Guest Book Review: Kaylieh reviews Playing for the Commandant

Playing for the Commandant by Suzy Zail  is a thrilling book full of exhilarating moments. This is a book about Hanna, a Jew living with her sister, mother, and father. She loves playing piano. Until one day the Nazis come and take her family  to a camp where she is then separated from her father. Her mother is detached from the situation around them leaving only her and her sister to protect each other. They stay in the camp in horrible conditions until one day, the commandant is looking for Jews to play the piano. Hanna gets chosen and starts to play for the commandant but once the commandant's son, Karl walks in, she instantly picks up on his looks and slowly starts to fall in love with Karl. I loved reading this story and even had a hard time putting it down. This is a great book and one of the best books I've read. I would give this book a five out of five rating. It’s a great book to read in your free time, and It will make you want to come back for more. - Kaylieh

Guest Book Review: Isaac reviews Defiance by Nechama Tec

Defiance, by Nechama Tec, is a story based on a real event. This can make Defiance a true page turner, but in spots, can take a chill pill, and will slow down just to pick up in action the next chapter! This makes the story very clear and open and incredibly easy to read at a higher level of reading. The story itself is about a man named Tuvia Bielski and his experience through World War II. It takes place in the cold, cruel winters of Russia. The village in which Tuvia lives houses members of the Jewish culture. In the book, the Germans invade the country, and Tuvia needs to stand up and defy the brutal force incoming towards their village, and to stand up and protect the members of the village. But however, don’t let the thrill of war blind you. The story at first can be very difficult to get into, and can be difficult to follow in places. Since the book is based on a true story, the book itself is very long, and includes a lot of words per page. If I were to give Defiance a rating, I would rate it ⅘ stars simply because of how long it was, and sometimes it being demotivating to finish. However, if you are very invested into war stories, this book will be a perfect fit for you! - Isaac

Isaac read a copy of Defiance from a classroom library but the audiobook version can be found on Hoopla through the Nashua Public Library.

Book Review: The Witch's Hand (The Montague Twins book 2)

 

A dog found - and a reward collected (though not asked for)
A routine day - morning routines, a talk with their guardian, a request to be home for dinner.
Three teens, thrown together in their new family.
A bike ride to the beach...

A rogue storm
Weird visions
A found box

An old friend... dabling with magic... and the horror begins.

Find this creepy graphic novel on the shelves at South and at the Nashua Pubic Library. What a great read for the month of October when we love to experience thrill and chills...

Book Review: This Was Our Pact / Ryan Andrews

It was the night of the Fall Equinox. The whole town gets together and lights lanterns which they float down the river. Each year a bunch of boys have wanted to see what really happens to the lanterns? Do they in fact become the stars in the Milky Way?

The boys have made a pact - No one turns for home, no one looks back. But slowly the boys drop out of their mission until there are only two left, and one of them is the town nerd, the guy no one wants to be seen with. 

On their trip they encounter some interesting characters, a bit of magic, and some unexected truths.

This graphic novel was a happy surprise. It connects to origin stories, science, friendship, and magic. Here you will find the gifts that are in each of us. I especially loved the connections to the milky way and to the stars and constellations.

Enjoy!

You will find this book on the shelves of Nashua High South and the Nashua Public library and also on Libby. Have you connected your Sora account with Libby yet?