The new kid in middle school is tossed in with the misfits of the Yearbook Club only to uncover a mystery going back decades: One student from each class goes missing every year, and no one seems to care. Now, the “club” will be pulled into supernatural peril as they attempt to solve these mysteries,... Continue Reading →
The story of a queen: A book review on Makeda: The Queen of Sheba by Marlon McKenney
A beautiful Ethiopian princess must use courage, strength, and leadership to conquer a dangerous enemy set on destroying the wealthy Kingdom of Sheba. Princess Makeda was born into a loving royal family but when her father, King Agabos, unexpectedly dies, the lives of Makeda and her mother, Queen Ismenie, are turned upside-down. Grief-stricken, yet angry... Continue Reading →
What if Aladdin never found the lamp? A book review on A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
Aladdin is a Street Rat. Like most, he’s just trying to survive another day in impoverished Agrabah. Jasmine is a princess, one who is about to enter into an arranged marriage. All she wants is to escape her fate, to see what lies beyond the palace walls. But everything changes when the sultan’s trusted adviser,... Continue Reading →
The Power of Purpose: A book review of The Diary of an Angry Young Man by Rishi Vohra
Raghav is an ordinary seven-year-old growing up on the 'good' side of Colaba in Bombay. His is a safe, protected world and he is kept well away from the 'other', darker side of Colaba, which nevertheless, holds a deep fascination for him with its colorful, busy alleys bustling with activity, people, and mystery - the... Continue Reading →
Of man and nature: A book review on The Young Woman and the Sea by Catherine Meurisse
Catherine Meurisse once again draws upon her memories. Her stay in a far-off, strange-yet-familiar land, at the Japanese villa Kujoyama in 2018, provides the artist another opportunity to pursue her creative quest, this time where the West and the Far East meet. In the manner of Lewis Carroll, the young artist lets characters out of... Continue Reading →
A world where fairies are cruel: A book review on The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Of course, I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever. And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe. Jude... Continue Reading →
Organizations you can donate to for victims of Typhoon Odette / Rai in the Philippines
On December 16, 2021, Typhoon Odette / Rai struck the Philippine archipelago, hitting severely populated areas within the Visayas and Mindanao region as reported by Inquirer.net. According to ABS CBN news, Oddette / Rai was a super typhoon packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers an hour (120 miles). On Friday, wind speeds eased to... Continue Reading →
Purple Hair and Black Cats: A book review on Magic by Lylian K. & Audrey Molinatti
A baby girl born with purple hair is promptly handed over to a convent by her horrified father, who fears she bears the sign of the witch. And indeed, little Evelyn seems to have strange powers and to attract supernatural manifestations as she grows up among the nuns, who patiently put up with it as... Continue Reading →
Adventures of Hattie: A book review on Perceiver by E.C. Fuller
If you are twelve years old, what would you do when you discover that a magical being has stolen the soul of your parents and your entire neighborhood? This is what happens to Hattie. Moving to a new town was not on Hattie’s to-do list for the summer. Her arrival in Applewood brings nothing but... Continue Reading →