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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Breathe, Annie, Breathe in Books
Feb 13, 2018
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I picked it up on a total whim (having received an ARC) and really enjoyed it. First, I have to state that apparently this is part of Kenneally's "Hundred Oaks" YA series, which I didn't know. It definitely can stand alone, however.
Annie is finishing up high school and training for a marathon. She's never been a runner - in fact, she hates it. However, Annie is running in honor of her late boyfriend Kyle, who never had a chance to run the marathon for which he was training.
Annie is a very mature kid, which took a bit of getting used to. She was definitely in a very developed relationship early in life and she came across older than her years. However, we learn that she's been on her own a bit - her dad was never around and her Mom has been busy working multiple jobs to keep the family afloat. So her maturity works, overall.
Annie is struggling with guilt over Kyle's death. She starts to find relief in her marathon training. She also starts to find relief in Jeremiah, the brother of her training coach. Jeremiah is unlike anyone Annie has ever known.
This was a simple, YA love story. You pretty much know where it's going to go. But it was surprisingly sweet and touching and well-done. Annie is an extremely likable character. Her maturity lends her some credence not always found in YA characters. I also found myself quite swept up in Jeremiah (not unlike Annie), who was also different from the typical YA beau.
Finally, the running element was a fun add to the book. As someone training for a 5K (nowhere near a marathon, but I like to pretend, ha), it was enjoyable to watch Annie progress toward her goal.
Overall, this is probably really a 3.5 star novel, but I just enjoyed the story so much, I bumped it up to 4.
<i>(Note: I received an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)</i>
Annie is finishing up high school and training for a marathon. She's never been a runner - in fact, she hates it. However, Annie is running in honor of her late boyfriend Kyle, who never had a chance to run the marathon for which he was training.
Annie is a very mature kid, which took a bit of getting used to. She was definitely in a very developed relationship early in life and she came across older than her years. However, we learn that she's been on her own a bit - her dad was never around and her Mom has been busy working multiple jobs to keep the family afloat. So her maturity works, overall.
Annie is struggling with guilt over Kyle's death. She starts to find relief in her marathon training. She also starts to find relief in Jeremiah, the brother of her training coach. Jeremiah is unlike anyone Annie has ever known.
This was a simple, YA love story. You pretty much know where it's going to go. But it was surprisingly sweet and touching and well-done. Annie is an extremely likable character. Her maturity lends her some credence not always found in YA characters. I also found myself quite swept up in Jeremiah (not unlike Annie), who was also different from the typical YA beau.
Finally, the running element was a fun add to the book. As someone training for a 5K (nowhere near a marathon, but I like to pretend, ha), it was enjoyable to watch Annie progress toward her goal.
Overall, this is probably really a 3.5 star novel, but I just enjoyed the story so much, I bumped it up to 4.
<i>(Note: I received an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)</i>
Dracoria Malfoy (690 KP) rated An Absolutely Remarkable Thing in Books
Mar 17, 2019
remarkable
did i expect hank green to be a great writer?
no.
was he?
i suppose so.
and did he live up to the expectations i set on this book?
yes.
this book was genuinely an amazing observation on fame and culture. it accurately depicted how change in terms of popularity can affect a person regarding both their relationships and how they percieve themselves. starring a queer lead, this book was quite frankly incredibly well done. i've gotta say, i didn't expect this level from a debut novel. I feel like the only reason i took off some points was because the story dragged a bit or sped up too much at points. there was never a constant, perfect pace to this story, though maybe that just added to the peculiarity of this novel.
also, gotta say;
certainly not YA
no.
was he?
i suppose so.
and did he live up to the expectations i set on this book?
yes.
this book was genuinely an amazing observation on fame and culture. it accurately depicted how change in terms of popularity can affect a person regarding both their relationships and how they percieve themselves. starring a queer lead, this book was quite frankly incredibly well done. i've gotta say, i didn't expect this level from a debut novel. I feel like the only reason i took off some points was because the story dragged a bit or sped up too much at points. there was never a constant, perfect pace to this story, though maybe that just added to the peculiarity of this novel.
also, gotta say;
certainly not YA
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit in Books
Feb 24, 2018
This book was randomly found by my wife who does not read lesbian fiction but she suggested it to me. We live in Georgia so it was really a no brainer. The struggle to come out in the South is real for most kids. This is not the most accepting region especially when you throw religeon into the mix. Brown did an amazing job of showing that struggle in a funny and compassionate way. Her characters were amazing and their relationships did not seem contrived. Everything developed as it should. It was an well written and thought out coming of age/coming out book that left me wanting more. I even messeged the author and asked if there would be more. So, obviously, I highly recommend this book. Also it is YA so safe for younger people.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Sweet Evil (Sweet, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I'm not normally a fan of long books as, to me, they start to drag after a while and I become bored. Luckily, this was an exception to that.
I really liked this (mostly, anyway).
The "mostly" part because of the lack of a HEA. Yeah, I know it's in a trilogy but I've been left with little hope after that ending. I really need to go buy the second book right now to see how it all works out (with a HEA or at least hope of one for the last book)
I liked that it was detailed and quite steamy for a YA book. I read books for the romance aspect and I ADORED that in this. It was almost forbidden but they couldn't help themselves and were drawn inexplicably to each other.
I love Kaiden!
I really liked this (mostly, anyway).
The "mostly" part because of the lack of a HEA. Yeah, I know it's in a trilogy but I've been left with little hope after that ending. I really need to go buy the second book right now to see how it all works out (with a HEA or at least hope of one for the last book)
I liked that it was detailed and quite steamy for a YA book. I read books for the romance aspect and I ADORED that in this. It was almost forbidden but they couldn't help themselves and were drawn inexplicably to each other.
I love Kaiden!
Louise (64 KP) rated I'll Be Home for Christmas in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I specifically left this book till December to get me into the Christmas spirit.
I love reading short story collections, it’s a great way to find new YA authors and sample their writing.
‘I’ll be home for Christmas’ is a collaboration of UKYA authors and their stories of young adults and what ‘HOME’ means to them. I loved that this book has several genres including science fiction, Horror and Contemporary with such diverse characters. We have refugees, race and sexuality being explored and there was something for everyone to enjoy. I obviously had my favourites in this book and it was surprising that it was the horror, it was so intense and atmospheric and definitely got my pulse racing and that was Claws by Thomas Becker. There was not one story that I disliked in this book and after each story was finished I was left wanting more. I will definitely be purchasing my own copy of this book. There are 15 short stories/poems in this book including a competition winner.
This book is heartwarming and heart wrenching at the same time and definitely recommend reading.
Stripes teamed up with the charity Crises for this book to raise awareness of the hardships young people are facing today. This book is definitely impactful and made me think of the people who are less fortunate and homeless, £1 from every sale is donated to the charity.
*I received a E-copy of this book from Netgalley and Stripes in exchange for an honest opinion.*
I love reading short story collections, it’s a great way to find new YA authors and sample their writing.
‘I’ll be home for Christmas’ is a collaboration of UKYA authors and their stories of young adults and what ‘HOME’ means to them. I loved that this book has several genres including science fiction, Horror and Contemporary with such diverse characters. We have refugees, race and sexuality being explored and there was something for everyone to enjoy. I obviously had my favourites in this book and it was surprising that it was the horror, it was so intense and atmospheric and definitely got my pulse racing and that was Claws by Thomas Becker. There was not one story that I disliked in this book and after each story was finished I was left wanting more. I will definitely be purchasing my own copy of this book. There are 15 short stories/poems in this book including a competition winner.
This book is heartwarming and heart wrenching at the same time and definitely recommend reading.
Stripes teamed up with the charity Crises for this book to raise awareness of the hardships young people are facing today. This book is definitely impactful and made me think of the people who are less fortunate and homeless, £1 from every sale is donated to the charity.
*I received a E-copy of this book from Netgalley and Stripes in exchange for an honest opinion.*
Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1) in Books
Mar 2, 2019
Had potential
I think my main issue with this book is that it's a YA book and you can tell it has been written for a younger audience. With some YA books, you really can't tell they've been made for younger people. But with this one with Todd as the protagonist and despite some serious subjects being raised, it still feels too childish and simplified.
Todd is likeable as the main character but irritating at the same time with some of his thought processes and tantrum like stubborn moments. The rest of the characters aside from Aaron and Viola are barely fleshed out and touched upon because of how quickly the plot jumps from place to place. The plot itself has a good idea with the Noise, but it isn't always well executed. The entire time is spent constantly running from place to place and getting foiled by othet characters. It reminds me a little of The Maze Runner series, where the later books always allow the characters to find something out or do something but then immediately foil them with a twist. It gets a little irritating.
This isn't a bad book and it is a fairly enjoyable and easy read. It does have potential and has intrigued me enough to read the next in the series at least, but maybe ignore the negatives.
Todd is likeable as the main character but irritating at the same time with some of his thought processes and tantrum like stubborn moments. The rest of the characters aside from Aaron and Viola are barely fleshed out and touched upon because of how quickly the plot jumps from place to place. The plot itself has a good idea with the Noise, but it isn't always well executed. The entire time is spent constantly running from place to place and getting foiled by othet characters. It reminds me a little of The Maze Runner series, where the later books always allow the characters to find something out or do something but then immediately foil them with a twist. It gets a little irritating.
This isn't a bad book and it is a fairly enjoyable and easy read. It does have potential and has intrigued me enough to read the next in the series at least, but maybe ignore the negatives.
Nadia (1 KP) rated A Court of Thorns and Roses in Books
Aug 16, 2018
Beautiful characters (1 more)
Interesting fantasy world
Falling back in love with fairies.
When I first picked up this book, I was expecting it to be just another book about a teenage girl falling in love with some irresistible fairie. Although I didn't expect much as I haven't really enjoyed many YA novels about fairies in a few years, I fell in love myself with the protagonist, Feyre, and many of the other characters.
Feyre's character reminds me of Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games. She is strong and independent with clear motivations and her progression towards a softer, more gentle character throughout the book never takes away that strength. My favourite thing about her character is that she finds love but she never stops relying on herself.
Leading on from that, the main romance in this book is very believable and real, developing over time, with Maas presenting Feyre and Tamlin as equals, helping each other to grow. This is a refreshing change from many YA romances, where a man swoops in to save a damaged woman from all of her problems. Plus, there are many non-romantic relationships that really lighten up the novel. An example of this is Feyre's friendship with Lucien which, although purely platonic, is just as inspiring and lovely as any romance.
My only criticism of this novel is that it could have been longer. I really enjoyed the final part of the story, where Feyre goes through a lot for her relationship, because it really showcases her strength. However, it felt slightly rushed at some points, considering it is meant to take place over around 3 months. The final confrontation near then end seemed to be very quick and I can see how this makes sense with the story but I still would have liked to have a bit more to read.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes YA fantasy with romance, politics and magic. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
Feyre's character reminds me of Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games. She is strong and independent with clear motivations and her progression towards a softer, more gentle character throughout the book never takes away that strength. My favourite thing about her character is that she finds love but she never stops relying on herself.
Leading on from that, the main romance in this book is very believable and real, developing over time, with Maas presenting Feyre and Tamlin as equals, helping each other to grow. This is a refreshing change from many YA romances, where a man swoops in to save a damaged woman from all of her problems. Plus, there are many non-romantic relationships that really lighten up the novel. An example of this is Feyre's friendship with Lucien which, although purely platonic, is just as inspiring and lovely as any romance.
My only criticism of this novel is that it could have been longer. I really enjoyed the final part of the story, where Feyre goes through a lot for her relationship, because it really showcases her strength. However, it felt slightly rushed at some points, considering it is meant to take place over around 3 months. The final confrontation near then end seemed to be very quick and I can see how this makes sense with the story but I still would have liked to have a bit more to read.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes YA fantasy with romance, politics and magic. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Four Days of You and Me in Books
May 7, 2020
I hate writing less-than-positive reviews, especially for authors I typically enjoy, but this book was not a favorite of mine. It's told across Lulu and Alex's four class trips (one per year) with flashbacks to other times. I simply could not warm up to Lulu or Alex. Honestly, of the two, I probably liked him better, but we don't hear his side. It took nearly half the book for the story to engage me even a little bit, and I thought about giving up, but for some reason, I have a tough time just stopping a book.
Now, I read YA a ton, so it's not that I don't enjoy YA novels. I read one right after this and *loved* it. But I found this story way too simplistic, and I feel like teens would too. There is so much better YA out there--for all of us. The book just felt simplistic in its writing and the "will they / won't they" storyline was boring. I did not care if they did or not. Honestly, there was a side plot about Lulu's gay best friend Max that was much more interesting--I would have rather read about him!
Supposedly Lulu is an artist/writer and that's her thing, but that felt forced. Mostly, the book felt about a girl (and her friends) all trying to find boys to like (and like them back). That's what they cared about and talked about. I felt no huge connection between Alex and Lulu and hence no reason to root for them to choose each other. They didn't feel destined for one other, as most couples do in a good romance. The story does pick up a bit near the end, but by then, I just felt burned out.
So maybe this story would resonate a bit more with a teen set (and it should be an older teen set, due to language and themes), but there are a lot of other better books out there. Now, others seem to enjoy this more than me, so maybe I just got caught in a bad mood. 2.5 stars for me, though.
Now, I read YA a ton, so it's not that I don't enjoy YA novels. I read one right after this and *loved* it. But I found this story way too simplistic, and I feel like teens would too. There is so much better YA out there--for all of us. The book just felt simplistic in its writing and the "will they / won't they" storyline was boring. I did not care if they did or not. Honestly, there was a side plot about Lulu's gay best friend Max that was much more interesting--I would have rather read about him!
Supposedly Lulu is an artist/writer and that's her thing, but that felt forced. Mostly, the book felt about a girl (and her friends) all trying to find boys to like (and like them back). That's what they cared about and talked about. I felt no huge connection between Alex and Lulu and hence no reason to root for them to choose each other. They didn't feel destined for one other, as most couples do in a good romance. The story does pick up a bit near the end, but by then, I just felt burned out.
So maybe this story would resonate a bit more with a teen set (and it should be an older teen set, due to language and themes), but there are a lot of other better books out there. Now, others seem to enjoy this more than me, so maybe I just got caught in a bad mood. 2.5 stars for me, though.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Young World (The Young World, #1) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
[The Young World} by [Chris Weitz] is a well written post apocalyptic story with a twist. All adults are die in a plague leaving the young to survive for themselves it becomes very much like [Lord of the Flies]. Also as the young people become a certain age they contract the plague that killed the adults. When they find that this plague was man made they fight to find the cure and save their friends and themselves.
This book was enjoyable and a quick read. It fits very well in a very popular YA genre.
This book was enjoyable and a quick read. It fits very well in a very popular YA genre.
tonidavis (353 KP) rated Frostblood in Books
Jul 7, 2017
Ruby (2 more)
Well Written
Arcus
Fire and Ice
I really enjoyed this book to be fair there is a lot of similar stories in the ya genre about at the moment that being said I love the dynamic of Ruby and Arcus. As leads they where so dimensional and so believable the fact there may be similar story around take nothing away from this one. It was well written and a great read the just the opposition of fire and ice is also well done