3 More Weeks of the Reading Games!

With one quarter behind us and Thanksgiving Break charging towards us, we are nearing the end of this season's Reading Games.  In spite of the many requirements pulling our students and faculty in multiple directions, we have logged 53 book reviews thus far!  The students continue to lead the games and have submitted 32 of the 53 book reviews, but new members of the faculty join the games each week!  As always, new book reviews can be found on our Twitter and Facebook feeds.  In addition, reviews for titles that are not in the library can be found below.  If you would like the library to add one of these books, or any other book, please send us an email!

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer reviewed by Robyn, Class of 2017

I liked invisibility because the author wrote it in such a way that it seemed like the main character's (Elizabeth's) life was something that could actually happen. However, towards the end of the book I began to get a little bit bored with it and it took longer to read. My favorite character was Laurie, Elizabeth's brother. He seemed to hold everything together and was also funny. 

A Radiant Sky by Jocelyn Davies is a poorly written YA angel novel. The plot revolved around Skye, a 17 year old angel who has both light and dark parents. This means one of her parents fell from heaven, while the other was still an angel of heaven. This gives her great powers meant to save the world from both chaos and control. The awful ending and poorly written storyline bored me to sleep. 

Red Gold  by Alan Furst reviewed by Marianne, Faculty

It’s a fascinating and complex espionage novel set in occupied France during WW II.  Protagonist Jean-Paul Casson, a former film director, is on the run from the Gestapo and ends up involved with a French resistance group in their uneasy collaboration with the Russians.  Casson’s romantic interest is an undeclared Jew who is no longer safe in France, but the relationship is not the main thrust of the novel. 

The Last Girl by Michael Adams reviewed by Robyn, Class of 2017

Everyone's thoughts become audible to everyone else except for the main character Danby who is 16 years old. The world begins to fall apart as everyone’s lies and secrets become known and Danby is supposed to protect her little brother and somehow make it to their mother's retreat. This was an interesting way to create an apocalypse rather than the common zombie or other monster themed apocalypses. In this apocalypse the humans are the monsters. 

Inheritance by Malinda Lo reviewed by Racquel, Class of 2015

Inheritance by Malinda Lo is an alien thriller exploring the organs of humanity through the eyes of teenage reese in California. As the second book in the series, it picks up right where adaption left us off with drama and questions of love. As a bisexual teenager, she finds she has feelings for both an alien girl, and a hybrid (the only other like herself) boy. As she tries to get her new powers under control and tell the truth about her experience becoming an alien human hybrid, she finds herself and navigates her relationship. Well written, unique novel that i would recommend to someone looking for a change. 

Burial Rite by Hannah Kent reviewed by Chris, Bookstore Staff

Burial Rite by Hannah Kent was an unexpected pleasure to read.  It was based on the true story of Agnes Magnusdottir, the last woman to be beheaded in Iceland in 1828 for murder. Ms. Kent uses real documents from the time to create a story about Agnes, her crime and what it’s like to wait for your death.  The landscape is an intriguing backdrop from the long winter darkness to summer and the endless sun.  This is Hannah Kent’s first novel and she got inspiration from a high school trip to Iceland.