"A Danger to Herself and Others" by Alyssa Sheinmel

Trigger Warning: Mental Health Issues, Eating Disorders, Mentions of Suicide

💬: To Hannah, the decision to have her institutionalized was wrong. What happened to her best friend Agnes was an accident. Nobody was meant to get hurt. And as soon as the doctors realize that she isn't a danger to herself and others, she'll go home to start her senior year of high school. Those college essays aren't going to write themselves, after all! Until then, she plans to get on the good side of Dr. Lightfoot, her personal psychiatrist, and to get out of her dull, boring room as much as possible. As time goes on, Hannah notices new things about the institution. Girls with eating disorders eat at a special table in the cafe (if you're allowed to go there). Somebody always supervises the showers (if you're allowed to take one). Talking circles are with people who go through the same experiences as you (if you're allowed to be there). Going outside is allowed (if you have permission, of course). The more time she spends at the institution, Hannah wonders what she has to do to get those privileges and spend time with some of the girls there. Seriously. This whole "alone" thing is getting real old. 

Just as the isolation becomes unbearable, Hannah meets Lucy. 

Lucy becomes Hannah's new roommate and a replacement of her former best friend. Though Lucy seems just as troubled as Hannah, she helps Hannah confront the harsh truths that wait for her outside the doors of her small room in the institution. 

❤: What I loved most about this book was the author's ability to make you feel a wide range of emotions toward a single character, specifically Hannah. Hannah has a drastic change throughout the novel, going from a narcissistic, egotistical and privileged girl (this is honestly one of the biggest examples of an unreliable narrator I've ever seen) to someone you could sympathize with and possibly relate to. Hannah's change throughout the novel is so genuine that it's impossible to not love her by the end of the story. At first, she narrates her story as if she lives a perfect life and is proud of all the terrible things she has done. By the end, she knows that her life isn't as perfect as she thought and that she was going to have to work to make herself a better person. And I LOVE when characters go through major changes like that. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story of transformation, someone who can handle dark elements (as listed above) and someone who enjoys a whole bunch of twists in their stories. 

The Leaving by Tara Altebrando

Plot: The Leaving by Tara Altebrando is about 6 kindergartners who went missing and weren't seen for 11 years. However, only 5 of them return. Max is the only one that stays missing. Scarlett comes back to a family that she barely remembers. Lucas remembers Scarlett, and the other kids, but does not remember or know what happened to them. Avery is Max's sister, and she wants answers as to why he was taken but hasn't returned. The book is told from the perspective of Scarlett, Lucas, and Avery as secrets are revealed and the mystery of Max's disappearance is unraveled. 

Personal Review: I liked this book, and it was enjoyable to read. The plot twist in the end is amazing, very unexpected, and leaves you in shock. This book is a thrilling roller-coaster ride, and once you start reading, you won't be able to put this book down. It will leave you asking for more!

"One of Us is Lying" by Karen M. McManus

💬: On one Monday afternoon, five students from Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, AKA the brain, is a smart, rule-following, geek. Addy, AKA the beauty, is the picture-perfect (but perhaps a little too perfect) popular girl. Nate, AKA the criminal, is already on probation for dealing and has spent his fair share of time in detention. Cooper, AKA the athlete, is an all-star baseball pitcher that has plenty of colleges in mind. And finally, there’s Simon. Simon is the school’s Outcast as well as the creator of Bayview High’s gossip app. Simon has information on everybody. And he plans to create the most drama he possibly can. 

But Simon never makes it out of detention. 

Before their detention is over, Simon dies. And according to the investigators, it was not an accident. Simon dies on Monday. But on Tuesday, he had planned to release information on all four of the students mentioned above. Immediately, these four students become suspects in Simon’s murder. Did one of them do it? Or did the real murderer use them as pawns? Every person has secrets. But what matters most is how far you’d go to protect them. 

👍: What I loved most about this book was how it told the story. I loved how each chapter told the story from a different perspective. It gives a cool insight of what each character is thinking but it never gives away too much. This book will have you questioning up until the very end. If you like modern mysteries with teenagers, I highly recommend this book! It exceeded all expectations and the ending made me gasp aloud. 

"The Shining" by Stephen King

 

💫New Teen Influencer Post💫

Happy Spooky Season! Today we feature Stephen King's The Shining as a spooky book to celebrate Halloween! 👻

💬: Jack Torrance's new job at the Overlook Hotel gives him and his family the perfect chance for a new start. The cold and bitter winters at the Overlook give Jack the perfect opportunity to connect with his wife Wendy and his five- year- old son Danny. It also gives him the chance to start his new book. But as winter draws nearer and the snow makes it impossible to leave, strange things start to occur. And the only one who seems to see them is Danny, who's gifted mind seems to attract the terrifying forces wandering around the hotel. As time goes on, the appeal of the Overlook Hotel fades into something much more dark... and sinister. 

👍: What I liked most about this book, without giving too much away, is the hotel's gradual change from the idyllic vacation spot to a sinister palace of lost history. King's writing makes you dread the Overlook even though you aren't there. When reading this book, you get a mixture of the Overlook's history as well as the Torrance family history. And I thought it was incredibly interesting to see how it all ties in together as one horrific tale about a grand hotel and its groundskeeper. 

The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

 

 

The Firekeeper's Daughter, written by Angeline Boulley, is a mysterious thriller that follows 18 year old Daunis Fontaine, whose dreams of studying medicine and talented hockey skills makes her a popular member of her community. However, when she witnesses a horrific tragedy, her whole life changes and her future is put on pause. The murder of her best friend allows her to uncover the secret identity of the new hockey star, Jamie, who is also her brother's best friend. With his true identity revealed -- he is an undercover cop -- they team up into a criminal investigation. As they go undercover, she is able to use her background in chemistry to be a vital part of the case. The further they get into this investigation, the more is revealed about her friends and family.

Will she discover the truth about what truly is going on in her town? Will she catch the killer? Daunis will do whatever it takes to protect her home, even if it changes everything she had ever known. The Firekeeper's Daughter will keep you on the edge of your seat as the characters try to solve the case. Angeline Boulley creates an extraordinary atmosphere with an ending plot that no one expected. 

-Amanda, Teen Influencer

Sadie by Courtney Summers

 

Sadie, a thriller novel written by Courtney Summers, follows the story of a missing nineteen-year-old set out to avenge her murdered sister. Told through West McCray's podcast, the man who is told to find her, and Sadie's perspective, we start to learn the unsettling truth of Sadie and her little sister Mattie's pasts. 

Determined to seek revenge and punish her sister's killer, Sadie follows a line of clues and ends up the center of a viral podcast and investigation. Will Sadie find the person who ruined her life? Will West locate Sadie before it's too late? Find out in this thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until you know the truth.

As a teen who has read this book, I really enjoyed reading Sadie's perspective because not only was she a strong female voice with a goal to pursue, but but she showed the struggles that girls face in parts of the US that are farther from achieving gender equality. As a critical consumer, I enjoyed living another point of view that is similar to mine, and different. 

Sadie's journey was far from perfect, and I appreciated that. I respected how the author shed light on many topics that are messy and often avoided because they are too uncomfortable to speak about. Summers worked these topics into the book perfectly, making you struggle to decide between putting the book on pause to act for these social justice conflicts, or keep reading in one sitting.

This book concludes with an ending that may or may not be surprising, but is extremely raw and realistic. Showcased is something that is too common for many girls, boys, and people in this country. 

-Julia, Teen Influencer

Five Nights at Freddy's....combining love of adventure, horror and thriller!

TWO YEARS OF FREDDY – The Core Collection includes the first five mainline titles in the FNAF universe that started it all: Five Nights at Freddy’s, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Five Nights at Freddy’s 3, Five Nights at Freddy’s 4, and Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location.⁠⁠ 

CELEBRATE WITH NEW FRIENDS – Meet a colorful cast of robotic companions that are ready to welcome you to the Fazbear family including Bonnie, Chica, Foxy and Freddy Fazbear himself.⁠

 ⁠ HIDE AND SEEK – Survive the night by monitoring the suspicious activity of the haunted animatronics that come alive at night. They can run, but you can hide.⁠

 Reserve a copy for curbside pickup or in-person checkout!

Teen Pick: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is a very suspenseful mystery. There are many characters, so you really don't know who did it until the end. At the same time you would think with so many characters it would get confusing but the author does a good job of balancing things out.