Tag: teen fiction

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: Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts

REVIEW: Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

In Tilla’s world, lineage matters. Since her mother was a castle servant, Tilla’s father, Lord Kent, would never make Tilla “legitimate.” He has other daughters for that. Tilla’s lot in life is to be one of the “bastards.” And sometimes she’s okay with that. She can hang out with her half brother, Jax, who is a stable hand. They explore the castle’s secret tunnels. And she can be relatively free of the demands of the aristocracy.

When Princess Lyriana comes to the West to visit House Kent, she is immediately drawn to Tilla and the other teen “bastards,” Miles and Zell. The princess wants to know more about the common people in her kingdom including the cast off children of the Lords and Ladies.

An excursion to the ocean with the princess changes everything when the teens witness something they were never supposed to see. They are soon running for their lives and questioning everything they thought they knew about their homes and their families.

Review

Wow! This was a great thriller. The premise was clever. I knew from the start that this would be a read-straight-through kind of story. The energy was high and the pacing was terrific. Twists kept me guessing what might happen next.

I loved the characters. The five main kids are well defined and bring something unique to their quest to stay alive. They ask hard questions about their task. It’s not always clear if they are on the “right” side. I liked that depth and the wrestling the characters had to do.

The ending wraps things up for this story – no cliff hangers. But there’s definitely going to be another book because this story is far from over. For me I’d say this is a high school and older book due to mature content including language and violence. This will be a terrific story for older readers, including adults who love a great thriller!

Thanks to the publisher, Disney-Hyperion, for an electronic review copy of this book, offered in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape by Ron McGee

REVIEW: Ryan Quinn and the Rebel’s Escape by Ron McGee

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Ryan Quinn has grown up all over the world. Now that he’s an 8th grader, his family is living in New York City, and Ryan has a chance at a normal life.

The first clue that his life is anything but normal comes when Ryan notices a guy following him through the city. The next comes when the CIA visits his mom’s store, looking for his dad, who is supposed to be on a business trip. When he sees his mom dragged off by a kidnapper, any illusion that his life is normal is gone for good.

Ryan will need the help of his best friend the tech genius and a mysterious young woman if he’s going to have any chance of finding his dad or saving his mom. Ryan’s been surrounded by secrets and lies all his life – and some of the biggest ones may still be yet to come.

Review

A fun teen spy adventure! Think Alex Rider or young James Bond. Ryan has skills he never realized were for the secret life his parents were leading. He lets concern for his family drive him to do things no normal teen would do. And he brings some new friends along for the ride.

You have to suspend disbelief a little to enjoy this. I know a lot of 8th graders. Not one would know what to do in half the situations Ryan encounters. But it doesn’t matter. He’s an endearing kid with fun friends and a compelling mission. I was happy to go along for the ride.

Major cliffhangers at the end set up book 2, Ryan Quinn and the Lion’s Claw, which will release this fall.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs

REVIEW: Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

In a world of superheroes and super villains, Kenna is powerless. She lives and works in the hero world, though. Her mom is one of their best scientists. Her best friend’s dad is the President of the Superhero League. Even without powers, Kenna knows what side she’s on. Until that night in the lab…

Three villains break in one night when Kenna is working late. She fights back, even without powers. And the immunity serum her mom has been giving her secretly for years keeps the villains from using their powers against her.

Still, while she survives the attack, it raises a lot of questions for Kenna. What were the villains after? Why would one of them protect her? Why does her mom reference the same secret lab level the villains did and then try to pass it off as a misstatement? Is it possible that the heroes aren’t as awesome and flawless as Kenna always thought?

Maybe, if Kenna sneaks back into the lab, she can find some answers to her questions. Or maybe she will find her whole world turned upside down.

Review

I loved this superhero story! Kenna’s a great, strong character. Even without the protections others enjoy, she doesn’t back down from a fight. She reminds me of some of my favorite female characters from other stories. Even as she wrestles with the things she discovers, her first thought is doing the right thing, no matter what.

The world building is great. I feel like I only have the barest hint of the full picture of the heroes and villains in this story. So many things are yet to be revealed in book 2. I wish I could share more about the world and the story, but I’m afraid that will spoil the story for new readers. I will say I loved the set up  and the various reveals. The story is terrific.

I enjoyed the full cast of characters, not just Kenna. It’s an eclectic group – in powers and in personalities. The twists and turns of the story leaves the team in some disarray by the end. I will need the sequel, Relentless, as soon as possible! (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Lois Lane: Fall Out by Gwenda Bond

REVIEW: Lois Lane: Fall Out by Gwenda Bond

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lois Lane and her family have moved to Metropolis. Her dad hopes a more permanent post might give Lois some stability. And it is Lois’ intention to stay out of trouble at her new school. For once.

But that commitment to keep her head down and do what her dad expects goes right out the window when Lois sees a student being bullied. The principal ignores it. Actually says bullying helps toughen kids up and makes them prepared for the real world.

So Lois uses her job as a student reporter for the Daily Planet’s teen online newspaper to report what she’s seeing and hearing. Before long, everything blows up in her face – she’s grounded and threatened with military school, her friend has been sucked in by the bullies, and another friend is in danger.

If the powers that be think a little turmoil is going to get Lois Lane to back down, they really don’t understand her at all!

Review

Such a FUN take on the Lois Lane/Superman story! In this case, they are teens and only know each other online. Lois has no idea who SmallvilleGuy really is but the reader gets to enjoy little nods to the Clark Kent/Superman character.

Lois is fantastic. She’s like some of my favorite teen characters – Tess from The Fixer or Lizzie from Gini Koch’s Alien series. She has no tolerance for bullies or injustice. She’s willing to deal with the personal consequences of doing the right thing. The cast around her is great. I can’t wait to read book 2 and get to know them better.

The mystery is good. It’s bullying on the surface but much more underneath. There’s a supernatural/X-files-ish tone to it that was interesting and unexpected. The ending is satisfying but several loose ends remain which may come into play in future stories.

Great mystery. Smart, strong characters. I’m looking forward to reading the other books in this series. Book 2 is Double Down. Book 3 is Triple Threat.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Zenn Diagram by Wendy Bryant

REVIEW: Zenn Diagram by Wendy Bryant

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Eva (pronounced like a slang “ever”) is a math genius. But that’s not the most unusual thing about her. The most unusual thing is that she gets flashes of insight about people when she touches them or things that belong to them. Their hidden emotions and worries, their history – all pushes into Eva. It happens so often, Eva never touches people. She doesn’t hand people things or shake hands or even hug. If she does, she gets overwhelming “fractals” of emotion. Except from Zenn.

Zenn is one of the guys Eva tutors in math. Usually she can touch a kid’s calculator and get a mini-fractal that tells her where the student is struggling. It’s a brilliant gift for a tutor! But she gets nothing from Zenn’s calculator. Nothing from his phone or from his clothes or from his skin. But what she gets from the old army jacket he wears is enough to drive her to her knees. What’s Zenn’s story? And why is he the only person Eva can touch?

 

Review

I was hooked on this book after the first page! As Eva talked of her favorite graphing calculators with sharp, self-deprecating humor, I knew this character could be someone really special. And she is. Eva and Zenn made this book for me. I laughed out loud many times and read several snappy, sarcastic sections aloud to my husband. Eva’s “voice” is fantastic!

I have enjoyed several stories that live 90% in a realistic world but with the main character experiencing some magical quality. This is a stellar example of that story style. I didn’t need to know definitively how or why Eva is this way to completely enjoy watching her figure out how to live her life with these fractals.

The story’s plot-hinging, big-reveal moment caught me off guard in the best way. Clever plotting. And I couldn’t put the book down after that because I didn’t want to wait to see how things ended.

This is the sort of book I will read again. Eva is now one of my all-time favorite characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this story! (language and some mature content)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Perfect by Cecelia Ahern

REVIEW: Perfect by Cecelia Ahern

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Celestine North is on the run. She’s been branded “Flawed.” She’s hiding from Judge Crevan who is desperate to find her – or to find the evidence he thinks she is hiding.

The judge will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He harasses the Flawed to get them to sell Celestine out. He arrests her grandfather. His desperation grows every day.

Several powerful people seem interested  in helping Celestine – but who can she really trust? Will anyone stand for what is right? Or are these people only out to secure more power for themselves?

 

Review

I loved book one,  Flawed, in this dystopian duology. If you haven’t read it, you should. I highly recommend it.

This story does a great job of exploring what it’s like for the Flawed to live day to day – the rules about what they can eat, how many can be together in a group, the curfews, etc. Then there are the complications – no one can help them because they would be arrested for assisting the Flawed.  If the Flawed bus is shut down, those on board are in danger of breaking their curfew and suffering consequences. Flawed who become pregnant have their children taken away and tagged “Flawed at Birth.”

The story also does well with building suspense as Celestine makes more connections with people who may or may not be trustworthy. Her romantic interests are explored and resolved. Her family grows and changes in response to Celestine’s choices in the first book and then again in this one. And as you watch them change, you also get to see how society starts, slowly, to change around them.

I wasn’t sure if this book would wrap up the story or if it was going to be a transitional book before a third and final volume. This unknown kept me  braced for some major backstabbing or some huge reveal that would launch the story off once again as this one started to wrap up. While there was plenty of suspense and some backstabbing, everything wrapped up in a pretty satisfying way.

Definitely read these in order. Definitely read this one if you already read Flawed. There is some language in the book. (Flawed does contain some difficult-to-read scenes for Celestine’s branding.) Many thanks to the publisher, Macmillan, for providing an electronic review copy for me to read in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed reading Perfect!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

@Mink is a film buff on the East coast and @Alex is a film fanatic on the West coast. Ironically, @Alex lives in the same town as @Mink’s dad. @Alex encourages her to come to California and go to a film festival with him. Then they can meet face to face for the first time.

@Mink is Bailey. Bailey is actually moving to her dad’s in California, but she’s not quite ready to tell @Alex. She’s hoping she can puzzle out who he is and see if there’s any chemistry between them before telling him who she is. Bailey has gotten good at protecting herself after what happened four years ago.

Porter is NOT part of Bailey’s California plan, though! At first she thinks he is a complete jerk but with time she sees there’s more to him than she thought. Maybe she doesn’t have to protect herself from Porter. But with Porter in her life, where does @Alex fit?

Review

This was so fun!! Many laugh-out-loud moments between Bailey and Porter. The chemistry between them is terrific! I really enjoyed the story and watching things unfold between them. This was fantastic.

Since the story has been described as a take on You’ve Got Mail, I knew where things were headed, but I completely enjoyed the journey to get there. The setting is great – the California coast and boardwalk area as well as the “museum” where Bailey works. The movie quotes and references made me want to fire up Netflix and watch the older movies I’ve heard of but haven’t seen.

Bailey and Porter are the stars of the story, but the other characters – their families, Grace, Pangborn, Davy – are just as fascinating and just as important to the story. I loved them.

There’s some language and mature content so in my opinion this is best for older teens and young adults/adults. I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher, Simon Pulse, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Simon Pulse for the opportunity to read and review this book! This book releases on April 4, 2017.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: A List of Cages by Robin Roe

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The first time Adam met Julian, he was in 5th grade and Julian was in 2nd. They were reading buddies. The second time, Julian became Adam’s foster brother. Julian’s parents had been killed in an accident. Adam and his mother took him in. And they loved him, evident by the pictures of him still on the mantle after all these years.

Adam is assigned to Julian once again his senior year. Julian, now living with an uncle, keeps skipping appointments with the school counselor. As her aide, Adam is sent to track Julian down.

Each time that Adam comes into Julian’s life, he makes such a difference. As kids, he introduced Julian to the books Julian loves even now, books he reads over and over despite his struggles with dyslexia. In foster care, Adam and his mother gave Julian a safe place to start healing after a tremendous loss. But this time, Julian is going to need Adam more than either of them can imagine.

Review

Oh, this book…. I almost can’t put words to this. Julian breaks my heart. Even his walk shows how much he wants to disappear and not be noticed. No one at the school seems to want to be bothered with him. Adam is the opposite. Everyone loves him! Everyone knows him! He just naturally knows how to relate to people. He sees everyone – just when Julian needs to be seen.

There are parts of this story that are so fun – especially Adam and his friends (I love Charlie!!). But there are also these tender moments where the same boisterous group of seniors show up for Julian, this random freshman to most of them, in amazing ways.

Then there are ugly-crying moments in this, too. There are dark moments – powerful moments – that are even more powerful because of the relationship that has been growing between Adam and Julian through the story. Wow, this was just fantastic.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

For me this is definitely a book for older teens/YA due to mature content (predominantly violence/abuse) and language.

REVIEW: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

You never know how one action (or inaction) on your part will intersect with the other things happening in a person’s life.

Days after Hannah’s suicide, Clay receives a set of audio cassettes. Thirteen stories. Thirteen people who play a part in the circumstances that led to her decision to die.

As Clay listens, and as he follows Hannah’s story to landmarks and houses around town, he remembers his own story with Hannah. He wonders when his story will be on one of the tapes, and wonders what Hannah saw as his role in the choices she made.

Review

Wow. I can’t really say I “liked” this book. The subject matter is dark. The things Hannah does and doesn’t do, the things she endures are sad…. But the story is well-written. It’s engrossing. And I think it’s an important subject.

The format of this is nicely done. Hannah’s recording is conveyed in italics while Clay’s thoughts and reactions are in normal print. There are interludes when Clay interacts with someone in real time which gives the reader a nice break from Hannah’s story once in awhile to let the story sink in.  The author notes in the back matter talk about his choices for the format and also give readers suggestions of things to do if the reader or a friend, might be suicidal.

The book covers a lot of things that are familiar worries for teens, or for those who love them – parties, drinking and driving, sexual assault, damaging rumors and reputations, etc. There are so many important things to talk about in this book – for adults as well as for kids.

A moving, challenging book that will stay with you.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥