Tag Archives: book review

Why Are We So Obsessed With the Apocalypse?

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So much media features the end times. From movies like A Quiet Place and Mad Max to novels like Silo and The Girl With All the Gifts, people just can’t seem to get enough of the genre. Why are we so obsessed with the apocalypse? According to Hugh Howey, author of the post-apocalyptic novel series Silo, humans tell stories as much for warning as for entertainment. Stories about disaster are expressions of our internal fears, and seeing characters prosper in face of those disasters gives us hope.

For this reason, wilderness and survival stories have always been popular. But why have we moved past the wilderness and towards the world-ending?

As we’ve explored most of the Earth, we’ve lost a lot of the wonder and fear we used to have for certain environments. Howey believes that “we need to imagine a future where we might be exploring other worlds, or a future where our world returns to the wilderness that we fear” in order to make our stories interesting.

If you’re interested in the post-apocalyptic genre, here are my top 3 favorites:

  1. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
  2. The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
  3. Silo series by Hugh Howey

These books are absolutely amazing, and I highly recommend them!

The Loop by Shandy Lawson

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What if you were stuck in a world where time never moved forward, forcing you to relive the same terrifying events again and again? That’s exactly what happens to Ben, a teenager who finds himself stuck in a time loop, reliving the same deadly events over and over. With danger closing in and no clear way out, The Loop by Shandy Lawson is a thrilling ride that keeps you guessing until the very end.

One part of the story I really liked was Ben’s growing friendship with Maggie. At first, Ben is confused and scared, but Maggie already knows what’s happening—she’s been stuck in the loop longer than him. She’s not just a companion; she’s his guide to surviving the nightmare they’re trapped in. Maggie’s determination and quick thinking make her a strong character, and I liked how she never gave up, no matter how many times they had to start over.

Then there are the loopers, the men chasing Ben and Maggie. They’re mysterious, dangerous, and always seem to know what’s coming next. Unlike Ben and Maggie, the loopers don’t seem surprised by the time resets, which made me wonder—are they part of something bigger? Do they control the loop, or are they just as trapped? Every time Ben and Maggie try to escape, the loopers are there, making the story feel like a mix of mystery and action.

One of the most intense parts of the book was Jerry, the ruthless hitman working for the loopers. He’s a serious threat to Ben and Maggie, and his presence makes the stakes even higher. Unlike the loopers, who are mysterious, Jerry is direct—he has a job to do, and he won’t stop until it’s done.

I also liked Ben’s friend, Todd, because he represents the normal life Ben wants to return to. Todd has no idea what’s happening to Ben, which adds to the frustration and loneliness of being stuck in the loop. Ben’s mom also plays a small but important role, reminding us of the life he’s desperately trying to hold onto.

What I loved most about The Loop was its fast-paced suspense and unpredictable twists. Just when I thought Ben and Maggie had figured things out, something would change, throwing them back into chaos. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, making me wonder—will they ever escape, or is the loop unbreakable? If you like thrilling stories with mystery, action, and high stakes, I highly recommend The Loop!

-Adarsh V.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Recently, after watching the movie, I began The Great Gatsby. Considered by many to be the “quintessential American novel,” The Great Gatsby was one of the great books of its generation. While I initially felt ambivalent towards the modernist genre of novel in general, This novel changed my mind; I found this book very interesting and relevant to today’s world.

The novel starts with an introduction from Nick Carraway, the main protagonist and the narrator of the story. Nick introduces the line that divides the two cities, East and West Egg, as well as the lower-middle class industrial area known as the Valley of Ashes that splits the two districts. Nick lives in East Egg, even though he has the connections and family wealth typically associated with the “Old-Money” class of West Egg. At the same time, Fitzgerald also introduces one of Nick’s old acquaintances, Tom Buchanan, a temperamental, dishonest character who used to be one of Nick’s classmates at Yale. Nick also introduces Tom’s wife, Daisy, who will later be important to the plot of the book.

Nick first meets Gatsby through one of his lavish parties, which he throws weekly at his large mansion in East Egg. It is revealed that Nick had served with Gatsby in the WW1, fitting of the post-war setting of the book during the Roaring ’20s. Nick finds Gatsby’s parties shallow and garish, reflecting the West Egg sentiment about East Egg. Nick later uncovers that Gatsby’s parties were a futile attempt to win back Daisy, with whom he was deeply in love.

As the story progresses, the rivalry between Gatsby and Tom deepens, and the reader is also introduced to the lesser-known, shadier side of Gatsby. Fitzgerald includes several references to prohibition-era legislation and politics, including references to bootlegging and the 1919 Black Sox gambling scandal, using the character of Meyer Wolfsheim, one of Gatsby’s shady contacts, as an allusion for Arnold Rothstein.

I won’t spoil the rest of this story, but this book is definitely a classic that is worth reading. I really like how Fitzgerald is able to make his message about the American Dream and his overall Modernist sentiments about the meaning of life very clear to the reader, allowing them to create their own interpretation of the novel. I would recommend this novel to anybody who is interested in reading about life during the Jazz Age, or in general, anybody hoping to add a new piece to the puzzle that is the American story.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Tiny Dancer

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Tiny Dancer [Book]

The Tiny Dancer is a book written by Siena Cherson Siegel and illustrated by Mark Siegel, that follows the journey of a young girl named, Sienita, on her pathway and dream of becoming a professional ballerina at the New York City Ballet Company located in New York City.

The book starts with Sienita as a young dancer, as a dancer at a small local studio near her in San Juan, after traveling to New York with her mother and doing an audition for the School of American Ballet School, she gets accepted and moves there. We then follow the pathway of Sienita at SAB and other ballet schools, through her many challenges and obstacles, from losing her boyfriend, her parents divorcing, and forced to reduce her ballet training when she experiences an injury, completely ruins her and dis motivates her as a person. Therefore, she must find a way to motivate herself back up again and continue working her dream and passion as a ballerina.

I really enjoyed reading this book, the illustrations and drawings were appealingly drawn showing life and motion. This book really shows and explains the difficulties associated with a passion that you are in. However, one negative aspect to this book that I did not enjoy much was how Sienita gave up on her dream of becoming a professional, she should have motivated herself even more and risen up to the challenge to work even harder to come back to her level, instead of letting herself get lowered down by how talented others are and by her injury.

If you are looking for another book similar to this one, To Dance, is also available in full color format with a similar story in a shorter, manageable text. This was the first book that I read from this author, after reading this book you cannot imagine the excitement I had to see a 2nd book written by the same author in a longer version!

If you are interested in reading this book, Tiny Dancer, by Siena Cherson Siegal is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library today! I would totally recommend this book for people who are interested or currently are in the dance industry, or for anyone just looking for a motivating, beautifully illustrated and drawn book.

Rivals By Tommy Greenwald

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Rivals, by Tommy Greenwald, is a great novel for teens for love sports. Two star basketball middle school boys feel the pressure to perform: a pressure many playing at an elite level feel. It is totally relatable, and as an AAU basketball player, I can really sympathize with what each boy is experiencing.

For Austin Chambers, basketball is starting to feel like a job. He must deal with his father’s legacy and worries that he’s not good enough to live up to it.

Carter Haswell, across town, is brilliantly talented and stressed to stay on his school’s basketball team to help them win and get a scholarship for college to ease his family’s financial situation.

Carter and Austin’s schools are traditionally rivals, and competition between those two middle schools is fierce. Neither school wants to lose, and Carter and Austin each do whatever it takes to win. However, the competitive spirits go way too far, and a few players get seriously injured. Through this, Tommy Greenwald shows how it’s good to compete in sports, but not to let it escalate to the point where people get hurt. Winning shouldn’t be a priority over health.

By the end of the novel, Carter, Austin, and the rest of their teams realize the same thing: at the end of the day, these sports are supposed to be for fun. This is something important to keep in mind because whatever sport you play should be to have fun and be competitive. Austin’s dad also sees that his son just wants to play for enjoyment, and that he shouldn’t force his legacy on him. He lets Austin have fun at the park simply playing ball, and Austin feels like basketball is his friend once again.

This book was totally enjoyable and relatable. The reader can really connect with the characters and learn an important message: sports should be competitive, but never forget that they are supposed to be fun.

Rivals by Tommy Greenwald is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Review for Matched by Ally Condie

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It was good, not great, but good. It is a solid book that leads into a good series. I am going to talk a little bit about the book’s plot, high points, and characters.

Plot: Cassia, a smart teenage girl, finds out that her best friend is her Match (which is basically a mix of a soulmate and an arranged marriage). However, she sees that she is also matched with a boy named Ky. All the while, her grandfather gives her real poems, which are banned in the Society, where they live. She shows these poems to Ky and they fall in love when he teaches her how to create. Then, the Society takes Ky away and Cassia’s parents let her go find them.

Best Part: I liked when Cassia hung out with her grandfather. I think he was a really strong character and even after finishing this series, he was still my favorite character. I loved how he was mysterious and wise, basically Cassia’s version of Dumbledore or Yoda.

Character: In this book, we meet the three main characters: Cassia, Ky, and Xavier. Cassia is, like I said before, a teenage girl. She is determined, curious, and highly intelligent. Although she was raised in the Society and doesn’t understand certain things, she wants to learn and love. She ends up dating Ky. Ky is a calculating teenage boy who has seen way too much. He definitely did not fit in, but he tried to for the people he loved. He ends up loving Cassia and enjoys writing. Finally, we have Xavier, Cassia’s original match and childhood best friend. He is a dependent and caring guy who follows the rules and just wants to help.

Overall, it’s a good book. I like how it’s a dystopian novel, but it doesn’t really feel like Hunger Games or Maze Runner. It’s unique. I also like how the love triangle between Cassia, Ky, and Xavier doesn’t feel forced but instead seems, I guess honest is the best word. Both Ky and Xavier are amazing and well rounded characters who are good for Cassia. I’d recommend this to people who like dystopian novels such as the ones I previously mentioned.

Matched by Ally Condie is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Secret History – Donna Tartt (SPOILER FREE)

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For fans of the aesthetic of upper-class academic settings or those drawn to the darker, more morose themes of literature (or both), Donna Tartt’s The Secret History offers a captivating and chilling experience.

Set at Hampden College in Vermont, the novel follows 20-year-old Richard Papen, who joins an elite, selective Ancient Greek class taught by a brilliant but detached professor. Richard finds himself having to assimilate with the foreign ways of his intellectually and socially superior classmates, who harbor secrets that lead to a series of tragic, life-altering events.

What I found to be most interesting in The Secret History was its exploration of themes like the corrupting impact of economic privilege, the conflict between morality and loyalty, and the weight that guilt carries on one’s consciousness. The novel is full of introspective, philosophical reflections and literary references, which may appeal to readers who enjoy deep character studies, thoughtful commentary on day-to-day life, and stories that stick with you long after the final page.

If you are unsure whether or not you’d enjoy the book, here are a few similar ones that you could compare it to:

–Dead Poets Society, N.H. Kleinbaum: Academic settings that are a breeding ground for free intellectual thought that take a turn towards darker themes

–The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde: Captures the psychological and moral downfall of a member of the intellectually and economically privileged class

–Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh: Shows the nostalgia, beauty, and eventual downward spiral of a set of elites through the eyes of an outsider.

Happy reading!

The Secret History by Donna Tartt is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

To Kill A Mockingbird

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It’s that wonderful time of year again… the end of first semester freshman year and the beginning of the enduring English 1 ritual: To Kill a Mockingbird.

I’ve heard a lot of complaints about TKaM, usually about how boring it is and how no one can understand what the heck is going on. But I beg to digress, because though it’s one of the most commonly read books in the high school curriculum, ever, I really enjoyed reading this book.

Obviously, the story of TKaM is pretty famous already, and I think it’s important that high schoolers are forced to read a book that confronts issues still relevant in our society today. Especially in a time when books are being banned and voices are being silenced, it’s important to have this classic in our schools and education system.

There have been concerns about the prevalence of the n-word, about ideas of white saviorhood in the book, and also opposition from others who want to suppress this unsavory part of American history. But the tragic story of Tom Robinson is an important lesson, and despite some valid concerns, I think To Kill a Mockingbird fittingly and engagingly introduces an idea and a time period that shouldn’t be erased from our school books.

Moreover, I think it’s just a well-written story and an enjoyable read. Maybe it’s time we stop complaining about the “weird” wording and appreciate it for what it truly is.

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.

Of Mice and Men Book Review!!

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“A guy needs somebody—to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody…”(Steinbeck 108).

Out of the many books I read in class my freshman year, I enjoyed reading Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck the most! 

What I love most about this book is the bond between the two main characters: George and Lennie. I love their relationship. George cares about Lennie, but finds him tiresome and a lot of work to take care of, but would never abandon him. Lennie, in turn, sticks with George and looks up to him.

In my opinion, Steinbeck did an amazing job at designing the side characters! My favorite characters would be Slim and Candy, because I feel that those characters were developed the most. Another detail I liked was how Steinbeck constantly dropped hints in the text that most readers would overlook. For example, when we first met Candy as a character, he was described as an old handyman who is missing his hand, and has an old dog that he raised since it was a pup. When I read this in class, my mind immediately drifted off to “Why did he lose his hand?” or “How did he lose his hand?”. 

The ending completely tore me apart, however. I know what George did wasn’t the best idea at the moment, but he did it out of his love for Lennie, believing that if the gang caught him, they would torture him before killing him. I wondered however, if there were more possibilities? For example, couldn’t he have helped him escape? There was a cave at the beginning of the story…couldn’t he have gone there instead? However, I do understand. With the gang approaching rapidly, there probably wasn’t enough time. Out of 5 stars, I’d give this book a 4.7. I recommend this book to adults who need a reminder of the good in life.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded from Libby.

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

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The Egypt Game, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, is the story of a young girl named April Hall. April’s mother is an actress in Hollywood, but she sends April away to live with her grandmother in Berkeley, California. April makes friends with a girl named Melanie and her younger brother Marshall. Together, they come up a game that they play behind an old antique store run by a strange man known as the Professor. They call it the “Egypt Game.” As the days go on, the game grows to six members as they make new friends. They wear Egyptian costumes and pretend to have ancient Egyptian ceremonies. It all seems like a fun and imaginary game about Ancient Egypt. However, strange and mysterious things begin to happen to the children, causing them to feel that they are in serious danger.

This book received a Newbery Honor award. I think that it deserves this honor because it is very well-written and engaging. The characters are realistic and the story moves along at a good pace. The story is also very suspenseful, which made it difficult for me to stop reading once I started. Overall, this book definitely exceeded my expectations. I expected it to be a typical book targeted to young people, but it had more depth and originality than I expected. I enjoyed the way this book blended imaginary game playing with real-life action. These imaginative children are very lifelike characters, and their adventures are exciting with many unexpected twists. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did and I would highly recommend it to everyone.

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.