Young Adult – Page 5 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Seven Faceless Saints (Seven Faceless Saints #1)

Title: Seven Faceless Saints (Seven Faceless Saints #1)
Author: M.K. Lobb
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Thriller
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciples rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favorites while the unfavored struggle to survive.

After her father’s murder at the hands of the Ombrazian military, Rossana Lacertosa is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt system—tapping into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion, and facing the boy who broke her heart. As the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, Damian Venturi is expected to be ruthless and strong, and to serve the saints with unquestioning devotion. But three years spent fighting in a never-ending war have left him with deeper scars than he wants to admit… and a fear of confronting the girl he left behind.

Now a murderer stalks Ombrazia’s citizens. As the body count climbs, the Palazzo is all too happy to look the other way—that is, until a disciple becomes the newest victim. With every lead turning into a dead end, Damian and Roz must team up to find the killer, even if it means digging up buried emotions. As they dive into the underbelly of Ombrazia, the pair will discover something more sinister—and far less holy. With darkness closing in and time running out, will they be able to save the city from an evil so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything in its path?

Discover what’s lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco.

Review:

Roz Lacertosa has been devastated since her father was killed on the battlefield. It made her want to rebel against the system that put him in the war, by using her powers as a disciple of Patience. Damian Venturi is the captain of security at the Palazzo, which houses disciples of the seven saints. When the disciple of Death is found murdered, Damian is asked to investigate by himself, but he ends up teaming up with his childhood friend Roz. Roz is also investigating some strange murders outside of the Palazzo. They notice similarities between the murders, but as they search for answers, they discover dark secrets that put their whole world in danger.

This book was a thrilling murder mystery. It was fast paced and intense. Roz and Damian were in opposing positions. Roz was a disciple of Patience, but she resented her powers because it was the people in charge of the disciples who killed her father. Damian had not been chosen by the saints as a disciple, so he was considered one of the unfavored in society. While Roz resented her powers, Damian wished he had them. The story ended on a bit of a cliffhanger so I’m excited to read the sequel!

Seven Faceless Saints is a thrilling fantasy!

Content warnings: death, death of parent, gun violence, poisoning

Other books in the series:

Disciples of Chaos (Seven Faceless Saints #2)

Have you read Seven Faceless Saints? What did you think of it?

Review: The Lightning Circle

Title: The Lightning Circle
Author: Vikki VanSickle, Laura K. Watson (illustrations)
Genre: Young Adult, Poetry
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

An intimate coming-of age novel for teens, told in verse with delicate line art, chronicling the beauty, magic and transformative power of summer camp, for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Judy Blume.

After having her heart broken, seventeen-year-old Nora Nichols decides to escape her hometown and take a summer job as an arts and crafts counsellor at an all-girls’ camp in the mountains of West Virginia. There, she meets girls and women from all walks of life with their own heartaches and triumphs. Immersed in this new camp experience, trying to form bonds with her fellow counselors while learning to be a trusted adviser for her campers, Nora distracts herself from her feelings, even during the intimate conversations around the nightly campfires. But when a letter from home comes bearing unexpected news, Nora finds inner strength in her devastation with the healing power of female friendship. Presented as Nora’s camp journal, including Nora’s sketches of camp life, scraps of letters, and spare poems, The Lightning Circle is an intimate coming-of-age portrait.

Review:

Seventeen-year-old Nora wants a break from her hometown this summer after having her heart broken, so she goes to a summer camp as a counselor in West Virginia. She meets young women, both campers and counselors, from different backgrounds with their own heartaches. Nora must learn to open herself up to new friendships to begin healing.

This was a beautiful book. It is written in verse, which suits the emotional time Nora is experiencing. Each section of the story was concise, but also evoked the teenage emotions of the story. There were also beautiful illustrations in a sketch style that accompanied the verses.

The Lightning Verse is a beautiful summer camp story.

Thank you Tundra Books and Penguin Teen Canada for providing a copy of this book.

Content warning: eating disorder

Have you read The Lightning Circle? What did you think of it?

Review: As Good As Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3)

Title: As Good As Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3)
Author: Holly Jackson
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 28, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The finale to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. By the end of this mystery series, you’ll never think of good girls the same way again…

Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She’s used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can’t help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.

Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself—or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle… and if she doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears…

Review:

Pip is ready to go to college, but she can’t stop thinking about her last two cases. It doesn’t help that Max Hastings, who should be in prison, is suing Pip for defamation. When Pip starts to get threats, she finds connections to a serial killer, the Duct Tape Killer. However, the DT Killer has been in prison for six years. Pip must figure out if the wrong man is in prison, with the real killer still out there, before she becomes his next victim.

This was a great finale to the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. The mystery in this book was connected to both of the other books. The second half of the story kept me on the edge of my seat. I would have been too scared to do the things that Pip did, but she had to do them for the best outcome. She had to make her own justice when the authorities wouldn’t listen to her.

As Good As Dead is a great finale!

Content warnings: death, murder, drugging, blackmail, gaslighting, blood

Other books in the series:

Kill Joy (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #0.5)
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1)
Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2)

Have you read As Good As Dead? What did you think of it?

Review: Punk Rock Karaoke

Title: Punk Rock Karaoke
Author: Bianca Xunise
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 23, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A debut young adult graphic novel from Ignatz Award-winning and nationally syndicated cartoonist, Bianca Xunise.

When life gives you guitars, smash them!
School is out for summer and Ariel Grace Jones is determined to make it one for the books! Together with their bestie bandmates, Michele and Gael, Ariel believes they’re destined to break into the music industry and out of Chicago’s Southside by singing lead in their garage punk band, Baby Hares.

But before Baby Hares can officially get into the groove, the realities of post grad life start to weigh on this crew of misfits. Ari begins to worry that it’s time to pull the plug on their dreams of making it big.
Just when all hope feels lost, a fellow punk and local icon takes an interest in their talent. It seems like he might be the only one Ariel can rely on as frustrations between bandmates reach at an all-time high.

Punk Rock Karaoke is a coming-of-age tale that draws upon the explosive joy of the underground scene, while raising questions about authenticity, the importance of community and what it means to succeed on your own terms.

Review:

Ariel Grace Jones has a band with her best friends Michelle and Gael. It’s finally summer and she wants to break into Chicago’s music industry with her band Baby Hares. When April meets her local music idol, Clyde McLaren, she falls in love with him and thinks he will help her with her music career. However, Ariel will only succeed if she can truly be herself and believe in her own worth.

This was a fun graphic novel! Most of the characters came from diverse backgrounds and gender identities. I liked that when each character was introduced there was a brief bio including their pronouns. This story showed how easy it is now, and has been throughout history, for cis white singers to steal the music or art of people of colour or queer people. Unfortunately many famous singers have stolen music in this way, but this graphic novel showed how Ariel was able to save her music.

Punk Rock Karaoke is a great graphic novel!

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read Punk Rock Karaoke? What did you think of it?

Review: When You Were Mine

Title: When You Were Mine
Author: Rebecca Serle
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 18, 2022
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of One Italian Summer and In Five Years comes an intensely romantic modern recounting of the greatest love story ever told—narrated by the girl Romeo was supposed to love.

What’s in a name, Shakespeare? I’ll tell everything.

Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her—and when he finally does, it’s perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose’s best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit wild…and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn’t even stand a chance.

Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet’s instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob’s heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends.

Review:

Rosaline Caplet knows she’s destined to be with Rob Montag, her best friend and next door neighbour. When they go on a date at the beginning of their senior year, Rose is certain her life is falling into place. Then, Rose’s cousin Juliet Caplet moves back to town. As soon as Juliet gets ahold of Rob, he ditches Rose to be with Juliet. Rose is devastated at the loss of her best friend and potential boyfriend. However, rumors of Juliet’s instability and suicide attempts make Rose worry about Rob’s life. Rose has to come to terms with the fact that her future isn’t going the way she planned.

Romeo and Juliet is one of my favourite plays, so I was excited to read this adaptation. This retelling of Romeo and Juliet focuses on a character who isn’t actually in the play. Rosaline was the girl who Romeo was in love with before Juliet. This story was set in contemporary California, but most of the main plot points of Romeo and Juliet were the same. I really liked seeing Rosaline’s perspective on Romeo and Juliet’s whirlwind romance.

When You Were Mine is a great Romeo and Juliet retelling.

Content warnings: infidelity (off page), suicide, car accident (off page)

Have you read When You Were Mine? What did you think of it?

Review: Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth #1)

Title: Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth #1)
Author: Kristen Ciccarelli
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Fairy Loot Box
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 20, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Enemies-to-lovers doesn’t get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli’s latest romantic fantasy.

On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.

Review:

Rune Winters is a witch in a world where witches are illegal. Rune gave up her grandmother to the Blood Guard at her grandmother’s request so Rune could be saved. She became the Crimson Moth, rescuing witches who have been captured for execution. Meanwhile, a Captain of the Blood Guard, Gideon Sharpe, is trying to hunt the Crimson Moth. When he finds out the Crimson Moth has been using ships owned by Rune to smuggle witches out of the country, he decides to court Rune so he can figure out if she’s the Crimson Moth. Rune also wants to get close to Gideon to learn information about where the captured witches are being held. The closer they get to each other, the more their feelings develop into real love, so they must decide if they will love the enemy or continue with what they believe in.

This was such a great enemies to lovers story! It had a vivid setting with lots of magic. There was a lot of feminine rage, and the witch magic was feminine since they used their own blood to cast their spells. The ending had a tragedy and it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger so I don’t know what’s going to happen next!

Heartless Hunter is a great YA fantasy romance!

Content warnings: blood, death of parents (off page), suicide (off page), torture, murder

Have you read Heartless Hunter? What did you think of it?

Review: Never Trust a Gemini (Never Trust a Gemini #1)

Title: Never Trust a Gemini (Never Trust a Gemini #1)
Author: Freja Nicole Woolf
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ, Romance
Publisher: Walker Books US
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 9, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cat Phillips has her head in the stars, but her romantic fantasies may ruin her shot at real-life love in this sweet and funny lesbian story.

It’s Libra Season, and Cat Phillips is ready to run headfirst into love. The only problem is that her crush is on her best friend, Alison Bridgewater, who is more interested in chatting with boys. Maybe Cat should take this as a sign to get over Alison, even if that means dating the musically challenged Jamie Owusu. After all, a new boyfriend is the best cleanse, at least according to Cat’s friends. Unfortunately, having a boyfriend is a lot harder than Cat expected. And then Morgan Delaney swoops in with her green glasses, enigmatic smile, and talent for teasing Cat in ways that make her feel überlicious. But Morgan is a Gemini, and there’s no way that’s in Cat’s horoscope. Will Cat finally get the girl of her dreams? Or is there a chance there’s more to life than Alison Bridgewater? The stars align for the cast of this energetic romp full of comedic misunderstandings and sparkling language.

Review:

Fourteen-year-old Cat Phillips follows her horoscope exactly, so when she finds out that this Libra season is for falling in love, she’s ready. Cat has had a crush on her best friend Allison for a long time, and she’s finally ready to reveal it. When she goes to tell Allison, she finds Allison with a boy, who’s her new boyfriend. Cat takes that as a sign that it’s time to get over her crush and start dating a boy too. Dating a boy isn’t what Cat expected though, and she’s suddenly interested in Morgan, the new girl at school. However, Morgan is a Gemini and Cat can’t date a Gemini. Cat must figure out if she should try to date Allison again or if she can open her heart to Morgan.

This was such a fun book! It reminded me of the Georgia Nicholson books that I loved when I was a kid. Cat was like a younger Georgia. There was a lot of bullying between girls, including homophobic comments. However, that was resolved in such a sweet way at the end. I’m so excited that there’s a sequel to this book that’s going to be published this fall!

Never Trust a Gemini is a fun queer YA romance!

Thank you Candlewick Press and Walker Books US for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: homophobia, fire

Have you read Never Trust a Gemini? What did you think of it?

Review: Promposal

Title: Promposal
Author: R.H. Bird
Genre: Young Adult, Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: March 4, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Luca Esposito is in detention again. “Guess who’s selling her prom tickets?” Nathan asked with a goofy grin. “It’s Piper Kraft. Your ex.” Luca’s heart stopped. They broke up ten months ago, but he can’t get Piper out of his mind. Could this be his chance to win her back? Just two she hates him, and there are only twelve hours to prom. The clock is ticking. Can he pull off the world’s most amazing Promposal and recapture the girl he loves?

Review:

1990: While sixteen-year-old Luca Esposito is in detention, he finds out that his ex-girlfriend, Piper, is selling her prom tickets because she didn’t have a date. Even though he broke up with her months ago, he can’t stop thinking about her. Then, his friend gets into a fight that is threatened to continue after prom. His friend wants Luca there to help him out. Luca tries to get Piper to accept his invitation to prom, and then figure out how to get them ready for the big night.

This was a cute YA rom com, which was told from the perspective of the male main character. It wasn’t really clear from the beginning that the story was set in 1990, but from the lack of cell phones, I suspected it wasn’t set in recent years. The characters felt like real teenagers in the way that they had no filter with what they said at times.

Promposal is a fun prom-themed rom com!

Thank you R.H. Bird, The Wild Rose Press, and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a digital copy of this book for a sponsored campaign.

Content warnings: bullying, alcohol use

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

Review: Sleep Like Death

Title: Sleep Like Death
Author: Kalynn Bayron
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: June 25, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron returns to fairytales with a lush, thrilling and original YA Snow White retelling that brings a new and exciting voice to this familiar tale. Perfect for fans of Cinderella Is Dead.

Only the truly desperate – and foolish – seek out the Knight, an ancient monster who twists wishes into curses. Eve knows this first-hand: one of her mothers was cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. With the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, Eve has trained all her life to defeat him.

With more and more villagers harmed by the Knight’s corrupt deals, Eve believes she’s finally ready to face him. But when Queen Regina begins acting strangely – talking to seemingly no one, isolating herself, and lashing out at the slightest provocation – Eve must question if her powers are enough to save her family and her kingdom.

Review:

The people of Queen’s Bridge seek out the Knight when they want to make a wish. However, every wish comes with dire consequences. One of Princess Eve’s mothers was cursed to the body of a songbird after making a wish with the Knight. This has made Eve eager to collect stories about the Knight and learn how to defeat him. When Eve’s other mother, Queen Regina, begins acting strangely, speaking to a mirror in her room, Eve’s task of defeating the Knight becomes more urgent. Eve must figure out what is wrong with her mother and end the Knight for good.

This was such a great fairytale story! It is a loose retelling of Snow White. It doesn’t follow the original in the usual way, but there are several references to Snow White, such as the magic mirror and poison apple. This story is set in the same world as Cinderella Is Dead, but you don’t have to read that one to understand this book. There were hints to other fairytales in the same world at the end of this story, so I hope there will be more books set in this world!

Sleep Like Death is a thrilling fairytale retelling!

Thank you Bloomsbury Books US and Bookinfluencers.com for sending me a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign.

Content warnings: death, blood, death of parent, death of child, poison

Other books in the series:

Cinderella Is Dead

Have you read Sleep Like Death? What did you think of it?

Review: Four Good Liars

Title: Four Good Liars
Author: Sarah Wishart
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The unputdownable, explosive new YA thriller from the bestselling, award-winning author of The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder, perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Cynthia Murphy and Holly Jackson.

Layla. Kai. Liam. Fliss.

Terrified big sister. Troubled surfer. Insecure genius. Pampered princess.

They have nothing in common, except they were all on the school bus that morning. The morning of the crash. The morning they discovered the dead driver’s holdall, containing one million pounds – and a gun.

All of them have secrets, and all of them need that money. But someone dangerous is hunting it down, and drawing closer every minute. If Layla, Kai, Liam and Fliss want to survive, they’ll need to stick together. But can four good liars really trust one another? Or are some truths just too powerful to stay buried…?

Review:

Kai, Layla, Liam, and Fliss go to the same school, but other than that they have nothing in common. One day when they’re on the school bus, the driver crashes and goes over a cliff. The four of them escape the bus with the driver’s holdall bag, which holds one million pounds. Each of the teens has their own reasons for wanting to split the money, so they decide to keep it a secret from the police so they can keep it for themselves. However, someone knows they have the money. They’re being followed and receive threatening messages. They must decide if they’ll keep the money and their secrets or if they’ll finally tell the truth.

This was a great suspenseful thriller. The chapters were short and fast-paced. The way that the kids were being followed was really creepy. I was surprised at the reveal of who was behind it all. It was a great twist ending.

Four Good Liars is a great thriller!

Thank you Frenzy Books for sending me a copy of this book.

Content warnings: death, car accident, cancer, parental abandonment, heart attack, gun violence

Have you read Four Good Liars? What did you think of it?