This is Where it Ends

This is Where it Ends 

by: Marieke Nijkamp

Synopsis: This is Where it Ends is a fictional story about a high school shooting. It's told in four points of view throughout the 54 agonizing minutes, as a student determined to get revenge, takes control and locks down the school. 

Review: Although this book is fictional, this kind of thing actually happens and that is probably why this book is so hard to read. However it's so gripping that it's literally impossible to put down. It reminds the reader how fast everything can change and it makes the reader question what he or she would do in that situation. But then you realize that it's impossible to know what you would do, because you can't even imagine it happing to you or someone you know. Reading this as a high school student, I was speechless and filled with emotion, because I kept comparing it or imagining it happening in my school, and that was very hard. I don't know why, but I didn't expect this book to be as sad as it was. I knew it was a book about a school shooting, but I still expected it to have a happy/decent ending. It didn't. The end was horribly sad and I was forced to read it through my tears because I couldn't wait to see what happened at the way end. Even though it was sad and I cried a lot, the ending was good and somewhat fulfilling. 

  

Orphan Train

Orphan Train

 by: Christina Baker Kline

Synopsis: Orphan Train is about two very different women forming an unexpected friendship, and learning that they are actually more similar than either thought possible. Molly Ayer is a 17 year old, who will soon "age out" of the foster system. She is forced to help Vivian Daly, a 91 year old woman, clean out her home as community service on the coast of Maine. Molly thinks no one will ever understand her, this is until she starts finding Vivian's secrets hidden in her attic. She discovers that Vivian was an orphan sent from New York to the Midwest with hundreds of other children on trains to find homes. These trains that the orphans traveled on became known as "orphan trains", they would make stops at towns and people hoping to adopt would come and pick their new children. After learning this and the rest about Vivian's past, Molly is determined to help solve the mysteries that have haunted Vivian for all of these years. 

Review: This is another historical fiction, and it's exceptional. I devoured this book! It was so good and full of emotions and wonderfully written. I think the coolest, but also the saddest, part was the fact that "orphan trains" were real. Between 1854 to 1929, more than 200,000 orphaned/abandoned were sent to the Midwest on the "orphan trains". It was interesting to learn about apart of our history that we never learn about in history classes. Overall this book is amazing and I have read it multiple times and will continue to reread it occasionally. Everyone should read it at least once in their lives.

   

Sarah's Key

Sarah's Key

By: Tatiana de Rosnay 

Synopsis: Sarah's Key is a story following two people involved with the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, a mass roundup of Paris Jews by the French police in 1942, during the Holocaust. One of the people is a 10 year old Jewish girl named Sarah who was one of the Jews rounded up. Before the police take her family away, she hides her brother in a cupboard and locks him in to keep him safe. Then it follows her story as she does everything in her power to get back to her brother.  While this is happening, in alternating chapters we follow a journalist Julia Jarmond, who is asked to write an article about the roundup on it's 60th anniversary, in 2002. While researching she stumbles onto a long-hidden family secret that connects her to Sarah. She then retraces and learns more about Sarah's story. After learning about Sarah, Julia must decide if she belongs or even wants to stay in France. 

Review: This is a life changing, unforgettable book. It's a historical fiction, which means that the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup and the other events are real, just not the specific people.

I love these types of books because they teach the history but through an engaging story. This book is very sad, so do not read if you don't want to cry. But it's amazing! It's interesting to read about the thing happening and then reading the reactions of the future generations. I think everyone should read it.