The Diabolic by S.J. Kinkaid (review by Anya W. '20)

The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kill in order to protect the person you've been created for. That is the duty of a Diabolic. To love their master for the entirety of their lives and be willing to do anything to protect them. In a time when a ruthless emperor reigns, that sacrifice can even extend to taking her place. If Nemesis is discovered, she's dead, and Sidonia is in danger... Be it taking on a ruthless tyrant or allying with a mad prince, Nemesis will do whatever it takes to protect her master. The Diabolic is beautifully written and definitely falls into the YA category. The world building for this novel is absolutely brilliant, and personally, I'm a sucker for good world building. From the beginning, this novel is gripping, and although the quality of the story decreases somewhat near the end, this novel ends quite nicely. Speaking as someone who has been slightly phasing out of YA novels as of late, The Diabolic definitely deserves a read. - Anya W. '20

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We Have Always Lived Here by Shirley Jackson (review by Andrew R. '17)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There’s a malicious presence in the Blackwood estate, the imposing structure on the outskirts of town inhabited by the only surviving members of a reclusive aristocratic family. It might be wheelchair-bound Uncle Julian, who constantly relives the day most of his family dropped dead of arsenic poisoning. It might be Constance, who hasn’t left the estate in six years and is fanatically devoted to the rules of etiquette. It might even be Merricat, the younger sister, who surrounds the estate with wards and totems to keep the rest of the world at bay. Jackson is best-known today for “The Lottery,” her horrifying story of small-town insularity gone wrong, but of all her notoriously creepy works this one deserves the most attention. Its suspense works in two directions: the reader discovers unsettling details about the past even as the narrative creeps toward a chilling climax, leaving the present moment doubly uncertain and doubly tense. The question of who sprinkled arsenic in the sugar bowl is pretty easily answered, but don’t be fooled—that apparent mystery is just a diversionary tactic to let more frightening revelations approach unnoticed. Even if horror isn’t your genre of choice, as Halloween approaches, Shirley Jackson’s novels are worth a try. - Andrew R. '17

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (review by Amelia H. '19)

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Six of Crows is a fantasy heist story, with a cast of characters who practically spring off the page into real life and a world fleshed out to the tiniest detail. Bardugo’s gift for writing scenes and characters leaves readers feeling as if they themselves have followed the characters on their journeys step by step. Although the author spent considerable time setting up the main plot initially, after finishing the book, I could think of no unnecessary scenes or chapters. Everything came together in the final chapters of the book, which offered just enough closure to satisfy the reader but left enough unsolved that the reader has continue on to the sequel. If you like to immerse yourself in richly detailed fantasy worlds and carefully planned heists, this book is for you. Perfect for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora. - Amelia H. '19

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The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (review by Anya W. '20)

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There's a witch in the woods. Her name is Xan. Every year, in the same spot just outside of that town soaked in sorrow, a mother abandons her baby. The witch doesn't know why, but every year she takes that baby across the bog to the Free cities where a loving family adopts it. Except one year, when instead of milk from starlight, Xan accidentally feeds the baby girl with stars in her eyes the moon, enmagiking her. Enmagicked children are a bit hard for normal humans to raise so, she decides to keep her and name her Luna.

There's a madwoman in the tower. Many years ago during the day of sacrifice, she did something no one else has ever done-she tried to keep her baby with the starry eyes, the one chosen for sacrifice on that terrible day, when the townspeople do what they must to keep the Witch away. The woman has never been the same since.

Caught up in the story are also Antain, the nephew of the village's Grand Elder, Fyrian, a pocket sized Simply Enormous Dragon, and the creature that is "the Bog, the Poet, and the World," Glerk. And let's not forget the (slightly trouble making) tween girl with stars in her eyes. The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a poignant story of magic, madness, good intentions, friendship and sorrow--with an ancient witch or two sprinkled in. Barnhill weaves an alluring, complex tale that is well worth a read. - Anya W. '20

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The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider (review by Arushee B. '19)

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

​​This beautifully-crafted, gripping novel follows the tragic life of a high school boy, Ezra, after an accident cripples him. Suddenly thrown out of his social circle and unable to fit in with anyone anymore, he returns to his unpopular childhood best friend to whom he had not spoken in years. He joins the debate team and joins a table of misfits to eat lunch with. He falls in love with one of these misfits, a girl on the debate team who is beautiful, but not in the expected way. Throughout the novel, Ezra discovers and learns to embrace this new version of himself. I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves high-paced, realistic fiction.


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