Tag: Young Adult

Fantasy · Fiction · Young Adult

Bloodleaf

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Title: Bloodleaf

Author: Crystal Smith

Page Count: Unknown

Series: Bloodleaf, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: March 5, 2019 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Format: eBook

Review: I found this book to be an enjoyable and quick read.  The main character is likeable, and the plot keeps a steady pace.

I did not know prior to reading this book that it is a retelling of a Grimm’s fairytale.  After reading the book, I looked up The Goose Girl and read a brief synopsis of the plot and primary characters.  My opinion of the book actually went up half a star after doing so, because I thought that the author was very clever in how she incorporated the elements of the fairytale throughout the story.  I also liked that the witch hunts and persecution of accused witches was pretty accurate to historical events.  This made the story more believable, and gave it an interesting twist.

The reason this book was not quite four stars for me is because I think that the setting and some of the characters, namely Kellan, really needed to be fleshed out more.  The plot was well-developed, but it was hard for me to picture events because descriptions of the cities and other locations were not very vivid.  As for Kellan, I did not really understand the relationship between him and the main character, Aurelia.  I assume his character will get more page time in the next two books, as this is slotted to be a trilogy, but I honestly felt that this book should have been a standalone.  The ending provided a lot of closure; so much so that I was actually surprised to find out that the story is going to be extended into two more books.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Goldhalf star

Fantasy · Fiction · Young Adult

The Traitor’s Game

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Title: The Traitor’s Game

Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen

Page Count: 388

Series: The Traitor’s Game, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 27, 2018 by Scholastic

Format: Hardcover

Review: This book was good, but for some reason I could not fully invest in the characters and I can’t really pinpoint why.  I suppose it may be because I have read a lot of YA fantasy series, and this one just didn’t wow me with anything incredibly new or original.  For me to give a high rating in this genre, the book has to really impress me.  This book reminded me vaguely of The Winner’s Curse trilogy by Marie Rutkoski, maybe because the names of the heroines are so similar (Kestra and Kestrel).  As mentioned previously, however, this is not a bad book.  Some people will really enjoy it, but it just was not for me.  I do not think I will be reading the next two books when they are released.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Fallen Heir

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Title: Fallen Heir

Author: Erin Watt

Page Count: 300

Series: The Royals, Book 4

Publishing Date/Publisher: August 28, 2017 by Timeout LLC

Format: eBook

Review: It is hard for me to rate this book, because I LOVED the first three books in the Royals series, but not so much this one.  This book focuses on a different Royal brother than the first three, and I was disappointed with how it turned out.  Easton was perhaps my favorite of the Royal brothers, so I was very much enthused when I found out he would be getting his own book, but the writing of this particular book seemed to take a turn for the worst.  Perhaps this is because the authors have published so many books in such a short amount of time, but this one felt kind of like an add-on, and it didn’t really add anything special to the series.  The way it ended, I assume there will be a Book Five.  I will probably read it, but I am far less excited for it than I was for this one.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fantasy · Fiction · Young Adult

DOUBLE REVIEW: Thief of Cahraman

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Title: Thief of Cahraman

Author: Lucy Tempest

Page Count: 322

Series: Fairytales of Folkshore, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: July 21, 2018 by Folkshore Press

Format: eBook

Review: I have to say, I am a little bit shocked that this book has received such a high overall rating on Goodreads.  I am a big fan of fairytale adaptations, so I am always excited when I see such a highly rated new series in this category.  Unfortunately, this did not live up to my expectations.  I personally felt that the characters were flat and the story predictable.  I always felt that I was several steps ahead, predicting the events that happen chapters before they actually occur.  This was partly because the “reveal” set-up was not subtle, and partly because I have read this story before.  This book was marketed as “The Selection meets Aladdin”, but I did not realize exactly how similar to The Selection this book would be.  This book lost big time originality points with me for this reason, and I have no desire to read the next two books in the trilogy.

On a more positive note, the cover art for this book is gorgeous!

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Review: I actually really enjoyed it, but that could be because I don’t read much fiction anymore, so it’s all new-ish for me. While it was predictable, I thought it was well done and I loved the introduction of the other Disney characters. I thought Adelaide was a well-rounded character and I found her motives to be very believable: when you have nothing and then suddenly have friends that are practically family, you would do whatever you could to protect them. You wouldn’t let them be taken from you without a fight. I’ll be reading the rest of the series when they come out.

This is definitely one of the few times Bekah and I don’t agree when it comes to a book; we’re normally on the same page. I think it comes down to the fact that she’s read more fairytale retellings than I have, but she’s given me a list so I can catch up!

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

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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35120779

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

Fiction · Young Adult

Roam

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39733024

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