Hi, and welcome (or welcome back) to my book reviews column! This year is set to be a great year for reading, with hundreds of highly-anticipated books scheduled to release. So far, a handful of them have been released, and in their honor I will be reviewing new book releases this month. I hope that one of these will catch your eye, and that you’ll enjoy reading!

SUNRISE ON THE REAPING by Suzanne Collins

As the sun rises on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, terror grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many districts will be forced to compete in a fight to the death. Back in District Twelve, sixteen-year-old Haymitch Abernathy is trying his best to not think about his chances. He doesn’t care about the games; all he really wants is to make it through the day and be with the girl that he loves. Yet when his name is called, his dreams are crushed; he is dragged away from his family, friends, and his love and shuttled to the Capitol. There, as the Games begin, he understands he’s been set up to lose.

But there’s something in him that wants to fight. To win. So he decides that he will.

As soon as this book was announced, I was instantly intrigued—and, as soon as it was released, I dove right in. Since finishing it, I can safely say that, while it did not top the other books in the series, it was still an intriguing and emotional read. To me, one of the major standouts was the characters. Each was well-developed and recognizable by their personality alone—even for someone as simple as a random side character. On the note of characters, I also really enjoyed how Collins wove in familiar faces from the rest of the series, because it gave side characters so much more depth, and made the rest of the series make more sense. By developing these characters further, it also made the prequel feel more connected to the rest of the series. 

While the book focused a lot on the characters, it also focused a lot on relationships, especially Haymitch’s, which added a lot of emotional weight to the story. His character is made so much more interesting by Collins’ depiction of how his journey was shaped by the bonds he forms. Overall, seeing how relationships impacted him made his arc so much more compelling. To name another highlight, the story’s worldbuilding was so much fun! Sunrise on the Reaping really built upon the lore put forth by the earlier books. Each chapter supplied the reader with more information about the world the characters were living in, making the book much more engaging. 

That said, there were parts that felt less polished than the original books, or instances where the pacing dragged. All in all, the story felt a little “dumbed down” compared to the original series. At the end of the day, I still thought it was a fun book to read. I cried, I laughed, and I loved a few parts of it, so I think it’s worth your time. 6.5/10

WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Grady Hendrix

They call them wayward girls. Crazy girls. Girls who grew up too fast. These “waywards” are all sent to the Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden away by families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and—most importantly—forget that anything ever happened. In the summer of 1970, fifteen-year-old Fern is sent to the home pregnant, terrified, and alone. There, she meets a dozen other girls, all in the same predicament and all looked after by the watchful eye of Miss Wellwood. Everything they say and do at Wellwood is strictly controlled.

Yet when Fern is given an occult book about witchcraft, the girls of Wellwood have power in their hands for the first time in their lives. Yet this power won’t be free—it always comes with a price.

This book immediately stood out to me when I was browsing new releases, and I’m so glad it did. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls was such a fun book. From the beginning to end, it was a compelling, eerie, and emotional ride. The details, characters, and plot sucked me in and I couldn’t put it down. In a nutshell, this book is a historical horror fantasy, but I felt like it was so much more than that. First off, every scene sucked me in; with the help of Hendrix’s stunning descriptions of setting, people, and plot, I almost felt like I was inside the book at certain points. Secondly, I liked how the book did not shy away from certain topics. Hendrix really embraced the injustices of the time, especially those the girls in the book are facing, and I really appreciated that. However, I think my favorite part of the book was getting to know the characters. The whole book let their personalities shine through via their dialogue and interactions with one another. Hendrix developed their personalities almost perfectly, and his clever descriptions and humor in the book made me fall in love with everyone.

However, I feel like there were some slow spells throughout the book. Other scenes simply felt lacking to me, and occasionally the book felt like it was straying from the plot. So while I might have liked the book, I would not give it a ten. Still, if you are looking for a fun book to read, I recommend this book. 7/10

THE FAMILIAR by Leigh Bardugo

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses bits of magic to get through her days of endless chores as a scullery maid. Yet when her scheming mistress discovers her useless servant is hiding magical talents, she demands that Luzia use her gifts to advance the family’s social position. But what begins as simple amusement for house parties takes a dark turn when her talents catch the eye of Antonio Perez, the disgraced secretary of Spain’s king. Due to his countless losses in a war against England, the king is desperate for any advantage—and Perez will do anything to regain the king’s favor. So, Luzia is thrown into a world of seers, alchemists, and holy men, where she becomes determined to use this one opportunity to better her position in society. Yet as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her magic and Jewish blood will doom her during the height of the Spanish Inquisition.

Although this is not technically a new release, the paperback version was released last month and I recently read it, so I thought I would review it here. I randomly picked The Familiar up after thinking the cover was pretty, and I am so glad I did. It is a beautiful twist of circumstance, magic, and historical fiction, and Bardugo’s writing had me captivated from start to finish. The first thing that I loved were how complex and unique all the characters were; each one had their own beliefs, wants, and needs that were so clear throughout each character arc. Furthermore, the characters’ personalities always seemed to come through even more when they were around one another, which made relationships seem more sincere and the characters more human. These relationships also gave so much more to the story. The struggles in the book were also very compelling. Since the book is set during the Spanish Inquisition and the main character is Jewish, The Familiar is a testament to Jewish resilience and resistance throughout history. Luzia’s perseverance in the face of danger due to her heritage is awe-inspiring, and I loved reading about it. I also always enjoy a historical fiction setting, and since The Familiar is set in historical Madrid, I think it made the book all the more interesting. 

So, if you’re looking for a new historical-magical book to read, I believe that The Familiar would be a great choice! 8/10

That concludes this month’s book reviews! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this month’s issue. If one of these books in particular has caught your eye, all of them can be found in our school’s library. Happy reading!