Rise of the Snake Goddess: A Samantha Knox Novel is an archeological adventure about Sam and her friends Bennett and Jo. Definite female Indiana Jones vibe! Sam is attending college and excelling, however after being denied the opportunity to participate in a trip she rightfully earned her place in, she is determined to prove herself. After coming across a letter asking for assistance deciphering a symbol found in a cave in Greece, Sam is insistent on traveling and looking into this new challenge. Along with Bennett and Jo, Sam journeys to Greece to decipher the symbol’s meaning. But what will the symbol lead to? And will she be putting herself and her friends in danger? This was an interesting story with a beautiful setting. It has great descriptions and was an awesome read. It’s funny and full of suspense. It’s entertaining and the characters were great. However, this is the second book in the series so I would definitely advise reading book one, Curse of the Specter Queen, first! Miriam S., EO Blogger
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It’s 1979 and Jasmine Zumideh is ready to get the heck out of her stale, Southern California suburb and into her dream school, NYU, where she’ll major in journalism and cover New York City’s exploding music scene. There’s just one teeny problem: Due to a deadline snafu, she maaaaaaybe said she was Senior Class President-Elect on her application—before the election takes place. But honestly, she’s running against Gerald Thomas, a rigid rule-follower whose platform includes reinstating a dress code—there’s no way she can lose. And she better not, or NYU will rescind her application.
But then, an international incident turns the election upside down: a group of students in Iran, fed up with the U.S.’s interference in Iranian politics, takes the American Embassy in Tehran—and the people within it—hostage. And, as the Iran Hostage Crisis dominates the nightly news, her opponent seizes the opportunity to stir up anti-Iranian sentiment at school and turn the electorate against her—with the help of her outspoken brother, who never stops talking about it. Now, as the white lie she told snowballs into an avalanche, Jasmine is stuck between claiming her heritage or hiding it, standing by her outspoken brother or turning her back on him, winning the election or abandoning her dreams for good. Everyone has dreams about escaping their town and having their freedom, whether that be going to college or moving to a different city. For Jasmine, the journalism department at NYU is all she’s ever wanted, and the only thing that’s stopping her is an outstanding application. But when an international incident interferes with her plans to win her school election, Jasmine has to pick between her future, or standing up for her heritage. Jasmine Zumideh Needs A Win takes place in an LA suburb in California in 1979. The author writes a story that follows Jasmine through her struggles of high school and how she decides how to handle the situations that she encounters. Jasmine is a character that everyone can find something to relate to. Between dealing with the election, and drama with her friends, readers are taken on a journey that encompasses the meaning of loyalty, determination, and self-discovery. This book was a great read. I enjoyed the characters and how much of a strong figure Jasmine is. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a relatable book about kids in high school, and chasing after your dreams. With all the events that take place, you will constantly be turning the page to find out what Jasmine is going to encounter next. Bronwyn M., EO Blogger Does this sounds like a book you would want to read? Comment below and enter to win your OWN COPY! "There is no such thing as loyalty here, girl, only bargains." Calliope, or Calla, as her friends call her, is on the run. Each witch in Illustros is connected by fate to the Witch’s Dice—magical die that gives witches their powers. Once a witch completes their six rolls, and has six numbers tattooed on their arm, they are compelled to do whatever the witch queen’s demand of them. Calla is in possession of a rare and unique power, one that would be very valuable to the Rogue Queen, who has put out a very large bounty on her head. After a run in with her ex turns her three rolls into four, she must venture into the Neverending Forest to find the Witch Eater, who is the only one with the ability to erase all her Rolls of Fate, finally granting her freedom. This book is a roller coaster of emotions, and the plot is very well written. I think that the author did a very good job of making the characters realistic, and raw. This book is just so unique, and unlike anything I’ve read before. It makes it so much more interesting to read. Another thing I really love about this book is that it’s not predictable. The author doesn’t disclose everything right away, and you never know what is going to happen next. 10/10, would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, or is wanting to try something new! Bailey F., EO Blogger To learn what she can become, she must first discover who she is. Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove is about Katyani, a girl who is bonded to the queen of Chandela through a soul bond. Katyani was raised in the palace of Chandela; she has been told that the queen saved Katyani by bonding them together. Katyani is a part of garuda, the royal guard, and is in charge of protecting the royal family. After multiple assassination attempts on the royal family occur, Katyani is charged with protecting the princes while they journey to and attend a school in Nandovana. Katyani is reluctant to go, but has to. Before their training is complete, Katyani and the princes are summoned back to Chandela. After returning to Chandela, a series of tragic events happen and Katyani is uprooted from the life she has known. She must fight to make things right and fix everything that has happened. This was such a great book. It was engaging and hard to put down. I loved that there was always something happening and that there was a lot of action. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout the story which made it really interesting and suspenseful. It’s well written and overall just an awesome story! Miriam S., EO Blogger Summer in Ferry, Connecticut, has always meant long, lazy days at the beach and wild nights partying in the abandoned mansions on the edge of town. Until now, that is.
Natalie Temple, who’s never been one for beaches or parties in the first place, is reeling from the murder of her favorite teacher, and there’s no way this true-crime-obsessed girl is going to sit back and let the rumor mill churn out lie after lie - even if she has to hide her investigation from her disapproving mom and team up with the new boy in town… But the more Natalie uncovers, the more she realizes some secrets were never meant to be told. A teenage summer - fun with your friends, partying, and enjoying your 3 months of freedom. You would never expect a teacher to turn up dead. For Natalie, this is her reality, and unlike most, she wants to jump headfirst into the investigation. From turning into a rebel child, to finding justice for a teacher that always believed in her, Natalie will turn this summer into a summer she’ll never forget. Killing Time by Brenna Ehrlich is set in Ferry, Connecticut, and portrays the town that has the rich side, and the poor side. In Ferry, it is very uncommon to see the two sides interact, as it is expected for you to stay in your own social class. The author did a really good job of breaking this expectation through the story because of the interactions that Natalie had with other people, and provided unexpected turns throughout the plotline. I thoroughly enjoyed this book because of the mystery and the genuine and relatable characters. I would recommend Killing Time to anyone who’s looking for a good read that will make you want to keep turning the pages and discover a shocker of an ending! Bronwyn M., EO Blogger Nothing will get in the way of Millie Price’s dream of becoming a Broadway star. Not her lovable but super introverted dad. Not her drama club rival, Oliver, who is the very definition of Simmering Romantic Tension. And not her “Millie Moods,” the feelings of intense emotion that threaten to overwhelm. Millie needs an ally. And when an accidentally left-open browser brings Millie to her dad’s LiveJournal from 2003, Millie knows just what to do - find her mom.
But how can you find a new part of your life and expect it to fit into your old one without leaving any marks? And why is it that when you go looking for the past, it somehow keeps bringing you back to what you’ve had all along? Have you ever thought that you had your life planned out, and that nothing could get in the way? But what you thought would be an easy road turns out to have many hurdles, would you still try to follow the plan? Millie thought the plan was to go to pre college for acting, and become a huge Broadway star. However, when her dad says no to traveling across the country for school, her enemy Oliver is competing for the same internship she is, and Millie decides that she wants to find her mom, Millie has to figure out the summer, and what’s more important to her. But when she starts catching feelings for Oliver, and the feelings are reciprocated, she discovers her mom isn’t who she was expecting, and that maybe a move across the country isn’t for her, Millie has no idea what to make of everything. The only thing she does know? That this summer is going to be crazy! This book takes place in New York City. Readers are quickly immersed into Millie’s world and feel as if they are next to Millie as she goes on her summer adventure. The author includes situations and moments in the book that any reader can relate to because this book allows readers to make connections with a character that is going through a stage of self-discovery, like everyone does at some time in their lives. I loved this book because the characters are so relatable and the author takes you on such a great journey that makes you feel as if you are right beside Millie and Oliver, and anyone the author includes! I definitely believe that when you read a good book, the characters will resonate with you and stay with you forever, much like these characters do. If you love a book about romance, self-discovery, and having fun, you will love When You Get The Chance by Emma Lord. Bronwyn M., EO Blogger “Confess, and you’ll be free.” Blackmail lures 16 year old Ava to the derelict amusement park on Portgrave Pier. She is one of 10 people summoned, all with secrets they intend to protect–whatever the cost. When fog and magic swallow the pier, the group find themselves cut off from the real world. Something evil knows their deepest secrets. Something dark lured them to the abandoned pier. As they turn on one another, Ava will have to face up to the secret that brought her here and decide how far she’s willing to go…because only one can survive. Good Girls Die First is set in Portgrave, a town on the coast of Britain. Everything is as usual, when a group of seemingly random kids all receive notes telling them to go to Portgrave Pier with the threat of their secrets being revealed. Ava, a 16 year old looking for a new image, gets a note that could ruin everything. "Eight O'clock. Portgrave Pier. Can you keep a secret?" Worried someone knows something they shouldn't, and wary of someone revealing what she’s tried so hard to keep hidden, she ventures off. Arriving at the pier, she finds that she isn't the only one to be invited and not the only one unwilling to reveal their secrets - Jolie, her best friend, and Clem, the popular boy are also there. What secrets are they hiding? Who and what else will be on the pier tonight? Finding more people along the way, the night leads to even more questions and accusations to whomever sent the notes. Wet, scared, and stuck on the island, the group struggles to find a way to escape the dangers waiting for them. Ava must find a way to get the group to stop fighting and get them off the island before it's too late. The book was an amazing read filled with plot twists and thrills. At every page turn, I would rush to find what the characters' next move would be and if there was another unexpected change. I generally prefer dystopian type books, but this one was hard to put down with new questions brewing in my head at every turn. Throughout the story, it was interesting to picture her descriptions of things on the pier. I think the best part of reading this book for me is the betrayal and character development. Above all else, Ava, the main protagonist, faced an abundance of challenges filled with various friends and foes. Good Girls Die First will have you question reality, and leave you with a different view on paranormal fiction. Madison S., EO Blogger “‘I’ve made a decision.’ She waited, and then nudged him with her foot. ‘Well?’ Leo sat up. ‘I’m going to stay dead.’” The Stars Between Us is a wondrous fairytale about marrying for love after being down in the scraps your whole life. Wait, scratch that, this is not a fairytale. This book is a captivating dystopian novel that takes mysteries and lies to a whole new level. Without even reaching the end of the first chapter, there was already a tangle of secrets that needed to be solved. Would you leave your life behind in hopes to help your family? In this book the main character has to decide just that and the web she spins to stay in a high society may just break apart all that she’s sacrificed. Vika, who this whole story starts with, lives on the…well there are no words to describe how terrible this place is, but it's bad. You may think what could even be interesting about that, hmmm do I have something to tell you. When she was little there was this man who had set up a tutor for her from their neighboring planet who was rich. And I mean they could buy a whole other planet if they wanted to, but Vika’s family never knew who was responsible. Very recently this very rich and famous man, Rigel Chapin, died. Vika thought nothing of it until the Chapins’s lawyers were at her door saying that she has to marry his son Leo, so he can inherit the money. Which, by the way, makes her rich too. She didn’t know if she could marry someone she didn’t know or love. Would you? But then tragedy strikes and puts Vika’s whole life on a different path. On top of that, a mysterious man named Sky Foster shows up and he seems to be everywhere she is. But when Vika is invited to live on the fabulous neighboring planet Plutous, the mysterious stranger Sky follows her there. Vika has to figure out how to live a high society life while people around her are constantly being shady about the Chapin will. But who is Sky and how does he fit in to what is happening? How will this story end? Read the book to find out. Okay, so while reading this book I had a lot of oooo's, aahh's, and nooo moments and moments when I had to close the book from absolute shock. I really did love how well the author gave each character their own personality and how even though some had something in common they also had different experiences that led up to these moments. The twists and turns will leave you wanting more, even at the very end. I was frozen from disbelief at the final pages of this book, I thought there was no time to resolve this problem, no way, did they resolve it? This book will definitely stay in my top five favorite books, and I highly, infinitely recommend reading it! Olivia F., EO Blogger Everyone always says not to judge a book by its cover, but I decided to read this book because the title sounded cool and I liked the cover. It was an interesting twist on your typical mystery with a touch of romance. Poppy is a teenage girl in a family with a strict set of rules. They are constantly on the run and never stay in one place for too long. Poppy can’t really have friends (or a boyfriend) because her parents don’t want anyone to breach the security of their family and she never knows when her family is going to leave...sometimes in the blink of an eye. Oh, and her parents won’t tell her why they are on the run. She didn’t do anything wrong, her parents are in hiding for some reason unknown to her so she is in hiding too. Identity is what gives us our meaning and purpose so the idea of living without really knowing who your parents are or what your true identity is hard to wrap my head around. So what happens when Poppy taking a DNA test, unbeknownst to her parents? She is reaching the age that most people go off to college, but with her family situation that isn’t really discussed as an option. Confused and tired of the constant hiding she takes a brave step to figure out who her family really is. She had absolutely no idea what she was getting into. And then, there’s also the boy she meets in math class. I enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down because I was eager to find out what happened. Overall a good read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of suspense combined with teenage realistic fiction. Annabelle K., EO Blogger Amber McCloud’s dream is to become cheer captain at the end of the year, but it’s an extra-tall order to be joyful and spirited when the quarterback of your team has been killed in a car accident. For both the team and the squad, watching Robbie get replaced by newcomer Jack Walsh is brutal. And when it turns out Jack is actually short for Jaclyn, all hell breaks loose. The players refuse to be led by a girl, the cheerleaders are mad about the changes to their traditions, and the fact that Robbie’s been not only replaced but outshined by a QB who wears a sports bra has more than a few Atherton Alligators in a rage. Amber tries for some semblance of unity, but it quickly becomes clear that she’s only got a future on the squad and with her friends if she helps them take Jack down. Just one problem: Amber and Jack are falling for each other, and if Amber can’t stand up for Jack and figure out how to get everyone to fall in line, her dream may come at the cost of her heart. Have you ever felt the need to hide your true self? Do you feel that you would be shamed if you weren’t like everyone else? Imagine having to hide your identity from your closest friends because they don’t understand what it is like to be queer. That is the everyday struggle for Amber McCloud who is afraid how her cheerleading squad and homophobic school will react. Home Field Advantage takes place in Atherton, Florida, where the town is reeling from the loss of the quarterback in a car accident, and no one is pleased that the new quarterback is a girl, who just happens to be named Jack. Everyone is quick to be mean, but the only one who’s nice is Amber. She quickly realizes that she has feelings for Jack, but when being anything but being straight is frowned upon at school, Amber is forced to keep her feelings to herself. But when problems arise, and Amber discovers things about people she thought she knew, she wonders if it’s really worth it to keep hiding. This book was irresistible because of the character development, and of the conflicts that took place. I was excited to turn the pages to see what would happen next! Dahlia Adler did an amazing job portraying the struggles Amber goes through and how she overcomes them by standing up for herself and realizing that it’s ok to be different. I haven’t read a lot of LGBTQ+ books, but this one is now one of my favorites! Home Field Advantage will have you cheering and booing, all while connecting with characters that will last with you forever. EO Blogger, Bronwyn M. |
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December 2022
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