Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

 It's a great book to read (especially for 8th graders)!  It took me some time to adapt to the way it was written, but now when I re-read it, it makes more sense every time.  It's really fun to read, the author's tone makes us have different moods in every other scene!  Overall, AMAZING book!

My Friend the Enemy by Dan Smith

 A plane crashes right in front of Peter's house!  He realizes it's a German plane!  Everyone died except one.  Ummm, that's not good.  The soldiers are after that German.  Peter and Kim find this wanted German in the woods and decide to help him.  (I would've ran, but ok.)  I really love this story as it always catches your attention.  The climax was also very interesting.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

 

The story is about a woman named Edna Pontellier, whose husband isn’t abusive, but he is dismissive of her issues, so she cheats on him. She realizes that there is no place for women in her time to be comfortable with their sexuality, so she drowns herself at the end of the novel. I liked it and thought Edna was a good and interesting flawed character.

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

A Separate Peace by John Knowles was an interesting and captivating world.  The story follows a group of friends navigating their high school experience at an elite New England boarding school.

I highly recommend it to everyone!

 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

 

The Book Thief is a story about a girl named Liesel who is growing up in Germany during World War II and is told from the point of view of Death.  This follows Liesel and her journey of stealing books and her family journey when they hide a Jewish man in their basement.  I really enjoyed this book and thought it was interesting being told from the point of view of Death.

Ground Zero by Alan Gratz

 

Ground Zero by Alan Gratz is a great historical fiction book with a lot of emotions. The book Ground Zero is mostly focused on true characters, with the inclusion of 9/11 and the Taliban war. 9/11 was a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, and on September 11, 2018 the Taliban war ended. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak

 

Very well-written book that incorporates historical elements. It gives the reader insight into life during WWII. The book also includes interesting narration, through the perspective of Death himself. 

Two Degrees by Alan Gratz

 

Two Degrees is an interesting book that has many different perspectives on what climate change is doing to the environment.

Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy

It’s a fantastic book, full of an extreme amount of detail. Highly recommend. Also has very well written action scenes. 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

 

The novel's events mirror Angelou's own story, following a young black girl named Marguerite as she struggles with sexual assault, her racial identity, the stigma around her existence, and the harsh reality of adulthood.  I liked how insightful and apologetic the book was, along with how it makes Marguerite's experiences as real as my own.

Traitors Among Us by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

 

This amazing book is about two Ukrainian girls who are accused of supporting the Nazis.  This, of course, is nowhere near the truth, and the girls put themselves in life-threatening situations so that they can get the freedom that they deserve.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

 

This book is very good and has an amazing plot for a little advanced readers.  It has very good characters with really unique personalities.  It takes place in the 1900s with two guys working on a farm, trying to achieve their dream.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

 

This book brought many emotions: sadness and hope are just a few.  It is a great novel depicting the dangers of wanting too much and making the wrong decisions.  I highly recommend this book to everyone.

With the Might of Angels by Andrea Davis Pinkney

 

Dawnie is an intelligent African American girl who meets the standards of an all-white school.  It was written referring to the mid-50s and she had gotten made fun of.  I like this book because it talks about her struggles in that school, and also she plays baseball too.

An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi

 

This book was one of my favorite books and I 100% recommend it.  This book shows all the aspects of emotions.  The main character's brother died, shortly after her dad had two hear attacks.  Since her dad is on the verge of dying, her mom has been self-harming herself and was sent to the hospital.  The doctor thought she was her older sister, and told her news she didn't want to hear!

Refugee by Alan Gratz

 

Refugee is about three different people from different periods of time and places.  One character is from Israel, trying to escape the Nazis.  This perspective is my favorite with a close tie from the other perspectives.  He talks about how his dad is suffering from the traumas of getting beaten by the Nazis, and what difficulties his family went through.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

 

This is an amazing book that fit a lot of action and emotion into a short story teaching us about the importance of friendship and struggle.

The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown

 

This book is a perfect mix of creepy & emotional as it talks about the past of African Americans and how they were mistreated.

The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe

 

The Librarian of Auschwitz is about exactly what the title says - a librarian in the German concentration camp of Auschwitz.  The librarian is a Jewish prisoner in the camp, who keeps track of the illegal books in the camp, and lends them to the prisoners who would like to read them.  The book is a very detailed account of what happened to some prisoners in the German concentration camp of Auschwitz.  I believe everyone should read this book sometime in their lives to educate themselves on the topic.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I enjoyed this book because it highlighted systemic racism in America.