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Bandits And Ball Gowns (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #5)
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One Prince Finds True Love ... And Risks It All Elle Cynder has fallen hard for Alec, the...
Young Adult Fantasy
Neliem
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Half the population of the island of Madera are dead, killed by an unforgiving and indiscriminate...
YA Young Adult Fantasy Romance Romantic Fantasy Neliem
Kyera (8 KP) rated This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The first few chapters can be a bit slow to get into, but the story does find its path fairly quickly and immediately became a favourite. I originally read the first five chapters via Epic Reads was intrigued by the premise although nothing much happened at the beginning. I finally got a chance to read the entire book and the idea of it is just fantastic. Our main characters live in a world in which sins and crimes beget monsters - creatures that terrorize the city and force the people to choose between two ways of life. In one half of the City, the leader lets the monsters roam freely but puts them under his control to a degree and sells his protection to the people for a high price. In the other half of the City, the leader has a militia-like group that keeps the City safe but not everyone wants to help out.
Our two main characters are Kate and August, although they are from opposite sides of Verity. Kate is the daughter of the leader of the north half of the City and wants to prove herself. She is strong and smart, but puts on a tougher front than she would have naturally because of who and where she is. August is different. August is a monster, a Sunai, a creature that can feed off you, your soul and your energy with just a few strains of music. But August is not all he appears and he is definitely my favourite character in the book.
There are three different types of monsters: Sunai, Malchai, and Corsai. Each is well developed and unique in the world that the author built. I think that the horror that she evokes in the reader makes the plight of the main characters that much more harrowing. You, of course, experience stress and fear as Kate and August fight for their lives. The world building continues as you experience life on each side of the city through the eyes of our main characters. I do hope to see further development in the second novel of the characters now that the foundation of the world and its players have been created.
The story was beautifully written and I was completely entranced. I was happily surprised by the lack of romance in this novel, as one could easily expect our two main characters to fall in love over the course of their harrowing journey (as happens in many YA novels.)
I would highly recommend it to young adult/teen readers who are fans of fantasy, dystopian, horror and any of V.E. Schwab's other work (despite them being in the adult age range and this being a young adult series.)
Our two main characters are Kate and August, although they are from opposite sides of Verity. Kate is the daughter of the leader of the north half of the City and wants to prove herself. She is strong and smart, but puts on a tougher front than she would have naturally because of who and where she is. August is different. August is a monster, a Sunai, a creature that can feed off you, your soul and your energy with just a few strains of music. But August is not all he appears and he is definitely my favourite character in the book.
There are three different types of monsters: Sunai, Malchai, and Corsai. Each is well developed and unique in the world that the author built. I think that the horror that she evokes in the reader makes the plight of the main characters that much more harrowing. You, of course, experience stress and fear as Kate and August fight for their lives. The world building continues as you experience life on each side of the city through the eyes of our main characters. I do hope to see further development in the second novel of the characters now that the foundation of the world and its players have been created.
The story was beautifully written and I was completely entranced. I was happily surprised by the lack of romance in this novel, as one could easily expect our two main characters to fall in love over the course of their harrowing journey (as happens in many YA novels.)
I would highly recommend it to young adult/teen readers who are fans of fantasy, dystopian, horror and any of V.E. Schwab's other work (despite them being in the adult age range and this being a young adult series.)
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Hyacinth Girls in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Hyacinth Girls</i> is the beautifully written debut novel by Lauren Frankel. Rebecca is the guardian of thirteen-year-old Callie who, despite phone calls from school, believes Callie can do no wrong. When Callie is accused of bullying another student, Rebecca easily turns the story around to make Callie the victim.
The story begins with a prologue in which a billboard is being erected featuring Callie’s face and the words “Do you know your children?” This implies that something tragic happens to Callie, but as we read, we question exactly what this is. Was Callie involved with the bullying at school, or was she the one being bullied? Callie has not exactly had an easy life with both her parents dying when she was five, and therefore Rebecca often glosses over the true meanings of Callie’s behaviour, insisting that Callie is acting out of grief.
As well as the question of what happens to Callie, the readers are plagued with many other questions as the story goes on. For example: How did Callie’s mother, Joyce, die? How did her father die? Who is her father? Who is sending Rebecca letters from prison? These queries get answered toward the end of the book thus encouraging readers to continue in order to sate their curiosity.
It is interesting to see how an adult interprets children’s behaviour based upon their own lives and experiences as well as jumping to conclusion about the way the child is feeling. <i>Hyacinth Girls</i> provides both the adult and the child the opportunity to express their point of view. Rebecca begins by trying to understand what Callie is going through, and getting it wrong, as well as introducing the reader to the past and present situation. Callie, on the other hand, reveals the truth.
Although not essentially a young adult novel, Callie’s narrative makes it suitable for teenagers as well as adults. The theme of bullying is something many young people may be familiar with from either being a victim, the cause or a bystander. Parents, on the other hand, will easily relate to Rebecca as she tries to understand her best friends daughter.
Overall <i>Hyacinth Girls</i> is a great book with a very intense theme. It is so realistic that it creates a sense of shock as we realize that there are school children around the world experiencing all the things mentioned within the story. Hopefully this novel will open readers’ eyes and make them more aware of the things they do and how they affect other people.
Hyacinth Girls</i> is the beautifully written debut novel by Lauren Frankel. Rebecca is the guardian of thirteen-year-old Callie who, despite phone calls from school, believes Callie can do no wrong. When Callie is accused of bullying another student, Rebecca easily turns the story around to make Callie the victim.
The story begins with a prologue in which a billboard is being erected featuring Callie’s face and the words “Do you know your children?” This implies that something tragic happens to Callie, but as we read, we question exactly what this is. Was Callie involved with the bullying at school, or was she the one being bullied? Callie has not exactly had an easy life with both her parents dying when she was five, and therefore Rebecca often glosses over the true meanings of Callie’s behaviour, insisting that Callie is acting out of grief.
As well as the question of what happens to Callie, the readers are plagued with many other questions as the story goes on. For example: How did Callie’s mother, Joyce, die? How did her father die? Who is her father? Who is sending Rebecca letters from prison? These queries get answered toward the end of the book thus encouraging readers to continue in order to sate their curiosity.
It is interesting to see how an adult interprets children’s behaviour based upon their own lives and experiences as well as jumping to conclusion about the way the child is feeling. <i>Hyacinth Girls</i> provides both the adult and the child the opportunity to express their point of view. Rebecca begins by trying to understand what Callie is going through, and getting it wrong, as well as introducing the reader to the past and present situation. Callie, on the other hand, reveals the truth.
Although not essentially a young adult novel, Callie’s narrative makes it suitable for teenagers as well as adults. The theme of bullying is something many young people may be familiar with from either being a victim, the cause or a bystander. Parents, on the other hand, will easily relate to Rebecca as she tries to understand her best friends daughter.
Overall <i>Hyacinth Girls</i> is a great book with a very intense theme. It is so realistic that it creates a sense of shock as we realize that there are school children around the world experiencing all the things mentioned within the story. Hopefully this novel will open readers’ eyes and make them more aware of the things they do and how they affect other people.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated You in Books
Apr 27, 2018
While reading—and after finishing—You, I really had no idea what to say about it. I let it sit in my brain for a while, and I think I’ve decided how I feel. It’s a funny book though, because honestly, you have to be the right kind of reader for it. I’m not yet sure what that kind of reader is.
First, as you can see above, I can’t really say what genre it was. It wasn’t really young adult, though I’m sure some young people will enjoy it. It’s not really adult either though, because it’s about a group of people who play videogames for a living. So I wasn’t sure what category to put it into for my brain.
There was some fantasy aspects, because the videogame they made was fantasy. The videogame characters would come to visit Russell, the main character, in his dreams or daydreams. Once he took one of them on a date. That was kind of weird.
Then there was the plot. They’re making this game, another game in the series, and there’s a bug that’s causing all sorts of problems. They have to play the game to get rid of the bug. Now I’m not a game designer but that doesn’t seem very probable to me personally. I’d do a control search for the line of problem code, and just take it the hell out. But like I said, I’m not a designer.
The subplot to the bug mystery had something to do with the past, the founder of the company, a mysterious death, and an “ultimate game.” It was all very vague, and not a lot of it was wrapped up.
Finally, I didn’t particularly like the conclusion. Suffice to say I thought the whole novel would take a different turn than it did, and it wasn’t what I wanted.
But the good parts were good! The writing was funny and descriptive, the characters were well developed—I loved Lisa so much!—and it was fast paced.
Personally, I liked it. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it, but I probably wouldn’t read (or listen to) it again.
Content/recommendation: some language, no sex. Ages 16+
First, as you can see above, I can’t really say what genre it was. It wasn’t really young adult, though I’m sure some young people will enjoy it. It’s not really adult either though, because it’s about a group of people who play videogames for a living. So I wasn’t sure what category to put it into for my brain.
There was some fantasy aspects, because the videogame they made was fantasy. The videogame characters would come to visit Russell, the main character, in his dreams or daydreams. Once he took one of them on a date. That was kind of weird.
Then there was the plot. They’re making this game, another game in the series, and there’s a bug that’s causing all sorts of problems. They have to play the game to get rid of the bug. Now I’m not a game designer but that doesn’t seem very probable to me personally. I’d do a control search for the line of problem code, and just take it the hell out. But like I said, I’m not a designer.
The subplot to the bug mystery had something to do with the past, the founder of the company, a mysterious death, and an “ultimate game.” It was all very vague, and not a lot of it was wrapped up.
Finally, I didn’t particularly like the conclusion. Suffice to say I thought the whole novel would take a different turn than it did, and it wasn’t what I wanted.
But the good parts were good! The writing was funny and descriptive, the characters were well developed—I loved Lisa so much!—and it was fast paced.
Personally, I liked it. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it, but I probably wouldn’t read (or listen to) it again.
Content/recommendation: some language, no sex. Ages 16+
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Winter in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Full review to come.I have really enjoyed this series. Exploring a future version of Earth where the moon in populated, there are only a handful of actual "countries", cyborgs, androids, and emperors work together to bring peace and safety to both Lunars and Earthens. However, I found Winter to be mercilessly long. That being said, this was an epic finale to The Lunar Chronicles. I am SO glad that I FINALLY read this series.
I have become quite attached to all of the characters in these books. I think Cress and Scarlet are my personal favorites...along with Thorne and Wolf. Of course, the majority of the series revolves around Cinder and she truly turns out to be a remarkable girl. Winter has MANY different perspectives, making it easy to get a little muddled, but doesn't take long to get in the flow. I think by having so many point of views of the surroundings and activities it helps fill a lot of would be gaps. This is also a contributing factor to why the book is so long. Hardcover is 827 pages in length and took me about a week to complete. To keep this review spoiler free for anyone who hasn't read the first three books, I will simply state that Winter wraps the whole story up quite nicely. And despite its length, this is a journey that I am glad I was a part of.
The Lunar Chronicles is not a Christian series and is marketed as "Young Adult". I feel that it is appropriate for this age group (and adults can enjoy it too of course!). The romance is clean and sweet. There is no foul language that I can think of. There is some violence as the wolf hybrid soldiers reign terror on Luna and Earth. Also there is a pretty epic battle to wrap everything up.
If you enjoy sci-fi and young adult fiction, I think you would enjoy this series! Check it out and let me know your thoughts!
I borrowed Winter from my local library. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I have become quite attached to all of the characters in these books. I think Cress and Scarlet are my personal favorites...along with Thorne and Wolf. Of course, the majority of the series revolves around Cinder and she truly turns out to be a remarkable girl. Winter has MANY different perspectives, making it easy to get a little muddled, but doesn't take long to get in the flow. I think by having so many point of views of the surroundings and activities it helps fill a lot of would be gaps. This is also a contributing factor to why the book is so long. Hardcover is 827 pages in length and took me about a week to complete. To keep this review spoiler free for anyone who hasn't read the first three books, I will simply state that Winter wraps the whole story up quite nicely. And despite its length, this is a journey that I am glad I was a part of.
The Lunar Chronicles is not a Christian series and is marketed as "Young Adult". I feel that it is appropriate for this age group (and adults can enjoy it too of course!). The romance is clean and sweet. There is no foul language that I can think of. There is some violence as the wolf hybrid soldiers reign terror on Luna and Earth. Also there is a pretty epic battle to wrap everything up.
If you enjoy sci-fi and young adult fiction, I think you would enjoy this series! Check it out and let me know your thoughts!
I borrowed Winter from my local library. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated All Fall Down (Embassy Row, #1) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through a Books With Bite giveaway.</i>
Ally Carter has become well known for her <i>Gallagher Girls</i> series, which was followed by <i>Heist Society</i>. Now she is back with a brand new young adult series: <i>Embassy Row</i>. After witnessing the death of her mother three years earlier, sixteen year old Grace is shipped off to Adria to live with her ambassador grandfather at the United States embassy. Well known for her dare devil, rebellious history, she is now expected to settle down, become more ladylike and attend international balls. Grace, however, has other plans.
Grace is convinced her mother was murdered and that she knows whom the murderer was. The only problem is no one believes her; not her grandfather, not the many psychiatrists; and even her friends have their doubts. So, Grace does what any “self-respecting mentally unbalanced teenager” would do and takes matters into her own hands.
It is exciting to read about Grace putting pieces of the puzzle together by investigating underground tunnels, tailing a scarred man around the city and, all in all, behaving rather like James Bond. As the plot begins to climax it is difficult not to rush through the novel to discover how it ends, where the reader is left with another mystery.
As well as the mystery storyline, Ally Carter also explores the theme of mental health. Naturally Grace has had issues since the death of her mother and finds herself, time and again, trying to convince people she is not crazy. Readers who have experienced mental health problems may relate to not being taken seriously and understand Grace’s frustration.
Overall, <i>All Fall Down</i> is a fantastic and exciting story to read. The air of mystery and feeling of suspense keeps the reader on their toes as they race through the book. It is also refreshing to read a young adult novel that does not focus on a teenage love story. The only problem is the wait for the second book to be published!
Ally Carter has become well known for her <i>Gallagher Girls</i> series, which was followed by <i>Heist Society</i>. Now she is back with a brand new young adult series: <i>Embassy Row</i>. After witnessing the death of her mother three years earlier, sixteen year old Grace is shipped off to Adria to live with her ambassador grandfather at the United States embassy. Well known for her dare devil, rebellious history, she is now expected to settle down, become more ladylike and attend international balls. Grace, however, has other plans.
Grace is convinced her mother was murdered and that she knows whom the murderer was. The only problem is no one believes her; not her grandfather, not the many psychiatrists; and even her friends have their doubts. So, Grace does what any “self-respecting mentally unbalanced teenager” would do and takes matters into her own hands.
It is exciting to read about Grace putting pieces of the puzzle together by investigating underground tunnels, tailing a scarred man around the city and, all in all, behaving rather like James Bond. As the plot begins to climax it is difficult not to rush through the novel to discover how it ends, where the reader is left with another mystery.
As well as the mystery storyline, Ally Carter also explores the theme of mental health. Naturally Grace has had issues since the death of her mother and finds herself, time and again, trying to convince people she is not crazy. Readers who have experienced mental health problems may relate to not being taken seriously and understand Grace’s frustration.
Overall, <i>All Fall Down</i> is a fantastic and exciting story to read. The air of mystery and feeling of suspense keeps the reader on their toes as they race through the book. It is also refreshing to read a young adult novel that does not focus on a teenage love story. The only problem is the wait for the second book to be published!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Storm (The Rain, #2) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
My rating: 3.5
This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
What would happen if water became fatally harmful to humans? This is what Virginia Bergin continues to explore in the second novel in the young adult, dystopian series, The Storm. Fifteen year old Ruby Morris has been trying to survive by herself only getting through each day by telling herself "everything is going to be OK." With the belief that her Dad is still alive, she sets off to find him whilst trying to dodge violent people, the British army, and, of course, the rain.
As the story develops it is revealed that Ruby may be a key character in ending the global apocalypse, however she does not trust the scientists involved in finding a solution.
Since the first book it appears that Ruby has matured a lot. She is able to take more responsibility and even help other people. Like in the first book, The Rain, Ruby is narrating her experiences to the reader as well as her deceased mother. As her mother disapproved of swearing Ruby blocks out certain words with a symbol. In some ways this makes the story suitable for early teen readers, however it is fairly easy to work out what the missing words are and therefore may not be appropriate for some readers.
The Storm was much more exciting to read than the previous novel. Ruby was less annoying and was much more mature. It is interesting to discover how the situation develops. There is a lot of action to keep the reader on their toes.
One issue with this book is how the ending is written. It almost feels like Bergin tried to end the story quickly. The whole story was carefully planned out and narrated however the end was rushed.
Overall, The Storm is a great continuation of an interesting concept. It is much better than the first part of the story and keeps the reader interested. Although intended for young adults, there is nothing to stop adult readers from enjoying it too.
This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
What would happen if water became fatally harmful to humans? This is what Virginia Bergin continues to explore in the second novel in the young adult, dystopian series, The Storm. Fifteen year old Ruby Morris has been trying to survive by herself only getting through each day by telling herself "everything is going to be OK." With the belief that her Dad is still alive, she sets off to find him whilst trying to dodge violent people, the British army, and, of course, the rain.
As the story develops it is revealed that Ruby may be a key character in ending the global apocalypse, however she does not trust the scientists involved in finding a solution.
Since the first book it appears that Ruby has matured a lot. She is able to take more responsibility and even help other people. Like in the first book, The Rain, Ruby is narrating her experiences to the reader as well as her deceased mother. As her mother disapproved of swearing Ruby blocks out certain words with a symbol. In some ways this makes the story suitable for early teen readers, however it is fairly easy to work out what the missing words are and therefore may not be appropriate for some readers.
The Storm was much more exciting to read than the previous novel. Ruby was less annoying and was much more mature. It is interesting to discover how the situation develops. There is a lot of action to keep the reader on their toes.
One issue with this book is how the ending is written. It almost feels like Bergin tried to end the story quickly. The whole story was carefully planned out and narrated however the end was rushed.
Overall, The Storm is a great continuation of an interesting concept. It is much better than the first part of the story and keeps the reader interested. Although intended for young adults, there is nothing to stop adult readers from enjoying it too.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Gangster School in Books
Sep 24, 2020
There was a while since I had so much fun while reading a book. I would describe this book something like Hogwarts meets “Despicable Me”.
Our main characters in this book were Milly and Charlie, two year seven students, who just started a school for future villains. The whole book was told from these two people’s perspectives, sharing their thoughts and adventures. Like in most of the books about schools, there are plenty of various characters to choose from, but my favorite in this novel was Milly. I loved her personality and smartness, and I think she was a great young female lead. She is a very intelligent and observant girl indeed.
The plot of this book was about how Milly and Charlie had to stop an evil villain, who wants to ruin their school. It was filled with quite a lot of action and interesting details, but as an adult, I found the plot was quite predictable. I think that the idea and the setting are very original, but the “good vs. bad” thing was quite unimpressive. But this book directed at children so, I believe, they would love it. 🙂
I really enjoyed the light and funny writing style of this book, where the chapters are pretty short, bringing in something new in every chapter. I don’t think this book is suitable for very young children, it is all about how to be a good villain and it encourages the use of lying and deceit, so I would not want to encourage that in my 6-year-old nephew… However, I noticed that children’s books about thieves and villains are kind of on the “wave” right now… 😕
So, to conclude, as an adult I had great fun while reading this book. I found the characters very charming and the whole idea of gangster’s school pretty intriguing, and I would recommend this book if you (or your child/sibling/nephew/niece etc.) are into villains and saving the world (in this case saving the school). This book is a first in a series, and I will be waiting for more books to come. Please do give this a try and hopefully, you will enjoy it. 🙂
Our main characters in this book were Milly and Charlie, two year seven students, who just started a school for future villains. The whole book was told from these two people’s perspectives, sharing their thoughts and adventures. Like in most of the books about schools, there are plenty of various characters to choose from, but my favorite in this novel was Milly. I loved her personality and smartness, and I think she was a great young female lead. She is a very intelligent and observant girl indeed.
The plot of this book was about how Milly and Charlie had to stop an evil villain, who wants to ruin their school. It was filled with quite a lot of action and interesting details, but as an adult, I found the plot was quite predictable. I think that the idea and the setting are very original, but the “good vs. bad” thing was quite unimpressive. But this book directed at children so, I believe, they would love it. 🙂
I really enjoyed the light and funny writing style of this book, where the chapters are pretty short, bringing in something new in every chapter. I don’t think this book is suitable for very young children, it is all about how to be a good villain and it encourages the use of lying and deceit, so I would not want to encourage that in my 6-year-old nephew… However, I noticed that children’s books about thieves and villains are kind of on the “wave” right now… 😕
So, to conclude, as an adult I had great fun while reading this book. I found the characters very charming and the whole idea of gangster’s school pretty intriguing, and I would recommend this book if you (or your child/sibling/nephew/niece etc.) are into villains and saving the world (in this case saving the school). This book is a first in a series, and I will be waiting for more books to come. Please do give this a try and hopefully, you will enjoy it. 🙂
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Hawthorne High in Books
Sep 18, 2019
Bullied for many things, such as having a boys name, Dylan Hatfield's only friends are imaginary. Imaginary, that is until they ask her to help possess the minds of the bullies. Happy that her enemies are now being nice to her, Dylan soon realises she has made a mistake when horrible things start to happen around town. Not only were they not imaginary, but it also appears they are evil too.
Hawthorne High is a short young adult ghost story by the versatile author Jordan Elizabeth. Set in the present day, the story deals with past and current issues, particularly bullying. Dylan has been bullied her whole life and it is the attention she receives from her "imaginary friends" that leads her to make a devastating decision. Whilst not a conventional way to tackle bullying, the possession of the bullies makes Dylan's life much better at school but it has dangerous consequences for the rest of the town.
The "imaginary friends" or ghosts, as they turn out to be, harbour grudges about the town and the people who tormented them in the past. The people are no longer living and it is the current inhabitants that end up paying for their past transgressions. Without being able to tell anyone about the ghosts, Dylan has to find out how to get rid of them and save the town from total destruction.
When the author offered me the book to read in exchange for a review, I almost said no. The term "ghost story" nearly put me off because I do not enjoy scary stories, however, due to the reassurance that it was "more of a drama than a horror," I agreed to give the book a chance, and I am glad I did. Being short, Hawthorne High is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged. The story becomes exciting as it unfolds and the town's past comes to light.
More could be written about the ghosts' history, however, as a short story, Hawthorne High works well and is great for a quick read. Although written for young adults, it is a story adult readers can enjoy too.
Hawthorne High is a short young adult ghost story by the versatile author Jordan Elizabeth. Set in the present day, the story deals with past and current issues, particularly bullying. Dylan has been bullied her whole life and it is the attention she receives from her "imaginary friends" that leads her to make a devastating decision. Whilst not a conventional way to tackle bullying, the possession of the bullies makes Dylan's life much better at school but it has dangerous consequences for the rest of the town.
The "imaginary friends" or ghosts, as they turn out to be, harbour grudges about the town and the people who tormented them in the past. The people are no longer living and it is the current inhabitants that end up paying for their past transgressions. Without being able to tell anyone about the ghosts, Dylan has to find out how to get rid of them and save the town from total destruction.
When the author offered me the book to read in exchange for a review, I almost said no. The term "ghost story" nearly put me off because I do not enjoy scary stories, however, due to the reassurance that it was "more of a drama than a horror," I agreed to give the book a chance, and I am glad I did. Being short, Hawthorne High is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged. The story becomes exciting as it unfolds and the town's past comes to light.
More could be written about the ghosts' history, however, as a short story, Hawthorne High works well and is great for a quick read. Although written for young adults, it is a story adult readers can enjoy too.