(These interviews were conducted in October 2022)

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Recommended by Jordy Hernandez

Summary: On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, Coope, and Simon.  By the end of detention, Simon’s dead, and according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. He’d been planning to post juicy reveals about all four of his classmates on Tuesday,  making all four of them suspects in his murder. Did one of them kill him? Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

In Jordi’s words: “It has a lot of plot twists, and you never knew what was happening until you finished reading it. I like a book that hooks me because it actually motivates me to keep on reading, and that is exactly what ‘One of Us Is Lying’ did.”

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Recommended by Matthew Abril

Summary: This book tells the  mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His journey teaches us the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life’s path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams.

In Matthew’s words: “There are a lot of hidden meanings behind it. It’s not exactly an easy book to read, there are a lot of figures of speech and a lot of messages behind the book. It’s a really good book, it was really spiritual for me.” 

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni

Recommended by Maha Mahtug

Summary: Mariam is only fifteen when she is sent to Kabul to marry the troubled and bitter Rasheed, who is thirty years her senior. Nearly two decades later, amidst growing unrest, tragedy strikes fifteen-year-old Laila, who must leave her home and join Mariam’s unhappy household. Laila and Mariam are to find consolation in each other, their friendship growing as deep as the bond between sisters, and  as strong as the ties between mother and daughter.

In Maha’s words: “It was so well-written and well connected in a way that made me want to re-read it and catch all the things I missed- definitely heavy topics and not a fun read, but so extremely worth picking up”

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three by John Godey

Recommended by Ethan Cirrito

Summary: Four men, armed with submachine guns, have seized a New York City subway train, holding all seventeen passengers—and the entire city—hostage. The identities of the hijackers are unknown. Their demands seem impossible. Their threats are real.

In Ethan’s words: “It depicts New York in the 70s really well and it’s a fun action/thriller book”

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

Recommended by Florence Reagan

Summary: The kind of book that makes you feel so deeply for the finely drawn characters that you almost forget they’re fictional. You’ll be swept away by the heartbreak, the joy, the chemistry, and the charisma woven through the fabric of Macy’s and Elliot’s star-crossed relationship.

In Florence’s words: “It is god-tier. Simply amazing”

What Beauty There Is by Corey Anderson

Recommended by Sarah Kreditor

Summary: Ava lives in isolation, a life of silence. For seventeen years, Ava’s father, a merciless man, has controlled her fate. Living in poverty, Jack is holding his breath. With his parents gone, Jack faces a stark choice: lose his brother to foster care or find the drug money that sent his father to prison. He chooses the money. Suddenly, Jack’s and Ava’s fates become dangerously linked as Ava’s father hunts for the same money as Jack. 

In Sarah’s words: “It’s really beautifully written. It switches from a poetic style to a very blunt style, which I feel like reflects the character’s vision of the world.”

American Street by Ibi Zoboi

Recommended by Marlie Fagan

Summary: A gritty and haunting tale of a Haitian teenage immigrant, Fabiola Toussaint, who is separated from her mother when she is detained by US Immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own.

In Marlie’s words: “I liked how personal it was. I was reading about a person of color so that made me connect to the character in deep ways.” 

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Recommended by Lamartha Boock

Summary: Lowen Ashleigh is an impoverished writer who accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. As Lowen is sorting through Verity’s work, she finds her chilling, unfinished autobiography that could unravel everything her family has ever known. 

In Lamartha’s words: “I like the thrill and the suspense of it. It had me on my toes and there were a lot of plot twists that I didn’t expect” 

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Recommended by Dina Nekjiovic

Summary: Enthralled by his own exquisite portrait, Dorian Gray makes a Faustian bargain to sell his soul in exchange for eternal youth and beauty. Wilde’s only novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” offers a disturbing portrait of an individual coming face to face with the reality of his soul. 

In Dina’s words: “I wanted to read more classics and get more into that genre, and it’s a classic book. I also just really liked his style”