The Bell Jar
By Sylvia Plath
Reviewed by: A.C., 9th grade

***** Great! I would recommend it to my friends.

The Bell Jar is the story of Esther the "perfect" girl, with perfect grades, good looks, a promising future and a proposal from the most popular guy in town. One would think that Esther would be jumping for joy. Instead she is slowly driving herself to insanity. After an attempted suicide she is sent to a mental asylum where she begins to truly find herself.

The Devil Wears Prada
By Lauren Wesiberger
Reviewed by: P.D., 11th grade

**** An OK book

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger was nothing what I had anticipated. Set in New York in the present day, an intern tries to find her niche in the busy fashion industry. The book was almost nothing like the movie which I had not expected. Usually there are ties between the two, except in this case, it seemed like the only similarity was the location and SOME of the main characters. Also, I didn't really like how the book was written and laid out which made reading it seem like a chore. However, there were some exciting parts which stood out.

Angela's Ashes
By Frank McCourt
Reviewed by: E.K., 11th grade

***** Great! I would recommend it to my friends.

Frank McCourt's memoir deals with his rough past, growing up in Limerick, Ireland. With a mother from Limerick and a father from the north, Frank is often picked on for being different.  After his dad leaves to England for work, Frank must step up to become a father figure to his siblings, and when his dad does not send money, must support the family.  This memoir deals with the true hardships many people faced and is inspiring and moving.  Although this book is a little depressing, I would recommend it to anyone who likes memoirs, as this is an excellent one.

The Count of Monte Cristo
By Alexander Dumas
Reviewed by: A.W., 12th Grade

***** Great! I would recommend it to my friends.

The Count of Monte Cristo is all about Edmond Dantes who seems to have everything going for him when his world gets turned upsidedown and he is thrown into prison at Chateau d'If. Accused of treason, he remains in jail--forgotten and forlorn, until he meets a fellow prisoner with whom he plans to escape. He escapes and sets out to track down his friends and enemies. Armed with financial means and connections, he sets about to ruin the lives of those who wrongfully put him in jail.