The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

The concepts explored in The Island of Dr. Moreau push all of the necessary boundaries to be a great and memorable novel. The novel explores pain and human nature as any great novel should, but it does have some fairly gruesome descriptions of the experiments conducted by Dr. Moreau while on the island. Overall, the novel is insanely captivating and refreshingly creative.

Age Recommendation: Anyone above age 12

The Riverman by Aaron Starmer

I had to stop reading about 2/3 through The Riverman. One thing that I found interesting about my reasons for stopping without finishing the book was that I didn't dislike the content. The content of the book would have made a great novel, if only it had been better presented. The Riverman's content makes it limited to people older than 9 years old, as it is complicated and somewhat violent. On the other hand, the story is told in a way that one would tell a story to a 5 year old. It is also extremely badly paced. The most interesting parts of the story are separated by pages of endless uninteresting detail and narrative. Overall, this doesn't make The Riverman a very attractive thing to read. 

Age Recommendation: 9-13 

A Million Times Goodnight by Kristina McBride

This novel was definitely a brave attempt by the author. McBride's novel, which is coming out this July depicts two alternate story lines. This seemed like it would make A Million Times Goodnight a great novel and extremely exiting to read. Sadly, McBride paced the story poorly and was unable to really write in a way that made it seem like the thoughts in the novel were those of a high school girl.

Age Recommendation: 12-16

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jaqueline Kelly

This book definitely deserved the Newbery! The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate perfectly captures the essence of what it is like to grow up as a young girl in a world with so many natural wonders. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction as well as realistic fiction. 

Age Recommendation: 9-16

Lord of The Flies by William Golding

Lord of The Flies is, in my opinion one of the greatest classics. In this novel, Golding explores some of the deeper aspects of human nature and civilization in a brilliant and interesting way. The setting for the novel is described using beautiful metaphors that paint a gracious painting of a setting that is difficult to describe. The characters in this novel are alluring and extremely realistic in terms if what one would expect in the circumstances of the book.

Age Recommendation: 11 and above

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The book thief is a great novel about the struggles faced by a german girl in Nazi occupied Germany. The Book Thief has a great reputation, that it undoubtedly lives up to. The book is beautiful, but heartbreaking and incredibly interesting. Though The Book Thief is incredibly wonderful, it is also fairly long and does take a substantial amount of time to read. If you are looking for quick light reading, I recommend looking for something else, but if what you want to read a great long classic, this lengthy book would be a great choice. 

Age Recommendation: 12 and above

Alcatraz Series by Gennifer Choldenko

After reading it, I fell in love with the book Al Capone Does My Shirts, as a result I then read Al Capone Shines My Shoes, which was an amazing sequel to the series. Quite recently, I walked into Barnes and Noble, looking for The Fault in Our Stars, and came across Al Capone Does My Homework. Compared to the other two books in the trilogy, the last book was unbearably ludicrous, and unrealistic. If you are looking for light reading, I highly recommend the first two books of the trilogy, but the third one is close to unbearable.

Age Recomendation: 7-12