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| Photo credit: Jessica @BooksforThought |
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Salt to the Sea written by Ruta Sepetys is a young adult fiction
book based in the winter of 1945, during World War II. The story follows four
teenagers: Joana Vikas, Florian Beck, Emilia Stozek, and Alfred Frick.
The story is told from all four of the teenagers' perspectives. Joana is a young Lithuanian nurse who fled from East Prussia. Florian is an apprentice of an art thief who carries a very dangersome secret of his own. Emilia is a 15-year-old Polish girl who hides her own doleful, dangerous secret. And Alfred is a soldier who mentally sends love notes to a girl that doesn’t know he exists.
Salt to the Sea starts off in Joana’s perspective and then goes on to each teenager one by one, introducing all of them. Joana is in a group of about 30 people by herself, until she runs into Florian and Emilia, who meet each other in the woods. Florian and Emilia eventually join the group, and they march their way to Hamburg, Germany to board MV Wilhelm Gustloff.
After boarding Wilhelm Gustloff, Florian and Joana’s relationship blooms, Emilia’s secret is unburied, and the three teenagers finally meet the one and only Alfred Frick, who ends up helping, and endangering, the four of them in many ways.
Now, I am not going to tell you how the story ends, because we all know that spoilers are not fun at all. So maybe you can pick up the book sometime and give it a read?
But I will tell you that Salt to the Sea is not ALL fiction, but that some of it is based on true stories that happened during World War II. The characters are all fiction, of course, but the setting and some of the dangerous secrets held are of non-fiction.
The Wilhelm Gustloff was a real ship that was stationed at port in Hamburg, Germany. The ship was launched on May 5, 1937, just like it is stated in the book. The fate of the ship is also explained the same in the story as it happened in real life back in 1937.
I recommend this book, because of the realness and excitement it contains. Salt to the Sea is a masterpiece sufficient of romance, brutality, sadness, pain, and war. It is honestly one of the best reads of the 21st century.
The story is told from all four of the teenagers' perspectives. Joana is a young Lithuanian nurse who fled from East Prussia. Florian is an apprentice of an art thief who carries a very dangersome secret of his own. Emilia is a 15-year-old Polish girl who hides her own doleful, dangerous secret. And Alfred is a soldier who mentally sends love notes to a girl that doesn’t know he exists.
Salt to the Sea starts off in Joana’s perspective and then goes on to each teenager one by one, introducing all of them. Joana is in a group of about 30 people by herself, until she runs into Florian and Emilia, who meet each other in the woods. Florian and Emilia eventually join the group, and they march their way to Hamburg, Germany to board MV Wilhelm Gustloff.
After boarding Wilhelm Gustloff, Florian and Joana’s relationship blooms, Emilia’s secret is unburied, and the three teenagers finally meet the one and only Alfred Frick, who ends up helping, and endangering, the four of them in many ways.
Now, I am not going to tell you how the story ends, because we all know that spoilers are not fun at all. So maybe you can pick up the book sometime and give it a read?
But I will tell you that Salt to the Sea is not ALL fiction, but that some of it is based on true stories that happened during World War II. The characters are all fiction, of course, but the setting and some of the dangerous secrets held are of non-fiction.
The Wilhelm Gustloff was a real ship that was stationed at port in Hamburg, Germany. The ship was launched on May 5, 1937, just like it is stated in the book. The fate of the ship is also explained the same in the story as it happened in real life back in 1937.
I recommend this book, because of the realness and excitement it contains. Salt to the Sea is a masterpiece sufficient of romance, brutality, sadness, pain, and war. It is honestly one of the best reads of the 21st century.
If you’re interested in checking out Ruta Sepetys, click here.
If you want to buy the book, click here.
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| Photo credit: Jessica @BooksforThought |
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Eleanor and Park written by Rainbow Rowell is a mixture of young
romance, childhood bullying, and laughter. Eleanor
and Park was nominated for, and won, the Goodreads Choice Award for Best
Young Adult Fiction.
Eleanor and Park is a story about two teenagers, Eleanor and Park. Eleanor is an insecure, red-haired girl who suffers abuse at home by her stepfather, Richie. Park is an outcast boy who listens to hardcore music, wears black clothing, occasionally wears eyeliner, and gets bullied by a fellow peer named Steve.
Eleanor and Park are an unlikely match, but there is something drawn between them both, sparking since they first locked eyes on the school bus. When they start meeting secretly, because of Eleanor’s stepfather, their relationship becomes stronger, but in others, weakens it. Eleanor and Park takes the reader on an adventure of heartbreak, laughter, anger, abuse, and regeneration.
I recommend this book just because of the simplicity of it. The story is simply about a girl who wants to be loved, and this story is about a boy who just wants to love someone. And that is what makes this book so marvelously enticing.
Eleanor and Park is a story about two teenagers, Eleanor and Park. Eleanor is an insecure, red-haired girl who suffers abuse at home by her stepfather, Richie. Park is an outcast boy who listens to hardcore music, wears black clothing, occasionally wears eyeliner, and gets bullied by a fellow peer named Steve.
Eleanor and Park are an unlikely match, but there is something drawn between them both, sparking since they first locked eyes on the school bus. When they start meeting secretly, because of Eleanor’s stepfather, their relationship becomes stronger, but in others, weakens it. Eleanor and Park takes the reader on an adventure of heartbreak, laughter, anger, abuse, and regeneration.
I recommend this book just because of the simplicity of it. The story is simply about a girl who wants to be loved, and this story is about a boy who just wants to love someone. And that is what makes this book so marvelously enticing.
If you’re interested in checking out Rainbow Rowell, click here.
If you want to purchase the book, click here.
If you want to purchase the book, click here.
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| Photo credit: Jessica @BooksforThought |
A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin
A Corner of the Universe is a Scholastic book written by Ann M.
Martin. The book was published in 2002, and it has won the Newbery Honor Award.
Hattie Owen is the main character in A Corner of the Universe, and the book mainly focuses on her and her uncle, Adam Mercer. When Adam shows up and moves in with Hattie and her family, who run a boarding house, Hattie can tell that he isn’t like ‘normal’ people.
Adam is different. He doesn’t talk the same way as Hattie and the people in her small town in Pennsylvania. He doesn’t act like he’s a 21-year-old grown man. He doesn’t think like everybody else in the boarding house does. And for some reason, this intrigues Hattie, and their relationship blooms.
A Corner of the Universe is a sad book that disguises itself as being happy. And that is exactly why I recommend this book. Underneath the layers of words and dialogue, there are two raw characters who are deeply sad and just want to be ‘normal’.
This book ends with a tragic ending, I will tell you that. But as I was reading this book, it taught me a lot of things. I am not going to tell you what it taught me, because it might teach you different things; we might have a different perception of the book. But for now, all I can tell you is that A Corner of the Universe is a must-read book, and you won’t regret it if you read it.
Check out Ann M. Martin here.
If you want to buy the book, click here.
Hattie Owen is the main character in A Corner of the Universe, and the book mainly focuses on her and her uncle, Adam Mercer. When Adam shows up and moves in with Hattie and her family, who run a boarding house, Hattie can tell that he isn’t like ‘normal’ people.
Adam is different. He doesn’t talk the same way as Hattie and the people in her small town in Pennsylvania. He doesn’t act like he’s a 21-year-old grown man. He doesn’t think like everybody else in the boarding house does. And for some reason, this intrigues Hattie, and their relationship blooms.
A Corner of the Universe is a sad book that disguises itself as being happy. And that is exactly why I recommend this book. Underneath the layers of words and dialogue, there are two raw characters who are deeply sad and just want to be ‘normal’.
This book ends with a tragic ending, I will tell you that. But as I was reading this book, it taught me a lot of things. I am not going to tell you what it taught me, because it might teach you different things; we might have a different perception of the book. But for now, all I can tell you is that A Corner of the Universe is a must-read book, and you won’t regret it if you read it.
Check out Ann M. Martin here.
If you want to buy the book, click here.
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| Photo credit: Jessica @BooksforThought |
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Book Thief is a young adult fiction book written by Markus
Zusak. The Book Thief is a World War
II book, and it follows the life of a 10—year-old girl named Liesel Meminger.
The story starts off describing the scene of a train carrying Liesel, her mother, and her younger brother. When Liesel’s brother coughs and then silences, she looks over to see that he has passed. Liesel and her mother, filled with grief, get off the train to bury their beloved family member.
After Liesel’s brother is buried, her mother and her resume the train ride, and her mother drops Liesel off at her new foster home. The foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, welcome Liesel to their home, but she is not too fond of them.
After months of living with the Hubermanns, and no word from her mother, Liesel creates a relationship with Hans, and they form a tight bond.
When an long-forgotten promise comes knocking on the door one night, Hans, Rosa, and Liesel are forced to keep a dark secret; they are hiding a Jew in their basement.
Once again, I am not going to tell the ending of this story, because there is just no fun to that, now is there? I guess you will just have to go pick the book up at a book store and entice yourself.
I recommend this book, because of the reality of it. There is something deep inside of me that loves to read books about World War II. Knowing that such a tragedy happened outside of my lifetime just thrills me and saddens me at the same time.
I felt such passion, anger, and sadness during this book that I have thought about picking it up to reread over a thousand times. I promise this book will keep you on the edge of your seat, and it might even make you weep at times.
If you’re interested in checking out Markus Zusak, click here.
If you want to buy the book, click here.
The story starts off describing the scene of a train carrying Liesel, her mother, and her younger brother. When Liesel’s brother coughs and then silences, she looks over to see that he has passed. Liesel and her mother, filled with grief, get off the train to bury their beloved family member.
After Liesel’s brother is buried, her mother and her resume the train ride, and her mother drops Liesel off at her new foster home. The foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, welcome Liesel to their home, but she is not too fond of them.
After months of living with the Hubermanns, and no word from her mother, Liesel creates a relationship with Hans, and they form a tight bond.
When an long-forgotten promise comes knocking on the door one night, Hans, Rosa, and Liesel are forced to keep a dark secret; they are hiding a Jew in their basement.
Once again, I am not going to tell the ending of this story, because there is just no fun to that, now is there? I guess you will just have to go pick the book up at a book store and entice yourself.
I recommend this book, because of the reality of it. There is something deep inside of me that loves to read books about World War II. Knowing that such a tragedy happened outside of my lifetime just thrills me and saddens me at the same time.
I felt such passion, anger, and sadness during this book that I have thought about picking it up to reread over a thousand times. I promise this book will keep you on the edge of your seat, and it might even make you weep at times.
If you’re interested in checking out Markus Zusak, click here.
If you want to buy the book, click here.
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| Photo credit: Jessica @BooksforThought |
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Award winning,
coming-of-age book A Separate Peace
by John Knowles is set in 1942, where the reader meets Gene Forrester, the
narrator. Gene visits his old school, Devon, 15 years after he graduates.
Throughout the story, Gene visits all the places he had been 15 years earlier with his best friend, Phineas, whom he called Finny. Gene and Fin were best friends, despite having exact opposite personalities. Gene was studious, cautious, and respectful. Finny hated school, lived for danger, and disrespected all of the people who should be showed respect.
During Gene’s flashbacks, he depicts stories of when he tried to defeat Finny academically, in which he often succeeded. And there were times when Gene tried to outdo Finny when he did dangerous acts, such as jumping off a tree and trying to land on his feet.
The rivalry between Gene and Fin, which Fin was blatantly oblivious to, ended when Finny was about to jump off a tree, and Gene shook the branch. Finny fell, shattering his leg. Fin was told that he would never be able to play sports again.
Fin never knew that Gene shook the branch, and Gene never forgot it. While operating on Finny’s leg so it could heal, a tragedy happened and caused Gene to feel guilty for the rest of his life.
A Separate Peace is about jealousy and what effect it can have on someone’s life. If Gene had not been jealous, he would not have shook the branch, and Finny never would’ve fallen and shatter his leg. That is the whole moral of the story. This story is also about honesty, trust, and secrets.
I simply recommend this book, because of the moral of the story and nothing more.
Throughout the story, Gene visits all the places he had been 15 years earlier with his best friend, Phineas, whom he called Finny. Gene and Fin were best friends, despite having exact opposite personalities. Gene was studious, cautious, and respectful. Finny hated school, lived for danger, and disrespected all of the people who should be showed respect.
During Gene’s flashbacks, he depicts stories of when he tried to defeat Finny academically, in which he often succeeded. And there were times when Gene tried to outdo Finny when he did dangerous acts, such as jumping off a tree and trying to land on his feet.
The rivalry between Gene and Fin, which Fin was blatantly oblivious to, ended when Finny was about to jump off a tree, and Gene shook the branch. Finny fell, shattering his leg. Fin was told that he would never be able to play sports again.
Fin never knew that Gene shook the branch, and Gene never forgot it. While operating on Finny’s leg so it could heal, a tragedy happened and caused Gene to feel guilty for the rest of his life.
A Separate Peace is about jealousy and what effect it can have on someone’s life. If Gene had not been jealous, he would not have shook the branch, and Finny never would’ve fallen and shatter his leg. That is the whole moral of the story. This story is also about honesty, trust, and secrets.
I simply recommend this book, because of the moral of the story and nothing more.
Check out John Knowles.
Buy the book.
Buy the book.
Thank you so much for checking out my five most recommended YA books. Make sure to check out my Goodreads and Instagram pages to see more of the bookworm stuff I post. I'll see you on Thursday!
•Jessica•
•Jessica•
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