Category: Teen/YA Fiction Review

REVIEW: Wonder Woman Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson

REVIEW: Wonder Woman Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

The Amazons were created by the Five Mothers – Athena, Aphrodite, Demeter, Artemis, and Hestia – to protect the world from great evil. As they wait to be called to duty, they train.

In the waiting, the queen of the Amazons longs for a child. And the Mothers grant her wish. Now it is Diana’s 16th birthday. For the last year she has had mood swings and fainting spells. But she’s hoping that is all over now that she is 16 because that would mean she can start training with the warriors.

During Diana’s birthday celebration, alarms sound. Refugees have broken through the barrier to their island. While the queen works to send the refugees away and repair the barrier, Diana defies her and dives into the ocean to save drowning children. Once she saves everyone, the barrier is repaired… with Diana on the outside. The island – her home – disappears.

Review

This was fantastic! It’s a great contemporary Wonder Woman story. Diana ends up in a camp with the refugees. Then she meets a couple of UN staff – a married couple named Steve and Trevor, who recognize her intelligence and her gift for languages and help her get to the US. There Diana gets to know her host family. She sees homeless people and gives food to hungry kids. Her sense of justice is strong and grows stronger. Then she takes on the issue of child trafficking.

All of the social issues covered in the book are age-appropriate (in my opinion) for teens. They are issues a lot of teens today are already concerned about.

I wasn’t clear if Diana’s “changeling” behavior is supposed to just be puberty or if there’s something more going on there. And the young woman from her host family runs hot and cold in ways that aren’t completely explained in the story. But in the end, the two of them fight side by side to care for the people who need help and a voice when no one will listen to them.

There are some unfinished story threads here, which makes me wonder if there might be a sequel. If so, I am here for it. DC continues to do an excellent job with the storytelling in their new graphic novels for kids and teens. You can check out more of my reviews here.

DC Entertainment has graciously shared some pictures of the artwork from the interior of the book.

 

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh

REVIEW: Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Astrid is an indentured servant – a surrogate for the Princess. When Princess Rayna is disobedient, Astrid takes the punishment. She has scars upon scars. But all of the brutality might be worthwhile because Reyna has finally gotten what Astrid has been asking for. The king has granted Astrid’s father access to the Enchanted hospital where he can get real treatment. But things don’t go the way Astrid planned.

In her despair, Astrid signs up for the Race of Oblivion. Racers’ memories are stripped away, and they are given an initial clue to a puzzle they have to solve as the race progresses. The winner of the race gets full citizenship for themselves and their entire family. Losers get extra years tacked onto their years of service – if they even survive the race.

Armed only with her name and her wits, Astrid competes against strangers who aren’t really strangers, and other desperate Outsiders longing for citizenship and the benefits that would secure a better future for them. And when her memories start to return, Astrid will discover what exactly she’s been running from.

Review

This is a solid YA fantasy with dystopian and Hunger Games-ish tones. Astrid is competing for a prize only one person can win. The contest itself is oppressive, but a chance at a different life seems better than enduring your current life with no hope for something else.

The memory loss piece adds an interesting wrinkle to the story. In fact, I got so caught up in the race and trying to figure out who was whom, I forgot that Astrid had seen/heard something important right before the race had started. But in other ways I feel like it cut into some character depth and some of the story telling. The rebellion group wasn’t a strong piece nor were Astrid’s family connections in part because of her memory wipe.

The race was suspenseful, but not as engaging as something like The Hunger Games. Maybe that was because I didn’t feel as connected to Astrid as I did to Katniss. I didn’t feel like the world building was as strong in this. I would have liked more information on the magic systems and the history of the Enchanteds vs the Outsiders.

Readers who enjoy stories with a contest to win and a dystopian society to rebel against should check this one out. (Violence, abuse)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli

REVIEW: Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ]

Summary

It hit her in the middle of her speech. Rachel Walls, valedictorian, looked around at her graduating class and realized most of the people in front of her probably had no idea who she was.

Rachel’s high school years were focused. Determined. Disciplined. But what did she have to show for them besides this moment as valedictorian and her admission to her dream college? She has one friend at school. She knows her classmates from their social media accounts and hallway chatter and gossip, not from real life.

When her best friend leaves for a summer music program, Rachel’s “social life” dries up. Her big weekend plans include decluttering her room. That’s where she finds her grandmother’s book A Season of Yes! It looks and smells ancient, but the underlined passages catch Rachel’s eye.

What if, instead of isolation and self-preservation, Rachel started to say yes to the opportunities in front of her?

Yes to a party.
Yes to a friend.
Yes to a dip in the pool.
Yes to a roller coaster.
Yes to flirting.
Yes to Clayton Carville.

Review

This was cute and fun. I liked Rachel and her family and friends. I thought the identity crisis was perfect – Rachel’s ready for college, there are unknowns ahead. Graduation kicks off a season of reflection. And in this case, Rachel is second guessing her choices in life so far.

It’s also not uncommon for college students to try on a new identity. That’s what Rachel does here – she tries on the identity of a person who says yes. And it’s mostly good for her. She rediscovers an old friend. She has a couple small adventures. And she gets to explore some romantic possibilities.

The downside is that in her haste to say yes and change things up, Rachel forgets about wisdom and discernment. And that leads to trouble. And as in most great young adult literature, she starts to learn from it.

I enjoyed the journey with Rachel and her friends. Fans of contemporary YA, contemporary YA romance, and fans of love triangle stories should check this one out. (Language, underage drinking)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: The Lost Carnival by Michael Moreci

BONUS REVIEW: The Lost Carnival by Michael Moreci

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Dick Grayson is tired of his life with Haly’s Circus. It’s the same thing every day. And the crowds just keep getting smaller.

On an afternoon away with his best friend Willow, Dick meets Luciana. She’s from the Lost Carnival that has set up nearby. The circus folks are angry that the carnival is cutting into their crowds and their profits. And Luciana’s uncle, Caliban, has magic that seems like much more than illusions and cutting people in half. That is drawing crowds away, too. As tensions between the rival attractions heat up, and as Dick develops feelings for Luciana, the two teens are caught in the middle.

But when Willow falls into an unexplained coma, and her uncle, the circus magician, insists it is a spell, Dick pushes Luciana to share her secrets and save his best friend.

Review

Dick Grayson – at least the older version – is one of my favorite DC characters. (I loved the Grayson: Agents of Spyral graphic novel series.) I was eager to check out this story because it starred Dick Grayson. And I’m glad I did.

I feel like the story starts with some typical teen angst and developmental stuff. Dick is pulling away from his parents. He wants to live a life he chooses for himself – something more exciting than his current existence. (There is a foreshadowing panel about his future that was fantastic!) Then he is pushed to choose between the mysterious girl he likes and his circus “family.” And finally there’s a magical showdown and all the secrets are revealed. It was a satisfying arc. I don’t know that there were any big surprises. Frankly, I read this after Superman Smashes the Klan, and this might have suffered in the comparison because that was full of nuance and subtlety and a few surprises. This story is just more straightforward. It’s not really comparing apples to apples.

Fans of DC’s latest foray into graphic novels for kids and teens should be sure to check this one out. We get a glimpse of Dick’s life before Batman and before personal tragedy strikes, which is nice.

DC has been generous and provided some images of some of the interior pages of this book. Check them out here:

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

REVIEW: Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang

REVIEW: Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are on the scene when Superman takes down The Atom Man. No one seems to really notice his sickly reaction to the green crystal that powered the villain’s transformation.

Roberta’s family is moving from Chinatown to Metropolis proper. Her dad has a new job which comes with a new house, more money – and hostility from one of his colleagues. Jimmy Olsen lives nearby. On the day they move in, Roberta even gets to see Superman run across the telephone wires above the neighborhood.

Not everyone in the neighborhood is as nice as Jimmy. Roberta and her brother Tommy run into trouble with a bigot on the youth baseball team. But the racist teen is small time compared to the hate rising in Metropolis.

The Lee family is targeted by the Klan of the Fiery Kross. Time and time again they are attacked. The places important to them are in the line of fire. Thankfully Superman is always there to lend a hand.

But while Superman helps the Lees, he has problems of his own. Ever since he encountered that green crystal he’s been hearing a strange language and seeing beings no one else can see. What is happening to Metropolis’ hero?

Review

This was excellent! It’s a meaty story with a TON of things going on. Roberta and Superman tell most of the story. Between the two of them they wrestle with the obvious racism, Roberta tries to fit in with the kids in their new neighborhood, Clark remembers parts of his childhood, and then deals with his new visions. Both Roberta and Clark are dealing with identity issues and questions. I loved that Superman wasn’t just the guy swooping in to save the day – he had a character development arc, too. I definitely got my “money’s worth” out of this book. There’s so much to this story! It’s excellent.

I got to see about 60% of the artwork, and I loved it. The art style is one I enjoy, and the color was beautiful. The story was so easy to follow.

Stories about racism are hard to read – the hate, the duplicity, the name calling. But I think it’s good for readers – kids, teens, and adults – to wrestle with the issues, the language, and the hate. And to try to recognize the fear that runs underneath those other things. It’s subtle, but the feeling of desperately grasping for power and security is definitely there in the bigoted characters. There are even moments of racial tension between minorities, like when the Lee family resists interacting with some African American men who try to help them. Those more subtle pieces in the story add to the richness of the graphic novel. I feel like I could read this again and again and discover more depth each time.

I can’t recommend this highly enough. There’s great historical context in the back matter – for Superman the character as well as for racism in America and also personal stories from the author. The story is enjoyable, but readers who are willing to go deeper will find lots to think about here.

DC has graciously shared some of the interior art from this book. You can check it out here:

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: War and Speech by Don Zolidis

REVIEW: War and Speech by Don Zolidis

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

In most high schools, the kids at the top of the social food chain are the jocks – the football or basketball players, the cheerleaders. Not at Eaganville. At Eaganville, it’s the Speech and Debate team.

The varsity Speech stars can do no wrong. They will verbally eviscerate another student in class, and the teachers are silent. Teachers offer breaks on class assignments. The teacher’s lounge is like their clubhouse for lunch. They are in the spotlight of the school culture, bright and shiny. They are also catty and cruel. Their coach is esteemed by administration, parents, and colleagues. He’s a winner. And he makes sure the team wins, too. Even if that means he is catty, and cruel as well.

And Sydney is determined to join the team.

Not because she wants to be one of them. Sure, she’s loved to argue her whole life. She’s clever and witty with a sharp sense of humor and plenty of snark. But she wants to join the Eaganville Speech team for the joy of taking them down once and for all, from the inside.

Review

Wow! This was great!! The writing is SO sharp – quick, and snappy. You can hear the rhythm of the debates in the early attacks on Sydney and her friends. It was like reading an Aaron Sorkin West Wing walk-and-talk. I was hooked by the writing. I have to find out what else this author has written.

On top of that, this is SO funny!! I was screenshotting sections and texting them to my husband in another part of the house because they begged to be shared. Between Sydney’s job and the pop culture references, I was in love with this story.

A revenge story – for me – has to be compelling. I need to feel the anger rise up in me, the righteous indignation. I need to feel the fictional vengeance is necessary or justified. (Moxie is a great example of this.) Because otherwise, the revenge acts are just as wrong, just as mean. And when it comes to the coach, that happened. He needed to be dealt with here, and pursuing the proper channels went no where. And his part of the ending was satisfying.

The students’ behavior wasn’t as strong for me. Yes, they were snide and condescending. Yes, some of them were cruel to Sydney’s friends to varying degrees. But those stories happened mostly before Sydney was even there. She didn’t witness them or live through them. Since she is the only point of view character, there was an emotional distance to those stories. It made complete sense for her to be hurt for her new friends, to recognize the wrong-ness of how they were treated. But the emotional punch wasn’t there for me as I considered what drove Sydney to revenge.

There’s is so, so much to love with this book. Yes, I wanted a stronger motive for Sydney to take down the team, but everything else here was absolute perfection for me as a reader. If you enjoy sharp, witty stories with amazing writing, be sure to check this one out! (Language, underage drinking, sexual references, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Toll by Neal Shusterman

REVIEW: The Toll by Neal Shusterman

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Endura has fallen. The ultimate scythe leadership has perished, leaving a vacuum for someone to step into.  The voices of reason, the challenges to a growing evil, have been silenced. Blame has been placed. And if the lies fit what people want to believe – and if there’s no one alive to refute them – fiction becomes fact.

The Thunderhead has gone silent. The world is cut off from the AI that kept humanity in some sense of order. One man alone still speaks with the Thunderhead. The Tonists revere him as a holy man.

A dead man and a librarian follow clues to a fictional land that could save the world. But is anyone ready for the truths they could uncover there?

Review

This is the third and final book in the Arc of a Scythe series after Scythe and Thunderhead (♥♥♥♥½).

There is a TON of stuff going on in this book, which is why it clocks in at 625 pages, not counting the 30+pages of author notes in my Barnes and Noble special edition. All of it is fascinating. And I was completely satisfied with all the ways things wrapped up. But this was a BEAST of a book to finish. It felt long, and it was too easy to walk away from it for days.

There are multiple timelines at work here as all of the threads weave together. There are easily 10 “main” characters whose goals and actions and choices are driving the bulk of the story, and another 15 or so who also play a role. I might not have remembered all of the intricacies of the previous two books, but I was able to follow along without too much trouble.

Some interesting features appear in this book. Some of the history of this world is divulged. And the world is set to a version of “right” in the end. I enjoyed the author’s notes in my edition which shared stores of character development (like the gender fluid character, Jeri, who was fascinating) and decisions made early on in the writing for how things would wrap up.

This story line is now complete. There are avenues for possible off-shoots the author could explore, but they aren’t essential in my opinion. I don’t have any unanswered questions. But if the author writes more from this world, I will happily read it.

I’ve seen other readers post on social media that they are struggling to push through this large, long novel. My advice is to press on. I found the journey totally worthwhile. (Some language, violence, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo

BONUS REVIEW: Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and BOOM! in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Mindy is 27, single, and works as a barista. Mindy also has an eating disorder.

On a late night run for snacks, she decides to try a candy bar called “Eat, and Love Yourself.”

Every time Mindy eats a square from the chocolate bar, she revisits a moment of her past. While she can’t interact with her past self, watching these moments gives her insight into things that she thinks and experiences in her contemporary life.

Review

I was intrigued by the premise of this. The flashbacks communicate the complexity of Mindy’s experiences and perceptions as well as her eating disorder. It’s described as “body dysmorphia” in the text, but I didn’t see as much evidence of that in the story and the art. The art makes it clear that Mindy also purges after eating, but the portrayal isn’t graphic.

There are no quick, easy answers offered here. There’s no blame assigned for Mindy’s struggles, nor are there miraculous cures. But Mindy does develop some insight and self-compassion from her flashbacks. And those developments help her as she looks at her life in the present moment.

I wanted a bigger emotional punch to this, and I didn’t find it. While other readers have really connected with Mindy and with this story, I was left wanting more. Readers with eating disorders could find the material here triggering, so be cautious. Other readers might find this to be a decent introduction to eating disorders, but may want to dig into other stories for a more in-depth look. [I can’t think of any YA books I have read about eating disorders, but two great middle grade ones are Still a Work in Progress (♥♥♥♥♥) and Everything I Know About You (♥♥♥♥½.).] (TW: Eating disorders, purging)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter

REVIEW: What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Nash is an artist and a graphic novelist. He’s active on Twitter where he has shared his graphic novel, Rex, with the world. That’s how he met Kels.

Kels is a baker and a book reviewer. Her blog and social media accounts – One True Pastry –  pair book covers with cupcake designs that Kels bakes herself. She’s built a big following online and a small inner circle of Twitter friends, including Nash. He’s become her best friend over the last few years online.

Halle has moved to Connecticut for her senior year so she can focus on applying for college and building on her other interests. She and her younger brother are living with their widowed grandfather while their parents are in Israel filming a documentary. Usually Halle and Ollie would go with them. That’s one of the reasons Halle has struggled to make friends IRL (in real life). The family has moved so much, Halle has never really gotten to put down roots. Add to that her anxiety and her general awkwardness, and it’s easy to see why face-to-face relationships are hard for her.

Halle’s expectations for finding friendship in her new home are low. And then she runs into Nash. He knows her grandfather from temple and says hello, knowing she’s new in town. But Nash isn’t new to Halle. She’s been best friends with Nash online for years. Only he has no idea that Halle is Kels.

Review

There are so many things I enjoyed about this:

  • All the book love – This is a book lovers book. There are book Twitter stories and Bookstagram examples that will be familiar to readers who frequent those spaces. The book signing, cover reveals, and book convention pieces felt like home to me. This was my favorite part of the book.
  • The baking – I loved Halle’s/Kels’ take on her book reviews. The cupcakes sounded amazing. (There were no recipes in the review copy of the book.)
  • The characters – I loved the characters in this. Halle’s circle of friends – online and off – were great. And her family was even more delightful than her friends.

I’ve read other secret identity sorts of books before, but this one was on the painful side at times. I couldn’t relax into enjoying Nash and Halle together because of all the angst on her side and the lying by omission. As painful as it was – as much as I was dreading the moment where it all falls apart – I was also craving that moment. I wanted the lying done! I wanted Halle to get to be wholly herself and not this divided character.

The end wraps things up well. I loved  where everything settles in the end, both for Halle and Nash as well as for the other characters. Don’t miss this fun YA romance! (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: anxiety/panic attacks)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park

BONUS REVIEW: The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Nate is caught between a rock and a hard place. His family is struggling financially, and he needs money to fund his future plans. One of the rich kids at school offers him serious cash – like, buy-a-new-car serious –  if he’ll deliberately let his grades drop. Nate doesn’t need the A’s because his applications for college only care about junior year. And if Nate agrees, some of the other high performing kids will also “take a dive” so these rich kids have a chance for some academic honors for their own applications before high school is over. While Nate needs the money, he’s not really comfortable with the whole idea.

Kate’s dad has always hyper-focused on work. But since her mom died, he’s been worse. She feels like a prisoner in their high-tech home. An internal computer system tracks her comings and goings, her vital signs, her phone calls, and her spending. Even worse, her dad thinks he has the right to dictate what she will study in college, and what she will do with her last semester of high school – and it all has to do with him and his work. If she could get some serious cash, Kate could leave town and follow her own dreams for the future and finally be free.

When Kate and Nate meet through their jobs at a zombie-themed escape room, it seems only natural that they team up for the zombie survivalist contest. The winning team gets $50,000. That would help both of them out of their predicaments. They just have to win first.

Review

This was so fun! I loved it. I don’t generally enjoy zombie things, but this wasn’t too gory or over the top. (These are fake zombies for the contest, not real zombies.) I was expecting the contest to be the bulk of the book, but it was really just most of the second half. The first half really develops the characters as individuals and in their circumstances, as well as their budding relationship with one another. I enjoyed the pacing. It never felt like “get to the good stuff.” It’s all good stuff!

I loved Nate and Kate. They take turns telling the story which is the perfect format for the story. The first part of the book lets the reader get to know both teens. You see who they are as individuals and then get to watch their friendship develop.

The early part of the book also examines the stakes for both kids. They each have a strong motivation for getting the money. Kate’s felt stronger to me – her dad was SO creepy in his controlling! Nate could have just said no to the guy at school. But he was tempted by the opportunity to help his family. This “unevenness” in their motivations, though, was perfect for how things would play out.

The survivalist contest was a clever plot point. I loved how all of the pieces of this came together in the end.

This is a delightful, funny, sweet romance with some suspense – and zombies! I had such a good time reading this one – don’t miss it. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½