EunaBi Reads

Orbiting Jupiter Book Review   Rating: 4.5/5 Orbiting Jupiter was a pretty short read, but packs an emotional rollercoaster. We started a new book unit in my English class, and this book was one of the options. I read it in one sitting and it was one of the most compelling books I've read. The author, Gary D. Schmidt, did a very good job of conveying a range of emotions, from simple happiness to painful sadness. I felt fully immersed in the setting, characters, and plot. Orbiting Jupiter is narrated by a 12-year-old boy named Jack, whose family fosters a 14-year-old boy named Joseph. Joseph had a troubled past, becoming a father at 13 and going to juvenile prison for almost killing his teacher. All Joseph wanted was to see his daughter, Jupiter, and throughout the book, I continuously hoped that he would. This book was captivating from start to finish, and Joseph's character really supports the saying, 'never judge a book by its cover.' I would totally recommend it if ...

Internment Book Review Rating: 2.5/5   2.5/5?! Yes, this is the lowest rating I've given a book so far, and I was quite disappointed that I didn't like this book. I think that Internment covers important subjects and the underlying message is very impactful and important. It's good to learn about the topic of internment, the people who were harmed, and the experiences of the victims. So, when I decided I to read this book, I felt like it had potential. However, the writing and characters of this book just fell short.  Most of the time when I critique a book, I focus on the plot, but this time, it was the writing. I felt like this book only slightly skimmed the topic of internment, and I wish it would've taken a deeper dive. While I do like fast-paced books, the book moved too quickly, and barely gave any information or background on the characters and the setting. But my biggest problem was the characters. This book is narrated by the protagonist, Layla. She was rebelli...

Jackaby Book Review Rating: 4.75/5   When I first decided to read Jackaby, I had high expectations because it's been a while since I last read a murder mystery book. But when I read that the main character is a supernatural detective, I became less enthusiastic about reading this book. I'm not a fan of supernatural or paranormal books because I usually find them to be a bit cheesy. But I decided to push through and see what this book had in store. I'm so happy I ended up choosing this book because it had the perfect twists, turns, and characters. My favorite characters were Jackaby and Abigail Rook. Jackaby is a quirky and eccentric character, and I loved him for that. He would always be a step ahead of everyone else and would look at things with a closer eye than others. Abigail Rook, Jackaby's assistant, is smart, resourceful, and resilient. Jackaby and Abigail are a perfect team when it comes to solving the murders in this book. They help each other uncover the many ...

Suggested Reading Book Review  Rating: 3.75/5 When I first got this book, I didn't really know what to expect. It's not as dramatic as the most recent books I've read, but after reading the inside flap, I was intrigued. This book discusses banned books, which I thought would be an interesting topic. As some of you reading may know, several places are trying to ban, and have banned, books about race, gender and sexuality. Suggested Reading is something that could be our possible future, with books being silently taken off the shelves and the discouragement of reading about certain topics. I think it's important that books like Suggested Reading spread awareness to readers. I thought this book was good. The plot was interesting, and even though the ending was quite predictable, I still enjoyed it. After finishing the book, I felt pretty happy, but nothing really stood out to me. My biggest problem with Suggested Reading is the lack of character development. Clara was comp...

  The Red Palace Book Review  Rating: 5/5 I love, love, loved this book! Before this book, I was in a reading slump. I felt like I didn't have time to read at all and would get bored pretty quickly after reading a few pages of any book. But when my school's Thanksgiving break rolled around, I was able to sit down and finally start to read a book, which happened to be The Red Palace! It reminded me why I love to read, especially murder mysteries, so I am very excited to be reviewing this book.  I'm sure many of you reading have watched or heard about Korean dramas. They are full of romance, excitement, and- of course- drama. It starts with watching one episode, but before you know it, that one episode becomes three and then an all-out binge-watch. I mean, who wouldn't? They're so interesting and addicting, it's hard to not love them. When I opened this book, the sole purpose of it was to show myself that I was finally reading a book so I wouldn't feel so guil...

WANT Book Review  Rating: 4.75/5 I started this book for my school's dystopian unit and was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book. The plot of this book fascinated  me and kept me on the edge of my seat. The fact that the setting of this book could be our near future is pretty scary, and I think that the book emphasizes that fact. It sheds light on topics that are usually dismissed, and I believe that it is important that the book brings awareness to these social and global issues. The characters are very well written, and I couldn't put this book down! I would recommend this to anyone who wants a fast-paced, interesting book.  Zhou, the protagonist, was a very determined, intelligent character. However, I was also drawn to his friends, and I wanted to learn more about them. I loved how they were all practically family and the interactions between them always seemed so real. The book was written so well and each time the setting changed I felt like I was ther...

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...