Young Adult – Page 3 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: The Queen’s Spade

Title: The Queen’s Spade
Author: Sarah Raughley
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: BookSparks
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: January 14, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this riveting historical thriller that’s loosely inspired by true life events, The Count of Monte Cristo meets Bridgerton as revenge, romance, and twisted secrets take center stage in Victorian England’s royal court when Sally, a kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots her way to take down the monarchy that stole her from her homeland.

A young lady can take only so many injuries before humiliation and insult forge a vow of revenge . . .

The year is 1862, and murderous desires are simmering in England. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Bonetta Forbes (Sally), once a princess of the Egbado Clan, desires one thing above all else: revenge against the British Crown and its system of colonial “humanitarianism,” which stole her dignity and transformed her into royal property. From military men to political leaders, she’s vowed to ruin all who’ve had a hand in her afflictions. The top of her list? Her godmother, Britain’s mighty monarch, Queen Victoria herself.

Taking down the Crown means entering into a twisted game of court politics and manipulating the Queen’s inner circle—even if that means aligning with a dangerous yet alluring crime lord in London’s underworld and exploiting the affections of Queen Victoria’s own son, Prince Albert, as a means to an end. But when Queen Victoria begins to suspect Sally’s true intentions, she plays the only card in Victorian society that could possibly cage Sally once again: marriage. Because if there’s one thing Sally desires more than revenge, it’s her freedom. With time running out and her wedding day looming, Sally’s vengeful game of cat and mouse turns deadly as she’s faced with the striking revelation that that the price for vengeance isn’t just paid in blood. It means sacrificing your heart.

Loosely inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, The Queen’s Spade is a lush and riveting historical thriller perfect for fans of A Dowry of Blood and Grave Mercy.

Review:

The Queen’s Spade is a fast paced and suspenseful story. Sally, an African Princess who is now Queen Victoria’s goddaughter and ward, takes revenge on all the people who have wronged her. Sally was clever and strong, and she was underestimated by the people in power around her. This story showed a darker side to the monarchy than is usually presented. I know this will be one of my favourite books of the year!

The Queen’s Spade is a powerful story!

Thank you BookSparks for sending me a copy of this book as part of the Winter Reading Challenge 2025!

Content warnings: death of parents (off page), gun violence, drug use, racism, child abuse, drowning, slavery, stabbing

Have you read The Queen’s Spade What did you think of it?

Blog Tour Review: Brewed with Love

Title: Brewed with Love
Author: Shelly Page
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery
Publisher: Joy Revolution
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 14, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A cozy, contemporary romantasy about a teen witch who wants to keep her family’s apothecary from falling to the competition but can only do so with assistance from her first crush.

Plant witch, Sage Bishop, is determined to run her family’s old apothecary one day. She spends her time trying to invent the perfect tonic to put Bishop Brews on the map. And she’s going to need one quickly, too, because their biggest competitor is drawing away customers.

Short-staffed, her nana hires Ximena Reyes, Sage’s ex-best friend and first crush, who’s more of an unwelcome distraction than anything. Ximena has always dreamed of leaving their small town behind while Sage wants to tend to her roots. And during one of their first shifts together, someone breaks into Bishop Brews, stealing several tonics, including the one Sage has been working tirelessly on, the same one that wipes a councilmember’s kid’s memory.

To avoid being shut down by the sheriff, Sage decides to investigate. If so much wasn’t at stake, she’d do it alone. But with her grandmother’s legacy and her future on the line, she must partner with her ever smug and unfairly pretty new coworker. As Sage begins to fall for Ximena (again), she’ll have to decide if the comfort of the familiar is worth missing out on a chance at real happiness.

Review:

Brewed with Love is a sweet YA story. This story had romance and mystery. Sage was a witch, and their town was full of magic. There was another kind of supernatural condition in the story, and I would have loved to see that one explored more. I think there’s potential for more stories set in this world!

Brewed with Love is a cute YA romance!

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada, Joy Revolution, and Publicity Prose for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death of parents (off page), poisoning, memory loss

Author Bio:

Shelly Page is a young adult contemporary fantasy romance and horror writer. By day, she’s a practicing attorney representing homeless LGBTQ+ youth. By night, she’s writing stories about love, magic, and mystery—all with the hope of providing genuine representation for queer readers of color. Shelly lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Toby, and a collection of half-dead plants. Brewed With Love is her debut novel. She can be found online at shellypage.com or @shelly_p_writes.

Giveaway:

5 winners will receive a finished copy of Brewed With Love by Shelly Page– We will select the winners and ship directly
The giveaway starts at 12:01am ET on January 13th and ends January 26th at 11:59pm ET- Rafflecopter giveaway link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/74cc7a8d5/?

Have you read Brewed with Love? What did you think of it?

Review: Make My Wish Come True

Title: Make My Wish Come True
Author: Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A sapphic Netflix-esque Christmas movie meets How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days from the New York Times bestselling author duo of She Gets the Girl Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick.

Hollywood teen actor Arden James’ messy reputation is interfering with her career when a notoriously picky director won’t give her a role based on her party-girl image. So she and her publicist make up a lie – not only is she from a small town (true) but her childhood best friend Caroline, is her long-term girlfriend (false) and she can prove it when she goes home for Christmas.

Caroline Beckett hasn’t thought about her ex-best friend Arden James for years, focusing instead on her dreams about becoming a journalist. When Arden turns up on her doorstep and promises her an article in Cosmopolitan magazine on their twelve snow-covered romantic days together, Caroline agrees to play along.

But when old feelings start to bubble up, what will fall faster – Arden and Caroline or the Christmas Eve snow?

A gorgeous, heartwarming cosy romance – perfect for the holidays!

Review:

Hollywood teen actor Arden James has developed a reputation for partying. She auditions for her dream role, but the director won’t take her seriously because of her reputation. Arden decides to go back to her hometown and start a fake relationship with her childhood best friend and crush to show the public that she can have a wholesome image. Caroline Beckett was Arden’s best friend and first crush until she abandoned her to move to Hollywood. Caroline has focused on her dream to become a journalist since then. When Arden asks her to be in a fake relationship, she promises Caroline that she can write the article that introduces their relationship to the public. However, their staged dates stir up old feelings that both of them have, so they must figure out if they will confess their feelings to each other.

This was a fun holiday rom com! Arden and Caroline had a heartwarming romance without a lot of drama. I liked that Caroline was Jewish and they talked about celebrating Hanukkah as well as Christmas. Since their town had so many Christmas traditions, Caroline decided to start a Hanukkah celebration in the town too.

Make My Wish Come True is a cute sapphic holiday romance!

Thank you Simon Teen for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read Make My Wish Come True? What did you think of it?

Review: DeadEndia: The Divine Order (DeadEndia #3)

Title: DeadEndia: The Divine Order (DeadEndia #3)
Author: Hamish Steele
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Union Square and Co.
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: April 23, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Eisner Award–winning creator Hamish Steele’s DeadEndia series is Steven Universe meets Adventure Time for fans of Scott Pilgrim, Rick and Morty , Adventure Time , and Pumpkinheads .

In this diverse YA graphic novel, third in the DeadEndia trilogy, Barney, Norma, and friends team up with unlikely heroes to fight a battle for the fate of the universe, all while dealing with their greatest challenge of their love lives.

The battle between angels and demons rages on, and Courtney finds themselves restored to former glory in the realm of the angels with a new bring about a new Divine Order and create a fourteenth plane of existence to keep the demons at bay. On the seventh plane, known to us as Earth, Norma Khan and Barney Guttman have allied with the demons in a search for both freedom and peace. There’s just one thing standing in their the Guttman family reunion. Badyah has joined the resistance as well, honing her martial arts skills and getting ready to protect Norma in battle.

But Pael, the Divine’s lead angel, has tricks up their sleeve that throw everything into chaos as Norma, Barney, and Badyah learn the truth behind everything. The three friends struggle to stop Pael before their lives are changed forever, and a familiar friend returns with a power that just might save them all in this stunning conclusion to the DeadEndia series.

Review:

Barney, Norma, and their friends must begin their final fight to save the world. Their friend Courtney has returned to the angels and is trying to restore Divine Order to try to keep the demons away. Pael, the Divine’s lead angel, throws twists their way that causes chaos in the world, so Barney and Norma have a huge fight on their hands.

This is a great finale to the DeadEndia series. There were unexpected twists, but I really liked how everything came together at the end. This story has great inclusivity, with characters of different gender and sexual identities and cultural backgrounds. I’m excited to go check out the Netflix series that accompanies this series!

I highly recommend checking out the DeadEndia graphic novel series!

Thank you Union Square and Co for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, violence

Other books in the series:

Have you read DeadEndia: The Divine Order? What did you think of it?

Review: The Bad Luck Nickel

Title: The Bad Luck Nickel
Author: Matthew Leslie
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Ausable Books
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 13, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Blair Matthews, teen celeb and son of rock legend, The Blade, shows up at a high school in Montreal amidst rumors of a drug-fueled sex scandal, it’s the most excitement the students at Trudeau High have seen in years.

And when Marco and his twin sister Julianna become fast friends with Blair, it seems like a dream. For Marco, Blair lifts him out of his post-breakup funk, and joins his band, The Bad Luck Nickel, instantly making it one of the hottest groups in town. And for Jules, Blair is her celebrity crush come to life in her living room.

But can Blair leave his past behind and start fresh at Trudeau High? Or will his infamy follow him from LA to MTL?

Review:

Blair Matthews causes a lot of excitement when he moves to Montreal. He’s a teen heartthrob and the son of a famous rock star. He joins Marco’s band, The Bad Luck Nickel, and they finally start booking shows. Blair also starts dating Marco’s twin sister Julianna. However, the scandal that sent Blair to Montreal threatens to come back and ruin his life, bringing his new friends down with him.

This was such a fast paced story. I couldn’t put it down. It started with a bang, with the boys finding a man passed out in the snow and having to give him CPR. The story was so intense. The characters were drinking, doing drugs, and getting into dangerous situations. It was such a page turner.

The Bad Luck Nickel is a fast paced story about teenage drama!

Thank you iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign.

Content warnings: drugs, alcohol use, addiction, rape (off page), abortion (mentions), overdose, heart attack

Have you read The Bad Luck Nickel? What did you think of it?

Review: Stars, Hide Your Fires

Title: Stars, Hide Your Fires
Author: Jessica Mary Best
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, LGBTQ
Publisher: Quirk Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: July 11, 2023
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A wanted thief. A murdered emperor. A killer loose on the station. A gripping YA mystery set in space.

As an expert thief from a minor moon, Cass knows a good mark when she sees one. The emperor’s ball is her chance to steal a fortune for herself, her ailing father, and her scrappy crew of thieves and market vendors.

Her plan is simple:

1. Hitch a ride to the planet of Ouris, the dazzling heart of the empire.
2. Sneak onto the imperial palace station to attend the emperor’s ball.
3. Steal from the rich, the royal, and the insufferable.

But on the station, things quickly go awry. When the emperor is found dead, everyone in the palace is a suspect—and someone is setting Cass up to take the fall. To clear her name, Cass must work with an unlikely ally: a gorgeous and mysterious rebel with her own reasons for being on the station. Together, they unravel a secret that could change the fate of the empire.

Review:

Cass is a thief who decides to go to the Emperor’s ball on another planet to steal a fortune for her sick father and her group of friends. However, when she gets there, instead of announcing the Emperor’s heir, they announce that the Emperor is dead. Someone plants a murder weapon on Cass, and she must join up with a resistance movement to prove she’s innocent.

This is a great sci-fi heist story. Cass was a good thief, but she was realistic because she made mistakes which other thieves caught. There were unexpected twists throughout the story. However I did correctly guess who the real murderer was, but I enjoyed reading the end of the story.

Stars, Hide Your Fires is a great YA sci-fi story!

Thank you Quirk Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death of parent

Have you read Stars, Hide Your Fires? What did you think of it?

Review: Draw Down the Moon (Moonstruck #1)

Title: Draw Down the Moon (Moonstruck #1)
Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 2, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with a new duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.

Wren Nightingale isn’t supposed to have any powers. Born of magickal parents but not under a moon sign, she was destined for life as a Mundane—right up until she starts glowing on her eighteenth birthday. In a heartbeat, Wren’s life is turned upside down, and she’s suddenly leaving her home for the mystical Academia de la Luna—a secret magickal school on a hidden island off the Seattle coast.

Lee Young has always known about his future at the Academia. He has one goal: pass the trials, impress the Moon Council, and uphold his family’s reputation. But he wasn’t expecting to be attending alongside the girl he’s been secretly in love with for as long as he can remember.

As Wren and Lee are thrown into the Academie’s gruelling trials, they quickly learn there’s something different–and dangerous–about the school this year. Wren will have to navigate a web of secrets, prophecies–and murder. And Lee will have to decide who to protect–his family’s legacy, or the girl he loves.

Review:

Even though eighteen-year-old Wren Nightingale was born to magical parents, she has never shown signs of magic powers. However, on the night of her eighteenth birthday she starts glowing and is whisked away to Academia de la Luna with her best friend, Lee Young. Lee has always known he was going to the academy and he has big ambitions to join the Moon Council. He’s reminded of the death of his sister years before at the academy while he’s there. He wants to restore his family’s reputation since he’s the only child left. However, the school is more dangerous than it ever has been before. Wren and Lee must learn how to control their magic while also fighting to survive the summer.

This is such a thrilling magical story! Though Wren had magical parents, she thought she was a Mundane without powers, like her uncle who has raised her since her parents died. There was a lot about the magical world that she learned through the story, since she didn’t think she needed to learn it before she gained powers. There were some intense scenes involving tragic deaths, which I wasn’t expecting. I enjoyed the twists that were unpredictable!

Draw Down the Moon is a great YA fantasy!

Thank you Wednesday Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death of parents (off page), death of sibling (off page), drowning, death

Have you read Draw Down the Moon? What did you think of it?

Review: Ghosted

Title: Ghosted
Author: Amanda Quain
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: July 25, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Never Have I Ever meets The X-Files in Amanda Quain’s Ghosted, a gender-bent contemporary retelling of the Jane Austen classic, Northanger Abbey.

Hattie Tilney isn’t a believer. Yes, she’s a senior at America’s most (allegedly) haunted high school, Northanger Abbey. But ever since her paranormal-loving dad passed away, she’s hung up her Ghostbusters suit, put away the EMF detectors and thermal cameras, and moved on. She has enough to worry about in the land of the living–like taking care of her younger brother, Liam, while their older sister spirals out and their mother, Northanger’s formidable headmistress, buries herself in her work. If Hattie just works hard enough and keeps that overachiever mask on tight through graduation, maybe her mom will finally notice her.

But the mask starts slipping when Hattie’s assigned to be an ambassador to Kit Morland, a golden retriever of a boy who’s transferred to Northanger on—what else—a ghost-hunting scholarship. The two are partnered up for an investigative project on the school’s paranormal activity, and Hattie quickly strikes a deal: Kit will present whatever ghostly evidence he can find to prove that campus is haunted, and Hattie will prove that it’s not. But as they explore the abandoned tunnels and foggy graveyards of Northanger, Hattie starts to realize that Kit might be the kind of person that makes her want to believe in something—and someone—for the first time.

With her signature wit and slow burn romance, Amanda Quain turns another Austen classic on its head in this sparkling retelling that proves sometimes the ghosts are just a metaphor after all.

Review:

Hattie Tilney is a senior at Northanger Abbey. She used to love her dad’s ghost stories and ghost hunting, but since he died, she no longer believes in ghosts. When her mom, headmaster of Northanger Abbey, asks Hattie to guide the new student, Kit Morland, around the school, Hattie agrees to get her mom’s approval. However, Kit is attending the school on a scholarship from a ghost hunting association. Hattie and Kit must work together on an assignment about the ghosts that haunt Northanger Abbey, but while Kit is eager to share their stories, Hattie wants to prove that they don’t exist.

This was a great gender-swapped retelling of Northanger Abbey. Northanger Abbey is told by the perspective of Catherine Morland, who believes in ghosts. I liked that this story is told from the perspective of Hattie, who’s skeptical about ghosts. It gave the story more tension, as she was surrounded by ghost stories and she used to believe in them as a kid.

Ghosted is a great YA ghost story!

Thank you Wednesday Books for providing a digital copy of this book.

Content warnings: cancer, death of parent

Have you read Ghosted? What did you think of it?

Review: A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes #2)

Title: A Torch Against the Night
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: August 29, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Set in a rich, high-fantasy world inspired by ancient Rome, Sabaa Tahir’s AN EMBER IN THE ASHES told the story of Laia, a slave fighting for her family, and Elias, a young soldier fighting for his freedom.

Now, in A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT, Elias and Laia are running for their lives.

After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both.

Review:

After the events of the Trials, Elias and Laia are on the run to Kauf, a high security prison, to rescue Laia’s brother, Darin. Meanwhile, Helene has become Blood Shrike to the new Emperor Marcus, and her first job is to hunt down Elias and bring him back to be executed. If she can’t do it, her family will killed. Elias and Laia have to fight against many enemies on their dangerous journey to save Darin before it’s too late, while Helene grapples with her love for Elias and the safety of her family.

This was such a thrilling sequel to An Ember in the Ashes. The stakes were so high for Elias, Laia, and Helene. They all faced life and death decisions. There were twists that were so unexpected, including deaths I wasn’t prepared for. I’m so excited to continue this series!

A Torch Against the Night is a thrilling YA fantasy!

Content warnings: death, stabbing, blood, torture

Other books in the series:

An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1)
A Reaper at the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes #3)
A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4)

Have you read A Torch Against the Night? What did you think of it?

Review: The Unfinished

Title: The Unfinished
Author: Cheryl Isaacs
Genre: Young Adult, Horror, Contemporary
Publisher: Heartdrum
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: September 3, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this debut YA horror novel by Cheryl Isaacs (Mohawk), small-town athlete Avery is haunted by the black water and Unfinished beings of Kanyen’kehá:ka stories and must turn to the culture she hasn’t felt connected to in order to save her town.

The black water has been waiting. Watching. Hungry for the souls it needs to survive.

When small-town athlete Avery’s morning run leads her to a strange pond in the middle of the forest, she awakens a horror the townspeople of Crook’s Falls have long forgotten.

Avery can smell the water, see it flooding everywhere; she thinks she’s losing her mind. And as the black water haunts Avery—taking a new form each time—people in town begin to go missing.

Though Avery had heard whispers of monsters from her Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk) relatives, she’s never really connected to her Indigenous culture or understood the stories. But the Elders she has distanced herself from now may have the answers she needs.

When Key, her best friend and longtime crush, is the next to disappear, Avery is faced with a choice: listen to the Kanyen’kehá:ka and save the town but lose her friend forever…or listen to her heart and risk everything to get Key back.

In her stunning debut, Cheryl Isaacs pulls the reader down into an unsettling tale of monsters, mystery, and secrets that refuse to stay submerged.

Review:

One morning when teenage Avery is on her morning run in the forest, she goes off the trail, gets lost, and finds the legendary black water. She’s always been told to stay on the trails, and now she has awoken the horrors that were lurking in the black water. Avery starts seeing faceless people following her in town, and then people start disappearing. When Avery’s best friend, Key, goes missing, she becomes more determined to find out what is causing these horrors and put an end to it for good.

This was such a creepy thriller. There was so much unknown about the black water that Avery encountered. She had to learn from some elders that were familiar with it, but her family was just her, her mom, and her great-aunt who had dementia, so her resources were limited. As the disappearances got closer to Avery, the story became more suspenseful and scary. Read this one with the lights on!

The Unfinished is a great horror!

Thank you Frenzy Books for providing a copy of this book!

Have you read The Unfinished? What did you think of it?