#Girlboss, by Sophia Amoruso

We follow the journey of Sophia Amorous the C.E.O of the company Nasty Gal. She goes through everything she went through to get to where she is now. She did not start as easy as selling fashion online but she started out by selling a stolen book online. As a teenager she was far from career focused she was hitch hiking, committing petty theft, and also dumpster diving. She finally got a 9-5 job but she did not enjoy it as much as she would think. She was in it mostly for the health insurance but it was not enough for her. Then she decided to start to sell clothing on E-Bay and how did that lead her to a $250 Million Retail Empire. #Girlboss, by Sophia Amoruso, is great for the person who wants to be motivated it shows it does not matter what background you come from if you put your mind to it you can make a difference. She changed the standard cookie cutter image of what you would think of a C.E.O. She had many jobs some jobs that seem like she wanted to find a bad job. She didn't go to college but that did not stop her she changed the definition of being successful. Reviewed by Marta R., Grade 12 Glendale Central Library

Shadowlands, by Kate Brian

Rory miller was an average teenager with an average life, until the notorious serial killer, Steven Nell, attacked her. Rory must enter the witness protection program with her sister Darcy and her father. She is forced to leave the house where so many memories were made as a child and leave her friends behind.  Her family moves to an isolated vacation island called Juniper Landing. The sisters haven’t gotten along as well as they had used to but once they find new friends and get used to their new lifestyle, they slowly become the close sisters they once were.  Just as the girls began to feel comfortable with their surroundings, one of their friends goes missing which raises some questions in Rory and her family’s minds. Is Steven Nell back? Are we in danger?  Will Rory be able to pick up the pieces after her normal life was violently ripped away from her or will her nightmare begin all over again.

The book, Shadowlands, by Kate Brian, was in my opinion, a very well written book with many twists and turns as soon as you turned the page. It constantly kept me guessing about what was going to happen next. The author did a tremendous job of keeping the readers guessing until the very last page. I went into this book with expectations of a standard serial killer thriller plot, and came out with, actually, I don't know how to describe what Shadowlands is without spoiling the ending - a bizarre twisty mind-bender? I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes mystery,drama, and scandals.

Reviewed by Elise B., grade 9

Montrose Crescenta Branch

With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa, by E.B. Sledge

U.S. Marine Eugene Sledge is launched into the chaos of World War Two, testing his strength, his wits, and his morals against the Imperial Japanese Army. Along with his fellow warriors, Sledge must comprehend the morality of the gruesome enemy, while often questioning his own. In a novel that tells of the troubles of a common World War Two Marine comes the deepest sentiment that has never before been told. Surpassing the romanticized story of combat, with glory and honor held higher than true, "With the Old Breed" is sure to shoot and hit past expectations. Beautifully written and extravagantly composed, With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa, by E.B. Sledge, is the epitome of what war-fighting brings to a man. Author E.B. Sledge brings his experiences from the scorching hot rocks of Peleliu and the miserably damp terrain of Okinawa to put together a true story of camaraderie, courage, and capability. Not the common war story, the novel encompasses all that is hell, heaven, and everything in between. It is the definition of a genuine story of war. The book is recommended for mature readers in high school and above, as Sledge becomes very descriptive of the gore and brutality that surrounded him in the Pacific theater of war. Vocabulary is of collegiate level, and the story-telling is of beyond. Reviewed by Eric, Grade 12 Glendale Central Library