Study Bunny
Reviewed by Evelyn
Study Bunny is a study app and it’s perfect for studying and homework. There’s a virtual bunny that you take care of, and you use timers for study sessions. The app includes music, to-do lists, progress charts for how well you do in quizzing yourself on flashcards, and more. This app is really fun and absolutely perfect for middle school and I’m sure high school and college.
The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus,
Book 1) by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by Ronan
Jason wakes up on a bus with no memory at all. He has a girl holding his hand claiming to be his girlfriend and a guy making jokes claiming that he’s their friend. Leo and Piper are their names. They turn out to be half- bloods and are children of Greek gods… or Roman. Jason looks at everything like it’s Roman and not Greek. When these three go on a quest to save the Greek god Hera or Roman god Juno they find more and more about Jason’s past but he still doesn’t remember much. They also have to find Pipers dad who is being held captive by one of the known giants Enceladus. They find Pipers dad and go to Hera’s location. They are able to free her before mother of earth, Gaea, kills her. They also make the main giant Porphyrion from rising. They find out the truth about how Jason got there as well.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Reviewed by Ryan
The author truly outdid himself when he wrote This Book. I really enjoyed the read. It is a thriller that involves a vampire. If you enjoy vampires and a good scare then this is the book for you. If not I would still consider this book form a spark your interest in the genre.
Night by Elie Wiesel
Reviewed by Madeline
It’s gives us a detailed explanation of what happened to him and his father during the holocaust. It tells all of the horrible things they had to witness and do. They were fed so little and we forced to do much labor. Many Jews were killed and it was a horrible time period. He needed his father, and stuck with him for it all.
1984 by George Orwell
Reviewed by Aakash
1984 is a dystopian futuristic novel written by world famous author, George Orwell. This book takes a look at a futuristic totalitarian regime, where the government controls everything. The government essentially brainwashed the citizens and are made to think whatever the government wants them to think. The protagonist of the book is Winston and he wants to question and rebel against the government. This story shows the frightening fate of the world when controlled by a totalitarian government with little freedom. I would recommend this book for high schoolers as it explores some heavy things.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Reviewed by Aakash
This book follows a young man named Dorian Gray. This story is set in England in the 1800s. The story starts off by introducing our protagonist and his innocent ways. However, after a painting was made for him and he befriended the very influential Lord Henry, he started to lose his innocence by doing bad deeds. Every deed he does mysteriously affects the painting. The rest of the story is about how Dorian Gray covers his mistakes and his fate. I personally did not like this book all that much and I consider it an older read.
Two Summer by Aimee Friedman
Reviewed by Naomi
Two summers both filled with love and mystery. Summer Everett discovers the Everett family secret. Summer Everett, daughter of the famous painter Nick Everett, lives with her divorced mother in upstate New York. Where taking one phone call will determine how she ends up spending her time. In one Summer she spends it at home with her mom and aunt taking photography classes at a university. In the other she spends it with her father in France exploring all the different foods and backgrounds.
Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Reviewed by Julianna
The book is about 12 year old girl named Sophie Foster who can read minds. But in a flash, she’s forced to be taken away from her home into a completely new world when a mysterious boy name Fitz find her. In this book she is met with challenges and finds out that she isn’t just normal. I really the plot of this book of how she finds out more about herself and how much she risks in order to save the people she loves. I recommend it for anyone who loves fantasy and magic!
Slay by Brittney Morris
Reviewed by Malawi
This book was amazing. Morris writes characters and speaks about black struggles, without it being the complete center of the book rather having the focus be black excellence. She also chooses to have the main character be someone who has been in (and remembers) a mostly POC community and a mostly white community, yet her view on the world is differs from the other black people around her (who went through similar experiences). Also I was able to follow the rules of the game very well which was great, since I usually struggle with the rules of card games, so I didn’t feel the need to skip those scenes. This was a great book with a powerful message, while still being a doable read.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Reviewed by Madeline
When the kids know about Boo’s bad reputation, they still want him to go outside and play with them. Boo leaves stuff in the tress for them and watches them. One night when Jem and Scout were walking home someone tried to kill them because their father was defending a black person in court. But someone saves them.
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Reviewed by Madeline
Brutus joins a team of people who want to kill caesar. although caesar has done nothing personally to brutus he feels obligated to help rome. together them come up with a plan to kill him. if they successfully kill him who would become the next king?
Heroine by Mindy McGinnis
Reviewed by Malawi
This book was very good and the author does a great job at explaining how one could fall down the slippery slope of painkillers. The relationships that she forms with the other characters are real and make sense, and play a crucial role in the story. The book also played very well into my feelings, joy and empathy all at the right parts (and I won’t lie I shed a tear or two). I would definitely recommend to a friend (I actually already have), but I would be careful because it honestly felt like I was reading someone’s thoughts more than a book so I’d check to make sure it wouldn’t be triggering.
The Emperor’s Riddle by Kat Zhang
Reviewed by Analia
This is a novel about a girl named Mia who goes to her family’s heritage country, China, for summer vacation. She is extremely reluctant to go and she feels this will be the worst 2 months of her life. Her aunt told her a story multiple times of an ancient emperor who disguised himself until his death and now he has treasure waiting to be found. When her aunt goes missing, Mia suspects she went looking for the treasure or she’s in danger. Now she goes on an adventure of the century, looking for both the hidden treasure and her aunt with a series of riddles.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Reviewed by Malawi
This book was great. I have been looking for a good dragon book and was struggling but this was a ray of hope. The relationship that Eragon has with his dragon is beautiful and magical (pun intended). Also, I really appreciate the powerful female dragon, who gets him out of a pinch a couple of times. While Eragon’s dragon has motherly tendencies that aren’t her whole personality like many other female dragons are written. Though it takes a second to figure out all the new vocabulary and places that are completely new, once you do it is truly beautiful and easy to follow.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Reviewed by Nikhitha
The Catcher In the Rye is a novel written by J.D Salinger. This novel takes the reader throughout the main character’s journey to development. The main character of this novel, Holden has a hard time accepting the fact that children do mentally develop and do not remain in their innocence forever. He faces many obstacles through his travel of finding himself out which impact him in the long term. Along with facing many challenges, Holden also meets many new people who each represent a certain part of this society. This novel also had many incidents which the reader could connect to from their own lives. I would recommend this novel to a friend.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Reviewed by Madeline
Liesel and her brother, who died on the train, were adopted by Hans and Rosa Huberman. Hans teaches Liesel how to read and write and even buys books for her. When they secretly adopt a jew, their life becomes harder and more secretive. It was their job to protect him.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Reviewed by Naeel
The Kite Runner, while focusing on deep themes, such as trauma and regret, maintains its appeal throughout the novel, but a few missteps ultimately make some sections far less enjoyable than others. One of the biggest issues with the novel is its pacing and the abrupt changes to it. One section will be action packed and be a dramatic read, but then the text will completely jump to a new, more calm portion in only a paragraph or two. Although the pacing was a major negative, the massive character development between each character and seeing their relationships evolve allowed even the slow sections to seem interesting. Watching Amir, the main character continuously reflects and grow was another positive that never got boring to read through. For Housseini’s first novel, it is phenomenal and I highly recommend everyone to experience it!
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Reviewed by Matthew
A book full of emotion and a ton of surprises in every corner. The story does start off a bit slow but starts to find a pace as it gets deeper and deeper into the plot. The complexity of many of the characters within the book make it an interesting read that can leave you wondering as to whether you really like one of the characters or not. This provides a realistic shade to the book and it is a nice touch to add on to an already good plot. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy a revenge story or a redemption story. The plot is also full of drama for people who are looking for this within a book. Overall, this book is probably more suitable to certain people and the plot is not for everyone. I think that it is very well written and organized for anyone who wants to read it.
I Survived: The Shark Attack of 1916 by Lauren Tarshis and Scott Dawson
Reviewed by Aakash
This book is based on a true story of the shark attacks of 1916 on Jersey shore. The book talks about Chet Roscow, a kid who stays at his uncle’s house in NJ. He has three new friends and he spends his time swimming at the creek, until the news says that there is a massive shark killing people near the Atlantic Coast. Once when swimming, Chet gets pranked by his friends that there was a shark in the water and Chet gets angry at them and leaves. He then pranks them back which causes his friends to get angry as well. The rest of the story is how Chet encounters a real shark and how he saves his friends.
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by Ronan
Percy Jackson seems to be a troubled boy with dyslexia and ADHD but normal otherwise. One day on a field trip however, Percy has a crazy vision that his assistant teacher turned into an evil eagle that wanted to kill him while his actual teacher, Mr. Brunner threw him a ballpoint pen and when he had uncapped it, it was a huge sword. Later that day his mom tells him they would go to Montauk (since he lived in NYC) for a vacation. When he wakes up in the middle of the night and sees his mom talking to his friend Grover and that they both tell him they need to leave and drive all the way back from Montauk to this “strawberry farm” but encounter a monster from Greek mythology. This monster “killed” Percy’s mother and when Grover and Percy escaped the monster they went to the field and Percy was filled in on everything. His friend Grover was a Saytr his teacher Mr. Brunner is a centaur who’s actual name is Chiron and this strawberry farm is a camp for Half-Bloods. Percy was also Poseidon’s only son of that camp and was told that Zeus’ master bolt has been stolen and he suspected Percy’s father. Percy had to go on a quest with two of his friends to locate the bolt and prove his fathers innocence while fighting monsters and interacting with gods. Will he be able to do it?
1984 by George Orwell
Reviewed by Janine
1984’s premise is how a dystopian society operates in order to keep its civilians obedient and act like sheep in order to produce the “perfect” society that the officials desire. The main character Winston understands that for his safety he should act the way Big Brother, the “supreme” leader, demands of the people in Oceania but Winston wants to have more freedom in his own life which is condemned in the dystopian world known as Oceania. Winston seeks out a woman who believes she should have sexual freedom in Oceania named Julia, and they begin a relationship, knowing that it is not allowed. Winston and Julia both crave a “breath of fresh, new air” and found that within each other but was discovered by secret supporters of Big Brother that have been watching them since the beginning. The way that Big Brother is always watching the people of Oceania shows the disturbing ways that a dystopian society operates and leaves the reader thinking about their own lives and the way the world works.
Levittown: Volume II by Margaret Lundrigan Ferrer and Tova Navarra
Reviewed by Jason
Book was nice, it included more photos of Levittown in it’s prime and it also featured a separate chapter for a family that grew 4 generations in Levittown. It was fun to see the journey of the family as they grew up and attended Levittown school systems. I’d have to say that the book was an 8 for me. The reason why is because the book showed a ton of pictures from the previous book and I’m not fond of that because I already read the first book. Seeing the pictures again made me have to skip over a couple of pages, but I do like that they added a little more backstory into the book as it is provided with a timeline at the end of the book.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Reviewed by Kyle
The Great Gatsby is a well written book that takes place in the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald does a great job incorporating many aspects of the 1920s in this book. Throughout the novel the common theme or question is “can money buy you happiness”. I feel that this is a great question that requires a lot of thought. By reading this book it will challenge readers to think about that question. I would highly recommend reading this novel!
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Reviewed by Duaa
The whole book is quite short, but boy is it interesting. It is so weird that you cannot help but not look away. The book is only around 70 pages so it can be read in one sitting. It can be read at a surface level or you can look into the book more symbolically. It is about a man who turns into a bug and has to navigate his new life, it is really good but also I bit sad. Totally worth the read.
Levittown: The First 50 Years by Margaret Lundrigan Ferrer and Tova Navarra
Reviewed by Jason
The book was fantastic, seeing Levittown in it’s earliest years was amazing. I wish there were more pictures of shopping centers around the Levittown area. I loved seeing how much old Levittown houses used to cost and how fast the population in Levittown grew. I am currently about to read the second volume because of how interested I am for this information. A well known musician grew up in Levittown during the 1940s and 50s, but because of the no spoilers, I’d prefer not to reveal his name in this review.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Reviewed by Vanessa
This book was so much fun and was a great spin on Harry Potter. The world that Rowell created was unique and I really enjoyed all the little twists about how the magic in this world worked. The characters were the best part of the book and I’m very happy that there were multiple point of views since it gave a great insight into all of the characters. The absolute best part was the way that it casually told the story of the two main guy characters that were in love. Many times in books a character being gay is the main focus point so it is very refreshing for the love of two boys to be something that is accepted and considered normal. I recommend this book to everyone as it is such a fun read and the last book in the series is coming out this July!
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Reviewed by Vanessa
This book very quickly became one of my favorite books I have ever read. Hosseini has a gift for writing characters that are so insanely human and real. I absolutely love that this story is told from the point of views of two women, which can be so rare in literature. The woman are strong and powerful and the story really shows all the burdens women carry, especially in countries such as Afghanistan which was under the control of the Taliban. The main characters, Laila and Mariam develop a relationship that is so heart-warming and it was my favorite thing to read about.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Reviewed by Vanessa
This wonderful book tells the story of Amir as he grows from childhood to adulthood. It is a beautiful story of dealing with our past mistakes and guilt and working to be good again as we right our wrongs. All of the characters are very human and their struggles, both internally and externally, are relatable and real. I love the way that a lot of the plot lines came full circle and it led to a very satisfying ending. Hosseini is able to create a story that will warm everyone’s heart while simultaneously ripping it to pieces and I especially love how the ending and the way that it is someone capable of achieving both of these feelings.
Villainous
Reviewed by Jarrod
Disney Villainous is a very interesting game in the sense that you play, as the title suggests, as a villain. Each player is given a realm (a personal board), featuring four locations (sections). Most locations feature four actions (with some exceptions) that the player can use when they move there. On your turn, you move to any unlocked location, perform all uncovered actions at your location in any order, and draw back up to a hand of four cards. You accrue power and spend it to play cards. These cards allow you to vanquish heroes and contribute to your objective. No villain has the same objective. While you try to either gain power, take control, defeat your enemies, etc., your opponents will play fate cards on you, which are heroes that hinder your progress. In a unique race to complete your villain’s objective first, you will have a blast as you mess with your opponents and take over. There is a special, hand-crafted piece for each villain and the illustrations are very detailed, making the game visually appealing. Disney Villainous is an experience unlike any other and is a fresh take on a board game. Anyone who is looking for something new should definitely give it a try.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
Reviewed by Jarrod
Widely regarded as the best in the Mario and Luigi series, this turn-based rpg (role-playing game) is a fantastic creation. The game begins with an announcement that the kingdom has been infected by a disease called the blorbs, which swells the toads to a size at which they are useless. Fawful, the antagonist, tricks Bowser into consuming a mushroom that makes him inhale everything around him. Bowser goes to Peach’s castle and inhales everyone there. Mario, Luigi, and a helpful star sprite named Starlow must find Peach, figure out how to escape from Bowser’s body, and cure the blorbs. Bowser must save the Mushroom Kingdom and stop Fawful (he is helped by Mario, Luigi, and Starlow, but he is unaware of this). From its amazing plot full of twists and humor to its beautiful soundtrack and appealing graphics, this game is an absolute masterpiece. Mario and Luigi Bowser’s Inside Story evokes great emotion from me whenever I play it. This is a game that I cannot recommend enough. P.S. There is a remake if you prefer a game with newer graphics and polished music. There is also an additional game mode in the remake, Bowser Jr.’s Journey.
Among Us
Reviewed by Jarrod
In this social deduction experience, ten people are on a spaceship. Two of them are assigned the role of impostor (yes it is impostor, not imposter). The goal of impostors is to kill off the crew without being caught. The other eight are crewmates. Crewmates have to deduce who the impostors are and eject them (via a majority of players voting them off of the ship). During gameplay, crewmates do menial tasks, while impostors sabotage the ship and kill crewmates. When a dead body is reported or an emergency meeting is called, all remaining players discuss what they have seen and done. Among Us is a game of trust and betrayal in which you will need to learn how to tell friend from foe, or manipulate and trick people into trusting you. While the game may sound brutal, it is very cartoon-like in design and people of all ages can play it. Once you get the hang of it, this game can become very addictive. Among Us is incredibly fun and I would absolutely recommend it.
Up
Reviewed by Aakash
The movie follows the lide of the protagonist, Carl Fredrickson. After his love of his life, his wife passes away, he turns into a very grumpy old man with no friends and outside connection. He always reminisces about his wife’s dream about going to “Paradise Falls.” After some events happen, Fredrickson uses hundreds of balloons to take his house to South America, when unexpectedly a young boy joins him. The adventures they witness and go through make up the crux of the story. This movie is both very touching, and funny. It has many themes like friendship and love. I would recommend this movie!
Midnight Memories by One Direction
Reviewed by Isabella
This album by one direction is absolutely amazing! All of the songs are outstanding and have a lot of meaning. There is the perfect combination of very upbeat dance songs and then the mellow ones to balance out the vibe of the album. This album is the third one direction album and is totally different than their first and second album, which is something that makes this album so much better.
Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils
Reviewed by Ariana
If you are looking for high quality colored pencils, Prismacolor’s are wonderful. Are they the absolutely best on the market? No. However, these are so significantly better than the average colored pencils, like Crayola’s. They go on paper smoothly and blend extremely well, and when you use them, you can immediately tell that they are quality pencils. I have created pieces that I’m extremely proud of using just these. In addition, professional artists use these and create unbelievable pieces—some of which you can’t even tell aren’t photographs. If you want to draw and have quality supplies, these are worth the investment, despite their prices. However, as for downfalls, the tips can break rather easily for quality colored pencils. These cannot take as much of a beating as some other brands. However, again, they are still much better than the average colored pencils (like Crayola’s).
All Recipe’s Gooey Butter Cookies
Reviewed by Kayla
This is one of my favorite cookies to make around the holiday season. The cookies taste just like a cake. This recipe uses yellow cake batter, but there are many different recipes for a different flavor of cake. These cookies are very easy to make and they are delicious. Anyone can make these cookies no matter what level of baking you are at.
Try the recipe for yourself
Tasty’s The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Reviewed by Ariana
This is the best consistently good, chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe that I have found—and after using it multiple times, I’ve stopped looking for now. I love chewy cookies, but crispy ones are easier to make. Not with this recipe. My mom likes crispier cookies better than chewy cookies, and so I left some in much longer than recommended for her until they were almost burnt (the way she likes them)—but they still ended up slightly chewy. Perfect, in my opinion, though not her favorite. Also, they’re relatively easy to make—especially with using melted butter in place of room temperature butter—though there are two steps that could be considered “extras” to a very casual baker. They suggest using chocolate chunks, not chips. I chopped up a chocolate bar, and this made the cookies so much better than I could have ever imagined. Also, you have to chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for a more complex flavor. But if you’re searching for an outstanding chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe, I would definitely try this one.
Check out the recipe here
Bon Appetit’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Reviewed by Ariana
I’m always searching for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. This recipe somehow is and isn’t at the same time. I’ve made the recipe four times, and the second time, these were absolutely, hands-down, the best cookies I’ve ever had. But every other time, they were just too buttery. I tried to follow the same exact procedure each time: same brand and amount of butter, same other ingredients and measurements, etc. The last time I made them, I used a bit less of the browned butter, but they still came out too buttery. I would say that this is a finicky recipe, in that slight, unnoticeable changes have too large effects. However, they were not terribly difficult to make, and I still cannot forget that second batch. So, if you have time and a love for chocolate chip cookies, I would say give this recipe a shot.
Check out the recipe here
2 Ingredient Oreo Mug Cake
Reviewed by Sydney
The Oreo Mug Cake was very simple to make. You just had to mash up Oreos and milk and put it in the microwave. Although the recipe was very easy, it does not taste very good. The texture of the cake was kind of gummy, and a little watery. It did taste like Oreos, but the texture was so unusual, it’s barely edible! It is a fun recipe to try, but I don’t recommend eating it.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
Reviewed by Bella
High School Musical The Musical The Series (HSMTMTS) is a Disney Plus series based on the HSM movies. It takes place at East High, where the original series was filmed. The school’s drama department is set to do a production of HSM. Add in some drama with the main characters of Nini, her ex Ricky and new boyfriend EJ, you have musical filled series with a relatable side. And a bonus of original songs!
Yona of the Dawn
Reviewed by Janine
Yona of The Dawn is an extremely enjoyable romance anime to watch as it has a different premise than most other romance animes. The characters in Yona of the Dawn are almost all likable and if you read the manga for this show, you’ll see even the characters that are not likable in the show get a redemption arc or a interesting backstory in the manga. I think the concepts of friendship, dutyship, strength, and political relationships between kingdoms is very well shown in this anime. Yona of The Dawn is definitely one of my favorite romance animes and I’d highly recommend this for anyone in general!
Arrow
Reviewed by Victoria
This show will keep you on the edge of the seat throughout all the seasons. It breaks the norm of how a hero is truly perfect and makes you question whether certain actions should be taken if it means to get justice and is meant to be for the greater good of everyone. It shows how even ‘heroes’ have to be held accountable for their actions and how the law won’t always be on their side. It has just the right amount of supernatural villains and essence mixed with regular villains who are human just like everyone else. This is definitely a great show to check out if you want a thrilling superhero show that don’t follow the cliché tropes of how the heroes always win or save the day.
The Vampire Diaries
Reviewed by Madeline
Two brothers enter town and stir up drama. High school students become vampires, witches and even werewolves. They stick together, but at times it gets hard. Both of the brothers fall in love with Elena. Which will she end up with?
The Originals
Reviewed by Madeline
It shows a family of vampires willing to do anything to protect their family. When people who want to kill them show up, they take care of them together and take them down. Klaus gets a women pregnant and if changes him for the better. Their family have many problems and bad things happened to them. Will they stick together?
Big Shot
Reviewed by Naomi
Do you like sports? Well Big Shot is about a girls basketball team with a new coach. The coach was a D1 boys basketball coach until an unfortunate event. They are in the last high school division, with their new coach they are striving to move up a division. The show displaces how the use of teamwork can get you places. Will they be able to move up a division with their new profound use of teamwork? What do you think?
Bondi Rescue
Reviewed by Naomi
Bondi Rescue is a tv series about live guards who work on an Australian beach. Bondi beach is filmed in Australia and tends to attract tourists from all around the world. Bondi rescue brings you into the lives of life guards. The dangers of the rough waters and waves and being swept out to sea is always a concern for life guards. Through the use of jet skies and boards these lifeguards risk their lives to save someone who is drowning.
Dance Moms
Reviewed by Peyton
Dance moms is an iconic show that we all know and love. It features very talented kids that love to dance and want to make it far in the industry. personally i like the older seasons with the original cast but the newer episodes and seasons are ok too. My favorite from the original cast is Chloe. While this show may be intense at moments it can also be very funny. Overall it is a great show and I definitely recommend watching it.
