Tag: Fiction

Fantasy · Fiction · Young Adult

Traitor to the Throne

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Title: Traitor to the Throne

Author: Alwyn Hamilton

Performer: Soneela Nankani

Length: 15 hr, 22 min

Series: Rebel of the Sands, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2017 by Recorded Books

Format: eAudiobook

Review: I loved this book, and just as I suspected, it is a five star rating for me.  Everything about this book is well done.  The pacing is excellent, the character development is fantastic, and the attention to detail is impressive.  It is like looking at a stunning tapestry of interwoven story threads.  Hamilton is truly a masterful storyteller and I cannot recommend this series enough.  The first book was very enjoyable, but Hamilton takes her story telling to another level with this one.  I am really looking forward to the third and final book in this trilogy.

As mentioned in my previous review of Rebel of the Sands, the performer for these audiobooks is very good and her voice really brings Amani’s story to life.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Wild Crush

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Title: Wild Crush

Author: Simone Elkeles

Page Count: 304

Series: Wild Cards, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: September 22, 2015 by NLA Digital LLC

Format: eBook

Review: This book is far from Elkeles best.  It was a quick read, and it had it’s entertaining moments, but it was not delicious (which is the quality I’m looking for in a teen romance).  If you are looking for a guilty pleasure read, her Perfect Chemistry trilogy is far better.  I also enjoyed her Leaving Paradise duology.  I don’t recommend diving into the realm of Elkeles with this book, because it might taint your opinion of her books in general.  I say give the other books a try first and then circle back to this one if you feel like it.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fiction · Young Adult

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

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Title: The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Author: Emily M. Danforth

Page Count: 485

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 7, 2012 by Balzer + Bray

Format: eBook

Review: There has been a surge of LGBT books released in recent years as publishers try to find materials that represent diverse characters and authors, but before this became a publishing trend, there were authors like Emily M. Danforth paving the way for LGBT representation in Young Adult literature.  Although published in 2012, this award winning book has been adapted into a film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.  Now that I have read the book, I hope that I get an opportunity to watch the film.

Not everyone will find this book interesting.  At times it is a slow building story, but I personally am fascinated by the idea of conversion camps, mostly because I can hardly believe that they exist.  The first book I read that opened my eyes to this sort of abuse was Jesus Land: A Memoir by Julia Scheeres (also highly recommended), so I was intrigued to read more about this topic.  What makes it truly horrifying is that the people who send their kids to these camps, and the people who run them, actually believe that they are helping the kids.  My heart goes out to anyone who has survived this type of trauma.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fantasy · Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens

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Title: Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens

Editor: Marieke Nijkamp

Page Count: 320

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: September 18, 2018 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)

Format: eBook

Review:  It can be very difficult to rate short story anthologies because the content is so varied; however, I think that 3 stars would be my average rating.  As expected, some stories I enjoyed more than others, but overall I was impressed by the diversity of characters represented.  There were LGBT characters, gender fluid characters, persons of color, persons of different religions, and of course, all characters had some sort of disability, whether it be physical, intellectual, or emotional.  Some of the genres covered were horror, science fiction, fantasy, and romance.

There were a couple stories where it was not clear what disability the character had.  The descriptions were very ambiguous, and if you did not know that this was part of an anthology featuring youth with disabilities, you would probably miss the fact that a disability was even involved.  It would have been nice if  the authors had covered what inspired the characters they created in their short bios at the end of the anthology.

Another thing that really stood out to me is that the title of the anthology does not adhere to person first language (i.e. Stories Starring Disabled Teens vs. Stories Starring Teens with Disabilities).  Admittedly, I am very aware of this distinction due to a training I received at work, so perhaps it does not stand out to others the way it does to me.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

 

Fantasy · Fiction · Young Adult

Long May She Reign

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Title: Long May She Reign

Author: Rhiannon Thomas

Page Count: 422

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 1, 2017 by HarperTeen

Format: Hardcover

Review: This book was not my favorite, but I must give it credit for originality.  Our unlikely and antisocial heroine, Freya, inherits the throne after an unexpected tragedy.  Much to her dismay, she is forced into the role of queen.  Fearing that the event that led to her newfound power was the result of foul play, Freya decides to find the perpetrator of the horrific crime through…wait for it…SCIENCE.  Of course in the meantime, Freya decides to make the best of her circumstances and becomes a reluctant, albeit conscientious, ruler.

There are parts of the book I liked, but it was by no means a page turner.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fantasy · Fiction

The Name of The Wind: The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One

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Title: The Name of the Wind: The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One

Author: Patrick Rothfuss

Page Count: 722

Series: The Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2008 by DAW Books, Inc.

Format: Paperback

Review:  This book is the first installment of a long saga.  Although I am not usually partial to such lengthy epics, I found this one to be rather enjoyable.  The beginning was a bit slow, but I was assured by one of my colleagues (the one who made the initial recommendation) that it would soon pick up speed if I invested a little time.  She was absolutely right, and I soon found myself drawn into a tale of loss, betrayal, love and resilience.

At times I found this story to be rather stressful.  The storyteller, Kvothe, relays many near death experiences, and there are many moments when he is facing imminent danger.  He always manages to come out on top due to his own cleverness and resourcefulness, but I still found myself experiencing secondhand anxiety.  To me, this is the mark of a very talented writer, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre (and has a lot of spare time and/or patience to get through a long book).

I was not as keen on the chapters that took place in the “present”, but these were added sparingly throughout the story, so I cannot gripe about them too much.  I will probably get to the second book in this series eventually, but due to the lengthy nature of each book, I will probably wait until my next maternity leave to tackle it (hopefully a couple years from now).  Considering that the author still has not released the third and final book of this series, I am in no rush to get through the second.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fiction · Young Adult

Roam

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Title: Roam

Author: C.H. Armstrong

Page Count: 320

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 5, 2019 by Central Avenue Publishing

Format: eBook

Review: This book would be an excellent assigned reading book for teens and pre-teens.  I work in a community where many families are living out of cars or a single room, so the concept of homelessness and being stuck in a cycle of poverty is all too familiar to many of the people who frequent my library.

This book was very formulaic; however, this can be viewed as a positive attribute considering its targeted audience.  The simplicity of the book puts it at an appropriate reading level for kids in Jr. High and High School and makes it more broadly relatable.  It demonstrates that poverty does not always wear the face you expect, and it is not always evident when people are facing extreme hardships.  I also appreciate that this book teaches empathy.  For readers that can closely relate to Abby’s struggles, this book will show them that they are not alone and there are resources available to help them get through difficult times.  I will absolutely be recommending this book to teachers and students who come into my library.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fiction · Young Adult

Girl in Pieces

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Title: Girl in Pieces

Author: Kathleen Glasgow

Performer: Julia Whelan

Length: 10 hr, 43 min

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2016 by Penguin House Audio Publishing Group

Format: eAudiobook

Review:  BIG trigger warning for this book: there is a lot of graphic self-harm.  Sometimes it can be difficult to stomach, but it is important to note that the self-harm does not feel in any way gratuitous.  Without such vivid description, it would be difficult to understand the characters’ mental state and the extent of the damage they inflict upon themselves as a result.  This is a powerful story of addiction and finding coping mechanisms to overcome extreme trauma.

I will say that as difficult as this story was to get through due to the heavy content, I found myself wanting to finish because I was truly hoping for a positive outcome for the main character, Charlie.  I wouldn’t say the ending is uplifting, but I found that when I put it down, I did feel some sense of closure.

It’s hard to say I “love” this book…more like I found it to be very compelling.  It addresses a sensitive topic that is infrequently talked about, but important to understand.

The performer of this book did a good job.  Her voice fit the character, and that’s really all I ask for.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fantasy · Fiction · Young Adult

Rebel of the Sands

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Title: Rebel of the Sands

Author: Alwyn Hamilton

Performer: Soneela Nankani

Length: 9 hr, 35 min, 55 sec

Series: Rebel of the Sands, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2016 by Recorded Books

Format: eAudiobook

Review: I have been on a fantasy kick lately, and I am very excited about this series.  More often than not I will read the first book in a fantasy series, and then move on.  Not the case with this series.  I was downloading the second book before I even finished this one in anticipation of continuing the story.

Sometimes it takes awhile for a story to really rope in the reader.  This book had me hooked from beginning to end.  Although I am not quite behind the rebellion itself 100% yet, I am 100% behind the heroine of the story, Amani.  This book had just the right amount of action and romance to keep me invested, and it has really set the stage for the books that follow.  I can only imagine that the story will getter better as it continues to build.

The performer they picked for this book was very well chosen.  Her melodic voice is an absolute pleasure to listen to, and I was very happy to discover that she is a woman of Indian/Ghanaian descent.  I looked up a photo of her online, and she is very much what I would have pictured the main character to look like, sans the unnaturally blue eyes.

On a completely different note, I LOVE the cover art featured above.  I was a bit dismayed when I saw that the cover art had been revamped for more recent editions, and I was shocked when I realized that the new cover art for the first book is a bit of a spoiler!  One of the most critical reveals in the story is actually evident on the new cover.  This surprises me, as I would think that such things would be vetted by the publisher BEFORE release.  I’m just glad that I got to the reveal before I started browsing for the second book and saw the new cover art.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

 

Fiction · Young Adult

Damselfly

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Title: Damselfly

Author: Chandra Prasad

Page Count: 240

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: March 27, 2018 by Scholastic Press

Format: Hardcover

Review:  This book was marketed as a modern day retelling of Lord of the Flies, which I found very intriguing.  After reading the book, I would say that is an apt description.  If you can get past the fact that a bunch of teenagers survived a horrific plane crash relatively unscathed, then it is an interesting story.

For readers who have read Lord of the Flies or similar survival stories, the outcome of the story is fairly predictable, but I think this would be a great discussion book for classrooms that want a fresher take on the classic story.  I liked the analogy of the damselfly, and the cliffhanger at the end was certainly satisfying in its own way.   I hope this is a standalone, not because I didn’t like the story, but because I think it packs more punch not knowing the fate of the remaining survivors.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Goldhalf star