EunaBi Reads

The Sun is Also a Star Book Review Rating: 4.25/5 This month, I started high school, and over the summer, I was assigned The Sun is Also a Star for summer reading. I’ve passed by this book multiple times in the library but I never got around to reading it, so when I saw it on the summer reading list, of course I decided to read it. It’s so cool that Nicola Yoon and her husband, David Yoon, are both authors.  The Sun is Also a Star is a bittersweet insta-love romance. As soon as I opened to the first page, this book immediately captured my attention as it switched between Daniel, a son of Korean immigrants, and Natasha, an undocumented immigrant from Jamaica. Along with their perspectives, we get slivers of  stories of side characters and informational sections weaved into the story. The random chapters of different characters were actually one of my favorite parts of the book. At first, while reading the sections, I thought they had no purpose, but as everything began to come ...

The Things She's Seen Book Review Rating: 4.5/5 Every summer, the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL)  hosts an event called Summer Stride. Summer Stride challenges everyone of all ages to complete 20 hours of reading, learning, or listening to books before the end of summer for a prize. Throughout the summer, SFPL gives out free books, and the selection updates every week, which is how I got my hands on The Things She's Seen. This book also happened to be the last two hours I needed to complete my Summer Stride challenge! The Things She's Seen is a murder mystery that takes place in a small Australian town. The novel has a complicated and unpredictable plot. From the start, the story immediately captivated me. The book switches between the narrations of Beth, a dead girl whose spirit is still in the human world, and Isobel Catching, who tells stories about stolen girls and monsters. I liked how Catching told her story in verse. At first, Catching's cryptic storytelling...

Eye of the Crow Book Review Rating: 4.5/5 Hello everyone, sorry for the delay on May's book review. Last month, I graduated from middle school, so I was a lot busier than usual. I'm posting this book review and will still post the normal end-of-the-month book review for June :)  On the last day of school, many of the teachers were clearing out their classrooms, so students had the chance to take some books for free. I looked around with my friends and was able to get 4 books. From my selections, I decided to read Eye of the Crow first because it is a murder mystery and has a fascinating cover. This book takes the perspective of teenage Sherlock Holmes after he is thrown into the violent world of his first murder investigation. From the start, I was immersed in this book, from the incredible details to the intricate plot. I enjoyed that the book's ending is not predictable. Although there is no crazy plot twist, the story unraveled in a way that didn't give away too much...

In the Hall With the Knife Book Review Rating: 3/5 This book immediately caught my eye when I saw it in the library. I love to read murder mysteries, and this book's cover screamed murder mystery, especially since it is based on the mystery game, Clue. If you don't know what Clue is, it is a board game. You and other players try to find the murderer, where it took place, and the weapon used. Each player is given a name based on colors, like Colonel Mustard, and there is a file that has the information about the murder, but no players can look at it. Based on clues, hence the name, the players work together to solve the mystery.  From the start, the book was keen on showing that it was based on Clue. All the book characters were named after the game characters, and it took place in the same setting as the game, Tudor Mansion, or in this book's case, Tudor House.  The six main characters, Peacock, Orchid, Scarlett, Plum, Mustard, and Green/Vaughn, are all students that attend...

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 ...