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Dune
Herbert, Frank
Reviewed: September 15, 2021
Thousands of years in the future, the life-lengthening ‘spice’ is the most valuable substance in the universe and its only source is the extremely inhospitable desert planet known as Arrakis. The Duke, Leto Atreides, and his family are sent to this planet by the imperial emperor to replace the Harkonnens as the resident vassal house. Once there, the Atreides family enters a fierce battle of political intrigue to keep control of the planet.
Dune, authored by Frank Herbert, is a very big name in the science fiction genre. The book is indeed worthy of high praise. It’s a... Read Full Review
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Renegades
Meyer, Marissa
Reviewed: September 2, 2021
Renegades by Marissa Meyer is an action-packed, riveting book. The first in a three-book series that takes place in a high-tech dystopian city called Gatlon. It is full of crime-fighting superheroes, morally grey villains, and all those who fit in between. The story focuses on Adrian, the son of two of Gatlon’s most notorious heroes, and Nova, the niece of Gatlon’s most infamous evil-doer and leader of the villain gang called the “Anarchists”. When Nova, a.k.a. “Nightmare”, decides to infiltrate the superhero team known as the “Renegades'', she starts to doubt what she has been... Read Full Review
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They both die at the end
Silvera, Adam, 1990-
Reviewed: August 24, 2021
What if you got a phone call that told you that today is your last day alive? In They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera, two boys, Mateo and Rufus who live completely different lives receive a phone call from a company called Death-Cast, who calls you on the day you’re going to die. But with this knowledge of only having 24 hours to live, they ultimately cross paths on Last-Friend, an app where people who have received a phone call from Death-Cast can find a friend to make their last day special, and decide to live their last day to the fullest together. On their last day,... Read Full Review
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The Dead and the Dark
Gould, Courtney
Reviewed: July 27, 2021
To start off, I think this quote summarizes some of the book pretty well: “Maybe Bug was right. Either way, if she wanted her old life back, she needed to end this. She needed to find Tristan, find the killer, and find the old Ashley who didn’t spend every day afraid of the dark. She wanted the old Snakebite back one way or another. No more ghosts; she wanted this to end.”
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould is a mystery/thriller young adult novel that follows a queer family and ghosts! Yes! Queer! All of Them!
When this family of three (Logan the daughter and... Read Full Review
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The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz
Dronfield, Jeremy
Reviewed: June 1, 2021
This story is very powerful in showing the struggles many people faced during the Nazi regime. Gustav and Fritz, father and son survive the horrible events that took place in the different concentration camps for more than four years. Gustav and Fritz give each other hope and strength to survive these challenges and wait until the day they are liberated. This book gives a detailed understanding of what it was to live in this time period through the eyes of a father and a son.
Review by: Andy Garcia
Andy is a virtual volunteer at Sylmar Branch Library. He is a... Read Full Review
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Walden and Civil Disobedience
Thoreau, Henry David
Reviewed: May 19, 2021
The book Walden and Civil Disobedience is a biographical novel by Henry David Thoreau which follows the writer's life reflections. Thoreau emphasizes themes like individuality and anti-materialism which compels the reader to reflect on the life they are living. Not only does the book follow the growth and reflection of the writer but the reader follows the journey of the writer and unconsciously implements changes in their life based on the book.
Review by: Britney C
Britney is a volunteer at Sylmar Branch Library. She is an 11th grader at Sylmar... Read Full Review
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The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
Cartaya, Pablo
Reviewed: May 6, 2021
Arturo Zamora a 13-year old boy with plans to spend his vacation at his local beach, helping at his family's restaurant, and spending time with his two best friends Mop and Bren. However, Arturo realizes that his life will change as his summer he is faced with multiple challenges: his family's restaurant is in danger of going out of business, Carmen a childhood friend who comes to visit that gives him butterflies every time she talks to him, and a mysterious businessman named Alfredo Pipo. Arturo now has to confront these challenges all while trying to enjoy his summer break.
... Read Full Review
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Gone
Grant, Michael
Reviewed: April 7, 2021
The novel Gone by Michael Grant is a fascinating and world-building book in which teenagers no older than fifteen are trapped within their own community without the supervision of any adults. Now, many would think how amazing it’d be to be a kid without any adults, however, like Lord of the Flies, it quickly turns into a grim nightmare. The teenagers trapped within their community, a barrier blocking them from the outside world, quickly realize they’re not the only ones inside and comprehend what it truly means to fight for their survival. While I was reading this book I... Read Full Review
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Burned
Hopkins, Ellen
Reviewed: March 24, 2021
The novel Burned by Ellen Hopkins is part of a two-book series that revolves around a teen protagonist dealing with an abusive father and finding love along the way. One of the main reasons I chose to read this book is because it’s formatted in the style of a poem. I am a fan of poems, so reading a poem-based book with a plot and characters was truly enjoyable. The poems are mysterious; they don’t give a lot of detail but you can understand and imagine the scenario in your head. The wording and pacing between each stanza are what developed the story and characters so the reader... Read Full Review
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Fine Line
Styles, Harry
Reviewed: March 17, 2021
"Fine Line" by Harry Styles is a song about being stuck in a relationship with mixed emotions. Styles becomes very vulnerable and shares his own feelings about this relationship, where he feels stuck loving and hating this person at the same time. The entire album Fine Line by Harry Styles has several different songs with intense meanings, and it is definitely an album you should check out.
The Netflix show Atypical gives a meaningful insight into the world of people on the neurodivergent spectrum. The series follows an autistic teenager, Sam, finding his way... Read Full Review
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10 Blind Dates
Elston, Ashley
Reviewed: February 8, 2021
10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston follows the story of 17-year-old Sophie who wanted one thing for Christmas—to spend some time with her boyfriend Griffin over winter break while her parents visited her pregnant older sister. However, Sophie realizes that Griffin doesn’t want the same thing, but instead wanted some alone time to “see what it would be like if they broke up.” Upset, Sophie breaks up with him. Devastated and crushed, Sophie arrives at her grandparents’ house in Louisiana where her large extended family meets over the holidays. She explains what happened with her... Read Full Review
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Nothing to See Here
Wilson, Kevin
Reviewed: January 8, 2021
Like many of acclaimed author Kevin Wilson’s other novels, Nothing to See Here is simply a feel-good story. Main character Lillian Breaker is a twenty-something-year-old who, at the beginning of the story, is living in the dusty attic of her mother’s house. As a child she had once shown promise, even scoring a coveted scholarship to the private high school in her town, Iron Maiden Boarding School. The school’s main purpose was to prime wealthy families’ daughters for high society, but for Lillian, it was a way out of her unhappy and poor life. Sadly Lillian was kicked out after... Read Full Review