What to Say Next

What To Say Next 
by Julie Buxbaum
Review by Ruby

David Drucker. The socially awkward kid who wears big black headphones every day at school. David has no friends but one day, he finds himself sitting across the table from Kit Lowell. David had heard about Kit. Kit was the most popular girl in school. Her dad had died in a car crash recently. He looked at her, her staring at her indian food, and he thought that he should say something to her. Naturally, he just blurted out, “So your dad died.” David had this notebook where he wrote about every single person in her school. He wrote their names, looks, and every encounter he had with them. Under Kit’s name, only a few encounters stood. Kit and David were on complete opposite ends of the social pyramid. Kit and David started talking and eventually, they developed feelings for each other.

David and Kit came up with this project called the “accident project,” where they investigated Kit’s father’s death so that Kit could gain closure. As they sat at a restaurant, Kit and David were talking. Eventually, David found out something about Kit and the accident that she hoped no one would ever find out. David was so proud of himself for finding out that he sounded excited about this awful thing. Kit was mortified because everyone in the restaurant heard what David found out. He messed up. What to Say Next is a coming of age story and learning that not everyone is perfect. Everyone messes up. What to Say Next will leave you in tears and on edge after every chapter. This story is a great book for young adults who are looking for a good read.

A Perfect Book Review of the Book Perfect

Perfect 
By Sara Shepard
Review by Gloria

Emily is a focused swimmer who is hiding her true sexuality from the world, but mainly from her parents. Aria is trying not to involve her mother in Byron, Arias father's, affair. Hanna wants to be skinny again, and she’s ruining friendships because of it. Oh, and spencer, she stole her sister's essay, boyfriend, and fame. And her sister wants payback. All of these girls have nothing in common, but the remains of the friendship they used to have. 3 years ago, Alison Dilaurentis had a tight nit group of friends, except everyone in this tight nit group was lying, and keeping secrets. One night at the beginning of 7th grade Alison starts acting sketchy, and disappears the next day. Leaving Aria, Emily, Spencer, and Hanna in fear for there friends life, and scared for what might happen to theirs.

As these girls attempt to bury their secrets, someone by the name of A (yes that's all he/she goes by) threatens to uncover them. Throughout this book the four ex-best friends have to endure endless text messages, emails, and stunningly vindictive letters. All because, well you have to read the book to find out why, and the other 17 other books along with it.

Sara Shepard brought a whole new world to life with her version of a mysterious (and murderous) small town. Giving the reader a taste of what it's like to lose a friend, be cyber bullied, and go through high school all in one. Perfect, is the third book in in the Pretty Little Liars series. Shepard perfectly captures a young woman's emotions, even though being thirty at the time the book was written. Perfect has 37 chapters, with the narration changing between the four girls. The chapters names seem to sum up its contents adequately, with chapters names ranging from The Rose Bushes Have Eyes (narrated by Emily), to It Was Necessary (narrated by Aria). Compare Aria, Emily, Spencer, and Hanna’s need for drama to a 6 year old girls need for Barbie dolls, it's only fit that the girls make more drama, and get more dolls. Speaking of dolls, A has a few of them, and there names are Aria, Emily, Spencer, and Hanna, if you read this thrilling novel you will know just what A can make the girls do. All in all Perfect will be the perfect book for you (I’m just assuming, if you're reading this you probably have shown some interest in it), and for anyone else who likes teen drama.

Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything
By Nicola Yoon
Reviewed by Sydney

In Everything, Everything, Madeline has a rare medical condition called SCID. SCID stands for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease. She can’t leave her house, and if she does she could die. Her condition is as if she is allergic to the world outside her air locked house. Madeline Whittier has never left her house in 17 years.

Madeline’s life changes after she sees her new neighbor move in, Olly. First they started communicating by writing on their windows with a marker. Then they started instant messaging and emailing each other. He asked why she couldn’t come outside, but she didn’t want to tell him that she is sick, because she didn’t want Olly to treat her like she was different. When Madeline told Olly that she was sick, Olly didn’t treat her differently, but he was more careful about her.

Olly and Madeline fell in love, and I fell in love with them. Olly and Madeline opened up to each other. Madeline’s nurse, Carla, allowed Olly to come over to meet her in person. When they started talking to each other in person, they fell more in love. I think they both knew, once they met, that they were meant to be.

Everything, Everything, was really exciting to read, and the book was really inspiring. The book made me feel what the character felt; when someone was mad, sad, happy, or scared I felt the same way. The details painted a clear picture of what was going on in the story. The characters’ personality were so well explained I almost felt like I knew them. Reading the book, with such clear details, I almost felt like I was watching the movie

Honestly, there was nothing I didn’t like about the book. The book made me feel uplifted and happy. This book made me change the way I feel about the world. The way Madeline explains what she feels, sees, hears, and smells when she went outside made me notice the things around me. This book was heartwarming and I didn’t want it to end.

Julie of the Wolves

Julie of the Wolves
by Jean Craighead George
Reviewed by Annika

Julie of The Wolves is a beautiful novel by Jean Craighead George. The main character, Miyax, or Julie (her english name), is an eskimo who found the situation she was in to be unacceptable. The book is funny, yet serious, simple, yet complex. If you enjoy books about survival or animals, this may be the right book for you!

 Miyax is an Eskimo, and her life was pretty good. That is, until her father disappears and her new protector decides she’s ready to marry. Miyax is excited, until she sees her new husband. Eventually, she decides enough is enough, and runs away to live with her pen pal in San Francisco. Great idea, until she finds herself lost on the North slope of Alaska. Alone and running out of food, Miyax must find a way to survive, and that way happens to be living with a pack of wolves. Eventually, the wolves come to love her as she does them, but Miyax has a decision to make. Will she stay as Miyax with the wolves? Or will she choose to continue on her way, (Somehow!) to San Francisco as Julie?

George’s storytelling is on point, somehow making her story Intriguing and amusing, without having any more main characters than one human and a few wolves. Oh, and eventually an adorable baby bird! Out of 10, I would rate this book a 7.5-8. It is heartbreaking, but heartmending, and is very deep. In some ways, it is a bit confusing, but I would recommend it, as maybe a 7-8th grade reading level.

All in all, I like this story, and I believe it is educational, and that all middle school- Jr. high schoolers should read it. Happy reading!