#2021Book115
Just finished teaching this for the third time. It‘s always a favorite with my 8th graders.

#2021Book114
This is my least favorite book from this series so far. It barely mentioned the characters from the first book and had no connection to the characters from the second. It also returned to having multiple narrators, only about half of which had compelling storylines. While the writing was still good, I had a harder time caring about these characters.

#2021Book113
I liked the plot of this book better than the first in the series, though I missed some of the characters from the first book. This one focused mainly on two characters instead of five or six, so it was much easier to follow what everyone was up to throughout the story.

#2021Book112
The more science fiction I read, the more I find myself enjoying the genre. My main problem with space-centric science fiction, though, is that I have a hard time picturing what the different creatures/species are supposed to look like, so I end up imagining them all as Zoidberg from Futurama.

#2021Book111
I love humorous essays strung together in a memoir. And, much like British humor, Southern humor is very much my thing. My only problem with this is that it's definitely a product of its time, so the author doesn't shy away from throwing insults like the r-word in the middle of what would be an otherwise funny joke.

#2021Book110
Books with multiple narrators often run the risk of having a few strong storylines and a few that aren't as interesting. In this book, however, all four narrators have compelling stories, and I loved how they all started to fit together as the story went on. The conflicts presented in this book were very timely and, unfortunately, all too realistic. But the ending, while perhaps a bit idealistic, gave me some hope.

#2021Book109
This is easily one of my new favorite books. The story is funny, heart-breaking, heart-mending, romantic, and just all-around beautifully written. The characters are delightful, unique, and magical in every sense of the word. I recommend that absolutely everyone read this book, and I'm going to spend the next few months figuring out how to fit it into my freshman English curriculum.

#2021Book108
This book defies the idea that the sequel is never as good as the first book. I loved every second of my time spent with Juliette and Roma, and I only wish this was the second in a longer series rather than the final book in a duology.

#2021Book107
I really enjoyed this sequel to Just Ella. And while Ella wasn‘t the main character, she does appear in this book, so we get to see what she‘s up to.

#2021Book106
I first read this book in elementary school and I'd forgotten how much I loved it. Despite not being a big fan of Cinderella, I really enjoyed this re-telling in which Ella agrees to marry the prince to escape her step-mother, but then discovers he's not as charming as his name implies. I also didn't remember all of the subtle politics that Haddix slips into the story, but I appreciate those details reading it as an adult.

#2021Book105
This is the first of Jen Hatmaker's books I've read, but it likely won't be the last. She's funny, insightful, and has a love of list-making that rivals my own. She also reads her own audiobook, so listening to it feels like sitting and listening to one of your friends tell you about things they've experienced.

#2021Book104
I love Gaiman's writing style and this was a pretty good story, but it just felt too rushed.

#2021Book103
I didn't really know anything about Charlie Parker before reading this. It was well-written and gave a lot of detail about the life of a fascinating musician.

#2021Book102
Amy Morin's story is inspiring and this was well-written (and well-narrated). I'm not sure, though, how much I got out of it considering I spent most the time arguing with the audiobook about whether or not I'm self-sabotaging. And that just seems a bit counterproductive.

#2021Book101
I liked the main character in this book and I enjoyed that it was written in the style of her keeping a journal. The big conflict in the book didn't make enough sense, though. There was no real justification for why the antagonist behaved the way he did. I also couldn't understand why either character was so interested in surviving when they were both 100% positive that absolutely no one else in the world was still alive.

#2021Book100
This started strong, and the writing is done well. The overall plot, however, becomes less believable as it goes on. I think focusing on the main character‘s past would have made the events in this book feel more realistic. Instead, it just felt like the author wanted to throw in enough surprises that the reader can't guess the ending, if it that causes the plot to come off as a bit ridiculous.

#2021Book99
This is easily one of my favorite mystery novels, and my only regret is that I didn't know about it when I was a kid. This is exactly the type of book I would have read over and over in junior high.

#2021Book98
This was a pretty decent ending for this series. The main character had just enough development to no longer be the whiny brat she was in the first and third books. The middle of this book started to get a little repetitive, but when they finally resolved that plot line, things moved quickly toward the end.

#2021Book97
I think I would have liked this story better if the majority of it hadn't been told through flashbacks. The plot was pretty solid, but it was a case of telling instead of showing, which made a lot of the creepier details less effective.

#2021Book96
This is my least favorite book in the series so far. Once again, the side characters are way more interesting than the main character, and they don't get nearly enough development. But the thing that bugged me the most about this book is that the whole plot can be summed up with "12-year-old ghost girl has a crush on 14-year-old ghost boy, so she breaks a bunch of rules and causes problems for others because she isn't getting her way."

#2021Book95
This book was definitely better than the first in the series. The secondary characters were developed more and the main character was less bratty. This book also took a much darker turn than the first book, but that section was kind of glossed over instead of receiving adequate attention.

#2021Book94
I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read it when I was in junior high. It was a sweet story, but the childish narrator got a little annoying after awhile. I liked the side characters, though, and will probably finish the series, just to find out how their stories end.

#2021Book93
We didn‘t need a book about the boy who became President Snow, but I'll read anything Suzanne Collins writes, especially if it's in the Panem universe. I loved all of the small details that nod to elements from the original trilogy, and the main heroine of this book was almost as compelling as Katniss Everdeen. The thing I liked most about this book, though, is that Collins didn't try to make the reader root for or feel bad for Snow.

#2021Book92
There were maybe two exciting chapters in this book. The rest of it just felt like it was trying to copy every other science fiction novel, but not doing as good of a job.

#2021Book91
This is my 2nd time reading this and I still laughed hysterically through most of it!

#2021Book90
As I've gotten older, I've grown to really love historical fiction. And my favorite books are often those that include fictionalized versions of real people's lives. I especially liked that this one switched perspectives between a young white woman fighting against slavery and the slave she was desperate to free. Both woman have strong voices and their stories are both inspiring and heartbreaking.

#2021Book89
I've loved this play since I first read it in high school and it's one of my favorite things to teach.

#2021Book88
I liked a lot of the fantasy elements used in this book, and I think the story had a lot of potential. However, the execution wasn't always great. A lot of this book felt like the author wanted to write a long, epic series but was worried his publishers wouldn't let him do that, so he tried to shove six books worth of plot and characters into one book.

#2021Book87
Books about the relationships between grandmothers and their granddaughters will always have a special place in my heart. But this book has the added bonus of switching between the grandmother, the mother, and the daughter, so you get everyone's side of the story. Several parts of this book made me tear up because I felt so strongly about the characters, but I have to say I'm very glad the book didn't end the way I thought it would.

#2021Book86
This will likely be one of my favorite books for the rest of my life. This is the fifth time I've read it and I still find something new to love every time. I just taught it for the third time and the students loved it as well.

#2021Book85
It might have been a bad idea to read about a germ lab that might be responsible for a bunch of people getting sick while we're still in the middle of a global pandemic, but I guess that's what happens when you start a book without knowing what it's about. This book was both interesting and infuriating. I‘d never heard of Plum Island and I became increasingly horrified as I learned about the events that have taken place there.

#2021Book84
For the most part, this was my favorite book in this trilogy. The stakes were higher, most of the characters got more depth, and because the world-building was all done in the first book, this one could be completely plot driven. However, the ending felt like kind of a cop-out. I might be in the minority with that opinion, but it just seemed a bit forced.

#2021Book83
I liked the general plot of this story, but some of the writing was a bit eye-roll worthy. I also have a hard time caring about characters who are immortal and can heal themselves from literally any injury within minutes. It just makes it feel like there isn't really anything at stake.

#2021Book82
Because I read so much, I find that few books genuinely surprise me anymore, but this one did. I had a slightly unsettled feeling throughout the beginning, but figured it was just an average utopian-turned-dystopian world. Then I figured out what exactly was going on and I had to close the book and walk away from it for a while. This isn't technically a horror novel, but many of the events that take place in it are absolutely horrific.

#2021Book81
This was my second time teaching this book and my freshmen and I all loved it. The three men's stories are heartbreaking, exciting, and inspiring, and I highly recommend this book to all teachers and students.

#2021Book80
Joyce Carol Oates is usually a pretty solid writer, but this book felt like she was trying to write about the horrors of plagiarism by lightly plagiarizing from both Stephen King's The Dark Half and Secret Window Secret Garden.

#2021Book79
I've always loved stories told though letters, so this memoir of letters between a book lover and an antiques book dealer was right in my wheelhouse. Also, writing snarky letters to a British bookstore owner in an attempt to get antique books for cheap prices is 100% something I would do.

#2021Book78
I loved that we got to see more of Wonderland in this book and was glad that some of the side characters were given more to do. However, the sudden switch from a singular narrator to three different ones was a bit jarring and took some getting used to. Now I just have to wait for the next book to come out!

#2021Book77
Just finished teaching this for the third time, and I still love reading it.

#2021Book76
I knew nothing about this book before I started reading it, and I am so glad for that. At first, it seemed like a regular book about rich prep school kids and the difficulties of being the one poor kid thrown into the mix. But then things took a very dark turn. Another review I saw described this as "Gossip Girl meets Get Out," and I think that's probably the best way to pitch the story without giving too much away.

#2021Book75
I've never really liked Alice in Wonderland, but for some reason, I have loved pretty much every adaptation of the story that I've read. And this one might be one of my new favorite versions. It's modern, gritty, diverse, and focuses more on the importance of family and friendship than romantic relationships. So even if you're not a fan of Alice in Wonderland, you'll still likely enjoy this book.

#2021Book74
I liked the murder mystery happening within this book, but I found every single character so annoying. The thing about having a bumbling detective is that you can really only have one and keep the story moving. The majority of the team needs to be competent or it's completely unbelievable that the mystery ever gets solved. So, overall, I would have enjoyed this story a lot more if the characters hadn't been so bad at their jobs.

#2021Book73
This story had a lot of potential, because the actual events make for a very compelling narrative. The way it's written, however, leaves a lot to be desired. The flow of the story is choppy and kind of jumps from point to point. Certain sections just get started, and then the author switches to a completely different topic and never comes back to conclude the previous section.

#2021Book72
I love books with multiple narrators, especially when all of those narrators are members of the same family. This novel is full of love, loss, determination, betrayal, and more than a few family secrets. Every character has a great story surrounding them and guiding their actions, and the three narrators have distinct voices that carry the plot smoothly from one point to the next.

#2021Book71
I really liked that this graphic novel included a few lesser-known cults, especially those from the early days of America. However, those received only a few pages of information while people like Jim Jones and Warren Jeffs got several pages. I was hoping that this book would focus more on the cults that don't already receive the majority of the media's attention.

#2021Book70
I've never really liked Romeo and Juliet, but I absolutely LOVED this book! The main characters had so much more depth than their Shakespearean counterparts and their love story felt far more believable. The blood feud between their families was violent and relentless and the characters making up both sides were so complex and fascinating. And after reading the final sentence, I can't wait until November for the next book!

#2021Book69
The last 1/4 of this book is definitely the best part of it. The first 3/4 kind of drag and get pretty repetitive. I like that this book finally touches on some of the consent issues that the first two books overlook, but I don't like that the instances where consent isn't given are used more as "lessons [the characters] need to learn." Also, for an "adult romance," there absolutely is not enough heat in this book.

#2021Book68
I loved the characters in this book! Every single one had a great backstory, behaved in ways that felt realistic for the situations they were in, and all of them grew throughout the story. Family dramas set against a historical backdrop have always been in my wheelhouse, but I especially enjoyed this one. I also cried several times while reading it.

#2021Book67
When I started this book, I assumed it was just your usual coming-of-age story about a girl learning to befriend a bully. But then it turned into something much darker! The characters feel like people you really know and I wanted to spend more time with them. And I think I spent at least the last 50 pages crying, which is definitely a selling point for me with any book.

#2021Book66
Out of all the books I've read about Scientology, I think this one made me the angriest. Hill doesn't hold back from describing all of the horrific ways the church leaders brainwash members, even children as young as four. As with every book like this, I'm glad Hill and her family were able to get out of the church and I hope that her story will help others to do the same.