Reviewed by Tom Han, Teen Advisory Council

The Way of Kings by experienced fantasy author Brandon Sanderson is the first book of the epic, ten novel Stormlight Archives series. It’s set in the unique, magical world of Roshar with its own vibrant culture, people, and history. The novel follows three main characters and their individual, seemingly separate stories. Kaladin was a gallant soldier who was betrayed by his comrades and sold into slavery; Shallan is a noble scholar who must steal a magical relic to save her family; and Dalinar is a renowned “Highprince” who begins to receive disturbing visions and prophecies. Each character is related to and impacted by the main conflict in the novel: The War of Reckoning. After the former king of Alethkar, Gavilar, was assassinated by the Parshendi people, the ten princedoms of Alethkar unite to wage a war of vengeance and punishment against the Parshendi on the Shattered Plains. The war shapes the stories of all three main characters and slowly ties their lives together as the story progresses.

By Adam Silveira

Review by Isabelle Zheng, Teen Advisory Council

  On behalf of everyone here at Death-Cast, we are so sorry to lose you. Live this day to the fullest, okay? They Both Die at the End beautifully portrays the sheer vulnerability and power of human beings, along with how a single friendship can change one’s entire life in a short day. They Both Die at the End, published 2017, is one Adam Silvera’s best known books along with More Happy Than Not, published in 2015, and What if It’s Us, published in 2018. It takes place in a dystopia where a company called Death-Cast calls people to warn them of their death 24 hours before it happens.

Fifteen Lanes by S.J. Laidlaw

Review by Nicolai Hughes, Teen Advisory Council

Fifteen Lanes by S.J. Laidlaw is an award-winning Canadian novel, and it's clear to see why.
It's a groundbreaking story set in Mumbai that refuses to gloss over difficult topics like teen
mental illness, the sex trade, self harm and suicide, as well as other important issues. It
follows the story of two teenage girls, each coming from vastly different backgrounds and
situations, who grow to understand each other's hardships, and form an unbreakable bond
because of it. It's an emotionally taxing read, with a writing style so raw and real that you
may have to take time between chapters just to allow everything to sink in. If you're looking
for a thought-provoking story to truly change your perspective, I would highly recommend
picking up Fifteen Lanes.

The Bird and the Blade

By Megan Bannen

Reviewed by Vanessa

An apple. A choice. A song. A kiss.

You will all be familiar with fairy tale retellings, but have you heard of an opera retelling? This is a retelling of the opera Turandot. Never heard of it? No worries! Not knowing the plot and ending ahead of time may just make this story even more exciting than it already is.

The Hate U Give

By Angie Thomas

This book is the real deal. Not only is it the best YA book I have read this year, it is the best book I have read this year period. It got me from the very first page, and never let me go. If you read any book this year, let it be this one.

One of Us is Lying  By Karen M. McManus

The story starts out like a modern day Breakfast Club, with five students stuck in detention. We meet Bronwyn, the Yale bound non-rule breaking "brain"; Addy, the picture-perfect homecoming queen "beauty"; Nate, the "criminal" already on probation for dealing; Cooper, the all star baseball pitcher athlete, aka "jock", and Simon, the "outcast" and creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app. But then the story takes a dark turn. Before the end of detention Simon is dead.

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