Crier's War, by Nina Varela

Lady Crier is the daughter of Sovereign Hesod, her goal is to gain more of an influence in how the land is governed. Automae being "made" people, they have most of the attributes of a human, but more enhanced and so they are deemed superior to humans. Ayla is a human with a personal vendetta against Sovereign Hesod. He was the one who called for the raid in her town, the raid killing her parents and twin brother. She plans to get her revenge by killing Crier. One night, she had the perfect chance to leave her for dead, but she saves her and they end up becoming closer in a way they probably never expected to

I loved Crier's War, by Nina Varela. The worldbuilding is amazing, though there is a lot of information about the setting right in the beginning that may get a bit slow to some people. This book really captivated me and I finished it in 2 days. And the LGBTQ+ representation is really good too, so I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is also part of that community and any allies. I also recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy type books with a hint of sci-fi and romance. It was really wholesome reading this book and noticing small moments between Crier and Ayla. It was great seeing how being LGBTQ+ was normalized and common in the world.

Reviewed by AO, Grade 9

Glendale Central Library 

The Bar Code Tattoo, by Suzanne Weyn

The Bar Code Tattoo, by Suzanne Weyn is the latest and greatest form of everything. It is an ID, a certificate, a passport, and a credit card all embedded on your skin. Almost everybody gets it. But Kayla, a regular high school senior, is hesitant about the new technology and its control over her life. The tattoo gave anyone access to your genetic code and private information at the quick scan of the wrist. As the new technology makes more and more aspects of life efficient for the tattooed population, Kayla struggles to avoid getting it. She becomes marked as different in her school and in her community. Her mother and father, who both have gotten the tattoo start to behave differently, becoming depressed and her father even becomes suicidal. Kayla uses this, along with her mother's knowledge that babies are being killed based on their genetic code to remain strong in her refusal to get the tattoo. When her mother begins to go crazy and burn the tattoo off of her wrist, Kayla winds up in the hospital. She is told she will receive the tattoo shortly and she runs away. How will she avoid the government, discover what happened to her father, and find other non-tattooed people?

The Bar Code Tattoo is a thrilling read that will quickly get you hooked on the story. Written in the early 2000s its a fascinating take on the dangers of wide spread technology and government control. While one critique of the story could be its lack of addressing modern cell phones and social media. Yet, I would argue that by focusing on the first, most basic identifying technology, the barcode, Weyn emphasizes how easy it is for any type of technology to attack individualism and create a dystopian world. In fact Weyn makes the horrors of her world so evident that it might be overly disturbing to young readers who watch the transition from "normal" life to one of terror. For older readers however, the intriguing plot forces them to reflect upon their own society. What is the barcode tattoo today?

Reviewed by Rachel R., Grade 12

Glendale Central Library 

It Ends With Us follows the main character Lily, who has had a rough childhood growing up– domestic violence isn’t easy on the soul. She meets Ryle, a neurosurgeon that also had a traumatizing childhood. Sparks fly between the two, and suddenly Lily feels her life is way too good to be true. However, many bumps come along the way and IN the way of their relationship. Will their relationship last? Will there be any parallels to Lily’s childhood and her love life?

I rated It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover a 4/5. I bought this book after my two cousins (who bought it months before me), and I finished it before them (in two days)! This is the first (but definitely not the last) book I have read by Colleen Hoover, and I was very touched by the message the book left. To be completely honest though, I don’t know if something’s wrong with me, but I didn’t cry at all when reading it– I DO understand why one would cry, however. I finished the book not really liking it because I had to let it hit me after a couple of days, and since then, I have not expected it to affect me in such a way! The subtle yet important messages written had me questioning my future life and what decisions I make at a certain point in time will affect my life later on. Although contemporary, the way Atlas and Lily met and ending up together years later was a bit… not realistic, and the contrast between Ryle and Atlas made the ending VERY SLIGHTLY obvious. Overall, I highly recommend this book, but if you are sensitive to topics of domestic violence, rape, and so one, don’t push yourself to.

Reviewed by Anon, Grade 11

Montrose Library  

A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist and Fury picks up from the first book in the series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, following the events that led to Feyre becoming a Fae. She becomes engaged to Tamlin, but as time goes on and Tamlin gradually restricts/imprisons her, she gets overwhelmed and unhappy in the relationship. So, Feyre calls for help, and Rhysand answers. She learns many things when with him, but her visits are brief, and she returns to the Spring Court. Until she doesn’t. Eventually, she learns that a war is brewing, and not everything is as it seems.

To this day, A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J. Maas is my absolute favorite. Words cannot explain how much I loved it and everyone in it (there ARE some exceptions ;)). This book made me pull half all-nighters because of how addicting and intriguing it is. I was in shock when I realized I changed from shipping Feyre and Tamlin to Feyre and Rhysand– not saying I didn’t subconsciously expect it at some point, but it was definitely done in a beautiful and smooth manner. This series got me into annotating and marking my favorite pages and this specific book will always hold a special place in my heart. What I would DO to read this book again for the first time!!! 55555/5 (yes I meant to write that many 5’s).

Reviewed by Anon, Grade 11

Montrose Library

A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses is set in a fantasy world, following a huntress named Feyre and how she gets through her life. Struggling to support her family which consists of two sisters and a father, she kills a faerie who shapeshifted as a wolf. Not too long after, a beast (also a faerie shapeshifter) named Tamlin arrives and demands that Feyre will be taken back to his land with her as compensation–permanently. The story continues with their emerging complex relationship. However, something evil is lurking over the faerie courts and Feyre must find a way to save Tamlin and his people.

This book literally got me out of a 4-year reading slump. Before picking up A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas, I never imagined myself to be a fantasy reader, and the fact that I finished the book in less than two days kind of says something, don’t you think? I kid you not I have gone through every emotion possible to experience when reading this book. The characters become very well developed and the vivid imagery that this author manages to create make certain scenes all the better if you know what I mean ;). There were romantic and steamy scenes throughout the book, and the action-heavy scenes were toward the end, which, in my opinion, worked pretty well considering the plot of the book. There is a bit of repetition here and there, but honestly, it was not a bother when I was reading. For the ending, it did have weak moments (I think you would know what I’m talking about if you got to that part ;)) but it wasn’t something unbearable. I was still content with how the book wrapped up. If you see yourself as someone who prefers fictional settings, action, enemies-to-lovers, and isn’t sensitive to spicy scenes, then this book is a perfect mix for you.

Reviewed by Anon, Grade 11

Montrose Library