Romance

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is a beautiful, classic novel that has an extremely compelling story. The book is about a Parisian opera house that is “haunted” by a mysterious and alluring phantom. The phantom falls in love with soprano Christine Daaè which causes a ton of trouble for the opera house. It is a story about romance, obsession, suspense and mystery. The book was extremely interesting and thought provoking. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of classic literature or the Broadway musical. The story does go more into depth in Christine’s childhood and the phantom’s backstory. I also enjoyed the psychological suspense aspect of the story as well. This book was very detailed and at some points extremely complicated, which made that story even more interesting. There were some boring parts, but most of the time the book kept me engaged. This book is a somewhat hard book because of it’s old fashioned style of writing that may not appeal to the younger reader.
There is no swearing in this novel. Overall, I would recommend this to an older teen who has an interest in Broadway based stories.

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins is about a girl named Isla who has not so secretly liked one of her classmates (Josh). What happens when they have a chance encounter in Manhattan and have a romantic connection? Will Josh remember their encounter when school starts? I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 because it was a good story, but it was quite slow and didn't keep me interested most of the time. I would recommend this book to people who like teen romance. I read this book because I generally like Stephanie Perkins's books, but this one was not a personal favorite.
Grade 9

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins is about a high school student named Lola. Lola has a boyfriend whose a little older than her but still very sweet, a loyal best friend, and an impeccable fashion sense.
Her perfect world comes crashing down when her old neighbors move back into their old house. What happened with her and her neighbors? How will she survive living next to them? I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 because it kept me in suspense the whole time and the author made the romance between the main characters come to life. I read this book because I love Stephanie Perkin's books. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes teen romance.
Grade 9

I love this book. The magic surrounding Tita and her cooking is at times beautiful, funny, and heartbreaking. This book is told by Tita's great-niece and one can imagine the magic as real or as a result of storytelling. Your choice. Either way, this captivating quick read is a must.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is a teen romance placed at the academy of SOAP (School of America in Paris). The main character Anna is forced to go to SOAP by her parents, though she would rather stay in Atlanta and spend her Senior year with her friends and possible boyfriend (Toph). When she gets there, she instantly gets home sick, but later meets a great group of friends; St. Clair, Mer, Josh, and Rashmi. They help her get used to her new environment, but she has strange feelings for St. Clair, who has a girlfriend (Ellie). And it turns out Mer also likes him. How will Anna deal with a whole year at SOAP and deal with her feelings for St. Clair? Will she end up with Toph from Atlanta? I would rate this book a four out of five. It was interesting, dramatic, and an amazing love story, but I also got very frustrated with some of the decisions some of the characters made. One of my close friends recommended this book to me and I ended up reading more of Stephanie Perkins books afterward. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romance stories and books placed in Paris.

This is a fantasy book and twist on Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”.
This is a unpredictable book with all kinds of twists and turns. It does have some romance and mystery in the book too. The book is told in two perspectives and keeps you on your toes. It definitely isn't your average fairytale. It is one of the best books I have read all year.

Reviewer grade: 8th

If you didn't already guess from the title yes, this is a romance book. It is realistic fiction and isn't part of a series. It is a pretty short read. With heartbreaks, lies, high school drama and some hospital visits this book will be hard to put down. The book is a little predictable but it isn't your typical love story. This is another great book I have read this year.

Reviewer grade: 8th

This is a realistic fiction-romance novel. The book is a little predictable and doesn't have a cliffhanger. The book isn't part of a series and is a pretty short read. I recommend this book to any girl who enjoys realistic highschool love stories. I really liked this book and I think it is a great book to read.

Reviewer grade: 8th

Kylie Chan mixes modern life with traditional Chinese mythology in her enthralling tale. The story follows Emma, a nanny for a young girl of a wealthy business man living in Hong Kong. As Emma becomes more and more connected with her charge, she become more entangled with a mystery that surrounds the household. She soon discovers that her employer is an ancient Chinese God, and is pursued by demonic forces. Kylie Chan writes with a faced-pace adventurous quality that keeps readers on their feet.
(Reviewer Grade: 12)

Powerful women dominate the world...that is at least in the country Matrus. Across the toxic and poisonous Veil River lies Patrus. In contrast to Martrus Partrus is ruled by men. Women may not leave the house without her husband, and are under legal custody of the man. Though Matrus doesn't treat their men much better. The few men in Matrus have no power, but are free.
Violet Bates a Matrian citizen is given an opportunity to cross into Patrus or alternatively sentenced to death. With a rough past Violet must make a hard decision. Her fate lies in The Gender Game. This book is a dystopian romance nothing new on the surface. We have already seen that in Hunger Games and Divergent. What Bella Forrest does is create a complex environment which you can't help but be engulfed by. Not only that but The Gender Game shows perspectives of citizens of both Matrus and Patrus. You should read this book if you are a lover of dystopian books and suspense. Though I must say the first half of the book wasn't all that suspenseful but it perfectly set you up for the rest of the series. I'm sure you will find this two complex societies thrilling and it will be worth the read.