Through the eyes of Ponyboy Curtis, The Outsiders depicts the gritty lives of the “Greasers”, a group of poor teen friends caught up in a bitter class struggle between their rough neighborhood and the wealthy “Socs”. The Greasers want safety, respect, and to escape the hardships of their circumstances. However, they face terrible treatment, violence, and retaliation from the Socs. They then get pulled into a dangerous downward spiral of violent actions to protect their own.
Alex and Eliza: A Love Story, tells the story of Alexander Hamilton’s romance with Elizabeth Schuyler. This book explores through their courtship, from their first meeting at a ball to their marriage and the challenges they faced. Eliza, a strong-willed and independent woman, captures Alex’s heart. Throughout the book, they navigate the obstacles of war, family expectations, and social class.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a classic book with an interesting view of human nature. The story revolves around a group of British boys whose plane crashed and are stranded on a deserted island. These boys try to form their society in which one of the main characters, Ralph, is elected leader and rules using a set of rules and order. However, soon some boys become obsessed with power and hunting, leading them into savagery.
Thomas wakes up in a box with only his name in his memory. He discovers that he is in a “paradise” like world, with a bunch of other boys in a group called Gladers. They all live in the Glade, which is surrounded by a maze. In the maze are monsters called Grievers, bulbous creatures with spiky appendages designed to kill. The Gladers have all been trapped for two years, and Thomas might be their only key to escape the maze. When the first girl ever arrives in the Glade, and the Grievers start invading the Glade, Thomas and others lead the Gladers in a fight for freedom.
Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story, directed by Neil Blomkamp at Sony Productions, and starring Archie Madweke, Darren Barnet, Geri Halliwell, Djimon Hounsou, Orlando Bloom, and David Harbour, came to theaters on August 25, 2023 (Rotten Tomatoes). It provides insight on something many of the watchers cannot experience personally: racing professionally on a racetrack.
Thunderhead is the second book in the Scythe book series. This book specifically focuses on the Thunderhead, the big cloud-like technology that controls everything, and corruption within the Scythedom. Citra gleans using her compassionate methods and Rowan hunts down corrupt Scythes. Meanwhile, the Thunderhead is growing worried about the corruption, yet it can’t do anything about it due to its limitations.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is an amazing book that tackles themes of race, identity, and justice. The main character Starr Carter is a 16 year old African American girl who has two lives:her rich prep school and her poor neighborhood. For most of her life, they stayed separate, but it all changes when Starr’s friend Khalil is wrongfully shot by a police officer who presumed that Khalil pulling out a comb was Khalil pulling out a gun.
When Holden gets expelled from school, he doesn’t want to tell his parents, because it wasn’t his first time. So, instead, he goes to his hometown and explores on his own. As a 16-year-old Holden jumps around bars and hotels as he thinks he can be independent.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a tale set during Afghanistan's history from the 1960s to the early 2000s. The novel intertwines the lives of two women, Mariam and Laila, whose fates are bound by tragedy, war, and their shared marriage to the abusive Rasheed. Mariam, an illegitimate child shunned by society, and Laila, a beautiful young girl with a promising future, form an unlikely bond that transcends their harsh circumstances.
Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give is a Young Adult Fiction novel that recounts the experiences of Starr Carter, a teenage Black girl who attends a rich, white prep school—a stark contrast to her poorer, predominantly Black neighborhood. Starr has an intense desire to explore how to define her identity as a result of her different experiences with her two very different worlds. Her desire is primarily fueled by the death of her childhood best friend, Khalil, who was killed by a police officer.
