Eliza is a senior at St. Mary, and is involved in sports and theater. She reads a lot of nonfiction, as well as general fiction and mysteries. Come say hi!
Have you ever wondered what happens to Anne de Bourgh after Mr Darcy marries Elizabeth Bennet instead of her? In Molly Greeley's novel The Heiress you can find out! A wonderfully captivating story of growth, liberation, and love this book gives an amazing glimpse into the world of a Jane Austen and is sure to keep you wanting to read more.
Life and relationships are complicated, that is something we all know and most likely have experienced for ourselves. Sally Rooney explores this well-shared experience in her novel Normal People. Following two young adults, Marianne and Connell, we see how their relationship changes throughout the stages of their life. From high school to college Sally Rooney beautifully shares the ups and downs of not only a romantic relationship between Marianne and Connell, but their deep friendship and bond that grows immensely throughout the story. This novel is captivating and relatable; I was hardly able to put the book down.
Daisy Jones & The Six is a fictional story that follows the rise and fall of a rock band in the 1970s. Told in the format of an interview with the band members looking back on their glory days, you are sure to remain intrigued the entire time. Taylor Jenkins Reid creates a world, and a band, like none other. I would highly recommend this book that will give you a glimpse into what 70s rock truly was.
Park Avenue Summer by Renée Rosen is a must-read. It follows a young woman, Alice Weiss, as she moves from a small mid-west town to New York City. She faces many obstacles in this new world including a new love interest. With the help of her boss Helen Gurley Brown, she works through her new life in NYC. This was one of the best books I've read this year and it provides a great escape from the real world, I could barely put it down.
Alex and Eliza tells the story of Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler. Following the beginning portion of their relationship, it is sure to make you smile. A great book for intermediate readers who love history, Melissa de la Cruz does a great job of mixing love and history perfectly.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston tells the story of Janie Crawford, a woman who, on a journey to discover herself, goes through many trials. Experiencing relationships, hardships, independence, and much more Janie grows into a completely different person over the course of the novel. This classic is a must read and will always keep you thinking and reflecting on life.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid is a psychological thriller and horror fiction book. It follows a young woman who travels with her boyfriend to meet his parents despite the fact that she is having doubts about their relationship. If I were to tell you anything else it would spoil the book. I greatly recommend this book, it is a great read for Halloween time and will give you a good mental spook.
The Smartest Kids in the World compares different countries schooling systems to the United States while analyzing why each country is successful or in the United States’ case, not so successful. Throughout the book, we follow multiple high school students who are studying in various countries such as Poland, Finland, and Korea. Ripley’s writing makes this book an eye-opening read that I would strongly recommend.
The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom is the sequel to The Five People You Meet in Heaven. This book follows Annie, the young girl that Eddie saved in the first book, as her life takes a tragic turn and she meets her five people in heaven. We follow her journey as she learns why her life was so important. This is a must-read book if you enjoyed The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I could not put it down!
This book follows Bryan Stevenson, a young lawyer who finds himself working in Alabama to help wrongly convicted death row prisoners. The story is greatly dependent on one case in particular. Walter McMillian, a young black man who was an upstanding member of his community, was falsely accused of murdering a white woman in the same small southern town where To Kill A Mockingbird takes place. Stevenson finds himself uncovering many lies that were set up by the local authorities in order to ensure McMillian was sentenced to death. Throughout this book, Stevenson not only describes the Walter McMillian case but he also weaves in other personal stories from his many years as a lawyer. Stevenson gives strong statements against racial and legal injustice and touches on the fact that slavery left a legacy for today’s incredibly prejudiced judicial system.
If you are looking to learn more about how the American judicial system is still flawed and inherently prejudiced, especially in the south, this is a great read.