OCDaniel by Sofia Lopez - Rodriguez
Title of Independent Book Choice: OCD Daniel
I would recommend this book to someone else. this book dabbles with OCD, Depression, panic attacks, and parent issues. This book gets real in some chapters, saying how the father of Sara is missing or possibly got murdered, or is just simply missing. In the book Sara(Raya) said "'Come on. We have a murder to solve...'" It sucks that two people that are in the eighth grade have to deal with their parents disappearing/ their parents not being together anymore. Daniel found out that he has OCD, he said "When i woke up, I saw the book lying beside me and I swept it under the bed before anyone else saw it. I didn't know what to think. There was a small relief to know there were other people who had OCD, but now I was officially a crazy person. I was just like Sara after all. We weren't extraordinary". It turns out that his parents knew about it two years prior. it's so sad that he didn't know how to deal with that information, he didn't know that there were other people like him. Daniels mom told him that he is still extraordinary, and that he isn't like anyone else. later in the chapter he told Sara that he had OCD, which he is skeptical about saying anything, and she accepts him completely. It sucks that he is worried that he is going to be made fun of because of his OCD, it shouldn't be something to be reluctant about telling other people, This story makes people realize that OCD is a real thought that humans have to deal with. this book opens our eyes on the realities of mental disabilities and people that have to go through any of those struggles. OCD Daniel teaches us that the earth isn't a fair place, but that people that are different aren't weird people, they are just extraordinary.
China Rich Girlfriend by Noah J. Wahlers
Title of Independent Book Choice: China Rich Girlfriend
I would definitely recommend this book to another reader because the good is just SO good and as a reader of it, I’m always surprised every second of the story. I thought this was better than the first of the trilogy (Crazy Rich Asians) . The drama started right away and you were quickly transported into the luxury scene of some of China and Singapore’s most elite families. This book carried on the story line from the first book and brought in other characters who were also caught up in that world where money, power, and saving face for the sake of the family dynamic took precedence at the expense of people's ambitions, dreams, hopes, and love life. You kind of get caught up in it all hoping for the best but when family secrets start getting exposed, it only adds to the intrigue causing quite a bit of confusion and personal pain. It’s like you're watching a asian soap opera unfold right in front of you but instead of it being dramatic every second, you see hilarious moments of comedy in the book. It’s satirical and funny, there is also a little mystery and suspense, which I wasn't expecting. The mystery is almost over the top, but it works because this book is a satire. Now you might think “ Oh, but it might get a little bland some point in the book” but it just never does due to all the crazy twists and turns. Also I would recommend this book to fashion lovers because you read juicy descriptions of what the main characters are wearing and what accessories are going with the outfit. The fashion references in the book make the movie The Devil Wears Prada seem like an evening at Walmart. I bet you someone could learn a thing or two about the fashion industry by just reading this book. I'm still amazed that this ended up on my reading pile, and even more amazed at how much I'm enjoying it. If you love disgustingly expensive fashion and are obsessed with the lives of rich people, then this is just the book for you.
The Hate U Give by Alexandra Avila
Title of Independent Book Choice:The Hate You Give
The answer to the question is yes of course. Some people may say the opposite because it is very violent but it is reality and it is something that people of color actually live. Something that we may think is too violent is actually something other people who live through it. If there were anything I would say about the book it is that there are explicit and a lot of curse words. Meaning that I would recommend the book to a more mature and/or older reader. I would recommend The Hate You Give to other people because one can see the perspective of a colored person and how they are, live, or even treated. As we know not everyone is a person of color and not always do people get treated wrongly because of who they are or what their color is. I am not saying that no one else gets treated wrongly but what I am saying is that for people who do not really comprehend what happens in the life of a person of color and the injustices that they have to deal with then this book is a good way to learn and maybe even have more knowledge of what they go through. Now I know that many people do not agree or care about them which is why I would tell them to READ THIS BOOK. That way they could maybe open their eyes and change their mind on why they should care and help these people. Even if someone can not do a lot of things, the one single act of being kind and not making people feel like they are different in the wrong way from the others can be the best way of not giving everyone or making them feel any different. Therefore I would definitely recommend this book to others.
The Novice by Manuel Jimenez-Fontana
Title of Independent Book Choice:The Novice
I would recommend this book to another reader. The Novice is an amazing book with many qualities that will make it enjoyable both for younger mythology lovers, and for older audiences who prefer a more controversial read. One of the features that makes this book so enjoyable is the unique magic system. The way this magic system works is that only people of noble blood as well as a few exceptions can wield magic. In order for the adept to wield magic they must first harness a demon. In order to harness a demon a mage must either have it gifted upon them, or must capture it from the ether .This book's definition of a demon is basically any animal from the other world known as the ether. Once a mage has harnessed a demon they then form a telepathic connection with the creature, they use this telepathic connection to control the demon, however the more powerful the demon, the harder it is to control. The telepathic link makes the mage feel as though the demon “were a house spider hanging from a thread of gossamer,” ,(Matharu 61). The mage and his demons are connected via a telepathic thread unless the mage fuses the demon into his body using a pentagram in which case the two minds will almost merge. The mage can also use the telepathic thread to pull forth magical energy called mana from their demon/demons, if they focus that mana to their finger they can draw a symbol in the air, then by focusing mana through the symbol they can cast a spell. The spell changes depending on the symbol they use. As well as drawing symbols to cast spells they can also use a pentagram to infuse and un-infuse their demons, enter the ether, and send their demons into the ether to capture more demons. As well as a creative magic system this book also speaks on the topic of racism by incorporating several nonhuman races into its world. An example of this racism towards fantasy races is when the head of a girl named Sylva “was being held on a block by the angry speechmaker, who was kneeling beside her prone figure. Grindle had his club raised, about to smash her head to pieces.” ,(Matharu 172). Sylva is an elf and at the time the elves and humans were at war, despite the fact that there was not really any fighting between the two races, also the speechmaker which held Sylva in place was making a hate speech against the elves and Grindle was his helper. Of course there are other races besides the elves and the humans, and there are many more examples of racism between these races. These features and many more are why I definitely would recommend this book to another reader.
The Wednesday Wars by Lino Piazzi
Title of Independent Book Choice:Wednesday Wars
Yes I would recommend this book to a another reader because “Wednesday Wars” is a book that explains how a teenager life was growing up during the vietnam war and how they felt. It also has very relatable characters, whether they are main characters or minor characters, and they have relatable problems in there lives that the reader can relate to. For example when a character named Meryl Lee, whose father is an architect, might have to move because her father couldn’t close the deal on a project. This is shown on page 187 when Holling’s dad says, “I told you he couldn’t play for keeps.” This explains why Mr. Lee didn’t get the deal, and why Mr. Lee’s family might have to move away. On the same page we can see Meryl Lee’s reaction to all this, “... Meryl Lee and I spent a lot of time not saying anything - until Meryl Lee said it for us. ‘I might be moving,’ she said.” This shows the reader Meryl Lee reaction to what's going on, and a small bit of how she feels. Another example is when Holling hears about his teacher’s husband and how he is MIA. This is shown on page when it says, “Walter Cronkite didn’t read off the names of the missing in action, so Lieutenant Baker was never mentioned. But I still watched anyway holding my breath, hoping.” As shown this shows how the regular teenager felt like in the 1960s during the vietnam war, and how they felt if they were told someone they cared about was missing in the warzone. This is why I would recommend this book to another reader because it has a great sense of its characters and the emotional and realistic problems, plus it shows the reader how a kid in the 1960’s would act and feal.
