Well Read Book Review: The best in school book club books according to a freshman.

Welcome back to the Well Read Book Review. It’s almost the holidays! I hope everyone’s ready for the break. Here’s the last 2025 Well Read Book Review. Happy holidays and see you in 2026!

#1 – “Between Shades of Gray” – Ruta Sepetys

Lina is just like any other 15-year-old Lithuanian girl. That is, until the Soviet officers barge into her home. Separated from her father, forced into a crowded train cabin with her mother and brother, everything starts to turn upside down. Despite everything going downhill, being forced into a work camp, working in harrowing conditions, Lina finds solace in her art. She hopes to find a way to her father’s work camp, hoping he’s alive, and with her art she hopes to reach her goal, bringing everything back to normal.

4.37 Average Stars on Goodreads – I read this book back in seventh grade, and while I didn’t quite enjoy that English class, I loved this book. This book gives you hope, and then breaks it, just to build it back up again. With Lina, you won’t lose hope, even with the worst of outcomes. Four stars.

Tags – Historical Fiction, Young Adult, War, World War II, Book Club

Can be found in the library

#2- “The Outsiders” – S.E Hinton

Ponyboy Curtis’s life isn’t easy, and he’s already figured that out, but he knows he has people he can count on. His brothers, Darry and Soda, will always be there for him, despite Darry’s constant lecturing, and Soda leaving him behind to try and pick up girls, they’ll always help him when needed. Johnny and Two-Bit are his true friends, people that he can always talk to, about certain things, at least. And then there’s Steve and Dally, neither of them were close to Ponyboy, but they’d stick up for him when it counts. Together, they’re a gang of Greasers. When it comes to them being such, they have to be careful, avoid trouble with cops, adults and Socs.They could always count on a beating from the socs. One night, both the Socs and the Greasers take things too far, and Ponyboy’s life could be ruined.

4.14 Average Stars on Goodreads – I managed to finish “The Outsiders” in less than two days, and continued to read two or three of S.E Hinton’s other books. “The Outsiders” is one of my favorite books, and I am very glad I had to read it in eighth grade. While it is a very sad, and twisty book, I would recommend it to anyone. Also, the theories people have about the book overall are really interesting. Five stars.

Tags – Classics, Young Adult, Fiction, School, Coming of Age, Historical Fiction

Can be found in the library

#3 – “Little Fires Everywhere” – Celeste Ng

In Shaker Heights, everyone fits in, and nobody tries to stick out, that is until Mia and Pearl Warren arrive. Mia is an artist who travels making her art, running from her past. Pearl Warren is Mia’s teenage daughter, used to moving around and being close to her mother. When they arrive in Shaker Heights, their mother-daughter dynamic immediately attracts the attention of their loaners children, the Richardsons.

The Richardsons are held to high standards, and when you look in from the outside they’re perfect, but when you really look at them, can you see through their facade?

The McCullough’s tried for years to have children of their own, but never could. When an abandoned Chinese-American baby is put into their care, and they begin the adoption process, a custody battle breaks out, splitting the town of Shaker into teams against each other. This book has twists and turns that you can’t miss.

4.07 Average Stars on Goodreads – I just finished this book, and while it isn’t the type of book I normally read, it got me out of a very long book slump. The twists are interesting, and sometimes predictable, but captivating nonetheless. Four stars.

Tags – Fiction, Book Club, Contemporary, Adult, Mystery, Novels, Family

Can be found in the library