All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Odalis Rojas

Plot Summary

Meet Theodore Finch, the schools freak. He is fascinated by death and he always thinks of ways he can die but there is always something, no matter how little, that stops him. Meet Violet Markey, loved by everyone but she has a dark past which she doesn't want to leave behind. When both Finch and Violet are standing at the ledge of the school bell tower, no one knows who saves who but as they start a new relationship, they start having a better life. Will they be able to save each other or will one of them leave everything behind?

Critical Evaluation

I rate this book a 10 out of 10. This book will leave you with laughter and tears in your eyes. Suicide is a very relatable topic that many teens think about because everyone has problems and they want an escape from the world. This book will keep you hooked and it will make you want more. If you like sad romances then this book is for you.

The Cellar by Natasha Preston

Isabel Figueroa

Plot Summary 

16-year-old Summer gets kidnapped on her way to a gig at a club a few blocks away from home. Her kidnapper is an insane man named Colin, also known as Clover. Clover just wants a perfect family and his idea of a perfect family are a bundle of pretty flowers. He takes her to a cellar where there are 3 other very pretty girls. Rose, Poppy, Violet and now Lily. All pretty flowers only last awhile but, what happens when they are kept in a cellar with no sun? They soon die, can these flowers survive?

Critical Evaluation 

This book was once on an app called Wattpad where everyday people publish their own stories for free. Natasha Preston's online story was soon turned into a book. Not that many stories make it  out of this app but I rate this a 10 out of 10. It takes you on this journey that makes you understand why this psychopath does all these things to the girls. It takes you to flash backs, present day and on rides to new adventures. This book is a must read!

Chameleon by Charles R. Smith Jr.

Katherine Figueroa

Plot Summary

Shawn has two divorced parents.  He likes this girl name Marisol and he tries to find a way to ask her out but he feels like she won’t like him at all.  Shawn has to choose between whether to stay at the high school close to his mom or to his dad and he only has the summer to think about it. Shawn also has to go through some family problems at home, including taking care of his aunt because she’s addicted to alcohol. This book also talks about him and his conflicts with the Crips and Bloods, two different gangs that don’t get along.

Critical Evaluation

I rate this book a 9 out of 10 because it has different types of situations, involving love, fights, and family problems. This book also makes you want to keep reading without stopping. It does not let you stop reading because it makes you feel like you’re going through the problems Shawn goes through. I love this book and I know for a fact you will too.

Eden By Jamie McGuire

Isabel Figueroa

Plot Summary

Eden is the last and final book to the Providence series. Nina and Jared must fight for three lives now, their own and their baby's life too. Throughout the book they show the adventure and tradegies they must go through to put Hell's bible back to Jeruslam where Shax and his little minions can never enter. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Critical Evaluation

I would give this book a 7 out of 10. The book is somewhat of a page turner but it didn't grab my attention like first two books. I recommend the whole series to readers because the books don't slow down, which keeps you reading for hours.  

Paralyzed by Jeff Rud

Tonga Keti

Plot Summary
In the book, Paralyzed Jeff Rud tells a story about a kid named Reggie who plays middle linebacker. Reggie is the number one middle linebacker in the state. While playing his rival team, Reggie injures one of the opposing team players. Reggie has a tough time knowing he's permanently injured another player and realizes that this injury might affect his football future.


Critical Response
This book is a 10 out of 10. I like this book because the main character Reggie is sympathetic towards his opponent who was injured during the game. The author leaves a good message by having good  sportsmanship towards other. I love when Reggie is still goes to the hospital to vist the injured player but his mother told him not to go back. Reggie refuse and still goes to the hospital.

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Angelica Saldivar

Plot Summary

Gabe and Lea are two college students in the same creative writing class. What they don't know is that every year their teacher chooses a girl and a boy she thinks should be together. She doesn't tell them because the point is to make them both like each other without telling them. Gabe really likes Lea but will Lea like him back?

Critical Evaluation

This book is told by fourteen viewpoints: Gabe, Lea, Maribel, Inga, the bench, Sam, a squirrel, Victor, Bob, Casey, Maxine, Danny, Pam, Charlotte, Hillary, Frank. (There are sixteen different people, but Pam and Frank don't really come more than twice, because Frank is the Chinese-food delivery guy and Pam is Inga's wife.) Since it's told in different viewpoints it's really interesting to see what other people think. The thing is that all different viewpoints have something in common. They all want Gabe and Lea to be together. I rate this book a 10 out of 10 because I really like how they tell the story in different viewpoints.

This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki

Gordon Jack

Summary
Every year Rose and Windy vacation with their families together at Awago Beach.  Rose is a year- and-a-half older than Windy and beginning life as a teenager.  The two girls play together as usual but things are starting to change.  Rose's mother is not her usual self and can't seem to enjoy the vacation as she used to.  Rose is also becoming more interested in boys, which Windy doesn't understand, especially because the boy she's interested in has a volatile relationship with a local girl.

Critical Evaluation
This book is easily a 10 out of 10.  The illustrations are incredible.  Here's one example of the amazing detail you see on each page.

The story is quiet, but filled with relatable moments from childhood.  Jillian and Mariko Tamaki have done a great job of capturing that in-between time when you're no longer a child, but not yet a teenager.  An amazing book and easily one of the best graphic novels I've read this year.