PUBLISHED ON October 12, 2023
By Margaux Mouton '28
Here on Chapelle’s campus, we have many chips who are avid readers. This decade is shaping up to be an exciting one in the world of literature. Many exceptional fiction books, nonfiction books, and even memoirs have been released recently. Today, we’ll look at some of the top picks for the back-to-school season! I asked five Chips and a Chapelle staff what their favorite book they read this month was! Here’s what Chips have been reading!
My Pick:
I want to start with my favorite book. I’ve read a lot in the past three years, but everything pales compared to Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Made in 2005, Never Let Me Go is a beautifully written book about a set of people from a special school in the English countryside. They grow up knowing they’re different from humans but not knowing why or how. They donate parts of themselves to humans, but they’re unsure why. It cuts to them as adults, trying to figure it out. The book won a Nobel Prize and earned a 2010 movie adaptation starring Andrew Garfield. The writer, Kazuo Ishiguro, is very accomplished, having written other novels like A Pale View of Hills and The Remains of the Day. He’s critically acclaimed with positive reviews from Time Magazine, The New York Times, and Forbes. It’s one of my all-time favorites, and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a good read!
Eighth Grade: Madelyn Bradley
A popular pick was A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. It’s an addictive murder mystery that always leaves you wanting more clues. The plot follows a 17-year-old girl who believes the suspect of a five-year murder case was falsely accused. She teams up with the suspect’s little brother, and together, they turn her small town upside down for clues. She realizes the killer is doing the same to hide their web of lies and is in a race against time. Holly Jackson’s debut novel was named one of the best books of 2020 by Barnes & Noble and was the Goodreads’ Choice award for young adult fiction. It’s been recommended to me multiple times, and I challenge you to test your detective skills!
Ninth Grade: Riley Panepinto
A book that has sort of slipped under the radar of "booktok" is Frances Hardinge’s The Lie Tree. It’s a thrilling mystery novel about a young Victorian girl trying to find clues about her father’s mysterious death. She discovers a tree that gives truths by feeding on whispered lies, but her lies spin out of control. The Lie Tree is written by Frances Hardinge, a UK-based writer who’s written other books like Deeplight and Unraveller. The Lie Tree was ranked in 2015’s Costa Book Awards Best Children’s Book and Best Overall Book. The translated Japanese edition won Best Translated Honkaku Mystery of the Decade. It’s a great mystery book with genuinely good writing and descriptive imagery!
Tenth Grade: Evelyn Zajac
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a quarantine sensation, is a prequel to The Hunger Games and follows Coriolanus Snow, who becomes the tyrannical President Snow that we see in the main books. He falls in love and mentors a girl from District 12. This book is getting a film adaptation this November, with teasers and trailers already out! Its author, Suzanne Collins, is known for the famous Hunger Games series. She’s written many books and directed the screenplay for the Hunger Games movie. She’s known for her thrilling writing style and social commentary. If you liked The Hunger Games or are a dystopian city lover, I recommend giving this a read! It’s very beautifully written. It can be slow sometimes, but it’s worth it at the end and provides lots of backstory for President Snow in the main series.
Eleventh Grade: Abigail Wyham
They Both Die at the End is written by Adam Silvera. It’s an internet favorite, getting its viral start on TikTok. It’s about two teenage boys discovering they have 24 hours to live. They download an app for people with little time to live out their last day with someone else. They find each other and do various activities together, bonding and becoming close friends. The title is correct; this ending will make you weep for the characters. Its author, Adam Silvera, has also written a prequel to this story, The First to Die at the End, with a TV adaptation on Its way. He’s also written books like What if it’s Us and Here’s to Us. They Both Die at the End has positive reviews from Teen Vogue, Goodreads, and The New York Times. It’s unfortunate but wholesome. It’s a great read if you want something more meaningful and don’t mind a little romance!
Twelfth Grade: Katherine Castanza
A book that has been everywhere recently was The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. It follows a girl, Isabella, who’s always felt left out by her family friends, Jeremiah and Conrad. This summer, though, the brothers take notice of her and realize her newfound beauty. She’s had a crush on Conrad since childhood, but now that crush has developed into something more. Which will she end up with?
It was written by the accomplished author Jenny Han, known for her series To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Both book series have been turned into TV shows. She’s also an executive producer for her spin-off show XO Kitty. Her books have positive reviews from Time Magazine, Variety, and W Magazine.
Staff Pick: Ms. Duthu
As Sarah J. Maas puts it, her book Throne of Glass is about “When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the king’s champion and earn her freedom. Her name is Celaena Sardothien – beautiful, deadly, and destined for greatness.” The series is eight books long, with the newest installment released in 2018. Sarah J. Maas has written other books like Court of Thorns and Roses. She specializes in fantasy adventure books, with thrill-seeking characters being a key theme in her work. I recommend this book if you’re looking for a good adventure or an exciting new experience!
That’s it for September’s picks! If you have a school-appropriate book that you’ve read recently, email me at
mouton.margaux@achschipmunks.org or find me at school! Also, if you know a teacher or staff member who likes to read, you can also email me your nominations for the staff pick! I’d love to hear your recommendations and feature you in October’s edition of this (hopefully) monthly series!
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