SUGGESTED READING By Dave Connis

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Suggested Reading by Dave Connis
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 9/17/19
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 400
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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Clara Evans is horrified when she discovers her principal’s “prohibited media” hit list. The iconic books on the list have been pulled from the library and aren’t allowed anywhere on the school’s premises. Students caught with the contraband will be sternly punished.

Many of these stories have changed Clara’s life, so she’s not going to sit back and watch while her draconian principal abuses his power. She’s going to strike back.

So Clara starts an underground library in her locker, doing a shady trade in titles like Speak and The Chocolate War. But when one of the books she loves most is connected to a tragedy she never saw coming, Clara’s forced to face her role in it.

Will she be able to make peace with her conflicting feelings, or is fighting for this noble cause too tough for her to bear?

Short and Sweet

Clara loves books, so when she finds out that some of her favorite books become banned at school she decides to do something about it. Clara starts an underground library (unlib), but then one of the books she loans out is connected to an accident Clara starts to question if she should have even started the unlib in the first place.

Characters

Clara: Clara is our main character and she loves books, so when she learns about Principal Walsh’s prohibited media list she takes it hard. Clara is pretty brave considering that if she’s caught she could either be suspended or expelled. I like Clara she really took a stand for something she thought was important. Clara does get deterred when something happens and starts to question if what she was doing was right and if she should have been doing it in the first place.

LiQui: LiQui is Clara’s best friend and is also the student body president. LiQui is supportive of Clara’s cause and even tries to find ways to prove that having the prohibited list is wrong.

Ashton and Jack: Ashton and Jack are both kids that Clara didn’t have much interaction with until she finds herself in class with them and when they come to her book club. I liked both Ashton and Jack they’re both going through things and I thought that once Clara got to know them better she learned that she misjudged them.

Quotes

~ “Do I dare disturb the universe?” The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

My Thoughts

~ When Clara finds out that some of her favorite books have become prohibited media she takes it personal. Some of the books on the list were some that really changed her life.

~ After being influenced by a few teachers and her favorite book Clara starts the underground library from her locker, which is risky considering she could be caught.

~ I liked how Clara went through with the library but at the same time tried to get Principal Walsh to reconsider even having the list.

~ My favorite thing was seeing how the books that Clara loaned were impacting the people that read it. Before someone returned a book they would write a quote on the cover about something that affected them or what they liked from the book.

~ It was great seeing how books affected different people, it also showed us that they can have a negative impact which is what happens when a book Clara loans out is connected to a tragedy. The tragedy really shakes Clara up because she didn’t think that a book could have such a negative impact especially when books have always inspired and changed her views.

~ I thought all the characters were great and learning more about them really gave an insight on how certain books could affect them.

~ I loved how short the chapters were it made it easy for me to breeze through this book. The book also has humor which I liked, it also made me want to read some of the books mentioned!

Overall

This was such a good book! I loved the idea of the underground library and how Clara took a stand. I also like how her friends supported her and the cause and the ending was amazing! I would read this book again, I couldn’t put it down and I thought the characters and the premise was great! Check this book out you won’t regret it!