by Victoria Aveyard
Summary:
Mare's world is divided by blood. Born a red, she is forever bound to a life of wanting and servitude to the silvers, those with silver blood and supernatural powers. When a chance encounter leads to a job in the palace, she doesn't question it. But when she discovers she has supernatural powers of her own, and discovers this in front of the entire court. Now forced to pretend to be a silver by the king, she is betrothed to the prince and finds herself playing a much more dangerous game than she ever thought possible.
Review:
While this type of theme is being played out in numerous trilogies, The Red Queen is absolutely marvelous. It will find a readership in those who love the semi-dystopian romance with a bit of fantasy thrown in. It's difficult to put down and leaves readers anxiously awaiting the rest of the series.
Genre: Dystopian Fantasy
Age Level: 8th Grade
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
by Leslye Walton
Summary:
Born with wings, Ava has been kept in her house with her wingless twin brother since she was born. Now 16, Ava just wants to experience the world and perhaps discover more about her family's past in an attempt to figure out why she is the one with wings. In a world where love makes us all fools, Ava is about to find out that while love can be a many splendid thing, it can also be the thing that kills us.
Review:
This was an extremely odd book, but also oddly compelling. The book starts with a history of Ava's family, and their extreme bad luck when it comes to love. The misfortunes of her ancestors are what leads to Ava being born with wings. Ava's innocence to all things evil is quite endearing, but her extreme strength is what is lasting. It's a nice read for those who don't mind suspending belief for a bit, and would be good for those who aren't necessarily into full fledged fantasy but don't mind a sprinkling.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Born with wings, Ava has been kept in her house with her wingless twin brother since she was born. Now 16, Ava just wants to experience the world and perhaps discover more about her family's past in an attempt to figure out why she is the one with wings. In a world where love makes us all fools, Ava is about to find out that while love can be a many splendid thing, it can also be the thing that kills us.
Review:
This was an extremely odd book, but also oddly compelling. The book starts with a history of Ava's family, and their extreme bad luck when it comes to love. The misfortunes of her ancestors are what leads to Ava being born with wings. Ava's innocence to all things evil is quite endearing, but her extreme strength is what is lasting. It's a nice read for those who don't mind suspending belief for a bit, and would be good for those who aren't necessarily into full fledged fantasy but don't mind a sprinkling.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
They All Fall Down
by Roxanne St. Claire
Summary:
Every year the list of the 10 prettiest girls comes out. For these girls the list is a ticket to popularity, entrance into the best parties, and more. When Kenzie finds out she was named number 5, she's both surprised and ambivalent. Being number 5 isn't going to help get her into Columbia. But when girls on the list start dying, Kenzie realizes that maybe it's time to take her number seriously.
Review:
I was surprised at how great this mystery novel was! While a lot of the characters play into some pretty typical stereotypes, and it was definitely far fetched, it was a fun read that kept you guessing until the end. There's some alcohol use and a bit of violence, but overall things are pretty tame. Highly recommend to teens that like mystery and suspense novels.
Genre: Suspense Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Every year the list of the 10 prettiest girls comes out. For these girls the list is a ticket to popularity, entrance into the best parties, and more. When Kenzie finds out she was named number 5, she's both surprised and ambivalent. Being number 5 isn't going to help get her into Columbia. But when girls on the list start dying, Kenzie realizes that maybe it's time to take her number seriously.
Review:
I was surprised at how great this mystery novel was! While a lot of the characters play into some pretty typical stereotypes, and it was definitely far fetched, it was a fun read that kept you guessing until the end. There's some alcohol use and a bit of violence, but overall things are pretty tame. Highly recommend to teens that like mystery and suspense novels.
Genre: Suspense Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
The Carnival at Bray
by Jessie Ann Foley
Summary:
When her mother falls in love, Maggie knows the cycle. It'll be great for a bit, but then the inevitable breakup occurs and after her mother falls apart and puts herself back together, life goes on. But this time her mother has gotten married and moved them from their hometown of Chicago to Bray, Ireland, a little town outside of Dublin. Now, away from everyone she has ever loved, especially her rocker uncle Kevin, Maggie might just learn something about love and loss herself.
Review:
Set in 1993, this book is a great illustration of both teenage life then and now. It was remarkable to me how little the book felt like it was set 20 years ago, before cell phones or the internet. The author does a great job of focusing on the characters and the interplay between them. Kurt Cobain might not be on too many teenage radars these days, but the book does a great job of illustrating just how important he was to many. Maggie's uncle's drug abuse is barely talked about, and his fairly horrid death is talked about briefly. It's suitable for slightly mature teens, and will mostly likely find it's main audience in older teens or adults.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
When her mother falls in love, Maggie knows the cycle. It'll be great for a bit, but then the inevitable breakup occurs and after her mother falls apart and puts herself back together, life goes on. But this time her mother has gotten married and moved them from their hometown of Chicago to Bray, Ireland, a little town outside of Dublin. Now, away from everyone she has ever loved, especially her rocker uncle Kevin, Maggie might just learn something about love and loss herself.
Review:
Set in 1993, this book is a great illustration of both teenage life then and now. It was remarkable to me how little the book felt like it was set 20 years ago, before cell phones or the internet. The author does a great job of focusing on the characters and the interplay between them. Kurt Cobain might not be on too many teenage radars these days, but the book does a great job of illustrating just how important he was to many. Maggie's uncle's drug abuse is barely talked about, and his fairly horrid death is talked about briefly. It's suitable for slightly mature teens, and will mostly likely find it's main audience in older teens or adults.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Saturday, December 20, 2014
The Tyrant's Daughter
by J.C. Carleson
Summary:
When her father is killed in a coup, Laila flees to the United States with her mother and brother. As she struggles with daily life in the States, Laila begins to discover the truth about her father's regime. While her mother schemes and plots for them to have her younger brother inherit the country's rule so they can return to the country, Laila is left trying to figure out what her path is. Does she have to return to a county where she will have no real rights again? Should she stay in America even though life here isn't as easy as they might have thought? What is true in a world where everything she was told was a lie? An interesting read about a girl from a sheltered past coming to terms with truths she was never told.
Review:
This book mildly frustrated me. There were times when I wanted to yell at Laila that family loyalty should only go so far. The mother's plots to return to their country and put her young son 'in charge' and have a family member as regent angered me, mainly because you can see this kind of scheming today and in our recent past. The human rights atrocities that were touched on were equally frustrating as you watched the mother ignoring them to try and continue to live the life she wanted. It's a good read that gives some insight as to what it would be like to grow up in that environment.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
When her father is killed in a coup, Laila flees to the United States with her mother and brother. As she struggles with daily life in the States, Laila begins to discover the truth about her father's regime. While her mother schemes and plots for them to have her younger brother inherit the country's rule so they can return to the country, Laila is left trying to figure out what her path is. Does she have to return to a county where she will have no real rights again? Should she stay in America even though life here isn't as easy as they might have thought? What is true in a world where everything she was told was a lie? An interesting read about a girl from a sheltered past coming to terms with truths she was never told.
Review:
This book mildly frustrated me. There were times when I wanted to yell at Laila that family loyalty should only go so far. The mother's plots to return to their country and put her young son 'in charge' and have a family member as regent angered me, mainly because you can see this kind of scheming today and in our recent past. The human rights atrocities that were touched on were equally frustrating as you watched the mother ignoring them to try and continue to live the life she wanted. It's a good read that gives some insight as to what it would be like to grow up in that environment.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Don't Look Back
by Jennifer Armentrout
Summary:
If Sam could remember that night, or anything from her life before that night, maybe she could help them find Cassie. If the person she is discovering she was, the mean girl who was both loved and hated alongside Queen Bee Cassie, was anything like the person she thinks she should have been maybe things would make sense. But nothing is adding up. As Sam tries to remember what happened, threatening notes begin to appear warning her off the case. But nothing is adding up, and Sam is left to wonder, can she not remember because she killed Cassie herself?
Review:
A thriller which will keep you guessing until the very end, Don't Look Back is a fantastic read for anyone who likes suspense fiction. Sam is a very realistic character, and you struggle along with her wishing she could just remember what happened. The book builds to a big reveal, with a little romance on the side (though her love interest just might end up being the killer himself...).
Genre: Mystery
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
If Sam could remember that night, or anything from her life before that night, maybe she could help them find Cassie. If the person she is discovering she was, the mean girl who was both loved and hated alongside Queen Bee Cassie, was anything like the person she thinks she should have been maybe things would make sense. But nothing is adding up. As Sam tries to remember what happened, threatening notes begin to appear warning her off the case. But nothing is adding up, and Sam is left to wonder, can she not remember because she killed Cassie herself?
Review:
A thriller which will keep you guessing until the very end, Don't Look Back is a fantastic read for anyone who likes suspense fiction. Sam is a very realistic character, and you struggle along with her wishing she could just remember what happened. The book builds to a big reveal, with a little romance on the side (though her love interest just might end up being the killer himself...).
Genre: Mystery
Age Level: 8th Grade
The Kiss of Deception
by Mary E. Pearson
Summary:
On the morning of her wedding to a stranger she's never met, Princess Lia runs away to a remote village with her maid. When two handsome strangers arrive in the same village, she views their flirtations with her has harmless, not knowing that one of them is her jilted fiance and the other an assassin sent to kill her. As an ancient rift between kingdoms comes to a head with Princess Lia at the center, it will be a miracle if she survives it. A planned trilogy, this book is hard to put down, and will leave you wishing the second was already out!
Review:
While a slightly similar story to many that are out there, Kiss of Deception is incredibly well written and engaging. Lia is fairly naive, though she learns quickly and is willing to work despite having grown up a princess. The book doesn't tell you which man is the assassin and which the jilted fiance as we watch them both fall for her, and it definitely keeps you guessing until the end. A great read for both adventure and romance novels, it's a fantasy novel that even non fantasy novel lovers will enjoy.
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
On the morning of her wedding to a stranger she's never met, Princess Lia runs away to a remote village with her maid. When two handsome strangers arrive in the same village, she views their flirtations with her has harmless, not knowing that one of them is her jilted fiance and the other an assassin sent to kill her. As an ancient rift between kingdoms comes to a head with Princess Lia at the center, it will be a miracle if she survives it. A planned trilogy, this book is hard to put down, and will leave you wishing the second was already out!
Review:
While a slightly similar story to many that are out there, Kiss of Deception is incredibly well written and engaging. Lia is fairly naive, though she learns quickly and is willing to work despite having grown up a princess. The book doesn't tell you which man is the assassin and which the jilted fiance as we watch them both fall for her, and it definitely keeps you guessing until the end. A great read for both adventure and romance novels, it's a fantasy novel that even non fantasy novel lovers will enjoy.
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
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