The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

The Da Vinci Code is a mystery, thriller, and conspiracy fiction written by Dan Brown. The book is about a man named Robert Langdon, a symbologist who gets a call about a murder of at Louvre in Paris. The man is identified as the custodian of the museum and is covered in strange and bizarre symbols. As Langdon and Sophie Neveu, a French cryptologist go through these bizarre symbols surrounded by mystery, they find more clues inside some of Leonardo’s work which lead to some religious mystery. The information they may discover could very well change Christianity forever. I enjoyed reading this book because of its thriller, and conspiracy genre which I enjoyed reading about. I would recommend this book to high school student because it is a more advanced read.

Sameer Khan

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is a science fiction, dystopian novel written by Suzanne Collins and is the first book in the famous trilogy. The story takes place in the distance future in Panem, a country found out of the ruins of North America. Panem had 13 districts, each district produces and provides different resources, All these districts are controlled by the Capitol, the central power of Panem. But the disctricts were dissatisfied of the Capitols treatment and so e rebellion took place and disctrict 13 was destroyed, as a result of this uprising, the Capitol forced each district to give one boy and girl to be sent to an arena to fight to the death until only one remains, this was known as the Hunger Games. 74 years on, Katniss Everdeen volunteers herself for the Hunger Games to save her sister, and by doing so she must face against the other contesters and the brutality which the capitol sends to her. I loved this book because of its action packed plot and interesting characters. I would recommend both middle and high school students to read this book.

Sameer Khan

Goosebumps: Say Cheese and Die by R.L. Stine

Say Cheese and Die! is a horror, speculative fiction, children’s literature novel and the fourth book in the Goosebumps series written by R.L. Stine. The story is about four friends Greg, Michael, Doug, and Shari who together decide to investigate the Coffman House, an old crumpling building where many alleged ghost stories originated from. During their search, they find a strange camera where you take a picture but it shows a spooky dark outcome. Goosebumps was definitely one of my favorite childhood horror series which its many different spooky plots. I would recommend this book to middle school students who haven’t experienced reading the series to do so because it is seriously and awesomely spooky!

Sameer Khan

The Lost World by Michael Crichton

The Lost World is a science fiction, speculative fiction, and techno-thriller novel written by Michael Crichton. It is the sequel to the first book Jurassic Park which was written years earlier. The book takes off six years after the disaster at Jurassic Park when the Island was shut off by the Costa Rican government and the dinosaurs were killed, but rumours say something has survived. The main character of the book, Ian Malcolm sets up a team for a rescue mission to go and find Richard Levine who set off to the Island to find the dinosaurs. The book is mainly for middle school children and young adults. I definitely enjoyed reading this book and who recommend it to people who are interested in science fiction, and dinosaurs.

Sameer Khan

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

Angels and Demons is an action, suspense, thriller that takes place mainly in the Vatican. After four cardinals suddenly go missing, and a canister with a highly explosive canister is stolen, the Vatican calls on Professor Robert Langdon to help find the cardinals. It must follow the point of view of Robert Langdon. The professor must get together with a team of detectives and a scientist at CERN to save the Vatican. This book is fast paced, and heart pumping with bone chilling and spine shivering moments that will make you want to keep on reading. I definitely recommend this book to both middle school and high school. Just a precaution: this book may be offensive towards certain people beliefs.

Luqman Sattar

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews, a New York Times bestseller happened to fall in my hands unexpectedly last week and I finished in under two days (along with the attached sequel I will review next). I caution readers about this book as it make trigger any strong emotions or discomfort.

The story takes place in 1957, where two children, Cathy and Chris, and their mother, impregnated with twins, await their father on his 35th birthday. An officer arrives instead with the tragic news that their father has died. The family is forced to move to their mother’s house where they’re coldly greeted by their grandmother who openly despises them all, the twins now having been born. She loathes her daughter and grandchildren for the reason that they are the children of the devil, because of a “sinful” marriage between their mother and her husband, who is her half uncle. While staying the attic, for a number of years abandoned by their neglecting widow of a mother, changes occur, emotions and feelings change between the children, more specifically Cathy and Chris after been kept contained in an attic to grow and develop.

This book is one of the first books I have started in months and have managed to finish in less than twenty-four hours. It’s captivating, emotionally, and certainly a page-turner. If you haven’t already gotten the hint, I think it’s appropriate to say that this book includes quite a bit of incest. Usually when people hear this word, they feel sick to the stomach but this book could possibly change your perspective. After viewing their relationship with the children and with each other, their mother have no role in their lives anymore, they take up the roles of parents. They take care of the twins, make sure they’re happy and safe, even when they’re kept inside the walls of an attic, far from sunshine, air, and more importantly, a normal life.

I would highly suggest this book for anyone who is looking for something that will keep them on the edge of their seat, or something rather daring.

Eman Fathala

Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden

Okay, so here’s a hypothetical, you and your friends go camping for a bit and find out that your country is in the middle of a war, and everyone you know is captured, what do you do? Tomorrow, When the War Began begins with Ellie and her friends going on a camping trip. Days later they find out that their city has been captured by invaders, and their country is at war. The teens have a few choices, surrender, flee, or fight. They choose to fight and wage war against the invaders. Along the way the teens realize that war is no game and they need to grow up. The book is suspenseful and thrilling throughout with interesting character development.

Luqman Sattar

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

Stormbreaker is a action thriller novel and the first book of the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz. The book is about a young teenage boy named Alex whose parents died when he was young and is raised by his Uncle. Alex thinks his life is boring, but what he does not know is that his Uncle is actually a secret spy for the British secret intelligence MI6. Alex's life completely changes when his Uncle is killed, and he is approached by the MI6 who offer a recruitment chance for him. My Overall thoughts on this book was that it was well written story, with an action packed plot and lots of suspense. Even though this book was directed for a young teenage audience, I would still recommend people to read this book if they are into action adn thriller series. 

Sameer Khan