Tag: young adult

One Was Lost, by Natalie Richards

one-was-lost
Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.

Natalie Richards used to work in a boring office cubicle before she discovered the art of making things up and became a young adult author. Her newest novel is One Was Lost.

Sera did not want to go on her senior camping trip, but she didn’t have a choice. She especially didn’t want to go with Lucas, with whom she has a history. But there she was, hiking through the woods with a group of teenagers, and the only thing she has in common with them is this stupid trip.

Until the group is split in two, and her group wakes up groggy and disoriented, with words scrawled on their wrists. Their supplies are gone. Their chaperone is unconscious. And they find four dolls acting out a murder…four dolls dressed exactly like them. Someone stalks them in the woods, and since Sera has the only positive word on her wrist, soon everyone is suspicious of her. They have to get out of the woods before someone else winds up hurt or dead, but their stalker is always one step ahead.

So, this book….I’m a bit of a chicken sometimes, and this book creeped me out several times. Things kept getting worse for Sera and her friends, and the setting was spooky enough to make me swear off camping in the woods. Like, forever. I never did figure out what was going on, right up until the action-packed ending. One Was Lost kept me flipping pages until I finally found out what was going on.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley).

The Cabin, by Natasha Preston

the-cabin
Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.

Natasha Preston is a New York Times bestselling author from England. Her newest novel is The Cabin.

It’ been a rough year for Mackenzie and her friends. They lost two of their group in a car accident months ago, and things have not been the same since. Now, with graduation looming, they decide to celebrate at Josh’s parents’ cabin in the woods. Sounds fun, right?

Right up until the moment when they find two of their group brutally murdered. And with no signs of forced entry, that means one of the five survivors is the killer. With all eyes upon them, Mackenzie’s life—and those of her friends—will never be the same. She can’t stand not knowing what happened, but when her efforts to figure it out result in another death, Mackenzie starts to wonder just how well she really knows her friends.

The Cabin is creepy in a spine-tingling, looking-over-your-shoulder way. The characters are great, vibrant with life and their relationships are complex. Like Mackenzie, I didn’t want to believe one of them was the killer. Unlike Mackenzie, I’m positive I wouldn’t have gone back out into the woods looking for clues. If you’re looking for a read that will suck you in and keep you flipping the pages, grab this one!

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.)

Heir of Thunder, by Karissa Laurel

heir-of-thunder
Image belongs to Evolved Publishing.

Karissa Laurel is the author of The Norse Chronicles. Her newest book, Heir of Thunder, is the first book in The Stormbourne Chronicles.

Evelyn Stormbourne is left reeling by the sudden death of her father amidst an attack by revolutionaries. Her only ally is Gideon, her father’s horse master, who helps her conceal her identity as they flee to the safety of the coast to find a ship to the Continent.

When a horrific storm washes Evie overboard, she finds herself “rescued” by slavers collecting girls from all cultures. Though Evie escapes, she’s determined to save her fellow captives, with the aid of nomads who live in airships fueled by lightning. Add in a cabal of Dark Magicians intent on using her to create a new god, and an ancient family intent on claiming Evie’s birthright, and the likelihood of disaster is high, as Evie struggles to embrace her identity as well as her powers.

Heir of Thunder is an engaging read set in an intriguing world. The airships are fascinating, as is the culture of the people who live in them. Evie starts off as a sheltered, spoiled brat, but grows so much as a character throughout the novel. A great epic fantasy read for YA or adult readers alike.

(Galley provided by Evolved Publishing via NetGalley.)

The Homecoming, by Stacie Ramey

 

the-homecoming
Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.

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

unfolding
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Blink.

 

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.)

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.)

Cutter Boy, by Cristy Watson

cutter-boy
I do not own this image. Image used courtesy of James Lorimer & Company.)

 

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.)

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

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.)

ash island
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to J.H. Lucas.)

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

vinegar girl
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Crown Publishing.)

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

ash island
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to 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.)