Across social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Tumblr, readers from around the globe have been discussing and rating books. Among them, these four books seem to be especially popular with Gen Z readers: Circe by Madeline Miller, The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Here's what Edgemont students think about each:
Circe by Madeline Miller
Circe is a fantasy novel based in Greek Mythology about a sorceress named Circe, who appears in The Odyssey and gained renown for her skill and knowledge of herbs, potions, and spells, and who is exiled by her own father. She eventually is called out of exile, entangled in the affairs of mortals, monsters, and gods alike.
4.5 Stars
“Circe is a fantasy book about the Greek daughter of Helios, the Titan of the sun. Throughout her journey, she learns to become comfortable as a witch, and meets gods and heroes along the way. Circe has wonderful worldbuilding, highly recommend.” - Anonymous Edgemont Sophomore
3/5 Stars
“Miller’s prose and description was absolutely addictive; I binged this book within two days. Although, I felt nothing really occurred, there was no plot, and at the end, you still havl
e no sense of who the characters are. The only thing that carried me through this book was the writing style and the Greek mythological aspects.” - Anonymous Edgemont Senior
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The Inheritance Games centers on a brilliant poor teenager named Avery Grambs. Her life turns upside down when a random eccentric billionaire in Houston, Texas, leaves his inheritance for Avery, someone he has never met. This thriller is full of plot twists.
2.5/5 Stars
“To be blunt, I found this book very trite. Authors nowadays just give the main character a tragic backstory and a love triangle with two very similar, flat love interests, and call it a story. And readers will just eat it up, and place it on a high, undeserving pedestal. The book does have some interesting twists, and was an engaging read. Though, I would advise your time is better spent reading other books.” - Anonymous Edgemont Senior
3/5 Stars
“I think hearing a lot of people saying good things about this book built up my expectations, which were then let down by the plot of this book. I was hoping for unique puzzles and drama. Instead I got two lackluster love interests, simple puzzles, and a boring plot. I still enjoyed this book to some degree, though I would not read it again.” - Anonymous Edgemont Freshman
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows is a fantasy heist story about a band of six teen thieves inspired by different motives to rescue a scientist from the Ice Court, a notoriously secure establishment. This scientist is the only one who knows the recipe to jurda parem, a drug that can change the world, for better or worse.
5/5
“I love this book with all of my heart; the characters are so well developed and interesting. The characters alone make the book shine, but the plot is also addictive, and comes with twists at every chapter. The themes are very well developed, and it’s especially interesting to see how this fantasy world parallels our world today. Highly recommended, though, the worldbuilding is quite dense, as I was not able to understand everything until 60 pages in.” - Anonymous Edgemont Junior
4.5/5
“This book is an action book, with main character Kaz Brekker and his five group members attempting a heist. I especially liked the queer representation throughout, but the plot was very complicated. Too many characters, too many plot points. No regrets about reading though.” - Anonymous Edgemont Freshman
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A thrilling piece of historical fiction focusing on the secretive Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo, who decides to reveal all the secrets of her private life to a reporter. The most notable aspect of Evelyn, as the title suggests, is the fact that she married seven different people. The novel delves into her private life, as well as her public image.
5/5
“The plot is very interesting and fast-paced. It is absolutely heartbreaking, but I definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy romance and scandals.” - Anonymous Edgemont Sophomore
4/5
“The most interesting aspect of this book was Evelyn; she is very flawed, she manipulates and lies her way in Hollywood. Yet, you cannot help but fall in love with her. This story is very simple and fast-paced. It’s not a book you need to think too deeply about -- it’s an easy read. Personally, this book got me out of a reading drought. If you are in a similar situation, this would be a great book to read” - Anonymous Edgemont 8th Grader