by Bella Stahl

Finally, a new year! You should always start a new year off with a good book. Here are the top 3 books you NEED to put on your reading list for 2021!

  1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
    1. New year, new perspectives! This book is told through the eyes of Death. Totally out of the ordinary, but this book is written incredibly well. The story takes place in Nazi Germany and follows Liesel, a foster child who is taken in by strangers. As the war comes closer to her foster home and as she begins to learn how to read and write, her world turns upside down when she has to keep a big secret. She and her foster family risk their lives and hide a Jewish man in their basement, as well as hiding their opposition to the Nazi Party. Will they survive?
  2. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
    1. At her old school, she was Andrew. But at her new school, she’s Amanda. Trans-teen Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school, and just like all new kids, she wants to make friends and fit in. As she starts to make friends with others, she meets Grant, a sweet and easygoing guy. She starts to ask herself the question: Should I tell my friends about my past? Soon she longs to share her story with Grant and others . . . but can she find the courage? And will it risk losing her fresh start?
  3. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
    1. If you like a good mystery, this is the top pick for you! On an ordinary Monday afternoon, five students walk into an ordinary detention, only to walk out as four. According to investigators, Simon’s (the outcast) death was no accident. And between the four of the others, one of them is lying. Who could it be?

I hope you’ll consider reading these books this year!