Tag: young adult fiction

The Homecoming, by Stacie Ramey

Stacie Ramey has a degree in speech pathology and works with autistic children. Her newest book, The Homecoming, is a young adult novel.

John has nowhere to go but home. Since his mother kicked him out, he’s gotten into trouble with the law, developed a talent for trouble, and bounced from relative to relative. Now “home” is the one place he doesn’t want to be, but it’s the only place he can be.

Starting over again at his old school is more than John can handle. The ruins of his family are tangled up in this town, and being back brings the tragedies of John’s past to damaged life every day. He tries to focus on lacrosse, but between his broken family and his anger issues, even sports aren’t enough to tame his dragon. Then he meets Emily, the girl next door, and starts to wonder if anyone can love the broken mess he’s become.

I’m not usually a fan of male-narrated young adult stories, but The Homecoming is an exception. I didn’t realize this was a companion novel to The Sister Pact (which I haven’t read). John is a compelling narrator, very troubled and broken, but only slowly aware of his brokenness. He grows so much during this novel, and the reader gets to see all of those changes and experience them with John. I really enjoyed this book.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.)

NaNo: Week 1 Update

With the first calendar week of NaNo over, I thought I I’d give a brief update: I’ve written 10, 272 words so far. That’s more than I’ve written in a week in probably 5 years! I’m happy with my progress, and eager for more.

Unfolding, by Jonathan Friesen

Jonathan Friesen is a former teacher’s pet who wrote his first novel while his students were working. Unfolding is his newest novel.

Jonah has a tough life in tiny Gullary, Oklahoma. He has a debilitating physical condition and epilepsy, which keeps him on the outside of many things. His parents are distant. He’s in love with his next-door neighbor, the troubled Stormi, deposited here as an infant when a tornado touched down. The same tornado that destroyed the Supermax prison where Jonah now works—the only employee—as an occasional tour guide and the caretaker for the prison’s solitary inmate, the mysterious Tres.

Stormi is carefree and vibrant, everything Jonah wishes he could be. She’s also different, a difference the town notices when she senses things before they happen, averting tragedy—or not. When Stormi senses she should leave town to find safety, Jonah is drawn in her wake as they struggle to find out the truth behind what happened in Gullary so long ago, and left the town scarred and harboring a darkness Jonah can only imagine.

This book. I couldn’t put it down. Seriously. I would have finished it in one sitting except I’m not independently wealthy and had to go to work. From the opening sentence to the final line, I was completely spellbound. Jonah is a fantastic character: he’s physically struggling, but emotionally strong, and this story is so firmly in his viewpoint I felt like I was experiencing every stumble and seizure. Stormi is full of life and mystery, and their interactions leap off the page. You should definitely read this!

(Galley provided by Blink via NetGalley.)

The Scent of Salt and Sand, by P.C. and Kristin Cast

sss — I do not own this image. Image belongs to Diversion Books.

P.C. and Kristin Cast are a mother-daughter writing team. They wrote the NYT best-selling House of Night series. The Scent of Salt and Sand is a novella in their Escaped series.

The walls separating Tartarus have fallen, and now monsters from Greek mythology have escaped to the mortal world. The Sirens are part of the escapees. Bound for centuries because of their bloodlust, greed, and murders, the Sirens now run Siren Tours for tourists to Alcatraz, where they find their prey.

It’s Melody’s first time in the mortal realm, and she doesn’t want to be there. She’s different from the other Sirens: she doesn’t like blood, she has no interest in murder, and she hears specters in the water. Then she meets Dean, who becomes her assigned target, and falls in love. Can she keep Dean safe from her monstrous family, or has their love doomed them both?

So…I like P.C. and Kristin Cast. I enjoy their writing, which has a decidedly young adult slant. I’ve met them both, and they’re very bubbly and funny. I’m a fan of P.C.’s Goddess Summoning series, as well as The House of Night. I have not read either of the books in this series. I enjoyed most of this novella. The Sirens have always fascinated me, and their move in the real world is well-done. However, I really didn’t care for the ending of The Scent of Salt and Sand. At all. I intend to read Amber Smoke, but I’m pretty undecided about reading any more about the Sirens.

(Galley provided by Diversion books via NetGalley.)

Labyrinth Lost, by Zoraida Cordova

According to her website, Zoraida Cordova says, “(I) write YA Urban Fantasy about mermaids and other things that go bump in the night. I also write about 20-something-year-old-girls searching for love and the meaning of life. I often wish my life were a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sex and the City. I’m a contributing writer to Latinos in Kid Lit because #WeNeedDiverseBooks.” Her newest novel is Labyrinth Lost.

Alex is a bruja in a family of powerful witches. But Alex doesn’t want her powers. She wants to be normal. She’s hated magic for years, ever since it made her father disappear. Instead of a Quinceañera, Alex prepares for her Death Day: the most important event in a witch’s life, and her one chance to get rid of her magic.

But the curse she performs during the ceremony goes wrong, and her entire family disappears, leaving her alone and with all of their magic. Nova is the only one she can turn to, a brujo with ambitions of his own. They must travel to Los Lagos, a land in-between two places that makes Wonderland look like a cartoon fairy tale.

The characters in Labyrinth Lost are so vivid they almost step off the page. The magic system is unique (with a hint of the feel of voodoo). Alex is conflicted over her heritage, but not her love of her family, and she grows so much in this book. There are a few twists in the book that will catch the reader by surprise.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.)

Cutter Boy, by Cristy Watson

Cristy Watson is a teacher who writes poetry and YA. Her newest story is Cutter Boy.

Travis is bullied at school and ignored at home. He has no one to talk to. The only thing that gives him peace is cutting himself with a razor blade. When he meets new girl Chyvonne at school, he wants to get to know her better, but he’s afraid she’ll find out his secret.

As Travis grows closer to Chyvonne, he wonders what causes his mother to hate him so much. Then he finds the art of paper cutting, which seems to be the only other option to make himself feel better. Will Travis ever win his struggle with self-harm?

Cutter Boy is a difficult and dark short novel that delves into an area seldom explored in literature: self-harm among guys. Travis’ journey is wrenching and emotionally gripping.

(Galley courtesy of James Lorimer & Company.)

And I Darken, by Kiersten White

Kiersten White is the New York Times bestselling author of the Paranormalcy trilogy and Mind Games. Her newest novel, And I Darken, is the first in a new trilogy that asks “What if Vlad the Impaler had been female?”

Lada Dragwlya is a princess, but she’s far more interested in strength and survival than in finding a husband. When her father barters her and her gentle younger brother Radu away for safety, Lada learns that being ruthless is the key to true power. Trapped in the Ottoman Empire, far from her beloved Wallachia, Lada learns to hide her emotions so she and Radu will not become mere pawns in the hands of the sultan, and vows to fight her enemies to her dying breath.

Then they meet Mehmed, lonely son of the sultan, destined to rule the Empire, but friendless and at the mercy of those with real power. Radu feels that he’s made a true friend, and Lada wonders if Mehmed is someone she can finally show her emotions to. But Mehmed is the heir to the Ottoman Empire—which Lada has sworn to fight against, and the place that Radu now considers home. Will love and loyalty prove stronger than vows and vengeance?

And I Darken is a dark, brutal book about a fierce girl who must grow into her strength amidst war and intrigue. Lada is not an easy character to like, but her indomitable will and passion carry her through as she finds her true self. There is plenty of action in this story, but it is the characters themselves that the reader will truly find riveting.

(Galley provided by Delacorte Press.)

What I Read in June

Not quite as many books as May, but still a good number.

Powers, by John B. Olson

The Harbringer: The Ancient Mystery that Holds the Secret of America’s Future, by Johnathan Cahn

The Fireman, by Joe Hill (Yes, he is Stephen King’s son, but Joe Hill has some serious writer’s chops in his own right. I could not put this book down!)

Deadgirl: Ghostlight, by B.C. Johnson (Read to review.)

Deadgirl, by B.C. Johnson (And, because I enjoyed the second one so much, I bought the first book–yes, I read them out-of-order. Excellent series, with a very dsitinct voice. I highly recommend.)

Escape to Ash Island, by J.H. Lucas (Read to review.)

Vinegar Girl, by Anne Tyler (read to review.)

running like a girl

Running Like a Girl, by Alexandria Heminsley (Very enjoyable read.)

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini (From my TBR pile.)

confessions of a fat marathoner

Confessions of a Fat Marathoner, by Kristina Burkey (Made me laugh, as well as inspired me.)

Tess of the D’Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy (UGH. I know this was written a long time ago, but this book made me ANGRY. The guy raped her, and blamed it on her? What?! This is my classic read for the month.)

Frequency: Tune In. Hear God. by Robert Morris (He’s my pastor, and I love to hear him speak. He just finished this sermon series, and his conversational tone in this book makes it so much easier to comprehend.)

You’ll Get Through This, by Max Lucado (Read as my spiritual book for the month.)

Fire Danger, by Claire Davon (Review forthcoming.)

Escape to Ash Island, by J.H. Lucas

J.H. Lucas has worked in film and in graphic design. He has been a finalist or semi-finalist for several awards. Escape to Ash Island is the first book in the Generation Havoc series.

One hundred years from now, America is has changed. From the Saharizona desert wilderness, to the cowyotes and buffalopes that populate it, things are not what they used to be. The poison sands of the desert are spoken of in the Prophecy Song, which is now forbidden.

In a slave labor factory in the middle of Saharizona, Cash, a young inventor with no memory of life before the farm, wonders about what’s beyond the fence. And he hears about a mythical island in Calitopia, so he and his friends escape the factory and head across the desert. But they don’t know the Red Enforcer, a cyborg, is on their trail determined to stop them—and the Prophecy—forever.

Escape to Ash Island is set in a vividly imagined word that is far different from the America of today. In essence, it is about friendship and the survival of hope, but these themes are set amidst adventure. Escape to Ash Island feels more like middle grade fiction than young adult, but it is an entertaining read.

(Galley provided by J.H. Lucas via NetGalley.)

What I Read (in May)

Yeah, it’s been a while since I posted anything but a book review. I’ll work on that this week. Promise. Right now, here’s what I read in May. (Quite a few books as a reward for living through the semester.)

The Cresswell Plot, by Eliza Wass (for review.)
Fried Chicken and Gravy, by Sherri Schoenborn Murray. (This was actually a really cute, sweet book. I enjoyed it.)
The Scarlett Pimpernel, by Emmuska Orczy. (No idea why I’d never read this, but it was great.)
Close Enough to Hear God Breathe, by Greg Paul.
Smoke, by Dan Vyletea (for review.)
A Trail of Fire, by Diana Gabaldon. (Love these books.)
The Raven King, by Maggie Stiefvater. (Fantastic author. Fantastic series. Sad it’s over.)
Blue Lily, Lily Blue, by Maggie Stiefvater
My Best Friend’s Exorcism, by Grady Hendrix (for review).
Someone Else’s Love Story, by Joshilyn Jackson
Mug Shot, by Caroline Fardig (for review).
Anything You Want, by Geoff Harbach (for review).
Echoes of Silence, by Elana Johnson (for review on Amazon).
A Drop in the Ocean, by Jenni Ogden (for review, plus author interview).
The Never-Open Desert Diner, by James Anderson (for review).
Jackson’s Trust, by Violet Duke (for review).
Gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson (Re-read and remembered how fantastic this book is.)