Review of Caraval

Scarlet, the main character, finds herself in the mystique of Caraval, a game created by the mythical Legend. There is a lot of magic and super glamorous things, but Scarlet is only concerned about her sister. This book was extremely fun to read, a little predictable, and I would recommend it if you like romance (which was a bit too much for me).
~ Reviewed by a Homestead freshman

Review of Brown Girl Dreaming

This book is written in poetry and is super insightful (although I don't even know if I got all of it). This is the "diary" of an African American girl in the United States, free but still segregated and viewed differently. There

isn't much action in this book, but the words and stanzas convey something much more meaningful.
~ Reviewed by a Homestead freshman

Review of Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History

This book ranges from bacteria to lion cannibalism, and then to historical human cannibalism. The author is both resourceful and quirky, the pages filled with wit and diagrams. Scientific terms are broken down for the basic reader, and debunking myths is quite a pervasive theme as well. I had lots of fun reading this until I made the mistake of reading while eating lunch. Needless to say, this book is both creepy and fascinating.
~ Reviewed by a Homestead freshman

Narcissus and Goldmund, by Herman Hesse

The book is about two guys, Narcissus and Goldmund, with very different personalities and their friendship. I've only gotten through a bit of it, but the book itself is pretty interesting. From the cover, and the author's other novels, it would appear to be difficult to understand, but overall, it's pretty comprehensible. On the other hand, it's not a light read sort of book for me, as it's pretty heavy in terms of content.
~ Posted by a Homestead freshman

The Sun is Also a Star, by Nicola Yoon

Natasha and Daniel are fated to be together. But he's a Korean-American on his way to Yale (second

best to his brother's Harvard) and she's a Jamaican-American about to be deported. Through one long day of chance encounters, college interviews, immigration lawyers, shoplifting ex-boyfriends, parent meetings, and the scientific method, Daniel and Natasha fall into the kind of love they think will only happen once in their lifetimes.
This book is for the hopeless romantic in all of us. The chapters are short moments in time, told not only from the perspective of Daniel and Natasha, but also from the points of view of people they encounter throughout the day, like a security guard and a paralegal, and the impact of these encounters on each person. As in her prior book, Nicola Yoon wraps everything up in a way that is both unexpected and very satisfying. Recommended for everyone that believes in lasting love at first sight.

Review of A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin

This is the first book in the series. If you've ever watched the TV series, it might not be as interesting IMO because reading a book after you've watched the movie ruins the experience. But if you haven't watched GOT yet, this is a really good book because it's more complicated than the TV series, and the characters are more real and in-depth. For example, I figured out the parents of a character, a fact that was only revealed 6 or 7 seasons into the TV series, just from reading the first book. That's how complex this book is. But it isn't like reading a textbook; I usually don't like reading fiction or fantasy but this book just blew me away. 9/10 would recommend.

~ Reviewed by a Homestead junior

Review of Poison Study, by Maria Snyder

Poison Study is about a strong female protagonist being selected to be the poison taster to the Throne of Glass, you will love this book as much as I do. I am waiting for the chance to read the second book!
Commander. Throughout the book, she proves her worth as a poison taster as well as a heroine, dauntlessly facing unexpected challenges even with a deeply troubled past. I absolutely loved this book. It was full of plot twists, which I adore, and was extremely well written. Not to mention the magic and romance. It was perfect. I rate it ten out of ten and recommend it to anyone who loves a bad-ass heroine with intelligence and strength. If you liked Throne of Glass, you will love this book as much as I do. I am waiting for the chance to read the second book!

~Sunaina N., 9th grade