EunaBi Reads

Temple Alley Summer Book Review Rating: 4/5 Temple Alley Summer is from the famous Japanese children's author Sachiko Kashiwaba. This book was originally written in Japanese but was translated into English in 2011. In fact, Kashiwaba's book The Marvelous Village Veiled in Mist was the inspiration behind the famous Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away! As a fan of both Studio Ghibli and ghost stories, I was very excited to read this book. Another thing that drew me to the book was the art. I think it's super cool to have art that shows some of the scenes in the book. Kazu, the main character, was well written, and I liked how the author maintained the fact that he was in 5th grade, by making him do things most 5th graders do, like complain about homework, and hang out with friends. Even though he was scared of Akari at first, when he figured out more about her past, he was very kind to her, and I thought that it was very sweet. Akari's reasons for coming back to life were s...

  Six Crimson Cranes Book Review Rating: 5/5 Six Crimson Cranes is by far one of the best books I’ve ever read. It is a magical fantasy book based on East Asian mythology. Not only was it captivating and enchanting, but it was also such a sweet and loveable book as well. It’s not just an adventure story but also a coming of age story, as we see the main character Shiori grow.  I loved that Shiori wasn’t portrayed as a helpless girl, and was instead a strong minded, brave, and determined character. She had a vibrant personality, and if I could, I would’ve loved to become her friend. Her pet paper crane Kiki was so adorable, and together they made a great pair. Her six brothers had unique, distinctive personalities , so it was easy to tell them apart.  Takkan was such a sweetheart, and was super kind. Even when everybody else believed Shiori and her brothers were dead, he kept his faith in them and kept on looking. Megari was the perfect cunning, cute little sister, and she...

  This is Where it Ends Book Review Rating: 3/5 This book contains mature themes such as school shootings and death.  This is Where it Ends is about a school shooting. I've read many reviews on this book, and it's as if this book has split the reading community in half. Some people have said that it has brought awareness and attention to the subject and captured these shootings realistically, and others have said that it was very black and white, and it took school shootings and compressed it into a simplistic, short book.  The book was told from four different perspectives, which was confusing. There were so many characters, and they were all related in some way. I think it's clever to tell the story at different angles, but the four characters were very similar.  At the same time, it was an emotional book, that captured the emotions of the characters well. I wanted to find out what happened, regardless of what I thought about the characters. It was heartbreaking an...

  Dumplin' Book Review Rating: 4.5/5 My library was giving out books to students and in the young adult section, I found this book. I'd heard of Dumplin' before, and I knew that it had received many good reviews. So, I decided to take it home and read it. And wow, I definitely wasn't expecting to love the book this much! Willowdean, the main character was bold, and stood by her beliefs, which was very inspiring. This book also included touches of feminism and romance, adding even more to Willowdean's personality. It showed the ups and downs of true friendship, how you should appreciate your body, and much more. A truly heartwarming story.  Willowdean, also known as Will, is the daughter of former beauty pageant queen, Rosie Dixon. She had always been comfortable in her own body, despite what others may say to her. With her best friend Ellen by her side, she feels unstoppable, until she meets Bo, and develops a crush on him. To her surprise, Bo seems to like her back...

  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Book Review Rating: 3.5/5 When I first bought this book, I wasn't very keen on reading it right away. I put it aside, and after reading a few other books, I finally came around to reading this story. As I've mentioned before, I love reading books of the horror and thriller genre, and this book was the entire package! However, I thought the book was very slow, and and the story was stretched out over many pages. So if you are someone who likes a story with lots of buildup, then this is for you. But if you’re like me, who likes to read faster paced books, I’d recommend something else.  Jake's grandpa always had stories to tell Jake. Stories of the children's home that he had once lived in, Ms. Peregrine: the woman who looked after him, and the peculiar children that lived in the children's home. But as Jake grew older he started to doubt these stories, and blamed it on his grandpa's old age. But when his grandpa di...

Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend Book Review Rating: 4.5/5 This book contains mature themes, such as murder and violence.  Bonnie and Clyde may just be one of the most famous outlaw couples that America has ever seen. Even today, long after their deaths, they are still talked about and romanticized. But who were they? What really went on during their lives? How did they go from 2 ordinary people, to being hunted down by the police in multiple states? Find out in this biography by Karen Blumental.  I was drawn to this book because I am fascinated by true crime and mystery. In fact, I was so interested in this book that I managed to finish it in one day. It was very interesting to learn about Bonnie and Clyde's background, and how they had gotten to the peak of their crime streak. This biography was well-written, and it also included photos and debunked many rumors around the couple. If you are ever interested in Bonnie and Clyde, this is the perfect book for you!  ...

  Outsiders Book Review Rating: 4.5/5 This book has mature themes, such as death and suicide.  When I first found this book in the library, I had the intent of reading it, but soon a few weeks had passed, and I hadn't even gotten to the second page. But when I finally picked the book up, I felt like I couldn't stop reading it, I needed to know what happened! This book was super interesting, and takes you on an emotional journey, with really likeable and admirable characters. It is a great classic, that tells a coming of age story, and puts light on the good and bad of society.  The story is from the perspective of Ponyboy, the youngest brother of Sodapop and Darry. They had just recently lost their parents due to a car crash, but were allowed to stay under Darry's care if they behaved. All three brothers and their friends are Greasers, who are boys from the poorer side of town. The Greasers are rivals with the Socs, who are from the richer side of town. Ponyboy knows that...