ARC Review: #Murdertrending

ARC Review: #Murdertrending

Before we begin I really just need to express my instant attraction and connection with this novel as soon as I began reading. The beginning just draws you in so quickly and makes you hungry for me, I ate this book up faster than I even expected to. The story is so thrilling and exciting that you just can’t wait for what will happen in the next chapter. I highly recommend you snag a copy of this book at any bookstore possible, trust me, you won’t regret it. Here’s just a quick insight on what great story you’ll get in the novel #Murdertrending by Gretchen Mcneil.

Dee is an ordinary girl living in the near future of our world, until she’s not. She’s been convicted of a first-degree murder that she didn’t commit, and now she has to pay. In the future, there’s an app documenting the executions of Alcatraz 2.0, a new prison that’s also, a death camp.
And that’s just where’s Dee is headed.
She wakes up hazed and distraught in a death machine of her own, but she’s not alone. A killer from the Postman is sent to execute her as soon as possible, and she has very little time. She runs off from her killer, defending herself with a small mirror, wearing a cartoonish Cinderella dress that her executioner fit her in.

In a quick turn of events, predator becomes prey.

Her executioner falls on his sword and is pierced through the stomach and bleeds out, quickly dying, all while Dee watches in terror. She quickly becomes trending on the app and is known as the #CinderellaSurvivor, but fame in Alcatraz 2.0 is the worst thing you can have. Soon, Dee will be sought after by almost every furious executioner in the camp and she has no way out...or does she?
Dee, along with her new found friends and partners will try to escape, try to prove their innocence and try to make it out of Alcatraz 2.0, but will they do it, dead or alive?

Title: #MurderTrending
Author: Gretchen Mcneil
Publisher: Freeform
Review By: Ava H.

ARC Review: We Say #Never Again

ARC Review: We Say #NeverAgain

In the novel, We Say #NeverAgain it goes deeper into the story the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The story is told from the point of view of the teachers and the students. After the shooting, the students are told by their teacher to do a report on the vigil that is going to be held for the students and teachers who lost their lives. Once the students start to do their reporting about the school shooting there are other reports are saying that they are only reporting for fame. The students are pushed into the spotlight to tell their story.

My favorite characters in the book are the students. The students are the light at the end of the tunnel. They are using their voices to spread awareness. They are shining the light on things that don’t don’t get that much attention. I also like how it is told from the point of view of the teachers and the students. The students had to be brave in order to share their stories. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in stories that are told from different point of views. If you are like me and like to read things that are more about a tragedy and how to overcome them then you should read this book.

Title: We Say #NeverAgain

Editors: Melissa Falkowski & Eric Garner

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Review By: Tyaria H.

ARC Review: Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee

ARC Review: Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee

Rayne and Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner brings the characters Josie and Delia to life. Josie and Delia are two best friends who co-host their own TV show called Midnite Matinee. When they record their show, they dress up as their on-screen personas, Rayne and Delilah. The two of them love the aspect of being on TV reviewing super low-budget horror movies, but have to deal with their own problems first. Their school lives are coming to an end, and Josie is torn. Her parents are encouraging her to take an internship to be on TV, but that would mean she would have to leave Delia and the show behind. While Josie is stuck between worlds, Delia is trying to find a lost one. Delia’s dad left her when she was young, and she wants to know why. She hires a private investigator to find her dad, and once she finds word of him, she’s hesitant to look for more.

Rayne and Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner was such a good read, and I give it a rating of five stars. The characters of this book are very easy to relate to and very likable, you’ll fall in love with this book instantly. My favorite character from this book is Josie, and I can relate with her struggle of trying to figure out what to do after high school, or even just trying to figure out the future. I recommend this book to anybody who is looking for a good and interesting read.

Title: Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee

Author: Jeff Zentner

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Review By: Danielle H.

ARC Review: Witch Born

ARC Review: Witch Born

The book Witch Born by Nicholas Bowling follows Alyce, the daughter of a witch, who’s been safely hidden away by her mother. When witch hunters come and kill her money, she is forced to run away from her home, with a letter from her mother that she’s supposed to deliver to a man named John Dee. She gets locked away in an insane asylum temporarily and meets a boy named Solomon while making her escape. He takes her to an inn, where she’s taken care of by the inn’s owner. She learns more about practicing witchcraft while searching for John Dee, along with the quest her mother left her. But she soon finds herself dipping into dangerous magic involving the dead.

My favorite character in this book is Alyce. She handles her situation well and she doesn’t give up on searching for her goal. She’s a mentally strong character, and she has some experience with witchcraft. She has a nice personality and is a relatable character. Though she makes some reckless decisions regarding dangerous witchcraft, she handles her other decisions well and recovers quickly from bad situations.I enjoyed reading this book because it has a great and interesting magic system and involves parts of actual history. The entire world, plot, and magic was very interesting. The author did a great job with the setting, too. It was very well written and it was an exciting read.

Title: Witch Born

Author: Nicholas Bowling

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc

Review By: Colette H.

      

ARC Review: Summer Bird Blue

ARC Review: Summer Bird Blue

Have you ever imagined losing someone who meant the world to you? In the book Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn  Bowman writes about the reality of Rumi the main character losing her best friend and sister in an unexpected car crash one day. After the crash Rumi was devastated as was her mom, Rumi blamed everything on her mom and decided not to talk to her as she was recovering from the traumatizing news. Rumi had no other parent figure other than her mom because her dad had left the family as soon as Leah, Rumi’s now dead sister was born. As her mom was trying to recover she made a poor choice and sent Rumi off to Hawaii for the summer so she could grieve alone. This idea made Rumi go crazy and the only emotion she ended up having was sadness she became antisocial through expressing these emotions. When Rumi was at Hawaii while her mom was grieving she met a variety of friends that picked her up when she was feeling down and that helped her get her mind off her sister's death. I recommend this book because it's well written realistic fiction story as well as it helps people realize that no one life is perfect. Additionally, every character has their differences and unique ways that their life is difficult for example in today’s society and those difference bring everyone together. Lastly, I recommend this book to everyone because the author does a great way of showing that even the hardest things in your life can be overcome although it may take time and may not be easy you can overcome anything.

Title: Summer Bird Blue

Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Review By: Dana D.

ARC Review: Hey, Kiddo

ARC Review: Hey, Kiddo

Books are a line of communication with story to be told from the year 1345, to the magical lands of Hogwarts. Books have the power to transport you to new and different worlds. But the book Hey, Kiddo, transported me into the point of view of Jarrett Krosoczka. His life as a boy from when he was a kid, to graduation. His family life wasn’t too good either. He grew up up with his grandparents because his mom was a drug addict, in recovery for most of his childhood. This is what makes him grow up with trust issues, and have depression. At the same time the stories getting good it also,  touches upon sensitive topics such as depression and family life. Even though the book is a great read it helps you learn lessons, and learn from the author's mistake. The book illustrates the cause and effect of the people surrounding him to his own life. This book is at the cost of 6 dollars. If you asked me, that's a bargin for your money.

Review By: Anthony B,

I recently completed an advanced reader copy of Hey, Kiddo. It is an autobiographical graphic novel written and illustrated by Jarrett Krosoczka. Hey, Kiddo follows Jarrett from his birth and right up to his high school graduation. The novel demonstrates how Jarrett is able to overcome and mask the setbacks that were nearly completely out of his control. This novel does an excellent job at discussing very taboo topics such as parental separation and the effects that drug addiction not just has on you but also your family. Hey, Kiddo is more than your average graphic novel, it's more of an experience more akin to that of a major motion picture. With its rich storytelling and oddly creative plot driving Hey, Kiddo stands a novel that young and old can get themselves invested into. As soon as, Jarrett Krosoczka was born, his life was thrown into disarray. Even in his youth he knew that his mother was associating with some very suspicious people. With no father in sight, Jarrett’s mother is forced to raise him all on her own. But Jarrett isn’t her only burden, she was a crippling drug addict and her drugs seemed to control her life. Though soon, the rest of the Krosoczka family began to notice the problematic and dangerous environment young Jarrett was living in. So they take action and Jarrett came to live with his grandparents. Once this living situation change happens, Jarrett’s mother is sent to rehab by the grandparents. In rehab, she stays for a majority of Jarrett’s pre-adult life. But in her absence, he discovers his true passion, art. He loves drawing even at his young age and this passion soon develops into a talent. This talent soon becomes a way for Jarrett to ground himself and try to hide the absurdities of his home life. As Jarret goes through life he uses art to try and normalize himself in a sense. He attends classes and follows his passion as much as he can. But as he as he develops as a person, Jarrett starts to piece the shattered shards of his family together. Yet one thing stands in his way, his mother. To him, her trying to sandwich her way back into his life after never being there when he needed her most is worse than not being there in the first place. Follow Jarrett through his rollercoaster of childhood experience. Hey Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka is a 320-page emotional rollercoaster. The gripping storytelling is coupled with excellent illustrations that fit the mood and tone of the entire novel. Personally, I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars. After only a few pages you become invested in both the conflicts and characters inside the story. From seeing Jarret evolve as a person as the world around him changes to seeing him.

Review By: Caleb C.

  Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka introduces a boy named Jarrett who is a young boy who has to deal with his mother being a drug addict, a missing father who he doesn't know and two grandparents that are raising him. He is recognized as an artist and he takes this as a good thing and he pursues this and he continues to draw and he visits his mother who is in rehab as he is old enough to drive.

Jarrett Krosoczka has had a rough life with his mom being a drug addict and a missing father and he has lived with his grandparents for most of his life and Jarrett has drawn his whole life from kindergarten to his adult life and he continues to do this as its a hobby he has. Jarrett has always wondered where his father was and when he gets a driver license, he finds his father and he connects with him and he finds out that he has two siblings that are young and he meets them and he eventually loves them. He visits his mom who has overcome her drug addiction and Jarrett realizes that his mom has gotten her life together and she even has a new boyfriend that Jarret likes. Jarrett's life of drawing really helped him get through obstacles that were pretty challenging.

The 322 book by Jarrett J. Krosoczka is a heartbreaking and loveable book that everyone should read. The novel I enjoyed a lot and for that I will give the book a 5/5 rating as this book can help others who have had similar things happen to them and this book is also amazing as it is Jarrett J. Krosoczka actual life.

Review By: Evan G.

Author: Jarrett J. Krosoczka 

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc 

Genre: Autobiography/ Graphic Novel

Release Date: October 9, 2018

ARC Review: I Have Lost My Way

ARC Review: I Have Lost My Way

In the novel I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman, three people find themselves all lost in a different way with their stories somehow intertwined. Freya is a new singer who is ready drop her debut album, but she has lost her voice. Harun just broke up with his boyfriend and his parents are ready to send him back to their native country to find a woman to marry. Nathaniel arrived in New York City with only a bookbag, for he has lost everything he once had.

After seeing something very upsetting, an angered Freya trips and falls off of a small bridge. She happens to land on Nathaniel, with Harun as the only witness. Over the course of one day, they get to know each other and find something that they all really could use. True happiness.

My favorite character in this book would have to be Nathaniel. He did not have a very bright childhood, and only grew up around his wild scatterbrained dad. He always learned from the wild experiments his dad came up with and went with them, even when nothing good actually came from the experience. Nathaniel always kind of went with the flow, which is not something I am really good at.

I would recommend this book to seventh grade and up.  I really enjoyed the book because I enjoyed when the characters were together, all happy and jovial. It made me feel like I was one of them, so I was happy too. In this book, Gayle Forman wrote about things that could really happen, such as, divorce, a parent or sibling leaving and not communicating a lot, and even rights and the way of life in the LGBTQ+ community. Therefore, I give this a book five out of five-star rating because it is such an amazing book. You will want to keep reading and reading, especially at the end, and experience true happiness along with Freya, Harun, and Nathaniel and will be sad when it’s over.   

Review By: Kellyn HS

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman follows the lives of three characters named Freya, Harun and Nathaniel. These three characters end up feeling lost in their lives until they meet each other in New York. Together they help each other find themselves again. Along the way, they confront their past that has been holding them back. This all happens in the span of one day. In my opinion this is a good book. I like the factors of friendship and the way that the characters all help each other. The writing style is very interesting in terms of the way it goes through all the characters perspectives and has flashbacks to explain what happened in the characters lives before they met. The way that the story includes all different diverse stories, makes the book very interesting.

Title: I Have Lost My Way

Author: Gayle Forman

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

By: Isabella B.