Reconstructing Amelia -- Reviewed by Stephanie Best

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
Reviewed by Stephanie Best

Fifteen year old, Amelia, and her mother, Kate, were all each other had. Amelia shared everything with Kate. That is, until the day she was “tapped” by the Magpies, an exclusive club only the select few were admitted into. Reluctantly, Amelia agrees to join, and her life is changed forever. Within weeks, she is found dead. According to the police, she jumped off her school’s roof committing suicide. In her clouded grief, Kate accepts this, until one day getting an anonymous text saying that Amelia didn't jump. Kate begins to realize that perhaps this text isn't just a cruel joke. Through the process Kate find out shocking things about her daughter and the people she knew. But with everyone telling Kate different stories, and continually gaining more questions than answers, will she be able to find out what really happened to Amelia?

I rated Reconstructing Amelia four stars because I thought the story was interesting, and I enjoyed trying to figure out how it was going to end as the story went along. I did not, however, like the fact that the story changed between characters, as well as time periods. More than once I was confused and would have to go back and figure out when it was happening. I do think that multiple views help give dramatic irony for the readers, but I thought sometimes it could add to the confusion. Overall I enjoyed the book. The genre is quite common so I think anyone that enjoys murder mysteries would enjoy this book.

Paper Towns--Alexandra Lopez

Author: John Green
Reveiwed by: Alexandra Lopez 

Quentin Jacobsen, most of the book referred to as Q, believes everybody gets one miracle. His just happens to be living next door to the girl of his dreams, Margo Roth Spiegelman. Margo and Quentin go way back. Even when they were nine years old, Q thought she was the most perfect female on the face of the planet, and they played together.  After they found a dead man in the park, Margo appeared outside his window at night to tell him she investigated the dead man. However time goes on, they are older, in high school. They both have gone their separate ways, until one day, miss popular, Margo shows up in Q’s room asking for help. Will Q help Margo with her insane plane to get revenge on her ex?  Will Q be able to tell Margo how he truly feels?

The book was something else. It starts right off with our main character Q to encounter a dead body. This will latter affect his relationship with Margo. I enjoyed that later on they separated, went their separate ways. Whether it has to do with the dead body they found as a child or not. However I think that was probably be of the few realistic parts.  Everyone grows older, and high school you meet new people.  I also wish Q would have just told Margo straight off the bat, he loved her. Maybe Margo wouldn't felt the need for revenge.

Cracked up to be review by Kaitlin Kimbrell

cracked up to be

by Courtney Summers

When you're perfect with everything you do people tend to want to be like you. Everybody body has a desire to be perfect, but what is the breaking point?

For Parker Fadley being perfect was all she knew. She was the perfect cheerleader, had the perfect popular boyfriend, the perfect best friend, and the perfect grades. Parker was the most popular girl at St. Peter's High, until that one night. That is when perfect Parker became the perfect mess. Nobody really knew why Parker started to come to school drunk, quit as captain of the cheerleading team, broke up with her boyfriend, and started to hate everyone. What happen to perfect Parker? Did she find her breaking point? Can you just not ever stay perfect like you think?

This book is not in my usual choices, but I really liked it. The struggles that Parker goes through actually shows what many people my age might be going through too. This put me in Parker shoes and made me think 'what would I have done if I would have been her?' I don't know what I would have done and I don't know who I would have wanted on my side, if anyone at all. This book did make me realize though that nobody is as perfect as we think.



Johanna Kelly's Book Review

Hold Still
By Nina LaCour
*** stars

Your best friend committed suicide the week before final exams. You don’t take your finals. You can only think about her throughout the summer. You wonder what you could have done to stop her. You know you can’t bring her back. Life has to go on.
This happened to a girl, Caitlin. Her life was perfect; she lived in a suburb of San Francisco, in a big beautiful house. She is very close to her best friend, Ingrid. They did everything together, and they shared the same passion—photography. However, Ingrid fell into a depression that tore her apart. Now, Caitlin has to live on with a big hole in her heart.
I gave this book three stars because it was an interesting read, however, pieces were missing. Honestly, it seemed a little too perfect. Quickly into the book, Caitlin makes new friends, goes to school, and succeeds in most classes. Of course, she keeps thinking about Ingrid, but it doesn’t tear her apart as it would me and most teens, in my opinion.
I would suggest this book to a person who doesn’t want a book with a happy, superficial plot, but who doesn’t want to think too deeply about depressing subjects. This book did not make me think too much afterwards, which I like books to do.