Book Beat Reviews

Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl My name is Bria, I am in 8th grade and in my free time I enjoy skiing. Neverworld Wake is a dark, atmospheric YA novel that blends psychological mystery with a surreal time-loop premise. The story follows Beatrice Hartley and her four estranged friends—Whitley, Cannon, Kipling, and Martha—who reunite at Wincroft, a secluded seaside estate. Following a tragic accident, they find themselves trapped in a strange reality where time resets every night, … [Read more...] about Neverworld Wake

The Lake by Natasha Preston My name is Bria, I am in 8th grade and in my free time I enjoy skiing. Drama, danger, and a mysterious cult—what more could Cassie and the Naturals face? The Naturals find themselves in a very dangerous case when they uncover a deadly cult of serial killers. The team’s trust and skills are put to the test, and every decision could be a matter of life or death as they learn more secrets about the strange small town of Gaither, Oklahoma. I loved how intense and … [Read more...] about The Lake

Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz Hi my name is Kire. I am a 8th grader who loves to read and write book reviews! Max in the House of Spies is a historical fiction novel that is set during World War II and follows a young 11-year-old boy named Max. Before the Nazis take over, Max lives in Berlin, Germany with his Jewish family but as it becomes more dangerous for Jewish people, Max’s parents decide to send Max to live with a family in Britain until it becomes safe for him and his … [Read more...] about Max in the House of Spies

Peak by Roland Smith Hi my name is Kire. I am a 8th grader who loves to read and write book reviews! Peak is a fiction novel that follows a 14-year-old boy named Peak as he makes the journey of climbing Mount Everest. The book starts with an action-packed scene of Peak climbing the Woorwolf building in New York. This of course gets him in a ton of trouble, and he ends up in juvie until he goes to court. Once in court, the judge comes to a crazy agreement where Peak has to go live with his … [Read more...] about Peak

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer Hi my name is Kire. I am a 8th grader who loves to read and write book reviews! Into Thin Air is a nonfiction book that explains the Mount Everest disaster of 1996 from Jon Krakauer's perspective. The book starts with Krakauer setting up the story, he explains the role of sherpas, the other teams on the mountain, and all the people on his team. In the next chapters, nothing really bad happens; the team starts climbing up the mountain.Eventually, things start … [Read more...] about Into Thin Air

Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes My name is Bria, I am in 8th grade and in my free time I enjoy skiing. Drama, danger, and a mysterious cult—what more could Cassie and the Naturals face? The Naturals find themselves in a very dangerous case when they uncover a deadly cult of serial killers. The team’s trust and skills are put to the test, and every decision could be a matter of life or death as they learn more secrets about the strange small town of Gaither, Oklahoma. I loved how intense … [Read more...] about Bad Blood