Category: Teen/YA Fiction Review

REVIEW: Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

REVIEW: Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

As a child, Tess was a handful. She was curious and bright. She acted on instinct and impulse. And it nearly always got her into trouble.

Tess grew up with a religious and controlling mother. Tess wanted to do the right things and keep her mother happy. But eventually Tess’s choices left her shamed. She had to abandon her role as the oldest and instead let her twin sister pretend to fill that spot in the family. Tess would help Jeanne find a husband so their family would have a more secure place in society. She likely would have ended up serving her sister for the rest of her life.

As if that future wasn’t depressing enough, a few more of Tess’s choices instead leave her days away from a permanent trip to a convent. But Tess’s half sister, Seraphina (the half dragon) gives Tess an “out,” and Tess takes it. She hits the Road to find her own path.

Review

I have mixed feelings about this one. I loved Tess. I enjoyed all the parts of the story where she deals with her past and her choices and her future. I felt for her as she wrestled with her “evil nature” in light of her mother’s Puritanical faith. I loved the parts when other wise voices spoke into Tess’s pain and showed her there’s another way to look at her life. It was these parts that led to me giving this book the rating that I did.

On the other hand, this was not the book I was expecting. I thought there would be dragons – just look at that cover – and adventure. There were moments of action, yet the book as a whole was long and slow at times. I kept waiting to get to the adventure Tess was walking toward. But the point of the book is her evolution, her journey overcoming her past. It took almost half the book to realize the road trip WAS the story, not just a means to get to the story. The fantasy pieces felt disjointed as the character pieces would break into the story. It was like the book was uncertain about its own identity.

If you are looking for a dragon-focused adventure story – something like what the cover seems to promise – you may be disappointed. If you are looking for a character study or a hero’s journey sort of story, this might be a good fit for you. (Some mature content.)

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Turn It Up! by Jen Calonita

REVIEW: Turn It Up! by Jen Calonita

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Bradley Academy boasts two a capella groups on campus – the all-boys group, the Kingfishers and the all-girls group, The Nightingales. While the Kingfishers are at the top of their game, the Nightingales have had a string of bad luck. New co-captains (and best friends) Lidia and Sydney are hoping to end the five-year slump.

But before the school year even starts, the best friends are barely speaking. Sydney was supposed to be getting to know Lidia’s crush, Griffin, so she could point him in Lidia’s direction. But Griffin falls for Sydney instead, and Lidia sees him kiss Sydney. When Sydney tries to play it off as no big deal, hoping Lidia will get over it so they can get back to a capella, Lidia quits the Nightingales.

The girls’ huge fight is a distraction the Nightingales don’t need. It keeps people from auditioning and leaves Sydney with a rival as her “co-captain.” Can the Nightingales pull it together or are they doomed for good?

Review

It took me awhile to get into the rhythm of this one. I was frustrated with Sydney and didn’t have a lot of sympathy for her in the fight with Lidia. But I loved that the fight gave Lidia a chance to find her own path away from the Nightingales. That path had seemed chosen for her in some ways. I was thrilled that they author let Lidia follow a new course all the way through the story. Lidia’s storyline kept me reading.

This is a fairly simple plot. The tension and suspense is minor. The conflicts are, too. The biggest stakes were Julianna’s stage fright and the future of the Nightingales. But every story doesn’t need a life or death conflict.

This is a fun, clean and simple friendship story with a side of light romance (kissing, holding hands). I could hand this to any kid in 5th grade and up without hesitation. There are some open ended threads that could be woven into a sequel, and I would readily read it.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

REVIEW: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

In the world of Orléans, the Belles are a gift to the world from the goddess of beauty. The God of the Sky turned the humans of Orléans grey and ugly in a fit of anger. The Bells were sent to bring beauty back to the world.

Camellia is one of six Belles debuting this year. When each of the girls has displayed her skills to the queen at the Beauté Carnaval, the queen will assign the girls to the place where they will serve the people. Only one of them can be “the favorite” and serve the royal family and their most honored guests at the palace. And Camellia – Camille – is determined to win.

But nothing goes as Camille expects. There are secrets at the palace. And at the tea houses where the Belles serve. Even back at the home where they were raised. Secrets. Lies. Manipulations. Betrayals. Nothing has prepared Camille for the reality of her new life or what will be asked of her.

Review

Wow! This book left me feeling stunned. It was nothing like I expected. It doesn’t look like a fantasy from the cover, but it very much is. There’s a lot of world building that went into the development of this story. It took me a little while to get the feel of it. It’s about beauty on one level – about being the best of the best. I think I was expecting something along the line of The Selection, but this is something entirely different.

I’m can’t exactly say I enjoyed this. I didn’t click with the main character. And characters are almost always what makes a book special for me. There are enough secrets and twists in this that it’s hard to feel like you really know the characters.  And Camille is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She’s not even sure who she’s going to be in the face of some events.

At the same time, the story was absolutely captivating. I was rooting for Camille against her foes. I was breathless as things accelerated toward the end. The finish left me at loose ends, wondering what could possibly happen next. Underneath the beauty pieces is a dark, twisty and suspenseful tale of madness, betrayal and manipulation. It’s brilliantly written. And while I feel no draw to a character or my usual feelings about a great book, I also know I will have to read the next book to find out what happens. (Trigger warning for assault)

Thanks to Netgalley and Freeform for the opportunity to read an electronic copy of this book for review purposes. While it was nothing like I was expecting, at the same time it was excellent.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Gatekeepers by Jen Lancaster

REVIEW: The Gatekeepers by Jen Lancaster

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

In the Chicago suburb of North Shore, excellence is the status quo. In the Breakfast Club era of their parents, kids fit into one of many stereotypes. But in North Shore, the teens meet them all. It’s not sufficient to be smart OR athletic. You must be both. And you have to be the best. Best on the team. Super involved in extracurriculars. And planning and prepping for an Ivy League college all through high school.

The kids of North Shore deliver on all of these expectations. Their test scores and rates of college admission are among the best. This in turn draws in more (wealthy) families who can give their kids everything money can buy.

But North Shore has a hidden dark side. These kids who seem to have every advantage can’t always keep up with the pressure. Two kids committed suicide this summer alone. How does North Shore respond? A couple days for grieving and then back to the grind.

How long can they keep this up? What will it take to stop the cycle?

Review

Wow. I was drawn to this story about high-achieving, uber-pressured kids who step up to help one another when they lose one of their own. But it took awhile to get to that part of the story. While part of me wondered when the story would really kick into gear, another part was okay with the wait because the characters were interesting. The slow build gave me time to get to know them and care about them.

By the final third of the story, I had a hard time setting the book down. I kept thinking about the characters and wondering how everything would shake out. The ending was perfect. I would go back and read the last few chapters again. Once some of the main characters owned and shared their true thoughts and feelings about their losses, I was entranced.

This book talks about difficult subjects – teen suicide, drug use, abuse, mental health – honestly and authentically. There’s a LOT here that would be great for group discussion with teens. I read this right after As You Wish which made for an interesting pairing. There are many stark differences between the books, but the pressure on teens is a consistent theme in both. I highly recommend this book for older teens, young adults and adults, especially those who work with and care about teens.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: S.T.A.G.S. by M. A. Bennett

REVIEW: S.T.A.G.S. by M. A. Bennett

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Greer is a new student – a scholarship student – at St. Aidan the Great School, or STAGS boarding school. It’s not easy to be the one who sticks out at a new school. But Greer isn’t one to try to be something she’s not. So she keeps her head down and tries to stay out of trouble. At least she doesn’t stick out like Shafeen, the only minority student at STAGS, or Chanel whose money is too new for the blue bloods at STAGS.

Greer’s luck seems to be changing when she receives an invitation to a weekend of “huntin’, shootin’, and fishin’.” Sure, it seems weird that it’s just the Medievals – the prefects and popular kids – plus Greer, Shafeen and Chanel. And there are no adults besides the servants. And there was that one girl who told her not to go…. But it’s an invitation from Henry de Warlencourt! He’s so handsome. And he welcomes Greer so warmly. While she doesn’t know anything about hunting, shooting or fishing, she’s sure it’s just going to be a nice weekend away from school. What more would it be?

Review

This was a slow-building story with a punch. The author does a great job of telling you something is coming that is going to rock the reader’s world while also letting the story unfold in its own time. Sometimes authors try this and it’s obnoxious, and you just want them to stop dropping hints and get on with it. But the author made this work for this story. As Greer dropped hints of what was coming, it amped up the tension for me and kept me turning pages. I liked Greer. The film references she makes are entertaining and communicate some extra layers to the story.

It’s hard to say I “liked” the book exactly. I liked trying to figure out what was really going on. The last section, though, made the whole book click for me. It made me sit up and start reading faster in order to see the whole picture. It left me wide-eyed and saying “wow” in the end.

If you enjoy school stories that set up on-the-fringe students against some sort of popular clique/mean girls group, definitely put this on your reading list. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an electronic review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

REVIEW: Everything All at Once by Katrina Leno

REVIEW: Everything All at Once by Katrina Leno

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Helen Reaves is a beloved author. Her Alvin and Margo Hatter series is the most popular set of children’s books of all time. When she passes away at 40, the world mourns.

To Lottie, though, Helen Reaves is so much more than a favorite author. She’s Aunt Helen. And Lottie and her family are devastated by their loss.

Even though her aunt is dead, Helen still has something to say to Lottie. She leaves her 24 letters to be opened one at a time. When Lottie completes a letter’s challenge (do something risky, celebrate life at a party, get angry), she opens another.

Each letter pushes Lottie. The anxiety and panic attacks she experiences threaten to overwhelm her, but she still tackles each challenge out of love for her aunt. But one letter may push her too far. And what will Lottie do when the letters are finished but her grief remains?

Review

From the opening scene (which some might find horrifying, but I found funny, having had a cremains issue once myself), I was hooked. I loved the relationship between Helen and Lottie, even though we only know about it from the letters. I loved Lottie’s family. Each person is grieving in his/her own way, and they give each other space for that while still being supportive.

The glimpses into Helen’s famous series invoke hints of a Harry Potter-like popularity and also reminded me of the structure of Fangirl. They were fun interludes that eventually tie into Lottie’s story.

There’s an interesting twist to the story. I have mixed feelings about it. I saw it coming, and it changed how I felt about the whole book. It shifted where I thought things were going. It all came together in the end in a satisfying way. But it changed what I thought the story was going to be. (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Lake Effect by Erin McCahan

REVIEW: The Lake Effect by Erin McCahan

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Briggs has an awesome job for the summer before he heads off to college to study law and business. He’s going to spend the summer at a house on the beach in South Haven, Michigan helping an elderly woman with household projects and transportation. He has no idea that so much of his summer will be spent at funerals, carting Mrs. B to one after another after another.

While Briggs is enjoying his summer at the Lake, he starts to see things in his life from a new perspective – his family’s money trouble, his relationship with his parents and grandmother, his friendships and his future plans. Neighbor, Abigail, intrigues him. South Haven locals razz him about his “tourist” status. And he will NEVER live down the cell phone incident at the funeral.

This summer is going to be different than anything Briggs imagined.

Review

Briggs was the highlight of this book for me. He’s extremely likable, even when he goofs up in memorable ways. He’s good natured about Mrs. B’s quirks (although some of that comes from how much he wants to keep his job). He’s let the hard ties in his life teach him skills and gratitude.

Briggs’ family dynamics were also very interesting. Even though most of the story takes place at the lake, the meat of the relationships are centered around Briggs’ relationships back at home. I enjoyed how all the pieces came together in the end. In fact, the last 100 pages are probably my favorites in the book.

A great summer read (or a reminder that summer will come again). A great teen story about family and relationships. (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Taxonomy of Love by Rachael Allen

REVIEW: Taxonomy of Love by Rachael Allen

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Spencer meets Hope when they are both 13. He’s never met anyone like her. She loves to climb trees, she stands up to bullies, and she doesn’t freak out about the tics Spencer experiences because of Tourette’s.

They are neighbors. And best friends. And Spencer hopes it might one day be even more than that. But time takes a toll on the two teens. Personal loss. Misunderstandings. Other romantic relationships. Through it all, there is an ebb and flow in their relationship of closeness and distance. But Spencer holds onto hope that something more might develop. Someday. Or that maybe he could at least get his best friend back.

Review

Spencer and Hope are a delight. At times, I wondered where the story was going, but Spencer and Hope kept me engaged and turning pages.

Spencer is especially endearing. I loved that the Tourette’s was a fact of life and not just an issue to be used as a plot point. It was fully integrated into the story at many levels, most of them relational. The author did a terrific job with this.

The story takes place over 5 years – taking the kids from 7th grade through their senior year. The evolution in ALL the characters over time was really well done. As I read an electronic ARC, I was not able to see some of the taxonomy pieces the way they will look in the finished book. I am curious to see those in person. (Some language and other mature content.)

Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet books for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this book!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Teen Titans Vol 1: Damian Knows Best by Benjamin Percy

REVIEW: Teen Titans Vol 1: Damian Knows Best by Benjamin Percy

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Damian Wayne. Son of Batman. Grandson of Ra’s Al Ghul. Heir to the League of Assassins – until he chose his father’s path instead.

Batman. Absentee father. Damian spends his 13th birthday with his butler. His grandfather sends him a gift that he has been marked for death. Great birthday.

Starfire. Raven. Kid Flash. Beast Boy. All with powers that could make them heroes, but flawed and trapped by their own pasts. Together, as a team, they could be so much more than they have been alone. But trust is hard to come by. And it’s hard to build trust while a team of assassins is trying to kill you.

A ragtag set of heroes will find out if they have any hope of becoming a team.

Review

I really enjoyed this! I’m not much of a DC Comics person, but our family loves the Young Justice series that was on TV several years ago. And I like the idea of the characters on Teen Titans Go, but the stupidity of the show makes me want to beat my head against a wall. But this storyline was smart and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the characterization in this graphic novel. I felt like I had enough information about each character to enjoy the story and not feel like I was “behind” already. I’d like more backstory, but I’m also fascinated by how this group might band together to eventually become a team. And there is plenty of conflict potential still there for future stories.

The art is beautiful. I’m extremely picky about the art styles I enjoy. I’ll give up on a good story if the art doesn’t work for me or becomes a distraction. This art is terrific and really worked for telling this story well. I would definitely read more in this series. Volume 2 should release in March. (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti

REVIEW: As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Madison, Nevada is a dusty, rundown town in the middle of the desert. It’s the sort of place you pass through on your way to something else. And the locals like it that way. They don’t want folks to linger.

That’s because Madison is hiding a secret. While it seems like a dump on the surface, they are hiding magic. A wish-granting cave. Any time a resident of Madison turns 18, he or she goes to the cave and makes a wish. And that wish always comes true.

Eldon Wilkes is looking forward to his wishing day like someone would “look forward” to an invasive medical procedure. He’s seen how wishes have turned out for others. His parents’ marriage is strained to put it mildly. His sister’s condition is because of a wish. People are trapped in Madison because of wishing. Eldon’s feeling the pressure to make a wish to “fix” his family, but he knows no wish could fix what’s really wrong. But the clock is ticking. Eldon HAS to decide what he’s going to wish for.

Review

Wow. This book has really forced me to think. What impact did wishing have on the town and people of Madison? What would I have wished for? Would I have done something different in Eldon’s place? Eldon’s conversation with Othello Dewitt was the most thought provoking part of all. It’s the sort of passage you would go back to and read through again.

Eldon is an interesting character. I can’t say that I liked Eldon, but I was captivated by him and by his dilemma.  He’s complicated. His whole family is grieving while he is trying to make this huge decision. He’s feeling pressure from all sides. While a guaranteed wish sounds like an awesome thing, Eldon shows that there’s a dark side.

It’s easy to see the wish pieces of this story from the perspective of the decisions teens are making as they anticipate graduation and their future. I love that this book really made me think – even after the reading was done. I would like to read this with some high school juniors and seniors and talk about the parallels with the decisions they are trying to make. This would make a great book for group discussion. (Language)

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for an electronic advanced reader copy of this for review purposes in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥