Bite Sized Book Blogs

  SUMMARY Reporter and journalist Alexandra Robbins follows the life of six Walt Whitman High School students that are caught up with the college admissions process. While some are perceived as the Superstar, Genius, or Workhorse, others are noted as the Meathead, Flirt, and a Stealth Overachiever that flies underneath the radar. Through extensive interviewing and research, Robbins provides all high school students with the book needed to face the cutthroat admissions process head-on. REVIEW The Overachievers is easily one of the most unputdownable books I have ever read. By following the life of six high school juniors and seniors who are undergoing the college admissions process, she showcases how many hurdles students are forced to deal with, including FOMO, anxiety, the relentless overachiever mindset, and parent intervention. By reading the collective stories about these six relatable characters who are all overachievers at a very competitive high school in Washington D.C. alo...

Characterizing/Summarizing The Silent Patient with Music      The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a psychological thriller which tells the story of a wife’s act of violence, and a therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive. On the twenty fifth of August, the hottest day of the year, Alicia Berenson shot her husband several times in the head then proceeded to never speak again. Alicia’s refusal to talk fascinates criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber, who is determined to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband.       The basis of this book parallels the Greek love story Alcestis . The story Alcestis is about Alcestics, a wife who willingly sacrifices her life for her husband. Self Sacrifice is a key aspect of this book so keep this in mind.  *SPOILERS AHEAD*   One major conflict for both Theo and Alicia is their cheating spouses. In the middle of the book, Theo suspects his wife is cheating on him after r...

  “I feel ill," Howl announced. "I'm going to bed, where I may die.” - Diana Wynne Jones, Howl’s Moving Castle Spoiler for book and movie ahead!  When I first watched Howl's Moving Castle, I remember thinking Howl Pendragon was a boring character. Besides being a little vain and a drama queen, it seemed to me that he didn’t have much of a personality. I loved the movie but I thought the plot was lacking. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the movie was based on a book and the book had more character background/development. After reading the book, I was surprised at how much the movie left out, specifically all the stuff left out about the main character Howl.  The main difference between the book Howl and the movie Howl is his romantic pursuits. ‘“Howl is very fickle,” said Calcifer. “He’s only interested until the girl falls in love with him. Then he can’t be bothered with her.”’  In the book, Howl is a player. As Calcifer said, he is always pursuing a wo...

The Readymade Thief Brief Synopsis Seventeen-year-old Lee Cuddy, after evading police officers, juvenile prison, and the psych ward, finds herself homeless and out of options. She stumbles across a group of lost teens who reside in the hidden Crystal Castle, an abandoned building held under the control of the Station Master. Lee’s problems arise after she accidentally takes the 20th century Marcel Duchamp’s figure With Hidden Noise from a group of men called the Bachelors , named after Duchamp’s The Bride Stripped Bare By Her Bachelors, Even. The Bachelors, headed by the Priest and the Stationmaster aim to extract details about immortality, and they believe Lee, a doppelganger for an earlier work by Duchamp, holds the secret to it all. Review This book, while fun and enjoyable to read, especially at the beginning, transcends into another realm of reading comprehension. The book employs tons of information not only on Marcel Duchamp’s life but also on how his paintings represent stri...

Who is William Sleator? William Sleator is a science fiction author who primarily wrote books for young adults. His books ranged from light hearted mysteries to horror from another world, creating a seemingly sub category of dystopia. I was introduced to this author when I was about 10-11, and I just gotta say his books were another dimension (this will make sense soon)  of interesting and amazing . I have read numerous  William Sleator books, but in this blog post I will be picking my top favorites that I would recommend to anyone. 1 . Singularity by William Sleator Remember when I said in the intro that William Sleator books would take you to another dimension? In Singularity, this thought becomes a reality. This book is about Barry and Harry Krasner, two twins with the same appearance, but entirely different outlooks on life. One day, Barry suggests they house-sit their great grandpa’s farmhouse. When they arrive, they find a locked shed. They both have heard chilling stor...

  War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy  Book eight *The following contains spoilers for book eight of War and Peace and minor spoilers for the other books.  To preface this blog post it is necessary to not only give a summary of this specific section but inform you of the structure of War and Peace as a whole.  My specific edition of War and Peace is published by Wordsworth Classics and is divided into books that are divided into chapters. Each one of these books is essentially a BIG chapter. I will insert a photo of a page example so you can get a better idea of what I am talking about. For my analysis, I will specifically be talking about book eight because I find it most interesting. I am also going to provide a list of characters and their background so you are not confused. To quote The Great Comet of 1812 “...it’s a complicated Russian novel. Everyone’s got nine different names”.  Natasha Rostova - 17 years old. She comes from a wealthy family. She is naive and of...

Summit Lake  Robert Gao Brief Synopsis Investigative reporter Kelsey Castle, after recovering from a traumatic experience of sexual assault, embarks on a journey of unearthing the killer of first-year law student Becca Eckersley. The victim of a brutal rape and murder, Becca and her tragic story leads Kelsey to travel to Summit Lake, a beautiful coastal town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. There, she is confronted by a town reeling from grief, a doctor uncertain about her vision, and a band of policemen hiding the evidence.  Told in alternating accounts of Kelsey’s journey and Becca’s life during the months leading up to her murder, Charlie Donlea showcases how completely different stories of trauma can intertwine, and through that shared connection, can help a broken and lost soul heal.  Review Throughout the story, the plot and its consistent habit of foreshadowing events allow for a highly addictive and engaging read. As the story starts out ...