BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
By Lily Smith
Hello Ubique readers! It is finally book week, and to help celebrate all things literary this week, here are some recommendations and reviews for books given by the year 10 Writing, Editing & Publishing class.
The Secret History- Donna Tartt
This may be one of the classic, slightly pretentious, dark academia tiktok books, but trust me when I say it’s hands-down the best story I have ever had the honour of reading. It’s set in an arts college in 1980’s Vermont, where you follow the lives of the socially isolated Ancient Greek class as they descend further and further into an ambiguous, morally grey lifestyle, occasionally murdering people. It’s not a classic murder mystery, but gives reasons and justifications to everyone’s actions, and shows the impact of their choices. The ending had me in literal shock for days on end, and no matter how many times I read it, it still got to me each time. The writing is of such high quality that you end up believing, understanding and empathising with the characters and their decisions, regardless of how messed up their actions seem in hindsight. 10/10. Highly recommended. -Lily
Our Dreams at Dusk- Yuhki Kamatani
It's primarily about the challenges of the LGBTQ community and a gay teenager who joins other LGBTQ+ people in a discussion area. It's just a pretty great book with really beautiful art.- Avni
Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
The book is full of action and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters just feel so real and their relationships make you so happy, but angry at the same time.- Olivia
The House in the Cerulean Sea- TJ Klune
This book is enchanting and heartwarming, leaning into tropes of found family and a "will they, won't they?" queer romance. The House in the Cerulean Sea explores themes of magic, eccentricity, love and battling prejudice, while remaining an easy and cosy read. Although the story and its characters are not particularly complex, they are all insanely loveable and you will be rooting for them for the entire story. If all you need is to read something sappy and uplifting, this book is a wonderful pick-me-up.- Miranda
The House in the Cerulean Sea- TJ Klune
The little prince is one of the oldest books on my bookshelf which I still flip through often today. The book follows a little prince’s journey through various neighbouring planets and explores themes such as loneliness, friendship, love, and loss. Although it seems like a children's book, I recommend this book to everyone of all ages.- J.H.
The Silence of the Lambs- Thomas Harris
Because I really like Dr. Hannibal and I think he is a very interesting character.- Charlotte
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo- Taylor Jenkins Reid
It's a good book about fame and includes societal issues such as racism, domestic abuse, and homophobia.- Sevi
The Nevermoor Series- Jessica Townsend
This is more for the younger years at UHS. It's a fun series set in a fictional urban fantasy city, and it currently has 3 entries with a 4th releasing October next year. It has an engaging writing style, the stories make you feel warm by the end of it, the adventure elements are fun, and the plot is intriguing. There's also giant cats, and you can't go wrong with giant cats. - Eda
The Summer I Turned Pretty- Jenny Han
I really liked this book because the main character broke through and expressed herself during summer. She went to a family friend's beach house like she does every year. She is currently in a love triangle however doesn't know who to choose. If you want plot twists and tension, be sure to read this! -Heba.
Cloud and Wallfish- Anne Nesbet
I loved the writing style, it gave the whole story a really dreamlike feeling. It felt sort of lonely in a way, but it was just super pretty, despite the subject matter. I also found the subject matter really interesting though, and it was interesting to see a perspective of East Germany through the eyes of a little kid. (The characters were great as well.) The book had such an impact on year 7 me, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. -Anne
Hopefully there’s a book or two that captures your interest! Feel free to borrow any of them from the library.