In A Thousand Splendid Suns, we meet two characters, Laila and Mariam. The book is divided into 4 parts. It starts off with Mariam’s perspective on being an illegitimate teenager from Herat whose life falls apart when the death of her mother occurs. She admires her father but soon that also crashes as she is forced into marrying an older man, a shoemaker from Kabul, by her father. In Kabul, Mariam is held to a very high standard which leads to her not being able to show herself or speak for herself.
The Book Thief follows Liesel, a young girl living in Nazi Germany who finds solace in stealing books and learning to read with the help of her foster father, Hans. As war intensifies, she forms deep connections with Rudy, her best friend, and Max, a Jewish man hiding in their basement, all while the narrator, Death, observes their lives unfold. Markus Zusak’s storytelling transcends mere narration; it becomes an exploration of the human heart in the face of unimaginable adversity.
Powerless is a fantasy and romance book that is the first in a trilogy. It is told through the eyes of the two main characters Kai, one of the princes of Ilya, and Paedyn, a thief from the town of Loot. They come from very different backgrounds and when the trials occur in Ilya they are forced to compete against each other forcing them both to make tough choices. I like how you are able to hear the perspective of both the main characters in this book. My favorite characters in this book are Paedyn and Adena.
Jude, the new High Queen of Elfhame, has been banished to the mortal world. All Jude wants to do is go back and regain the power that she has lost. Jude’s own banishment keeps her from doing so. However, when Taryn says that she has killed her husband, Locke, and needs Jude to testify for her because of Jude’s geas, Jude cannot help but accept. As Jude enters the court and Cardan learns who she is, she regains the power she thought she lost. But when Cardan proves his loyalty to his kingdom and his queen by breaking the crown, he turns into a deadly serpent.
Jude, after making Prince Cardan the High King without his knowledge, begins her ascent to power as his seneschal. Jude wants to protect her brother Oak, her family, herself, and her stance in the court of fairie. But the High King hates her despite having to obey her every word, and her adoptive father, the general, is still plotting against her. The Queen of the Undersea is also planning to wage war and joins hands with Prince Balekin. Jude tries to maintain her power through the High King even after her oath is over.
Jude, a human in the world of faerie who was raised among the elites, has always wanted to fit in with the world around her. She hopes to do so by gaining power and becoming a knight. However, her own mortality, the death of Prince Dane who she was serving, the death of 3 princesses, and the subsequent power grab of Prince Balekin put a wrench in her plans. When she realizes that her adoptive father, the general, was also part of the betrayal of the court, Jude begins to make plans.
Powerless is a fantasy and romance book that is the first book in a trilogy. It is told through the eyes of the two main characters Kai, one of the princes of Ilya, and Paedyn, a thief from the town of Loot. They come from very different backgrounds and when the trials occur in Ilya, they are forced to compete against each other and that forces both of them to make tough choices.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is a fictional murder mystery about high school student, Pippa Fitz-Amobi. Pippa decides to do her senior capstone project about a local murder case. During her journey to find the real killer, she uncovers secrets about her own life and her friend's lives, but someone doesn’t want their secret to be revealed.
Arthur Miller's The Crucible is a powerful and haunting play that explores the Salem witch trials, a period of mass hysteria fueled by fear, suspicion and religious extremism. The intricate plot unfolds as accusations of witchcraft spread like wildfire, tearing apart a community and forcing individuals to confront their deepest beliefs. Miller's characters are complex and deeply emotional, their struggles with conscience, guilt and the pressure to conform resonating even today.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a book that follows a boy by the name Harry Potter through his journey into the wizarding world and community. This is the first book in a seven book series, all of which follow the same character as he grows. Harry is an orphan who has been looked after by his aunt and uncle. This family is ruthless to Harry, especially when strange things happen around him. When discovering his heritage, Harry must change his worldview and face challenges no one could ever imagine.
