Teen and Staff Reviews

Teen Review
Eight Hundred Grapes book cover

Eight Hundred Grapes

By Laura Dave
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Rishi
Feb 9, 2024

Georgia Ford, a real estate lawyer in San Francisco, discovers a secret that her fiancé kept and goes to her family home in Sonoma a week before her wedding. She expects comfort from her family in her hometown, but when she learns that they are selling the Sonoma vineyard that she grew up on, she wants nothing but to save it and her family. However, she meets Jacob, the soon-to-be owner, and learns more family secrets that could threaten to break the family apart. So, Georgia handles the problems, overcomes the obstacles, and decides on a new path for her life that she didn’t expect.

Teen Review
Othello book cover

Othello

By William Shakespeare
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Brayden P.
Feb 9, 2024

The play starts with seeing the burning anger of a man named Iago and all of his plans and schemes for the future. One of the people he wants to ruin is Othello, a great and mighty general in the city of Venice. Iago has burning jealousy throughout the book and wants to be better than Othello. Iago also plans on helping his close friend, Roderigo, and his wishes to win over Desdemona, who is Othello’s wife. Throughout the play, Iago gains the trust of and manipulates almost every character to get his way and the ultimate goal of power and to watch the demise of others.

Teen Review
The Sense of Wonder book cover

The Sense of Wonder

By Matthew Salesses
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Rishi
Feb 9, 2024

Won, the first Asian American basketball player in the NBA, rose to stardom as one of the best players on the team as he filled in after “Powerball!” got injured. A Korean American TV producer, Carrie is working to get K-dramas onto the American stage. Won wants to be a basketball star and renew his temporary contract with the New York Knicks, while Carrie wants to bring representative Korean shows to America.

Teen Review
The Near Witch book cover

The Near Witch

By V.E. Schwab
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Feb 9, 2024

The Near Witch follows the main character, Lexi, in her search for the town’s missing children, attempts to learn more about an unnamed stranger, and questions about whether childhood stories are more than scary tales after all.

Teen Review
The Alchemyst book cover

The Alchemyst

By Michael Scott
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Neil
Feb 9, 2024

The Alchemyst is the first book of a 6-book series called The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. Nicholas Flamel was a real person, an alchemist said to have discovered the elixir of life which would make you immortal. The records showed that he died in 1418. Josh and Sophie Newman are two twins living in San Francisco during the summer. Josh is working at a bookstore and his boss is a man named Nick Fleming.

Teen Review
A Court of Thorns and Roses book cover

A Court of Thorns and Roses

By Sarah J. Maas
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Lilyana G.
Feb 9, 2024

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is a whimsical romantic fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a dark twist. Feyre’s job is to hunt and provide for her impoverished family, but this job comes with its dangers. The forest bordering her cabin is the only thing separating her village from the land of the Faerie, which makes it exceedingly dangerous. 

Teen Review
A Clash of Kings book cover

A Clash of Kings

By George R.R. Martin
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Feb 9, 2024

“Just as if I was one of those true knights you love so well, yes. What do you think a knight is for, girl? You think it’s all taking favors from ladies and looking fine in gold plate? Knights are for killing.” 

Teen Review
A Game of Thrones book cover

A Game of Thrones

By George R.R. Martin
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Feb 9, 2024

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness.” In a world recovering from an incredible revolution, there is finally a time of peace. But what happens when people start to realize all the hidden issues within their kingdom? Their new king is a drunkard, and his queen seems just a little too interested in her brother. While the council is filled with incompetent lords squabbling over trivial matters, a true danger begins to make itself known in the far north.

Teen Review
The Poppy War book cover

The Poppy War

By R.F. Kuang
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Mahad Z.
Feb 9, 2024

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang is a gripping fantasy novel that follows the journey of Rin, a war orphan with a burning desire to escape her impoverished existence. After acing a prestigious military examination, Rin gains admission to the elite Sinegard military academy, where she discovers her extraordinary shamanic powers. As tensions escalate between the Nikara Empire and the Federation of Mugen, Rin becomes embroiled in a brutal war that mirrors the historical conflicts of China.

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