Tag: young adult

Book Review: Silver & Blood, by Jessie Mihalik

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Title: Silver & Blood
Author: Jessie Mihalik            
Genre: Fantasy   
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

There’s something in the woods…

Untrained and barely armed, Riela reluctantly agrees to enter the forest and kill the deadly beast that has been attacking her fellow villagers as she’s the only mage available—or so she thought. When one beast turns into two, she fears her death is at hand, but unexpected aid from a scarred, strikingly handsome man with dangerous moonlit magic means a second chance at life—and an opportunity to learn more about her own fickle power.

After being rescued and healed from her fight in the forest, Riela awakens in a magical castle complete with a gorgeous library, a strange wolf, and the surly man who saved her life. Riela soon learns Garrick is not a mortal mage at all—he’s a powerful Etheri sovereign who has been locked out of his kingdom in Lohka for nearly a century, and his powers are weakening.

Trapped in his castle and surrounded by the treacherous woods, the spark of attraction between Riela and Garrick slowly ignites into fiery desire. But the more they discover about Riela’s magic, the more suspicious Garrick grows of her identity. As they unravel the secrets connecting Riela’s past to Lohka, the tenuous threads of trust between them begin to fray because Riela’s life—or her death—might be the key to regaining everything Garrick has lost.

I just enjoyed this read. I liked the world and the culture and the characters. Did the “twists” surprise me? Not really, but I’ve read a lot of fantasy. That didn’t make me enjoy it less, though. I liked Riela’s spunk and her determination—even when I knew it was going to lead to some stupid decisions. Would I read more, just for fun? Absolutely!

Jessie Mihalik lives in Texas. Silver & Blood is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon in exchange for an honest review.)

   

Book Review: In Bloom, by Liz Allan    

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Title: In Bloom
Author: Liz Allan     
Genre: Fiction   
Rating: 3 out of 5

It’s the mid-nineties, and in the small, shitty coastal town of Vincent, four girls – each hailing from single-mother, multi-sibling families, form a band. Friends since they were children, they consider themselves ‘forgettable girls’ – poor, not particularly clever, distracted at school, disengaged and disillusioned from the other kids, and desperate to escape the fates of their mothers, who seem locked into a life of minimum-wage jobs and domestic drudgery. Winning the Battle of the Bands is their ticket out – they might not have talent, but they can play three chords and scream until their vocal folds burst out of their throats – and nobody wants it more than them.

But when lead singer Lily Lucid quits, and accuses their idolized music teacher of sexual assault, the three remaining girls are left with nothing. They’ll do anything to keep their dream alive, even if it means sacrificing school, Lily and their mothers. But how far out of control can they spin before there’s no turning back?

Most of this book is in a stream-of-consciousness style that feels more than a bit manic. The chapters are quick and frantic, so the story moves quickly, but I found the characters—the three main ones who are treated as a group whole without the reader even knowing their individual names until the last few chapters—to be fairly childish and annoying. Yes, they’re fourteen, but they acted several years younger than that. If this hadn’t been such a quick read, I would have DNFed it. The near-constant Nirvana obsession was enough to put me over the edge.

Liz Allan is from Australia and lives in the UK. In Bloom is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Book Review: Oxford Blood, by Rachael Davis-Featherstone     

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Title: Oxford Blood
Author: Rachael Davis-Featherstone         
Genre: YA, thriller   
Rating: 3.8 out of 5

Love, Lies, Legacy…

High-achieving state-school pupil Eva has one dream – reading English at Oxford. If she gets in, not only will she receive a world-class education at an elite university, but she will be fulfilling the dreams of her mother and gain some independence from her father, the overprotective Inspector Dawkins.

At the same school, Eva’s best-friend George is also hoping to go to Oxford. The attraction between him and Eva is undeniable, but they’ve agreed to put any romance on hold until their places at Oxford are secured. Eva cannot be distracted from her goal – although when they are both invited for interview week, their future together feels oh-so close.

Until George shows up dead.

The police rule his death an accident, but the behaviour of some of the other interview candidates has Eva suspecting foul play. When a shocking secret about George is revealed, Eva finds suspicion falling on her. What was meant to be one of the most important weeks of her life is fast turning into a nightmare.

All eyes are now on Eva, including the anonymous posters behind OxSlay, a gossipy social media forum exclusively for Oxford students. But amongst the conspiracy theories, lurk hidden clues. Could they help Eva clear her name – and catch the killer?

This was disturbing to me for several reasons, the main one being the way everyone was absorbed in social media—and believed every single thing they read on it. The idea of being in the Oxford environment and being absorbed like that with learning and studying was fascinating, but the dark side of the environment was pretty horrifying.

Rachael Davis-Featherstone lives in Hampshire, England. Oxford Blood is her new novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Rebel and the Rose, by Catherine Doyle     

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Title: The Rebel and the Rose
Author: Catherine Doyle        
Genre: YA   
Rating: 5 out of 5

From a remote hilltop haven, far from the city of Fantome, Seraphine Marchant and her Order of Flames plot to eradicate shade magic with lightfire. But as Sera struggles to control her blooming powers, destiny calls her back to Fantome—and to the assassin who haunts her dreams.

Ransom Hale can’t get Sera out of his head. As their rivalry grows and he grapples with the responsibility of leading the Order of Daggers, he feels himself slipping further from who he wants to be. Is he doomed to a life in the shadows? Or can he forge another path?

Meanwhile, rebellion is stirring in the kingdom, and a dangerous prince grows in power. Forced to work together by order of the king, Sera and Ransom’s conflicted hearts are tested to their limits. And all the while, an ancient prophecy is unfolding that will change the fate of Valterre forever…

I had not read the first The City of Fantome book, but that didn’t end up mattering. The writing was so skillful and details from the past were worked in so seamlessly that I had no problems staying up-to-speed.

I loved these characters and this world! The mythology was interesting, and the culture was fascinating. So much sarcasm and snark made me snort frequently. I can’t wait to read more!

Catherine Doyle is from Ireland. The Rebel and the Rose is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Persephone’s Curse, by Katrina Leno    

Image courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books.

Title: Persephone’s Curse
Author: Katrina Leno           
Genre: YA    
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 

Are the four Farthing sisters really descended from Persephone? This is what their aunt has always told that the women in their family can trace their lineage right back to the Goddess of the Dead. And maybe she’s right, because the Farthing girls do have a ghost in the attic of their Manhattan brownstone —a kind and gentle ghost named Henry, who only they can see.

When one of the sisters falls in love with the ghost, and another banishes him to the Underworld, the sisters are faced with even bigger questions about who they are. If they really are related to Persephone, and they really are a bit magic, then perhaps it’s up to them to save Henry, to save the world, and to save each other.

I really enjoyed this! The setting is, in general, quite small and contained, but the characters are so vivid and distinct, it never felt constricted. I love the relationship between the sisters, and their family mythology is fascinating. I enjoyed every single page of this read.

Katrina Leno lives in L.A. Persephone’s Curse is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Break Wide the Sea, by Sara Holland  

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Title: Break Wide the Sea
Author: Sara Holland            
Genre: YA    
Rating: 4 out of 5

The seafaring humans of Kirkrell have always been plagued by finfolk—bloodthirsty fae who haunt the seas, sinking ships and cursing bloodlines. Yet it’s only by hunting magical whales that Kirkrell can prosper. Nineteen-year-old Annie is heir to the Fairfax Whaling Company, but their family’s success came at a cost: a curse by which heartbreak turns Fairfaxes slowly into monsters. And six years ago, the shipwreck that killed Annie’s parents left her with scales spreading up her arms, claws sprouting from her fingertips.

The love of her fiancé, August, salved her heart for a while—but when she learns August is maneuvering to take over the company, the curse worsens. Fearing her time is running out, she strikes a bargain with a disreputable young captain, half-finfolk and half-human Silas Price: on a voyage to hunt whales in the far north, Silas will take Annie to the finfolk queen, who can lift the curse in return for a promise to end whaling forever.

As Annie, August and Silas sail north, she is determined to uphold her family’s legacy, but the threat of the finfolk tests her resolve. Lies corrupt her relationship with August; meanwhile a dangerous connection with Silas blooms—but he’s keeping secrets too, and his might be the most dangerous of all.

As heiress, it’s Annie’s responsibility to deliver whale magic to her city. But as heartbreak looms, she must choose between saving herself and her family’s legacy—and hope it doesn’t cost her everyone she loves.

At first, this was a tiny bit slow to me, but it engrossed me quickly. The culture, magic, and mythology in this book were unique and interesting, and I enjoyed these aspects a lot. I liked Annie, although I could not understand her attraction to August—who is clearly a jerk. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, and I’m looking forward to reading more.

Sara Holland is a bestselling author. Break Wide the Sea is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Fallen City, by Adrienne Young  

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Title: Fallen City
Author: Adrienne Young            
Genre: Fantasy    
Rating: 4 out of 5

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city’s Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.

Maris Casoeria was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel’s inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.

As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.

I’ve read all but one of Adrienne Young’s books and enjoyed them, but I found the sequencing of this one a bit harder to connect to. I loved the characters and the culture and world but jumping from the siege in the present-day back to scenes from the past made it harder to truly love this. The intricacies of the political intrigue were disheartening at best, and I was never truly comfortable with what I knew of the theology system, either. Great characters and I’ll definitely read more, I just didn’t connect with this as much as I usually do with her novels.

Adrienne Young lives in North Carolina. Fallen City is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Saturday Books in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Book Review: Final Cut, by Olivia Worley      

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Title: Final Cut 
Author: Olivia Worley         
Genre: YA    
Rating: 3 out of 5

When recent high school graduate Hazel Lejeune gets the lead role in a slasher film, it feels like a dream come true. This is her chance to break into the industry, build her reel, and prove to her mom that this “gap year” can turn into a career. So what if it’s set in the nothing town of Pine Springs, Louisiana–the same place her father, the Pine Springs Slasher, was convicted of a series of murders fifteen years ago?

But when Haze arrives on set, she gets much more than she bargained for. The shoot is plagued with suspicious “accidents.” Mentions of her dad dot the entire script. And then, a gruesome murder shocks everyone to the core. Now, it’s clear there’s a real killer on set—one who’s determined to finish the film at all costs. But is this merely a copycat, or is the wrong Slasher behind bars?

As the body count rises and reality blurs with fiction, Haze must unmask the killer before she becomes a real-life final girl…or before the killer flips the script and makes her the next victim.

I’m not into watching horror or slasher movies. At all. Ever. So, I’m not sure why I decided to read this. The premise was eye-catching enough to get my attention, I guess, and I’d read one of the author’s other books. Solid writing here, and I liked the characters—mostly. Living in a town this small is my own personal idea of terrible, and the author captured it well.

However, the why of everything the MC did completely escaped me. Going off alone after the first murder happened? Spending any time at all with people you barely know after the murders started? Going out into the woods/bayou/wilderness alone at night to the house of a creepy man? Come on. I need believable characters to have at least a little bit of common sense.

Olivia Worley is from New Orleans. Final Cut is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)

      

Book Review: A Curious Kind of Magic, by Mara Rutherford  

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books.

Title: A Curious Kind of Magic 
Author: Mara Rutherford     
Genre: YA   
Rating: 4 out of 5 

Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father’s shoppe hasn’t sold anything magical in decades, and it’s only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon’s teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools’ gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow’s fakes into exactly what they’re purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri’s help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father’s shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer’s assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector’s quest for the rarest magical object in the world-a quest that risks almost-certain death-she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.

I thought this was a fun read! Willow’s inability to be open and honest with her friends got on my nerves, but she did at least learn from things. The world was fun, and I liked the culture and the characters, and would happily read more in this world.

Mara Rutherford is from California but has lived all over the world. A Curious Kind of Magic is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)

   

Book Review: Mint to Be, by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc    

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Title: Mint to Be      
Author: Katie Cicatelli-Kuc        
Genre: YA, romance  
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 

It’s been eight months since seventeen-year-old Emma left the quaint town of Briar Glen to attend boarding school in New York City. Now, she’s back—and she’s not Her new boyfriend, Sam, has come to visit the most picturesque village in New England during the most magical time of the year.

But there’s a chill in the air, and not just because it’s winter. Emma’s best friend, Aiden, isn’t all too happy to see her after she left without so much as a goodbye. He and Emma have known each other since elementary school, and they used to do everything together. They even share a favorite a peppermint hot chocolate from their favorite coffee shop, Cup o’ Jo. This was where Emma first told Aiden she was thinking of leaving Briar Glen. It was also where Aiden had planned to confess his growing feelings for Emma — before she showed him her acceptance letter and everything changed.

With Emma back in the picture — and with a new boyfriend in tow — will she and Aiden be able to break the ice?

This was cute, although the idea of Emma and Aiden being best friends and not talking for six months—of her leaving town without even telling him—was hard for me to believe. It was fairly predictable and I was never in any doubt that Emma’s boyfriend would end up being a total jerk and she’d get with Aiden, so there seemed like a lot of unnecessary angst going on here, but it was a quick read.

Katie Cicatelli-Kuc Lives in the Hudson Valley. Mint to Be is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Scholastic | Scholastic Inc. in exchange for an honest review.)