Review Crew Book Reviews by Genre: Realistic

After tragedy strikes a family, Tessa is left alone with her father who doesn’t know how to grieve the death of Tessa’s mom. Her dad's way to fix their grief is to embark on a last minute road trip which lands them in her grandmother's coastal town. While Tessa tries to grieve she also asks her grandmother about the numerous questions she has about the past, questions about her mother and questions about her dad. Her dad leaves her alone with her grandma but the longer she stays there the less she wants to leave, especially after she meets the very handsome Henry Lark. She can’t help but wonder if she goes home if she will be faced with crippling grief over her mother and forced to take care of her delusional dad. She does her best to live in the moment and enjoy the time she has left with Henry before she leaves. Although it wasn’t my favorite romantic novel it is an enjoyable book and was fun to read.

After reading the critically-acclaimed book WONDER by R.J. Palacio, a family member bought me this book for Christmas. It technically has no plot but instead gives you a positive quote for every day of the year. Each quote and the book included is displayed creatively and colorfully to really amp you up all day every day. This book is called "Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts"
so, at the end of each month, there is a short story told by Mr. Browne teaching the audience lessons. I would recommend this book to any age group, if you're into life-lessons and positive quotes, then surely you should barrow this book (or buy it for year-round use). Reviewer Grade: 8

A story of a chronic illness, and the five feet that separates two people from life or love.

Stella has cystic fibrosis, which is an illness that causes buildup of mucus in the lungs. Most patients, if they never received a transplant, drown from the mucus itself. However, Stella has hope; but as that hope seems to be dwindling down, she meets a boy by chance, Will, who shows her how beautiful life really can be. No longer is her mind filled with death, but it’s filled with pure love and happiness. But here’s the catch, Will had cystic fibrosis as well, and his is incurable. “Five Feet Apart,” leads us through an enchanting love story of two teens who can never touch, never feel, never hug each other. They love in ways you can’t explain, and even though they know their love is short-lived, they stay together, through every breathable moment.
(Reviewer Grade 9)

A story of social classes and hierarchy in a world under collapse.
Teenager Denver Reynolds has always envied the popular kids. But when catastrophe strikes, she must pull herself together and work with the people she despises most. You would think that a tsunami would put people in their places, but the terrifying reality of popularity is that it's infectious and makes people privileged. But when Denver and the popular kids are faced with life or death, it makes sense to try to work together. "Lifeboat Clique," is filled with laughs and riveting backstories. With know-it-all Denver, country-girl Abigal, flexible Sienna, dumb Haley, and egotistical Trevor we learn how people can put their differences aside and see each other for who they truly are and what unique abilities and useful characteristics they possess. Overall, "Lifeboat Clique," is a must-read, with twists and turns you'd never expect, it will leave you holding your breath; all you gotta do is jump right on in.
(Reviewer Grade: 9)

Chomp is a book written by Carl Hiaasen. I would rate Chomp five out of five stars. In Chomp, Wahoo’s mom is on a trip working in China. The main character, Wahoo, and his dad, Mickey, get hired for a TV job. Their family is tight on money, and they are trying to pay off the mortgage of their house. While Wahoo’s mom is in China, he and his dad go on a rollercoaster of exciting events working for the show. It has a very exciting plot and swallowed me into the book. It is a funny tale about the love for animals. I enjoyed the character’s humor and how Wahoo reacted to tough problems. I loved this book and would recommend it to others. It is in a series, but it is a standalone book. I would recommend reading all of the other books in this fantastic series. The author is an amazing writer. That is why I would recommend Chomp to you.

If there was one word to describe this book it would definitely be "yuck". It's like when Squiduard took over Spongebob's shift for a day and instead of a krabby patty he fried a boot. It has absolutely no plot. there is paranormal activity that we never figure out and we don't know what happened to Abby. If i could rate this a -10/10 I would.

Wild Bird, by Wendelin Van Draanen, is an amazing, unforgettable book that you won't be able to put down. The theme of Wild Bird is that anyone can transform their lifestyles and become better people. This book's main character is a willful, fourteen year old girl named Wren whose biggest fault is being unable to say no. This has lead her to be involved with the wrong crowd and make very bad decisions, including smoking weed, shoplifting, and even being a drug runner for her "friend" Nico. One day, Wren ends up in the hospital, being both wasted and having drugs in her system. Her parents used to believe she was "sick" but this day in the hospital they realize she's been lying to them. Before she knows it, Wren is sent off to an eight week camp in Utah that supposedly helps change the lives of people her age with similar issues and addictions. Wren is extremely angry at her parents and the doctors and everyone who she thinks may be to blame for sending her here. But there in the desert of Utah, Wren learns to survive and she begins to realize over time that maybe it isn't their fault after all, and that maybe, just maybe, she needs to change her life around. In the desert, Wren has to face her feelings and realizes that there is no escaping her mistakes.

This book is amazing. I love the way the author created the character of Wren. She's willful, which at first was a weakness, but she later uses it as a strength. She's courageous and as the book goes on you just fall in love with her. I recommend this to anyone who may be struggling with an addiction, anyone who knows deep down in their heart that their life needs change, and, of course, to any readers who love books with adventure and drama.

Reviewer Grade: 10

Have you ever felt like you were ever in a situation others thought was terrible, but you felt was normal and were happy with? If so, you should consider reading the book "All Rise For The Honorable Perry T. Cook". Perry is a young boy who grew up in jail, but never committed any crime. Once his mother was placed in prison, she gave birth to Perry while held behind bars.

Perry has grown a family at that facility, and loves his mom and all the workers at the jail. However, Nebraska gets a new district attorney who realizes what is happening to Perry. He believes the situation is terrible, and sends him out to a foster family.

Perry must find a way to get back to his mother, while learning about the new home he has been placed in. Can he ever find a way back to where his life lies? This is an amazing book for anybody who's ever felt their life was stolen from them. I highly recommend you read this book if you have any interest in doing so.

- Reviewer Grade 8

In the follow up to To All The Boys I've Loved Before, Lara Jean continues to charm and delight us in another unique story of love. Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky are together-- for real this time. Lara Jean is trying to figure out how to make a real relationship work when another boy who she sent a love letter to-- John Ambrose McClaren, suddenly re-enters her life. At the same time, Lara Jean begins volunteering at a nursing home, and makes memorable friends who help her navigate her high school life. Lara Jean is just as charming and relatable as in the first book of the series and I immensely enjoy her voice and personality. Readers should know that this book focuses a lot on Lara Jean's middle school years, and explores her friendship with Genevieve more than in the first book. By the time the novel is over, readers will feel as if they have known Lara Jean all of her life. Lara Jean's family is still as much an important part of the plot as her relationships are, and fans will be delighted to know that Kitty is just as sprunky and unique as in the first novel. The reason why I only rated it 4 stars is that the book takes a confusing turn with Lara Jean's feelings for John Ambrose. I personally did not enjoy their connection because it felt like she was forcing Peter out of her life for someone who she thought was better. I also felt that she was overly nostalgic and pained about why her and Gen's friendship ended in the first place. All in all, I enjoyed this installment to the series, but not as much as the first one.

This book is an interesting and suspenseful novel. It is filled to the brim with moments that will have readers on the edge of their seat. Monster also is written in a unique format, in the form of a movie script written my the protagonist Steve Harmon, who is awaiting trial for a crime he didn’t commit. This story is written with intense figurative language that paints a terrifying image depicting the horrors of prison. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great suspenseful read. Reviewer Grade: 7

-----Possible Spoiler Alert!---------
Stella Grant is a cystic fibrosis patient who actively uses social media to cope with her illness and tries to live a normal life. Stella absolutely loves babies and spends most of her days at the NICU or where they keep the babies. She meets another CF patient, Will Newman, who is at the hospital for a medication trial, in an attempt to get rid of the bacterial infection in his lungs B. Cepacia. He follows her to the NICU while his friends use his room for stuff. CF patients are strictly kept six feet apart to reduce the risk of bacterial infections from other CF patients can be life-threatening. Stella is determined to keep the and dislikes Will initially, who likes to break the rules and take dangerous risks. Stella notices that Will isn't taking his treatment regimen and gets him to agree on one condition he can draw Stella. Will and Stella begin to fall for each other and go on their first to the hospital pool, they reveal scars from
their past surgeries. The day after that Stella made a scavenger hunt for his birthday, which catches him by surprise. It ends with Will meeting up with Stella, who leads him to a room for a surprise dinner party, put on by Stella and Poe, Stella's best friend and a fellow CF patient. After that, Poe dies and Stella is sad because she never got to hug him. Stella decides that she is living her life too strictly. Stella and Will decide to leave the hospital with her in order to view the lights from the city. Stella suddenly grabs Will's hand, scarring Will. However Stella argues that she has gloves on. They come across a pond and decide to slide around on the pond. During this, the hospital is notified that they had a pair of lungs for Stella to get a transplant. She ignores it so she can spend more time out with Will . When Will finds out that Stella can get a transplant, he pleads with Stella to take the transplant. Stella refuses, before falling through the ice. Will is able to pull her out of the water, but Stella is unresponsive. Despite the risk of infection, Will performs CPR and Stella wakes up. They are then brought back to the hospital by ambulance. At first Stella is hesitant but Stella agrees to do the transplant after Will convinces her to do it for him. The transplant is successful. Will finds out that Stella did not contract his infection.When Stella wakes up from her surgery, she sees Will through the glass window of her room. He has set up a display of lights outside of her room, saying that his only regret was that she did not get to see the lights so he brought them to her. He tells her that his drug trial isn't working, and he doesn't want her to have to deal with his eventual death. Confessing his love for her, Will makes her close her eyes, because he says he won't be able to leave if she is looking at him. Stella closes her eyes and Will walks away.

I would recommend this book to others because the book tells you that just because you might be different you can still find love. This book is a good romance novel that takes two people that think that they don't have anything in common to them falling in love.

The book, Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech is a rich and wonderful novel. The seemingly simple, yet complex read explores the self-discovery of thirteen-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle. While exploring her cultural heritage and past, the main protagonist relays over several dark and tragic events. While these events can make the book depressing at times, they hold valuable lessons and the book doesn't linger on them for too long. Every single character in the book is incredibly developed through the many stories told, and they fit the plot well. Overall, I would recommend this book to older readers and maybe younger ones, as the book is a decent length and pretty intricate.

If you like fast-paced adventures and witty characters... this book is for you. With Dallas, the brother, and his sister, Florida, they have been known as the "trouble twins." Raised as orphans and never suitable for any home, they have just been sent to live with an old couple. Having doubts and questions, Florida and Dallas are scared and nervous about their new home.
Their past homes have put them in dark basements, creepy holes, and not so comfortable beds. Will Florida and Dallas soon come around or will they have to head back to their dreaded orphanage? This fast paced adventure will leave you wanting more and suitable for all ages.
Reviewer Grade: 9th

"Immoral Code" tells the tale of five seniors in high school planning something even bigger than Homecoming. When Bellamy's billionaire father refuses to pay her college tuition at MIT, the gang gathers together to right the wrong, her friend Nari in particular. Under the code name d0l0s, Nari and the rest of Bellamy's friends search for the much needed money- and revenge.

The story's plot circles around a small hiccup in their plan: to get the money, they'll have to sneak into the Foster Inc. building! This story is full of suspense, humor, and 3-dimensional characters each struggling through their own adolescence problems simultaneously. Lillian Clark does a fantastic job of weaving multiple view-points together to tell this memorable tale. I would recommend t it to anyone my age!

*Note: This story does contain a good amount of profanity. Definitely for older readers.* Reviewer Grade: 8

Wonder by R. J Palacio tells the story of a young boy, Auggie, that was born differently from others. Born with different facial features than others, he has not been able to be a mainstream and average student. After a series of captivating events, he becomes the most popular and inspiring of heroes once he becomes a fifth grader.

Wonder was an extremely unique story that took the point of view from a young boy different from others. The story was original and interesting to the reader based upon the course of events that took place. After Auggie is faced with demeaning names and suggesting he is mentally deficient, goodness becomes the better of this situation. The story becomes uplifting and inspiring. Taking place in many different viewpoints, the dialogue is well written and is able to describe each character with a unique tone of writing/speaking. In addition to the story itself, the book demonstrated morals that each reader could decipher for themselves. However, most prominently, the moral that I found when reading the book was the inner character of everybody is the determination of their personality.

Reviewer Grade: 10

This book follows two teens who have Cystic Fibrosis and are receiving treatment in the same hospital. The girl is fairly strict with her routines, but she slowly falls for the rebellious boy who ignores the doctors’ advice and avoids his medicine. While this book was interesting, especially in regards to the medical aspect, the plot as a whole wasn’t all that unique.

The idea of a forbidden romance, even due to medical conditions, was not terribly exciting. I would not recommend this book for anything other than a quick, cliché romance read. It isn’t too deep and the end is very predictable. I initially chose this book because I thought it would go more in depth into the lives of the main characters lives and explore CF, but the book is almost totally limited to the hospital. I would give it two and a half stars out of five.

"Nothing But the Truth," an documentary novel by Avi, depicts a small student-teacher quarrel that became a national headline. The book starts with one's average teenage boy named Philip Malloy. He runs track and is a fairly good student. His arch nemesis and least favorited teacher, Miss Narwin, thinks poorly of Philip, especially after he is switched to her homeroom. The day is always begun with the playing of the national anthem, but when Phil starts to "sing" along, Miss Narwin starts to lose it. After suspensions, interviews with newspapers, and nation wide fame, Philip must not only figure out how to deal with his newly renowned fame, but also how to deal with being honest about what is really going on. This book was a great, quick read. The way the book was composed made for easy reading and enjoyability. "Nothing But the Truth" was written in 1992, but the topic is still relevant decades later. With the kneeling during the national anthem in the NFL to other highly debated political topics, "Nothing But the Truth" is a great book for a quick but thoughtful read.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-age story of Charlie through his letters to someone he seeks guidance from, although we do not know the name or identity of the person who receives his letters. It is Charlie’s first year of high school and he writes to find comfort in simply telling his story to someone else. This was a beautiful book about the actuality of the dark corners of life and the necessity of good friendships. I picked this book up out of interest in watching the movie afterward, and it was a good decision to read it because I learned so much about true love and life through Charlie’s search for who he wants to be. This story is specific to Charlie’s life but is relatable to anyone who is struggling through the questions of their own personality and relationships. Overall, I highly recommend this book to people who just need to feel love and to learn that even in loss they will be okay.

Reviewer Grade: 9

The Last Holiday Concert is an okay book. It tries to address themes of popularity and leadership, but doesn’t do a good job of it. The characters are all bland, and the conflict is generic. Although it's a children’s book, I felt like the author could have done a way better job in all aspects. Overall, I wouldn’t really recommend this book to anyone.

This phenomenon of a book has great detail and a mix of drama, sadness, and love. Kwame Alexander has really proven his expertise in his book "Crossover." This book is a great source of human literature for all ages. This book was "Cross" of drama, brotherly love, and loss. The recipe for a great book.