgettable summers at the beach house. Belly spent every summer of her life with her mother and older brother at Cousin's Beach, but summer was much more different this year. She's no longer the little girl everyone used to know, and suddenly, the boys she's grown up with at the beach house, Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher, seem... Read Full Review
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Shatter Me
Mafi, Tahereh
Reviewed: May 22, 2024
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is an action-packed young adult dystopian novel that immerses the reader in a world of superhuman abilities, drama, political intrigue, incredibly complex characters, and wondrous romance. The story introduces the reader to a future world where society is in environmental decay and intense political unrest. The main character, Juliette Ferrars, has been cursed with a dangerous ability: a fatal touch. After an event where she accidentally used this ability, she has been isolated and imprisoned in an asylum for almost a year. Unexpectedly, she is given a... Read Full Review
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To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Han, Jenny
Reviewed: May 22, 2024
To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han is the first book of a three-part series. It’s told from the perspective of Lara Jean Covey, a high school girl desperate for love. However, Lara Jean has a secret: love letters she’s written to each of her past loves, hidden away so nobody finds them. That is until the letters are sent out, and Lara Jean is sent into a whirlwind of confessions, chaos, and a bright side at the end. While apologizing to the recipients, one lover strikes a deal with Covey, which will flip her world upside-down. Jenny Han doesn’t disappoint with these books... Read Full Review
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10 Hours to Go
Parrack, Keely
Reviewed: May 1, 2024
In 10 Hours to Go, Keely Parrack tells a compelling story of a horrific vehicle ride. Lily, a young woman in Oregon during a wildfire warning, really wants to go home. After discovering that Natasha's passenger is Elke Azizi, the girl she was expelled from school years ago, Lily's travel back to California becomes a terrifying ordeal. Old wounds reappear, and grudges simmer, creating tension. Every choice is life-or-death, with wildfires coming. After detouring from the main road, the group is lost in the harsh countryside.
10 Hours to Go masterfully balances... Read Full Review