NORTH SMITHFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY - Recommendation Blog

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

6/15/2022

After reading Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, I immediately bought(*) the other four books in the series. I hadn't been reading as often as I used to but this is the book that got me back into reading for fun. This book is filled with major plot twists. Some of them I found kind of predictable but others I never saw coming. What I really love about this book is that it's a fantasy with some romance on the side. There were some slower parts but it is completely worth it. The author did an amazing job developing the characters and describing the settings. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun fantasy read!
Recommended by Eva M.

*North Smithfield Library highly recommends borrowing them from the library before purchasing. We have the series in our YA collection

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking the book cover.
Genre: fantasy, paranormal, suspense

The Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

6/15/2022

This is the second book in the Red Queen series and I found it impossible to put down. There were a few parts that I found more boring to read about but it was worth it to find out what happens next. While this book contained parts with a lot of action and parts that were a bit slower, I loved how it picked back up again at the end. The end of this book had me wanting to read the next in the series right away. Many new characters were introduced in this book and I enjoyed reading about how each of them varied in their looks, abilities, and personalities.
Recommended by Eva M.

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking the book cover.
Genre: fantasy, thriller

The King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard

6/15/2022

King's Cage is the third book in the Red Queen series. The beginning of this book was very slow but it is all worth it. This is the book where Mare and Cal's relationship really picks up and I loved reading about it! There really wasn't any inappropriate scenes; the author did a good job keeping it tween friendly. There was so much going on during the second half of this book. The beginning is really the only slow part so it gets really good once you get past it. The ending had me in tears and I started reading the fourth book in the series the same day I finished King's Cage.
Recommended by Eva M.

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking the book cover.
Genre: fantasy, science fiction

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

5/31/2022

I really like this book because it is dark, but it also holds complex characters in which they are more than what they seem. I also liked how in this story the main character Katniss attempts to retain her morals even faced with death. This story also brings out many dystopian themes such as government control, surveillance, and even a little loss of identity. Finally, the ending might seem predictable due to plot armor, but the way this story ends is quite interesting.
Recommended by Aayan K

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking the book cover.
Genre: dystopian fiction, science fiction

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

5/31/2022

I really enjoyed this book because it depicted the story after the first hunger games, and how Katniss's and Peeta's problems are not over yet. I also, liked how this book does not automatically make everything seem peachy for District 12 in which things seem worse, especially for the two victors. Finally, I also liked how the book also put more dept to Haymitch, Cinna, and Effie by showing their backstories and how they really feel about everything that is going on right now. Overall, I really liked this book and would definitely suggest people to read it.

Recommneded by Aayan K

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking the book cover.
Genre: dystopian fiction, science fiction

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

5/31/2022

I kind of liked this book because while the story was great there were unnecessary parts to it. Firstly, I liked how this book brings the consequences of Katniss's actions to reality in which everything Katniss has done has now led up to this book. However, in this book, they killed off a few characters that did not need killing off, and the book would have been perfectly fine if it didn't kill off the characters that it did. On the other hand, those deaths added a new dept to Katniss and made story more deep. Overall, I kind of liked this book, and still suggest people to read it.
Recommended by: Aayan K

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking the book cover.
Genre: dystopian fiction, science fiction

The Giver by Lois Lowry

4/27/2022

The Giver is a book about a boy named Jonas who thinks he is in a normal life until Jonas is chosen as a receiver of memory for his community and he starts to see how crazy his world is. Jonas lives in a Utopia where there is no pain, no crime and no unhappiness, but on the other hand there is no love, no desire, and no music. Each year children reach a new milestone like getting bikes at nine or getting a haircut at ten. At twelve children get their assignment. When Jonas gets his job, The Giver and Jonas make a plan to fix the community. I enjoyed this book because the story has a bunch of different feelings, which makes it great to read. I could not put The Giver down. It is very interesting, and I recommend it to all middle school students.
Recommended by Sophia D.

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking the book cover.
Genre: dystopian fiction, science fiction

The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi

4/27/2022

I really liked this book because in this book it makes you rethink what you already know. Also, in this story, it has an interesting plot to it that the readers will really enjoy. I also liked how they introduce futuristic technology in this story while also providing that "down to earth" feeling to the story in which there are advanced robots and all kinds of technologies, but the story does not let that get the focus off the main characters. Overall, this story was really good, and I would definitely recommend people to read it.
Recommended by Aayan K.

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking the book cover.
Genre: science fiction, action/adventure, survival, human-alien encounters

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collines

5/3/2021

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the prequel to the Hunger Games series, and is a must read for anyone who enjoyed the series. This focuses more on the life of Coriolanus Snow, the president in the Hunger Games, and how his life was like when he was 18 years old. This allows the readers to get into the perspective of the Peacekeepers, the Capitol citizens, and the mentoring of the Hunger Games. This also goes further into life in District 12 and what it is like for the citizens there. This story takes place just after the tenth Hunger Games, and the Capitol is looking for new things to try. This is amazing for anyone that couldn't get enough from the series itself, and I highly recommend this book to read.
Recommended by Ethan L.
Grade 8

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking here.
Genre: dystopian fiction, science fiction, action/adventure, survival

Gone by Michael Grant

5/3/2021

Gone is a book about a town in California. When it seems like a normal day, the town suddenly changes, and everyone 15 and over just disappears from existence. The kids 14 and under are all confused, and don’t know what to do. Then, the fires and accidents happen, saying no one was there to turn off stoves and faucets. As if that wasn’t weird enough, some of the kids start to gain strange powers from this place. This story is a work of art, and it focuses on about ten different points of view. This story will leave you on the edge of your seat, and will surprise you when you least expect it.
Recommended by Ethan L.
Grade 8

Librarian Note:
If you are interested in this book, you can find more about it in the library catalog by clicking here.
Genre: Paranormal fiction, survival, science fiction