This book is about an African American girl named Starr Carter who lives in two different worlds with her school being predominantly white and located in a suburb and where she lives which is understood to be the ghetto. When she tries and figures out her different worlds, there is suddenly a traumatic event where her childhood best friend is fatally shot by a police officer. In order to take revenge and bring justice for her friend, she starts to protest and advocate for justice about police brutality against African Americans.
The Hate U Give is a breathtaking piece of work that follows the story of a sixteen-year-old teenager named Starr Carter. Starr suddenly witnesses the murder of her childhood best friend, Khalil Harris, as he was shot three consecutive times by a cop...for holding a hairbrush. Khalil’s death makes national headlines and sparks outrage across the country. What will Starr do as she debates whether or not to let her voice be heard?
The Body in the Library, by Agatha Christie, is a Thriller/Mystery. The story starts off with the Bantrys waking up to a woman's dead body in the library. Nobody there identifies the woman, but later, they realize that she is a dancer from nearby. Miss Marple, a dear friend of Mrs. Bantry, investigates the crime scene. Miss Marple connects the death with other clues. No one is always speaking the truth.
It’s been a while since Lydia’s mother died, but Lydia still finds herself reeling from the impact of the life-changing event. Following the plan that she made with her mother, Lydia uproots to her Aunt Brat’s Connecticut farm, where she finds two more adults — Eileen (Aunt Brat’s good-humored wife) and Elloroy (their quirky live-in landlord) — waiting for her with open arms. Lydia struggles to become accustomed to her new family, and the big yellow dog that her aunt adopted just days after her arrival isn’t helping either.
Kestrel lives in an empire that relishes in violence and war. They enslave others they conquer and show no mercy. Kestrel is the general’s daughter, and as such she is aware of the methods of her empire. As a seventeen-year-old young woman, Kestrel has a decision that could alter the rest of her life: she can join the military or get married. A strong, independent woman, Kestrel battles for another option.
Adelina Amoutera, the White Wolf, has suffered greatly. Her mother? Dead. Her horrible father? Killed by her. Her so-called-friends? Betrayed her. Her sister? Alive, and fleeing Kennetra with Adelina. On a path of revenge, she unites other Young Elites to rid the Inquisition Axis, who killed her love and almost her. Terena Santora, leader of the Inquisition, is hunting her down. The Dagger Society, her former friends? Hunting her down. It’s only a matter of time before she gets caught. However, Adelina is a master of illusions.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is one of my all-time favorites. Jude Duarte and her siblings were stolen by her mother’s ex-husband, after he murdered her parents. Being brought to Faerie land, she learns to adapt to her life despite how unfair it is to humans. Cardan Greenbriar, her furious classmate and faerie prince, sets out to destroy her dreams of knighthood. Jude Duarte soon gets wrapped into the political intrigue of the court and discovers something better and more dangerous than becoming a knight.
You Can’t Say That by Leonard S Marcus is an informative and fascinating collection of interviews by award-winning children and teen authors. These authors share their thoughts and experiences regarding censorship and free expression in eye-opening, sensitive, and sometimes comedic ways, all in an effort to explain why censorship is such an important issue in our modern world. I found the book thoroughly entertaining and would recommend it for older kids, teens, and adults.
After accidentally killing a toddler, seventeen-year-old Juliette has spent the last 264 days locked up. Juliette's touch is fatal. Even though she kills anyone she touches, she does not want to hurt anyone. Shortly before Juliette gets locked up, the Reestablishment takes over. They told everyone that they were going to save the world. They gave them false hope. Even with everything going on in the world, Juliette does not see it. Not until another person comes into her cell.
Juliette was born with a strange power. A strange curse. A strange gift. Her touch kills, which leads her to live a large portion of her life in solitary confinement. Outside her cell, the dystopian world is faced with a dead ozone layer, fascist governments, and constant dilemmas. One day Adam, a boy that reminds her of her childhood crush, starts to live with her in the cell. After a series of events she is held hostage by Warner, the son of The Reestablishment’s leader. She is faced with the two outcomes: become a weapon, or fight back.
