It’s no secret that Academic Magnet students are known for being pretty nerdy, and we wear that badge proudly! From hobbies such as Academic team to dungeons and dragons and reading for fun, Magnet truly covers it all. As fall is quickly approaching us, I thought it would be fun to ask the student body for their favorite books. Read below to see the raptors’ favorite reads and perhaps find a new favorite.

Historical

Song of Achilles: Recommended by two freshmen, Harper Teague and Ella Foss, this novel appears to be a popular favorite! Ella says this is her favorite book because it “shows the journey between two best friends falling in love and it surrounds mythology. Be prepared for the end though because it had me balling.” (side note: the misspelling of “bawling” had me dying.) Harper says it is her favorite because “it is a beautiful love story full of romance, war, and sacrifice. It truly encapsulates how love grows and how it influences our actions.” They recommend this book to anyone who enjoys greek mythology, queer romance, or classic retellings.

Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People: A favorite of Annika Johnson and the Honors English 4 classes; everyone loves Bede the Bard! Annika says his book reveals a lot about cultural attitudes in Anglo-Saxon England in the early 700’s, so if you’re into the Dark Ages this is definitely the book for you. Annika recommends this book to people who like medieval history or are interested in the Easter controversy in the insular world. Another comment: “When in doubt, choose Bede.”

His Excellency: Jordan Burrell recommends His Excellency, a biography describing the life of George Washington. Written by a professor at a college specializing in the history of the founding fathers, Jordan says she loves this book because it “highlights the amazing life of America’s first president.” She says any history nerd or someone who loves America as much as she does will like this book!

Fiction

Sea of Tranquility: John McQueen recommends Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. A modern work of science fiction, John says it is his favorite because “it’s a very captivating novel that always keeps you wondering what’s going on and how the different parts connect, and more importantly, why it matters to you. The characters are also very interesting and subtle.” He says the book is technically a sequel to The Glass Hotel, which he also recommends, though they’re very different and can be read in either order.

The Catcher in the Rye: Any veteran of AP Lang will likely roll their eyes at this one, but Lizzie Matthews acknowledges this fact proudly. Her rebuttal: “it is SUCH a genuinely impactful, bittersweet, poignant depiction of an aimless depressed teenager who feels lost to the world. The fact that it’s from such a different era yet still feels completely applicable to the society of today and the alienation so many tend to feel… is a testament, both to its own masterwork in portraying these feelings but also to the timelessness of these very feelings themselves, a potent reminder that alienation is not really a product of our time but a near-constant, something we can relate, profoundly, to the portrayal of, even under drastically different circumstances. This book means so much to me, the main character is simultaneously SUCH a douche but also profoundly relatable and evoking of the utmost sympathy and well-wishes. He and I are about as different as could be in terms of personality, and yet our struggle is much the same, and as such I still deeply empathize with him.” Very interesting take! She recommends this book to “anyone having one of those dreary days where you just feel… incompatible with the world around you, unable to reach out or communicate with the people around you.” 

A Series of Unfortunate Events: Xander D’arcy recommends this nostalgic mystery series to everyone! He says they are his favorite books because they have good humor and a good story. 

On the Road: Senior Natasha Keisler likes On the Road by Jack Kerouac because she loves Kerouac’s “untamed ruggedness and chaotic style, and being one of the fundamental artists of the beatnik generation, he tells pretty wild stories.” She recommends this book to very adventurous and curious people, as there is a timeless appeal to Kerouac’s work, probably because of the American Dream theme consistent in his writing.

If There’s no Tomorrow: Freshman Emelie Norton recommends If There’s no Tomorrow because “it makes you happy to where you smile, sad to the point you cry, and everything in between. There were some turns I didn’t expect, and overall it was a great read.” She says anyone who likes friends to lovers books or high school drama will like this book, and she says this book teaches you to not take anything for granted!

Magic Tree House: For those who are not fans of reading like himself, Harrison Crites recommends the Magic Tree house series. For “anyone that likes to read,” he says he likes it because it is nostalgic. Considering the nature of his recommendation, I am left wondering how often this football star touches a piece of true literature. 

Philosophy

Siddhartha: Donovan “Hamp” Hamilton read Siddhartha over the summer and it immediately became one of his favorite books ever! He claims “the ideas and philosophy which the main character Siddartha lives by inspired me to pursue philosophy, especially Stoicism! I’m grateful to the book Siddartha and it changed my view on life. That’s why it’s one of my favorites.” He says he also really likes the Percy Jackson series, so perhaps anyone who likes those books should check out Siddhartha. He recommends Siddhartha and Stoicism to “everyone who has an open mind and wants to make the most out of their lives and circumstances.” He also recommends Stoicism and the author Ryan Holiday.

The Precious Present: Jason Gould recommends the Precious Present by Spencer Johnson. He says “It basically tells you how to have a different outlook on everything and teaches you that the most valuable gift of life is life itself.” He says anyone and everyone should read it, citing its life changing nature, and says it is a very short read so it’s not a burden to read at all. 

Fantasy

Good Omens: Junior Lillian Osbon recommends Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. She says “it’s one of the most interesting stories I’ve read over the last few years, with extensive worldbuilding, rich characters, and an interesting take on religion, theological debate, and the issues with viewing morality as simply good versus evil.” She recommends it to anyone who wants a book to make them think about the world differently, and also encourages people to check out the corresponding Amazon prime series!

Eragon Series: Freshman Isabella All recommends the Eragon series. She says “It’s a less well known series but it is just as good as more popular books such as Harry Potter. It deserves more recognition!” Isabella thinks anyone who loves fantasy books will fall in love with this series, and additionally, it is sure to enthrall any dragon fanatics. 

Romance

The Sun is also a Star: Freshman Gabriel Kuprel recommends The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon. He thinks anyone who is into romance books will enjoy this novel, and comments that it is a “good book.” Solid recommendation!  

Better than the Movies: Junior Brookelynn Gorrin has a lot to say about her favorite book! She says “I could write a book on how much I love this book. It may just seem like another rom-com at first glance, but it is so much more. When I first read it, it gave me that giddy feeling that I rarely feel when reading (like I actually took the time to sit there and annotate the book which I normally hate doing). Probably not the best thing to admit, but I stayed up all night before school to finish it. Nearly a year later, I still go through the scenes and quotes that I tabbed all the time. We haven’t even gotten to the best part, the book has its own soundtrack that consists of the perfect mix of Taylor Swift, Hozier, Frank Ocean, etc. that you can listen to you while you read. The main character, Liz, even lists which songs fit best with particular scenes, so if you do listen to the playlist while you read, you will get completely encompassed in the story. If that wasn’t enough, Wes Bennet is the love interest. I will say, if you do decide to read this book and end up loving it, I definitely recommend also reading the Do-Over because it is just as good and by the same author, Lynn Painter.” She recommends this book to “anyone who is a fan of rom-coms, but even if you’re not still give it a shot. My friend Mia normally reads more fantasy heavy books, and she ended up liking this book as much as I did. It is also YA, so it’s appropriate for mostly everyone.” 

Autobiography

Born a Crime: Jay Daggett recommends Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. He says “It’s an autobiography that shares a lot of personal stories about Noah’s childhood in South Africa as the child of an illegal interracial relationship during apartheid. It goes into detail about his life and struggles with growing up during that era and it’s overall a very well-written book.” He believes that anyone who is a fan of either Trevor Noah or interested in autobiographies will like this book, and says he found it very hard to put down!