Eliza just graduated from St. Mary, where she was involved in sports and theater, and will attend Michigan State University in the fall. She reads a lot of nonfiction, as well as general fiction and mysteries. Come say hi!
As Harry Potter, one of the most famous wizards alive, is preparing to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, a mysterious house elf named Dobby comes and warns him that he is in great danger. Because Dobby can't tell Harry what the danger is, Harry refuses to listen to him and returns to Hogwarts with his friends, Hermione and Ron.
Soon enough, however, Harry comes to learn that the Chamber of Secrets has been reopened and a mysterious and unseen creature is roaming the halls at night, petrifying students who are not full wizards. Now Harry is in a race against time, trying to solve this mystery and protect the students at Hogwarts.
In this phenomenal sequel, the reader follows Harry, Ron, and Hermione on a wild and magical quest to save the day. I could not recommend this book more, it is a must read for all ages.
Don't miss out on this series, you will regret it!
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe tells two stories that overlap and enhance each other, the main thing these two stories have in common is Okonkwo, the main character. In the first half of the book, we see Okonkwo, who is a strong and powerful man in an Ibo village in Nigeria, slowly fall from grace and lose everything that he had worked so hard for. The second half of the book, and the story that makes this all the more tragic, is about the clash of cultures. More specifically, it tells the story of white, European missionaries that go to Africa in order to colonize and convert the natives to their own religion.
As Okonkwo fights to save all that he has ever known, the missionaries slowly take control of everything and begin to change life as the natives know it.
The first book of a trilogy, Things Fall Apart, dives deep into the layered topic that is colonization and missionaries. Using his own understanding and experiences as the son of missionaries, he gives his audience a different viewpoint that can help people understand the complexity of other cultures and people individually. It also helps to show that no one's beliefs are truly right and that attempting to push your own culture onto others almost always makes situations worse.
This classic is a must read for all and I personally could not put it down. Don't miss out on this tragically amazing novel and the heartbreaking story that it has to tell.
In her second collection of poetry, her first being Milk and Honey, Rupi Kaur takes the reader on a journey that explores topics of growth and healing. Kaur divides this new collection of poetry into five chapters that illustrate beautifully a journey of failing or falling and then rising again; a story similar to that of the life of a flower. This beautiful and touching work of art is a must read that is sure to cause readers to reflect upon their own journey and how miraculous every moment of life is, whether you are wilting or blooming.
Poppy and Alex are unlikely friends. When they first meet on move in day their freshman year at The University of Chicago, they notice how different their personalities are and they don't become friends. However, when Poppy is searching for a ride back to her home, the small Ohio town of Linfield, one of her friends sets her up with a ride from a boy who also lives in Linfield. This mysterious boy just so happens to be Alex.
After this car ride, they become close friends, realizing that they both want to travel. Because of this, they decide that every summer they would go on a trip together. Over the years, through Poppy dropping out of college and Alex's bumpy relationship with his girlfriend Sarah, the only normalcy is their summer trip.
However, after something happens on one of their summer trips, Poppy and Alex don't talk for two years. That is until Poppy decides to invite Alex on one last trip to try and make everything right again. To her surprise, he agrees.
This book is a summer must read! It is well written and will draw you in, leaving you no choice but to keep reading! I 100% recommend this book; you will not regret it!
A classic, Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, is a must read that examines themes of lost innocence, the danger of ambition, and isolation.
When troubled scientist Victor Frankenstein creates a monster that he himself is afraid of, he abandons it and leaves it to fend for itself. However, as Frankenstein leaves his creation to essentially raise itself, he doesn't realize that a great amount of trouble will arise from his poor and perhaps unethical decision.
Throughout this novel, we see the monster struggle with humanity and finding its own self-worth despite his image and the way he is treated because of his "ugly" or perhaps "horrifying" looks.
As I said before, this novel is a must read and although I assume most of us aren't creating terrifying creatures, we can find snippets of reality within this imaginative story and we can see ways that we have failed in our own lives and in society as a whole. Frankenstein will surely keep you entertained and I promise you will not regret reading it.
Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet ever, wrote The Hill We Climb for the inauguration of the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden. In this inspirational and phenomenally well written poem, Gorman speaks about justice, the fact that our nation is still unfinished, and forming a country that is committed to cultivating and supporting many different cultures and ways of life.
This poem is a must read for all ages and is truly a testament to how far this country has come and also how far we still have to go.
"For there is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it."
Lara Jean and Peter are now seniors and are hoping to attend UVA together in the next year. However, as we know from past books in this series, things don't always go as planned. As Lara Jean attempts to navigate having a boyfriend, her dad's new girlfriend, and senior year, she realizes that not everything goes according to plan.
Over the course of the book, Lara Jean learns many life lessons and finally understands the importance of putting herself first and following her dreams, even if it's hard at times.
This trilogy of books is undeniably better than the movies and you are missing out if you don't pick it up. Believe me, you will not be disappointed!
Frances and Bobbi are college students, performers of spoken-word poetry, and ex-girlfriends. Because of the popularity of their poetry performances, a writer and photographer, Melissa, wants to do an article that spotlights the two friends. However, after the first meeting with Melissa and her husband Nick, the two college students are pulled into the world of this slightly older married couple. Over the course of the novel, Frances and Nick realize that they have a deep connection and they get caught up in a messy relationship, meanwhile, Bobbi becomes increasingly obsessed with Melissa. As they all struggle to understand these new, confusing, and perhaps inappropriate relationships they grow and learn more about themselves and life in general.
Conversations with Friends, Sally Rooney's debut novel, is a roller coaster of emotions and struggles. Watching these characters unfold and reveal their true selves over the course of the novel is exciting and heart wrenching. And, in true Sally Rooney fashion, the ending will leave you wanting more.
One night, Nora Seed finds herself in the midnight library. A place that is between life and death, Nora must open books and to live other lives that could've taken place had she made different decisions in the past. However, as Nora tries life after life, time might be running out and she could lose everything. Throughout his book The Midnight Library, Matt Haig uses his character Nora Seed to explore the difficulties and triumphs of life and the importance of the struggles that we all face. I could not put this book down and I would highly recommend it to everyone, even if you aren't a fan of science fiction, it is a phenomenal story and is sure to make an impact on any reader.
It is the night of the famous Riva party, and everyone is excited for it, that is, except for the Rivas. Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit are the children of famous singer Mick Riva, and no one lets them forget it. However, as adults, they have all forged their own ways, making mistakes along the way. On this infamous night, the siblings know that something crazy is bound to happen, because something always happens at the Riva party. However, none of them could ever predict just how crazy this particular party would be or just how much it would change each of their lives.
Written by the author of Daisy Jones and the Six, Malibu Rising is sure to pull you in and leave you wanting more. Even if you aren't the child of a famous singer, or a rich model, you are sure to find a character in this book that you can connect to.