The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is, without a doubt, one of the greatest novels ever written and certainly one of the cornerstones of the American literary repertoire. The book is written in the first person limited from the point of view of a Nick Carraway who is a friend of a friend to Mr. Gatsby at the novel's opening. The story follows Nick through his exploits in the East coast near and in New York as Gatsby’s desires begin to take center stage in Nick’s, and many of Nick’s friends’, lives.
Jane Eyrewritten by Charlotte Brontë is a classic masterpiece that pushes the bounds of realistic fiction. In it, the reader is invited inside of Miss Eyre’s mind as they are shown the struggles of a neglected child who, despite being undervalued her entire life, rises from her station to the doorstep of a Mr. Rochester where she is put face to face with the possibility of a real home for the first time. The trials that come with Jane Eyre’s youth and her journey to Mr.
Believe Me, by Tahereh Mafi, brings an end to the young adult dystopian Shatter Me series in the form of a novella centering around Juliette and Warner.
Two Twisted Crowns, by Rachel Gillig, is the sequel to One Dark Window, in which Elspeth and Ravyn’s journey to unite the deck of Providence Cards continues. However, in addition to these two perspectives, Gillig introduces Elm’s point of view, allowing the reader a glimpse at both sides of the story.
One Dark Window, by Rachel Gillig, is a young adult gothic fantasy set in Blunder, an ancient world cursed by magic. Elspeth Spindle has her own magic, in the form of a spirit trapped in her head whom she calls the Nightmare. However, all magic comes with a cost, and Elsepth must find the twelve Providence Cards to cure Blunder and banish the Nightmare from her mind before it is too late. Luckily, she stumbles upon the Captain of the King’s guard, who just might be able to offer her the help she needs.
Grendel, by John Gardner, is a mythological retelling of the classic epic Beowulf through the perspective of Beowulf’s antagonist, Grendel. As the novel progresses, the reader, for the most part, follows the chronological events of Grendel’s life, and how he came to be the unforgivable and widely feared monster in Beowulf’s tale.
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long is a book about Sena, a seventeen-year-old girl who lives on Tundar, a frozen planet with nothing to show except for the annual race that killed her mothers. Sena hates the race, and she wants to do is get out Tundar. But after double-crossing her town’s lead gangster, she has to flee from her home with a stolen fighting wolf, and her only option becomes joining the race.
This book is the biography of David Beckham, a boy from England who dreamed of becoming a soccer star. The book follows his journey from playing for Manchester United to becoming an international football icon. It also highlights his time with teams like Real Madrid and LA Galaxy, as well as his influence off the field as a role model and philanthropist. The book shows how hard work and passion helped Beckham achieve his dreams.
Animal Farm by George Orwell is a classic literature short story, or fairy story, about totalitarianism. The story takes place on Manor Farm, where various farm animals initially live with the owner named Farmer Jones. However, the animals’ rebel and drive Farmer Jones out of the farm after a speech from one of the wise pigs. The animals are left to run the farm themselves, and two pigs named Napoleon and Snowball are assigned as leaders. The events that follow demonstrate the impact of a totalitarian government.
“Life isn't fair…It's taken me a while to get that. It's always going to disappoint you in some way or another. You'll make plans, and it'll push you in another direction. You will love people, and they'll be taken away no matter how hard you fight to keep them. You'll try for something and won't get it. You don't have to find meaning in it; you don't have to try to change things. You just have to accept the things that are out of your hands and try to take care of yourself. That's your job.”
