The Postmortal by Drew Magary

When the cure for aging is discovered and made widely available for people to take, society is changed forever. John Farrell, a twenty-nine year old lawyer, is one of the first people to take the cure. Following his point of view, over a course of sixty years, The Postmortal tells a dark, disturbing story of a world without natural death - a world where violence and murder abound.

I thought this book was amazing. It was thought-provoking and really explored the idea of death and how it held people in line and had such a big impact on society. The story itself was fantastic as well, and the development of Farrell as a character was also very interesting. The story really showed how different events in his life changed his outlook on things. The novel was very dark, but engaging and suspenseful. Overall, I really liked the premise and execution of this book, and I would definitely recommend it to other readers.

Reviewed by NK, Grade 10

Montrose Library

Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt

When Dicey's mother suddenly leaves Dicey and her siblings with only vague instructions to get to their aunt's house, Dicey is confused. She knows her mom loves her and her family, but she also knows that a mother shouldn't leave her children like that. However, as the oldest in the family, Dicey decides that she'll try her best to take care of her siblings and find a way to get to their aunt, who they've never seen before. Secretly, Dicey doesn't want the burden of having to care for her family - after all, she's just a child herself. But it seems like too much to wish for someone who will take care of them.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. The story was very fun to read and had a nice underlying message. The characters were all very interesting and realistic. One thing I liked was how the author made Dicey's world seem so real - everything that happened in the book felt as if it could have happened in real life. The author also did a great job at creating the atmosphere of the book. It finished off on a happy, heartwarming note. Overall, I loved reading this novel, and I would definitely recommend it to others.

Reviewed by NK, Grade 10

Montrose Library