Welcome to my book rants! I tried to keep it simple but....😅 Enjoy!
📖📖📖📖📖 = loved
📖📖📖📖 = liked a lot
📖📖📖 = just fine
📖📖 = not my thing, sorry in advance
📖 = as if I could hate a book so much
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee — TKAM, as lovingly referred to by my 8th grade English teacher, has been one of my all time favorite reads, even outside of school. It has a really interesting plot on its own, but I especially loved seeing it unfold from a young child's eyes. Bonus points for somehow having the perfect amount of humor in an otherwise intense book. 📖📖📖📖📖
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank — I have to say, I was caught off guard by how much I loved this book. Anne is very relatable, switching back and forth from profound wonderings to frustrated rants about family, definitely-not-friends, and everything in between. Diary was one of the first WWII / Holocaust books I've read, and it definitely influenced what I read today. 📖📖📖📖📖
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick — One of the most casual school books I've read, and yet it was one of the most touching and heart-wrenching. The lead character Steven struggles to balance his life even before his younger brother is diagnosed with a deadly form of cancer. Genuinely loved this book and a comfort read now. (except when I start crying about it. Again.) 📖📖📖📖📖
Night by Elie Wiesel — This book. I read it as an 8th grader and again as a freshman. Even though l already read it, even rereading it opens a wound in your heart. "A slim novel of terrifying power,”* and it deserves every word. 📖📖📖📖📖
A Midsummer Night's Dream play by Shakespeare — This was another one that surprised me. I've never been a fan of Shakespeare, but this one was an easier read. I laughed way harder than l thought I was going to, probably because l was most definitely NOT expecting that type of humor. IYKYK 📖📖📖📖
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac — Now known as Ned Begay, a young Navajo boy becomes a powerful narrator about war, friendships, and the importance of fighting for something you believe in. It's an interesting story that talks about the good and bad things a Navajo code talker would have experienced. 📖📖📖📖
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton — A fun and fast paced book, with a little bit of fear thrown in there. I remember struggling to keep up a bit, but once you get the hang of the terminology, it'll be a lot more interesting, I promise! STAY GOLD! (that will make more sense at the end 😁) 📖📖📖📖
Romeo & Juliet play by William Shakespeare — Some people ave excited to see this one, but I know I was dreading it. So if you're like me, I promise you'll be okay. It can be tricky at first, but it gets easier! And, in typical Shakespeare fashion, funnier. 📖📖📖📖
Animal Farm by George Orwell — Impress your teacher: this book is an example of an allegory. It's a fancy way of saying it's a play on a historical event. This one is an interesting one about communism, l just have a low tolerance for some of the characters’ stupidity. 📖📖📖
Lord of the Flies by William Golding — Immersive, dangerous, powerful, and obnoxious. It's full of amazing writing that cuts down to the depths of humanity, but l felt like it was a little too dangerous. Maybe 8th grade me just wasn't mature enough to fully enjoy it? 📖📖📖
Anthem by Ayn Rand — I was so excited to read this one and it was just... meh. The build-up for the ending was impressive, but the ending didn't live up to my expectations. As a middle schooler, though, l liked the length (it’s really short). 📖📖📖
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury — A powerful book about censorship, but I just found it really difficult to read. Great writing and allusions, just not my style of book. Again with the whole maturity thing. 📖📖 (sorry Mrs. Smith)
Hopefully this post eased your mind! Remember that everyone has a different book taste and to enjoy your school year no matter your reading list!
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