Murder and Magic
By: Afia Paracha Tarreton is a city run by magic. There's the common magic that the less fortunate can use, though they can't always afford it. Sagery is the magic of the wealthy, that only they can learn. Isaveth Breck lives with her father and three sisters in a poorer part of Tarreton. She has a knack for creating simple spell tablets, baked squares that can release magic, but has a hard time selling them. Things get worse when her father, Urias Breck, is accused of killing the city governor for the benefit of a political club. Since he isn't nobility, and just a stonemason, things seem pretty bleak. But while trying to sell her spell tablets, she meets Quiz. Quiz lives on the streets, and has an eyepatch. They become great friends, and he begins to help her find out who really murdered the governor. They investigate, visiting the College, where the governor's office was, and work to solve the mystery. Together, they set on the path of proving Isaveth's father innocent. To solve the mystery yourself, read "A Pocket Full of Murder" by R.J. Anderson. Picture Source: “‘A Pocket Full of Murder’ by R.J. Anderson.” Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/book/show/24885734-a-pocket-full-of-murder.
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Battle for Justice
By: Afia Paracha What would you do if you saw injustice? When one of your best friends is shot by a policeman, for doing absolutely nothing? Starr Carter is an African-American teen. She lives in a poor neighborhood, but goes to a very preppy school. When she's at a party one day, she runs into Khalil. He's her childhood friend, and he offers to drive her home after a disruption at the party. While driving, he gets pulled over. And just like that, the police shoots him. He says it's because he thought that Khalil was reaching for a gun. While all this happens, Starr is sitting in the passenger seat. The next thing she knows, Starr is being asked to come to court. She's being asked to talk about what happened. For awhile, she is told to stay silent. But what if she doesn't want to? Starr decides to fight back, fight for justice. Soon, her entire community is involved, either for Khalil, or against. She's trying to prove that Khalil's death was an injustice. If you want a book about current times, and inequality, then read "The Hate You Give" by Angie Thomas. Picture Source: “‘The Hate You Give’ by Angie Thomas.” Goodreads, www.amazon.com/Hate-U-Give-Angie- Thomas/dp/0062498533. Witchcraft and Wizardry
By: Afia Paracha For ten years, you've lived with your aunt, uncle, and cousin. All three are absolutely awful, and make you sleep under the stairs. But this all changes on the morning of your cousin's birthday. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, has lived a terrible life. But it all changes when he makes the glass disappear from a snake habitat at the zoo. Now, his cousin is afraid of him, his uncle shutting him in his room, his aunt hiding something from him, and to top it all, he begins to receive letters, delivered by owls. For an unknown reason, his aunt and uncle refuse to let him open any of the letters, quickly destroying them and even relocating to an island, all to keep him from receiving any more. Next, a giant appears at the door, somehow reaching the island in the middle of a storm, all to see Harry. He brings with him a letter and a cake. The cake, for his birthday, and the letter, inviting him to attend school at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Suddenly Harry is shopping in a magical alley for school supplies, learning that his parents were killed by an evil dark wizard, not a car crash, and traveling into a mysterious castle to attend school. While there, he meets Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, and many other teachers. Some, like Professor Quirrell, a stuttering Dark Arts teacher, seem perfectly harmless. Others, like Professor Snape, a greasy-haired Potions teacher, seem to hate him. Take a trip to a magical world, full of adventure, and meet Harry Potter. A series, written by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter is made for lovers of fantasy. If you love magic, thwarting evil wizards, and much more, read "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling. Picture Source: “‘Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone’ by J.K. Rowling.” Amazon, www.amazon.com/Harry- Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Book/dp/0545582881. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Book Review By Lisa Sharp This young adult, historical fiction novel takes place during the American Revolution. Isabel, a 13 year old, orphaned, slave girl and her younger sister, Ruth, have been promised freedom by their elderly owner in Rhode Island. However, upon the owner’s death they are sold to cruel, Patriot, slave owners in New York. The reader is transported back to the British invasion of New York City. In her desperate plot to escape to freedom and return to Rhode Island, Isabel finds herself involved in a secret mission to overthrow the British. Although she is forced spy on the enemy, she realized that they may be her only hope for freedom. The plot is full of action and adventure. Laurie Halse Anderson encourages the reader to feel the weight of Isabel’s chains of slavery and the constant desire for freedom. Curzon, one of the other young slaves in the book is a loyal soldier of the Patriots and will fight to the death to defend his country. Isabel cannot understand his loyalty to those who are enslaving him. This misunderstanding leads to tension between the two main characters and thought provoking conversations about the institution of slavery. Even if the plot seems slow at the beginning, the character development and suspenseful ending are worth hanging on until the end. The author writes as the characters would audibly sound, so some of the language and vocabulary may be challenging, but it’s mostly an easy read and can be finished quickly by an average reader. Good vs. Bad
By: Afia Paracha A city ruled by the Anarchists, a group trying to make the world better for the prodigies, humans with special powers. Ace Anarchy, their leader, is a powerful prodigy with great ideas. They want to end the discrimination of prodigies, and start by removing the law enforcement and government. To some, they are good.To others, they are ruining the city. The Renegades, another group of prodigies, formed to end the rule of Ace Anarchy, dedicated to overthrowing the Anarchists. Nova, the niece of Ace Anarchy, is also a prodigy. When her uncle is overthrown by the Renegades, Nova and a few remaining Anarchists go into hiding. Almost ten years later, they attempt to assassinate one of the original Renegades, a member of the Renegade Council. During the attempt, she meets another prodigy. Adrien, the son of a founding member of the Renegades, was adopted by two others after the death of his mother. He's also a Renegade, watching the city, protecting the citizens. While his dads are in a parade, celebrating the Renegades, he meets a girl. using his power of creating objects out of drawings, he fixes her broken bracelet. Little does he know, that she's an Anarchist, Nova, also known as Nightmare. When Nova joins the Renegades, undercover, she makes new friends, and sees the other side of the story. Adrien becomes friends with Nova, the newest member of his team. Neither know that they both have secret identities. Read Renegades by Marissa Meyer to see what happens when a supervillian works with a superhero. Picture Source: “‘Renegades’ by Marissa Meyer.” Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/book/show/28421168- renegades. The Magic of Music
By: Afia Paracha Imagine your world being changed in an instance. Suddenly, you don't know what happened. How your entire life changed in a moment. In "Echo" by Pam Munoz Ryan, this is what happens to the three main characters. Friedrich, living in Trossingen, Germany, in 1933 finds that when Hitler comes to power, he hasn't won the luck of the draw. For Mike, living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1935, he finds himself suddenly being adopted, but then finding it isn't what he expected. Finally, Ivy, living in La Colonia, California, in 1942, finds herself being moved from her town to a new home in Orange County, away from her friends. All three take place during or near World War II. All connected by music, they learn that sometimes you have to push through your troubles to find the light on the other side. To begin the story, we meet Friedrich, a boy living in Germany when Hitler begins to gain power. Already shunned for his birthmark, it increases as new laws are set in place. His father and uncle are the only people that see him for who he truly is, other than his sister, who begins to follow Hitler. His only consolation is music, playing the cello and his newfound harmonica. When things get worse, with the Jewish being shunned, along with any deformities, like his birthmark, life begins to get worse and worse. Friedrich learns to move forward to reach a better future, using music to help him cope. Next, we meet Mike, a boy living in an orphanage in Pennsylvania, in 1935, near the Great Depression. He sees no hope of getting adopted, but sticks in for his brother, Frankie. When he finally gets fostered, he sees that it isn't what he thought it'd be. Consoled only by music, he begins to make a plan. Finally, we meet Ivy, a girl living in California, during World War II. Her brother Fernando is fighting in the war, when suddenly, she's moving to a new house. When she goes there, she finds herself discriminated, being sent to a different school, just for being Hispanic. She has to fight through to find her ending.All three characters face their own challenges, and to find more, read "Echo", by Pam Munoz Ryan. Picture Source: “‘Echo’ by Pam Munoz Ryan.” Pennington Public Library, www.penningtonlibrary.org/book- review-echo-pam-munoz-ryan/. |
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