Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: Fortune’s Fall by Katherine Barger

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,
Fortune's Fall by Katherine Barger

Fortune’s Fall
Katherine Barger
Anaiah Press
Published November 3, 2020

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About Fortune’s Fall

While her classmates prepare for elite careers across America, Nyssa Ardelone trains for her secret job as the president’s dream interpreter. But when her mentor lies to the president about the prophecy in his latest dream, Nyssa must figure out why before the lie unravels. What she learns could destroy her own future.

Fearful of a rumored rebellion, the president has launched a gas attack on Nyssa’s hometown, and her mentor lied about the dream to protect the survivors from more harm. When Nyssa learns her parents were injured in the attack, she flees with a stranger sent to steal the antidote—a stranger who claims to know her.

Together, they race to deliver the cure as well as an interpretation of another prophetic dream only Nyssa can provide. But a devastating loss dulls her caution, and she learns too late that not everyone is trustworthy. To survive the president’s deadly pursuit, Nyssa must break every rule she’s ever followed, learning along the way that faith is the only thing that can save her.

My Review

I feel like Biblically-inspired fiction as a topic is always a little dicey, so while I was super fascinated with the idea of this tale, I was a little nervous that it might fall flat or be too political or the characters too perfect.

Instead, though, I found a really gripping dystopian setting with a controlling, paranoid leader right up there with President Snow from The Hunger Games. The story world has advanced technology paired with this earthy, simple feel that I thought really worked well together.

I liked the characters a lot, especially some of the minor ones, like Greer and Nyssa’s mentor and Cass. (I hope they all reappear in a sequel!)

The story kept me really intrigued and I thought the pacing was pretty good. At times I felt like things maybe happened too easily, like I wanted the process of achieving a smaller goal to be more complex, but the story moved quickly enough, that those bumps didn’t pull me out of enjoying it at all.

I think readers who enjoy dystopian books, especially MATCHED by Ally Condie, will like this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Most characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Nyssa feels some attraction to a couple of the boy characters.

Spiritual Content
Some resistance members believe in God and the Bible, something that’s been outlawed for a long time. They tell Nyssa that dreams and the ability to interpret them come from God.

Violent Content
References to torture. Prisoners are hanged for their crimes. Nyssa is there but tries not to look, so it’s not described in any detail. A fighter uses a biological weapon to kill soldiers. The same weapon was used on civilians before the story began. Soldiers treat an older man roughly, killing him. A man cuts a boy’s face.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of FORTUNE’S FALL in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: Faye and the Ether by Nicole Bailey

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

Faye and the Ether
Nicole Bailey
Published October 27, 2020

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About Faye and the Ether

For as long as I can remember, the sea has called to me, luring me to explore the secrets hidden beneath its cresting waves.

Faye is tossed into a current of uncertainty as she deliberates over her college choices. More than anything she wants to study by the sea, forever chasing the line where the ocean meets the horizon. But she finds herself dragged down by the riptide of her and her mother’s financial restraints. How can she be true to herself when anchored by her world’s limitations?

As the leader of the deadliest group in the Ether, Daron is at the top of his game. Yet there is one thing he’s failed at time and again–finding the human-raised Ether. It’s a known fact amongst his team that success on that particular mission would change their lives in unimaginable ways. Yet Daron couldn’t comprehend how true that was… until he saw Faye.

Guided by Daron, Faye enters a world she never knew existed. One filled with mythical creatures, struggling to coexist. As Faye wrestles with where she fits in this magical realm, secrets are revealed that turn the tide once more.

Inky darkness is seeping ever closer. Can Faye and Daron work together to save Ether and themselves? Or will the world be crushed under a wave of evil?

From author Nicole Bailey comes a young adult adventure filled with magic, intrigue, and the inner well of strength that flows through us all.

My Review

Especially at the beginning, this book reminded me a lot of the book OF POSEIDON by Anna Banks. (I liked the Syrena Legacy books, so it’s a good comparison.) I also liked that the story didn’t follow things I expected, both in the way the plot unfolded and in some of the story elements. For instance, I liked that Faye didn’t turn out to be quite what I expected.

Faye also turns out to be a powerful character, and she learns a lot about her power from another woman. I liked that she shared a bond and learned strength from a female character rather than from Daron.

I also like that the romance in the story doesn’t go the way I assumed since it’s a dual point-of-view story. The romance seemed to emerge really quickly, though. Like, there’s a conversation where one character basically says to another, “I need to talk to you about the fact that you’re in love with X.” And I was like, whoa, wait, what?! It’s possible that I overlooked clues because I assumed that a different romance was in the works, so that could just be me.

There were some scenes toward the end, though, where things moved really fast, and I felt like there were some gaps in the narrative that left me confused about what was going on. I felt like I was missing some understanding about the setting (At one point there was a ship approaching another ship, but not a lot of visuals there or anything to distinguish one ship from the other.) or the actions the characters were taking (In one confrontation with enemies, suddenly a character is bound, but there’s no description of that happening.).

I kind of wish there had been more to the magic system, too, but that might just be because I tend to be a fan of the kind of system where magic requires an exchange of some kind, and that’s not the system in FAYE AND THE ETHER. The magic kind of felt too convenient sometimes, I guess.

Other than those few things, though, I enjoyed the story. I particularly liked Faye’s character and her journey toward discovering her strengths and her role in the Ether. I loved the connections between mythology and the Ether, and especially loved that it focused on types of characters that I don’t see a lot. Reading a dual point-of-view story that didn’t follow a traditional romance arc was really cool, too.

I think if you enjoyed the Syrena Legacy by Anna Banks, it’s worth checking out FAYE AND THE ETHER.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
One major character is gay. Faye’s best friend Merri is mixed race. In the Ether, people are separated into groups based on what their Ether form is (there are centaurs, birds, selkies, etc.) and there’s some racial tension and prejudice between groups as well as some homophobia.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two boys. In one scene, the two boys go beyond kissing and it’s hinted that they have sex.

Spiritual Content
References to the gods in the Ether.

Violent Content – Trigger warning for rape, torture, and homophobia.
References to torture and rape. One scene shows soldiers whipping a bound captive, torturing him.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Summer of L.U.C.K. by Laura Stegman

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Contemporary, Magical Realism, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

Summer of L.U.C.K.
Laura Stegman
INtense Publications
Published September 15, 2020

Amazon | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Summer of L.U.C.K.

Stuttering Darby is never perfect enough for her mother. Justin’s been silent since his dad died. Naz is struggling to learn English. But after they meet at summer camp, mysterious calliope music from an abandoned warehouse grants them power to communicate without words. When they sneak inside, the dark, empty space bursts into a magical carnival. They’re greeted by the ghost of Leroy Usher, who asks for their help convincing his family to restore the carnival to its former glory. In return, he promises to teach the kids how to find their voices.

As Darby, Justin, and Naz are swept off on a series of midnight adventures via Mr. Usher’s carnival rides, they discover they’re capable of more than they ever imagined. With each challenge, their confidence in communicating – and in themselves – grows. Meanwhile, they scheme to persuade the Usher family to revive the carnival. But when Darby’s bunkmates trick her into starring in the camp talent show, her budding confidence falters. Can she risk being less than perfect by performing in the show and speaking up to Mr. Usher’s resistant son? If not, she’ll put the carnival in danger and sabotage her most important quest: to believe in herself, stutter and all.

My Review

The story follows all three kids– Darby, Justin, and Naz, showing scenes in each point of view. The bulk of the story takes place at a summer camp called Camp Inch, where each of them face the thing they’re most afraid of.

They also each discover a connection with each other, and those friendships help give them the confidence to confront bigger fears. Naz, Justin, and Darby also learn a lot about family relationships as they learn about Mr. Usher’s family and the relationships between him and his children, all of whom are adults now.

I thought the story was sweet and the characters’ stories moving. I liked the background of the summer camp and how their experiences at camp tied together with the Usher family and the fate of the carnival.

Readers who enjoy summer camp stories or tales with a whimsical feel to them will like this one. If you enjoyed FOREVERLAND or THE GIRLS OF FIREFLY CABIN, definitely add SUMMER OF L.U.C.K. to your reading list.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Naz is French and Morroccan. Darby stutters. Justin is selectively mute.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Naz, Justin, and Darby are visited by the presence of a man who has died but can’t find peace until he achieves a goal. They have a sort of magical experience, seeing the carnival the way it once was and interacting with carnival rides that shouldn’t work anymore.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Frank by Ece Gurler

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Sci-Fi, , , , , , , ,

Frank
Ece Gurler
BookBaby
Published December 1, 2020

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About Frank

Have you ever dreamt of an alternate world? A world full of second chances and lost dreams, found again. Just like the one Frank has stumbled upon.

Frank, an eleven-year-old science nerd, fashions a hiding place in his closet with his favorite things. He calls it the “Aurora Shell”, where he retreats whenever he feels upset or scared. The day he learns that he was adopted, he discovers an empty space behind his Big Bang Theory poster, in the Aurora Shell.

He decides to crawl in and find out what awaits him at the end of this dark tunnel. There, he meets an incredibly cheerful kid, Andy, who becomes his first true friend. Soon after they realize that this is not just a simple passage, but it is a bridge that connects two parallel universes! Frustrated that he was unwanted by his biological parents in his own world, Frank decides to take his chance in this new universe to gain acceptance. Maybe this time his parents would welcome him and love him?

Grabbing their backpacks, the two friends set out on a quest to find Frank’s birth parents in Andy’s universe. In the beginning of their journey, everything looks brand new and astonishing to Frank. But this adventure will hold dangers they never could have imagined. Will they be able to survive the grave challenges and find Frank’s family in the end? Was their secret going to cause them trouble?

My Review

I’m definitely a fan of stories about friendship and family, so even the idea of this book held a lot of appeal for me. I liked that Frank’s family isn’t perfect– they’re going through some hard times, and that impacts their relationships with one another. It also seemed cool that Frank and Andy had very different personalities and ways of dealing with things.

While some of the dialogue was a little bit awkwardly worded, I thought the banter between Frank and Andy added some fun to the story. The pacing slowed a bit toward the middle of the book, and I was surprised by some of the directions the story took, but the speed picked up again toward the end.

On the whole, I think it’s a sweet, if a little bit dark, tale of friendship, family and the multiverse. Ha.

Update 1/18/21: The version of FRANK that I read was a pre-release version. The author had a final edit to remove awkward wording (English is her second language) and any swear words.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 up.

Representation
I think the characters are white, based on the illustrations.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used about a half dozen times.

Update 1/18/21: The version of FRANK that I read was a pre-release version. The author had a final edit to remove awkward wording (English is her second language) and any swear words.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Reference to praying. At one point Frank’s mom says, “Thank God…”

Violent Content – Trigger Warning
Some brief descriptions of domestic violence and child abuse.

Drug Content
A couple of adults drink alcohol and behave cruelly when drunk.

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

Review: Alone by Megan E. Freeman

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

Alone
Megan E. Freeman
Simon & Schuster/Aladdin
Published January 12, 2021

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Alone

When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare. She’s alone—left behind in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned.

With no one to rely on, no power, and no working phone lines or internet access, Maddie slowly learns to survive on her own. Her only companions are a Rottweiler named George and all the books she can read. After a rough start, Maddie learns to trust her own ingenuity and invents clever ways to survive in a place that has been deserted and forgotten.

As months pass, she escapes natural disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie’s most formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces every day. Can Maddie’s stubborn will to survive carry her through the most frightening experience of her life?

My Review

I tend to really enjoy novels in verse, but also feel a little bit inadequate reading them? Does this happen to anyone else? Just me?

Even with that, I really liked ALONE. It’s a bit too dark to say I enjoyed it– lots of moments left me uncomfortable, and I will admit that I even peeked ahead to the end because I just needed to know that I could handle what would happen. (It had been an unusually tough week.)

I liked the connection that Maddie had to her family and the ways she tried to preserve those connections even while she was alone. It was so sweet that she had the dog with her, too. I really liked him and that they took care of each other.

There were a lot of suspenseful moments and some interesting political and social commentary often lurking between the lines. Those are all things I love in a book, so they only pulled me in more deeply into the story.

I often find stories with a solitary narrator to kind of drag on without other characters and dialog to break up the narrative, so I felt like telling this particular story in verse kept it feeling fast-paced and suspenseful.

If you enjoy more contemporary-feeling dystopian stories or novels in verse, definitely add ALONE to your reading list.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used a few times.

Romance/Sexual Content
Maddie sees a group of men and wonders whether they would rescue her or attack her.

Spiritual Content
Maddie tries to pray and at one point writes an angry letter to God.

Violent Content
Maddie sees a man kill a kitten. Maddie learns to shoot a handgun for protection. A tornado rips through Maddie’s town. Lightning sparks a fire that destroys a neighborhood.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

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

Princess of Thorns
Stacey Jay
Delacorte Press
Published December 9, 2014

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Princess of Thorns

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm’s fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora’s throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it’s too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

My Review

This book has been on my reading list for YEARS. I don’t know why it took me so long to read it, since it has a lot of things I like: star-crossed romance, references to familiar fairy tales, alternating viewpoints between Aurora and Niklaas, capricious magic, and political intrigue.

I loved how the fairy blessings that Aurora’s mother passed to her also became curses in their way. She meant them for good, but the magic didn’t work quite the way she and Aurora expected. That created some interesting situations for Aurora to navigate.

PRINCESS OF THORNS spins some darker themes into its fairytale story in othere ways, too. Aurora’s mother is THE Sleeping Beauty Princess from the fairytale, only in this story, the prince wasn’t the hero from the original story. Niklaas bears his own curse– one ordered against him and all his brothers by their immortal father– in which he’ll turn into a swan at sunrise on his eighteenth birthday. I liked the ties to other fairy tales and how even those familiar things were reimagined.

The only thing I struggled with at all was a moment in the climax (which I will try not to spoil) that left me feeling a bit let down. It felt like a thing happened because Aurora wanted it badly enough, and I found myself wishing that there had been something more concrete that she had to do instead.

On the whole, though, I really enjoyed this book and I kind of wish that Aurora and Niklaas would go on to try to break his brothers’ curse and confront his father in another book. It looks like there was some discussion of a sequel at one point (there was a Kicktraq fundraiser for one) but I don’t see any recent news about it.

I think readers who enjoyed A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY by Brigid Kemmerer will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to sex between boy and girl. Niklaas hints at past sexual exploits. Aurora remembers a boy she kissed and considered doing more with. A young woman makes a sexual advance at Aurora (while she’s dressed as her brother) and grabs her groin. Kissing and touching between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Aurora has been fairy blessed– received powers her mother meant to protect her, which act more as a curse sometimes. A witch cursed Niklaas and his brothers at his father’s request. Ogres consume human souls for their power. Some have the ability to see the future. A woman with a demon feeding on her ear tells Aurora some details about her future.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Several mentions of and some descriptions of torture. A couple battle scenes.

Drug Content
Aurora and Niklaas drink beer together at an inn.

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