The majority of this book takes place in (surprise, surprise) a single room. When I first learned of the highly restricted setting of Room, I was a little dubious. How would an entire book written about a tiny space keep me occupied and interested for 321 pages?!

Well, I need not have worried. I picked up this book on a Thursday night and finished it by Sunday. Emma Donoghue creates a powerful story with page-turning action so intense that I was forced to ignore my math homework to find how Room ended. The book is told from the point of view of Jack, a young boy of about 5 who has lived his whole life in a 12 x 12 foot room containing only a bed, bathroom, bookshelf, and small kitchen area. The only light Jack has ever seen comes from a small skylight in a corner of the ceiling, and the only other person he has even spoken to is his mother. Jack’s mother remains unnamed throughout the story, referred to simply as Ma.

Besides being adopted, Ma had lived a pretty normal life complete with summer trips to the beach, playing with her older brother, and going to college. This all changed when she was kidnapped at age nineteen as she was walking home from her college library. Her abductor brought Ma to a shed in his backyard and locked her in, coming only in the night to bring food and sexually assault her. Ma endured this silent torture on her own for two years before she became pregnant with Jack. After giving birth to a healthy son, Ma’s life once again had a purpose. She taught Jack how to read and write, played games with him, and tried to provide him with the best childhood possible under the circumstances. Old Nick, Ma’s name for her kidnapper, continued his nightly visits but Ma kept Jack hidden in a wardrobe to protect him.

As Jack grows up, his future with Ma becomes less certain. Old Nick loses his job and his house is in danger of being foreclosed. Ma and Jack need to escape, and quickly. Mother and son hatch a brilliant plan and . . .

Oh come on, I can’t ruin all the fun! You’ll have to read Room for yourself and see if you found it just as thrilling, well thought out, and shocking as I did. The author also wrote the movie version of Room that currently can be found only in a few Boston theaters, giving hope that the film will hold true to the book’s tension, mystery and wonder.

The long-awaited day for millions of fans of the Hunger Games series has almost arrived.  On November 20th, the final installment of Mockingjay, based on the widely successful book trilogy The Hunger Games, will be released in theaters. The film will pick up where Mockingjay: Part 1 left off, with Katniss and her crew of allies living in the highly secretive underground District 13, Panem in a full-scale rebellion, and Peeta still recovering from the brainwashing and torture he underwent as a prisoner of the Capitol.

But that is just the beginning. Viewers can look forward to the final showdown between Katniss and her mortal enemy President Snow and be prepared to sit on the edge of their  seats as well-loved characters storm the Capitol to do their part in the rebellion. This film will focus more on the relationship between Katniss and her younger sister Prim, as well as the ongoing love triangle between our favorite heroine, her best friend and hunting partner Gale, and her Games partner Peeta. The music is sure to be perfectly composed (as always), and the special effects are said to take advantage of the latest advancements in CGI (computer-generated imaging).

Francis Lawrence returned to direct Mockingjay: Part 2, and the movie will feature iconic stars such as Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland in their original roles. Two trailers have already been released online and based on these five minutes of footage alone, Mockingjay: Part 2 will rival the three other movies in the series.

For the many fans who have anticipated the release of each book from author Suzanne Collins and then visited the theater at midnight every year to view the movies upon their release, November 20th will be the end of an era. Francis Lawrence seems determined to end with a bang, however, and I am excited to see the feedback the last movie receives. Stay tuned for a movie review once the film has been released . . . in the meantime, mark your calendar, order your tickets and get ready to decide for yourself if Mockingjay: Part 2 is worth all the hype!

In the first few weeks of school, I heard many students grumble about their summer reading assignments. More than a few could not bring themselves to pick up a book while hanging with friends on the beach or going on a family vacation. I am the complete opposite, which I guess isn’t much of a surprise since I’m a librarian. But even before I had this fancy degree and powerful position, I loved summer reading. It’s my chance to plow through a bunch of books without being interrupted by work, my daughter’s sports schedule or other obligations. I love nothing more than sitting outside on a beautiful day with a book in my lap. Books go with me to the beach, in the car, on my deck . . . Here are a few of the books I read this past summer, all of which I recommend to you.

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman, by Jon Krakauer: Written by one of my favorite nonfiction authors, who’s also known for Into the Wild and Into Thin Air, this book explores the life of Pat Tillman. Tillman was an NFL superstar when, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, he gave up a million-dollar career and joined the military. When he was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan, the government hid the truth from the public and even Tillman’s family. I liked this book because it was more than just a story about a soldier (although there was plenty in it for people who like soldier stories). The book really examined what motivated Tillman to leave professional sports to go to war, and revealed how he resisted the government’s efforts to use him as a propaganda tool. It was also interesting to read about the government conspiracy to cover up the truth of Tillman’s death as well as its often misleading reasons for entering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the first place. Sure to spark political discussions for those who are interested, this book is also a good read for people interested in sports and the military.

Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital, by Sheri Fink: When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, hospitals were among the hardest hit, trying to save sick and injured patients without electricity, enough medicine, enough to eat or a way to escape. This book tells what happened at one hospital, where a doctor was accused of intentionally overdosing several patients because she felt they’d be too hard to evacuate or would die in the process. Some people called her and the nurses who worked with her heroes for trying to minimize patients’ pain in a terrible situation. Others, including the government, called them murderers and tried to press criminal charges. The book gives a detailed and disturbing picture of what life was like in flooded New Orleans, and makes you think. What would you do in the same situation? What choices would you make? The second half of the book was a little repetitive, but the first half was incredible.

Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee: As a huge fan of To Kill a Mockingbird, I was both excited and nervous about reading this long-lost novel. Critics immediately complained that favorite characters were turned into racists, others were killed off and the writing wasn’t strong. But I found the book to be really interesting, especially in thinking about how bits and pieces of it were revised and developed into the Mockingbird I know and love. Was it great writing? No, Harper Lee needed an editor and this book was released as it was found — no editing at all — so at times she was wordy and made outdated references. But there were flashes of the great writer that Lee could be (again, once she had an editor!). Was Atticus a racist? I don’t think so. Anyone who read the whole book would see that though Scout felt he was being racist, Atticus had reasons for fearing outsiders and trying to protect his African American neighbors in his own way. You may not agree with his reasons, but I think you’ll agree that the cries that he was a racist were exaggerated. Mockingbird explores being true to yourself and trying to understand others’ point of view. Watchman delves into how we forge our own identities, apart from our parents, as we grow from children to adults.

Mountains Beyond Mountains, by Tracy Kidder: Another nonfiction read, this one follows a Harvard-educated doctor who devoted his life to treating the poorest of the poor in rural Haiti. The subject, Dr. Paul Farmer, was a remarkable and unique man. In some ways, he made me think of Pat Tillman and the Memorial Hospital doctors: could I make the sacrifices and face the challenges that they did? Probably not. Did I feel like a selfish person reading about his work? A little. One of the things the book showed me was that treating disease in poor countries requires much more than medicine. It requires a huge shift in social policies: jobs for the poor, roads to improve transportation, water purification systems, a well-organized (and uncorrupted) government, and so on. Anyone interested in international relations, working with charities or medicine would like this book.

I read two more books in September, but this post is probably already longer than most students will read so I’ll save them for another time. All of these books are available in the HHS library. Come by and check them out.

The debut and concept album Badlands has finally been released on iTunes and Spotify, after a long wait for Halsey fans. Singer-songwriter Ashley Frangipane, who goes by the stage name Halsey, (an anagram of her name as well as a street she lived on) is 21 (we share the same birthday, September 29) and originally from New Jersey, majoring in writing in college. Frangipane’s songs are usually based on her own state of mind, telling stories of many of her own life experiences in New York, describing “the Badlands” as a code name for the unhealthy life experiences she once encountered while living there.

Badlands was produced by Astralwerks and Capitol records, and dropped on August 28, 2015. The album starts with a powerful, techno-based track titled “Castle” about the current discography of Halsey and her current role in the media with her fan base (“I’m headed straight for the castle, they wanna make me their queen.”) The song points out that once someone gains recognition, they are going to have to listen to people that respond negatively, and that “there’s no use crying about it.”

The lead single “New Americana” speaks of decisions that American adolescents can commonly make in this generation, and the positives and negatives tied into them. “Colors” is about Ashley’s past relationship with a man told symbolically in different colors (“You were red, and you liked me ‘cause I was blue.”)

One of my favorite songs on the album is “Coming Down,” which describes Frangipane’s many past relationships with different lovers throughout a chunk of time and the various lessons they taught her. The track is very acoustic and laid back, but very colorful with confident flow. The album is overall very well-progressed with most tracks standing out to me, ending with a well put together cover of “I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash (on the super deluxe edition only). Badlands even comes with an exclusive trailer narrated by Frangipane herself that can be found on Youtube and Vevo, describing the main synopsis of the album as an introduction.

Although a lot of the material is repetitive musically and lyrically with similar themes about feminist power and an overall traditional pop-based sound, Badlands will have people all over the country relating to many of Halsey’s powerful lyrics about what it means to be an everyday human in all situations such as relationships with others. I am very happy for Frangipane, supporting her since her EP, room 93, was released last December. I encourage anyone interested to give Badlands a listen; I guarantee you will have it on repeat!

By Mary Mancini and Sam Mitchell

Fashion Club is a great opportunity for students to share ideas, learn new things, and explore their interests in the fashion industry. This is Fashion Club’s third year at HHS and we’re already looking forward to our annual spring fashion show. We’ll be having multiple fundraisers and events throughout the year to help fund the fashion show and we all can’t wait!

This month New York Fashion week took place from September 10th-17th in the Big Apple. Featured designers like Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Herve Leger, Public School and Rachel Zoe displayed their new collections. Those to walk the runway in these trendy pieces were famous models like Kendall Jenner, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Candice Swanepoel, Karlie Kloss, Lily Aldridge, Stella Maxwell, Hailey Baldwin, and Ashley Graham.

Designers seemed to branch out from their similar inspirations and created a number of new pieces which showed up more than once, signaling a roundup of trends to look forward to. Many designers channeled the vibrant shades and easygoing spirit of the Caribbean with hibiscus prints, colorful crocheted pieces, bucket hats and citrus shades. Styles taken from the ’70s were everywhere this season, models sported boho maxis, flared pants, fringed hemlines and tie-dye patterns. Palettes for this year’s Fashion Week included warm, feel-good hues such as blues, buttery yellows, and pale pinks paired with common neutrals.

Stripes and clothing that skimmed both the collarbone and shoulders were frequent along with luxurious (and expensive) pajamas. To go with the variety of outfits, the models typically sported fresh faces and a defined brow in intentions of keeping it simple.

The weather is changing quickly and summer days will soon be far behind us. Before winter whisks around the corner, make sure to have some festive fun this fall with a few pumpkins, some ghosts, and maybe just a hayride or two. One of the best parts about New England is its colorful Septembers and chilly Octobers; lucky for us, our ticket to having a fall-day-out is just a few minutes down the road.

Rumor has it that one of the best apple-picking spots is right in East Bridgewater at the C.N. Smith Farm. There is truly nothing better than baking a warm apple pie with apples you pick yourself! Another excellent spot for apple collecting is Russell Orchards Farm, a beautiful farm on the North Shore with legendary cider donuts and bright orange pumpkins to bring back home.

While you’re at it, why not head over to Sauchuk Farm in Plympton? Find yourself lost in a curving corn maze with a friend at your side or on a hay ride in the warm breeze of a nice fall day.

If you’re in the mood for something spooky, you have several options at hand. The Alden Haunted House in Duxbury is local and very creepy; in other words, everything you want in a haunted house. Fall River’s Factory of Terror is another haunted house that brings daredevils from all over New England. The name says it all about this spooky site. Of course, Barrett’s Haunted Mansion in Abington is very popular this time of year and for good reason: if you’re a thrill seeker, the terrifying clowns haunting Barrett’s will give you quite a scare.

A more kid-friendly option is the Spooktacular Halloween Party & Costume Contest on October 27 at Paragon Carousel in Hull. Dress up in costume and hitch a ride on a haunted Halloween carousel

On a different note, the Norris Reservation nature trail in Norwell offers a quiet, scenic (and clown-less) trail through the autumn woods. Perfect for walking your dog or bringing a book to sit down with for awhile, the reservation will make you feel like you’ve really embraced the fall season. Another option if you’re looking to get some fresh autumn air is the Breast Cancer Walk on October 4. For an excellent cause in ending breast cancer and saving lives, the walk allows you to make some well-intended strides while enjoying a fall day in Boston.

Another family-friendly option is watching a Patriots game in Foxborough at Gillette Stadium. Bring your Patriots gear one afternoon, grab a hot dog, and cheer on the players.

Whatever you do, make sure to enjoy the fall weather while it lasts. As American journalist and author Jim Bishop said: “Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.”

It’s fair to say we missed the Bellas and the rest of the cast of Pitch Perfect when they were gone. This past Friday, however, the sequel was released in theaters and pleased fans with a new soundtrack, new faces, and more Fat Amy.

Sequels tend to be given a bad rap for not measuring up to the original, particularly if the original was universally well-liked. So, it’s always with some apprehension that the viewers prepare themselves for the second movie. In fact, the true measure of the quality of a filmmaker seems to depend on how well their second production turns out.

But the producers of Pitch Perfect 2 skillfully created a brand new plot which added to the original storyline, rather than taking away from it. Anna Kendrick returned to her role as Beca, this time a senior at Barden University. It’s the last year for the Barden Bellas, an all-girls a capella group, so the pressure’s on when they’re suspended from singing opportunities after Fat Amy accidentally bares all on stage. It’s the last wish of the Bellas to redeem themselves by winning the worldwide singing competition. However, they’re faced with some tough German rivalry—an a cappella group who call themselves Das Sound Machine. Through adversity, the girls are able to remember who they are and reestablish their harmony, which ultimately allows them to become the world champions.

Although this movie is filled with tongue-in-cheek comedy and left the audience laughing at every moment, it also taught a valuable lesson on the importance of knowing the people who you are working with and also letting them know who you are. This is a repeated theme from the first film, where Beca had a problem with pushing people away. Luckily for the Barden Bellas, they figure it out just in time to remember their roots and harmonize perfectly, wowing the fictional audience as well as the theater viewers.

Pitch Perfect 2 also offered a fresh new soundtrack of cover songs, just as catchy and uniquely done as the first movie’s soundtrack. Included in the mix were songs by Miley Cyrus, MIKA, Pitbull, Carrie Underwood, and even Elvis Presley.

Exciting, goofy, but still forcing you to keep your eyes on the screen, Pitch Perfect 2 made sure everyone leaving had one thing on their mind—when is Pitch Perfect 3 coming out?

ATTENTION: You’re about to read about a recent field trip I attended. But please note, this is NO review. This is my field trip horror story. Also please note, I LOVED the trip so please know that my story is completely irrelevant to my feelings toward and about Boston University. This is just a short story about a tiny fraction of my newspaper field trip experience.

About a week ago, HHS News Club got the outstanding opportunity to take a field trip to Boston University for the New England Scholastic Press Association annual conference. Not every single club member was able to attend, but the majority of us were, and we had a blast. At 7 in the morning, eight of us piled into a large white van driven by none other than Mrs. McHugh, and we went from there. Callie MacDonald, who was riding shotgun, was constantly changing the radio stations (which I truly enjoyed because I love a nice song change every so often). Overall, I was enjoying the van ride, peacefully gazing out the window. However, if I could change one thing, it would be the loud growling noise that was emanating from my stomach. On this beautiful Friday, Andrea and I had woken up late, per usual, so I wasn’t able to get the multi-grain bagel at Dunkin Donuts that I was expecting.

So anyway, here I am in the van, stomach growling, sitting with my left side pressed against the interior of the van. There was a pull-out cup holder next to me, and beside that was a little black slot which looked like what used to be a cigarette disposal. However, the plastic part was ripped out and it was just a black rectangular slot into the van. After being in the van for a while, my hands grew tired of holding my phone, and I casually looked around for somewhere to put it. I don’t know what exactly what was going on in my mind at this moment, but I had an impulse and, before you knew it, my iPhone 5s was being shot down the black “cigarette disposal” slot. I heard my phone slide down the metal “bones” of the van and then I heard it drop to the bottom. Trying to stay calm, I laughed it off and acted as though I didn’t care that my phone was gone forever. Most everyone in the van was laughing at me and teasing me because I mistook the “slot-of-no-return” for an “iPhone cubby.” Nevertheless, we were on the highway and there really was nothing we could do about my phone disappearing into the void. We all lowered our voices as I dialed my number on Andrea’s phone. I let out a sigh of relief when I could just barely hear my ringtone playing from inside the bottom of the van. To me it sounded less like a ringtone and more like crying. I like to think that my phone is my “baby” and at this moment it needed me, and i needed it.

After the rest of my iPhone-less van ride, we arrived at the parking garage for Boston University. Leaving my phone all alone while I spent a day in Boston was not ideal, but I had no other choice. Throughout the day I would reach into my purse hoping that my phone would somehow be in there, but sadly I would find nothing but gum wrappers and dirty coins. I felt a sense of emptiness. Hours had gone by with my phone still in the van. A whole day at Boston University and I had not texted, tweeted, instagrammed, snap chatted, or even taken a picture.

Fast forward a few hours, and the HHS News Club was back in the van for the drive home. We all sat in the same seats as before, again with my shoulder pressed tightly against the left side interior. For the whole ride back to Hanover, I argued with my own thoughts, telling myself to stop worrying. I pondered how I would confess to my parents that my iPhone had been swallowed by a rental van. One part of me believed I shouldn’t worry, that my phone would be back in my hands in no time, while the other part of me was already brainstorming how much money I would need for a new one. A small frown stained my face as we pulled into the high school parking lot. My phone was gone.

As everyone hopped out of the van, they wished me a good luck and waved a goodbye. “Let me check this out,” said the determined Mrs. McHugh as she unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out of the driver’s seat. Mrs. McHugh came into the back of the van, looked over the area where my phone dropped, and pried open the entire side. MRS. MCHUGH SAVED THE DAY. None of us ever thought I would see my phone again. I can honestly say Mrs. McHugh saved my phone, and my whole life basically. For anybody who knows me, you know that I have a hard time going a few hours without my phone. Thank you Mrs. Mchugh! I will never forget this “interesting” day.

Epilogue, by Mrs. McHugh: About a week later, Lauren got locked out of her phone and had to reset everything. She lost her contacts, her pictures, everything. Lauren, I’m sorry that I could not save the day when you needed it again.