Review by OHS Library Secretary, Mikel
The Racers was a thrilling surprise, full of suspense and enough lively content to enthrall race car enthusiasts, WWII  history buffs, as well as readers who appreciate an author who thoroughly researches contributions of women and Jews in the car racing industry.  Even readers who have no interest in car racing and nonfiction will be sucked into this epic tale of intrigue and the gritty ambition of an underdog facing Hitler’s highly trained and supported fleet of drivers and turbo-charged cars. Very few people realize the origin of the Mercedes-Benz car, so prevalent on today’s roads, and many will be astonished at the story of the development of Hitler’s Silver Arrow race car. Bascomb’s addition of photographs interspersed throughout the story enhances his already vivid descriptions of racers and their early, innovative race cars, some of which could reach unheard of speeds of over 250 mph. The pinnacle of suspense in the book is the final showdown Pau Grand Prix race of 1938, when Hitler was determined to prove to the world that Germany was supreme in all endeavors throughout the world, including on the racing circuit. The reader will not be able to put down the book at this point; they will be in the seat with Dreyfus, the Jewish driver, whipping around hairpin turns, screaming past the the pit ignoring the frantic signaling of his mechanic for urgent maintenance, and weaving in and out of cars barely escaping the dreaded conflagration of a crash. The world held its breath in ’38, riveted to the final outcome of the Third Reich’s best efforts to dominate the world of racing, a prelude to its effort to dominate the world, period. You will be holding your breath too, and might even pick the book up and start over just to experience that rush again! It would not surprise this reader to see The Racers being made into a movie.  Genre: Narrative Nonfiction/ Historical Nonfiction

Review by OHS Library Secretary, Mikel
This book is well written and makes you want to get to the next page.  It’s about two young girls caught in a war between Nigerians and Biafrans.  They are child soldiers orphaned by the war.  There are soldiers with bionic limbs and artificial organs.  There are two friends, Onjii and Ify who are separated in battle.  They think they will never see each other again, but their trails bring them together.  Onyii is a warrior nicknamed the Demon of Belfran.  Ify is very intelligent and dreams of going to outer space. Daren, a soldier connects with Ifu and takes care of her.  Daren becomes a leader of his people which helps Ify achieve her goals.  4 years later circumstances evolve which make it possible for them to reunite.  However, being together could mean risking everything.  I recommend this book and it is an exciting read. It is best for high school level and above. 

OHS Library Grade: B+

Book Details from NoveList Plus –

Genre: Fantasy mysteries; Historical fantasy; Multiple perspectives

Storyline: World-building

Writing Style: Compelling; Lush

Tone: Atmospheric; Thought-provoking

Min/Max Grade level: 7 – 12

Set in 19th Century Denmark, main character Marit is raised within an orphanage. Here she weaves magic throughout her creations as a seamstress; but this magic can be very dangerous. Merit learns to hide her abilities and use it to help her close friend, and talented dancer, Eve. When Eve is adopted by the wealthy and well-known ballerina, Helene Vestergaard, Marit leaves the orphanage to follow Eve in a life of servitude. Marit soon learns that magic runs rampant through other servants at the Vestergaard household, allowing her to look more deeply into the mysteries surrounding her fathers death and other circumstances of her childhood. 

Splinters of Scarlet by Emily Bain Murphy, is great for fans of classic fairy tales. Because I experienced this novel through its audiobook version, the multiple perspectives threw me off at times; I think the story would have been easier to follow had I read the text. Fans of fantasy will have fun with the elements of magic throughout the setting and world building.

Review by OHS Substitute.

This multi-generational novel is an attention-grabber in which the variety of characters make it easy for the reader to identify with both characters and plot.

This first-person narrative in the voice of teenaged Charlie is multi-faceted and easy to read. Charlie is a sky-gazer, looking for UFO’s. It begins with the eighth-grade boy studying the night sky out of his bedroom window, searching for a UFO. He had begun this search in his seventh-grade year, looking for his mother. As the plot develops, Charlie’s parents are no longer together, probably because his father is a bully. Charlie greatly misses his mother. 

The plot moves forward at a gentle pace. (Is Mom up there? She’s coming back for me.)

At school Charlie suffers teasing and bullying because his name is Charles (Charlie) Dickens and because the small group of boys enjoy bullying. Charlie uses various methods to cope with being taunted and bullied.

Most attractive about this narrative is the voice of Charlie, who recounts events and feelings from his youthful and hopeful point of view. His friendships, his wistful wonder at the beauty of a girl at school, and his relations with his father and grandmother draw the reader into the novel.

Teen readers can relate to this novel: Charlie’s longing for his mother, his efforts to get along with his father, his earnest friendship with Seth, a new kid at school, his distant awe at the beauty of Jennifer Bennett, a girl at school.

Other readers can enjoy other characters, conflict, and the space between hope and despair that this novel evokes. One feels mpathy for a friendly neighbor who is morbidly obese and has a dog for company.  

Frank Li, the main character, is a son of Korean immigrants. Frank’s parents left Korea with a group of other young couples who have continued to keep in touch, meeting monthly for dinners. Frank and the other children of these couples feel as though their parents are keeping all of them within a bubble. Franks parents wish for him to find a nice, Korean girl to date and marry; they are not accepting of any other type of girl. Frank falls for a white girl named Brit, with who he has much in common. Frank knows his parents will not be accepting of this relationship, so he makes an arrangement with one of the daughters of his family’s Korean friends to pretend to date, all the while hiding his true relationship with Brit. What Frank fails to mention this detail to Brit; embarrassed to have racist parents, he tries to juggle the fake relationship along side his real one, bringing a lot of confusion and secrets.

This is a coming of age story, where the characters are trying to define themselves and learn about love along the way. Written with humor and a witty cast of characters, I highly recommend this book.

Reviewed by OHS Substitute

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda reveals a fantasy adventure that captures your attention from the beginning. Dragons are present in the book, mostly as side characters who choose their beings and perform/act depending on their human counterparts. The dragons play a role in helping these humans determine their status in society. Told from the perspective of two orphans, Annie and Lee, they are growing up in an ever-changing world and are faced with many difficult choices along the way. Annie is an extremely talented, yet humble character who you quickly learn has a quiet strength that allows her to overcome her own personal doubts, as well as prove her worthiness to a society that often seems to doubt her or have low expectations of her. On the other hand, Lee is often favored by the people, but he still has a modesty about him and is constantly observing and evaluating the people and things around him. As these characters and their relationships develop through the book, you begin to connect with them, their feelings and the decisions that they make in the Revolution that arises.

Well written, fast paced. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by OHS substitute.

The story is gripping from the beginning and gets the reader involved immediately. It’s a combination of romance and action. The novel has young ladies escaping their pasts in Europe to begin a new life in New Orleans in 1872.

Celine is escaping Paris because of a murder she committed there. She and her friend Pippa, from England, were taken in by a convent in order to give them better lives. She meets a mysterious young man who has a profound effect on her. She is enraptured by the city and becomes involved in the underworld where ladies are being murdered by a serial killer. Celine has little fear and Pippa is cautious and fears for her friend, but is still there for her.

It was amazing how quickly the plot was developed. The main characters are: Celine, Pippa, and Sebastien Saint Germaine from New Orleans. It was a romantic thriller, a patent fantasy story. It is a great read and I would recommend it to readers of all genres.