Tone Deaf, by Olivia Rivers

The book Tone Deaf by Olivia Rivers is about a girl named Ali who has a abusive father, and her attempt at running away. She meets a band member named Jace and they fall in love and realize how similar they are. When Jace suddenly gets a seizure because someone drugged his punch, she knows she has to call 9-1-1, even if it means getting caught. When paramedics arrive, she realizes that she is in deep trouble. They clearly recognize her and fly her back to her dad. Everything just seems to go downhill from there. I would recommend this book to anyone. It will hook you from beginning to end, and sadly, may even show the darker parts of life.

~ Posted by Chloe P., Homestead freshman

P.S. I Still Love You, by Jenny Han

Lara Jean and Peter are officially a couple but when her old friend John Ambrose McClaren comes back to town receiving the letter, drama between the 2 occur making the choice for Lara Jean hard to choose. In the end she chooses Peter. I'm Team John, he sounds like a much better guy to date and really likable. I rate this book a 4/5.

~ Posted by Thien-Nhi V., Homestead freshman

Encyclopedia of Genetics

The genetics book is awesome. It is very interesting and easy to understand. It will be useful for everybody, especially for those who are taking biology now because the big test is based on DNA to protein unit test. I suggest everybody to read that book and use the other genetics book, that is genetics encyclopedia as a reference book if they can't understand something from the genetics book. The genetics encyclopaedia book is a very good reference book. I suggest my fellow students to read those two books.

~ Posted by Monjima, HHS sophomore

The Prince and the Dressmaker, by Jen Wang

This book tells the story of a girl called Frances who is pulled into the world of royalty when Crown Prince Sebastian of Belgium hires her to be his dressmaker. Her sense of fashion allow her to make creations for Sebastian that come alive to all who view them. However, Sebastian's secret is that he loves to dress like a girl. I love this book because of the heartwarming dialogue between the two characters, and how a chance occurrence turns into a beautiful friendship.

~ Posted by a Homestead senior 

Review of Puddin' by Julie Murphy

The book Puddin' by Julie Murphy is the second book in a two part series, the first book being Dumplin'. It is written in a dual perspective. The book is about two girls, Millie Michalchuk and Callie Reyes. They are complete opposites, with Millie being the optimistic nice girl who used to go to fat camp every year and Callie being the popular mean girl who is part of the dance team and next in line to become captain. Despite them being polar opposites, a certain turn of events brought the two together. This led to the girls spending a lot of time together and really getting to know one another and realizing they had more in common than they thought which led to an uplifting friendship between them. Throughout the story the girl's friendship brought out the best in them and changed them both for the better.

~ Posted by Jessica F., HHS freshman

Beowuf, translated by John McNamara

(Image Source: Barnes and Noble)

Endurance, by Alfred Lansing

  

I just started reading a new book called Endurance by Alfred Lansing. It is about an explorer named Ernest Shackleton who sails through the arctic. One day, his ship gets stuck between two chunks of ice and he and his crew are forced to walk through Antarctica on foot. The book immediately starts off with action and adventure. I would recommend it to anyone who likes suspense and adventure. It reminds me a little bit of The Martian by Andy Weir, which I also highly recommend.

~ Posted by Sofia, 9th grade

City of Fallen Angels, By Cassandra Clare

I seriously cannot put this book down, it's so good! Jace is "possessed," and Clary and all those who are close to him are trying to save him, but to the Clave have different plans, because if they kill Jace, then the bond between him and Sebastian will force Sebastian to die as well. All at the same time, Jace and Clary are drawn toward each other, and Clary is faced with a difficult choice- she'll do anything for Jace- Jace Lightwood, but is this Jace the Jace she knew before?

~ Posted by Frances J., Homestead freshman

The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas

The main character of this book is Starr. One of her friends got shot by a white police officer and now Starr has to speak about what happened that night. From Gangs trying to shut her up to riots and protests about Starr's friend. This book is one of the best books in my opinion.

~ Posted by a Homestead freshman

Prince of Tennis series

I really enjoyed the books. They were action packed and it really made me feel nervous when it looked like they were about to lose.
~Posted by a Homestead freshman

Three great reads

King's Cage, by Victoria Aveyard

This is the third book in the Red Queen Series, the story are full of adventure and thrilling plot twists. ~ Mo C., HHS sophomore

Watchmen, by Alan Moore

Watchmen is an awesome adventurous comic book about superheroes just like the Justice League both owned by DC Comics. I would give this book five stars, but beware it does contain rated R content. ~Rithvik M., HHS freshman

City of Bones, by Cassanda Clare
This book was recommended to me by a friend, and I'm so happy I read it. For all readers who like action, mythical worlds, romance... this book is for you. Read it! ~ Frances J., HHS freshman

Uprising, by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Uprising, by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Three separate girls live three separate lives, but during the suffrage movement of the early 1900s, they all become intertwined. Jane is a rich girl who becomes devoted to the cause, Yetta is a Jewish immigrant and a shirtwaist girl longing for her rights, and Bella is an Italian immigrant set on saving her family, even if it means making shirtwaists and adapting to New York City over Italy. Over the course of two years, disaster makes them become the closest of friends.

This book was quite fast paced, but with accurate historical notes and interesting perspectives into the girl's minds. It focuses on the bonds between friends, along with women's rights and the hard choices that have to be made in order to survive. I think this book is very good for those interested in historical fiction, strong female leads, or just a good book to read.

~ Posted by a Homestead freshman

To All The Boys I've Loved Before, by Jenny Han

To All The Boys I've Loved Before, by Jenny Han

This book is about a junior girl and has written 5 love letters about her crushes, she's never sent the letters. But one day, the letters are mailed to them.

If you're not much of a bookworm, this is a good book to read if you've also seen the movie so you can compare the two and have a better understanding of the book.

~ Posted by a Homestead freshman

Anna Dressed in Blood, by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood mainly centers around the connection that Cas, a ghost hunter, has with the most powerful ghost he has ever met. Her name is Anna Dressed in Blood. He spends the book trying to figure her out, trying to get her, a notorious killer, to tell him how she died. This, he believes, is the key to killing her. As he falls deeper and deeper into the mystery that is Anna, how will he bring himself to kill her? This is more a romance novel than a ghost hunter novel. Cas struggles with Anna, and I am just wondering about the ghosts. I enjoyed reading the book, but if you are in it for the ghosts, look somewhere else. This book has some funny scenes, but it's clear that a lot of the characters have some depth that comes with their past. It kind of reminds me of a book I know called, "How to Hang a Witch", by Adriana Mather. I recommend that book as well.

~ Reviewd by a Homestead freshman

Scythe, by Neal Shusterman

This novel is about two teenagers who live in the future. They live in a time where there is no more death, sickness, and hunger. But these two are chosen to become Scythes, people set out from normal society, gleaning, or killing permanently, people as a duty. This novel will captivate you throughout the entire story.

Reviewed by Nathan K., Homestead freshman

When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi

When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, moving memoir on the relationships between a doctor and a patient and the challenges of facing death, all written by an exceptional writer who experienced it all.

~Posted by Chloe P., HHS freshman

Cress, by Marissa Meyer

Cress is similar to Divergent, except it's more action packed with fantasy. The novel builds on the fairy tales, Cinderella. Cress is stuck in this satellite and she finally gets out with a few sacrifices from a bunch of online friends. However, she was pulled into a mission to uncrown the lunar queen when she join her friends. ~Posted by Yoshifumi H.

Two recommendations

Scythe is an exiting book to read with the perfect amount of action and conflict. One of the best novels I have ever read. (Posted by Nathan K.)

 The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a hrilling short story with an absolute unexpected killer ending. Full of suspense! (Posted by a Homestead freshman)

Walt Disney, by Elizabeth Dana Jaffe

Walt Disney was a trailblazer, the man who created Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and many other memorable characters. Starting with an artistic mind and a batch of good ideas, Disney made advances in filmmaking that were far-reaching in their day and have become standards in the movie industry today. He introduced Technicolor and sound to animation, and he was the first to produce a full-length animated feature. Despite many failures in Disney's life he never gave up. I liked this book a lot. It is a very good book. It is good for other students too. By reading this book they get to know about Disney's life, how he worked hard even though he was poor. Students get to learn that despite many failures in there life they should never give up. I suggest all the other students to read this book. Thank you.
~ Posted by Monjima G

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Quackery, by Lydia Kang

This book is a very informative yet hilarious way of listing different quackeries, or fake cures designed to make money off of people. The substances span from Mercury to a simple King's touch. You will enjoy every moment of reading this book.

~ Posted by a Homestead sophomore

Far From The Tree, by Robin Benway

This novel is told from three perpecutives, Grace, Maya and Joaquin. Grace, at sixteen years old, gets pregnant with her boyfriend Max, and has to deal with Max breaking up with her, getting disowned by his parents and learns what it means to be a mom in high school. She is an only child and learns what it's like to have siblings Maya tries her best to fit into her adopted family and becomes a middle child with her siblings. Joaquin has never had a permanent family until he discoveres Linda and Mark. He has no interest in finding his biological mother, knowing she only dumped him for good.

I saw the cover of this book and instantly wanted to read it. I read the summary as well hoping the book was as good as the cover. As I was reading, I found myself learning lots about adopted family and what it looks like not to fit in. It gave me a new look on life and showed me that not everyone has a family as I do. I learned I often take for granted my family and lucky to have my sibling.

~ Reviewed by a Homestead sophomore

The Fallen, by Thomas E. Sniegoski

The book is about a young man discovering powers exactly when turned 18. At first he thought he was just crazy, but unfortunately, it was much more serious than that. He is part of an ancient prophecy.
Read more to find out what that means!

~ Posted by a Homestead sophomore

Eragon series, by Christopher Paolini

Eragon is the first installment of a four-book series by Christopher Paolini. It takes place in a mythical world called Alagaesia, and follows the journey of a young man named Eragon, who finds a mysterious blue stone while hunting, and discovers that it is a dragon egg. His discovery results in the overturning of his once peaceful life and thrusts the fate of Alagaesia in his hands. He and his dragon, Saphira, may be the only hope of overthrowing King Galbatorix, an evil and corrupt king. An old man, and a former dragon rider himself, named Brom helps him along the way, to find one of the last groups resisting the king's reign. The book was a fantastic read, as the author does a really good job building the plot and making you really invested in the lives of the characters. The rest of the books are about Eragons's fate, as he struggles to bear the weight of Alagaesia on his shoulders, and tries to be the symbol of hope that the people need in such dire times. There are plenty of twists and turns within the story and the books only get better, so I highly recommend reading all four of the books. 

~ Reviewed by Matthew Y., Homestead 9th grader

Review of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkein

If you consider yourself a fan of fictional literature, The Lord of the Rings is an incredible classic read that completely transported me to a different world. I have read many books, and these books by J.R.R. Tolkien are truly special. Tolkien's ability to create a legendary world, with memorable characters is utterly infallible, and still inspires me today. The trilogy conveys the story of how the destiny of a world called Middle Earth falls upon the shoulders of a simple hobbit, named Frodo Baggins of the shire. Hobbits are not known to be adventurous in any way, yet their inner strength can be quite unpredictable. A golden ring that is passed down to him turns out to be a object of incredible strength and evil, sought by Sauron, the epitome of darkness and malice. Sauron created the ring, but he was parted from it in the last war. It is concluded that the only logical way to prevent the ring from ending up in Sauron's hands is to destroy it in the fires whence it was forged, in the land of Mordor, where Sauron himself dwells. The books follow the events of this epic quest to free Middle Earth from Sauron and restore a new age of peace to the lands. The Hobbit shares the adventure of how the ring got so far from Sauron in the first place, and ultimately ended up in the shire.
~ Posted by Matthew Y., Homestead 9th grader

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Review of The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

Narrated by Death, The Book Thief is focused on Liesel Meminger, a young girl living in Munich, Germany. With the help of her foster father, Liesel learns to read and form deep connections with others. Her insatiable thirst for books forces her to steal from Nazi book-burnings and from the mayor’s wife’s library. Furthermore, she defies society’s supreme law by secretly reading to the Jewish man, Max Vandenburg, who is hidden in her basement. In return, Max writes her a story, “The Word Shaker”, which helps her discover the power of language. Liesel realizes the ability for words to cause damage, such as Nazi propaganda. At the same time, they were a gift of comfort and a place for refuge. Eventually, her understanding shapes her character and results in a tremendous transformation from the beginning of the novel to the end.
As an avid reader of historical fiction, I most certainly enjoyed Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief and would recommend this book to others. Moreover, I personally believe that the message Zusak delivers is extremely crucial. This book also shows that amidst hardships and adversity, there is still love, which is the light at the end of the tunnel. For example, Liesel herself loved books. Hans and Rosa Hubermann, Liesel’s foster parents, loved Liesel the most. There are many ways the characters are bonded through love; Liesel’s father shows his love frankly, while her mother’s form of love is somewhat oblique. Also, Liesel and her family were very courageous. They put their lives at risk to do what is morally right: they helped a starving Jewish man, Max. Although the rest of society blindly follows Hitler’s rules, the Hubermanns and Liesel have a mind of their own: they stand out to do what is right, even if no one is watching.
Another recurring message throughout the entire novel is that words have power. Rather than use weapons to fight, why don’t we use words, a form of non-violence fighting? Words are extremely powerful, perhaps even stronger than guns, money, and brute force. When Max writes Liesel “The Word Shaker”, he reveals how much words can do. Hitler never used guns or money to change people and manipulate them. He used words; he was an excellent orator. This can be applied to our daily lives as well. One should take the time to appreciate this gift of language. Without words, there would be no communication, no train of thought, no books; the list goes on and on. Words may seem like something so little that it has nearly no value. In other words, one should appreciate the small things in his or her life.

~ Reviewed by Emma

A Cup of Friendship, by Deborah Rodriguez

A Cup of Friendship, by Deborah Rodriguez

This book is amazing. It is staged in the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul. It's about the life of many different people with different beliefs and cultures and how they come together to combat social norms. I highly recommend it because it taught me how privileged we are and how much we take for granted. It also showed me how the culture is like in a different country.

~ Posted by a Homestead freshman

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is a story placed in the near future. As it explores how books will be viewed then, it also has an interesting fast paced plot with mysteries unraveling at every corner.

~ Reviewed by a Homestead freshman

(This book is also the Homestead Library book club's first selection; stay tuned for date and time.)

Review of Turtles All The Way Down, by John Green

This was a really interesting book. The main character has a type of OCD that causes her to have certain habits and isolates her from others. This book illustrates the struggle with herself through an interesting plot full of romance, relatable challenging decisions, like what to do after college, and mystery. It introduced me to a different perspective and helped me understand the difficulties of OCD. I highly recommend it.

~ Posted by a Homestead freshman

Review of More Than This, by Patrick Ness

Seth thinks he died and went to hell. That’s the only explanation he can think of after he drowned and woke up completely alone, that is. If you want a book that will keep you on your toes guessing what will happen next, this one’s for you. Fantastically written, this book will tug at your heartstrings and help you realize that there is truly more than this.

~ Posted by a Homestead junior

Review of Life of Pi, by Yann Martel

The Life of Pi talks about a boy who gets separated from his parents in the ocean and has to live with a tiger on a small boat. He faces these challenges and had to get out of his comfort zone in order to survive, like being a carnivore instead of a vegetarian. I was surprised on how I was eager to read and not get bored even though half of the book is just on a boat with a boy and a tiger. I recommend a 4.5 stars for its meaning behind the story.

~Posted by a Homestead freshman

The Radius of Us, by Marie Marquardt

When Gretchen and Phoenix first see each other, she is terrified by his resemblance to a stranger who attacked her and left her changed forever. Phoenix is a Salvadoran refugee seeking asylum after horrific gang violence drives him and his younger brother to flee, and he is stung by her reaction, which cements his feeling that he is an outsider who can never belong.
But Grace seeks Phoenix out later to apologize, and the two begin a tentative friendship (and later romance) as they help each other navigate the treacherous terrain of healing.

The Radius of Us does a great job balancing serious issues (PTSD, anxiety, gang violence, immigration issues) with the more familiar day-to-day teen issues of breaking up, falling in love, and being a good friend to your friends. The larger challenges that Phoenix faces (fleeing gang violence, seeking asylum, trying to be reunited with his brother who was detained as an unaccompanied minor) are addressed with realistic sensitivity. This book has a lot to offer for readers of all interests.