A Sure Cure for Witchcraft
By: Laura Best
Lilli is living in Germany and the year is 1752. People are starting to drift away from the notion that witches exist. Although Lilli’s Vater still believes in witches, that doesn’t stop her from hanging out with her Mutter’s friend Alisz. Alisz is a skilled healer with plants. In some people’s eyes Alisz skills can be seen as witchcraft. Alisz has been teaching Lilli how to be a healer since she was five years old. They both really enjoy spending time with each other. Lilli’s family is moving to the New World and she and Alisz are trying to keep their friendship together. 267 years later in 2019, a girl named Lilly is starting to experience dreams that feel very real which even have her friend Alice in them. Lilly is trying to figure out the meaning behind her new dreams. Are these present day friends linked to these girls of the past?
This was a good book. It was really interesting to see how knowledge about specific types of plants could be seen as witchcraft back then. I do wish we got to see more of “present day” Lilly but none the less I really enjoyed the book. I also liked how the author spelt words like mother and father as mutter and vater to subtlety show that past Lilli wasn’t speaking English. I rate this book a 4/5.

Goth Girl
By: Melanie Mosher
Fifteen year old Victoria (Vic) Markham is really into art. Growing up her Mom’s boyfriend, James, taught her how to paint. Since their breakup Vic’s mom has been disapproving of her artistic side! Her mom doesn’t realize but the breakup has also been hard on her. She decides to re-invent herself by changing her style and becomes interested in street art. One night while practicing her “street art” she gets caught by the police and is sentenced to community service. Together with some other kids who were also caught doing graffiti they have been asked to make a mural for the city. Can this misfit group of kids get their act together and pull out a masterpiece? Can Vic find herself while trying to help her and her mother through this troubling time?
I liked this book. It shows how some kids just need a little bit of freedom. It also shows how families and people have an assortment of different problems. I give this book a 4/5.

This book follows our main character Jeremy as he goes through his cancer journey as well as his dying journey. Throughout the book we meet Jeremy's soul, Jewel, as he is learning about heaven and saying goodbye to his family and friends.

I found this book very sad, but it also approached the topic of dying with ease and compassion for the reader. I think that while it was sad, it gave me a good idea of how to understand dying from multiple different perspectives. My favourite part was when Jeremy first meets Jewel!

I would recommend this book to older teens and adults because of the content that is in the book.

“Ode to the Unpraised” by Abena Beloved Green is a powerful and deeply moving collection of poems and spoken word pieces that was no doubt five stars. Each piece carries its own heartbeat, offering reflections on life and glimpses into others’ lived experiences and lessons shaped by joy, grief, resilience, and quiet triumphs. What makes this book especially compelling is how it honors the voices and stories that often go unheard, reminding us of the beauty and wisdom found in everyday people and uncelebrated moments.

I recommend this book because every poem offers something to learn or reflect on. Whether it’s a line that stays with you or an experience that mirrors your own, there is always a thread of connection. Many of the pieces resonate with the universal hardships of being human, yet they also offer comfort, grounding, and healing. Each authors’ writing creates a gentle space where readers can feel seen, supported, and reminded that their own stories matter too.

“Ode to the Unpraised” is more than a poetry collection; it’s a journey of empathy, reflection, and restoration. For anyone seeking a book that speaks to the soul and celebrates the often unseen, this is a beautiful read that I wholeheartedly recommend.

Ava Comes Home follows our main character, Ava, who goes from a (not so) majestic movie scene to her very small hometown in Glace Bay, Cape Breton. When a family emergency occurs, she must put her feelings aside to save herself.

I found this book extremely hard to get into, but I liked how funny this book was. I really loved the characters, especially her past boyfriend Seamus!

This book is set in a beautiful small town that really reminds of most of Newfoundland and Labrador!

My favourite part was getting to know the different version of Ava, meaning the one in LA (Los Angeles) and the one in her hometown.

Overall, I liked the characters, and the setting. I would recommend this book to someone who wants to have a good laugh!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5