Category Archives: Young Adult/Teen 12-18

Review: Tandem by Anna Jarzab

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

Tandem by Anna JarzabTandem (Many-Worlds Trilogy #1)
Anna Jarzab
Random House Children’s Books
Published October 8, 2013

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An ordinary teenage girl and a runaway princess from another universe have only one thing in common: They are identical, analogs of one another.

When a special forces soldier kidnaps Sasha from her senior prom on planet earth and drags her across time and space to Aurora where she will replace his missing princess, her only choice is to cooperate. Only Thomas, the solder who kidnapped her, has the power to return her to home and family on earth.

As Sasha desperately tries to impersonate the princess, she uncovers a truth Thomas can’t stomach. A truth that changes everything.

Worse still, Sasha begins to empathize with Thomas and value his sense of honor and his devotion to her. If she were forced to remain in Aurora, impersonating the princess forever, would it be so truly terrible?

The first book in the Many Worlds series introduces readers to a world divided into many parallel universes. Many contain analogs, or alternate versions of a person. It’s a fascinating premise and the idea is carried consistently throughout the story. At times, Sasha’s emotions and reactions are relayed with less consistence. For instance, in a scene in which she is nearly choking to death, she pauses in her panic to analyze a conversation she’s overhearing which indicates Thomas has lied to her. The romantic thread between Thomas and Sasha follows a wobbly course, not nearly so well-crafted as the layers of politics and intrigue Jarzab weaves between the rival nations of Aurora and Farnham. The plot resolves neatly and yet leaves plenty of room for anticipation of a second novel to come. Tether, book two in the Many Worlds trilogy is expected to release in the spring of 2015.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Moderate frequency of moderate profanity.

Sexual Content
A few moments of intense kissing.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Sasha is kidnapped and dragged to another universe and later imprisoned. Thomas injures his hand when he punches through a security door lock.

Drug Content
Sasha receives an antidote to an allergic reaction. A Farnum boy is poisoned.

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Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

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

The Selection (The Selection #1)
Kiera Cass
HarperCollins
Published April 24, 2012

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All sixteen year-old America Singer wants is to save her earnings as a musician and begin a new life with her secret love, Aspen. Her family, especially her social-ladder-climbing mother would never approve of America marrying a class beneath them, and when Aspen withdraws from the relationship because of the class difference, America despairs. Though she once considered it a nightmare, being chosen for the Selection, a group of girls spirited away to the palace from which the prince will choose a bride, now seems like America’s only escape from her heartache.

She arrives at the palace determined to stay only long enough for her family to receive enough compensation to ease their poverty. But when an unexpected friendship develops between her and Prince Maxon, America begins to rethink her rush to return home. Just as the warm feelings of friendship begin to blossom into something more, America’s past with Aspen returns to haunt her. For a member of the Selection to have a relationship with anyone besides the prince is treason.

Sort of Cinderella meets The Bachelor, The Selection is filled with high drama and sweet romance. Though her affection for Aspen seemed childish and ill-placed (other than the physical attraction, it was difficult to discern what she saw in him… he just didn’t seem remarkable,) the slow unfolding of her friendship and connection with the prince sparkled with desire, inner conflict, jealousy and romance.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild word choice, mild frequency

Sexual Content
America and Aspen cultivate a secret romance, exchanging kisses and promises. No clothes are removed during these interludes, but the scenes are steamy nonetheless. As a member of the Selection, America is instructed to refuse nothing her prince asks of her. She is horrified to learn that this includes if he propositions her. However, Maxon’s sense of honor puts her more at ease.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Rebel groups infiltrate the castle, causing one of America’s maids to relive a traumatic assault. No graphic details, but it’s clear the memories torture the girl.

Drug Content
When America joins the Selection, her body becomes property of the state, and medications such as birth control and sleeping aids become mandatory.

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Review: Season of the Witch by Mariah Fredericks

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

Season of the Witch
Mariah Fredericks
Schwartz & Wade Books
Published October 8, 2013

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When she was a little girl in a playground game, Toni learned about princesses and witches. Though being a princess is glamorous, it’s the witch, Toni decides, who has the real power. Later, after the popular Chloe and her entourage make Toni’s high school life a living hell, Toni joins fellow exile Cassandra and performs a spell to stop Chloe and her antics. Only, the results are far worse than Toni expected. And when Cassandra chooses Toni’s best friend as the next target of her wrath, Toni knows it’s up to her to stop the witch from putting another princess under her spell.

While the princess and witch themes are thought-provoking and twist together nicely in the story’s resolution, the occult experimentation may be too creepy for some readers. The creative conclusion, which focuses on solidarity and compassion, is the greatest strength of this story. Through the prism of the fairy tale, Fredericks explores the power of hate and ill will versus the power of love, compassion, and understanding, weaving them into a powerful anti-bullying message.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme word choice, moderate frequency.

Sexual Content
Toni finds herself in a mess of trouble with Chloe because over the summer, while Chloe and her boyfriend Oliver were taking a break, Toni and Oliver began an intimate relationship. No detailed accounts of their time together make it into the pages of the story, but Tony recollects that she’s been in several short-term, intense relationships. There’s little emotional fallout for Toni, and even when her recent relationship with Oliver reaches its disappointing end, Toni is more angry that he won’t defend her to Chloe than hurt that she’s being dumped so easily. For a girl who’s barely recovering from knowledge of her father’s affair with a young woman, this lack of emotion in Toni seems too convenient and highly suspect.

Spiritual Content
Toni and Cassandra read spells from Cassandra’s Book of Shadows. They practice casting a hex on other girls using a focused, mean gaze. Together, they follow a spell which includes blood in order to place a curse on a girl who antagonizes Toni. It’s vivid and pretty creepy.

Violence
None.

Drug Content
References to parties at which teens were drinking alcohol. One drunk teen is killed in an accident.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

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

There You’ll Find Me
Jenny B. Jones
Thomas Nelson
Published October 3, 2011

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Embattled by grief over her brother’s murder, eighteen year-old Finley Sinclaire embarks on a journey, hoping to encounter the God he so powerfully sensed in the beautiful Irish countryside. Though God seems to elude her, she can’t seem to escape the attentions of teen heart-throb and actor Beckett Rush. With mounting pressure to perfect her audition composition for the New York Conservatory, win over her assigned adopted grouch – er, grandmother – and avoid being caught in the web of girls falling for Beckett, Finley’s life spirals out of her control. Only an encounter with God can right her, but where is He?

Fans of Jones’ earlier novels will not be disappointed in her latest book. With equal parts wit, fun, and spiritual depth, There You’ll Find Me brings readers on a journey through the lonely chill of grief to the warmth of budding love and the power of forgiveness, all set against a gorgeous Irish backdrop.

At first I was a little worried that the whole teen heartthrob thing would be a bit cliche. I think Jones’s expert writing and sense of humor kept the story interesting. I loved Finley right away – she’s so easy to identify with, and her spiritual journey felt so authentic to me.

Readers who enjoy Sarah Dessen, Nicole Quigley, or Laura Weiss will want to add this one to their reading lists.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Finley is on a spiritual quest to follow her brother’s journal entries and revisit the places he wrote about in order to encounter God in those places and use the inspiration of the Irish countryside to finish a musical composition. She learns about forgiveness and about how sometimes grief, expectation, and busyness can distract and prevent us from hearing the voice of God in our times of need.

Violence
None.

Drug Content
None.

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Review: Viola Doyle or an Unconventional Gift by Amy Lynn Spitzley

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

Viola Doyle or an Unconventional Gift
Amy Lynn Spitzley
Curiosity Quills
Published March 3, 2014

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Viola Doyle, who rides about town on her bicycle, a feat her mother thinks unbecoming to a young lady, loses a precious jewel when she collides with a young professor’s assistant. Mikhail, the young man she plowed into, returns the jewel and offers to help Viola and her grandmother research the mysterious gem’s origins. Together they learn that the gem is more than simple jewelry and is instead a powerful stone entrusted to a long line of protectors. But its keepers aren’t the only ones interested in the stone.

Another group seeks to find the stone and use it to gain power over all others. When a mysterious accident nearly costs Violet her life, she and her grandmother realize they must learn the identity of the would-be assassin and stop them before they steal the jewel.

An ancient creature senses the location of the jewel. With only her mother’s memories to guide her, she pursues the gem’s keeper without knowing if she will find friend or foe.

Viola’s high-spirited exuberance is guided by her firm but proper mother and her twinkle-eyed, understanding grandmother. When Viola’s heart leads her to the penniless orphan scraping by as a professor’s assistant, her mother is deeply concerned. For even a chance of a future, Mikhail’s ingenuity and devotion will have to win her family’s affection as surely as her own.

In her second novel, Spitzley demonstrates power and pizzazz as a storyteller. Readers of Scrapbook of My Revolution will find in this story a stronger, brighter voice and a broad cast of fabulous characters. The tale maintains a Victorian feel and is told in a lively, upbeat voice that both promises and delivers fantasy and fun. The close of the story leaves readers with plenty of mysteries still to solve and high hopes for a sequel.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Very mild and infrequent.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
A girl suffers a suspicious bicycle accident. No graphic details.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Legend (Legend #1)
Marie Lu
G. P. Putnam’s Sons / Penguin Group
Published November 29, 2011

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Legend

Fifteen year-old Day’s life as a fugitive becomes complicated when his younger brother is diagnosed with a deadly plague. Instead of petty pranks for cash, he must use his skills as a thief to secure the heavily guarded, highly expensive cure that will save his brother’s life.

When word of her brother’s death reaches fifteen year-old June, she earns a promotion out of school and into action as a soldier and prodigy. The general expects immediate results, and June wants nothing less than to be responsible for the capture and demise of the rebel terrorist and murderer who calls himself Day.

Though at first June believes they have nothing at all in common, she soon learns there’s much more to the Republic of America’s most wanted criminal than the JumboTrons indicate. As June closes in on her target, the situation spirals out of her control, and she learns unexpected information about the Republic darkest and most terrible secrets. If she accept the information as truth, she can’t stand idly while innocent people die.

My Review

Right from the opening scenes, Legend launches readers deep into a world of secrets and danger. Day is exactly the outlaw with a hero’s heart that none can resist, and June proves herself worthy to be called a modern heroine, able to strategize and battle her way through the thickest mayhem.

I really enjoyed both their points of view, and I especially loved them as characters. I really liked the messages about questioning the information you’re told and learning to make judgments for yourself. Learning to take a stand for what you believe in, even if it’s unpopular.

This is a great start to what promises to be an excellent series. I think readers who enjoy dystopian fiction will find a lot to love in this book. I’m excited about reading the rest of the series.

Content Notes

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild word choice, mild frequency.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
June’s brother is killed, and she is asked to examine the crime scene and determine the identity of the attacker. She participates in a street fight against a girl a little older than she is. Soldiers shoot Day’s mother in front of her family. A terrible plague with gruesome side effects spreads among the poorer sectors. These scenes are brief.

Drug Content
None.