The Pigeon Post

First off, Winterhouse has SOOO many Harry Potter/Matilda elements in it (and honestly in a not good way, for me). For one, Elizabeth Somers’s (the main character) parents had supposedly passed away in a firework accident when she was four and she is living with her aunt and uncle. “Supposedly” because she says: “The fireworks went off the wrong way, right where we were sitting. I was too young to remember it.” She spoke the words as plainly as she could and tried to keep from letting any sadness flood her. It wasn’t quite the case, though, that she had no memory of things—it was just that, in her recollection, there hadn’t been fireworks or a crowd or anything of the sort. Something had happened, something terrible, and she carried with her the awful remembrance of a jarring noise and fire and screams, but it was only because Aunt Purdy had insisted all of this had occurred during a firework show that Elizabeth had resigned herself to that story. If you’ve read Harry Potter, you proba...

  In 2021, I read a book called " They Both Die At The End " by Adam Silvera. I didn't remember much about it, other than how it made me feel— and that as an 11 year old, it was my favorite book of all time. I remember it being the first book I genuinely cried to. I remember its themes were on my mind for days after I had finished it. But why? I reread it years later to try and remember. They Both Die at the End, named after the cliche spoiler, is a book that plays on your expectations and hopes from the title. Despite it being said plainly in the name, along with being clear as day in the storyline— your hopes stay strong throughout the entire thing. Maybe they won't die at the end. The story follows Mateo— a new college student whose father is in a coma and only has one real friend, and Rufus— who recently aged out of the adoption system and is used to fighting for just about everything. There is an app made to be able to tell you when you are going to die, so that...

Sometimes I find myself reflecting on the books that shaped my childhood, and there are a few that stand out, one of them is "Smile" by Raina Telgemeier. I remember reading it back in elementary school and being so interested by the story, so I decided to reread it! So yeah, now let me tell you about it! So basically, "Smile" is an autobiographical story a bout Raina, a young girl navigating the ups and downs of middle school while dealing with the challenges of growing up and a complicated relationship with her smile— literally! After a dental accident in sixth grade leaves her with her two front teeth gone, Raina takes off on a journey of dental braces, awkward teenage moments, and the journey of self-acceptance. I feel like the way Raina portrays her experiences resonates with so many of us at this age, since we all have those moments where we feel out of place or insecure. One of the most relatable parts of "Smile" is its honest depiction of friendshi...

     For my thirteenth birthday, I was given a $150 gift card to one of my most favorite places in the world: Barnes and Noble’s. I was so excited to pick out a new book to read, and embark on whatever adventures the pages within may contain, and I wanted to pick a book outside of my comfort zone because I suppose I’m a philanthropist now (if you guys didn’t get the joke, just smile and nod…)? A nice employee came up and noticed my struggles of picking the right novel, and asked, “So what kind of books are you into?” I hate this question; my mind goes blank anytime someone asks. Why? I haven’t the faintest idea. “Uhh…” I looked around for anything that might help me, and I spotted a sign. “YA fantasy,” I say with false confidence. I mean, I wasn’t lying, but I prefer fantasy that’s a bit more… intense. She glances at the shelves until she picks up a trilogy that will forever hold a special place in my heart: the Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy by Stephanie Garber. Summar...

If you’ve read The Inheritance Games, you know that the book is written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. After reading the series I found out that The Naturals was written by the same author, so I decided to read the book.     The Naturals is about a teenage girl named Cassie Hobbes. Cassie is a profiler, meaning that she can predict human behaviors, lifestyles, and background information just by looking at a person. Cassie has never told anyone that she is a profiler but one day, she gets recruited by the FBI to a group called the Naturals. To join the program, Cassie moves from her grandma’s house to Natural’s house. The group has 4 other teenagers that have other natural talents including lie detecting, reading emotions, talent with numbers (statistician), and another profiler just like Cassie. At the program, each teenager learns how to use their talents for solving murders. For example, Cassie learns how to predict a human’s lifestyle by looking at a crime scene. As the st...