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Insurgent by Veronica Roth (review by Anahita F. ’17)

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Insurgent (Divergent, #2)Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Insurgent picks up where the Divergent leaves off. The five factions have broken up, and Erudite and Dauntless have united against the Abnegation. Tris and Four are forced to flee. They seek help from the two remaining neutral factions, Amity and Candor. Tris does what she feels is right, but will her actions be the ruin of everyone’s plans? Could her rash decisions hurt others? There is much more conflict in comparison to the first book, making it a bit hard to follow at times, but the sentimental portions made the novel well-balanced. I could really relate to all the characters’ feelings of loss, love, and fear throughout the book. It is nice to see that Roth does not incorporate the overused love triangle romance in her books. Overall, Insurgent’s utterly addictive, action-filled, and suspenseful storyline is an invigorating read. – Anahita F. ’17

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Matched by Ally Condie (review by Anahita F. ’17)

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Matched (Matched, #1)Matched by Ally Condie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Matched, by Ally Condie, is the first of a dystopian fiction trilogy that will have you hooked to the end. Can you imagine every little part of your life planned out for you? Your lifestyle, future relationship, and the day of your death predetermined? That is the world Cassia lives in – until the day of her matching ceremony, when she is assigned her soulmate and best friend Xander. However, a glitch in the system momentarily reveals another boy’s face to her, Ky. Suddenly, Cassia questions her fate. Is it possible to love someone else? Her grandfather’s message dares Cassia to examine her options and shake up years of tradition. In the meantime, the consequences of her forbidden love stir up trouble. In many ways, the strict rules and futuristic feel in Matched reminded me of The Hunger Games and Divergent. I was disappointed to see Condie author create a love triangle, making Cassia choose between the mysterious and dangerous Ky, or the familiar and sweet Xander. However, Matched appealed to me because of how well written and thought out it is. It is not hard to follow, and the romance is enticing! – Anahita F. ’17

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The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (review by Allison K. ’15)

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The Lovely BonesThe Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sebold’s novel is a refreshing take on the emotional aspects of life after death; when fourteen-year-old Susie Salmon is raped and murdered by neighbor George Harvey, she watches as her family is forced to carry on without her, slowly crumbling apart. Her father and little sister Lindsey, the only ones to suspect Harvey of her murder, try to investigate and gain closure, while omniscient Susie is helpless to direct them towards her killer. The work possesses a tragically poignant affect that impresses the importance of second chances and absolution. Sebold delicately weaves together her austere version of the afterlife, the innate ties of a grieving family and her projection of Susie’s feelings and reactions onto the the living world. The Lovely Bones is bound to draw in any reader with its capability to both invoke mystery and compel empathy for Susie on her journey for inner peace, vindication, and completion. – Allison K. ‘15

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The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (review by Shivani A. ’17)

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The Book ThiefThe Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Markus Zusack’s novel, The Book Thief revolves around Liesel Meminger’s life during the time period of World War II in Nazi Germany. The novel is narrated by an overworked personification of Death, who provides an interesting point of view throughout the story. Liesel first meets Death when she is nine years old, when she is forced to bury her six year old brother. This is also the first time she steals a book, called The Grave Diggers Handbook, the catch is Liesel is unable to read. Later she is deposited into a foster home as Liesel’s mother is unable to take care of her for mysterious reasons, and is handed into the care of the Hubermans. Liesel immediately warms to Hans Huberman with his gentle smile and his harmonious accordion playing. Their bond is only strengthened when Hans begins giving Liesel reading lessons. Through many twists and turns, Liesel soon befriends finds herself rebelling against Hitler in small ways. I found this book extraordinary with cunning wordplay, and depicting a variety of emotions including abandonment, insecurity, fear, and loss. Though the book was long, the emotions it evokes make it unforgettable. I found it an amazing, captivating read, as it kept me up for a ten hour plane ride. In my opinion, this book is more than worthy of five stars. – Shivani A. ‘17

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A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge (review by Shivani A. ’17)

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A Face Like GlassA Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In Caverna, a land underground our own, live the most skilled artists. They create wines that reveal truth, cheeses that can tell the future, and many more delicacies. However the one downside to living in Caverna is the people there are incapable of forming facial expressions. Facesmiths teach the people how to display their different emotions, at an expensive cost. It is here that Neverfell appears, with no memory, and a face so unlike the others she is forced to wear a mask, and never leave the safety of her home. One day Neverfell, thirsty for a glimpse of the outside world, strays away from her safe haven and is sent on a wild journey. This book is a good read if you are looking for a novel with a bit of childish innocence, revolving around a darker force. This book will cause you to shake and snicker both as you travel with Neverfell on her journey. Neverfell is immature and gullible. At times I felt the storyline was forced. However towards the second half of the book, the plot picked up pace and I found it much more enjoyable. If you are looking for a book different from the popular dystopian society novels on the shelves right now, yet still want a good book for the weekend, I would recommend A Face Like Glass. – Shivani A. ‘17

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The Maze Runner by James Dashner (review by Shivani A. ’17)

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The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1)The Maze Runner by James Dashner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Imagine one day waking up in an entirely new place, filled with frightening creatures, deadly curfews, and no personal memories. This is what Thomas experiences in The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Thomas first wakes up in a lift with his only memory is his name, and is soon deposited in a place called Glade. Much like the other Gladers, Thomas has no clue of his whereabouts. There is only one thing everyone there is sure of, every morning the giant stone doors that lead out to a deadly maze open, and every night they close. Not only that but every thirty days a new boy appears, never a girl. That all changes, however, when a girl holding a mysterious note appears in the lift. Soon Thomas is in a race against time, in an attempt to remember his memories before chaos is unleashed against Glade. This book is different and refreshing from the usual dystopian society novels, and will leave you wanting more. I found The Maze Runner more of a thriller, and it sparked my interest even though there was no love triangle, common in dystopian society novels, Instead this book thrives on thrill and sucks the reader in to the detailed plot revolving around Thomas. Though the book was entertaining I was unable to sympathize with Thomas. The Maze Runner lacks emotion, however the plot was so different I was still drawn to the book. Overall I would say this is a book that people of all ages will appreciate. – Shivani A. ‘17

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Looking for Alaska by John Green (review by Joyce Z. ’17)

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Looking for AlaskaLooking for Alaska by John Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Miles (aka Pudge) starts out at his dad’s old high school, he’s not completely sure what’s going on, but he knows that it’s definitely not what he expected. Chip or Colonel, his roommate, introduces him to a girl named Alaska Young whom he immediately falls for. After Alaska crashes into a police car and dies, Pudge has to face what happened that night and try to forgive himself for Alaska’s death. Did Alaska drive into a police car to kill herself, or was it just a simple accident? Was she just a wild, moody prankster or was she a depressed teenager who never got over her mom’s death? John Green draws out suspense throughout the whole novel. The reader has to decipher what really happened from the few, vague clues and the mysterious atmosphere Green deliberately employs. Looking for Alaska will please those who enjoy reading suspenseful stories full of plot twists and guesswork that will keep them on the edge of their seat. – Joyce Z. ‘17

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Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (review by Sra. Moss, Harker teacher)

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Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and RedemptionUnbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Survival, Resilience and Redemption” read the book’s subtitle. The most amazing thing about this book is that it’s a true story! Louis Zamperini, now age 93, was a delinquent youth, then trained for and ran in the 1936 Olympics, survived 49 days at sea after being shot down over the Pacific in WW II and then three years in a prison camp in Japan. It was hard to imagine how things could ever get worse for this man, as I turned page after page, yet he survived it all to become an inspirational speaker and impassioned role model for troubled youth. It is only a matter of time before this is made into a movie. Hmmm, which actor will play him? He’ll have enormous shoes to fill! – Sra. Moss, Harker teacher

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Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell (review by Evani R. ’17)

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Outliers: The Story of SuccessOutliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell starts by defining the word outlier: A person whose achievements fall beyond normal expectations. Through a staggering amount of research, Gladwell proves that success is not only based on intelligence, but also on culture, ethnicity, and family life. The book begins with a chapter on the “Roseto Mystery,” and documents how a community of immigrants in America has an abnormally high life expectancy despite their normal lifestyle. Throughout the book, the author explores why the majority of hockey players are born in the first months of the year, why where pilots are born is as important as how well they are trained, and how rice paddies explain why Asians are so good at math. Most interestingly, he explains how Bill Gates, Bill Joy, and Steve Jobs have achieved such success and Christopher Langan, who has an IQ higher than that of Einstein, has not. This must-read book will not only change the way you think but the way you act. And it will frequently surface in your mind as you encounter both failure and success. – Evani R. ‘17

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The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (review by Naomi M. ’16)

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The Wind in the WillowsThe Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame depicts the lives of three animals, Rat, Mole, and Toad, living by what is known simply as the River. The three are good friends, whose personalities balance each other out. Rat is the leader, Mole is loyal and down to earth, and Toad is rather mischievous. Many of the adventures they go on are undertaken to get Toad out of whatever trouble he’s gotten himself into, the last of which is reclaiming Toad’s house from the ferrets, stoats, and weasels who have commandeered it. The Wind in the Willows is a lovely, light novel suitable for anyone who wants a break from heavier literature. It is an immensely enjoyable world to experience – perfect for cozy winter nights. Wholeheartedly recommended. – Naomi M. ‘16

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