Category Archives: Book Reviews

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee has to now be one of my favorite books, up there with The Outsiders and The Institute. I never expected to like this book so much but it’s always the ones you look down on that come back to bite you when you least expect it. To Kill A Mockingbird was our fourth required reading for my English class this year and when my teacher said that it was a good book, I should have believed her more.

To Kill A Mockingbird is one huge flashback told by Scout Finch. It starts when Scout is six and she introduces her older brother Jem and her dad Atticus. They all live in the town of Maycomb, Alabama, set in the 1930s, The Great Depression. Scout begins the story talking about how Jem had broken his arm. As simple as it sounds, it’s such a long story to get to that point that you completely forget that that was how we started the story until Scout brings it up again. It may be a long story, but it included some of the most interesting and engaging stories I have ever read. 

Lee’s characters are so well written that they will have a special place in my heart. Atticus was definitely my favorite character in the book. He was an amazing single father, especially when so many parents in books are either dead or awful to their kids. Of course not all books have those kinds of parents, but this was a nice piece of fresh air. Atticus was a fantastic role model, person, and father. He is such a good person and healthy both physically and mentally. The way he fought discrimination and racism was admirable but he was even more admirable to teach his kids and those around him not to discriminate or be racist.

While Atticus was my favorite, there were so many good characters in the book. Starting with Scout, her mental capability and persistence was super fun to read about. To see everything happen through her eyes was very interesting. Jem was also really fun. His growth from boy to man was nice to see, even though Scout didn’t really understand it much. Jem being a good older brother to Scout and doing his best to do the right things at school to make Atticus proud was great. Atticus helped give both of his kids great morals and empathy and it is really apparent in the book. 

I really loved the characters in this book. I didn’t mention all of them but they were all very memorable to me. To Kill a Mockingbird was incredibly well written. Lee did a fantastic job making the story interesting and fun while having subtle themes to make this novel literature. This was a fantastic book that I would highly recommend for others to read. Despite some language that wouldn’t be allowed today, if you could look past the period-typical racism, this book can teach people a lot and can overall be very enjoyable. 

-Nicole R.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review: Sword Art Online: Progressive 1

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Sword Art Online: Progressive, written by Reki Kawahara, is the first book in a series by the same name. SAO: Progressive is a spin-off from the author’s main series, Sword Art Online, and exists to show the floor-by-floor progression throughout the floating castle of Aincrad. The novel primarily follows Kirito, a normal if somewhat awkward boy, who happened to be one of the beta testers for SAO. Progressive does a lot of things well and I genuinely believe it to be one of the best-written stories to come out of the Sword Art Online franchise. Also fair warning but while SAO Progressive can be read without foreknowledge of the series, this review can not.

One thing Progressive does very well in comparison to other works from the same series is the characterization of the protagonist. Kirito, in the other SAO stories, is characterized poorly at best. In the original novels, the author tries to make him seem like an awkward but relatable guy something which is happened by all the cool and awesome powers and people constantly throwing themselves at him while on the other hand, the anime decides he doesn’t need a personality if he’s a badass. Meanwhile, Progressive actually lets the boy have a personality that is honestly pretty endearing. With Progressive’s Kirito it seems like he has a variety of reactions around various people and situations. In situations where he gets to talk about the game, he tends to be pretty well-spoken while he tends to flounder in any social context. Also, he did mental math to determine exactly how big a cake was and then how much he would get if he got half the cake which I find more hilarious than I probably should.

Another thing that I know I and many others enjoy about Progressive is actually getting to see more of the game Sword Art Online. In the original series, the author had a tendency to skip around and only really focus on the main romance and a few minor side stories while in this story we get to see much more of the castle of Aincrad. It’s really interesting to see how things play out and what new floors look like not to mention mysteries that begin building up.

All in all, I think this is a pretty good read especially if you already like Sword Art Online or at least the concept it presents.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

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If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio is a murder mystery novel centered around a group of theatre students at a university in Illinois. The story is told from the perspective of Oliver, one of the members of the group. The novel starts off with him being released from prison and retelling an incident that put his entire group in jeopardy, and ultimately changed the trajectory of their lives.

While reading this book at first, I wasn’t entirely sure if I enjoyed it, mainly because the style of writing wasn’t my taste and the plot seemed rather slow. However, the story began to build up during the second half, and the plot twist left me shocked. Given that the events were told from the perspective of a student who wasn’t entirely involved with every member of the group, there were several loose ends in the plot that ultimately came together to create an ending that readers would never expect. Therefore, although the narrator could be seen as unreliable, he added a sense of suspense and mystery that the story would otherwise be bland without.

Overall, I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in mystery or dark academia genres. Although it didn’t fully live up to my expectations, I still enjoyed the plot in the end and could see it as something that many readers would be intrigued by.

-Aysha H.

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Book Review: The 99% Invisible City by Kurt Kohlstedt and Roman Mars

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Recently, I was looking for a new book to read and I found The 99% Invisible City by Kurt Kohlstedt and Roman Mars. I found this book about engineering in a city very interesting, as it specifically talks about how many elements of a city go unnoticed but help to lead our everyday lives in the background. I enjoyed how it expressed the complex concept of civil engineering in a more readable way, and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in engineering.

One thing that is remarkable about this book is how well-researched that the entries in the book are, providing a detailed history of many different aspects in separate cities and how they have changed over time. The book also taught me a lot about design in cities that I thought was very interesting. I was also intrigued how the book showed how much design and effort has gone into designing the modern world.

One of my favorite sections from the book is about how the national highway system was built. I thought it was interesting how much we use this piece of infrastructure without noticing it much. I also enjoyed the detailed history and backstory of these highways. I also enjoyed how it talked about how different famous landmarks around the world were constructed, and how many of them have secondary purposes, as well as how many important functional pieces of the city are hidden away.

This book is also great to read if you are interested in engineering or design because it also elaborates on its detailed descriptions with many colorful drawings and schematics, helping break down the book into readable sections. It uses both technical and understandable language to describe different ideas, and not only is it an entertaining read, but in the end I actually learned many new things from this book as well, so I would say that overall this was an extremely good read.

In the end, The 99% Invisible City was one of the best reads that I’ve ever read so far, and it’s sure to be entertaining and interesting for you as well. I would especially recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about engineering, or is interested in civil or mechanical engineering. I would also recommend the 99% Invisible podcast if you enjoy this book. It is by the same authors of the book and is very interesting as well. And don’t forget to check out this book for yourself sometime!

The 99% Invisible City by Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Candidly Cline: Supporting Roles

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Candidly Cline by Kathryn Ormsbee - Audiobook | Scribd

The book Candidly Cline by Kathryn Ormsbee is about a girl named Cline who dreams of being a singer/ songwriter. However, her mother doesn’t believe that being a musician is a suitable profession that would allow Cline to make a living. In this book Cline finds many new friends that help in unexpected ways, while, sadly, losing her best friend. Cline’s employer Mrs. Yune, her teacher Mrs. Johnson, and her partner Sylvie all help her in various ways. 

Mrs. Yune first employs Cline to babysit children at the church nursery. Even though Cline doesn’t attend church, Mrs. Yune happily lets Cline take the job because they have a lack of employees. This is helpful to Cline because the music camp she wants to attend has a high fee and her mother is not willing to pay for it. Later, when Cline is going to leave the camp, because she doesn’t have enough money, Mrs. Yune helpfully gives Cline money she was saving up so Cline could fulfill her dream. Mrs. Yune also comforts Cline after her best friend, Hollie, rejects her. Mrs. Yune is a very important character in this book, even if she is not the main character.

Cline’s music class is taught by Mrs. Johnson, a well trained and famous musician. Mrs. Johnson teaches Cline how to write songs and music. She allows Cline to join the class, even when she doesn’t yet have all the money for it. Finally, when Cline’s mother was not going to allow her to continue the class, Mrs. Johnson visited their house and convinced her mother to let Cline to stay. Mrs. Johnson helped a lot with Clines musical journey.

Sylvie is Cline’s partner in the music class and her friend. When Cline and Sylvie first met, Sylvie was in a bad mood, but at the next class the girls become good friends and connect through music. Sylvie was a big help to Cline when Hollie wasn’t being a good friend by comforting her and making her laugh. With their special connection they make a beautiful song and win a competition. The two girls quickly fell for each other, which was Cline’s main inspiration for their audition song. Their strong connection played a major part in the story, by not only helping them both find who they are, but also connecting them in a way only music could express.

Though these characters didn’t have major roles in this story they still were helpful to Cline. Whether they were comforting her, teaching her, or loving her they changed a lot of Cline’s life for the better.

Candidly Cline by Kathryn Ormsbee is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Lady of Darkness: Book Review

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I was on Bookstagram the other day, and I found that many people were recommending this book, so it piqued my interest quickly! I read it, and I would say the book is better than I thought! Lady of Darkness is the first of five books, and it is a completed series!

The thing that I found interesting about this book is the fact that although there was romance in it, it didn’t obscure the whole plot of the book. The main heroine, Scarlett Monrhoe, 100% was involved in her own part of the story. Although she was influenced, she never strayed from her own personal goals.

SPOILER AHEAD:

From the first page of the book, you can pretty much guess that she was an assassin, but what the reader doesn’t know is that it goes so much deeper than that. Throughout the book, she’s mourning the loss of one of her sisters and her mother, and she goes through an insane amount of trauma.

For unknown reasons in the beginning, she’s somehow living in a mansion, with one of her childhood best friends, Cassius, under a rich lord who is in charge of her. The story starts picking up the pace when a mysterious man who is in charge of the lord’s armies spots her. From there, she starts training with him, as she is intrigued by the speed and agility that she equally matches.

There are multiple subplots going on at the same time, so it is difficult to explain all of them in order. However, as she is dealing with the mysterious man, children are going missing as well. So, she puts all her energy into finding the children and uses any methods possible to get a clue that might help.

As the story begins to tie together, we see that the mysterious man is the meeting point of all of her problems: her heritage, her mother, her sisters, the assassin lord…

I would say that this book is a good read for anyone who is feeling that rebel in them and wants to give this book a try!

Long Way Down

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Long Way Down written by Jason Reynolds is a phenomenal book that captures readers with both its round characters and twisting plot. Long Way Down is written in a different format than traditional novels.

The short poem format can either draw or push readers out. I found this format to be confusing but engaging. The concept of a character going down in an elevator and the chapters counting from six to one adds interest. While approaching sensitive issues like gun violence, Reynolds still manages to make a provocative story with a thrilling storyline. The main character, William goes through a series of “hallucinations” or conversations with people who have passed already in his life. Reynolds touches on the subject of The Rules, which is a set of rules that the characters follow. By mentioning this set of rules over and over again, it shows symbolism and gives the book a feeling of togetherness.

The poems in the story hold cryptic messages that leave the readers thinking. They occur a lot in the chapters and readers will have to spend time to really find clues in them.

However, what I like to look for in a book is an exciting ending that gives me a sense of closure. Long Way Down ends on a cliffhanger that leaves the ending up for debate. It’s an interesting way to end the book after all of the ups and downs that the plot has gone through.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Queens of New York by E. L. Shen

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Glamor, hearts of gold, summer, dumplings, Broadway, scholarships, this book has it all.

E. L. Shen’s Queens of New York revolves around Jia Lee, Ariel Kim, and Everett Hoang. The trio each being their own specialties to the group: Everett is the future Broadway star, all shiny lights and melodic voice. Ariel is the genius, brainy scholar who just recently lost her sister to a drowning incident she strangely knows nothing about. And Jia, she’s like the skin of dumpling, keeping them all together.

When the three best friends split up for the summer—Ariel to San Francisco to pursue her STEM interest, Everett to a performing arts school in Ohio, and Jia remaining back at home, all of the problems in their lives become apparent.

Without each other for constant support and distractions, the girls are forced to face their fears head-on. With their leaps of faith come new discoveries and closure.

This novel shines a light on Asian-American representation, racism, and economical disadvantages. For one, the offhanded racist comments that Everett experienced from an authoritative figure at her academy. Jia’s family’s dumpling house restaurant responsibilities that restrict her from bringing up her dreams of college and an education that her family can’t afford.

I appreciated how these very real concepts did not detract from the storyline, only added to the characters and the reader’s understanding of them.

Overall, The Queens of New York was a novel that I enjoyed reading. It proves that there is more than just flashy skyline buildings, unrelenting crowds, and bustling taxis to New York; There are big hearts and even bigger dreams.

The Queens of New York by E. L. Shen is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

26 Fairmount Avenue by Tomie dePaola

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26 Fairmount Avenue is the first book in an autobiographical series by Tomie dePaola.  This book won a Newbery Honor award in 2000. Tomie dePaola was a renowned writer and illustrator of fictional children’s books, but this book is about his real-life childhood. This was his first chapter book. He tells the story of his childhood growing up in New England in the 1930s. His parents decide to build a house at 26 Fairmount Avenue in the small town of Meriden, Connecticut. However, construction is repeatedly delayed for various reasons. For example, his parents decide to fire the original builder before the house is completed, because he was not building the house in the way that Tomie’s parents wanted. Also, construction is delayed because town workers scraped away dirt on Fairmount Avenue, making the street lower. As unexpected challenges come up, Tomie wonders whether his family will ever be able to move from their small apartment into the new house.

This book is enjoyable to read because the story is told from the perspective of a child. I was surprised by how young Tomie dePaola was at the time of the events of this book. He was only between four and five years old, yet he has a vivid memory of that time. He shares many amusing stories from that period in his life. I especially enjoyed learning about his family and his Irish and Italian heritage. Tomie seems very respectful of his family members. For example, I appreciated his relationship with his great-grandmother. Tomie loved his family and enjoyed spending time with them. This book describes the value of a loving family and a happy home.

I have appreciated Tomie dePaola’s books since I was a child, so it was nice to learn about his childhood. This is a very short book, but I enjoyed it very much. The story is quite charming, and the illustrations by Tomie dePaola are excellent as always. 26 Fairmount Avenue would be a great choice for someone who is just beginning to read chapter books, but I would recommend it to anyone.

26 Fairmount Avenue by Tomie dePaola is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review: Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez

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Recently, I read Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez, which was about a family and their experience in the Trujillo-era Dominican Republic, a period of time when the country was ruled by a terrible dictator. This was definitely one of the best books that I read, as the narrator, in this case, Anita de la Torres, a 12-year-old girl in the family, makes personal connections to the reader throughout the book.

From my perspective, this book has a great build-up, as the author allows readers to slowly uncover what is going on, and we don’t truly know everything at the beginning. At the beginning, everything seems perfectly normal, with not many traces of the dictatorship being present, although the author did include many subtle tips, however, Anita realizes that her “Tio Toni”, or Uncle Toni, was missing. as the story unfolds, Anita comes to find out more and more about the country they live in.

Everything changes for Anita when members of the SIM, or the secret police of the dictatorship, go into her home and search for the Garcias, the neighbors. from here on out, her family has this sense of silence, and Anita comes to the realization that something was wrong, and realization dawns upon her that there was something wrong with the government. Eventually, she realizes that her parents are in a plot to assassinate Trujillo and bring freedom to the country.

I won’t spoil the rest of the book, but I can tell you that this book has a bittersweet ending. This was a great book I’m my opinion, as the narrator makes the reader feel a personal connection to all the characters, as well as explains her surroundings and experiences in vivid detail. All in all, although this book starts off slow, it takes off very quickly, and will leave readers interested in reading the whole thing!

Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.