The library's temporary locations are at the Beech Street Center and the E.C. Benton Library. For more information, including hours of operation, please click here.

Tag: spoiler alert

Book Review: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Posted on by Maya Escobar

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Request It!

In a world that often moves a little too fast for my liking, I tend to find comfort in the stories that have stood the test of time. The ones that pull you in with charm and imagination rather than unrealistic (and unwanted) plot twists. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is most definitely one of those stories.

While most people know Oz through the old-school lens of the 1939 film, the original book offers a world that’s even more eccentric and layered. Yes, Dorothy and Toto still get swept up in a cyclone and dropped in the magical Land of Oz. Yes, she follows the yellow brick road with a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodman, and a Cowardly Lion. But between the lines, Baum weaves something more than a simple children’s fantasy; he creates a whimsical fable about desire, illusion, and the things we believe we’re missing.

Dorothy is not your average fairy tale heroine. She’s practical, polite, and surprisingly unfazed by things like talking animals and evil sorcery. Her companions, too, are more than comic relief—they represent the classic “if only” fallacy: If only I had a brain. If only I had a heart. If only I had courage. Yet as the tale progresses, Baum gently nudges the audience to notice that each character already has what they think they lack. 

The world of Oz itself is strange in the best way. Populated by fanciful creatures like flying monkeys and porcelain people, it’s filled with details that feel both oddly specific yet still heartwarming. You get the sense Baum had fun writing it, and that playfulness comes through on the page.

That said, not everything lands perfectly. The pacing can feel uneven, and the final confrontation with the Wicked Witch of the West is surprisingly brief. The Wizard himself is more “con-man” than “conjurer”, and Dorothy’s journey home wraps up a bit too neatly. Yet these discrepancies are easily overshadowed by the joy it brings to the readers.

All in all, The Wizard of Oz is a delightful, classical read, and I highly recommend it for those who haven’t yet had to experience this refreshingly sincere tale. 

Reviewed by Teen Volunteer on 4/10/25.

Book Review: Rubicon

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Rubicon by J.S. Dewes

Request It!

I chose to read Rubicon because I thought it was a book adaptation of the video game Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon by FromSoftware. It was not in fact that despite also being a story about a character who is resurrected multiple times, fights on an alien planet that has the tech of a long dead civilization, befriends an AI, fights robots, must kill their best friend, has themes of transhumanism and has the word rubicon in the title. So if you want to pretend it’s an armored core fanfic nobody is going to stop you.

Rubicon is a science fiction book by J.S Dewes and apparently the first book in a series but the other books have not been written yet. Rubicon is about sergeant Adriene Valero, a soldier that has died 96 times thanks to the resurrection technology that humanity created as a way to gain an edge in their endless war against the Mechan hive mind. The fact that she can’t go three months without being brutally killed has left her apathetic about life and emotionally numb. But that starts to change once she is reassigned to a special forces unit, and her virtual intelligence starts becoming self-aware. 

Warning: There will be spoilers beyond this point in the review. I liked this book a lot, and I recommend it to anyone who likes sci-fi books or war stories. This is probably my favorite book I have read so far this year, and it has a few good reveals so you might want to approach this spoiler-free. It does have some graphic violence in it, though, so it might not be for people that strongly dislike that

Adriene is an extremely well-written character, you sympathize with her almost instantly because her job requires her to die traumatically over and over again. Because soldiers can resurrect back at base, the army sends its soldiers on what are effectively suicide missions. The fact that her branch of the army is underfunded and under-equipped made me want to root for Adriene all the way. Once Adriene is transferred to the 505th special forces division, Adriene is a fish out of water, having to learn how to use the new tech others have already mastered 

Another one of my favorite characters was Adriene’s AI assistant called Rubicon. Rubicon is wonderfully both snarky and empathetic. He goes the extra mile to make sure Adriene is safe and slowly manages to break through the shell of apathy that  Adriene has built around herself. There is also lots of great banter between Rubicon and Adriene as both grow as people.

The other side characters are enjoyable as well. Adriene has a really cute romance with the ship’s doctor, Daroga. Daroga is just super sweet and gentle, something you don’t see in a lot of male love interests. Adriene’s combat squad are also fun characters. They have a good-natured attitude and look out for each other. It hurts when they die later in the book, even though I knew that they could be resurrected. 

I also liked the way science fiction technology worked in Rubicon. I’ve always been skeptical of stories where immorality is portrayed as negative. Saying that avoiding death is bad is like saying vaccines or doctors are bad. Rubicon made the immortality trope work for me by showing its physiological impact on Adriene. She feels intense body dysmorphia from being in a body that is a copy of a copy of a copy of her original one. She feels like her body is more like the inorganic robots that she fights than a human. The robotic Mechan hive mind also adds to the horror of immortality. The fact that they can hybridize a person and turn them into a machine means that it’s preferable to die rather than be captured. The description of how Adriene was hybridized in then forced to gun down her comrades before dying of dehydration is truly horrific. This horror is shown fully in the opening chapter when Adriene is forced to kill her whole squad and herself because being hybridized is worse than death.

Overall, the Mechan are terrifying enemies. In the book’s first chapter, there is a great fight were they overwhelm and kill Adriene’s squad easily. Unlike humans, they are relentless and don’t feel pain.  The threat level of the Mechan maintains constant throughout the book because whenever one is killed, two more take their place. They are also mystyeros. They are hostile and have the numbers and firepower to wipe out humans, but don’t. Their threat level only rises once we learn that the Mechan leave humanity alive because they want to become biological by uploading their mind into humans and wear them like flesh suits.

Overall, with great character themes and action Rubicon is the best 400 pages I have read so far this year. Unfortunately, Rubicon is not 400 pages long. It’s 460 pages long and the final 60 pages contain one of the worst endings I have ever read. One of the worst ways to end a book is with a deus ex machina, an event where the hero wins out of nowhere out of a contrived coincidence. Rubicon‘s ending is the only thing worse than a deus ex machina, it’s a diabolus ex machina. At the ending the villain switches from the Mechan who have been built up as threats the whole book to Adriene’s commander who was secretly a bad guy. At the end of Rubicon Adriene’s AI friend sacrifices himself for the greater good. But it doesn’t matter because the evil commander wins anyways and kills Adriene permenently. It feels even worse because we see Adriene win but the book retcons the victory all for the sake of a twist ending. This is a slap in the face for anyone who liked Adriene or Rubicon. It also doesn’t resolve the war with the Mechan. This would be like if Star Wars ended without the audience ever finding out if the empire had been defeated.

Still, though, Rubicon is worth a read if you like existential horror, romance sci-fi, or action. 8/10

Reviewed by Teen Volunteer, 4/9/25.

Book Review: The Trumpet of the Swan

Posted on by Maya Escobar

The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

Request It!

To begin with, E.B. White’s beautifully detailed story of The Trumpet of the Swan has been a personal favorite of mine over the years, surpassing even the most coveted or widely celebrated novels I have read throughout the years.

Set in a whimsical America where animals and humans are able to communicate, a young boy, Sam Beaver, discovers an anomaly of sorts on his yearly trip to Montana. There, he meets Louis, a trumpeter swan–only a cygnet at the time–who cannot trumpet. In fact, he is entirely mute. Thus, Sam teaches Louis how to read and write, yet the stark reality still remains–Louis cannot mate if he is unable to express his feelings and “trumpet” his utmost adoration and love towards another swan. After Louis’ father breaks into a store to steal a trumpet to aid Louis’ unfortunate situation, Louis sets off on a journey to become a musician and to pursue a fellow swan, Serena. Louis’ hard work leads to more riveting events to unfold: he becomes a famed trumpet player, successfully woos Serena, and even creates a new family of his own.

Despite the delight of the story’s tale itself, White’s motivational message of persevering through difficulties only adds to the appeal, especially given that his stories are aimed towards kids. Similarly to how he addressed slightly darker themes in Charlotte’s Web (such as death), White effectively conveys the message of the societal/physical impact of disability to children in a mannerism that is comprehensible and easy to feel empathetic and/or compassionately towards at any age. 

Aside from Louis and Sam, the other side characters were quite surface-level, which allows readers to remain focused on solely Louis’ journey without feeling pressured to do so just because he is the main character. Furthermore, although the secondary characters–such as Sam’s father–were not incredibly detailed, that did not impact my overall satisfaction with the story. Rather, it allowed the story to flow more easily because there was less to keep up with. Although the plot was somewhat slower-paced at times and some portions of the story were a little less well-written, nonetheless, I personally felt it added to the charm of White’s writing style as a whole rather than take away from the novel. 

To conclude, I remain steadfast in the claim that The Trumpet of the Swan will forever hold a cherished place in its readers’ hearts, no matter the age. Notwithstanding its minor setbacks in pacing and inconsistent cohesiveness, White’s tale has continued to captivate me with every read through the wonder of nature and everything in between. I highly recommend The Trumpet of the Swan for individuals who are looking for a relaxing read (with a perfect amount  of childlike fascination sprinkled within its pages), or simply a fun story to read to the younger ones at night.
 
Reviewed by Teen Volunteer, 1/2/25.

 

Book Review: Sisters Red

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Request It!

Jackson Pearce’s Sisters Red is a strikingly contemporary (and thoroughly entertaining) retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood story set in modern America. Scarlett and Rosie, sisters with a commitment to being werewolf hunters, join up with Silas, their childhood friend and neighbor. Though the three are somewhat alienated from the community, the story brings deep bonding and interdependence among them. The characters are well fleshed out: Scarlett is fully committed to the hunt while Rosie doubts that it is her calling, and Silas gives a glimpse of what life beyond hunting could be. These different outlooks create interesting power dynamics between the three, especially regarding the theme of going with the flow of societal expectations versus forging one’s own path.

A particularly empowering element of the story is the emphasis on independence. Each character is trying to be self-sufficient, but most especially Rosie and Scarlett, who come across as capable and strong. Although this theme is commendable, the repetition of it throughout did feel overstated at times. The writing style of the novel, however, is fluid and engaging; thus, this is an easy and enjoyable novel to read.

Against this minor setback, Sisters Red is a great retake on the classic fairytale of Red Riding Hood. The depth in character development, considered themes, and relatable struggles make this novel quite intriguing. With its unique spinoff on the beloved story and an empowering narration, the novel gives a refreshing read that is memorable for a long time even after one has finished reading it. I would definitely recommend this book for those who love these kinds of modern adaptations, but not so much for the classic thriller-readers. 

Reviewed by Teen Volunteer, 12/23/24.

Book Review: Wonder

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Request It!

R.J. Palacio’s heartwarming story of Wonder centers around the life of ten-year-old August “Auggie” Pullman. Although he doesn’t behave any differently than any other child of his age (he plays on his Xbox and adores ice cream), his facial deformity prevents him from being accepted by others. The plot is  narrated through the diverse perspectives of himself and those around him, detailing a multifaceted plot that explores the challenges of feeling isolated and the importance of friendship towards developing self-confidence. 

The story is kicked off when August gets abruptly pulled out of his “homeschooled life” and placed into Beecher Prep, a private middle school. Although he is initially faced with bullying from his peers and pity from his classmates, eventually,  Auggie gradually transforms the hearts of those around him and overcomes these challenges. I found Palacio’s ability to simultaneously depict Auggie’s internal struggles and emotional growth as both poignant and rather inspiring because of how relatable and natural it was carried out. 

A particular aspect of the storytelling that I believe is exceptionally unique is that the book is told through multiple perspectives. Personally, Palacio’s unique formatting of the novel was definitely one of its greatest strengths and truly unique. These varying viewpoints provide an understanding of how Auggie’s story affects those around him through viewpoints invisible from his own. Via’s perspective (his sister’s), for instance, highlights the sacrifices and emotional burdens siblings of children with disabilities often bear, providing insight in her ambition to become a doctor as well as Auggie’s impact towards her own social life as such. 

The wonderful themes of friendship and kindness permeate the story as small acts of compassion can ultimately lead up to large ripples of change among a community. The precept of “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind,” serves as a gratifying moral compass not only for the characters, but also for the audience, regardless of age, gender, race, or anything in between. Auggie’s journey only serves as a vessel to reinforce Palacio’s beautiful message, ultimately leading to a conclusion that celebrates his resilience and never-ending empathy towards others. 

While Wonder is primarily aimed at middle-school readers, like said, its themes resonate with audiences of all ages. To wrap it up, Wonder is a testament to the power that empathy towards others hold, and a reminder that even the smallest gestures of kindness can make the world a better place. I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking an inspiring and meaningful read, especially to those who have already read it once. 

Reviewed by Teen Volunteer, 12/17/24.

 

Book Review: Chinese Cinderella

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah

Request It!

Chinese Cinderella is a tribute to the unwanted and lonely children of the world – an autobiography of an unwanted daughter in a powerful Chinese family. The story allows the reader to glimpse into life in twentieth-century China, where Mah describes the post-war environment she grew up in in Tianjin in detail, being occupied by Japanese soldiers and the French alike. Writing about her biography was “difficult and painful to write, but [she] felt compelled to do so.” Her autobiography recounts the painful experiences of her childhood, being considered “bad luck” by her family due to her mother passing away giving birth to her. Her father remarries, and Mah is subjected to the neglect and abuse of her new stepmother and siblings, while traversing her new life in Shanghai. 

Chinese Cinderella is not a recount of Mah’s memories – but a story of courage, hard work, and truth to oneself – despite lacking the love and understanding she had wished for her whole childhood. It’s truly a testament to everyone who feels unloved and unsupported in this world, from the “Chinese Cinderella” herself. She teaches you that you may defy your own odds, build your own future, and you will always find your own kind of love. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I’m genuinely grateful I came upon this book; everyone should get to read it.

Reviewed by Teen Volunteer, 11/17/24.

Book Review: Where the Crawdads Sing

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Request It!

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens was published on August 14, 2018, and encompasses several genres — such as romance, mystery, and coming of age. The story is set in a fictional town named “Barkley Cove” in North Carolina. Kya’s home is in the outskirts of the town, where she lives in the marshes. 

The story is like the tides of the marsh. The wave grows as you watch Kya, the main character, grow. It becomes larger as she builds life experience, and all comes crashing down in a final answer to the story’s long awaited mystery. The author makes the reader ride the wave with uncertainty; will Kya be convicted in this wave — washed away from everything she loves? Or will she remain victorious, and cling to her beloved marshland beneath? 

At times I found the story heartwrenching- Kya, a lone child, is left abandoned by virtually every person she’s ever loved. She finds ways to deal with her everyday life — from survival tactics, to bonding with the marsh’s animals for companionship. I found learning about the complexity of Kya’s mind to be very interesting. Due to being isolated from society, she develops ideas of how nature is far more connected to human society than we would think. She projects social relationships she missed out on as a child onto the life around her, thus making the marsh not just her home, but her whole world. 

The book begins with Kya’s mother leaving the family. This leaves Kya on her toes for the next two decades of her life — where is her mother? Is she doing alright? This event leads to the rest of her family leaving when she’s still a child. Now, on her own, Kya learns how to survive by herself. She maintains her house, sells mussels from the marsh shore, and becomes skilled at avoiding passers-by or truant officers coming to take her to school. When she is riddled with heartbreak and abandonment as an adult, she becomes close with the town’s heartthrob, Chase, to heal the pain, and he builds their relationship off of false promises. When he turns up dead a year later, the town points fingers to Kya for her reputation as the “dirty marsh girl”. Will she make it out of her trials and find real connections? Or will she waste away in jail — her upbringing being the stain on her life that she could never avoid?

Reviewed by Teen Volunteer, 11/16/24.

Book Review: Sweetness & Lightning

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Sweetness & Lightning by Gido Amagakure

Request It!

The story of Sweetness and Lightning takes place half a year after one of our main characters, Kohei, experiences his wife Tae’s passing away. Wrought with confusion and exhaustion, he tirelessly raises their five-year-old daughter, Tsumugi, while maintaining household chores and working as a high school math teacher. Although their days seem to be going at a steady pace, they both knew that there was always something missing from their lives, as Tae was a loving mother and an incredible cook. After months of frozen dinners, Kohei and his daughter find a new light in their life: they team up with one of Kohei’s students, who’s an aspiring cook and the daughter of a restaurant owner. Together, the three of them develop a beautiful friendship while honing their culinary skills. 

Many of us can relate to the main characters’ life in the beginning– the messy, unchecked paperwork laying about; frozen dinners, and stressed family members running on strict schedules. Watching the characters progress throughout the story has been an unforgettable experience for me. Seeing Kohei’s development in not only his cooking, but the bond he has with his daughter is simply beautiful. The story has incredible artwork, and the characters have relatable, down-to-earth experiences. It does a wonderful job of representing grief, yet makes the experience healing instead of mournful. Sweetness and Lighting is an adorable, wholesome series that anyone can enjoy. It’s also a great choice as a beginner’s manga; it’s the first series I ever fell in love with. I highly recommend it!

Reviewed by Teen Volunteer, 11/16/24.

Book Review: Hetty Feather

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson

 
Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson is the first of a series written entirely in first person about a Victorian girl who shares the same name as the book’s title. I loved these books when I was little, especially because historical fiction was, and still is, one of my favorite genres. It was also written by my favorite author of my childhood, which definitely didn’t hurt! I recently remembered this series and decided to read the first book to see if I still liked it.

Hetty Feather is born in Victorian London and given up for adoption just a few days after her birth. She is sent to a foster home for the first five years of her life where she is cared for by the loving Cottons family, who foster children as a job. There, she lives with her other fostered siblings and forms a special bond with the Cottons’ only biological child, Jem. The two of them go on many adventures and plan their future together, even though they know Hetty won’t be staying with the Cottons for much longer.

After her fifth birthday, Hetty is driven to a foundling hospital. This was an institution that raised and educated abandoned or orphaned children during the Victorian era. As a bad-tempered child, Hetty is often subject to harsh punishments by the matron. Despite this, she is able to make a few friends with fellow foundlings and even shares a close bond with the kitchen maid, Ida.

A couple of years later, the children are allowed to go to the Queen’s Golden Jubilee under strict supervision. Hetty takes the chance to escape and find her real mother. After several dead ends and an encounter with a sinister man, she is eventually found by the new benefactor for the foundling hospital, Sarah Smith. Sarah takes Hetty back to the hospital but tells the matron that Hetty was kidnapped and doesn’t deserve any punishment, which the matron can’t argue against. Hetty is allowed to see Ida, who finally reveals that she is Hetty’s real mother. The book ends with the two of them imagining a future together, though no one else in the hospital is allowed to know the truth.

The story being written from the perspective of Hetty looking back on her childhood really enhances the narrative because of how she reflects on her old perception of the world. It allows readers to experience it more personally through a narrower and even unreliable point of view, adding to the complexity of it. Older readers can understand the true significance of a situation that younger Hetty can’t, which makes the story have an emotional impact as one can sympathize with her. I can tell the book was very much written for younger children as the style is a little childish. However, I think the themes of love and perseverance are important no matter who the intended audience is.

Ultimately, Hetty Feather is heartwarming and thought-provoking, as it offers a powerful look at childhood resilience. Hetty’s bold personality against real issues, like the loss of personal freedom, allows the narrative to be both insightful and entertaining. The ambiguous ending on whether or not Hetty and Ida are caught makes for a good cliffhanger. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction (like me!) and stories through the lens of an unreliable narrator.
 

Reviewed by Teen Volunteer, 11/14/24.

Book Review: Persepolis

Posted on by Maya Escobar

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Request It!

To be honest, I don’t really read many memoirs. Of course, I’ve heard of some incredible memoirs, such as Viola Davis’s book and Michelle Obama’s, but I’ve never really taking the time to read them. I always thought it took too much work to really immerse yourself and somebody else’s life and to solely focus on their struggles and their past and also the fact that these were actually real events, I thought it was a bit boring.

But I did want to put myself out there and try one for the first time and I couldn’t think of a better way to start my journey of reading memoirs than starting off with Marjane Satrapi’s groundbreaking graphic novel, Persepolis. No, I have to admit, I was a little bit, shocked that this memoir was told in a graphic novel format. I had always thought of memoirs as being a long, lengthy book that could practically bore you to death, no offense to all the memoirs out there. But this book was different. The format was very simple, plain black-and-white drawings with fairly simple drawn characters, and despite this plainness, it’s still intrigued me.

So there I was, reading this novel, not really knowing to expect. And the only thing I can say after reading this is that it completely blew me away. I was shocked by how vivid these recounts were Islamic revolution and how author was able to blend her personal life, family and experiences with the history of our country. It taught me a lot historically, emotionally and it was definitely a fun read. It took us through many stages of her life, starting when she was very young up until the time when she was almost at the end of her teenage years being sent away to go live in Austria.

I loved being able to see the author’s development throughout these life-changing events that occurred throughout her life. From strict laws to intense war, we could see how deeply this impacted her childhood and how she chose to reflect upon that part of her life as an adult. It was like these stories all came to life through these intense, intricate drawings that dazzled me so much, I could not put the book down.

To conclude, for anyone looking to try a new genre that they don’t immediately reach for, I’d say don’t knock it until you try it and if you’re like me, starting out with memoirs, I’d say definitely check out Persepolis. It is truly amazing, and I cannot wait to read the second installment in the series!

Review by Teen Volunteer, 10/16/24.

chat loading...