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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Collins, Suzanne
Reviewed: April 17, 2024
Suzanne Collins’s The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows the story of one of the most infamous literary antagonists, Coriolanus Snow. Set 64 years before the events of the original Hunger Games trilogy, the Capitol is gearing up for its 10th annual games. They decide to throw in a twist this time, nominating twenty-four Capitol Academy students to mentor the tributes and make the overall experience more thrilling and appealing to the people of Panem. Snow, having been plagued by poverty and hunger, sees this as his ticket out for the mentor with the winning tribute... Read Full Review
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In the Heights
Reviewed: April 10, 2024
In the Heights is a musical/romance movie that was released in 2021, directed by Jon M. Chu, and features Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Leslie Grace, Olga Merediz, Corey Hawkins, and more. The story is set in Washington Heights, New York, a small neighborhood united by love, community, and success; the film shows the realities of a struggling working-class life in the barrio. Every main character spotlighted in the film has their own little "sueñito," which means "little dream." The audience is taken to a beautiful whirlwind of emotional connections with every character’s... Read Full Review
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Better Than the Movies
Painter, Lynn
Reviewed: April 3, 2024
Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter is a light rom-com novel that follows protagonist Liz Bauxbaum, an aspiring filmmaker who dreams of a love story like the ones on the silver screen. Her own life starts resembling the very movies she adores after agreeing to participate in a "fake-dating" relationship with her childhood friend and sworn enemy, Wes Bennett. Liz ultimately finds herself entangled in a love triangle and finds herself questioning what she truly wants in a relationship. As she navigates the highs and lows of her senior year, she begins to realize that her life... Read Full Review
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Six of Crows
Bardugo, Leigh
Reviewed: March 27, 2024
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo introduces readers to the gritty, bustling city of Ketterdam. The story follows a diverse and skilled group of characters led by Kaz Brekker, each filled with hidden agendas and dark pasts, as they embark on an impossible heist to rescue a valuable hostage from captivity. At the beginning of this book, the introductions may seem a bit slow-paced, but as the story progresses and the heist begins, the pace picks up, and the narrative becomes more thrilling. Every chapter kept me pretty engaged due to their intriguing plot twists and turns. The author’s... Read Full Review
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The Best Lies
Lyu, Sarah
Reviewed: March 20, 2024
The Best Lies is a book that follows the story of Remy Tsai, a high school student who seems to regard life as bearable because she is with her two favorite people, her boyfriend Jack and her best friend, Elise. Suddenly, Jack was murdered by no one other than Elise, upending Remy’s life. As Remy recounts her story of finding and befriending Elise and how their once lighthearted friendship turned into a heavy, codependent relationship. We see how Elise and Remy not only bond over their shared trauma from their families but how that trauma affects people, especially Elise, to... Read Full Review
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Where He Can't Find You
Coates, Darcy
Reviewed: March 13, 2024
Darcy Caotes' Where He Can't Find You began with a bang and did not stop for a single second! The author's narrative and speech created incredible suspense and tension. I held my breath throughout the most intense portions, my heart racing, unsure what would happen next —realizing I wasn't prepared for whatever horror might soon leap off the pages. The novel reads like a ghost story that would haunt your dreams forever. It was tough to put it down, even for a few minutes. Without life's interruptions, I would have finished the novel in one sitting. I adored our protagonists'... Read Full Review
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The Talk: Conversations About Race, Love & Truth
Hudson, Wade
Reviewed: March 6, 2024
Conversations are not always amusing or light-hearted. Some are serious. Some are informative. Some open one’s eyes to the realities of the world.
The Talk is a compilation of several authors providing their own “talk” regarding personal experiences and the cruel truths in our society, focusing on segregation, racism, and prejudice. As beautiful as life can be, it’s not always peachy or perfect, and The Talk addresses these issues by exposing the harsh realities of life. As mentioned in the introduction, providing a vision of how mankind could solve these... Read Full Review
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Gorgeous Gruesome Faces
Cheng, Linda
Reviewed: February 28, 2024
Linda Cheng's modern, queer take on gothic horror shows how hard it is to be feminine and meet unrealistic beauty standards in the K-pop world. It also has a gothic feel and is scary. I don't really like the title of Gorgeous Gruesome Faces; I think it's a bit too obvious. The book is about Sunny, who used to be in a reality TV music group. In the past, she's been happy and eager to show Candie, who is already beautiful and famous, how good she is. They broke up the group because of the sad and upsetting death of their third bandmate, Mina, and a PR problem in the present. Sunny... Read Full Review
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Artifacts of an Ex
Chen, Jennifer
Reviewed: February 21, 2024
Jennifer Chen's Artifacts of an Ex is an endearing and sentimental work of contemporary romance that adeptly integrates the profound influences of art, healing, and love. This novel presents a "novel" insight into the timeless tale of love and self-discovery through its compelling characters and original premise. The protagonist, Chloe Chang, is an endearing and relatable individual who directly confronts the difficulties of grief and reinvention. She begins an unanticipated voyage of healing after receiving her breakup box via USPS; she then begins constructing an art exhibit... Read Full Review
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Heartstopper Volume 5
Oseman, Alice
Reviewed: February 14, 2024
Heartstopper Volume Five, Alice Oseman’s latest installment of the graphic novel series, follows protagonists Nick and Charlie into novel, momentous chapters of their lives. Nick, in Year 12 at Truham Grammar School, tours local universities while unsure of his future career, and Charlie, one grade lower, completes his final exams alongside struggles with body dysmorphia. Volume Five seems to go further than Oseman’s previous books, enlightening readers to the stark reality that while romantic relationships are daunting to begin, they’re just as challenging to maintain. The... Read Full Review
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If He Had Been With Me
Nowlin, Laura
Reviewed: February 7, 2024
If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin displayed the true feelings that come to a person when a loss occurs, whether that loss is definite or indefinite. The story follows the life of Autumn and Phineas "Finny," childhood best friends who used to be inseparable but who grew apart as they grew up. The story starts with Finny’s death, and the book revolves around what Autumn felt growing up about school, her family, and, most importantly, Finny. Autumn constantly ponders what would have happened if Finny had been with her instead of in the car where his accident occurred. Before... Read Full Review
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This Light Between Us: A Novel of World War II
Fukuda, Andrew Xia
Reviewed: January 31, 2024
This Light Between Us is a story about two pen pals—Japanese-American Alex Maki and Charlie Levy, a girl who lives in France and is Jewish. They started writing to each other in 1935 about their lives. On December 7th, 1941, Alex Maki’s life changed as Japan attacked Hawaii, and now all Japanese people on Bainbridge Island are seen as an enemy. Soon after, there were rules placed on the Japanese, like no traveling more than 5 miles from home. Later on, Alex’s dad is taken by FBI agents, and after that, all the Japanese are evacuated to a camp where conditions are horrible. In the... Read Full Review