The Ashleys by Melissa de la Cruz

a book review by Sydney Abbott

Meet the Ashleys, who rule the school and make life miserable for non-SOA (Seal of Approval) girls.  The three of them are gorgeous, wealthy, and have all the best clothing. This year, the three Ashleys watch one girl step out of her limo looking like a movie star.  Lauren has arrived at a new state, or so she hopes.  Her plan is to infiltrate the Ashleys and then destroy them.  With her father's newfound wealth, she's gone from bargain shopper to having her own personal shopper.  Lauren Page, tired of being a loser, has received a makeover in an attempt to fit in at Miss Gamble's Preparatory School for Girls, so she can wriggle her way into the inner circle of the most popular girls at school, the Ashleys.  She plans to break them apart and take charge as the new queen bee at Miss Gamble's.

I would really recommend this book.  It's a great book if you enjoy an easy-to-read, girly book.  The book keeps you interested throughout the entire story. 


The Ashleys is a page turner, also funny and enjoyable. The Ashleys sets its background on the social scene of a high-end society.  The Ashleys took place in San Francisco, and the characters were narrowed down to a group of pre-teens within an all-girl school.  You're definitely going to enjoy this book if you're interested in this genre!



Find it in YA FIC de la Cruz, M.

Haven (Winterhaven #1) by Kristi Cook

a book review by Sophie Messina

 

Haven by Kristi Cook is about Violet McKenna going to a school for gifted people. But she doesn’t realize this until her friends show her their powers. Violet’s visions are becoming stronger and now she thinks she can see the future. She sees visions of her father’s murder, and she wants to control them with the help of her new friends and Aidan.

This book was like Twilight goes to boarding school because Aidan turns out to be vampire, and he and Violet have a romance. Violets friends ( Kate, Sophie, Cece, and Marissa) have to learn to use their powers to face a group of vampires who are plotting to kill Aidan. Violet's visions help her learn about the killers and what’s coming up. They end up killing the vampires at the end of the year.

There are questions that pop up in the book. What do these vampires want? Is there someone on the inside of the school giving away information? What’s going to happen with Violet and Aidan? What will happen in the next book? Read this book and you decide.

Find it: YA FIC Cook, K.

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

a book recommendation by Lily Russell

 

A Stolen Life: a memoir by Jaycee Dugard is a true story of a girl who was kidnapped for 18 years. Jaycee had walked out of the house thinking she would be back in a short eight hours to greet her parents and tell them how her day was, but the opposite is true. Jaycee was walking to school when, out of the blue, she was knocked out and thrown into the trunk of a car.

Jaycee rode to the kidnapper, Mr. Garrido’s, house with her head down, refusing to lay her eyes on this terrible man. She was thrown into Garrido’s basement, given little food, or necessities.

Find it: BIO Dugard, Jaycee Lee