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This is How I Find Her
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
[This is How I Find Her] by [Sara Polsky] was a different take on dealing with mental illness for YA. Instead of the teen struggling with her own mental illness she is struggling with her mom who suffers from it. [Polsky] does a good job showing the struggles of those who love someone who has a mental illness in all different ways. I will be adding this book to my classroom library.
  
AR
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received a copy of American Royals from Random House Books for Young Readers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book had a great premise but was a little disappointed at the lack of history. All we got is that in this verse it is a faux pas to drink tea.
Okayyyy.
The characters are great but there's that lack of communication trope so present in ya novels.
  
The Spring Girls: A Modern-Day Retelling of Little Women
The Spring Girls: A Modern-Day Retelling of Little Women
Anna Todd | 2018 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fantastic Read
I'm not quite sure why this book has received the ratings it has but that's the beauty of having an opinion. With that being said I will now share my thoughts and start my review by saying that I enjoyed reading this. I found the characters easy to relate to and able to see and experience the differences on each one. The author's writing made this retelling a fantastic read for me. -YA/NA Book Divas

{I requested a copy for reviewing purposes and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed herein are unbiased and my own.}
  
The Cruel Prince
The Cruel Prince
Holly Black | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
9
8.4 (36 Ratings)
Book Rating
Holly Black is amazing
This book follows the story of Jude a mortal girl who was raised in the world of the fae. Jude is a morally grey character. This makes the story more interesting because her actions are not easy to predict. It was a nice change from the typical YA hero who always does what is right. My one complaint is that the book did start off a little slow, but by the end I couldn't put it down. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series, and I hope they don't disappoint.
  
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Dana (24 KP) rated Asylum (Asylum, #1) in Books

Mar 23, 2018  
A(
Asylum (Asylum, #1)
6
6.5 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
I expected this book to be a lot scarier. Especially with all of the creepy pictures. But unfortunately, it fell flat. The parts that were supposed to be suspenseful didn't always work with the rest of the story. There were a lot of instances of the phrases that are in so many YA books. "I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding" or "She wasn't like other girls" kind of things. Those plot points make reading the novel not as fun for me. I am not saying it was a bad book, but it could have been so much better.
  
Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now
Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now
Dana L. Davis | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
It's rare that I pick up a YA Contemporary, but there was something about Tiffany Sly that I couldn't pass up.

This book is about a 16 year old girl whose life is uprooted when she must move in with the father she has never known. To make matters worse, a second man claims to be her father and gives her 7 days to take a DNA test. Tiffany and her father's family are from two different worlds, but what I loved is how they're portrayed - how not a single character is who you thought they were at the beginning of the book.

If you want a book that will give you so many feels with a character who is unbelievably relatable, then this is the book for you. If you want a book that will make you cry and laugh, this book is for you. If you like a cast of complex characters, then you'll love Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now.

I read it in about a day, which is my way of saying this book was amazing!
  
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ClareR (5603 KP) rated Light Years in Books

Nov 13, 2018  
Light Years
Light Years
Kass Morgan | 2018 | LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A new YA Science Fiction series
This is a new YA Science Fiction series, following 4 students at the Quatra Fleet Academy - an academy that has only just allowed students from planets other than the main Tridian planet. This book centres around themes of friendship, prejudice and subterfuge.
Students are split in to teams, where they man their own practice craft, and there is someone from pretty much each of the planets in their system: Cormack is from Deva, and has taken his dead brothers place, unbeknownst to the academy; Vesper is the daughter of a Tridian Commander and teacher at the academy. She is finding it difficult to live up to her mothers expectations; Arran is from Chetire, and is very intelligent, something that caused him untold trouble at home; and Orelia, who says she's from Loos, but hides a greater secret.
This is a great start to a new series, lots of diversity, excitement, and a fast read. It sets up the next book really well, with a very interesting ending - what a cliffhanger!!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my copy of this book to read and honestly review.
  
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Karla Dee (6 KP) rated Kiss & Tell in Books

Apr 5, 2022  
Kiss & Tell
Kiss & Tell
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I grew up in the 90s with Backstreet Boys, 98 degrees and Nsync. Justin Timberlake would have been my pick but I am def a girl fan of all the 90s chicks and love Jessica Simpson too. This book is boys band but LGBTQ and I am here for it!

The cover is super fun and I love the colors and the energy of the singers on stage. I don't read a lot of famous teen band books that are famous so this was a different YA read that had teens on a strict schedule making them present themselves as model citizens to the public. I love that the love situation in the book is a boy from the opening band and it makes you wonder where are the parents but whatevs teens will be teens.

The book taking place in Canada was also a fun aspect of the story since I have never been and love reading stories of places I haven't visited before. Def recommend this YA read 10 out of ten! The boys are all rock stars for sure<3<3<3
  
Season of the Witch (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, #1)
Season of the Witch (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, #1)
Sarah Rees Brennan | 2019 | Horror, Young Adult (YA)
6
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This was at least a readable YA book based upon the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina universe (I prefer the original Archie one, it's more fun). The characters were fleshed out a little, and I liked the alternating first-person narrative of Sabrina and the third-person chapters featuring the people around her. Harvey's brother, Tom's chapter was by far, my favorite. It developed his character more, and it makes me care about him more.
The reason I rate this as ok is because it was perfectly predictable and was just an ok story. If you're a fan and can stomach modern YA, it's a useful read. It's also self-contained, so you don't really have to watch the show in order to understand it. There were little nuggets of detail for viewers of the show.
  
Three Dark Crowns
Three Dark Crowns
Kendare Blake | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
7.8 (17 Ratings)
Book Rating
pacing (1 more)
story
world building (0 more)
Great Read
I bought this book probably over a year ago while browsing some books in my local supermarket. The cover pulled me in, but the blurb made me buy the book. It was a promising premise of the book and I knew I just had to buy it and find out what happens.

Overall, I love the book. It is such a refreshing read from the stock, cliche, ya books you usually read. This has originality in it. The characters are fully developed and interesting. The story does feel like it is going too slowly or too quickly unless it is needed. It is a well written book and well worth the read if you want something different to you traditional YA reads.

My only woe with this book is the somewhat lack of world building. Usually it would be enough if the book was not a fantasy. But I feel all fantasy books, especially those not based on our world, in our time, needs a lot of world building to it. Sure, there is a map, and you can some world building and traditions/ceremonies. But I am still unsure of what the whole island looks like as a whole. Is it a hot country? Cold? Is it mountainous or flat? Is it a large island or small? Do they have electricity or not? It is just simple things like this, and to be honest, I'm just nit-picking here because I did rather enjoy the whole story.

Now if you need me, I will be reading the second book, One Dark Throne because that cliff-hanger at the end was so juicy I need to find out more...