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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 Fault in Our Stars by John Green (review by Joyce Z. ’17)

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The Fault in Our StarsThe Fault in Our Stars by John Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Fault in Our Stars starts off with a girl named Hazel Grace Lancaster, whom the reader may forget is not normal while she is narrating the story. Instead, she is diagnosed with lung cancer and uses a miracle product that will keep her alive for a few more years. Augustus Waters has been cancer-free for a year at the cost of giving up one of his legs. The unexpected crossing of their lives creates a fascinating love story of a boy and a girl battling cancer with humor, tragedy, and romance all mixed in. John Green has spun a not so classic fairy tale that will have the reader completely absorbed until the last page. Although Hazel keeps the tone playful for the majority of the book, her insightful view of life will keep the reader pondering the fragility of life even long after it ends. – Joyce Z. ‘17

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A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (review by Zina J. ’14)

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A Thousand Splendid SunsA Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns is so enchanting, I devoured it in three days. The novel illustrates the lives of Laila and Mariam, two Afghani women from different backgrounds, and emphasizes the stance of women’s rights in Afghanistan. The vivid imagery, violent motifs, perfect use of themes, and incorporation of cultural terms empowered the novel. This book made Khaled Hosseini one of my all-time favorite authors. This page-turner left a lasting impact on me, changed my perception of women’s rights internationally, and made me appreciate the feminist movement in America. This book is a must-read for everyone, especially those interested in the Middle East or the feminist movement. A Thousand Splendid Suns was even better than Hosseini ‘s earlier book, The Kite Runner, which is hard to surpass. – Zina J. ’14

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Graceling by Kristin Cashore (review by Anushka D. ’15)

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Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)Graceling by Kristin Cashore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Because Katsa was revealed to be Graced with excellent combat skills at a young age, she has grown up as King Randa’s pet assassin. Katsa detests the fear and destruction that follows her everywhere she goes but feels helpless; she cannot aid the kingdom or change her image. However, when handsome King Po shows up at the castle and becomes her first true friend, Katsa finally has a chance to prove herself as a human, not a savage. Cashore creates a beautiful fantasyland full of dragons, kingdoms, and kings while keeping credible characters. Katsa is strong-willed, powerful, and beautiful but rivets readers with her vulnerablility and compassion . The plot hooks readers and continues to be strong to the end, and the romance is entertaining. – Anushka D. ’15

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Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (review by Sana A. ’17)

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Beauty QueensBeauty Queens by Libba Bray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Libba Bray’s Beauty Queens begins with fifty beauty pageant contestants on a plane to The Miss Teen Dream Pageant, which is hosted by The Corporation. When the plane crashes, hilarity ensues. Bray’s wit and sarcasm is on every page. The characters may, at first, seem like perfect representations of their stereotype; but upon closer look, they are anything but. As they scramble to survive, the girls grow close and realize that The Corporation — and its numerous products and television shows — has only been damaging society’s view of women. Adding pirates, hilarious commercial breaks, a view of what is happening at the secret Corporation base, and insight into many of the girls’ backstories, Bray has created a tightly interwoven novel that expertly combines humor, action, romance, and a little bit of feminism. This fun and light female-oriented read will make one snicker and sigh as they are swept away with a group of beauty queens. – Sana A. ‘17

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Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (review by Anushka D. ’15)

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SpeakSpeak by Laurie Halse Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Melinda Sordino begins her freshman year dreading to see the people she once called her best friends. She ruined any chances of being popular or even having friends when she called the cops during a summer party. But what no one knows is that Melinda is hiding something about what happened at the party, something that devastated her. Anderson uses heartbreakingly beautiful prose to deliver a story about a reality many teens have to face. By concealing the horrible truth even from the readers, she leaves them no choice but to read as Melinda falls apart. While Melinda is distant from everyone, she manages to create a strong impression on the readers, capturing their hearts with her loneliness and despair. Anderson keeps the plot focused, never straying to include petty romance or overcomplicated plotlines. Speak is wonderfully delivered and hard to put down. – Anushka D. ‘15

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Frostbite by Richelle Mead (review by Tiffany Z. ’17)

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Frostbite (Vampire Academy, #2)Frostbite by Richelle Mead
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The second book in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead, Frostbite continues Rose Hathaway’s adventures with her best friend, the Moroi princess Lissa Dragomir. Mead introduces many fresh new characters and revisits old ones in a different light. The constant threat of a mass encounter with the evil Strigoi heightens suspense, and in fact, the novel culminates in a dramatic, definitive battle that leaves readers curious for what will come next in the series. Although there is less action than in the first book, Mead tells the story with the usual wit and precision. What lacks in physical conflict is wholly made up with intriguing complications in relationships, especially a romantic one between Rose and her mentor Dimitri Belikov. The significance of the relationship between Rose and her mother, however, is less clear. Also, many less significant events receive unwarranted attention. Overall, Frostbite assumes the role of a bridge to further titles and simultaneously delivers the excitement and vivid storytelling of a centerpiece of the series. – Tiffany Z. ‘17

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Divergent by Veronica Roth (review by Anushka D. ’15)

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Divergent (Divergent, #1)Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Imagine a dystopia in which everyone at the age of 16 must choose one of five factions: Dauntless, Amity, Abnegation, Candor, or Erudite. Created at first to balance and seam together society, the system soon threatens to fall apart because of greed and corruption. Veronica Roth frames the story through the eyes of Beatrice Prior, a girl who must choose her faction and deal with the decaying structure of her world. Beatrice captures the hearts of readers easily; she is incredibly brave, selfless, and intelligent. While the book presents a wonderfully unique and fascinating society that is struggling to keep itself upright, it also ensnares readers through the battles Beatrice fights with herself, her family, her friends, and the boy she grows to love. Divergent is beautifully written and extremely hard to put down. I am definitely looking forward to its sequel: Insurgent. Recommended for fans of The Hunger Games. –Anushka D. ‘15

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Fire by Kristine Cashore (review by Anushka D. ’15)

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Fire (Graceling Realm, #2)Fire by Kristin Cashore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first picked up Fire, I was expecting a typical story dealing with a girl with magical powers who is suddenly embroiled in an action-packed plot to fight evil with a gorgeous male by her side. However, although the book does feature a girl with magical mind-reading powers, Cashore manages to create a wonderful and unique fantasy world of her own full of princes, dragons, and magic. In the land of Dells, Fire, a monster in the shape of a beautiful woman, is forced to face hatred and jealousy because of her supernatural abilities. When asked to help the king defeat his enemies, Fire must face her fears and prove herself, not as a monster, but as a human. The plot grasps the reader with its innovative and emotional personality, and the characters each find their own space in the reader’s hearts. Although there is a gorgeous male, Cashore sprinkles in just the right amount of romance to keep the readers entertained. This book is a companion book to Cashore’s debut novel, Graceling, and definitely a worthy sequel. Fans of fantasy, magic, and mystery will enjoy both books! – Anushka D. ‘15

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