PAGE TURNERS- 2023

We have read so many great books this year, so far:

BLINDNESS by Jose Saramago

A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness" that spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there the criminal element holds everyone captive, stealing food rations, and assaulting women. There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides her charges—among them a boy with no mother, a girl with dark glasses, a dog of tears—through the barren streets, and their procession becomes as uncanny as the surroundings are harrowing. As Blindness reclaims the age-old story of a plague, it evokes the vivid and trembling horrors of the twentieth century, leaving readers with a powerful vision of the human spirit that's bound both by weakness and exhilarating strength (Goodreads).

Page Turners' Thoughts:

We had mixed feelings about this novel. The writing style is very different. It's a stream-of-conciousness approach, so it was sometimes hard to follow and/or confusing-almost no punctuation!!. In addition, it can be very graphic and rather disturbing

The characters are interesting and intriguing, and definitely kept us guessing. 

The main positive for this novel is it invoked discussion. We debated and talked about so many aspects of this story. I think we would cautiously recommend this novel, but be prepared for something unlike anything you've ever read before- and not always in a good way (weird). I would challenge anyone to read it though. It is nothing if not thought provoking.

THE INHERITANCE GAMES by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.

To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive (Goodreads).

Page Turners' Thoughts:

We all started out quite enjoying this novel. It is an intriguing concept for a story, and we were all eager to dive in. The story is fun in that, it is full of codes and riddles, and some of us loved the romance factor, (not me). However, I would recommend this series as I think teen readers will enjoy all the mystery, and of course, the romance. In fact, we enjoyed it so much we read the second book in the series as our next choice.

THE HAWTHORNE LEGACY by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

SPOILER ALERT!!

The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions - including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons.

Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows that she's not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture - by any means necessary (Goodreads).

Page Turners' Thoughts:

While we didn't enjoy this one as much as the first book in the series, I still stand by my original thought which is that teens will enjoy this series, and for that reason, I recommend it!

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways (Goodreads).

Page Turners' Thoughts:

We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this novel1 From the old Hollywood glam to all the the love and relationships, to the intrigue and excellent story telling- this was one of the best books I've read in a long time. If you love Hollywood, and romance and complex, interesting relationships with an LGBTQ+ vibe, you will be swept away by this incredible story. Bring on the movie!!!!!

We love the first book by TJR so much, we decided to read another:

MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE by Taylor Jenkins Reid

From the acclaimed author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do comes a breathtaking new novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results.

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate? (Goodreads).

Page Turners' Thoughts: 

While we all definitely enjoyed this novel, it just was not as enjoyable and completely awesome as Evelyn Hugo. It's a cool story with a fun plot though. I think we would all recommend anything by TJR. I know Daisy Jones and the Six is currently showing on Netflix, and that speaks volumes about the popularity of Reid's novles. Both of the novels by TJR are available in the library and I would be curious to know which one you preferred.

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADIE LARUE by V.E. Schwab

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name (Goodreads).

Page Turners' Thoughts:

GO. READ. THIS. BOOK. With the exception of a couple students, we all adored this novel. I think it's one of the best books I've ever read. We just loved the history, and the character of Addie, so incredibly much. She is mysterious, intelligent, cool and complex, and then there's the writing. Oh, the writing!! It is beautiful, ethereal, artistic, magical. Give this one a whirl- it will be imprinted on your heart. Trust us.

Current Read:

THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett

The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect?

Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins (Goodreads).

Page Turners' Thoughts:

So far, we are enjoying it. More to come...stay tuned!!

SORA- A COOL APP OR ONLINE PLATFORM WHICH PROVIDES FREE E-BOOKS AND AUDIO BOOKS FOR SHELDON STUDENTS AND TEACHERS!

 *You can access Sora online at https://www.overdrive.com/apps/sora/

Instructions for SORA  APP-

 

1. INSTALL the FREE app from the APP store or GOOGLE PLAY

2.  FOLLOW PROMPTS- You will use firstname.lastname

                                                                 school password.

3.Browse , and borrow a book. Your book will open right away, so you can start reading.

 

 

 

 

4. Close the book, and go to 

 to see all your books  From there, you can:

 

• Select Open book or Open audiobook to read or listen to the book.
• Select Options to renew or return the book, see your notes and highlights, and more.

PAGE TURNERS- BOOKS WE READ TO END THE YEAR IN 2019

 LADY ROGUE  BY JENN BENNET

We read Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennet. Some legends never die…

Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.

Until Huck returns from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it (goodreads.com)

Lane's Final Word- I think we all loved this book the best! Theo is so full of spirit, and she is brave and intelligent and funny! This book is Indiana Jones meets The Mummy meets The Da Vinci Code. (Ya, I love movies too). So fun!

THE PAIN EATER BY BETH GOOBIE
She hadn’t told anyone. Not a single soul. Not one word about that night and what had been done to her had ever passed Maddy Malone’s lips. She’d thought about it at first - had been desperate, even frantic, to tell. But then had come the shame, and the intimidation from the boys who raped her - and the one who held her down. 

Now it’s the beginning of a new school year and Maddy is hoping that she can continue to hide, making herself as quiet and small as possible. She is consumed with keeping the memories at bay, forcing them down through small cuts and the burn from the end of a cigarette. But when her English class is given the assignment of writing a collaborative novel about a fifteen-year-old girl, The Pain Eater, fact and fiction begin to meet up. When the boys spread rumors about Maddy, she realizes that continuing to hide the truth will only give them more control, and she slowly gains the courage to confront them (goodreads.com)

Lane's Final Word- We also read The Pain Eater by Beth Goobie. This one is heartbreaking, gritty and real. It deals with the serious issue of rape. However, you learn a lot, and there's light at the end of the tunnel. Read it.

PAGETURNERS- 2ND BOOK OF THE YEAR- GOOD OMENS BY TERRY PRATCHETT AND NEIL GAIMAN

 

So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon—both of whom have lived amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle—are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist . (Goodreads)

They Both Die in the End by Adam Silvera

Hello Spartans!

Well, we finished the book. We had mixed reviews from our club members. Some of us loved the concept- enter a world in which you are notified of your own death. Now, you have 24 hours to decide how you want to conduct what's left of your life. This idea brought up tons of questions about what each of us would do next. It was fun to debate about all the different possibilities- that is the interesting part. The problem with the book, in this teacher-librarian's opinion, is the characters. It was a challenge to like them, and therefore a challenge to care about what happened to them. They are both notified at the beginning of the novel that they are on the death list. Now, they each decide to use an app which will help them find a friend who is going through the same experience. Rufus and Matteo are different to say the least. We learn about who they are, and we get to learn their ultimate fate. Again, the book is very polarizing, some love it, some dislike it intensely. I'm in the latter category. Nevertheless, we have it in the library. So, if you would like to decide for yourself, and who doesn't? Please come check out They Both Die in the End.

** You can read more of what this novel is all about in my previous post.

BEST BOOK IN AGES! WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING BY DELIA OWENS

  For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps (Goodreads).

Ma. Lane's Thoughts: This was simply one of the best books I've ever read! Delia Owens is able to weave words and sentences into a true work of art. Her descriptions of the marsh and creatures who live there are breathtaking. In addition, there is suspense, beauty, sadness, and indescribable moments of joy and pain. I never wanted to leave Kya's world! Some of these sentences and the images they create will forever be embedded on the walls of my heart. Truly excellent!

PAGE TURNERS- FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR- THEY BOTH DIE IN THE END BY ADAM SILVERA

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day. (Goodreads).

We are all excited about reading this book! I will write again with our review. Stay tuned!