Weekend Reads

Today we are featuring a two guest posts from students here at Avonworth Middle + High School. The first review comes from 7th grade student Spencer Hall and the second comes from Lainey Hilyard, a 9th grade student. Thanks to both of them for their contribution!

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (reviewed by Spencer Hall) 

Atlas Shrugged is slow paced at the start, but if you read it further it has tons of interesting things. This is a book based around philosophy. Even though that may seem boring it is an action packed book. Also, it is filled with twists and turns in the plot. This means that you have to be a skilled reader to complete it because so much is happening. Not to give away anything is hard when this book is a mystery until you read it - such as "Who is John Galt?" Speaking of which this book is so famous that people who have read it have named their company John Galt Inc. As long as you like action, sci-fi, and/or mystery you will love this book.

Find it in Classics under F RAN

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (reviewed by Lainey Hilyard) 

Celaena Sardothien was the best of the best. She was great at what she did, which was being a top class, assassin blood thirsty and cocky. She was betrayed, and captured brought into the biggest and most highly guarded prison in the country. The land of Endovier a land where magic was abolished and history and people alike destroyed with it. But when Celaena gets a second chance at life instead of rotting in a cage to compete with others to become the kings assassin and earn their freedom. This book is mainly third person limited but it all revolves around Celaena's travels and challenges to re-earn her freedom. This made the book enjoyable and thrilling - Maas's description of the world and the characters was interesting and she did a good job creating a detailed and fascinating world. Will there be love or will there be death?

Find it in Fiction under F MAA

I Will Plant You a Lilac Tree by Laura Hillman

Laura Hillman (born Hannelore Wolff) was away at school in Berlin in the spring of 1942. It was while she was there that she got a letter from her mother. Her father had been arrested and taken to a concentration camp. Within six weeks he was killed, cremated and returned to his family in an urn. When another letter came telling Hannelore that her mother and brothers were facing a similar fate, Hannelore decided that she would return home and face the coming horror with her family to help them be strong. Hannelore eventually met Oskar Schindler, the man who would eventually save 1100 Jews by employing them away from the concentration camp. Although it seemed that Schindler would deliver her rescue like he had for so many others, it turned out to not be that simple. This memoir, like so many others written by Holocaust survivors, is harrowing. What she endured is unimaginable, but the story she tells is important and moving. 

Find it in Biographies under B HILLMAN