The Darkest Path by Jeff Hirsch

 

Summary: In Jeff Hirsch’s novel The Darkest Path, In a dystopian version of America’s future,  Callum Roe, a sixteen- year-old former child soldier struggling to survive in the midst of the Second American Civil War, which is between the Glorious path who wanted total control over America, and the U.S federal army who wants to restore peace and is the remainder of America’s army. Callum and his brother (James Roe) were taken away from their family 5 years ago and were forced to serve in the Glorious Path, but when Callum finds out what is in store for them in the future, he escapes into a long and tiring journey to seek his long-lost parents with the odds of survival stacked against him. Sadly, his brother James doesn’t believe him and decides to remain in the Glorious path. Along Callum’s 2,147 mile journey from Arizona to New York (location of the U.S federal army) he befriends a dog named Bear and murders his Commander/trainer who was going to train him into a killing machine. Together, they must overcome fate’s test for friendship, betrayal, and loyalty in ways you would never think were ever possible.

 I decided to read this book because of its positive reviews by the people who read it and an interview of Jeff hirsch talking about the book. Another reason is because Jeff Hirsch is one of my favorite authors when it comes to books, one of his most recent books was the eleventh plague, which received some rewards and a lot of amazing reviews for it. Amazingly, The Darkest Path showed some signs of similarity to the eleventh plague genre-wise, which made me think Jeff Hirsch likes post-apocalyptic subjects. One reason why I kept reading The Darkest Path was because I was so intrigued with the plot due to its fast paced/heart pounding events and how it kept me at the edge of my seat…literally. Secondly, The Darkest Path got me so emotionally hooked, I had to shed a few tears along the way to process the unfortunate moments the book has to offer which was not common when I read books! Lastly, as I continued to read Jeff Hirsch’s story, I got pulled into Callum’s point of view and felt, saw, heard, smelled, and tasted throughout his journey. I believe this is for anyone who wants a face paced, heart pounding, and emotional ride into a post-apocalyptic version of America’s future. I would also recommend this book for fiction/adventure readers, if you are not looking for any of these, I would definitely still pick it up because trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

 

Reviewed by Edmund W.

Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief, the first book of the Percy Jackson series, is written by Rick Riordan. He has also written two other series, one about Egyptian mythology and the other about Greek as well as Roman mythology.  The Lightning Thief is a fantasy fiction, revolving around Greek Mythology. Riordan uses the three powerful Greek gods: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades as well as the Titan Kronos to play major roles in this novel. This fictional book is based on a dyslexic 6th grade boy, finding out that he is a half-blood, meaning his father is a god, however his mother is a human mortal. This boy, named Percy Jackson, finds out that he is not a normal human. He is taken to a camp to be trained to face evils that he will face in the future. As the title states the Lightning Thief, this book is about a thief who stole the Lightning Bolt, a symbol of power, from the Greek god, Zeus, in order to ignite a significant war against the powerful gods. The ending of this novel, is left at a cliff-hanger as the thief is known only to Percy. The overall theme of this book is associated with the motif of identity. Riordan suggests that the theme of the novel is: identity should be recognized as life progresses, rather than at rough times of life. This fictional book talks about a young boy and his ambiguity of his reality. This novel is really interesting as a boy in middle school finds his real parents and sets out on adventurous journey to help a god. This is an action packed book which ensures that the reader doesn’t get bored at any point of the plot. The only question that this book would raise in a reader, is, “What happens next?” By ending the plot with a cliff-hanger, Riordan compels the reader to continue reading the next book in the series. In my opinion, this book lacks nothing. It is both relatable as well as action-filled. By visualizing the plot of the novel, I personally find it amusing to read this book. I love this book, because it is fascinating to portray in my mind. As the plot deepens, so does my attention to detail as I visualize the images of the plot in my mind. The book talks about the strength that each god posses, and their power granted to their children. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in action-filled novels.

 

 I picked up this fictional book, because it had a displayed a contrasting and interesting juxtaposition of an innocent boy in a dangerous world. The novel implied a relatable yet an engaging tone as suggested by the adventurous almost dangerous cover. I selected this novel, because of both the peculiar and the conceptual title, The Lightning Thief. Finally, I chose this novel, due to the vast majority of my friends and peers recommending it. I was genuinely drawn into the novel because it was fascinating to me. Not only was it easy to comprehend, but also this book was extremely relatable to me and displayed to me that even though school and life gets rough, just seek comfort by surrounding yourself with people that give you positive influence in your life. This book was also exceptionally easy to visualize the scenes in my mind, which in turn made it better for me to effortlessly understand the entire plot. I would give this fictional book to anyone interested in reading action and adventurous books. People who are interested in fantasy fiction and greek mythology would love reading this book. This text could be given to anyone as it is easy visualize the plot.

Reviewed by Sam Choppala

Also Known As by Robin Benway

Book trailer

Margaret is a normal name for a normal girl right? Wrong. In fact, it is the exact opposite. The only reason her parents named her Margaret was because it has so many different nicknames: Peggy, Maisie, Molly, Margie, Meg. The list is endless. She has traveled the world with her parents, cracking safes for the world’s premier spy organization. But when Maggie is sent to New York City for her first solo assignment, her life is transformed. Suddenly she’s attending a private school and befriending Jesse, the cute son of a potential national security threat… while trying not to blow her cover.  It had me laughing every five minutes. This is book is unbelievably funny. While reading this book I got a lot of looks from people, all thinking that I had officially gone crazy. But I mean who wouldn’t think that if they saw a girl laughing at a book by herself, right? So make sure that when you do read it, you are either very good at holding in your laughter or you’re alone, because I assure you, that there is absolutely no way you can read this book without laughing at least once. This book is a hilarious portrayal of a teenage spy’s day to day life. It had a great mix of realistic conflicts and humorous disasters. This book is the perfect combination of dramatic diva a girl that is too mature for her age. It showed interesting and relatable situations at home and at school. Overall, this book was something that almost everyone can relate to, from teenage girls to parents. I had recently finished reading a book and was looking for a book to read next. I searched up “girl” on the school catalog computer and 658 books popped up. Working in the library gives you some down time to waste. So as I was scrolling through them all, I came across a book titled “AKA” (Also Known As).  The cover was a forest green and the letters A, K, A were written in pink with a magnifying glass on the back. Of course, I went to the shelf and picked it up. Once I read the summary, I decided I would give it a go. As soon as I got the the second line on the first page, I knew that there was no way I was putting this book down until I finished it. When the first sentence is, “ I cracked my first safe when I was three.” who in their right mind would put that book down? The book is filled with humorous sarcastic comments and hilarious dramatics.  I would give it to pretty much anyone who can read. This book is relatable to everyone, including your grandparents and parents. This book is for anyone who likes mystery, spies, romance, action and non-fiction. It has mix of all of the above and much more. This book is really amusing and entertaining that everyone would enjoy.

 

Reviewed By Prathista Annapareddi

 

The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason

Miss Holmes, niece of Sherlock Holmes and Miss Stoker, the vampire hunter find themselves hired by Irene Adler, the Princess of the Wales to solve a case regarding a clockwork scarab. Numerous deaths coincide, Miss Homes and Stoker must solve the mystery before the next death.

This book is very interesting and I definitely recommend it to those who especially like mysteries such as Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This book can be appealing to others with different interests of genres like Sci-fi or romance. I found this book very interesting because the author manages to tie in many genres into one; such as action and murder, love and friendship, time travel and vampires. I agree with the authors opinions about this vamped up world of Sherlock and Watson twisted into a story of his niece and her partner in a womanly perspective. This book is very fast paced and many courses of actions take place quickly but not many questions can be raised as the author uses great descriptions and analysis.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the way Gleason links multiple genres into one book and especially how she incorporates this book in the 1880s of London. I recommend it to everyone who is interested in detectives, time traveling, romance and friendship, and action and adventures.

I picked out this book because it referred back to the familiar world of Sherlock and Watson which I really enjoyed so I thought it would be interesting to read something similar in a different perspective.

I kept reading this book after I first started because this was one of those books that once you start reading, you can’t stop. You become part of the book and you don’t want to abandon it.

I’d give this book to someone who’d like to experience the same situation I experienced while reading this thrilling book.

Reviewed by Khushi

 

 

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Sixteen-year-old Miranda finds her world thrown into chaos when an asteroid hits the moon and shifts it out of orbit, closer to Earth. The increase in its gravitational pull causes massive tidal waves and tsunamis that decimate many of the world’s coastal cities. Power is disrupted, phone and cell lines work only sporadically and the nation’s supply lines are in shambles. After all this action, Miranda’s mother stocks up on food and all the other necessities to live. The book then shows a life of a family through the hard times and how they survive.

The book is sad, since many characters die in the book. It tells a sad story about a girl and a family going through hard times.

I honestly did not enjoy the book since it was too family involved. There was no action, just how a family survives as all the world around them was getting destroyed. I did not like the book since it was too slow for me.

The reason I kept reading is because, it had a good cover page and a great summary. I really like books with a theme of the world ending so picked this book up.

I would give this book to someone who likes a very touching family story.

Reviewed by Pranav

 

 

 

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a fantasy about a creature known as a hobbit, with the name Bilbo Baggins. He is not of the adventurous sort, but when thirteen dwarves and a wizard knock on his door in need of a “burglar”, Bilbo, after much convincing, agrees to go on a quest with them, a quest to regain the dwarves’ lost home, The Kingdom Under the Mountain, which is guarded by the great Dragon Smaug. Surprises and twists lie ahead of Bilbo and his friends as they try to defeat the clever dragon under the mountain.

Every time I opened this book, I was met with a certain indescribable peace. It is as if I myself am in the Shire right now, writing a book review about The Hobbit. This story contains several twists and turns, and I never knew what to expect next. From the ways of Gandalf to the terrors of Smaug, Tolkien cleverly incorporates each and every aspect into a web with a our lovely hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, at the center. Being a prelude to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit shows us certain aspects the series will hold, but it gives nothing away, which excites readers such as myself. In pursuit of the plot that Tolkien has compiled in this sequel series to The Hobbit, I have begun to read the Lord of The Rings, and it does not disappoint. This book is for those who fall in love with good writing and also for those who like change, as well as a sense of adventure, I must say so myself. Tolkien has done a splendid job at writing a tale worth telling by writing this book.

-Deep Sethi

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

I picked this book up because I had read The DaVinci Code and I had enjoyed it immensely. Then, I found out that there was a prequel. I figured that if it was anything like The DaVinci Code, I would enjoy it as well. I was going to read it for fun, but once I heard about the book trailer project, I decided that it would be more interesting if I tried to make a visual representation of what I thought of this book.

I kept reading this book because it keeps you interested. You cannot put the book down, you just have this need to find out what happens next. Although some parts of this book are really gory and have way too much detail, I live for suspense and thriller novels, so it wasn’t too bad for me to handle. I especially enjoyed the way Dan Brown connected every single plotline to the main plotline at the end of the book and suddenly, everything made sense.

I would recommend this book to any suspense/thriller fans, Illuminati conspiracy theory enthusiasts, and symbologists. You should read this book even if you don’t fall into any of the categories mentioned. I really enjoyed it and I’m sure that many others will too.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

     Set in a world taken over by aliens, The Host by Stephenie Meyer, demonstrates the strong values of love and kindness that can be seen through “the Wanderer’s” interactions with the humans her host considers family. In this story, Meyer has woven an intricate web in which an alien species takes over the Earth. These aliens are silvery parasites who take over a host’s body in order to connect with others. These creatures keep coming until humans, the once dominant species, start to take refuge in obscure places to keep them from becoming a host themselves.

     This book explores the love triangle between Jared (a human), Melanie (a host), and the Wanderer (an alien). An alien is surgically placed into Melanie’s body; however, the doctor in charge of the operation did not get rid of Melanie completely. The alien inserted into Melanie calls itself, the Wanderer, because it changes bodies constantly. The Wanderer finds that Melanie can still project her thoughts and occasionally take control of her former body. At first, they are both wary of the other and are not okay with the arrangement they were forced into. However, the Wanderer gets assaulted by Melanie’s memories of Jared, a human boy she hid out with when they were running from the aliens. Once she realizes that Jared and other humans are alive, she decides to take her life into her own hands and help them.

     This book was definitely interesting because Meyer struggles to keep a strong female character throughout the book. Occasionally, she slips and the lead female suddenly goes from independent to completely reliant on the male characters. I was a little annoyed by this because I was hoping read a book without a girl who moped over two boys who left her for her own good. Thankfully, by the end of the book, the lead female makes her own choices and decides to take her fate into her own hands. Even though I didn’t agree with some parts of this book, I really liked it. It had a different vibe compared to Twilight. There was no melancholy teenager who was in love with the people who could possibly kill her, instead there was a teenager who stood up for the people she felt necessary to protect. This change was what made me like this book a lot more than the Twilight saga. I strongly recommend this book because it shows a lot of different themes such as: “Don’t judge people by the way they appear” and “Everyone has a little good in them.”

The Book of Story Beginnings by Kristin Kladstrup

Summary: A story about time travel…Oscar, a young 12 year old living in 1914 travels to the future (60 years) and meets his grandniece, Lucy. After they become acquainted, they both strive to fulfill their mission, which is to save Lucy’s Dad by gathering information from both time periods and defeating fate.

Why I picked it up: Cover looked interesting

Why I kept reading it: Many cliffhangers, intricate storyline,easy to visualize and interesting.

Who I would give it to next: My friends

Reviewed by: Ankita U.

IN THE FORESTS OF THE NIGHT by Kersten Hamilton

Summary: Finn and Aiden have made it out if Mag Mell alive. But the Dark Man’s forces have followed them to Chicago and are beckoning tea to return.

Why I picked it up: Cover is interesting. Caught my vision

Why I kept reading it: it’s a wonderful book!!!!

Who I would give it to next: All my best friends:>

Reviewed by: Jingyu P.