Sophomore year, for me, was a pretty relaxed year. I didn’t have a lot of homework, which meant I got to read… a lot. I was able to read twenty-three books during the school year and I honestly wish I got to read more, although it’s a lot more than what I read during freshman year (eleven). And yes, I do keep lists of all the books I read.
     There were only two books I wasn’t really into, the first being “Shiver” by Maggie Stiefvater, I loved all the others. Something about the book just wasn’t there for me, though I’m not sure what, and I was really disappointed by that because I heard so many good things about this book. I liked it at the beginning but after a while I wasn’t so interested. The main guy, Sam, was nice but was a little too nice for my liking. It had a kind of “Twilight”-like feel to it, which was why I thought I would like it, so if you like “Twilight” and really nice guys, go read it.
     The second one was “Matched” by Ally Condie. I was expecting to love this book and again I was really disappointed when I didn’t. And again, I’m not really sure what turned me off with this book. The plot was great, the characters were good, and I loved the idea. This book was kind of like “Divergent” in a way and that is one of the best series I’ve ever read. Although I didn’t get into it, I’d still like to read the rest of the series and try to force myself to like it.
     On a happier note, my favorite books were definitely the “Maze Runner” trilogy by James Dashner. Everything about those books had me hooked and when I saw the movie I was blown away. The plot was so unique, taking an old experiment typically used on mice and turning it onto humans. Personally, my favorite of the three was the “Maze Runner” because we’re introduced to the characters and the plot and it just pulls you in. I was literally in a trance while reading these books. I would highly recommend reading them.
     Also, the books I read for school were extremely good as well and I recommend reading those, too, if you haven’t already. “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger was my favorite of the three because I liked the way it was written; it was so raw, especially for Holden’s thoughts. It is a classic though, so of course it’s a great book.

     Here is the list of books I read during my sophomore year in somewhat chronological order:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Every Day by David Levithan
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Matched by Ally Condie
The Living by Matt de la Pena
Girl Online by Zoe Sugg
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Shiver by Maggie Steifvater
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
The Death Cure by James Dashner

For school:
The Narrative Life of Frederick Douglas by Frederick Douglas (obviously)
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

                                                                                                            -Taylor