Sixteen-year-old Scottish-Italian Livia feels like an outsider, working in her ailing grandmother’s bar in Rome. Smug local boy, Guilio, works there too, and quickly becomes Livia’s nemesis. She is not going to be the cliché foreign girl who has a summer romance. But as Livia navigates family drama, newfound friendships and… Giulio, she starts to see the city (and herself) in a new light.
This was a quick, fun, read, but nothing unexpected. It all resolved about like I expected—with the added bonus of great scenery and lovely little local details. Lots of family drama and teenage angst, but this was an entertaining, cute read.
Bruna De Luca lives in Scotland. My Roman Summer is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Scholastic | Chicken House in exchange for an honest review.)
Octavius the Maestro. Fola the Brain. Bilal the Olympian. Perdita the Artist. Romeo the Failure.
These are the five heirs of the illustrious billionaire Leontes Button. Adopted and viciously trained with their father’s infamous “Button Method” to prove his hypothesis for creating prodigies—child geniuses—the Button siblings have had no choice but to be brilliant according to their father’s impossibly high standards.
Until he is murdered at his annual Prodigy Ball.
Now, all who attended the ball are required to stay in the Button Manor while the police investigate. But the officers have their work cut out for them—each of the Button siblings has something to hide, but The Heirs aren’t the only ones with secrets. After all, Leontes Button was especially good at making enemies. . .
This felt a tiny bit like The Inheritance Games—except I liked all the heirs in those books. This? Not so much. Romeo was the only one here I actually liked. The other four I was ambivalent about at best. Leontes Button was obviously a horrible person, so I didn’t feel bad for him. This was an interesting sort of closed-room mystery with lots of red herrings, but it didn’t take me long to read and it held my interest. As long as you’re not expecting terribly likable characters, you should be good.
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is a bestselling author. The Heirs is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review.)
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Werth is trapped in what feels like a never-ending nightmare. She’s the only person onboard Aloha Airways Flight 1333 who’s stuck in a 28-minute time loop, one that repeats over and over again. During each loop, four things always happen:
1. The Internet goes out and the pilot warns of upcoming turbulence.
2. There are five minutes of moderate shaking.
3. A woman in the very last row collapses.
4. The plane tilts forward and begins to nosedive.
When Orion James –the cute boy who’s been asleep the entirety of each cycle– wakes, it triggers an alarming change in the events Evelyn has come to count on. As the two grow closer and learn to trust each other, they discover there’s more to the loop than they initially realized. They must discover the hidden clues, piece together the moving puzzle, and save everyone onboard –before it’s too late.
This was a solid read! I liked the mystery of what was going on, and I loved how the characters dealt with their own issues in 28-minute increments. I can’t imagine how maddening doing the same 30 minutes 400 times would be—especially with it ending just before the plane crashed! I liked the action, the characters, and the mystery. This would be a fun weekend read!
Rachel Reiss lives in California. Seconds to Spare is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)
She saved the prince. Now she must survive his world.
Lyria and her mother have been on the run from the human kingdom of Verdinae for as long as she can remember. She’s an elf born with magic—a double offence in a kingdom determined to eradicate both. Under her mother’s watchful protection, Lyria learns the rules that keep her alive: stay inside, stay hidden, stay safe, and above all stay calm, lest her magic flair out of control.
But when she finds a human boy being attacked by a deadly monster in the forest, Lyria risks everything by using magic to save him. She doesn’t expect his broken body to survive, and she definitely doesn’t expect him to be the crown prince.
Offered a position at the palace as the royal apothecary, Lyria seizes the chance to step into the light and prove to her mother she can control her unwieldly magic. But Verdinae is not the paradise it at first seems. The nobles are ruthless, the secrets are deadly, and Cygnus—the brooding royal healer—seems determined to expose Lyria’s every flaw. As she navigates a world of glittering gowns, deadly secrets, and stolen kisses, Lyria must keep her identity hidden. . . even from the prince who’s falling for her.
But beneath the palace lies a darkness far more dangerous than any secret. And when Lyria and Cygnus uncover a hidden world that could change everything, she must decide who to trust and how much she’s willing to risk for a love that was never meant to be.
I enjoyed this read, and would be interested in reading more, but…Lyria had some issues. She believed everything her mother said—I can kind of understand this, but when she got out into the world and realized her mother hadn’t been honest with her, she still believed everything Finn said…even with evidence he was lying. She tends to overreact to things in big ways. And, even when evidence is right in front of her, she completely ignores it and is then shocked when it slaps her in the face later.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding and history of this novel, and I liked Cygnus a lot, but Lyria kind of got on my nerves.
Sasha E. Sloan is the author of The Ruins Beneath Us.
(Galley courtesy of Disney Publishing Worldwide | Disney Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.)
Even though she’s not one of them, Brynn has spent her life among the Alaha, training to be a guard and waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta–the very same people who exiled her adopted community to a life at sea. Going to the market is a rite of passage eagerly anticipated by all young guards, but Brynn does not anticipate breaking a century-long peace treaty while there. Nor does she plan for the intense encounter with an enemy soldier that now threatens to unwind the fragile coexistence between their people–and everything Brynn once believed about herself to be true.
Brynn’s loyalty to the Alaha is tested when the truth of her identity is brought to light by this soldier who’s taken an oath to bring her back to where she belongs. Narrowly escaping death on the violent high seas, Brynn’s connection to the Alaha is further tested when she learns about the world of magic she’s been denied. She was once certain of her fate and where she belonged, but the dark, knowing eyes of this stranger have her questioning everything, including her heart.
I was not expecting the twist at the end! I didn’t pick up any hint of betrayal, so that really threw me for a loop. Did I miss some breadcrumbs?
The political/cultural landscape was a bit fuzzy for me, but I found the different cultures interesting. Very different societies and beliefs to contend with. I liked Brynn and Acker quite a bit, and they both felt very believable. Even the minor characters were vivid and interesting, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next!
Rachel Schneider lives in South Louisiana. Metal Slinger is book one in Fire & Metal.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Saturday Books in exchange for an honest review.)
Seventeen-year-old Aurora knows how to survive. Life in the foster system has taught her how to stay quiet, stay smart, and stay ready. But nothing could prepare her for this: a never-ending storm that swallows cities, drowns forests, and turns the world into a flooded wasteland.
Trapped in a collapsing house with her strict prepper foster parents, Aurora is forced to live by their rules just to stay alive. Until the day they disappear without a trace.
Alone. Abandoned. And running out of time.
All Aurora has is a waterlogged scrap of paper and a “The Hill.”
With looters closing in and the floodwaters rising higher each day, she’s left with one impossible choice—stay and wait for the storm to take her, or risk everything on a journey through the drowned remains of the world, to a find a place that may or not exist.
It’s forward or nothing.
This felt more like a middle grade than YA. A dystopian read, although the societal response to the weather disaster is basically non-existent, which doesn’t really make sense to me. No mention of weather forecasters, at the very least, much less the response by the government and first responders? That didn’t feel believable.
This was still a solid, very quick read, and is clearly a set-up for a series. Getting to know Aurora at the beginning gave enough of her background and who she was to showcase the change in her towards the end of the book, and the conflict made it intriguing.
Matthew Eicheldinger is a bestselling author. When the Rain Came is his newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Andrews McMeel Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)
Lucy Nowhere has spent her eighteen years working on the vast estate of the eccentric shipbuilder who took her in after she washed ashore in a green canoe as a baby. But she has long wished for a life off the island, and in a matter of days, she is set to leave for college—and, for the first time, choose her own future.
Then she finds her employer’s severed head on the beach. Rumors swirl that a mischievous spirit and its minions, the sea wolves, have struck again. Lucy doesn’t believe in myths. She knows that a human—a human murderer—killed him. And when she is unexpectedly named heiress to the estate, she understands the next target is her.
Her closest friend, the estate’s vigilant young guard, begs her to escape while she can. But Lucy knows the only way she can discover who she is, and free the island of its curse, is to find the real killer—before she becomes the next victim.
Honestly, I wanted to know more about the sea wolves! So, my only complaint is that that part of the storyline wasn’t resolved.
This setting was very isolated and insular, but the author depicted it well. I liked the characters and the impact their different cultures had on things. This was a solid historical read, and was very clean, too, making it an excellent choice for a YA audience. Lots of threads twisting and turning and I was never quite sure who the culprit was, but I enjoyed the read.
Stacey Lee is a bestselling author. Heiress of Nowhere is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Sarah Barley Books / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)
Roe Damarcus has never been afraid of the dead. Her power to summon spirits has awed the guests of her esteemed family’s galas for as long as she can remember. Her future is certain, and her gift will be another shining jewel in the Damarcus legacy.
But when she fails her realm’s trial to keep her magic and is deemed too dangerous for society, she faces a harrowing choice: give up her gift or serve a punishment sentence aboard the Celestial, a luxurious magical cruise ship where staff members compete for guest votes to earn a coveted retrial.
As a concierge, Roe juggles the demands of affluent guests, cruel bosses, and the suspicion that an infuriatingly handsome silks performer, Ivander, is determined to keep her from a retrial.
But the true dangers surface after her shift ends when the Celestial transforms into halls of nightmares that kill staff members after dark. Faced with the reality of serving aboard, Roe begins to question the ship, trials, and the system that put her there. But the moment Roe sinks into the ship’s dark history, she’s wrongly framed for a guest’s murder. Vowing to conjure her own second chance, Roe will use whatever power she has to uncover the secrets of the ship, her family, and their entwined bloody past… before she becomes the Celestial’s next victim.
I really enjoyed this! I was drawn in from the first page because of Roe’s voice. The world was fascinating—and the Celestial was terrifying. Roe was a character I could relate to because of her faults and her determination. I loved how she made friends on the ship and how resolutely she pursued her goals. The magic system is interesting , and I really liked this world and would be happy to read more.
Julia Alexandra lives in Florida. Midnight on the Celestial is her debut novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)
Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the small village of Reverie endures on a miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.
Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle at the mountain’s peak.
The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the dark woods, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle with only an immortal rabbit for company. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their ruinous attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. A deadly frost approaches, and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.
I found this to be a unique and enjoyable read! I loved how the myth was just part of the story, and it felt very believable, not shoehorned in like I’ve seen before. Aurora…I was on the fence about her. Sometimes he really got on my nerves with her wishy-washy and childish behavior, sometimes I really felt for her. I really like the Starmaker, though—and the immortal rabbit. This was a solid fantasy read!
Rachel Griffin is a bestselling author. The Sun and the Starmaker is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of SOURCEBOOKS Fire in exchange for an honest review.)
Welcome to the Carnival Fantástico, a spectacle of magic and mischief, and the perfect haven for a runaway. Using her tricks and razor-sharp wit, Esmeralda becomes the carnival’s resident fortune-teller, aiming for the lead role in the Big Top Show. Success would mean freedom from her former employer, the commander of the King’s army.
Ignacio has defected from the army and is on the hunt for evidence of his father’s corruption. But the last thing he expects to find on his father’s trail of lies is the only girl he’s ever loved, spinning false fortunes at a traveling carnival.
Perhaps fortune has thrown them together for a reason. They strike a deal: she’ll help him expose his father if he helps her secure the main act. But old feelings don’t die easily, and the commander’s secret isn’t the only thing they’ll need to confront.
This was an okay read. The dark carnival setting was fascinating and a lot of fun and was really the highlight of the book. Esmerelda and Ignacio felt pretty one-dimensional and their “conflict” could have been solved in one five-minute conversation instead of them continuously running away from each other. I liked the secondary characters quite a bit and would enjoy reading more about them.
Angela Montoya lives in California. Carnival Fantástico is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Random House Children’s Books | Joy Revolution in exchange for an honest review.)
Tomorrow Is Another Day 