Ruin and Rising (Book 3 of the Grisha Trilogy)

After the battle for Os Alta, Alina and her friends search for the firebird, Morozova's third amplifier, against both their enemies and their faithful, to have any hope in defeating the Darkling. Leigh Bardugo's Ruin and Rising is a masterpiece and it is the perfect end to an incredible journey. She creates such empathy through ties with the characters.  As a reader, you rise and fall with them, and each of their triumph and defeats are your own.  The power of the messages come through as Bardugo spins magic with her words.

~Reviewed by Katie R.

Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson

Did you know that Steve Jobs was graduated from Homestead High School? If you are the one who want to know more about him, this is the best biography book that was written by Walter Isaacson about his entire successful story. 

Walter Isaacson is a person who has written several biographies of some famous people like Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein. He received a request from Steve Jobs who need him to write his biography. This book has more than forty interviews from his family members, friends, competitors etc. It also has a detailed information to talk about his story from the time he was born to he died. 

Although everyone knows he is the founder of Apple, people shouldn’t only know his major event. People should also learn how a drop-out person became successful and pursued his passion. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s know more about a successful person who graduated from Homestead High School. 

~Reviewed by Nicholas C.

The Lost & Found, by Katrina Leno

Frances and Louis have been online friends for years, since they met in an online support group for trauma survivors. They know each other's secrets and innermost thoughts -- and everything they've lost along the way -- but they've never met in person. When Frannie finds out that her mother, whom she thought had abandoned her and gone to Florida, was actually institutionalized, she begins to question everything she knows about herself and her family. As a soon-to-be senior, Louis is also questioning what the future holds for him and whether he can bear to part from his twin sister to follow his own path. The two set off from opposite sides of the country and converge on Austin, Texas to meet each other and to find what might be answers.
The plot of this tale feels familiar, but the relationship at the heart of the book is much richer than anticipated. Frannie and Louis build something that is larger than friendship, and more delicate but longer-lasting than first love. The author also has a very creative take on emotional loss by having Frannie and Louis prone to physical loss (a tennis racket, $20, sunglasses, a bill for a coffin) in mysterious ways. When they start to find each other's lost items, they also begin to help each other find ways to move past their emotional loss as well. A great book for readers who like humor and an optimistic ending, but aren't afraid to cry along the way.

Lab Girl, by Hope Jahren

If you've ever stopped to look at a tree or a plant that has caught your eye, or you've ever had a friend you can't imagine life without, you owe it to yourself to read Lab Girl.
Hope Jahren is a geobiologist who studies plants, seeds and soil, and half this book is written from that point of view. Short chapters deal with how seeds survive hardship, what you can learn from ancient soil, and how much complexity is present in even the simplest-seeming plants. But the author is also female scientist in a male-dominated field, and half this book is a memoir about her life in science. She talks about growing up with a science-teacher father who let her explore freely in his classroom's lab, about amazing discoveries and heartbreaking loss in her scientific work and her career, but mostly she talks about Bill, her lab partner and best friend. Bill and Hope have triumphs and setbacks, living and working in sometimes challenging or untenable conditions, but always with their friendship and scientific discovery at the heart of it. This book makes you want to study science, be a more tenacious person and be a better friend. What more can you ask for?

Kids of Appetite, by David Arnold

Vic has a face that no one can read and that separates him from the world. Baz and Zuz are refugees from a war-torn country and from their past. Coco is an orphan. Mad is obsessed with The Outsiders and may have blood on her hands. They form an unlikely team to scatter Vic's dad's ashes in the most appropriate places in Bergen County, New Jersey, which seems like an achievable goal, but the book opens with Mad and Vic at the Hackensack police station being questioned about a murder. What happened?

Kids of Appetite hits the sweet spot between a mystery, a road trip travelogue, a love story and the tale of how friendship grows and how true friends take care of each other. It's a very quick read and does a good job of jumping around in place and time without confusing the reader. Initially, it's the plot keeps you turning pages, but the characters quickly grow on you too. A great read for anyone who likes books by Jennifer Niven (like All the Bright Places) or Jandy Nelson (like The Sky is Everywhere). 

The Thousandth Floor, by Katharine McGee

A hundred years in the future, New York neighborhoods spread up, not out, and the center of the city is the Tower, a thousand-story skyscraper that encompasses all walks of life. On the very top floor in the penthouse lives Avery Fuller, genetically engineered to be perfect. In the Tower, the further downTower you go, the cheaper and less desirable the real estate, so as denizens of the highest floors, Avery and her friends lead glittering lives as the upper-most echelon of New York society and wealth. But each hides a secret -- a drug addiction, a forbidden love, a long-buried betrayal -- and more than one of them is doomed to a very long trip down, both figuratively and literally.  The Thousandth Floor is an entertaining mix of sci-fi (transportation, energy and communication in the future is as innovative as you might expect) and froth. Just as a book like The Luxe reads like Gossip Girl set in the past, The Thousandth Floor reads like Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars set in the future. Lots of intrigue, romance and teens behaving badly, but lots of fun to read!

Review of Confessions of a Murder Suspect, by James Patterson

The book "Confessions Of A Murder Suspect" is told in the POV of Tandoori (Tandy) Angel, only daughter of the infamous Angel Family. After her parents are found dead in the late hours of the night without any possible ways of break-in, Tandy and her siblings are labeled suspects. In order to find out who killed her parents, she takes the case into her own hands and finds out more about her family and herself than she anticipated. This book was definitely a hook from the start for me and took my mind through a tough process of trying to piece together evidence. Once you think you know who the killer is, it's crushed and a new prime suspect arises. If you are at the average reading level this book is a great read that uses pretty simple vocabulary in a sophisticated way.

~ Reviewed by a Homestead freshman

Spells, by Aprilynne Pike

Spells, the sequel to Wings, was a captivating story about a fairy who struggles to fit in and the understand the injustices of the human world around her, along with the ones of the fairy world,(Avalon) that she recently discovered she belongs to. Laurel tries to balance her life in Avalon and her life with her boyfriend David and her best friend Chelsea in the real world. She  is conflicted between choosing between Tamani a spring fairy, someone who has immensely helped Laurel become accustomed to the strange customs of Avalon, and the appeal of a normal life with David. As she tries to make the choice that will affect  the rest of her life, she battles with Barnes, a troll seeking vengeance, wishing to cause her mortal peril. Spells is a great mix of fantasy and action and perfectly balances to amazing literary aspects.

~ Reviewed by a Homestead freshman

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

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Bittersweet is the word that best describes a multitude of historical fictions like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. The phrase "Bittersweet like 75%" chocolate could most likely illustrate this wondrous book. One might describe that this novel is like a grey, gusty morning with a ray of sunshine peeking through dense clouds. Set in the early 1900s, the story describes a young girl named Francie Nolan who experiences a heart-wrenching yet jocund lifestyle in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn. The story centers more in Francie's teenage years during the soon-to-be-coming war. As she arrives to her adolescent years, she begins to realize that the world is flawed and dingy. Her world is moving faster than she can ever perceive. Weaved with family love and integrity, this novel has reminded readers of their own childhood bliss and family traditions. This story has also encapsulated the everyday objects as a reminder of what one perceived when one was young.

I would expressly recommend this inspiring book to anyone who loves historical fictions or just wants to seek a book out of their comfort zone. This is because this book holds as an enchanting novel that is replete of remarkably rich moments and trivial details. Like a fabric, this story is woven with a myriad of elements that is incredibly relatable and sublime.

It is also essential to recognize that the main character, Francie, could remind a reader of the familiar and pugnacious Anne of Anne of Green Gables and the quick-tempered Jo in Little Women. Thus, this book is one of those novels that no one should ever miss out.

The classic gem of the century...

~ Reviewed by Melody

Review of Twillight, by Stephanie Meyer

When Bella Swan moves to the tiny town of Forks, Washington, to live with her father, she falls head-over-heels in love with vampire Edward Cullen. Socializing with a family of vampires is obviously very dangerous, and the book becomes very suspenseful as we wonder whether Bella will survive even one year.

Bella is a well-developed character who doesn't have much trouble making you sympathize with her, even though you don't empathize. She has seemingly endless bad luck, but Edward always saves her just in time. However, sometimes you do get annoyed at her complete lack of self-confidence (she thinks she's ugly even though most of the boys at Forks High School want to date her).

Edward is like the complete opposite of Bella. Being a vampire, he is super strong, fast, smart, rich, and beautiful, and he knows it. He clearly makes other boys (possibly including male readers) jealous, though he doesn't socialize much with anyone except Bella and his vampire family.
Unfortunately, reading about Edward's actions can actually make you hate him sometimes. He's a very stubborn person, and although he always does what he believes is best for Bella, that's often not what Bella wants for herself. Feminists will definitely be irritated by the extent to which Bella lets Edward control her after they start dating.

Overall, this book is not a traditional vampire story. It puts much more focus on Bella's love for Edward rather than fighting vampires. So, if you are interested in reading a decently-written novel about young-adult love (or just fantasize about extremely hot boyfriends), you will love this book. However, toward the end there is a bit of exciting action and a few good surprises.

Scores:
for stereotypical teen girls:   5 / 5
for people looking for a good YA novel:  3.5 / 5
for serious feminists:  1 / 5

~ Reviewed by an HHS junior

Review of Brain Jack, by Brian Falkner

Brain Jack is a book set 20 years or so in future America, where video game addiction has become a serious epidemic and most are outlawed. Sam is the main protagonist in the story, a teenage boy with a talent for hacking. Him and his friend Fargas get their hands on some new technology called nervegear, which allows you to control an interface using your mind. Sam is recruited by the CDD, (cyber defense division) to fight cyber terrorists. During his first few days working at the CDD sam and his new friends dodge, tyler, and vienna find a new threat that endangers the entire world. I really enjoyed reading this book because it used really casual language and had elements of comedy spread out. You got the sense that the book didn't take itself too seriously, in the best sort of way. Alongside that it touched on some very interesting ideas about what is real. I would recommend this book for someone who enjoys action novels with casual language.

~ Reviewed by Jason C.

The List, by Siobhan Vivian

October is National Bullying Prevention Month  and there are many, many books that deal with bullying and its repercussions in high school. At its heart, bullying is about an imbalance of power, and the results of that imbalance is creatively explored in The List, by Siobhan Vivian. Every year at Mount Washington High School, an anonymous list is posted listing the prettiest and the ugliest girl in each class. No one knows who is responsible or exactly how the choice is made, but once the list is public, everyone views the girls selected through a new lens of admiration or disgust.
The List alternates focus between each of the eight girls on this year's list and how they react. Not all the "ugly" girls are loveless outcasts or even ugly, and some of the "pretty" girls find their inclusion to be a curse. As the year progresses, the school (students, teachers and especially those directly impacted by the List) begins to examine whether the List is a damaging tradition that must be abolished or whether the girls chosen have somehow brought it on themselves. An element of mystery, interesting character perspectives and a briskly entertaining writing style make this a quick and engaging read that leaves a lot to think about afterwards.

If I Was Your Girl, by Meredith Russo

Amanda is the new girl in a small-town high school, and she comes in facing the same problems as

all new kids. Will she make friends? Will she fit in? Will she find love? But Amanda comes with an additional secret -- until recently, she was a boy named Andrew. As she lives her true self for the first time, finding a group of girls she connects to and starting to build a relationship with handsome Grant, Amanda also struggles with how much, if any, of her own story to reveal.
The structure and flow of this book is really engaging. It alternates between Amanda's current experiences at her new school and flashbacks to her past -- her struggle since childhood with her gender identity, her family's reaction, and her transition and challenges. One of the hardest parts of reading this story is how quickly and easily she fits in at her new school. When the reader gets Andrew's experience of always being on the outside, along with ominous foreshadowing of how quickly her new life could crumble in the face of intolerance, there's a bit of dread as we anticipate what's likely in store for Amanda. This is not a tragedy by any means, but there is definitely heartbreak along the way.
The author's note at the end is also valuable. Meredith Russo is also transgender, and speaks frankly about how Amanda's experience are her own and might be very different for other transgender teens and adults. Overall a moving and excellent read.

The Emperor of Any Place, by Tim Wynne-Jones

Evan's father dies unexpectedly with a hand-bound yellow book open on his desk, which starts a series of events that completely changes Evan's life. With no family left, Evan's grandfather, a former Marine and a lifelong military man comes to live with him after a lifetime of estrangement. Evan's dad skipped out on the draft for the Vietnam War and his father, Griff, never forgave him. Evan and Griff's relationship is rocky, and more so after Evan begins to read the mysterious book his father was reading when he died. The book is a diary of a Japanese soldier, marooned on an island during WWII, and Griff plays a role in mysterious circumstances.

The book alternates between present day (Evan's dad's death, conflicts with Griff) and the events taking place in the diary during WWII. Mysteries unfold in both storylines, which can make the book occasionally infuriating -- there are lots of cliffhangers between chapters that make you want to flip ahead -- but overall this book is totally engrossing and a quick, enjoyable, thought-provoking read.

Spell Number 2: Unidentified

Rae Mariz enters school with her science fiction Unidentified. Where everything is monitored and everyone is expected to become entertainment for the rest of the world. At school.
Once a mall, the Game is where students perform for the sponsors, corporations that use the Game to create new fads in the real world, and choose brands, the popular students, to make their products stand out more. Main character Katey, aka Kid goes along with the reason the sponsors created until anti-corporates, or the Unidentified, make a scene by throwing a dummy down from a railing.
Kid is simply one of the many students that play the Game, and even at the end there was no clear reason why the main character would be her. She doesn't join the Unidentified, she isn't the only one who knows of both existences and never cared about either side of the extreme coin.
While the cover creates a sense of intrigue similar to the Bar Code Tattoo, the story inside lacks the flair. Kid and her two friends created a band, but when we are introduced to the story, the third member, Ari keeps flaking out on the group as she rushes to become a brand, but continues to appear in the story, for a reason I cannot understand. It seems the word friend doesn't mean much in this story.
When the plot added the Unidentified, they stood out to the point it was unnatural. If this were Mariz's objective, then the execution was lacking. There was no smooth transaction for adding them into the plot, and the only time Kid ever talked, well they talked plenty, but in a useful manner, was far to the end.
There was a number of unnecessary characters such as knowing the names of the brands, or what they represented that the number o
f names to memorize becomes a hindrance. There were times that I even forgot Kid, let alone her real name.
Oh, and the ever common cliche of being a girl with multiple guys that like you. Mariz focused on how Kid felt, naturally since she's the main character, but not enough on the other end to actually result in the how the book ended.