Young AdultCategory Archives

Book Review: Sacrifice by Cayla Kluver

Sacrifice by Cayla Kluver

  • Method of Obtaining: I received my copy from the publisher.
  • Published by:  Harlequin Teen
  • Release Date:   10/23/2012
        

This is not the time for the fight to end. Now is when the fight will begin. This is the time to regain what has been lost.Alera

Queen of a fallen kingdom, secretly in love with the enemy.

Shaselle

Daughter of a murdered father, rebel with a cause.

One lives behind the former Hytanican palace walls and walks the razor’s edge to keep the fragile peace in her beloved homeland. The other slips through the war-torn streets, seeking retribution for her family’s tragedy, following whispers of insurgency.

Both face choices that will separate them from those they cannot help but love. As their stories intertwine, a conspiracy ignites that may end in slavery or death—or lead to freedom anew, if only each can face what must be sacrificed.

I also recommend:

My Review:

Once again I am blown away by the complexity of this story. Sacrifice by Cayla Kluver is the third (and final I believe) book in the Legacy series and all of the main players have been maneuvered into places that seem nearly impossible to get out of.

I’ve been following this series since the release of Legacy and it is one of the series of books that I do not have to go back and reread in order to remember where I left off. Within a few pages of Sacrifice it all came rushing back to me – fluttering of my heart included. I felt like a teenage girl all over again.

There are a few things about Sacrifice that make it worthy of your time (and the series as a whole). While the romance aspect is there, Sacrifice centers around two very strong-willed, very determined young women who, ultimately, have to make choices that are difficult and necessary in order for the world to continue in a way that makes sense. I was at peace with where both characters ended up and throughout the entire book kept wondering where exactly Kluver was going to go next. I simply could not figure a way out of their predicaments without the story losing some of its quality, but it worked and it worked well.

This series has a little bit of everything (and some beautiful covers!) and it comes highly recommended by me. I wish I’d been able to get my teenage hands on books like these.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

The Reader Bee | Dark Faerie Tales | Alexa Loves Books

 

 

Lydia
26 January, 2013
Fantasy, Favorites, reviews, Young Adult
0 comments
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Book Review: Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz

Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz

  • Method of Obtaining: I received my copy from the publisher.
  • Published by: Simon Pulse
  • Release Date:  1/1/2013
        

Rudy’s life is flipped upside-down when his family moves to a remote island in a last attempt to save his sick younger brother. With nothing to do but worry, Rudy sinks deeper and deeper into loneliness and lies awake at night listening to the screams of the ocean beneath his family’s rickety house.

Then he meets Diana, who makes him wonder what he even knows about love, and Teeth, who makes him question what he knows about anything. Rudy can’t remember the last time he felt so connected to someone, but being friends with Teeth is more than a little bit complicated. He soon learns that Teeth has terrible secrets. Violent secrets. Secrets that will force Rudy to choose between his own happiness and his brother’s life.

Reason for Reading:
  • Fairy Tale? Caught my interest.

I also recommend:

 

My Review:

Wow. Just.. wow.

I’ve started a few reviews with that first line, but it’s been a while and now that I’ve had a few days to chew over this story I have to say… just wow.

Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz comes off as being a strange little story about a boy and his sick little brother who are taken to an island where magical-type fish are eaten by those who are sick in an effort to get well. Sound strange? Well, it is.

You see, Rudy (a name that first had me thinking the character was a girl) meets Teeth – a half-fish/half-boy (aka merman of sorts) who is determined to save his brothers, those magical fish, from horrible deaths at the hands of the fisherman. But Teeth is also being abused and in a way that keeps Rudy up at night.

As I read this story I kept thinking that something was up. I had that feeling on the back of my neck, that tingling that made me think I was missing something. It wasn’t until I had almost reached the end of the book that I realized there was an awful lot of symbolism going on and that, perhaps, the story was allegorical in nature. Then the world opened up.

I don’t want to spoil what Teeth and Rudy and all of the characters in this book stand for (and I highly advise you to avoid spoilers until after you’ve read and thought the book through for yourself), but read it with the idea in mind that not all is as it seems. The experience that results is one that is dumb-founding and, perhaps, may prompt your mind to open up a little more. I sympathized deeply with Teeth – but even more so when I figured out what was going on and I have to applaud Hannah Moskowitz for writing an incredibly intricate, detailed book about a subject that is very, very relevant today.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Cuddlebuggery Book Blog | The Nocturnal Library | Wild Heart Book Reviews

Lydia
6 January, 2013
Contemporary, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, reviews, Young Adult
0 comments
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Book Review: Ironskin by Tina Connolly

Ironskin by Tina Connolly

  • Method of Obtaining: I preceived my copy from the publisher.
  • Published by: Tor Books
  • Release Date:  10/02/2012 (This edition)
        

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a “delicate situation”—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio…and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

Reason for Reading:
  • The gorgeous, gorgeous book cover.

I recommend:

My Review:

If ever there is a case of book cover lust, it definitely would strike hard for a book like Ironskin. The first time I saw this cover I knew… I had to read this book – I didn’t even care that it was described as a “Steampunk Beauty and the Beast” novel. I didn’t care that, once I began reading, that Tina Connolly had openly ripped off Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre (even to the point of giving her characters remarkably similar names) and just infused the story with magic and fae and dwarves. But soon, I couldn’t ignore those very things.

Quite frankly, I was more excited by the cover than I was by the story. I was interested, but it didn’t grab me. I was curious, but not burning up with curiosity. More than once, I put the book down, confused, because the story seemed to me like a bunch of puzzle pieces that all just didn’t quite fit.

So while I will probably keep this book on my shelf for the sheer pretty factor, I don’t know that I’ll steer anyone toward it – unless they, like me, wish to give it a shot and see if it can hold up its end of the bargain.

I’ve been trying to figure out over the last few days what could have made this work more. I think different name choices (there’s no need to beat your readers over the head with the fact that you are writing a Jane Eyre spin-off) would help. A more developed relationship between Jane and her sister would have worked well as well as more development of the relationships in the manor. And Connolly’s version of Mr. Rochester had me all sorts of confused – was he a good guy? a bad guy? And what about these Fae wars? What went on there. In short, I felt as if I was thrown into the middle of a story that had me turned around and completely confused by the time I was two chapters in.

So, in short – great cover, interesting premise, and a failure to follow through for this one.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Parajunkee | Heather’s Book Chatter | Book-Marks the Spot

Lydia
26 December, 2012
Fantasy, Gothic, reviews, Young Adult
0 comments
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Book Review: Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes

Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes

  • Method of Obtaining: I obtained my copy via NetGalley.
  • Published by: Month9Books
  • Release Date:  10/16/2012
        

In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young.

Reason for Reading:

  • I adore fairy tale retellings

I also recommend:

My Review:

Last semester I was fortunate enough to take a seminar in the uncanny. This class introduced stories from the Grimm Brothers along with tales of creepiness from Kafka, Geothe, and other romantic, strange fairytales. We applied Freud’s theory of the uncanny and Kristeva’s theory of the abject to these stories and came out richer for it.

So I was excited when I got my hands on these dark retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes – because these rhymes ARE dark and I wanted to see what some well-known authors did when given the task of coming up with a story to match. While I didn’t expect the stories to be good across the board, I was hugely entertained by quite a few of them which is enough for me to bump up my rating and actually recommend this book for other lovers of the uncanny.

One of my favorite stories in this anthology deals with the Candlelight rhyme – one which was unfamiliar to me. It reminded me of an old tv program I watched years ago in which children were paraded down a hall to choose a new set of parents (that does not happen in this short story, but it shares a thematic principle). That short story was the only one of the bunch that I finished thinking I would have loved to read a full story on it.

The rest ranged from good to pretty bad – but mostly reminded me of some exercises we did in creative writing class. Short-story writing is harder than it seems it might be. It requires a firm grasp of the world, a perfectly place introduction into that world, and characters which are completely fleshed out so that the reader gets the sense they’ve known them for years by the time that reader finishes the first sentence. Unfortunately, most of the stories contained in this book did not meet that criteria – but still… it was entertaining, and dark, and fun to read as Halloween approaches.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Crossroad Reviews | Star Shadow | Reader Girls

Lydia
9 November, 2012
Fairy Tales, Fantasy, reviews, Young Adult
1 comment
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Book Review: Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

  • Method of Obtaining: I obtained my copy via my local library.
  • Published by: Viking Australia
  • Release Date:  11/3/1987
        

At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar’s cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere.

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere’s walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock—to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she’ll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin’s faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

Reason for Reading:
  • This book got some fantastic reviews!

I also recommend:

My Review:

It is hilarious to me that I can read the same formula over and over in fantasy novels and still be so entertained that it’s impossible to put the book down until I finish it. But that happened once again to me with Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta.

What is that formula? Young boy or girl, quest, strange creatures, seemingly insurmountable odds, and a fantastic world that it’s all set in. However, even with this tried and true formula, some fantasies just do not work – because one of those ingredients, or more, are never fully developed. That was not the case in Finnikin of the Rock.

This book had it all – strong male and female characters, confusing quest that reveals all in such a beautiful way in the end. I honestly expected to find something wrong, because there’s inevitably always a character who will annoy me in some way be that I find lacking in another way but I didn’t have that issue with this book. It was well-rounded in every way, which is something I should have expected considering the quality that Marchetta brings to her stories.

This is a series that will be set proudly on my shelves with other favorites. So glad I decided to take the leap and explore the fantasy world of Finnikin!

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Pure Imagination | Mostly Reading YA | Candace’s Book Blog

Lydia
3 November, 2012
Fantasy, Favorites, reviews, Young Adult
0 comments
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Book Review: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

  • Method of Obtaining: I obtained my copy via Netgalley.
  • Published by: Delacorte Books
  • Release Date:  10/9/2012
        

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City’s two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents’ sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn’t remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can’t conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

Reason for Reading:
  • I’ve seen this cover on quite a few blogs and it sparked my interest.

I also recommend:

My Review:

When I started reading Mystic City I wasn’t thinking I would be thrust into a futuristic New York City – so after being initially taken by surprise, I settled into a story which, other than some fundamental changes, could easily reflect things happening during our own time.

Aria Rose, a young woman who is suffering from amnesia, is struggling to be the Juliet to the Romeo of a family who has been her family’s enemy for generations. The engagement is set, the wedding is moving forward, but Aria is not feeling as if things are how they should be.

And so Hunter is introduced to the story – and we have that love triangle that has become the standard in young adult literature.

Love triangles aside, there was some real depth to this story. There is the struggle between high and low classes which include a form of torture in order to keep that class structure intact. There are themes of revolution, true love and sacrifice, and selflessness which keep the story one that survives any parts which might tip over into the cliche.

I really enjoyed the kickoff to this series and will be watching for Lawrence’s future novels as they are released. It was nice to be more futuristic and still have that fantasy feel – and it was also nice to see the setting one that was familiar here without taking the city into a post-apocalyptic type feel.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Bewitched Bookworms | Candace’s Book Blog | Annette’s Book Spot

Lydia
26 October, 2012
Coming of Age, Contemporary, Fantasy, reviews, Young Adult
0 comments
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Book Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

  • Method of Obtaining: I obtained my copy via Netgalley.
  • Published by: HarlequinTeen
  • Release Date:  10/23/2012
        

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

Reason for Reading:
  • Julie Kagawa is one of my favorite YA authors

I also recommend:

My Review:

Julie Kagawa is one of those young adult authors who is capable of writing stories that are like an addiction to me. I crave the experience of diving into the world of the Iron fey and, through Ethan this time, I was offered that opportunity once again.

The Lost Prince did not disappoint me. A strong story, it swept me along on a journey that had just a few bumps in the road for me. Once again, my favorite characters made an appearance and, in tried and true fashion, a quest emerged.

As much as I loved being back in the world of the Fey, there was a few minor issues for me, however. Ethan, as much as I wanted to be on his side, was not nearly as likeable a character as his sister. He complained too much for me to ever feel any sympathy for him. In addition, there is a twist at the end of the book which leads into further complications throughout the series, and while I understand the purpose behind it, I am not sure that it will all tie together well. Then again – this is Ms. Kagawa I’m talking about and, she has definitely proven herself capable of tying together ends in a way that is satisfying.

Whiny “hero” aside, I’ll be picking up these books as quickly as I did the previous ones and very much look forward to seeing how the Fey world develops through Ethan’s story.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Bewitched Bookworms | Candace’s Book Blog | Annette’s Book Spot

Lydia
23 October, 2012
Contemporary, Fantasy, reviews, Young Adult
0 comments
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Book Review: The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

  • Method of Obtaining: I received my copy via the publisher through NetGalley.
  • Published by: Harcourt Children’s Books
  • Release Date: 10/2/2012
        

In the good old days, magic was indispensable—it could both save a kingdom and clear a clogged drain. But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer. Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic.

Reason for Reading:
  • It sounded adorable. Plain and simple.

I also recommend:

My Review:

I am going to admit to something. I picked this book to read because it looked cute – but that was almost its death sentence. Almost. When looking at The Last Dragonslayer on my iPad screen I sat for almost five minutes debating before finally just opening it up and diving in. I was worried, you see – worried that it’d be boring, that it wouldn’t live up to its cute little cover, and that everything fantastic I’d heard about Jasper Fforde would all turn out to be little lies.

Then this book reached up and smacked me in the face.

I found myself laughing out loud by the end of page one, people. Laughing for real out loud. I was reminded of the fun I’d had when I picked up the first Harry Potter book, of the magic I’d felt when reading Winnie-the-Pooh stories, and immediately I began to devour the story here.

I raced through this book in a single evening/night. I had to know what was happening – it had all the right elements for a fantasy that is light-hearted and fun: quirky characters, interesting magic, a quest, a sword, and dragons. Oh.. and a VW Beetle.

This book is going on the list for Christmas – I have a feeling I’ll be giving away a few copies of it. It’s perfect for those kids (and adults) who are looking for something light, magical, and a way to fill in the gap until the next “Harry Potter” comes around.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog| Bookworm1858| Miss Literati

Lydia
27 September, 2012
Comedy, Fantasy, Middle Grade, reviews, Young Adult
2 comments
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Book Review: Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier

  • Method of Obtaining: I received my copy via the publisher through NetGalley.
  • Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
  • Release Date: 9/11/2012

Sixteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured and brought before him. Eager to hide her own canny skill—a uniquely powerful ability to communicate with the fairy-like Good Folk—Neryn sets out for the legendary Shadowfell, a home and training ground for a secret rebel group determined to overthrow the evil King Keldec.

During her dangerous journey, she receives aid from the Good Folk, who tell her she must pass a series of tests in order to recognize her full potential. She also finds help from a handsome young man, Flint, who rescues her from certain death—but whose motives in doing so remain unclear. Neryn struggles to trust her only allies. They both hint that she alone may be the key to Alban’s release from Keldec’s rule.

Homeless, unsure of who to trust, and trapped in an empire determined to crush her, Neryn must make it to Shadowfell not only to save herself, but to save Alban.

Reason for Reading:
  • The cover totally drew me in on this one.

I also recommend:

My Review:

Shadowfell is the first book I’ve read by Juliet Marillier – and if this book is any indication of what her other books might be like… I think I am going to have a new favorite fantasy author on my hands.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of adventure, danger, fae, questing, and most of all – the fantastic Neryn. There was a little bit of everything contained in these 400ish pages, and I found myself feeling so much sadness as I approached the end of the book and knew I’d have to wait for more.

As all great fantasy books go, Shadowfell involves a quest and an orphan who is blessed with some king of character or ability. In this way, Shadowfell falls right in line – but where Shadowfell is a bit different is the world. In Neryn’s world there are creatures (and dialects, wow!) that defy imagination, but are so cool they had me smiling while I read, trying to figure out who fit in where and what they looked like.

The only issue I had with this book was the sheer amount of travel that it contained and the fact that Neryn seemed to be, well.. weak in body. I love strong heroines, but my goodness, this one seemed to be sick all the time, and the fact that she was constantly traveling didn’t help. Still, as far as complaints go, that’s a relatively mild one, and I’d recommend this book for fantasy lovers of any age.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Cuddlebuggery| Musings of a YA Writer| Pure Imagination

Lydia
23 September, 2012
Fantasy, reviews, Young Adult
0 comments
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Book Review: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Wake by Amanda Hocking

  • Method of Obtaining: I received my copy from my local library.
  • Published by: St. Martin’s Press
  • Release Date: 8/7/2012

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They’re the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone’s attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Reason for Reading:
  • I saw this title on a list for best science fiction/fantasy in 2012

I  recommend:

My Review:

I don’t remember where I first encountered Wake by Amanda Hocking – but I think it was on one of those “must read fantasy” lists. Amanda Hocking is well known for selling, well … quite a few self-published novels, but having not read any of them, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with Wake, the first book of a new trilogy.

I’m touch and go on stories with mermaids/selkies/sirens. They are so awkward to write about, to try to figure out logistics and such. I mean – it’s not like you can actually be sexy with a fin for your lower half, right? So while I think Hocking did an admirable job trying to make this strange, mystifying race alluring, I think it all kind of got lost in a strange loops.

Because, honestly, I finished the book yesterday and here’s what I remember about it: girl swims, girl falls for guy, sister falls for guy, girl swims, something bad, the end. Oh, and let’s not forget: .

Was I entertained while reading Wake? Sure. I mean, I wanted to finish the book, it wasn’t difficult to read, but it was a sort of morbid curiosity that ultimately led to me finishing it. I won’t be picking up book 2, not because I hated Wake, but rather.. because I’m just disinterested in the story and frankly, I’m tired of cliffhangers which exist solely to sell books.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Chapter by Chapter| Hippies, Beauties, & Books| Book Loving Mom

Lydia
22 September, 2012
Fantasy, reviews, Young Adult
0 comments
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