Tag: young adult novels

Between Now and Never, by Laura Johnston

(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Kensington Books and Lyrical Press.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Kensington Books and Lyrical Press.)

Laura Johnston loves music, reading, and running. She also loves to write stories with heart. Her newest book, Between Now and Never, is a contemporary young adult novel with shades of mystery and romance.

Cody Rush is the “good” kid: basketball star, stays out of trouble, has a loving family. Julianna Schultz is his complete opposite: she loves art, her brother has a troubled past, her home life is falling apart. Cody’s dad is an FBI agent. Julianna’s mom is in prison. To make things worse, Cody’s dad is the man who put her there. Cody has only spoken to Julianna once, but he knows that their parents’ history will always make them enemies. And Cody agrees.

Until he wakes up in the hospital, with no memory of the night before, and finds pictures of himself and Julianna. Laughing. Having fun. Kissing. What happened that night? Why can’t he remember anything? And what is going on between him and Julianna? As Cody searches for answers to the mystery, he and Julianna grow closer. But the secret hidden in Cody’s memory may drive them apart forever.

Between Now and Never is a contemporary romance with hints of old-fashioned sweetness. Cody and Julianna are perfect foils for one another, and their relationship grows throughout the trials they face while the two learn to judge things—and people—for themselves, despite their past and what other people say. Between Now and Never is a great read that will have the reader intrigued by the mystery of Cody’s memories while rooting for him and Julianna to work out the issues that stand between them.

(Galley provided by Kensington Books and Lyrical Press via NetGalley.)

Gates of Thread and Stone, by Lori M. Lee

(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Skyscape and Lori M. Lee.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Skyscape and Lori M. Lee.)

Lori M. Lee is an author from Wisconsin, via Laos and Thailand. She writes young adult fiction, in the fantasy genre. Her first published novel is The Gates of Thread and Stone, the first book in the Gates of Thread and Stone series.

Seventeen-year-old Kai lives in the Labyrinth, a warren of poverty, secrets, and desperation on the edge of the city. Keeping your mouth shut is the only way to survive there. It’s just Kai and Reev, her older adopted brother, against the world, and Kai is fine with that. They’re poor, but they have each other.

Then one day, Reev disappears, and Kai has to choose between keeping her mouth shut and trying to save Reev. No contest. Soon Kai finds herself swept up in the revolution that has been brewing for centuries, as the secrets of her past—and her origins—threaten to overtake her. With the help of Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the forbidding reputation, Kai must fight: to save Reev, to find out who she is, for her very survival.

The Gates of Thread and Stone is a compelling tale of magic and adventure, set in a world both forbidding and harsh and filled with mysteries. The world is not as it seems, and neither is Kai. Her journey of discovery—initially a rescue mission—leads her to place she’s never dreamed of, and reveals things she never considered. The riveting tale will mesmerize readers from the first page.

(Galley provided by Skyscape via NetGalley.)

Minutes Before Sunset, by Shannon A Thompson

(Shannon A Thompson, AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc)
(Shannon A Thompson, AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc)

Shannon A. Thompson is an Indie author who has published poetry, short fiction, and young adult novels.  She is currently working on her A Timely Death trilogy. The first book, Minutes Before Sunset, won a Goodreads award for Book of the Month.  Ms Thompson also pens a popular blog giving tips and advice to fellow writers.

Eric Welborn is a typical teenager in some ways—angst, family drama, wanting to do his own thing—but that’s where he and “typical” end.  He lives as a human during the day, but he has another, secret, life as well.  For Eric is also a shade, the first descendant of the Dark, destined to do battle for his people when he turns eighteen. But Eric isn’t sure just how true everything he’s been told about the Prophecy is, and his frustration makes him do things he really shouldn’t.

Like ditch his guard and wander off on his own, where the Light, ancient enemies of his people, could sense him and destroy him before the Prophecy could be fulfilled.  Eric meets a nameless shade who knows nothing about their people—or their world.  As he teaches her, he realizes she’s far more powerful than she should be.  Which means everything he’s thought was true for his entire life is a lie.  Now Eric doesn’t know what to believe, or who to turn to. He just knows the nameless shade is the only one he feels he can trust.

Minutes Before Sunset is a fast-paced, well-written read that will appeal to fans of fantasy, as well as young adult readers.  Ms Thompson has created an intriguing setting that is not your typical fantasy fare, with two separate worlds—the “real” world of high school and prom, and the world of Prophecy and Light and Dark.  She brings both of these worlds to life, and her characters struggle with their lives in both worlds.  Not only is the setting riveting and unique, but the characters are compelling, a combination sure to transport the reader to this magical world.  The second novel in the A Timely Death trilogy, Seconds Before Sunrise, releases March 27th.