Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his fourth year after saving his godfather, Sirius Black, from the dementors. However, this year is unlike any other at Hogwarts, as they have decided to bring back an old tradition, the Tri-Wizard Tournament! As this is a very dangerous competition between the three major schools in Europe, the headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore, decides that only students over the age of seventeen may enter the tournament. When someone enters in Harry’s name, and he’s chosen, he must fight for his life against dragons, and merpeople, and solve clues to advance.
A few months after he triumphs over the dark lord, Voldemort, Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts again for another year of practicing magic. This year, Harry discovers that his ability to talk to snakes isn’t the gift he thought it was, causing many students to turn on him. Soon after, a mysterious message written in blood appears, “The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir Beware”. Following this event, an unknown individual is going around petrifying students of Hogwarts, including Harry’s friend Hermione.
Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets is the second hilarious installment in Dav Pilkey’s beloved series. George and Harold are back with their usual mischief, but this time, things go terribly wrong when they accidentally create an army of evil talking toilets! With the school in chaos, Captain Underpants must step in once again to save the day in his hilarious and unconventional style.
Big Nate: Aloha! takes Nate Wright on a hilarious new adventure as he heads to Hawaii for what he hopes will be the perfect vacation. True to form, Nate’s trip is anything but smooth sailing, and the usual chaos, mishaps, and Nate-style disasters follow him, even in paradise. This tropical twist brings fresh scenarios for Nate’s comedic personality to shine. I’d give this book a 5 out of 5 because it keeps the humor alive while adding a fun, new setting to the series.
In my opinion, Animal Farm is a brilliant and powerful work that captures the dangers of power and corruption in a way that’s easy to understand, even if you don’t know much about the historical context. Orwell’s use of animals to represent real historical figures and political movements makes the story both engaging and accessible, while also delivering a biting critique of how revolutions can go wrong.
Although it has been a few years since I last read R.J. Palacio’s Wonder, the book’s message is one that has stuck with me since then. The book brings awareness to important topics relating to inclusivity. This book contains such an important message for any setting, whether it be inside a classroom or at a place of work; it teaches the importance of empathy and acceptance, something that society can often struggle with. I liked how the book followed the story of Auggie, as well as all the characters surrounding him.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton will forever remain as one of my favorite novels. Hinton’s exploration of tough themes, including social hierarchies and the emotions involved with growing up and friendship, made the book an emotional, yet important read. The book takes the reader back to the 1960s, and Hinton did a wonderful job displaying that era in contrast to today’s world. Also, it was such an experience learning about each of the Greasers and how unique their personalities were.
The classic and captivating novel by esteemed author F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby is no stranger to the limelight of “best novels of all time”. Set in the roaring twenties, we are immediately taken to a place of lux and glamor of New York’s elite, amidst the Great Depression. This story will have you wondering what exactly the “American Dream” is all about? Main protagonist Nick Carraway is a simple man from the midwest, moving to New York to work at a big time company.
If I could read this book all over again for the first time, I would. Delia Owens did such a beautiful job capturing themes of isolation, love, and trust. The captivating imagery and word choice throughout the book contributed to the whole plot of the story, and it made me feel as though I was with Kya in the marsh. At first, I didn’t think I would enjoy the book. The build-up to the climax was more of a slow burn.
This is my favorite book I have ever read. The book is about two emergency room doctors, Brianna and Jacob. They get off on the wrong foot but, Jacob’s kind gestures start to slowly win Brianna over. While they both navigate personal challenges, they find support in each other. The book dives into their journey and digs into themes of love and trust, also the importance of vulnerability and communication in relationships. Personally, I loved the book for how anxiety is portrayed through one of the characters.
