The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne

 

In the novel, The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne, Lucy Hutton absolutely despises her co-worker, Joshua Templeman. She despises his organized system of shirts, and his very dreamy eyes. But most of all, she absolutely hates that she must compete with him for a promotion. In a spur of the moment decision, Lucy promises to quit if Joshua wins the promotion. With her job and her future on the line, Lucy must put in all of her effort to overcome obstacles and prove her worth. In her desperate attempts to out-do Joshua, she learns that maybe he isn't ALL bad. Will his strange humanity deter her, or will she resist the spell and win the promotion?

I absolutely LOVED this book and I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone. The enemies to lovers trope is done so well, and I was thoroughly entertained the entire book. Thorne beautifully describes the complexities of family relationships and the obstacles woman (especially those on the shorter side) face in the workplace. The vulnerabilities and flaws of each character helped to bring them to life, and by the end I had a hard time convincing myself that Lucy and Joshua were fictional. I would definitely read this when you have a lot of time on your hands, because it is so hard to put down.

Reviewed by AL, Grade 12

Glendale Central Library 

TimeRiders: The External War, by Alex Scarrow

 

TimeRiders: The External War, by Alex Scarrow, is the fourth in the Time Riders series. Sal, Maddy, and Liam has been given a second by working at the time travel agency. A change in history has caused Abraham Lincoln to be brought to the future. In this new state of limbo the Civil War will not every end. Maddy must confront colonels on both sides of the war to convince them of a cease fire long enough for the agency to restore history and put Lincoln back in his own time.

A main part of this book that I thoroughly enjoy are the characters. After reading three other books with them I've grown to know them personally and understand how each one handles different situations. I have also really enjoyed seeing their relationships grow and become more like family within the agency. I really enjoy how real life events are incorporated into the books, but always with a little twist that becomes the "what if" question. The interactions between Liam, Sal, and Maddy and historical figures are always written really well and enjoyable interactions, especially since each of them are from different time periods.

Reviewed by TB, Grade 12

Montrose Library