Category Archives: Young Adult/Teen 12-18

My Favorite Books from 2015 (January to October)

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Favorite Books from 2015

My Favorite Books from 2015 (So Far…)

So these are not guaranteed to be clean teen reads. This list is made up of the stories and characters which most captured me, deprived me of sleep or free thought until I’d finished the very last page or beyond. Read my reviews (click the book title) for more information on content of each novel. Enjoy!

1. Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman – I loved that Shusterman took us on this journey through mental illness and it felt so authentic. At the same time the metaphorical structure made it easy to follow the story and added to its complexity.

2. When You Leave by Monica Ropal – This was one of those books that I read in one sitting and thought about for weeks afterward. I loved the characters and the way Ropal explores the unanswered questions left behind when we lose someone.

3. Because You’ll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas – I was a little bit torn between this book and Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon, but the tie breaker for me was the fact that I loved both the boys in Because You’ll Never Meet Me so incredibly much and couldn’t stop rooting for them. I didn’t realize until just now that both books feature boys named Ollie/Olly, but also deal with a person who is unable to be around others for medical reasons. Both were great books, but BYNMM takes top prize for me.

4. The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey – I loved the fantastic story world in this book. It definitely reminded me a bit of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone, but it wasn’t quite so dark, I thought. I loved the romance.

5. Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella – This book made me laugh so hard I had tears streaming down my face. The relationships between characters is absolutely great, and the way Audrey’s illness affects each family member is really well-explored. I think it takes a truly amazing writer to take a hard topic like mental illness and yet relate events to us in such a way that we can still laugh. Kinsella definitely has the knack for it.

6. The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow – Right from the very beginning, I was completely hooked on this story. Such high stakes! And I loved that they AI character(s) didn’t follow all the stereotypes about how AI would behave, etc.

7. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo – Are you tired of hearing about how much I like this book yet? I feel like it’s all I’m talking about right now. Totally immersive story world. Characters that I just can’t stop thinking about. And an impossible heist to keep me on the edge of my seat.

8. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – This book is like World War Z meets 2001: A Space Oddyssey. Some nights I could not go to sleep for thinking about this book. The dialogue and the unique presentation are definitely among the book’s strengths. I would definitely pick up a follow-up story to this one.

9. These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly – If you’ve been around TSS much lately, you know I LOVE me some books by Jennifer Donnelly. This book really scratched an itch for me. It’s a historical set in the 1890s and touches on some feminist themes about that time. It’s also a murder-mystery and has a really intense (but not explicit) romance. Loved it!

What’s your favorite?

Have you read any of the above books? What are your favorites so far this year?

Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

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Six of Crows
Leigh Bardugo
Henry Holt & Co./MacMillan
Published September 29, 2015

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Six of Crows

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

My Review

This book is a bit longer than my usual read, I’d heard so much buzz about it that I couldn’t resist giving it a shot. It’s also the first book by Leigh Bardugo that I’ve read.

Now, after I’ve recovered from sleepless nights huddled in my bed reading far too late, I can say it was absolutely worth it. Not since reading THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak have I read a novel that has affected me so.

The characters immediately hooked me. Each one of the heist members is unique and has so much to lose if the job goes wrong. I loved the way Bardugo set up the romantic tension. I was absolutely dying for the couples to find their way through the conflict to at last reveal their true feelings for one another. Totally swoon-worthy. Wow.

At its heart, SIX OF CROWS is a pretty simple story about a team who get hired to steal something valuable. What makes it so truly spectacular is the complex story world in which the characters exist and the relationships and experiences that bind the characters together or drive them apart. The narrative is also fantastic. Fantasy lovers absolutely need to give this a read. Even if you didn’t enjoy Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone Trilogy, trust me and give this one a go. This was my first experience with her writing, and afterward I went back to read the first in the Grisha series. The style and the story are so different. It took me a lot longer to get into SHADOW AND BONE. Not that it isn’t good, I just feel like it’s a mistake to compare them.

Now I’m off to scratch another mark on my wall counting down to the release of CROOKED KINGDOM next year. Must. Have. More.

Content Notes

Language Content
Infrequent use of profanity.

Sexual Content
While there’s no explicit sex, there are some intense moments. Nina and Inej both have a history working in a brothel, though very few details are given about that, and Nina uses her Heartrender gift to soothe and calm the minds of her patrons. Inej was trafficked as a sex worker. Nina and Matthias have a history and she makes a couple of crude comments about his arousal, but there is no description of sex.

Spiritual Content
SIX OF CROWS includes some fantasy story world lore, especially Fjerdan traditions.

Violence
Fight scenes, references to torture, some moderately gory battles. Also, one character has a bit of a gruesome backstory in which he was trapped among dead bodies.

Drug Content
Grisha are vulnerable to a highly addictive drug which grossly amplifies their power. Exposure to even one dose can turn them into desperate, terrorized addicts.

What’s the last book you read that left you totally breathless?

When I finished this book, I just sat speechless for a few moments. Then I honestly had to stop myself from turning the book over and starting again! I loved loved loved it and cannot wait for the sequel.

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Review: These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

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These Shallow Graves
Jennifer Donnelly
Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

When news of Jo’s father’s sudden death rips her away from school, she returns home to her grieving family. Unable to accept the story that her father accidentally shot himself, she teams up with Eddie, a local reporter who worked for her father’s paper, to uncover the truth about his death. As each clue leads to more questions, Jo and Eddie quickly realize that the uncovering the truth could destroy everything her father once built. Jo also realizes she may be falling for the handsome reporter, but to surrender to her feelings would mean turning her back on her family.

I first fell in love with Donnelly’s writing in A Northern Light. More recently I’ve read the first three Waterfire Saga books, which are a lot lighter and geared for a bit of a younger audience. I enjoyed those books, too, but I have to say I’ve been craving the darker, more complex historical feel that first book contains, and These Shallow Graves absolutely delivered all that I hoped for and more.

The romance between Jo and Eddie had me flipping page after page. I loved the dynamics between them and also the way they each related to other characters in the story. I loved that the side characters had a lot of personality and many became significant to the story. Jo’s journey has a lot to do with answering the question of who’s valuable, and over and over Donnelly presents answers in the way these minor characters unexpectedly play significant roles in the way the story develops. I loved that message.

Readers looking for a murder-solving suspense, a taste of historical fiction, or a swoon-worthy romance will find these things and more in These Shallow Graves. If you liked A Northern Light, I suspect this one will be a sure win, too.

Language Content
Infrequent use of moderate profanity.

Sexual Content
Girls briefly discuss curiosity about sex – no details. Jo learns of the existence of brothels and briefly visits the parlor of one. She spends the night in the company of a man, but only sleeping occurs.

Spiritual Content
References to church attendance. A man claims regret over his past misdeeds causes him to have visions of Hell.

Violence
This book contains a lot of suspenseful and intense moments featuring bad, violent men, who don’t hesitate to harm women and children. The description are often brief, but so sinister.

One of the characters is a student of forensic medicine. He relates information about causes of death to Jo and Eddie. His descriptions can be a bit graphic.

Drug Content
Brief reference to morphine addiction. Several scenes take place in a bar or show characters drinking alcohol.

Waterfire Saga Giveaway

Don’t miss a chance to enter the giveaway for the first three books in the Waterfire Saga plus series-themed nail polish. Check it out here. (Giveaway ends 11/3/15)

 

Waterfire Saga Giveaway and Mini Reviews #Giveaway

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One of the series I’ve been super excited about is the Waterfire Saga series. Today, I’m honored to work with Disney Hyperion to offer a Waterfire Saga prize pack as part of a giveaway celebrating the release of Dark Tide, the latest book in the series by the amazing and lovely Jennifer Donnelly.

Mini Review: Deep Blue

My favorite thing about this book is that it doesn’t take the traditional line of stories about mermaids. There’s no handsome human prince out there waiting for this Mer princess to rescue him. She’s got much bigger problems right here under the sea. I love that Donnelly creates this whole culture with  lore and customs but keeps it feeling fresh and accessible. Sera and her friends feel like hip teen girls even though they’re in a completely different world than ours. This is a great intro series for younger teen or preteen readers looking to get into fantasy or fairy tale retelling-type stories. (Read my full review of Deep Blue here.)

Mini Review: Rogue Wave

While Deep Blue spends a lot of time following Sera’s story, Rogue Wave branches out into her friend Neela’s story quite a bit. The Mer world has kingdoms of wildly different races and Sera’s journey to save her kingdom involves six girls with diverse backgrounds. I liked that the series brings some variations in race and ethnicity even at the ocean floor. Sera and Mahdi’s romance progresses but stays very PG and sweet. There are a couple of things that got a little bit repetitive for me – over and over we’re reminded that a ritual shared by five of the Mer girls transferred some of their special abilities to each other. It wasn’t a big deal, but it did seem to come up a lot. (Full review coming soon.)

Mini Review: Dark Tide

Read an excerpt of Dark Tide here.

In Dark Tide we get a view into Ling’s and Astrid’s roles in the plot to destroy the monster Abbadon. The stakes get higher as the bad guys close in on the mermaids and Mahdi’s cover could be blown at any minute. Sera and Neela have grown a lot since we first met them. Sera is now a seasoned warrior and leader. Neela has so much more confidence in herself. We get a little taste of romance with some of the other characters, which I really liked, too. Again, the love stories stay very clean. This might have been my favorite book of the series so far. The suspenseful ending definitely left me eager to read the final novel Sea Spell, which won’t be out until June 2016. (I received a copy of Dark Tide from Disney-Hyperion as part of my participation in the giveaway, but my opinions on the book and series are my own. Look for my full review on Dark Tide in November.)

About Jennifer Donnelly

Jennifer Donnelly is an award-winning author of both adult and young adult books, including Deep Blue, Rogue Wave, and Dark Tide, the first three books in the Waterfire Saga. For adults she has written a trilogy of best-selling books that includes The Tea Rose, The Winter Rose, and The Wild Rose. Her first young adult novel, A Northern Light, received many accolades, among them the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Carnegie Medal in the UK, and a Michael L. Printz Honor. Her second young adult novel, Revolution, was named a Best Book of 2010 by Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal, and the audiobook received a 2011 American Library Association Odyssey Honor. She lives in New York’s Hudson Valley. For more information, visit www.jenniferdonnelly.com.

(She is also one of my favorite authors! If you haven’t read A Northern Light you definitely want to check it out.)

Waterfire Saga Books and Nail Polish Set Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive these awesome goodies provided by Disney Hyperion. (US addresses only, please.) Winner will be chosen when the contest ends on 11/3/15.

Leave a blog post comment about your favorite mermaid myth or story to enter the giveaway.

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Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

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Illuminae
Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Random House Children’s Books/Knopf Books for Young Readers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

I’m going to pull the marketing copy from Goodreads because honestly, I won’t be able to come up with anything to the story better justice:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

What I thought
This story is kind of like World War Z meets 2001: A Space Oddyssey. SO. MUCH. TENSION. An unpredictable AI who may or may not be trying to kill everyone, plus a highly contagious epidemic of people basically turning into paranoid, violent zombies. In a closed spaceship. In the middle of outer space. With an enemy ship closing in behind them. Are you on the edge of your seat? OMG, you should be.

The story is told through various “records” like emails, interviews, crew reports, and instant messages. At first I didn’t think I’d like this. I felt like it really limited how things unfolded, but once I got past the first couple of chapters, I felt like the pacing and the choice of which documents are included and the order in which they appear really adds to the feeling of tension building and building as the story progresses.

I loved the quick, witty dialogue between characters, especially Ezra and Kady. What I didn’t love quite so much was that after a while, it seemed like that voice got used too often and too many characters sounded the same to me. I was definitely willing to overlook that, though. It hardly affected my ability to enjoy the story. It was just more something I happened to notice.

Also, the end was fantastic. There was a moment in which I worried that it was going to all wind down leaving me bitter and disappointed, and instead Kristoff and Kaufman totally kicked it up a notch. I would absolutely read a sequel.

Side note: I read an ARC acquired from Netgalley, so the formatting in my version may not match the final version, but I’d recommend ordering a hard copy of the book rather than an ebook. There were a few pages that, because of how they displayed, were a little bit difficult for me to read, and I felt like I was missing parts of words at the edges of the page. I think it might have been easier to read as a paperback, though I usually prefer an ebook version.

Language Content
Loads of profanity and some crude references.

Sexual Content
References to sexual acts.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
A biological warfare agent/virus causes those affected to become violent. Sufferers maim and decapitate others. Lots of descriptions are of the aftermath of the outbreak, but there are some really intense moments in which a point-of-view character faces someone with truly gory intent. I’m pretty sensitive to violence in literature, and it was definitely at my upper limits of what I can take.

Drug Content
See above.

Review: As White as Snow by Salla Simukka

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

As White as Snow by Salla Simukka
Translated from Finnish by Owen F. Witesman
Skyscape/Amazon

After risking her life to bring down a crime ring in Finland, seventeen year-old Lumikki retreats to the anonymous streets of Prague, hoping to find a little peace. Instead she finds a young woman claiming to be her long-lost sister whose life may be in danger. Even though she finds the girl’s story suspicious, Lumikki can’t turn her back on the girl and the mystery surrounding her.

Some elements – an investigative reporter working to uncover a far-reaching scandal aided by a brilliant but odd girl – may remind readers of Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Yet despite the drama and suspense, the story’s pace chokes on pointless flashbacks featuring a failed romance between Lumikki and her transgender partner. Perhaps Lumikki is too smart, for she often foils the plans of her enemies with seemingly little effort. To digest the ending requires a firm willing suspension of disbelief as Lumikki resolves one mystery only to abandon pressing charges or consequences on some guilty parties.

As White as Snow is the second book detailing Lumikki’s crime-fighting exploits. Perhaps reading the first book, As Red as Blood would have given me a better reference point for understanding how the relationship flashbacks related to the current story. Without having read that first book, it’s hard for me to say. As a fan of Larsson’s Dragon Tattoo books, I felt this story, which is advertised as a comparable tale, really couldn’t compare to the complexity and machine-tight plot found in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But perhaps that comparison set the bar too high?

Language Content
Profanity used very infrequently.

Sexual Content
Lumikki has flashbacks to her relationship with Blaze, who is a transgender boy. Blaze ended his relationship with Lumikki due to worries that she couldn’t accept his transition. Lumikki feels she never judged Blaze and loved him regardless of any issues related to his transgender-ness. She remembers some sexual experiences rather vividly – PG-13 kind of stuff. These scenes don’t really connect to the present story at all. Blaze never enters the story in any way other than in the flashbacks, and they never add to the current tale.

Spiritual Content
Lenka is a member of a cult whose practices have some connection with Christianity. The cult members believe they are members of one family, and their practices reference Jesus and God. There are references to other cults in which members have committed suicide en masse.

Violence
An assassin tries to catch and kill Lumikki, but he’s a bit clumsy about it.

Drug Content
A girl takes sleeping pills on orders from her spiritual leader.