"Other Birds" is a slice of life story with mild paranormal elements. It does not have a high stakes plot, but rather focuses on the personal struggles of the characters. Overall it is a very refreshing and relaxing read. The paranormal element is not explored much, but it adds to the book's charm. The prose is lovely, especially regarding descriptions of food.
All of the characters are fairly interesting. Charlotte, Mac, and Lizbeth were my favorites. They all had interesting pasts and clear personalities. Zoey and Oliver were also interesting, but felt a little under developed. Lucy is only present for about a dozen pages. She's not so much of a character as she is a mystery, and she serves that role well.
The twists in this book are all fairly solid. I guessed one of them immediately, but it still felt impactful. I didn't guess one, but it didn't add anything to the story. Two of them were genuine surprises, and added depth to the story.
This book is not incredible, but it is thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming. I would recommend it to lovers of character driven stories.

The book Less follows a middle-aged, gay author named Arthur Less, and recounts his loves and losses from a third person point of view. His lover of many years, Freddy, leaves him for a more serious relationship, he goes on a trip around the world partly to avoid Freddy's wedding and his upcoming 50th birthday. The book explores themes such as love, heartbreak, self-doubt, fear of aging, and sexuality. In Less's journey, he discovers that he can't run from his fears by traveling across oceans, he must face them. A Pulitzer prize winner, the language in the book is mature and riddled with literary references spanning throughout history. The author uses many intricate metaphors to describe Less's situation, and then book ends with an incredible twist that will make your jaw drop. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary literature and wants a meaningful, yet entertaining read.

Romance, thriller, and horror all wrapped into one. Natalie D Richards does it once a great with a book you won't be able to put down until the final page. When two best friends in love have a falling out over a fight at a party it seems nothing could bring them together again. Except for the bridge that is. Strange things keep bringing them back to the place of the party and back to each other. Lock on bridges and hearts hold mystery but the views of both parties is being clouded by their own mental struggles. This is a very emotional book and capitating one that I can't wait to read again. Readers enjoy and beware of the bridge.

Back to the beautiful family of Sinclairs, still liars. Family of Liars, the prequel to We Were Liars, takes readers back to the private island of the Sinclairs. What really happened in that tragedy two years ago? Or was it even one tragedy at all? This E Lockhart book will leave you captivated once again. The book may even cause you to return to E. Lochart's first Liars book to realign all the pieces of the mystery. Will the dots be connected or will more mystery unravel?
11th grade

We Were Liars is a young adult mystery by E Lockhart that will grab your attention from the first page. The story describes a beautiful, rich, and perfect (as seen from the outside), family, the Sinclairs. But the Sinclairs have things to hide. When Cadence Sinclair shows up with her cousins on the Sinclair's private island they expect a summer of fun. However, a tragedy of two years ago comes back to haunt and Cadence's migraine pills aren't helping her keep the facts of the incident straight. This story leaves you wondering as new mystery is continuously added. With still more mystery at the end, the book will make you question even more than just the Sinclairs.
11th grade

This book suffered from a lot of major flaws, ranging from one-dimensional characters to confusing (and silly at times) plotlines. Mafi not only leans into harmful stereotypes, but she further exaggerates them and emphasizes them as the norm. The relationships between chatacters are largely shallow, their development rushed, and their personalities bland. I remember next to nothing about these unremarkable characters. This book is an infuriatingly simple tale of stereotypical people following a messy and illogical story, and I advise readers to avoid it whenever possible. The greatest strength of this book is its relatively short reading time.

We Are Okay is a beautifully written novel about depression and trauma from the perspective of Marin, a girl who ran off to college shortly after her grandfather's death. It's also about Mabel, her childhood best friend, and the evolution of their relationship. The book explores these themes through artful language, flawless dialogue, and many small acts of service; where it falls short, however, is the plot itself. I adore the book, but the big reveal of the grandfather's secret falls painfully flat. What should have been the climax of the novel, as foreshadowed from the very first page, is reduced to a few vague sentences alluding to greater truths. Marin claims to have "never known her grandfather," yet as a reader, I don't understand why she feels that way. Due to its design, the novel simply demands for a clearer climax without messy time-jumps. I was disappointed that a near-perfect book couldn't pack a punch with its climax, but the well-written characters and relationships make it worth the read anyway.

I absolutely love John Green and The Fault In Our Stars, so what inspired me to read Turtles All The Way Down, was just wanting to read all of his books. It was so worth it. I really had no idea what to expect when I opened up the book. Aza is sweet, but also struggles with alot, and it was sad, but cool to see the world from her perspective with her anxieties. The plot about Aza and Daisy investigating Russell Pickett's disappearance was entrancing. I was in disbelief when I found out what Pickett left his inheritance to, instead of his sons. The romance between Aza and Davis is bittersweet, and navigates the rocky road of distrust, and understanding. I am so excited that this book is going to be made into a movie, but it's story in paper form will always be special to me.

This book left me stunned. It has a plot twist that no one could see coming. I was amazed by the character development of Sam, and by how her relationship with her new friend Caroline turned out. Learning about Sam's pure obsessional OCD was really cool and eye opening to what could be going on in someone's mind without us ever knowing. Sam was in many ways also very relatable, and I loved her. She shows the audience that they are not alone in wanting to find a place where the fit in, or find friends they feel safe around. Every Last Word also has a sweet hint of romance, but it is great because it doesn't overpower the main story of Sam's struggle with her OCD and how she found healing in poet's corner.
Reviewers Grade: 11

“Every Soul has a Star” by Wendy Mass is a lighthearted novel about three main characters that must learn to adapt to new surroundings. 13-year-old Ally’s parents have owned Moon Shadow campground all her life. She grew up there with her little brother Kenny. Ally’s grandfather was always fascinated by stars and comets, when he passed Ally inherited his meteorite chunk along with his love for space. Bree on the other hand is another 13-year-old girl, however, she has a love for shopping and style. She has been nothing but excited to go to high school during the fall and climb the social ladder within her school. She wants nothing but to be popular when her life flips upside down and her parents (scientists) purchase Moon Shadow campground. Jack, a boy who has always stood out by being overweight and an avid gamer who feels most comfortable alone, must attend summer school because he failed science in his previous year. He is offered the chance to attend Moon Shadow campground for a week to study an eclipse as a substitute. When Ally and Bree meet up their plan falls into action, they must convince their parents to cancel their plans. When they meet Jack as well, they must all work together to fulfill the mission Jack’s teacher sent him on.