Category Archives: Young Adult/Teen 12-18

Review: The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project by Lenore Appelhans

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The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project by Lenore Appelhans

The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project
Lenore Appelhans
Carolrhoda Lab Books
Published March 5, 2019

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About The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project

Riley lives in TropeTown, where everyone plays stock roles in novels. Riley, a Manic Pixie Dream Boy, is sent to group therapy after going off-script. He knows that breaking the rules again could get him terminated, yet he feels there must be more to life than recycling the same clichés for readers’ entertainment. Then he meets Zelda, a Manic Pixie Dream Girl (Geek Chic subtype), and falls head over heels in love. Zelda’s in therapy too, along with several other Manic Pixies. But TropeTown has a dark secret, and if Riley and his fellow Manic Pixies don’t get to the bottom of it, they may all be terminated.

My Review

This book is super cute. It reminded me a little bit of OFF THE PAGE by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer. Both stories take place in a world populated by story characters. In MANIC PIXIE, the characters are sort of like stereotyped actors who show up for roles in multiple stories. Only Riley and his friends are tired of being typecast.

I like the bright, chipper tone of the story. MANIC PIXIE is one of those books that’s not afraid to poke fun at itself, too, which was great! It made it lots of fun to read. I like how quirky the characters are (yay for manic pixie dream boys and girls!). Just overall, this was a really fun read.

Readers who liked OFF THE PAGE and/or fans of Scott Westerfeld’s SO YESTERDAY totally need to check out MANIC PIXIE DREAM BOY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
One minor character is a lesbian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Some off-scene violence – someone burns down a building.

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. I received a free copy of THE MANIC PIXIE DREAM BOY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Cursed by Thomas Wheeler

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Cursed
Thomas Wheeler
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published October 1, 2019

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About Cursed

Soon to be a Netflix original series!

The Lady of the Lake is the true hero in this cinematic twist on the tale of King Arthur created by Thomas Wheeler and legendary artist, producer, and director Frank Miller (300, Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Sin City). Featuring 8 full color and 30 black-and-white pieces of original artwork by Frank Miller.

Whosoever wields the Sword of Power shall be the one true King.

But what if the Sword has chosen a Queen?

Nimue grew up an outcast. Her connection to dark magic made her something to be feared in her Druid village, and that made her desperate to leave…

That is, until her entire village is slaughtered by Red Paladins, and Nimue’s fate is forever altered. Charged by her dying mother to reunite an ancient sword with a legendary sorcerer, Nimue is now her people’s only hope. Her mission leaves little room for revenge, but the growing power within her can think of little else.

Nimue teams up with a charming mercenary named Arthur and refugee Fey Folk from across England. She wields a sword meant for the one true king, battling paladins and the armies of a corrupt king. She struggles to unite her people, avenge her family, and discover the truth about her destiny.

But perhaps the one thing that can change Destiny itself is found at the edge of a blade.

Write caption…

My Review

An Arthurian story with female lead? Yes, please. I love the description of this book. CURSED is really different than the original story of Arthur and Merlin. I like a lot of the ways the characters and story are reimagined, though.

Merlin is this flawed man who’s hundreds of years old, thanks in part to his magic. Arthur hasn’t really become the hero yet, but you see glimpses of his potential through the story. And then there are all of these really fascinating minor characters in the story, too. With some of them, as their names get revealed, it makes so much sense how they will fit into the story.

Nimue is another great character. I love her adventurous spirit and the way she begins to embrace her role as a leader to her people.

The only part of the book that I really struggled with was the amount of violence. It’s just really not my thing. I’m way too squeamish for a lot of battle gore and torture is way too over the line for me. So I skimmed a few places where the violence got to be too intense.

Other than that, I think it’s a super imaginative tale with lots to offer to fans of the Arthur story and fantasy fans alike.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 17 up.

Representation
Some characters are from tribes with magic powers or differences in their appearance (tusks, etc). Others are basically English characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. In one scene, a couple bathe together in a hot spring.

Spiritual Content
Nimue belongs to a tribe with the ability to connect to spirits they call the hidden. She learns to use this ability in different ways. She becomes the keeper of a powerful sword rumored to grant ultimate rule to a king who claims it. Red paladins fight the Druid tribes seeking to destroy anyone with magic, believing they are an abomination to God and that destroying them is a purifying act.

Violent Content
So. Much. Violence. Lots of battle violence and gore. Some torture and references to torture. Child soldiers. It’s pretty brutal.

Drug Content
Some reference to 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. I received a free copy of CURSED in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Beast by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs

Book Review and Content, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

The Beast (Darkdeep #2)
Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Published September 24, 2019

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About The Beast

Nico, Opal, Tyler, Emma, and Logan survived their worst fears come to life, and saved their tiny Pacific Northwest town of Timbers from a monstrous figment invasion. Now they just want to keep their heads down, enjoy Halloween, and explore the secrets of their mysterious houseboat clubhouse. And also figure out their new Torchbearer responsibilities as keepers of the Darkdeep, an ancient whirlpool hidden in Still Cove that can make both dreams and nightmares into reality.

But when a dangerous new breed of figments starts appearing on their own, and the very environment around them begins to spiral out of control, the friends realize they have no idea what they are doing-or how they’re supposed to restrain the Darkdeep. They must uncover the pool’s origins, as well as those of the freaky Thing in a Jar, a seemingly lifeless green creature Opal believes is communicating with her. To make matters worse, a trashy YouTube series has rolled into town intent on finding the Beast, the legendary local sea monster suddenly stirring up the countryside.

As threats rapidly close in around them, the friends must fight to protect their secrets, defeat new enemies, and save Timbers and all that they love.

Told from alternating points of view, this chilling sequel from bestselling duo Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs will once again have readers sleeping with the lights on.

My Review

If you liked DARKDEEP, hang on, because THE BEAST packs even more of a suspenseful ride. I love the way the characters come together as a team, and the way they’re all different from each other. Emma is my favorite– her spunky, can’t-be-kept-down attitude would probably annoy me in a real life crisis, but she adds a lot of pizzazz to the story.

I think THE BEAST is a bit scarier than THE DARKDEEP. I think THE DARKDEEP was eerie and strange, but maybe because Nico and Opal were only just figuring out what was happening, it didn’t really ramp up in intensity until the end of the book. But with THE BEAST, Nico, Opal, Tyler, Emma, and Logan are already in trouble and desperately trying to get things under control.

This is definitely a quick read– because so much keeps you on the edge of your seat! It’s hard to find a place to drop a bookmark and stop. I think fans of THE DARKDEEP will really like this sequel and enjoy seeing where the series goes next. If you haven’t read THE DARKDEEP, you need to read it first before starting THE BEAST or you’ll have a hard time following the story. See below for content information.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Very little physical description of characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple references to passing gas.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Nico and his friends encounter beings that are only supposed to exist in movies and stories, like gremlins, monsters, aliens, etc. They interact with the source of the beings and have to figure out how to make them disappear.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Facing monsters, being trapped underwater, etc.

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. I received a free copy of THE BEAST in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Magical Realism, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine
Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Inkyard Press
September 3, 2019

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About Dear Haiti, Love Alaine

Co-written by sisters Maika and Maritza Moulite, and told in epistolary style through letters, articles, emails, and diary entries, this exceptional debut novel captures a sparkling new voice and irrepressible heroine in a celebration of storytelling sure to thrill fans of Nicola Yoon, Ibi Zoboi and Jenna Evans Welch!

When a school presentation goes very wrong, Alaine Beauparlant finds herself suspended, shipped off to Haiti and writing the report of a lifetime…

You might ask the obvious question: What do I, a seventeen-year-old Haitian American from Miami with way too little life experience, have to say about anything?

Actually, a lot.

Thanks to “the incident” (don’t ask), I’m spending the next two months doing what my school is calling a “spring volunteer immersion project.” It’s definitely no vacation. I’m toiling away under the ever-watchful eyes of Tati Estelle at her new nonprofit. And my lean-in queen of a mother is even here to make sure I do things right. Or she might just be lying low to dodge the media sharks after a much more public incident of her own…and to hide a rather devastating secret.

All things considered, there are some pretty nice perks…like flirting with Tati’s distractingly cute intern, getting actual face time with my mom and experiencing Haiti for the first time. I’m even exploring my family’s history—which happens to be loaded with betrayals, superstitions and possibly even a family curse.

You know, typical drama. But it’s nothing I can’t handle.

My Review

For me, DEAR HAITI, LOVE ALAINE had two incredibly powerful parts: the first is the relationships between characters. The second is the description of Alaine’s time in Haiti.

Alaine has complex relationships with pretty much everyone. Haha. She’s a bit prickly and probably too smart for her own good, and that makes being close to her a complicated thing. She feels estranged from her mom, and that pain totally comes across in the story. The helplessness she feels and the frustration were heartbreaking.

On a lighter note, I love Alaine’s sense of humor (not going to lie– even the school project gone wrong made me laugh) and her quirky way of relating things. She made the story really fun to read.

The landscape of Haiti is beautifully described, but that isn’t even the whole of it. There’s really something magical in the way the Moulite sisters write about Haiti and what it’s like for Alaine to be there.

I guess the family curse surprised me a little bit in that I didn’t realize until maybe the second half of the book that the curse was going to be such a huge part of the story. It felt like a bit of a hard left turn to me, if that makes sense.

Still, I think the authors tied all the threads of the story together nicely, and stayed away from some of the predictable tropes. I enjoyed reading DEAR HAITI, LOVE ALAINE, and I think readers who enjoy books about narrators making a first visit to a homeland, like THE CAT KING OF HAVANA by Tom Crosshill would enjoy this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Most characters are Haitian. Much of the story takes place in Haiti.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Alaine’s family member believe her family is under a curse which can only be broken through some spiritual rituals.

Violent Content
A woman slaps a man.

Drug Content
A girl drinks a hallucinogenic drink as part of a ritual.

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

Review: The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

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

The Girl the Sea Gave Back
Adrienne Young
Wednesday Books
Published September 3, 2019

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About The Girl the Sea Gave Back

The new gut-wrenching epic from the New York Times bestselling author of SKY IN THE DEEP.

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

My Review

THE GIRL THE SEA GAVE BACK is told in alternating points of view from Tova, a Truthtongue living with the Svell as an outcast, and Halvard, a young warrior destined to become leader of his tribe. I liked both characters immediately. Halvard is so eager to do the right thing and has a fierceness and yet this endearing core of self-doubt. Tova has this insatiable curiosity about her past and an unshakeable faith in the Spinners, who weave the fate of everyone.

I found it a little difficult to follow some of the story world and keep track of the broad cast of characters. I didn’t realize at first that THE GIRL THE SEA GAVE BACK is from the same story world as Young’s debut, SKY IN THE DEEP. If I had it to do over again, I think I would have tried to read SKY IN THE DEEP first so that I had a better understanding and more familiarity with the background, the tribes, and Halvard’s huge family.

The story has a very rich feel to it in terms of its history and culture. Each tribe has its own lore, its own gods and traditions, and its own way of doing things. The clash in those traditions created a lot of tension, too. That and the emphasis on the Spinners and their role in weaving together everyone’s fates created a sort of global feel in THE GIRL THE SEA GAVE BACK that I really enjoyed.

It does also have a lot of battles and battle violence. A couple chapters are mostly descriptions of one critical battle. It was a little much for me, but you probably know by now that I’m a sensitive reader, so factor that in and check out my content notes below for more specific details.

If you enjoyed SEA WITCH by Sarah Henning or CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL by Mara Rutherford then you should check out THE GIRL THE SEA GAVE BACK.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
I think the characters are all sort of Scandinavian-ish? Blond hair and pale skin, or dark hair and pale skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Each tribe worships a specific god and has rituals to honor that god. Tova believes in the Spinners, gods who weave the fates of everyone.

Violent Content
Extended descriptions of battle violence. Some descriptions of physical abuse of a child. Some descriptions of torturing prisoners. Situations of peril.

Drug Content
Tova breathes in a poisonous, hallucinogenic smoke in order to speak to the Spinners.

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

Review: Last of Her Name by Jessica Khoury

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

Last of Her Name
Jessica Khoury
Scholastic Press
Published February 26, 2019

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About Last of Her Name

Sixteen years ago, rebellion swept the galaxy known as the Belt of Jewels. Every member of the royal family was murdered–down to their youngest child, Princess Anya–and the Union government rose in its place. But Stacia doesn’t think much about politics. She spends her days half-wild, rambling her father’s vineyard with her closest friends, Clio and Pol.

That all changes the day a Union ship appears in town, carrying the leader of the Belt himself, the Direktor Eminent. The Direktor claims that Princess Anya is alive, and that Stacia’s sleepy village is a den of empire loyalists, intent on hiding her. When Stacia is identified as the lost princess, her provincial home explodes into a nightmare.

Pol smuggles her away to a hidden escape ship in the chaos, leaving Clio in the hands of the Union. With everything she knows threading away into stars, Stacia sets her heart on a single mission. She will find and rescue Clio, even with the whole galaxy on her trail.

My Review

Okay, wow. I really wanted to read this book after reading and loving FORBIDDEN WISH by the same author. It’s so different, though, that I kept hesitating to read it, but I’m glad I finally jumped into LAST OF HER NAME

I think my favorite part is the story world. The belt of planets named for jewels with different environments and different humans adapted to life on those planets made it seem really believable and unique. It felt like Star Wars meets Anastasia, and I loved that.

Some parts of the story felt a little slow to me, especially toward the middle of the book. I felt like it took a long time for Stacia to come into her own and begin to make strategic moves and become an active player in her story. Early in the story especially, she seemed to look to others a lot for what to do. I think I really got hooked on the book once she began to take charge and make decisions herself.

On the whole, though, I think the characters are really memorable and well-developed. I loved the way Stacia ended up with a team around her, and I loved each of those characters. I think fans of Claudia Gray’s DEFY THE STARS and Beth Revis’s ACROSS THE UNIVERSE will want to read LAST OF HER NAME.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Stacia is white and human. Other characters are adapted humans (some have horns or can manipulate gravity or have other abilities) and face prejudice from unadapted humans.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Intense kissing between a boy and girl while they lie side by side on a bunk. Two minor female characters appear to have romantic feelings for one another.

Spiritual Content
Space travel is based on the use of a prism, which contains energy. Each prism is connected to other prisms.

Violent Content
Some scenes show characters being executed by military personnel. Some scenes imply that torture or execution happens off-scene. Situations of peril occur throughout.

Drug Content
Some adults consume 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. I received a free copy of LAST OF HER NAME in exchange for my honest review.