All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a heart-wrenching story told from two perspectives during World War II. The book follows Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a blind French girl, and Werner Pfennig, a German orphan. While trying to escape ongoing German occupation, Marie-Laure and her father reside on the coast of France. Meanwhile, Werner’s intrinsic talent for engineering radios ultimately causes the two characters to cross paths in Saint-Malo.
Normal People by Sally Rooney follows the relationship between Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan. Spending their youth in a small-town in Ireland, the two find themselves to be polar opposites in high school, Connell, a popular jock, and Marianne a quiet outcast. However, they discover that their interests align perfectly, sparking a relationship.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is an emotional retelling of the Greek myth of Achilles and Patroclus from Homer’s Iliad. Under the narration of Patroclus, he and Achilles create an inseparable bond despite the onset of war. Their relationship is portrayed through their contrasting perspectives as Patroclus is compassionate, gentle and quiet, while Achilles is charismatic and bold.
With the wizarding world now aware of the Dark Lord’s awakening, chaos ensues as Harry and Dumbledore scramble to identify Voldemort’s darkest secret. Guided by the headmaster, Harry dives into the memories of Voldemort’s past, piecing together fragments of a dangerous truth. As trust wavers, a mysterious book claiming to belong to the “Half Blood Prince” offers unforeseen powers - some of which test his greatest friendships and rivalries. In the race against time, Harry knows that the question isn’t just how to fight Voldemort, but whether he can stop him at all…
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover is a romance novel that explores the complexities of love, loss and the challenges of emotional vulnerability. The story follows Tate Collins, a nursing student who recently moved in with her brother in San Francisco. She quickly meets Miles Archer, a handsome yet guarded pilot who lives across the hall. There is an immediate strong connection between the two, however Miles refuses to explore their connection because of his last relationship pains.
Life As We Knew It follows Miranda, a high school girl, as she lives through a world without the moon. As the world discovers a meteor is on a collision course with the moon, everyone watches with interest, but little concern. In a split second everything falls apart as the moon is unpredictably knocked out of orbit. When the world falls into chaos and the planet begins to crumble, Miranda struggles with guilt, responsibility, and hope as she navigates the new world she must survive in.
This book was a miraculous roller coaster. The Way I Used to Be is a young adult fiction novel by Amber Smith that explores mature themes of sexual violence in an incredibly personal and intimate way. The novel follows Eden, a young girl in high school, and the adversities she faces when trying to speak up about being a victim of assault. Normally, I'm not the type of person that gets emotional about books, but the way Amber Smith approaches serious themes is truly inspiring.
This book was a piece of heart and something I would see my soul to read again. It was so beautiful and heart shattering at the same time as Evelyn experiences love, cheat, betrayal, glamor, power, fame, money, and heartbreak all at the same time. Evelyn’s story discusses her rise in Hollywood along with the challenges, media, the public eye, sexualization, and more. She demonstrates what it was like being a powerful woman in a demanding and toxic environment at an early time. She has 7 marriages, in which she discusses each love or reason.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a teen fiction book by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Evelyn Hugo, famed actress from the 1950s-80s, has finally decided to do a tell all with Monique Grant, a talented reporter without her big break. In the present the reader follows Monique’s perspective and her life problems and how learning Evelyn’s story had affected her. As Hugo tells her story we switch into her perspective in the past and follows her life. I loved the complexities of these characters and the l
Navigating Early is a story about two boys who meet at a boarding school and decide to go on an adventure through the Appalachian Trail in hopes to heal from past issues. This book was a beautiful read. If you like hearing people engage in deep conversations about any subject under the moon, you will enjoy this. I know I did for sure.
