Teen and Staff Reviews

Teen Review
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

Once Was Lost

By Sara Zarr
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Anna S.
Aug 10, 2022

Sam is a pastor's kid, which means a lot of things in the small town of Pineview. One

thing it means is that her mom always has to seem perfect, and she turned to

alcohol. Another thing that means is that no one wants to be her friend because they

think she will tell her dad about what they do. Sam is overall, really lost when her

mom has to go to rehab for her drinking and she is even more lost when a girl that

goes to her church goes missing. Sam is really confused in this messy time of her life

Teen Review
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone

By Leigh Bardugo
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Nischay R.
Aug 10, 2022

Mal and Alina are orphans who grow up in military service. They are great

friends but then a military conflict happens and Alina is drafted by a

mysterious figure called the Darkling to be a Grisha. Alina is learning what

it means to be a Grisha while the Darkling takes a special interest in her

because she has the powers of a sun summoner which have been gone for

centuries. She has to run from the palace though when Baghra reveals the

Darkling’s true colors and reveals that he intends to bind Alina with a

Teen Review
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

The Hating Game

By Sally Thorne
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Mariam S.
Aug 10, 2022

Lucy and Joshua are coworkers, both assistants to the two CEOs at a publishing

company. Though the word coworkers implies some cooperation and amiability, that’s nowhere

near the truth. Their mutual loathing, which began from the moment their two companies

merged into one, has been dubbed the Hating Game. It’s just another pretty normal workday for

Lucy (begins with staring hatefully at Joshua and ends the same way), when for some reason

he kisses her in the elevator. This, combined with a new promotion opportunity, an agreement

Teen Review
Solstice by Lorence Alison

Solstice

By Lorence Alison
Star Rating
★★

Rated by
Varun R.
Aug 10, 2022

Adri is perfectly on track to become the lawyer that her parents have always wanted her to

become. Through academic excellence, hard work, and sacrifice, a summer internship represents

the final bridge between her and her parents’ dreams. The problem is, she wants nothing more

than to get away from the internship, especially when she gets the opportunity of a lifetime.

Courtesy of her best friend Elena, Adri gets tickets to go to Solstice, a life-changing getaway

Teen Review
The Wicked King by Holly Black

The Wicked King

By Holly Black
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Aug 10, 2022

Jude Duarte is now seneschal, an advisor to the High King of Elfhame, who is Cardan

Greenbriar. She wants to keep Cardan and Elfhame in control until her brother, Oak, is finally of

age to become King. However, the Queen of the Undersea is threatening Cardan to marry her

daughter or else she will attack his kingdom, which makes Jude’s plans more difficult. So Jude is

trying to protect Oak, Cardan, and Elfhame, but unfortunately she gets captured by the Queen of

Teen Review
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

By J.K. Rowling
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Colin K.
Aug 10, 2022

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a complete guide to A-Z magical creatures and

their characteristics. Not to mention their classification scale from 1-5, with five being a known

wizard killer and impossible to domesticate. I find this book guide to be very fascinating as it

offers insight into familiar and unfamiliar creatures from previous books and films. I highly

recommend this guide if you are looking to watch the Fantastic Beasts films or want more

Teen Review
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

By J.K. Rowling
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Colin K.
Aug 10, 2022

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth and longest book in the Harry Potter

series, with a whopping 896 pages. Despite the long read however, it has many enjoyable

moments as Harry and his friends make it their mission to help the Order of the Phoenix in their

quest to thwart the return of Lord Voldemort. It is here in this book that Harry also learns the

dark truth between him and Voldemort that would change the course of the Harry Potter series

Teen Review
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

By J.K. Rowling
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Colin K.
Aug 9, 2022

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling is the finale and culmination of the

seven-book Harry Potter series, and by all means, it is a good one. Harry, Ron, and Hermione

are entrusted with destroying the last of Voldemort’s Horcruxes, but without Dumbledore’s aid, this

comes as no easy task. The trio quickly realizing the toll this would take on them but

nevertheless striving all the more to defeat Voldemort’s greatest strength: Immortality, and

Teen Review
The Polar Express

The Polar Express

Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Colin K.
Aug 9, 2022

The Polar Express is a fantastic Christmas movie about a young boy who boards a magical train

headed to the North Pole. On his way, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery on whether he

truly believes in the Christmas spirit or not. The animations in this movie are so crisp and clean

that you almost feel you’re onboard the train with them, and Tom Hanks acting as the train

conductor was phenomenal all the more. Besides a few creepy scenes, this movie is perfect for

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