Tag: young adult novels

Labyrinth Lost, by Zoraida Cordova

labyrinth-lost
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.

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.)

What I Read in July

Seems like I didn’t do a whole lot of reading in July.

Lady Midnight, by Cassandra Clare. (Loved it!)

chronicles

Chronicles of a Last Summer, by Yasmine El Rashidi. (Read to review.)

and I darken

And I Darken, by Kiersten White. (Read to review.)

The Dragon Round

The Dragon Round, by Stephen S. Power. (Read to review.)

an elegant facace

An Elegant Facade, by Kristi Ann Hunter. (Read to review.)

Far from the Madding Crowd, by Thomas Hardy. (My classic for the month. This one was so-so to me.)

Daring Greatly, by Brune Brown. (My spiritual book for the month.)

Trixie Belden and the Mystery Off Old Telegraph Road, by Kathryn Kenny. (This one was from my TBR pile. I loved this series when I was younger, and it’s interesting to re-read them now. So…innocent.)

 

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.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Disney Book Group.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Doubleday.)
(This image does not belong to me. Image belongs to Quirk Books.)
Jenni Ogden, author of A Drop in the Ocean
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Loveswept.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Crown Publishing.)
(I do no own this image. Image belongs to Random House/Alibi.)
(This image does not belong to me. Image belongs to She Writes Press.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.)

 

 

Deadgirl: Ghostlight, by B.C. Johnson

deadgirl
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Curiosity Quills Press.)

B.C. Johnson has been writing since he realized “it was one of the few socially acceptable ways to tell people a bunch of stuff you just made up off the top of your head.” He writes edgy young adult novels about unusual characters in outside-the-norm situations. His newest novel is Deadgirl:  Ghostlight, the second novel in The Deadgirl Saga.

Lucy Day is dead. Contrary to popular belief, that is not as bad as it sounds. Sure, dying is pretty horrible, but if you’re a phantom like Lucy—transformed by her overpowering will to live—you can still have a life. Lucy is dependent on the memories and emotions of others to survive, but once she’s conquered that, she thinks she has it made.

But one of Lucy’s friends is more than she appears, and she convinces Lucy to help her save those about to die. Soon Lucy is on the trail of a group of voyeuristic serial killers, which is scary enough by itself. Then there’s the mysterious wraith Lucy is haunted by. Not to mention the prospect of dating again…

Deadgirl:  Ghostlight is a quirky novel with lots of action. It’s our world, but with more:  more than meets the eye, more layers, and much more going on that ever imagined. Lucy Day is a typical teenage girl, except not. She has issues that would make most people curl up into a ball and cry. The characters are loveable, but flawed. This is well-worth the read. (It is the second book in a series, but works without reading the first, which is also available.)

(Galley provided by Curiosity Quills Press via NetGalley.)

The Cresswell Plot, by Eliza Wass

cresswell
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Disney Book Group.)

Eliza Wass is a woman of many talents—and many jobs. The Cresswell Plot, her first novel, hit shelves on June 7th.

The Cresswells live in the woods and keep to themselves. Six children, a handicapped mother, and a strict father who speaks directly to God. And their father says God has very specific rules. Like they can’t associate with anyone other than family. Which means he can’t work or provide for his family. He also tells them that the Cresswells are the only ones good enough to get into heaven.

Castley Cresswell and her siblings slowly start to question their father’s beliefs, but they are still marked as outsiders by their plain clothes, isolation, and unexplained bruising. Then Castley meets George Gray, and her life expands as she glimpses normal life. But she wants to take her siblings with her to freedom, so she starts to plan. And her father makes a chilling pronouncement:  it is time for the Cresswells to return to heaven. Can Castley save her family from her father’s lies, or will they all enter the darkness together?

The Cresswell Plot is a dark, uncomfortable book about one man’s obsessions and delusions, and the havoc it wreaks on his family. It is not a happy book, but it is an emotionally wrenching one that brings the isolation of one family to gut-churning life.

(Galley provided by Disney Book Group via NetGalley.)

Anything You Want, by Geoff Herbach

anything you want
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.)

Geoff Herbach is an award-winning young adult author. His newest book, Anything You Want, came out on May 1st.

Taco’s motto is “Today is the best day of your life, and tomorrow will be even better.” That’s what his mom always said, until she died of cancer, and his dad moved away for work, leaving Taco and his brother alone. Taco misses having a family, but when Maggie Corrigan agrees to go to prom with him, he thinks he’s found happiness again. Because Taco loves Maggie, and she loves him, too.

Except Maggie ends up pregnant. While everyone else is having a meltdown, Taco is excited about the prospect of having a family again. Now he just has to juggle calculus with learning how to be a dad. It would be great if he didn’t have to climb the side of the Corrigans’ house to see Maggie, too. But Taco is an optimist. He’s sure he’ll get things all figured out before the baby gets here.

Anything You Want is a light-hearted look at a hard subject, from the eyes of a boy who means well, but doesn’t always know what’s going on. It’s a look at growing up from the inside of Taco, a happy-go-lucky boy who just wants a family.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.)

My Kind of Crazy, by Robin Reul

my kind of crazy
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.)

Robin Reul is a young adult author. Her newest book, My Kind of Crazy, hits shelves April 5th.

“Normal is overrated.”

Welcome to Hank Kirby’s life. His wisecracks occasionally get him in trouble with his overbearing, alcoholic father. But not nearly as much trouble as his attempt to ask the most popular girl in school to prom. With sparklers. Underneath a very flammable tree…. When the house almost catches on fire, Hank ditches his plan and flees the scene of the crime.

Too bad Peyton Breedlove saw the whole thing. She takes an interest in Hank and his “work,” and soon he finds himself involved with the quirky, secretive Peyton, whose issues make Hank’s trouble’s look like child’s play. Are Peyton’s secrets more than Hank can handle?

My Kind of Crazy is a thought-provoking read about characters that are deeply flawed but struggling to survive. Neither Peyton nor Hank come from a happy home and family, and their fight to adjust and thrive takes them places they never considered. But they are more than just their pasts, a lesson that is painful and dangerous to learn.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.)

Did I mention I Love You, by Estelle Maskame

DIMILY
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.)

Estelle Maskame was sixteen when she finished writing her Did I Mention I Love You trilogy, which went viral via Wattpad with over four million hits. Estelle lives and writes full-time from Scotland. Did I Mention I Love You is her first published novel, available now.

 

Eden Munro hasn’t heard from her father in years, not since he left her and her mother behind. Now he’s re-married, with a new family and a new life, and he wants her to spend the summer with him in Santa Monica. Even the prospect of the beach and three new stepbrothers can’t make Eden look forward to the visit.

 

Tyler Bruce is Eden’s oldest stepbrother, and her total opposite. Angry, egotistical, and with a troubled past and a drug problem, Tyler is bad news. But Eden soon finds herself hanging out with Tyler’s friends, going to parties and doing things she knows she shouldn’t be doing. Despite Tyler’s clingy, vindictive girlfriend and her own love interest, Eden finds herself drawn to Tyler. Can she find out what’s really behind Tyler’s façade and help him win his battle against himself?

 

Did I Mention I Love You is an edgy young adult romance with dark layers. The parties and drugs aren’t glorified, but presented in a realistic manner that makes them heartbreakingly real. Eden finds herself going along with things she never imagined, as she searches for a way to save Tyler from the depths of his anguish. Their relationship is tense, complicated, and ever evolving. Did I Mention I Love You is a fast-paced read that is not all sunshine and light, instead focusing on the darker moments that give life its depth.

 

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.)

Death Before Daylight, by Shannon A. Thompson

(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Shannon. A. Thompson and Clean Teen Publishing.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Shannon. A. Thompson and Clean Teen Publishing.)

Shannon A. Thompson is a young adult author, a poet, and a blogger. Her newest book, Death Before Daylight, is the third book in The Timely Death trilogy, and hits shelves tomorrow. Shannon is currently with Clean Teen publishing. She loves cats and coffee, and both keep her going while she works.

The time for the showdown between the Light and the Dark has finally arrived. Someone must die. All Eric wants is Jessica by his side for the battle to come, but as soon as they are reunited, fate intervenes and they’re torn apart again. With a new breed of shade in play, the three descendants finally meet, but Jessica and Eric aren’t expecting to hear the truth from Darthon, who reveals his identity to Eric, who cannot divulge the secret. Jessica must find out the truth for herself—and make a decision that will decide the fate of the shade worlds forever.

Death Before Daylight is the last book in The Timely Death trilogy. The characters are believable and realistic, and the relationship between Eric and Jessica grows on every page. This world is a unique creation, with the Dark being good, and the Light bad, and the dual identities of all the shades is a great twist. This series is a fascinating, fast-pace read that will appeal to readers who love paranormal, fantasy, young adult, and romance.

***

My apologies to Ms. Thompson for the delay. I was about to post my review when you announced you would be leaving your prior publisher, so I decided to wait until that situation was resolved, and the book was available again. (Also posted to Examiner.com).

(Galley provided by Shannon A. Thompson.)

Chivalrous, by Dina L. Sleiman

(I do not own this image. Image courtesy of Bethany House Publishers.)
(I do not own this image. Image courtesy of Bethany House Publishers.)

Dina L. Sleiman is a resident of Virginia Beach where she spends a lot of her time outdoors, when she isn’t writing or editing. She is a graduate of Regent University, and she writes inspirational fiction. Her new novel, Chivalrous, is the second book in the Valiant Hearts series.

Gwendolyn Barnes wishes she were a man. Then she could become a knight and compete in tournaments: her secret dream. Instead, Gwendolyn is at the mercy of her domineering, brutal father and her submissive mother. Her father intends only to see her married to a man just as controlling as he is so she will further the family’s fortunes. So Gwendolyn keeps her knightly training a secret, not wishing to raise the ire of her father.

In disguise, she competes in a tournament, where she meets the handsome Allen of Ellsworth. Allen is determined to prove his worth as a knight, but he sacrifices his chance to win the tourney to save a child. His sacrifice results in Allen’s whirlwind rise through the ranks, and soon he’s living a live he never imagined. Gwendolyn could see herself by his side, but fate conspires to keep them apart as murder, mayhem, and marriage stand in their way.

Chivalrous is a tale of days gone by, a story straight from the world of Arthur. There is action a plenty: knights, battles, courtly intrigue, and betrayal. Gwendolyn must learn her own worth, and how God values her, while Allen must place his faith wholly in God, instead of man. Chivalrous is an entrancing read that will keep readers glued to every page.

(Galley Provided by Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley.)