Bite Sized Book Blogs

  Book Review: It Ends With Us *SPOILER WARNING* “ Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.” In this book review I will be reviewing “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover. It Ends With Us takes the reader through Lily’s life, a girl who has worked hard to move to Boston and open her own business. One day she meets Ryle, a guy who seems to have it all. A great personality, a brilliant mind, and a major soft spot for Lily. When they start dating despite Ryle’s “No dating rule” Lily starts to wonder the meaning behind this rule. As thoughts about her new relationship overwhelm her, she starts thinking about someone from her past. Atlas Corrigan. Her protector, best friend, and first love. When Atlas suddenly appears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.  This book divulges into the topic of Domestic Violence, and illustrates what so many women today have to go through. This book does an amazing job of putting the reader into the perspective of Lil...

  Last Friday I decided it was time to set out on a journey I had yet to take. I had a Greek mythology phase in elementary school (a bold statement I know) but I had never read the entire Percy Jackson series. I mostly read books about the gods and their stories but only read the 1st Percy Jackson book in 6th grade. Can I truly consider myself a fan of Greek/Roman mythology if I had not read these books?! It seems like a necessary read if I was going to continue calling myself a Greek/Roman mythology nerd. So after some peer pressure from a classmate telling me to read them, I checked books 2-5 out of the library the Friday before fall break. I set an ambitious goal for myself: read the whole series (minus book 1) that weekend.  Here is an informal reading log I kept over the course of my read: Friday 15, 2021 11:57am  I checked books out from the library… excited!!! 5:07pm  Starting book 2  5:54 pm page 12 Reading at a volleyball game. So far I am remembering t...

 The Summer of Possibilities - How Companionship Can Make a Difference  Robert Gao Synopsis Sometimes companionship is the most effective way of coping with pain. In The Summer of Possibilities by Rachael Allen, four immensely different girls who suffer from various struggles in their lives find themselves living together at a lake house for the summer, the same house where their mothers grew up. Through the four girls' own unique stories, voices, and outlooks on the world, the reader learns about how multiple completely different stories can emotionally intertwine. One is alone and constantly bullied.  One is hiding her arthritic joint pain.  One is feuding with her mother. One can’t forgive her father for leaving. One is questioning her sexual orientation. One is desperate to befriend the other girls. One's father doesn't approve of her sexual identity. In emotional and eye-opening prose, Rachael Allen showcases the struggles that peo...

Book Review: A Good Girl's Guide To Murder  In this review I will be talking about “ A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder” by Holly Black. Despite the title, this book will not be a step by step recipe on how to get away with murder incase anyone had a specific criteria in mind. This book is actually about Pip, who picks as a final year project to investigate a closed murder case from her town.  The town is convinced Sal Singh murdered Andie Bell. A classic “boyfriend murders his popular girlfriend” but Pip is not so sure. Pip soon uncovers secrets the town desperately wants to stay hidden and now someone is watching her every move, sending her threats and bloody warnings. This book takes you through Pip’s thought process, as she discovers more and more, the deeper she digs.  My Experience: This book was absolutely unreal. One of the best books I have ever read, or maybe the best. I find myself questioning every book I have ever rated a 5 star. This book left me SHOCKED in the ...

  Libraries are my favorite place to be and honestly, they should be yours. Many people chalk a library up to “just-a-place-for-book-nerds”, I am not saying this is wrong, but I feel libraries' value is much bigger than it seems.  There are so many books at the library (surprise) and you can check out ANY of them. This gives you the freedom to explore all genres without having to buy expensive novels. I didn’t consider myself a graphic novel fan until I saw one in the library that looked interesting. I thought “Heck why not! I can just return it if I don’t like it!”. I ended up liking it so it is a Win-Win situation (I win the happiness of a new interest and the library wins me checking out all their graphic novels). Also, you can learn about ANY topic. If you ever find yourself bored and have a strong thirst for knowledge, just go to the non-fiction section. It can be fun to just know a lot about a random topic.  I think that the library, specifically our Uni school libr...

  The Year I Didn’t Eat - A Grueling Inner Battle                                        Robert Gao The Year I Didn’t Eat Synopsis Anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight loss, can wreak havoc on even the strongest of wills. In The Year I Didn’t Eat , the novel’s protagonist Max Howarth struggles with this eating disorder, which imposes consequences on all aspects of his life. Suffering from a dysfunctional household, a lack of dependable companions. and little to confide in, Max is forced to grapple with a life-changing disorder during a highly tumultuous period of his life. To cope with his condition, Max writes emotionally turbulent journal entries who he addresses to “Ana”, the name he calls his disorder. The only person in his life who Max is able to confide in is his bro...

By Heidi Wang Are you tired of the long enduring process of choosing a new book to read? Do not fret, you are in the right place. In this blog post I will be listing popular YA books and great alternatives/similar books you can read if you enjoyed them. 1. If you liked Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass... The Cruel Prince by Holly Black - The Cruel Prince is about Jude, a mortal taken to The High Court of F aerie when her parents are brutally murdered. Despite being born in the human world, Jude wants nothing but to belong in the Faerie world. However, many fey despise humans, especially Cardan, the youngest son of the High King. Jude must defy Cardan to win a place on the court, but defiance comes with violence and consequences. Before long, the court is at stake, and it is up to Jude to save The Land of Faerie.  I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books and I can confidently say they lived up to the hype surrounding them. They both have great pacing and keep you hooked until the ...