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Review: Hunt for Eden’s Star by D. J. Williams

Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,
The Hunt for Eden's Star by D. J. Williams

Hunt for Eden’s Star
D. J. Williams
Tyndale House
Published April 4, 2023

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The Hunt for Eden’s Star

A coming-of-age teen is thrown into a world of ancient secrets when he discovers a supernatural compass that protects a weapon of mass destruction. With the help of a diverse group of friends, he embarks on a global adventure, seeking the truth about his sister’s death. He uncovers two clandestine, supernatural societies waging an epic, hidden war that threatens the future of civilization.

D. J. Williams’s suspenseful, page-turning style whisks readers into a wildly exciting, supernatural adventure that grabs hold of the imagination and never lets go. As Jack races to collect ancient artifacts critical to the survival of the world, readers are transported to incredible locales across Asia, including the lush jungles of the Philippines and the high-energy streets of Hong Kong. Themes of addiction, revenge, faith, and friendship emerge as Jack battles literal and psychological demons, and even his own friends and family members, on his quest to thwart the forces of evil.

My Review

This was a tough one for me. Suspense is always a bit of an iffy genre, so it could be that I’m generally less comfortable reading that type of story. I found myself struggling not only with some of the suspense elements, but also other elements of the story as well.

One of the things I wrestled with most was the portrayal of characters. I felt like a lot of the characters came across as kind of flat. Jack and his friends kind of acted a bit like frat boys, only interested in girls when they were attractive or could offer the boys a benefit of some kind (a key to an exclusive area, for example). Do high school boys act like that? Yeah, I’ve known some who did. But I found it to be an odd choice to cast those boys as the heroes of the story?

I also felt like Jack never really gained real forward momentum. There were a few scenes where he would make a grand statement about having a goal (one time this was about getting revenge for his sister’s death), and in the next scene, another character would basically tell him that was the wrong goal because reasons. And Jack would abandon his stated goal and kind of be back to trying to figure out his next move. I think I expected him to at some point become the character making things happen.

He does have moments where he accomplishes this. For example, he rescues a bunch of girls who are prisoners being trafficked by the bad guys. It’s a cool scene, but it didn’t really connect to the larger story other than to remind us that the bad guys are super bad.

Conclusion

HUNT FOR EDEN’S STAR has a lot of interesting elements in it. For example, Jack and his friends attend a coed, elite boarding school with four houses. Each house is identified with a particular set of virtues. Students are assigned to a house by a sort of magical process. Very reminiscent of a certain wizarding school. It was cool, and maybe the various houses are more involved in later books in the series, but I didn’t really catch much connection to the story in this first book.

Lots of the story takes place in Hong Kong, so I enjoyed the connection to history and politics/current events happening there. I kind of wish the story had featured that more in connection to the plot.

So, there were some really cool elements. I don’t know if the author just wanted to include all the things that will be relevant to later books to kind of garner reader interest for those things and set up some elements for later? It made the book kind of a long one for YA, especially for YA suspense, at almost 500 pages.

On the whole, I think this series really isn’t for me. Parts of it reminded me of the TIME ECHOES series by Bryan Davis which also has kind of a secret society, murder mystery thing going on. If you liked that one, then HUNT FOR EDEN’S STAR might be a good fit, too.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Jack is white. Some minor characters are BIPOC.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some comments by boys about girls being attractive. A man brings a girl who is bound and blindfolded to Jack’s room and hints that Jack is to have sex with the girl.

Spiritual Content
Some characters worship Elyon. It seems like this might be supposed to be a representation of Christianity. (The book is published by a Christian publisher.) The religion is pretty transactional. Characters earn supernatural gifts by fully committing to the faith. Jack must pass tests where he must master his fear and instead have faith. If a servant of Elyon goes to a forbidden place, they lose their supernatural abilities and eventually die. Jack’s sister made a kind of contract with Elyon– her life for his– and this means Jack must be the one to complete a mission she left unfinished.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some battle scenes involving gunfire. Jack witnesses a political protestor murdered by police in the street. Jack discovers a group of girls who are victims of human trafficking. All are bound and blindfolded.

Drug Content
Jack and his friends visit a club and drink alcohol. Jack takes a pill that a stranger hands him in passing. He reflects on his past as an addict and credits his sister with saving him.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE HUNT FOR EDEN’S STAR in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Going Dark by Melissa da la Cruz

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

Going Dark
Melissa de la Cruz
Union Square Co.
Published January 31, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Going Dark

“An intense rollercoaster of a thriller and a searing indictment of which victims get our attention and sympathy.”
–#1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Marie Lu

In this ripped-from-the-headlines GONE GIRL meets A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz weaves a white-knuckle YA thriller about a beautiful young influencer who vanishes after going on vacation with her boyfriend.

#WhereisAmeliaAshley

The Influencer
Amelia Ashley shares everything with her followers – her favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants, her best fashion tips, and her European trip-of-a-lifetime with her hot boyfriend.

The Boyfriend
Josh has no choice but to return home without Amelia after she abandons him in Rome. He has no clue where she went or how her blood got in his suitcase. Why won’t anyone believe him?

The Hacker
To Harper Delgado, Amelia Ashley is just another missing white girl whipping up a media frenzy. But with each digital knot she untangles about the influencer, Harper wonders: who is Amelia Ashley?

The Other Girl
Two years ago, another girl went missing, one who never made headlines or had a trending hashtag.

The Truth
Amelia’s disappearance has captured the world’s attention. What comes next? Watch this space…

Told through a mixture of social media posts, diary entries, and firsthand accounts, GOING DARK is a gripping, suspenseful thriller about all the missing girls who fall off the radar, perfect for true crime fans and readers of ONE OF US IS LYING by Karen M. McManus.

My Review

I read this book really, really fast. I think I read the first 150 pages in under two hours? That’s unbelievably fast for me. It’s not easy to write in a way that can be consumed so quickly, so I feel like that in and of itself shows some big storytelling ability.

I can definitely see the comparison to ONE OF US IS LYING. GOING DARK had that same kind of danger-around-every-corner, clues-dropping-any-minute intensity. It was so easy to get swept away in the mystery and in trying to piece together all the clues. I loved that part of it.

The only thing I can say in terms of anything I wish had been different is that I wish the story hadn’t begun with Josh’s point of view. I can see why it had to, though. Once the story began introducing other perspectives, I was totally hooked.

I liked the thoughtful way the story explored how some missing persons cases can become big headlines while others don’t get enough attention from media and police. I also loved the relationship between sisters in the book. (You know I love sister stories!)

All in all, I really enjoyed reading GOING DARK, and I definitely think fans of Karen McManus or Courtney Summers would enjoy this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Harper is a Brown girl. Mignon and her sister are Chinese on their dad’s side.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
A girl sees and talks to another girl who isn’t there. She knows the other girl isn’t real but takes comfort in being able to speak with her.

Violent Content
Some descriptions of a boy acting possessively and in a controlling way. In one scene someone describes holding someone down against their will, killing them. A girl is stabbed in the stomach.

Drug Content
A group drinks wine at a house in Italy. They’re all of legal drinking age.

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

Review: Never Lore: Journey to Mt. Smolder by Bookerlunds

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,

Never Lore: Journey to Mt. Smolder
Taya Okerlund and Nathan Okerlund
Bookerlunds
Published March 31, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Never Lore: Journey to Mt. Smolder

NOTICE: Explosive content contained within. (Rebel boys and indomitable girls have always been a combustible combination.)

All the signs of Fairy’s unraveling were there: a strict rationing of pixie dust; the disappearance of a magical species; a reckless reliance on spies plucked from human orphanages. Annabelle was no orphan. Her father was perhaps the most infamous man in Childerbridge-and she’d never live down the shame of it, though she’d also never accept that the charges against him were true-not most of the time. 

She’ll have to go to the end of Never to prove what is true…about Never itself, about her father, and her own work-worn self.

My Review

I knew from the moment I read the cover copy that I wanted to read this book. It’s got a great voice and characters that drew me in immediately. I loved the smart, fun writing and the Peter-Pan-adjacent story.

Annabelle has a hard life, and then, like Alice, she finds herself transported to another world and involved in very foreign politics. I liked the way she handled the Lost Boys and the deliberate but also nontraditional ways she helped them. The scene with her and the mermaids was one of my favorites.

The story moves at a pretty quick pace– in a good way– and kept me turning its pages. It had some twists and turns and lots of unexpected moments, but I felt like they all fit together pretty well. I really liked the development of the relationship between Annabelle and Fetch.

I think fans of THE DRAGON WITH THE CHOCOLATE HEART by Stephanie Burgis or who enjoy middle grade fantasy will want to check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Annabelle’s father is a magician. She meets fairies and pixies and other magical creatures.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. One scene contains a battle between characters and a shadowy monster.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of NEVER LORE: JOURNEY TO MT. SMOLDER in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Spell Bound by F. T. Lukens

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

Spell Bound
F. T. Lukens
Simon & Schuster
Published April 4, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Spell Bound

Two rival apprentice sorcerers must team up to save their teachers and protect their own magic in this lively young adult romantic adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of In Deeper Waters and So This Is Ever After.

Edison Rooker isn’t sure what to expect when he enters the office of Antonia Hex, the powerful sorceress who runs a call center for magical emergencies. He doesn’t have much experience with hexes or curses. Heck, he doesn’t even have magic. But he does have a plan—to regain the access to the magical world he lost when his grandmother passed.

Antonia is…intimidating, but she gives him a job and a new name—Rook—both of which he’s happy to accept. Now all Rook has to do is keep his Spell Binder, an illegal magical detection device, hidden from the Magical Consortium. And contend with Sun, the grumpy and annoyingly cute apprentice to Antonia’s rival colleague, Fable. But dealing with competition isn’t so bad; as Sun seems to pop up more and more, and Rook minds less and less.

But when the Consortium gets wind of Rook’s Spell Binder, they come for Antonia. All alone, Rook runs to the only other magical person he knows: Sun. Except Fable has also been attacked, and now Rook and Sun have no choice but to work together to get their mentors back…or face losing their magic forever.

My Review

SPELL BOUND is the first book I’ve ever read by F. T. Lukens, and after this, I definitely want to read more. (Their other books look super fun, by the way!) I really liked the sunshine vs. grumpy rivals to romance between Rook and Sun. The story is told from both their points of view, and I thought both were really compelling and individual. I loved the other characters, too, especially Herb (the coatrack with an attitude) and Antonia, Rook’s employer and mentor who will gladly kick butt and take names when it’s required, thank you.

The only hiccup I encountered was in my expectations. So the cover copy references Antonia and Fable getting attacked, so I expected that to be an early event in the book. It actually happens just after the middle, I think? So I felt like I spent a lot of time looking for that rather than enjoying the earlier scenes for what they were and recognizing how those played into the larger story.

Aside from that, though, I had a lot of fun reading this book. It’s set in the real world, but add magic, and I loved the way that was set up. The powerful Consortium charges magic users taxes for spells and business services, and has gotten perhaps too comfortable with their power.

It’s kind of just a fun romp through a magic world led by two characters who are grieving in different ways, and searching for their place and validation for who they are. I felt like those emotional parts read so real and genuine, and the rest of the story– the adventure and antics– was so much fun to read.

I think this is perfect for fans of Caleb Roehrig or fans of the storylines in Ethan Aldridge’s graphic novels.

Content Notes for Spell Bound

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Rook is white and maybe pansexual? He doesn’t specifically self-identify. Sun is nonbinary and Asian, maybe Korean?

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Rook and Sun fall asleep together while on the run.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to do magic by pulling power from ley lines, a sort of grid of magic power that exists on earth.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Rook and Sun encounter cursed objects that try to harm them. For example, a rug repeatedly trips anyone who steps on it. A some scenes show a group attacking and trying to subdue an individual or smaller group.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
MTV Books
Published August 14, 2012 (Orig. 1999)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Read the cult-favorite coming-of-age story that takes a sometimes heartbreaking, often hysterical, and always honest look at high school in all its glory. Now a major motion picture starring Logan Lerman and Emma Watson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a funny, touching, and haunting modern classic.

The critically acclaimed debut novel from Stephen Chbosky, Perks follows observant “wallflower” Charlie as he charts a course through the strange world between adolescence and adulthood. First dates, family drama, and new friends. Sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Devastating loss, young love, and life on the fringes. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie must learn to navigate those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

A years-long #1 New York Times bestseller, an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults and Best Book for Reluctant Readers, and with millions of copies in print, this novel for teen readers (or “wallflowers” of more-advanced age) will make you laugh, cry, and perhaps feel nostalgic for those moments when you, too, tiptoed onto the dance floor of life.

My Review

I read this book (last year!) because a friend recommended it, and I’d been curious about it already. I already owned a copy, so it was an easy choice. One of the few things I knew about the book going in was that it’s been challenged or banned a LOT in schools, so I figured there would be some heavy content.

My copy of THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER has editorial reviews on the first page, so those were the first thing I read. Let me just say I have some questions for the person who reviewed this book for the LA Times. This is from the review: “Charlie is such a completely good, pure human being… In this culture where adolescence is a dirty word, I hope nothing bad happens to this kid.”

I’m not sure I read the same book that person did, because like… wow. SO MANY BAD THINGS HAPPENED TO CHARLIE!! It makes me wonder, does this person think those things weren’t so bad? Did this person accidentally skip those scenes or something? Not to spoil the story or anything, but seriously. This is not a light read. It’s a compelling, aching read. I think it lives up to the comparisons to Holden Caulfield in CATCHER IN THE RYE. But I’d never call it light.

Please do not pick up this book thinking you’ll make it to the back cover carrying the hope that nothing bad will happen to Charlie.

So… what did I love about this book? I loved the friendships between Charlie, Sam, and Patrick. I liked the way they were protective of each other and listened to each other. In the relationship between Sam and Charlie especially, I liked the way she challenged him to take action and make choices for himself. I liked that she tried not to judge him as he struggled to figure things out.

I think readers who enjoyed LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green or SURRENDER YOUR SONS by Adam Sass will like this book.

Content Notes for The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Content warning for suicide, rape, sexual abuse, homophobic slurs, graphic violence, alcohol and drug use. Details below.

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
One of Charlie’s best friends, Patrick, is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two boys. References to sex between two boys. A couple scenes shows making out between a boy and girl without their shirts. In one scene, they touch each other sexually.

One scene shows a boy raping a girl. In another scene, a character remembers being sexually abused as a child. Other scenes reference the fact that a character was sexually abused and that it ruined her life.

There’s a reference late in the book to the sexual abuse of a child, but it’s referred to as a man “fooling around” with the child, which implies that it isn’t criminal or serious, which it is.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A boy hits Charlie’s sister. Charlie beats up a kid at school who was bullying him. A boy’s father walks in on him having sex with another boy and begins hitting him. A boy directs a homophobic slur at another boy. He and his friends beat the boy up. Charlie joins the fight trying to even the odds against his friend.

Early in the book we learn that one of Charlie’s friends committed suicide. He gave Charlie a poem before he died which includes a graphic description of suicide at the end of it.

Drug Content
A boy begins using alcohol and drugs daily. Charlie drinks alcohol with his friends, smokes pot, and tries LSD. Sam and Patrick smoke cigarettes, too. Charlie begins smoking cigarettes.

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

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books to Read if You Loved The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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Though THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER came out more than twenty years ago, it wasn’t until last year that I actually read it for the first time. It’s a favorite of a friend, so I decided to give it a try on his recommendation.

It’s one of those books that kind of punches you in the heart? Like, there were things I saw coming, and things I definitely did not see. Some moments left me feeling like my soul was lighter, like I was remembering the best moments a good friendship can bring. And other moments just wrenched my guts to pieces. WALLFLOWER also has a prominent openly gay character, which was a pretty big deal for a young adult book published in 1999. So, for my topic this Top Ten Tuesday, let’s talk about 10 books to read if you loved THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER.

Note: Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. This post contains affiliate links which don’t cost you anything to use but help support this blog. (And help support local bookstores, if you use the Bookshop links!)

10 Books to Read if You Loved The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A loner finds love and friendship, but after he’s sexually assaulted, all the relationships in his life feel at risk. Totally under-hyped. This one blew me away.

Published October 12, 2021 | My Review

First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A loner meets his person in NYC and learns one of them will die the next day. The prequel to THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END, though personally I fell harder for the story in this one.

Published October 4, 2022 | My Review

Arden Grey by Ray Stoeve

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: As Arden’s best friend falls in love, she questions whether the relationship is safe and begins to wonder the same about a relationship at home. Powerfully written.

Published April 26, 2022 | My Review

The Minus-One Club by Kekla Magoon

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: After losing his sister in a car accident, Kermit gets invited to a grief support group of sorts, where he finds love and friendship, until the group faces a crisis that could undo them all. Such great storytelling here.

Published January 17, 2023 | My Review

The Cartographers by Amy Zhang

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Ocean tries to lose herself in the Big City, but a chaotic boy, and two roommates in denial about their feelings for one another may be just the recipe to help Ocean find her way forward. This one is as angsty as it is thought-provoking. I loved it.

Published January 31, 2023 | My Review

This Place is Still Beautiful

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A racist incident makes it impossible for Annalie, who has always handled adversity by being as invisible as she can, to disappear. New friends and a new romance help her find confidence in her own voice. To me, best part of THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER is the way his friends help him find his voice. This book captured that, too, in such a great way.

Published June 7, 2022 | Review to Come

Brighter Than the Moon by David Valdes

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Jonas met the girl of his dreams online, and now wants to bring the relationship into real life. She talks her best friend Ash into meeting him first, and the three embark on a wild, emotional ride. This one has such great friendship energy.

Published January 10, 2023 | My Review

How We Ricochet by Faith Gardner

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: After Betty and her family survive a shooting incident, she wrestles with why it happened. She builds a friendship with the brother of the shooter, trying to learn about the boy who tried to kill her sister and mother. An unforgettable, timely story.

Published May 24, 2022| Review to Come

We Can Be Heroes by Kylie McCauley

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Two rivals join forces after their best friend is killed in a domestic violence shooting when they both begin to see the ghost of their lost friend. This one has made me a huge fan of this author’s books.

Published September 7, 2021 | My Review

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Two best friends, estranged by grief. Reckoning with past and present abuse. Falling in love just as things fall apart. This book absolutely wrecked me.

Published March 1, 2022 | My Review

What books would you add to my list?

Have you read THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (or seen the movie)? If so, what stories does it make you think of?

If you’ve written a “if you like this, read that” type of post about a book you love, share it in the comments so I can check it out!