To Kill a Mockingbird  by Harper Lee
	Reviewed by Anonymous January 14, 2026 Grade 8

Your Rating: ★★★★★

Book Tags:  Southern Gothic, Coming-of-Age, Prejudice, Justice, Courage, Racial Injustice

Plot Summary: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel set in the 1930s in a fictional town where racism and segregation are ubiquitous throughout society; from segregated churches to harsh stereotypes, prejudice and injustice roam around. Scout Finch, child of a lawyer named Atticus, observes society as Tom Robinson, an African American man, gets wrongly accused of a crime he did not commit just because of his skin color. Atticus is Tom Robinson’s lawyer, who gets much hate for defending an African American man. While observing society, Scout realizes how unfair and harsh racism is, realizing the world is not as innocent as she once imagined.

Personal Review: This was an amazing novel to read, with intense symbolism and lessons/morals learned about life. There is much irony throughout the novel, uncovering many hidden details and characteristics of characters, from Boo Radley, a neighbor who the whole town has harmful stereotypes against, and Mrs. Dubose, an elderly lady who seems very harsh to Scout and her brother, yet Atticus reveals a courageous aspect of her. This book made me shed many tears, and I realized why this novel is considered one of the most influential classics of all time; the words are powerful and the lessons/the way the lessons are presented are truly important. It is quite impossible to put this book down once one starts it, and should be a novel that everyone should read once in their lives. Reading To Kill A Mockingbird would be especially beneficial for teenagers as it gives much insight into the morals, but also life in general as we slowly progress to becoming adults. This book truly helped. 

Similar Reads:  Animal Farm by George Orwell

	The Last Tiger by Brad Riew & Julia Riew
	Reviewed by Anonymous January, 6, 2026 Grade 7

Your Rating: ★★★★★

Book Tags: YA Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Korean History, Magic

Plot Summary: The Last Tiger is a historical fantasy based on the authors' grandparents. The story is set in the Tiger Colonies controlled by the Dragon Empire. It follows Choi Eunji, a daughter of a yangban family, and alternates between her perspective and Lee Seung's, a servant who works for her dad. Choi Eunji  sneaks out of her house to go see the last Slaying Ceremony and is seen by Seung, causing them to make a deal: she tutors him for the Exam, and he helps her sneak out of her house. If one passes the Exam, they can attend The Institute, which, after graduation, grants them dragon ki, and Seung wants dragon ki in order to support his family and defend them from being bullied and stolen from by the Dragon soldiers.

Personal Review: I loved the aspect that the story is based on the authors' grandparents' love story, and the book has quotes from them after each part (there are three). The book did make me cry a lot, though. The Last Tiger is by far one of my top ten favorites. I really like fantasy books, and I am getting into historical romance and such, so this book was perfect for me. I also liked the characters and the world-building. The background and world that the story is set in are described to be so pretty and beautiful, and have so many wonderful places. There are so many characters, and they have such simple and easy-to-remember names. I think it's cool how the authors show how desperate the Choi family is to fit in by giving them two surnames, Choi and Yamamoto (Dragon Empire name). All in all, I think The Last Tiger is an excellent book and worthwhile to read.

Similar Reads:  A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur, The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

	The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
	Reviewed by Anonymous June 6, 2025 Grade 10

Your Rating: ☆★★★★

Book Tags: Historical Fiction, Romance, Classics

Plot Summary: The Great Gatsby is set in the 1920s and is told by Nick Carraway, a young man who moves to Long Island, New York. He rents a small house next to a huge mansion owned by Jay Gatsby, a mysterious and very wealthy man known for throwing glamorous parties every weekend. Nick becomes friends with Gatsby and slowly learns that there's more to him than money and parties. Gatsby is chasing a dream from his past, and Nick gets caught up in the lives of the wealthy people around him, including his second cousin Daisy and her husband, Tom Buchanan.

Personal Review: The Great Gatsby has a powerful and well-thought-out message, especially by the end. It explores deep themes like the emptiness of wealth, the illusion of the American Dream, and how people often chase things that they can never really reach. The final message makes you reflect on life, ambition, and the cost of holding on to the past. However, many of the characters are difficult to like. They often come across as selfish, careless, or dishonest. People like Tom and Daisy seem more focused on their own comfort than on the consequences of their actions. Even Gatsby, who seems more 'innocent', can feel obsessive and blinded by his dreams. This makes it hard to connect with the characters on an emotional level, but it also helps highlight the novel’s point: that wealth and status can corrupt people or make them lose touch with reality.

Similar Reads: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Animal Farm by George Orwell

	The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
	Reviewed by Anonymous January 19, 2024 Grade 10

Your Rating: ☆☆★★★

Book Tags: American South, male protagonist, funny 

Plot Summary: Huck is the protagonist of this story who is a poor boy living in the South while his father spends time drinking and leaving the house. Widow Douglas adopts Huck and shows him the ways of Southern society. Her sister, Miss Watson also helps with raising Huck into society but then Huck doesn’t like it. Huck was having fun with Tom Sawyer being in a “gang” and imagining things until Pap (Huck’s dad) arrived. Judge Thatcher tries to gain legal custody of Huck from Pap but another judge doesn’t let him, so Pap still has custody of Huck. Eventually, Pap starts abusing Huck while he goes to school and accepts the improvements that Widow Douglas shows to Huck. As a result, Pap kidnaps Huck on the other side of the river since he was angry at Huck for improving himself. Huck fakes his own death so he wouldn’t have to experience torture from Pap. He escapes to an island only to find Jim (Miss Watson’s slave) there. They decide to team up on escaping their home by going on the Mississippi River. They encounter many problems while arriving on shore from the Mississippi River. They meet with Duke and King who are scammers, but they still went on adventures with Huck and Jim. Will Huck and Jim earn the freedom they wanted?

Personal Review: This book was pretty good but it’s not 100% my favorite book. I read this book for my English class but there were things that could be improved and were great. I did like learning about how life was like back in the 1800s because I found that very interesting since I love history. Another thing that I like is that there were some parts of the book that were funny which made me enjoy the book a bit more. I kind of felt uncomfortable when I saw the “n” word multiple times in the book since that word is an insult, but I understand that this word was part of the vocabulary back in the 1800s. There were some parts of the book that I got bored of after reading it for some chapters like Tom’s imaginations and plans towards the end were interesting at first, but it got boring after some chapters. Sometimes, it was difficult to understand the dialects used in the book but then my English teacher helped me, and the class understand what it was saying. So overall, this book is good if you like history or want to read a classic that isn’t too long to read.

Similar Reads: Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.

	Bluebird by Sharon Cameron
	Reviewed by Anonymous July 12, 2023 Grade 8

Your Rating: ★★★★★

Book Tags: Historical Fiction, Post World War 2, Female Protagonist

Plot Summary: This book follows Eva in 1946 as she leaves the rubble of Berlin for New York City in search of a Nazi doctor who escaped the justice he deserves. She also holds key information about a deadly project of the concentration camps called Project Bluebird; a weapon that Americans and Soviets are desperate for but neither should ever be allowed to have. She is caught between being raised to be a Nazi and what is truly the right thing to do despite her past and the people who could hurt her for her actions. Eva must navigate a new world of destruction and sift through the lies, escape her past, and shine the light on horrific truths to bring justice. Bluebird is a historical fiction novel with hints of romance as Eva tries to do the right thing and bring justice in the dangerous aftermath of World War Two.

Personal Review: I absolutely loved this book and it’s by far one of my favorites. The author does an amazing job of writing this historical fiction novel. The book has two timelines that eventually become one and some vocabulary and comprehension can be advanced at times. The book is a very easy read and I love how it’s written from the perspective of someone who is German but doesn’t support the Nazis but is also safe from being harmed by the Nazis. It’s different from your classic camp prisoner or resistance fighter while also providing the opportunity to learn about parts of World War Two I didn’t know happened or existed. Overall, it is a wonderful book and I suggest it to those who want an easy historical fiction to read about World War Two with hints of romance and a female protagonist willing to risk her life for justice and the lives of others.

Similar Reads: The Light in Hidden Places is another amazing book by the same author.

	The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
	Reviewed by Anonymous June 3, 2023 Grade 10

Your Rating: ★★★★★

Book Tags: 1920s, jazz age, romance, plot twist

Plot Summary: Set in the 1920s, The Great Gatsby offers a glimpse into the glittering and decadent world of the wealthy elite on Long Island. Nick Carraway, a young guy who moves to New York City and rents a tiny home next to the lavish estate of the mysterious Jay Gatsby, tells the narrative. Nick finds himself attracted into the lavish parties and extravagant lifestyles of his affluent neighbors, experiencing the excesses and shallowness of the Jazz Age. Nick becomes enmeshed in the intricate relationships and secrets of those around him as the plot develops. He notices the moral decay and superficiality of the affluent elite and contrasts it with his own less high aims and principles. Readers see the terrible results of the characters' pursuit of their ambitions in a society where outward appearances frequently conceal deeper truths through Nick's eyes.

Personal Review: This is one of my favorite novels that I had to read for school because of the truly interesting plot and characters. The old English classics are incredibly fascinating. They are written so expertly and with such deep heart. Look no farther if you want to read a novel that will keep you totally engaged. I would stay here forever trying to describe why this is such a fantastic book. So much so that I really enjoyed it. The plot is fantastic, featuring the strange and mysterious man of wealth, Jay Gatsby, and his time during a glorious summer on the Gold Coast on Long Island, when he fell in love with a long-lost girlfriend, a lovely aspect of his past. This novel has a ton of allusions, the characters are all so distinctive, and the plot will really make you angry. I loved and recommend this book 100%.

Similar Reads: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway or Jazz by Toni Morrison

	A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
	Reviewed by Anonymous June 3, 2023 Grade 9

Your Rating: ☆★★★★

Book Tags: Female protagonist, Fantasy

Plot Summary: A Little Princess is set during World War 1 and the protagonist Sara Crewe, is a 10-year-old girl. Her father went to fight for World War 1 and her mother passed when she was only a child. Before being drafted to war they used to live in India for most of Sara’s childhood. Her dad is very wealthy and cares about Sara, so he put her in Miss Minchin's school for girls in London. She got the best room due to her wealthy status, despite this Sara is humble and kind to all the girls at the school even the maid which was her age. Suddenly something horrible happened to her flipping her whole life upside down.

Personal Review: I loved this book; I give it a 9.8/10. It is a great book, the first time I read it I was heartbroken for Sara all the rough things she had to go through. I also recommend the movie (1995). The first time I saw it I cried because of all the things she had to face. I felt bad because Sara was so nice and optimistic, and all of these bad things were happening one after another. This is all okay, because it had a happy ending. Almost all of Ms. Burnett books end with a happy ending. Which is why I like them so much. You see the characters face so many challenges, but it is all worth it because they all end up having a happy ending. One scene that I like is when Sara is describing how her life used to be in India and how perfect and pretty it was to Betty the maid.

Similar Reads: Heidi by Johanna Spyri ; Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

	The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
	Reviewed by Anonymous June 3, 2023 Grade 9

Your Rating: ★★★★★

Book Tags: Female Protagonist, Historical-Fiction

Plot Summary: This is a novel set during the end of the Victorian era and the start of the Edwardian era (1901-1910). You meet the protagonist Mary Lennox, a 10-year-old girl. She was sent to live with her most distant relative, her uncle, after her parents tragically died from cholera in India. All her life she has traveled around the world with her parents it takes time for her to adjust herself to a living in a home. Without a doubt this house was huge. Mary spends her days exploring the house, often getting herself into trouble.
Mary discovers that her uncle has a son, but he is very sick. Her uncle has yet to speak to Mary, nor even seen her. One day on her adventures she finds something wonderful outside ..... a secret garden.

Personal Review: I really loved this book I would give this a 9.5/10. Even though it is targeted for a younger audience I still love it. If you have yet to read this book, I recommend it because it is a book you should at least read once in your life. The movie is also a great adaptation of the book (the 1993 is my favorite). It's very cute and heartwarming. The author describes the garden with such delicacy and detail you can truly visualize the garden in your head. Another scene that I enjoy is the ending it might not be so realistic, but I love happy endings and it truly has one that I hope to be found in every book. Ms. Burnett almost always has a heartwarming ending in all her books which is why I love them so much. She turns a sad book with heartbreak and sadness into a comeback story in a way.

Similar Reads: Anne of Green Gables. Montgomery by L. M. (Lucy Maud), ; A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

	The Crucible by Arthur Miller
	Reviewed by Anonymous June 3, 2023 Grade 10

Your Rating: ☆☆★★★

Book Tags: dark, based on real events

Plot Summary: The play opens in the year 1692 in Puritan dominated Salem, Massachusetts. A group of girls ranging from as young as 8 to 18 go into the forest in the middle of the night with a slave known as Tituba to conjure a spell. The minister of the town, who is also the uncle of the main protagonist, Abigail Williams catches all the girls in the forest engaging in what appears to be witchcraft. The next day, some of the girls involved in the event become inflicted with suspicious behaviors that the superstitious and
religious town immediately calls witchcraft. At the same time, Abigail Williams threatens all the girls to stick to one story regarding their actions the previous night. The town falls into a hysteria and starts to declare that many people within the town are witches. Soon, a trial begins that results in hangings across the town. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Abigail Williams grapples with how to hold onto power after her affair with a married John Proctor.

Personal Review: I found the play very action filled and an interesting depiction of the Salem Witch Trials. I was intrigued by the author's choice to change some details such as the ages of some of the girls. Throughout the play, I often found myself audibly reacting to some events and it was a reminder that death, destruction, hysteria, and paranoia were rampant during this time in Salem, Massachusetts. I admit that the ending of the play was a little expected, considering that the rest of the play was a very intense, emotional rollercoaster experience that was full of surprises. I also found that although Abigail Williams frequently commits questionable acts, I sympathized with her as we discover more about her character's past. Uncovering more about the circumstances between Abigail and John Proctor added to my interest in the book as well as I learned more about the dynamic between all the characters. The play was a great example of slightly dramatized historical fiction and I read the entire play in just two weeks. I definitely would read it again!

Similar Reads: I would consider the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood to be within the same realm as the Crucible.

	Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
	Reviewed by Anonymous March 8, 2023 Grade 9

Your Rating: ★★★★★

Book Tags: female protagonist, historical fiction, tragedy

Plot Summary: The main character is a very wealthy girl who lives in Mexico named Esperanza. The book begins with a bunch of conflicts after her father was murdered the day before her 13th birthday. The reader follows Esperanza's journey after her father's murder, and she flees from the killer. They escape to a new life in America with her mom and her 3 servants Hortensia, Alfoso, and Miguel. Despite this they are left with no money and nobody to trust. 

Personal Review: This book is one of my favorites with the story of a young girl who must learn the importance of sacrifice, love, and family. It also doesn't shy away from the struggles of discrimination in America towards immigrants and people of the lower class. The main character Esperanza is going through a great hardship in her life after her father's murder and instead of being able to mourn him, her and her mother have to quickly flee their country in order to survive, leaving everything she knows behind. This hardship ends up giving her the diligence to survive and to better understand and appreciate her family and friends. I can relate to this book because my mom immigrated from Mexico to America. Although she didn't have the same struggles as Esperanza, it took her years to fit  into American customs and to appreciate her family now that she lives so far from them.  

Similar Reads: Because of Winn-Dixie; Island of the Blue Dolphins; Wonder