Sophomore Maggie Peterson recommends: “One of Us is Lying” by Karen M. McManus.
“Essentially, the book centers around the fact that at the beginning, five kids walk into detention, but only four walk out—one is dead. I really liked how well written it was, and the plot was so good. I also liked how the characters were different. I was always waiting for the truth to come out,” Peterson said.
Freshman Scarlett Rein recommends: “Six of Crows” duology by Leigh Bardugo.
“It’s about a group of people who all live in a kind of corrupt city, and they’re tasked to go steal a person who created something they shouldn’t have, and bring them back safely,” Rein said. “I really liked them for worldbuilding and characters, and I liked that it has a little romance, but it’s not entirely focused on that. I like having a little undertone, but the plot should be the main thing.”
Senior Riley Smith recommends: “The Rose that Grew from Concrete” by Tupac Shakur.
“[The book] is a group of poems written by Tupac Shakur, and essentially they discuss his life and what he’s gone through, and just memories and moments in his life,” Smith said. “He writes poetry to cope with scenarios, to inspire others, and to inspire his music. I think it was a really interesting book, and it gave me a lot of perspective. I think what I most liked about it is I really enjoy reading poetry—I think it’s really interesting seeing into people’s minds like that, and I really enjoy the word choice and the flow of the poems. I also really enjoy that in this particular copy you can see how he wrote it, and then there’s also a notebook page in his handwriting that’s scanned into the book, and then right next to it is text.”
I recommend: “Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins.
Sunrise on the Reaping is the newest book in the Hunger Games series, and it follows Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta’s mentor, as he goes through his games. The book is (as are all of Suzanne Collins’s) incredible. It’s extremely timely, and I love that no matter how many times I read it, there’s always something new to notice. Collins is an expert in subtext and easter eggs, and it’s incredible to see how detailed and deep the universe goes. The original trilogy are some of my favorite books of all time, and this has been added to the list alongside them. It’s an amazing read.
