Student Book Reviewers

Looking for some good holiday reads? Try some of these books, recommended by our Teen Library Advisors.

The best thing about this book is that it gives you so different emotions and it such an intense story to read. It is an amazing book to read it and you can even watch it as a movie, too. This book will give you goosebumps and I have a couple of pieces of advice for people who want to read it. First, read the whole book. Second, if you are going to watch the movie, don't watch while you are eating! People who like adventure will enjoy Life of Pi - it would be like roller-coaster.

Seyfurahmaan, E9

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

I loved the adventures of Katniss Everdeen and also the enormous differences in their government to our one right now. This is an amazing dystopian novel with lots of adventure and survival themes. It also has a great description of their government which adds to the excitement and thrill. People who love books with adventure and action would love this book. If you're interested in survival, you would also love this book, so make sure to check it out!

Mahasri, H7

Always and Forever, Lara Jean, by Jenny Han

This is based on a teenage girl who has a crush on a lot of boys and has a lot of relationship problems. You'll like this book if you enjoy reading about relationships.

Heather, H8

Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden

There were several aspects of this text that I liked; one would be its outline of Japanese and Geisha culture. In particular it goes into many customs and adds an interesting fictional and imaginative twist to it all. Although the text is classified as fictional, it somehow still manages to make make you relate the the main character, Sayuri, to real life geisha and their experiences. The text is about a geisha, and her working in Kyoto, Japan both before and after World War II and it has elements of war and how that impacted many different groups and people. Even though it has some imaginative elements to the story, it still manages to seem realistic; one thing I loved would be Sayuri and her relationships with all of the different characters. Characters in this text to me are never fully branded as being "bad" or "good" as you can understand all of their different perspectives. This to me gives a great sense of realism, as even in real life no person is ever truly "bad" or "good", as there are many shades of grey.

I believe that people should read this book as it is a short read, that contains language and a plot that is not too hard to understand and follow. The book, when compared to others of its kind (as it also counts as a "classic"), is quite simple to grasp, especially when you compare it to other "classics" you may have heard of. It's an interesting read that you can easily sink your teeth into, and it certainly broadens your horizons, notably if you have never really read "classics" before.

Laura C, B11

Anna Dressed in Blood, by Kendare Blake

I love the plot twist at the end of this book! (I won't spoil it for you, though!)

This book has a good moral at the end, as well as the good plot-twisting ending. I think people who like to read horror and adventure would like this book, because there was a long... LONG adventure.

Sayumi J, H7

Magicalamity, by Kate Saunders

This book is quite light-hearted, with enough action and drama to keep the reader going. It is such a charming and childlike book that also has themes and aspects aimed for an older audience. The novel is quite interesting and combines fantasy with action quite well for a younger audience. Fantasy fans would enjoy this book along with anyone looking for a light-hearted read.

Leah L, B11

Dragon Pearl, by Yoon Ha Lee

I loved the way the book shows what caring about someone really means. Min, the main character, faces many challenges, and it is quite amazing how she solves a lot of problems. I love the way there are different types of creatures with super powers, e.g. foxes, ghosts, dragons and more. This book makes you understand what you may face on a quest. It also has great messages that we should know about. People who love movies, anime, mysterious books and books like Harry Potter would read this book. Dragon Pearl is just amazing!

Zainab Z, H7