Category Archives: Young Adult/Teen 12-18

Review: A Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee

Forest of Souls (Shamanborn #1)
Lori M. Lee
Page Street Kids
Published June 23, 2020

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About Forest of Souls

Sirscha Ashwyn comes from nothing, but she’s intent on becoming something. After years of training to become the queen’s next royal spy, her plans are derailed when shamans attack and kill her best friend Saengo.

And then Sirscha, somehow, restores Saengo to life.

Unveiled as the first soulguide in living memory, Sirscha is summoned to the domain of the Spider King. For centuries, he has used his influence over the Dead Wood—an ancient forest possessed by souls—to enforce peace between the kingdoms. Now, with the trees growing wild and untamed, only a soulguide can restrain them. As war looms, Sirscha must master her newly awakened abilities before the trees shatter the brittle peace, or worse, claim Saengo, the friend she would die for.

Danger lurks within the roots of Forest of Souls, an epic, unrelenting tale of destiny and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Susan Dennard.

My Review

Is it just me, or are there a LOT of seriously great books coming out this year? I feel like every review, I’m saying something like, “Wow! This was such an amazing book!” But seriously, I’ve read some really amazing books this year! I promise I don’t think every book is amazing. Ha.

FOREST OF SOULS, though… was pretty amazing. I got caught up in the story world (though I wish there had been a map!) and in the layers and layers of intrigue. Also, there are CREEPY TREES. Like, the stuff of nightmares kinds of creepy. I’m usually not into that, and it definitely came right up to the edge of what I’m comfortable reading. But they also kept me turning pages and needing to know what would happen.

The relationships between the characters are great, too. I loved the friendship and understanding between Sirscha and Saengo and the condescending banter between Sirscha and Theyen.

This is a series I can tell I’m going to need to follow. The second book won’t be out until next year, though, so I’ll have to keep myself busy between now and then.

Do you ever wish books were like Netflix series? Where the whole series got published all at once and we could just binge read them all at our own pace?? I realize there are reasons it doesn’t work that way, but it’s a nice fantasy, especially right now.

At any rate, I think readers who enjoyed the SHADOW OF THE FOX series by Julie Kagawa or FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS by Julie C. Dao will want FOREST OF SOULS on their shelves.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Based on Hmong belief that spirits are responsible for what happens to you. Asian-coded characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
There are three races of humans. Two have magical abilities related to souls. Some can destroy souls or guide them. All require a soul in a familiar to access their magic.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning
Lots of battle violence and some scenes showing or referencing physical punishment akin to abuse or torture.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of FOREST OF SOULS in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Take Me with You by Tara Altebrando

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Take Me with You
Tara Altebrando
Bloomsbury YA
Published June 23, 2020

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About Take Me with You

Eden, Eli, Marwan, and Ilanka barely know each other beyond having a class or two together. But when they are all summoned via messaging app to an empty classroom after school, they find a small cube sitting on a desk. Its sides light up with rules for them:

Do not tell anyone about the device. Never leave the device unattended.
And then, Take me with you . . . or else.

At first they think it’s some kind of prank or a social experiment orchestrated by the school administration. Still, they follow its instructions until the newly-formed group starts to splinter. Nobody has time for these games–their lives are complicated enough. But the device seems increasingly invested in the private details of their lives. And disobeying its rules has scary–even life-threatening–consequences . . .

My Review

You know you’re in for a wild ride when an author creates a simple black cube and makes it creepy as all get out. I had no idea what I was in for when I started TAKE ME WITH YOU.

As soon as Eden took the cube, I knew I was hooked. I sneaked in a few pages between things I had to get done. Anytime I had a couple minutes, I was right back in the pages of the book.

Eden and Marwan are my favorites. I loved the fact that we got to see what they were each thinking about each other but not brave enough to say. And I loved that even though the cube opened up a nightmare for all the people involved, it also forced people who were isolated in different ways to take risks and form friendships. That part was really cool.

I think I stayed on the edge of my seat with this book all the way until the end. It’s definitely the kind of book where you just want there to be another chapter that really, finally, explicitly says what you’ve hoped will happen. But all the possibilities are there, and there’s something really sweet in leaving the story with that kind of open doorway to something great.

I really enjoyed TAKE ME WITH YOU. I’m not usually a big suspense reader, but I definitely enjoyed this book a lot. I think fans of WE DIDN’T ASK FOR THIS by Adi Alsaid or THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS by Marieke Nijkamp will like this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Marwan’s famiy is culturally Muslim. His parents are from Egypt. Ilanka’s family is Russian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Description of kissing between boy and girl. He asks for her to send him a “fun” picture. She takes a picture of herself in a bra and considers sending it to him.

Spiritual Content
Marwan and his family are Muslim but not practicing.

Violent Content
Someone throws eggs at and a rock through the window of Marwan’s family’s restaurant. A racial group name appears in spray paint on the sidewalk near the restaurant.

Drug Content
Parents drink alcohol socially.

Note: I received a free copy of TAKE ME WITH YOU in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

P.S. I Like You
Kasie West
Point Publishing
Published July 26, 2016

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About P.S. I Like You

Signed, sealed, delivered…

While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

My Review

I. Loved. This. Book. I can’t believe it took me so long to actually read it. I’ve had it since I got it signed at a book con in 2016. Usually I tend toward more angsty books rather than lighthearted, funny books, but lately I’ve been needing a little Rom Com in my life. P.S. I LIKE YOU was exactly the book I needed.

Lily has a big, loud, crazy family, but they’re warm and open to outsiders, which I love. They’re the family that invites others to Thanksgiving dinner. I enjoyed the chaos and warmth of those characters and getting to see Lily with her guard down and feeling open and at ease.

When she’s not with her family, Lily tends to be ridiculously awkward and says the wackiest things. I couldn’t help laughing at some of the situations she lands herself in and some of the banter between her and other characters.

The letters between her and her mystery pen pal were great (I guessed who it was early on and that did not ruin anything for me) and kept me turning pages. I couldn’t wait to get to the next letter. I might have been as eager as Lily. Ha!

While I was reading the book, my husband commented that I looked happier than usual. And he was right! I definitely needed this fun book with its sweet romance. My only dilemma now is which book by Kasie West to read next!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Lily’s best friend is Mexican-American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between girl and boy.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

The Tiger at Midnight
Swati Teerdhala
Katherine Tegen Books
Published April 23, 2019

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About The Tiger at Midnight

A broken bond. A dying land. A cat-and-mouse game that can only end in bloodshed.

Esha is a legend, but no one knows. It’s only in the shadows that she moonlights as the Viper, the rebels’ highly skilled assassin. She’s devoted her life to avenging what she lost in the royal coup, and now she’s been tasked with her most important mission to date: taking down the ruthless General Hotha.

Kunal has been a soldier since childhood, training morning and night to uphold the power of King Vardaan. His uncle, the general, has ensured that Kunal never strays from the path—even as a part of Kunal longs to join the outside world, which has been growing only more volatile.

Then Esha’s and Kunal’s paths cross—and an unimaginable chain of events unfolds. Both the Viper and the soldier think they’re calling the shots, but they’re not the only players moving the pieces. As the bonds that hold their land in order break down and the sins of the past meet the promise of a new future, both rebel and soldier must make unforgivable choices.

Drawing inspiration from ancient Indian history and Hindu mythology, the first book in Swati Teerdhala’s debut fantasy trilogy captivates with electric romance, stunning action, and the fierce bonds that hold people together—and drive them apart.

My Review

Forbidden love between a duty-bound soldier and a rebel assassin set in a lush, magical landscape? OH. YES. I knew as soon as I read the description of this book that THE TIGER AT MIDNIGHT was something I needed to read.

What is it about characters who battle with loyalty to a cause once they realize their world isn’t the black and white place they thought it was? I loved that for both Esha and Kunal, decisions that were once easy become complicated. Suddenly their enemies have faces and names and causes, and it’s not so simple to cut them down.

There’s a lot of inner turmoil and wrestling, which I love because I tend to love stories that tackle moral issues. There’s also a beautiful landscape with jungles and palaces and town bazaars and everything described in a way that makes it all come alive.I think fans of Roshani Chokshi (THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN) and Sabaa Tahir (AN EMBER IN THE ASHES) will love this fantastic book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Written with inspiration from Indian history and Hindu mythology.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Profanity used very rarely.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl and pretty fierce romantic tension. Esha meets a girl who is running away to be with her lover, another girl.

Spiritual Content
A Samyad woman and a Himyan man must both make a sacrifice to renew the janma bond with the land, a bond which keeps the land fertile and growing. Since the disruption of the bond, the land is drying out and people are starving.

Some characters have the ability to shift into animal forms.

Violent Content
Esha is an assassin who primarily uses whips as her weapon of choice. She wraps the whip around the neck of victims she wishes to control or threaten. She kills several soldiers.

Some scenes show battle violence and situations of peril. No gore.

Drug Content
Some references to drinking alcohol. Esha pours alcohol on a soldier she has incapacitated, hoping that his superiors will think him drunk. Kunal drinks with other soldiers, but usually only a small amount. In one scene, he pours his wine out when the others aren’t looking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,

They Both Die at the End
Adam Sivera
Quill Tree Books
Published September 5, 2017

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About They Both Die at the End

Adam Silvera reminds us that there’s no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable day.

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

My Review of They Both Die at the End

Okay, so I read this book mostly as a result of my daughter complaining that she wanted to read a book where people fall in love and then they both die at the end. So I was like, I think I know the right book for this! Ha.

I love that Mateo and Rufus have such different voices. And I love the rituals between Rufus and his friends, the Plutos. I love the way he challenges Mateo to come out of the safe careful cave he has lived in, and how Mateo challenges Rufus to stop hiding from his emotions.

In the story, you get a call the day you die, letting you know it’s coming. There’s nothing you can do to stop it, and you have no idea how or when during that day it’s going to happen. It’s an interesting paradox because knowing you’re going to die changes what you do that day, but you were already going to die before you decided to make those changes.

And it’s not only Rufus and Mateo getting those calls, it’s everyone. So all around them are people who’ve gotten the call or who are living in fear of it or living wilder because they haven’t gotten it. There are whole businesses that exist for people who are living their last day, which is kind of weird to think about, but would definitely happen if we knew what day everyone was going to die.

I love the two-people-thrown-into-a-situation-together-ness of this book, and I love how knowing each other changes both Rufus and Mateo. I like that they don’t meet each other looking for love, but find it unexpectedly.

It’s very weird to read a book knowing someone will die at the end. It’s kind of like accepting that something is going to hurt you but doing it anyway, knowing that along the way, that same thing is going to make you laugh, make you think about things in a way you hadn’t thought before. I guess all that to say that I was afraid this book was going to be too sad for me, and it’s definitely sad. But it’s also so full of hope and value and love. And I’m so glad I got to read it for those things, too.

If you liked AWAY WE GO by Emil Ostrovski, definitely check out THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END.

Content Notes for They Both Die at the End

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
One character is bisexual and another is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used mainly by Rufus.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. At one point they fall asleep together.

Spiritual Content
Rufus and Mateo discuss what they think happens after death, whether there’s an afterlife. Neither believe very deeply in any sort of religion. One character believes in reincarnation.

Violent Content
At the beginning of the story, Rufus is beating up another boy. Later, a character brings a bomb to a gym and sets it off, killing himself and others nearby. A girl stands on top of a building, contemplating killing herself. A car accident kills another person. Someone points a gun at a member of a crowd. A fire kills someone.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Starflight by Melissa Landers

Book Review and Content, Romance, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Starflight
Melissa Landers
Disney-Hyperion
Published February 2, 2016

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About Starflight

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She’s so desperate to reach the realm that she’s willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he’s been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe…

My Review

I’ve had this book on my list for SO LONG. It was really nice to finally get around to reading it, and so rewarding, since I loved it!

STARFLIGHT definitely has that FIREFLY vibe to it– making it on the frontier of space, passengers on a ship on the run from authorities. It’s an upbeat, fun, enemies-to-lovers story that is absolutely what I needed right now to distract me from more serious day-to-day life.

I liked that all of the characters were more than they seemed. I felt like Melissa Landers took some of the usual space characters and added twists and secrets. I loved the crew of the Banshee and the banter and relationships between them.

If you’re looking for a fun, light sci-fi with a great cast of characters and lots of banter, add this one to your reading list!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
One character is bisexual.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex. Scenes leading up to sex.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Battle violence and situations of peril. References to torture.

Drug Content
Some scenes show or reference drinking alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.