Student-Reviewed Books

Fiction

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Reviewed by Akash Sen

In George Orwell’s masterpiece Animal Farm, he stretches the boundaries of the “normal” society as a group of farm animals go on a quest to create a paradise of progress, equality, and justice. It successfully depicts what happens when propaganda and corruption enters into a starting society and keeps the reader gripped to the plot with every twist. If you like an entertaining fiction novel, this is the book for you.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Reviewed by Mac Paulus

Catching Fire is the second book in the recently popular Hunger Games series. This book is a great read for anyone who is a fan of non-stop action and suspenseful stories with a unique twist. I do recommend reading the first book though.

Edward’s Eyes by Patricia MacLachlan

Reviewed by Erin Gray

This is a short, sweet and sad novel for any age called Edward's Eyes by Patricia MacLachlan. It is a quick read that will touch anyone's heart. It takes almost half of the book to get into it; however it is such a short story that half of the book is only about 50 pages.

Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

Reviewed by Nikoletta Frangos

Endless Summer has two books in one. It starts off with The Boys Next Door and later starts with Endless Summer. School has just been let out, and summer has begun. It is Lori's favorite time of the year. She gets to work all summer long at the lake, learn new wakeboarding skills, and hang out with her friends. This year is different because now Lori has become a woman. With the Vader brothers next door, she has always been just one of the guys, but now she's sixteen. She has figured out a way for the older brother, Sean, to fall in love with her. Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with his younger brother Adam. But, Adam has plans of his own. Will Lori's plan work or will it end up in one messy love triangle?

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Reviewed by Michaela Ward

In Mitch Albom’s first novel The Five People You Meet In Heaven, Albom tells the story of a "barrel chested" 83-year-old man named Eddie. Eddies' story beings with the end when Eddie tragically dies in the heat of the sun while working as a maintenance man at Ruby Point Amusement Park. Before Eddie’s death, Albom flashes back to Eddie’s timeless childhood, being a soldier who came out a wounded war veteran falling into his life of old age. Eddie thought in his own mind that he had an uninspired life; however, after his tragic accident, Eddie awakens in Heaven where he meets “The Five People You Meet in Heaven," all of whom ultimately help Eddie answer his own haunting eternal question "Why was I here?" and to understand his "meaningless" life.

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

Reviewed by Danielle Pickus

Go Ask Alice is loosely based on a true story about a girl who gets hooked on drugs unintentionally. It takes over her life and robs her innocence. This is a dark, sad story but is very moving and would be a good read for anyone.

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

Reviewed by Alyssa Everding

Similar to My Sister’s Keeper, Picoult explores the idea of an overbearing mother who wants the best for her child, who in the case has OI, a rare disease that leads to many trips to the hospital for broken bones. With tight finances, the mother Charlotte wants to sue the obstetrician for not telling her as soon as possible that her daughter would have this condition. The hard part is the obstetrician is her best friend, and Charlotte’s husband is against the lawsuit. Overall, the book kept my attention, and I would recommend it to people who enjoy a sad romance novel.

The Help by Katheryn Stockett

Reviewed by Nicki Klein

The Help, by Katheryn Stockett, is a thought-provoking page turner. The reader learns firsthand the way a Southern, racist town makes life unbearable for the African-American community. Also, the reader sees the struggles of being a female writer in a man’s world. By interviewing the colored help of Jackson, Mississippi, the main character Skeeter is able to write a book that makes her town go crazy. The Help will make the reader laugh out loud at times and sob at others. This is an extremely well written book, and I recommend it to everyone.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Reviewed by Jack Crandall

The Hunger Games is a fantastic story about Katniss Everdeen, and her struggles while participating in the games. She has to fight to survive and survive to win. In this riveting tale, she shows you that no matter what you can never count out the underdog.

I am Number 4 by Pittacus Lore

Reviewed by Taylor Ronne

The thrilling quest of the dammed on the run and the search for a hope of survival and return takes place right in our backyards so to speak. This novel goes through the pain and struggle of a young man to survive and reunite with his five remaining companions, the only six to twelve survivors of their home planet. As you dive in you will follow the adventure and become entwined in the details; this one is hard to put down!

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

Reviewed by Suzanne Vachula

While awaiting the return of a ship that took her tribe away, Karana, a young girl alone on an island, learns to fend for herself. By befriending the animal populations and teaching herself how to perform many new tasks, she is able to survive while having continuous hope for the future. This is an excellent choice for anyone interested in an easy read accompanied by a beautiful storyline.

The Knife that Killed Me by Anthony McGowan

Reviewed by Connor Mason

The Knife That Killed Me by Anthony McGowan is a gripping novel about an English high-school student's life, a kid who never really had many friends and was stuck between two very different groups of people. As tension between two schools escalates and main character Paul Varderman finds himself in the middle of gang violence, the only people who can save him are the school "freaks" who he had befriended.

Lessons from a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles

Reviewed by Izzi Berman

I found this book to be very stunning and emotional for me. Laine, a 17 year old girl, relives her past with her now dead best friend, Leah, and all the terrible things she has done to her. At first the book starts out a little slow, but it all pays off in the end. The slowness of the beginning makes the ending all the more emotional. I recommend this book for anyone who likes meaningful, emotional stories.

A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian

Reviewed by Samantha Voelker

Ruby is just like any teenage girl; she has friends, secrets, high school worries, and for her, turning 16 is a big deal. It turns out to be an even bigger deal when someone from her past shows up unexpectedly and makes it a not-so-sweet-sixteen. As the story goes on, Ruby finds out big secrets about her friends and family as they try to give her a little advice on what to do, but who can she trust now?

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Reviewed by Bianca Tomassetti

John Green’s novel Looking for Alaska is a story about a teenager’s, affectionately referred to as Pudge, journey to seek a greater adventure in life. He is sent from Florida to a boarding school where he meets many exotic characters including the brilliant and mysterious Alaska Young. Alaska opens up a whole new world to Pudge, introducing him to new experiences and higher truths which he expressed minor ignorance towards. I recommend this book to both males and females looking for emotion while reading.

The Outsides by S.E. Hinton

Reviewed by Nathan Sahelijo

The Outsiders follows the life of Ponyboy: a sensitive intellectual brought up in an unforgiving and barbaric society. As Ponyboy faces extreme challenges and misfortunes for being a have-not, the reader can’t help but feel emotional and self-reflecting as he /she witnesses Ponyboy transform from a careless 14 year old boy into a hardened greaser. The book is a fairly easy read with a great story line filled with a lot of action. Anyone who is looking for a quick read and a powerful story should pick up a copy of The Outsiders.

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Reviewed by Stephanie Dizon

Looking for a thrilling and dynamic book that contains a passionate love story? This novel is about what a young teenage girl who decides to commit suicide and how her death leads to a mystery to the public because her boyfriend is the only person who knows what really happened that night. The Pact is an entertaining, suspenseful romance that will keep readers wanting to read more.

Paper Towns by John Green

Reviewed by Bailee Bast

Paper Towns, a book by John Green, focuses on a senior boy named "Q." He and his mysterious neighbor, Margo, go on an adventure that changes his life. Something happens to Margo, and Q navigates through clues she left him. The book is witty and an easy read until it starts to slow half way through. Overall, the book keeps you reading but turns out to disappoint after the first half.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Reviewed by Carly Wheeler

Through the many letters the book is composed of, the reader becomes engaged in the life of a young freshman teen, Charlie. Unlike most teens in high school Charlie possesses an incredibly unique personality. Through the adventures of Charlie and the new friends he meets, and situations he finds himself in, the reader is able to connect with him emotionally and sympathize with the uniqueness of his character.

Prom Dates from HELL by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Reviewed by Chris Slade

For anyone who loves a good book, this is the one for them. Prom Dates from HELL is not only clever but suspenseful and well written. I would recomend this book to anyone and everyone. A+ for the author Rosemary Clement-Moore.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Reviewed by Kennan Cammack

Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay is an astonishing novel about a terrifying and under-reported event that happened during World War II. The French police rounded up more than 13,000 French Jews in Paris, known as the Vel d’Hiv. The roundup of 1942 is commemorated through the true life story of 10 year old Sarah and the modern day research of Journalist Julia Jarmond.  Tatiana de Rosnay merges the two stories together brilliantly, making it enjoyable and suspenseful for the reader. This book is a must-read for all age groups!

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

Reviewed by Kelsey Hogan

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf is all about secrets. As the story progresses, the past is revealed piece by piece. The heinous crime of a perfect high school student is brought into the open, and the reader will never guess what she did to her new born baby.

Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck

Reviewed by Olivia Sheaffer

I thought Tiger's Curse was good because it had adventure, love, and a mystical curse. The author makes you never want to put the book down; she always kept you begging for more. I am so excited to read the second one.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Reviewed by Jennifer Angster

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, highlights a teenage girl Melinda Sordino, an outcast, entering her freshman year of high school with a bad reputation by busting a end-of-summer party. Melinda has a secret that she's unable to forget, something about that night of the party that if she just admit and let in, it would tear her apart. And she would have no choice but to speak the truth.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Reviewed by Lauren Del Prato

If you're looking for a quick and fun mystery read, then The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is for you. Join Flavia, an eleven year old chemistry genius trying to solve a murder. When a body has been found in her family’s cucumber patch, Flavia's father is taken into custody and believed to be guilty. Flavia knows her father is innocent, so unite with her as she puts the clues together to free her father in The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.

Non-Fiction

Bad As I Wanna Be by Dennis Rodman

Reviewed by Kevin Pfeil

Dennis Rodman's Bad As I Wanna Be is nothing more than him (Rodman) criticizing the NBA because he feels like he is not getting enough money and respect out of the league. He does briefly mention his life growing up in the projects but does not spend enough time talking about it. Due to that, the reader feels distant. Whenever I thought to myself, "he cannot possibly keep talking about this subject forever..." he ends up spending another two chapters on the same exact subject of either his sexuality, women, drugs in the NBA, or simply life in the NBA. If you have nothing else to read and want to be amused by his lack of thought, organization, and diction, then this is definitely the book for you.

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis

Reviewed by Andrew Ross

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis is a heart wrenching journey of a young, enormous, black football player that makes it to the NFL. To get to the NFL, he had to go through multiple foster homes, an adoption by a family that wasn't even his own, and a grade-point average of 0.6. Michael Lewis creates the inspiring story of Michael Oher for all audiences, and Oher's story still lives on to this day.

The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon

Reviewed by Maegan Rios

The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon is a deep story about himself as a teenager trying to commit suicide by setting himself on fire. This sad story gets in depth with emotions and details. Even though the story is depressing, there is always hope at the end. This is a must read if you like teenage conflicts.

Educating Alice: Adventures of a Curious Woman by Alice Steinbach

Reviewed by Kim Busic

I love this book because I love to travel and I find culture very interesting and it amazes me how different culture is and what inspires people to do what they do. Any reader who loves trying new things and seeing new places should join Alice Steinbach while she describes her experiences in this book. Steinbach describes her experiences in different cultures around the world, including cooking in France, sheep herding in Scotland, and dancing traditional dances in Japan. Definitely a great read!

 It’s Not About the Coffee by Howard Behar

Reviewed by Logan Paquin

Howard Behar shares the secrets of Starbuck's success in It's Not About The Coffee. He takes a different approach with this business book by making it personal and simple. It is truly inspiring and life changing; I truly guarantee that you will not be dissatisfied with this book.

Moneyball by Michael Lewis

Reviewed by Kevin McQuillen

While explaining the peculiar success of the early twenty-first century Oakland Athletics, Moneyball tells the story of General Manager Billy Beane and reveals the real keys to success in baseball. It is a great read for anyone interested in sports or desiring to question general wisdom and find better answers.

Muhammad Ali by Anthony O. Edmonds

Reviewed by Darwin Townsend

Muhammad Ali, a biography about Cassius Clay, also known as Muhammad Ali, is a book about the life and times of Ali himself. This biography gives great detail and insight to what most people do not know about Muhammad Ali. Anthony O. Edmonds makes this an easy biography to follow for any type of reader.

The Notorious B.I.G. by Greenwood Biographies

Reviewed by Adam Witucki

The Notorious B.I.G. by Greenwood Biographies is a book that captures the life of a former rap artist known as Biggie Smalls. Starting with his childhood days and ending only 24 years later with his passing, the book covers the entire life of this rap superstar most commonly known as Notorious B.I.G. For those familiar with Notorious B.I.G.'s music, this book not only covers his artistry, but it also covers many other intriguing facts in his life. Anyone who is interested in the life of a rap artist, or any other type of musician, should consider reading this book because not only does it explain his career, it gives you the full insight in the life of a superstar. I personally enjoyed reading this book, and I believe many other people should read it as well.