Yes, another classic. I’m teaching it again this year, so I thought I’d post a review while I’m thinking about it. This book is among my favorites. Mark Twain’s sense of humor permeates the story, yet there’s a serious underlying issues that he treats with intelligence and grace. The story follows Huck Finn, a thirteen-year […]
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As you probably know, this now-famous book is about an Indian-Canadian boy’s experience surviving at sea after a terrible shipwreck. But it’s about a lot more. It’s divided into three sections: the zoo in India, his time at sea, and his time in the infirmary in Mexico. It’s no surprise from the beginning of the […]
This is the first book in the Fire Mage Trilogy. It takes place in a far future (our own time is referred to as “pre-apocalypse”) in which some have discovered their talents as Mages, finding the ability to do things like start fires with their palms or heal the wounded. Those without powers, lowly humans, […]
For a sci-fi, alien-loving dork like me, this book was right up my alley. I couldn’t wait to read it, and it didn’t disappoint. The book follows high schooler Kaila. For most of her life, Kaila was sheltered—home schooled and protected, even forced to wear a special hat or a black plastic head wrap under […]
The book follows the lives of Donnie and Abbie, two teenagers who undergo more than their share of trouble. As the book opens, Donnie has just experienced the worst tragedy a teenager can face—the loss of both parents. After near despair, Donnie finds love with Abbie, a girl who (coincidentally, as he finds out later […]
Dagger Heart is the first book in the Odin Blood series and one that, as of now, is still free for Kindle. The book takes place in Norway in the 700s and follows the adventures of Erica, a strong-willed heroine with an independent streak. I was captured from the first page by a tom-boy named […]
Aura follows the awakening of Crystal, a girl who has moved around so much that she’s never fit in. Now, when she finally has a boyfriend, a best friend, and a successful part in the school play, she’s realizing that she’s more special than she ever knew. Crystal’s parents have tried to hide the truth […]
As I’m just wrapping up teaching this book with my juniors, I thought I’d write a review. The Grapes of Wrath is a classic, one of those books you should put on your bucket list. Don’t let its length scare you away, but know that the book is meant to be enjoyed at a leisurely […]
This is a young adult dystopian novel taking place in an alternate reality in which the discovery of “halves” in the past has drastically altered the present. Each time a child is born, a paired “half” is born on the same day in some location around the globe. Halves are matched with their counterparts on […]
How do I review what could possibly be my favorite book? This review will be a long one, and it will contain spoilers. Orwell wrote 1984 in 1948 after experiencing the horrors of World War II, revolutions, and colonialism. Primarily, the book serves as a warning, showing the worst extension of the evils of man. […]
