Mindwise

Reviewed by: Jacob

by Nicholas Epley
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
242 Pages (Including index)

The book Mindwise, written by Nicholas Epley, is a non-fiction book that explains how we understand and perceive the minds of others. The author gives a thorough breakdown of the psychological side of our brains and how we interpret our own feelings and actions as well as those of the people around us. He lists habits that humans tend to adopt that are either beneficial, socially harmful, or neutral. Using the practices he explains in the book, readers can become more effective "Mind Readers".At the start of the book, he introduces the idea of a "sixth sense", so to speak that is within every person. This sense allows people to read the minds of others. 

Most of the time, it is simple. For example, the boy ate the hamburger because he was hungry. This is an easy assumption. However, as social scenarios become more complicated, it can be exceedingly difficult to know others' intentions. What the author reveals to us is that we can never truly know the motives of minds. All we can do is guess. In Mindwise, Epley teaches us how to improve our guesses and how to implement them into our daily lives to become more effective friends, neighbors, coworkers, and so forth. This book would be very beneficial to anyone who is looking to improve relationships with those around them and/or predict the actions of others to achieve a goal. For comprehension purposes, children should wait to read this until they are of the age of 13-14.

Same Kind of Different As Me

Reviewed by: McKenna

By Ron Hall & Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent

Thomas Nelson Publishing

235 pages

It has been said that you can find the most unpredictable friendships in the strangest of situations. If somebody were to tell you that one of the most well-known art connoisseurs could become the inseparable best companion of a less-than-poor slave from Red River Parish, Louisiana, would you believe them? Ron Hall, the owner of one of the most renowned art dealers in the state of New York, although stubborn in his own ways, was no match for his tenacious wife Deborah. Better known as MIss Debbie throughout the story, she demonstrates that it only takes the love and compassion of one woman to bring the most unlikely people together when she persuades her husband to befriend one of the most feared men in the homeless community; Denver Moore.

In this heartfelt story of love, pain, loss, and determination, we can see that even the most gruesome tests of faith can be overcome. This story has the power to take an emotional hold to the mind, making it feel as though you are there experiencing the manifold of trials with the people themselves. With the help of Lynn Vincent, this compelling story was brought forth, and it just goes to show that you truly cannot judge a book by it's cover.

Skyview High School's Favorite Books!

Wonderstruck  by Brian Selznick

Papertowns by John Greene

Tiger's Curse by Collen Houck

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Matched by Ally Condie

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein

Night by Elie Wiesel

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

The Immortals by Alyson Noel

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry


The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Marked: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J.K. Rowling

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Boston Girl

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Diamant's use of plain language and "straight-forward" manner added complexity to the book which I thoroughly enjoyed. Diamant left me longing for more detail and emotion but in the end, I felt as though the lack of added emotion made the book and its characters more elusive. I felt connected to Addie on a level I never expected to be. She went through so much trauma in nearly every aspect of her life and yet maintained composure. Her underlying theme of feminine power fought its way through the book and was victorious in the end.

I was also impressed with Addie's love of friendship and ability to stay connected to friends over decades. This struck me because I have always had difficulty maintaining good friendships and often find myself losing track of old friends but Addie's dedication to her true friends actually inspired me to reach out to those I have lost contact with.

This story encourages strong friendships, feminine power, and perseverance through trials. I highly recommend this book.

View all my reviews

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Reviewed by: Stuffy Librarian
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Books like The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks are so important to our society. People like Henrietta Lacks deserve credit and appreciation. I predict that more and more stories like this will be released in the coming years. I'm so proud of Rebecca Skloot for being so dedicated to this story and family.

View all my reviews

In the After by Demitria Lunetta

Reviewed by: Miranda

I can't even explain how much I loved this book. It's kind of weird because I don't usually like these types of books. It is about this girl named Amy. She was about 14 when "aliens" invaded. Amy's mom was high up in the government and her dad was a very natural and organic person. What I mean by that is he ate healthy and used solar panels on the house. She finds out quickly that the aliens are really slow and can't see well, unless they hear movement then they become as fast as light.

One day she goes to the store at the end of her street. She finds a toddler eating rotten fruit. She is so confused about how she has survived out here without getting heard. She takes her home with her and calls her Baby.

There is a huge plot twist which causes Amy and Baby to realize that The After (the abandoned Earth they have inhabited) may not be so abandoned and all they knew to be true may not be.

I would rate it a 4.5 out of 5. I would have given it a 5, but the cliff hanger ruined my life!

The Enemy series by Charlie Higson

Reviewed by: Jade

In England, there is a disease that turns people 16 and over into kid crunching zombies. This book is full of excitement, action and lots of danger. It also has surprises around every corner. There are seven books to this series and it will make you want to read every word on every page of every book. 

The Enemy series is my favorite. I simply couldn't put the books down. My favorite character is Malik because he is brave and no matter what others say about him, he always looks on the positive side. 

The story kept me guessing and surprises were on every page. I was also really attached to this series because I felt like I was in the book. Everything felt real. I would suggest this book to others, even if they don't really like reading. 

I disliked some characters because they were bossy and bullied others. The story line was at a perfect pace and my favorite part was finding Malik. 

I would give the Enemy series a 5 out of 5! 

Mountains Between Us

 Reviewed by: Holly

If you like books that are funny, romantic, and meaningful then you will like the book Mountains Between Us by Jenny Proctor because it has a touch of all of those things in it. The way the author describes and portrays the characters makes you feel like you are in the book watching it happen through their eyes. The main characters Eliza and Henry will make you want to laugh and cry at some parts of the book.

This book is about how love and family can get you through anything hard that happens in life. Eliza has a sister who is an alcoholic and needs some serious rehab, but is unwilling to go and Henry is divorced with a kid who doesn’t like him and a dad who doesn’t care about him. The way that they are able to help each other overcome these trials is really inspiring and romantic.

In my opinion this is one of the best books I have read and would recommend this book to anyone who was looking for a book with romance and humor. The way that Eliza makes Henry come out of his shell of quietness is really fun and keeps you seeking to find out what’s next. Overall I would give this book a high rating and would definitely read it over and over again.

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

Reviewed by: Sam

In his book, Pet Sematary, Stephen King writes about a family who moves from the big city of Chicago to a small town in a house along a highway. Louis Creed along with his wife and two kids get on very well with their neighbors the Crandall’s, who are hiding a dark secret that resides on the Creed’s property. Throughout the book the Creed’s and their children go through many trials. You get pulled into Jud Crandall and Louis Creed’s relationship and become very invested in the twists and turns of the dark history of Ludlow that Louis slowly starts to discover. Once a certain traumatic event happens in the Creeds' lives, the story has you on edge, fighting with some characters and siding with others, just waiting to see what will happen in the little town house by the highway. After reading it I thoroughly enjoyed the book and King’s writing, I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars, only lacking a full 5 because some parts in the middle somewhat draw on but overall it is a very enjoyable read.

How to Write a Book Review

Step 1. 

Start with a couple of sentences describing what the book is about. Do not give away any spoilers! Make sure you mention if it is part of a series.

Step 2.  

Discuss what you particularly liked about the book. Focus on your thoughts and feelings about how the story was told. Consider asking yourself some of the following questions:

• Who was your favorite character and why? 
• Did the story keep you guessing? 
• Were you emotionally attached to the story? 
• Did the characters feel real? 
• Would you suggest it to others? 

Step 3.

Mention anything you disliked about the book. Consider asking yourself the following questions:

• Did the characters seem unreal or unlikable? 
• Did the story move too slowly? 
• What was your least favorite part? (Remember no spoilers) 

Step 4.

Wrap up your review. Summarize your feelings in a sentence or two. Mention if the book reminded you of another book or series. Discuss the type of person you would recommend it to.

Step 5.

Give it a rating. On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate this book?