Young Adult – Page 62 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: The Benefits of Being an Octopus

Title: The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Author: Ann Braden
Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they’ve got to do.

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they’re in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it’s best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia’s situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they’re better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had?

This moving debut novel explores the cultural divides around class and the gun debate through the eyes of one girl, living on the edges of society, trying to find her way forward.

Review:

This is a powerful story for young people.

Many important themes were explored in this story, such as poverty and abuse. Zoey takes care of her siblings while her mom works. She learns that her mother is in an abusive relationship, and Zoey tries to find a way out of it. Even though she is a child, she knows she can and must do something to help her mother.

Her friend Fuchsia faces similar problems. Her mother’s boyfriend threatens Fuchsia if she reports her mother to family services. Fuchsia feels trapped, as if she cannot tell her mother because she won’t believe her, so she is ready to accept her future. Zoey has to show her that she can stand up for herself.

Zoey is a very strong character. She stands up for many people in this book, including her siblings, her mother, and her friends. Though some parts were difficult to read about, these are real situations that happen to kids all the time. I really enjoyed this book.

Review: Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns #1)

Title: Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns #1)
Author: Kendare Blake
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose … it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest … but she may be the darkest.

Review:

I’m so excited about this series! I wish I hadn’t waited so long to start it, but I’m glad that I can read the next two books right away.

I found the story a little confusing at first because there were so many characters! Each Queen lives with a different guardian family, and they each specialize in a different power, so it was hard to keep track of them. Also, there were some names that looked similar, such as Luca and Luke. This slowed down my reading at first, but once I figured everyone out, it was so good!

The narrative switched between each of the three Queens. I loved reading about each of them, but then I wanted to keep reading their stories when it switched to the next girl. The final chapters were so fast paced. They were each just a few pages long so I flew through them.

I have to admit that I guessed the ending correctly. I was glad that I was right, and now I can’t wait to read the next book!

Review: Sheets

Title: Sheets
Author: Brenna Thummler
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Publisher: Lion Forge
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Marjorie Glatt feels like a ghost. A practical thirteen year old in charge of the family laundry business, her daily routine features unforgiving customers, unbearable P.E. classes, and the fastidious Mr. Saubertuck who is committed to destroying everything she’s worked for.

Wendell is a ghost. A boy who lost his life much too young, his daily routine features ineffective death therapy, a sheet-dependent identity, and a dangerous need to seek purpose in the forbidden human world.

When their worlds collide, Marjorie is confronted by unexplainable disasters as Wendell transforms Glatt’s Laundry into his midnight playground, appearing as a mere sheet during the day. While Wendell attempts to create a new afterlife for himself, he unknowingly sabotages the life that Marjorie is struggling to maintain.

Sheets illustrates the determination of a young girl to fight, even when all parts of her world seem to be conspiring against her. It proves that second chances are possible whether life feels over or life is over. But above all, it is a story of the forgiveness and unlikely friendship that can only transpire inside a haunted laundromat.

Review:

Marjorie is in charge of her family’s business, a laundromat. She struggles because she had to take over their business when her mother passed away. She doesn’t have friends at school. It gets worse when Mr. Saubertuck starts sabotaging her business so that he can build a resort on their property.

I found this story so sad. It was sad that Marjorie’s mother passed away, and her father didn’t really do anything after because he was so depressed. Marjorie didn’t have time to explore her feelings because she had to look after the family.

Wendell and the land of ghosts were also sad. Wendell is starting to forget his former life. The ghosts have a whole world, where they float around in sheets. The idea of the land of ghosts in sheets was funny sometimes. They had support groups and jobs. But it was still sad to think that all of those people had died and they were beginning to forget their former lives.

This was an emotional story with a positive ending about the power of friendship and forgiveness.

Review: Quid Pro Quo

Title: Quid Pro Quo
Author: Vicki Grant
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Quid Pro Quo is a high-stakes, fast-moving legal thriller about real people, and funny ones at that. Cyril MacIntyre’s mother is an ex-street kid who dragged her son to all her law-school classes, then proceeded to get kidnapped. That aside, Cyril’s life isn’t too different from that of other thirteen-year-olds. He has all the usual adolescent issues to deal with: parent problems, self-esteem problems, skin and hair problems, and girl problems. But he has legal problems too. And he’s got to solve them if he wants to save his mother’s life.

Quid Pro Quo won the Arthur Ellis Award and the cbc Young Canada Reads 2009 award. It has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Edgar Allan Poe and the Ann Connor Brimer. This 2018 edition has been updated with a new cover.

Review:

This story hooked me right from the beginning. It opens with Cyril saying he started going to law school when he was ten years old. But he didn’t really. He went with his mother to her law classes, so he learned alongside her. This was a great way to hook the reader right at the beginning.

I liked the way that Cyril narrated the story. He was sarcastic and funny. It was good to see the story from his point of view, since he had to go on a search for his mother when she disappeared. This story was originally written in 2005. The only thing that was missing from the story were cell phones and the frequent access to the internet, but other than that it could have been set in 2018.

This story was set in Halifax. There were so many references to the city! I have never been there but I have some close friends from there. I recognized things that they always talk about, such as the Donairs, which is a type of wrap that they eat. As soon as Cyril mentioned that, I knew it was set in Halifax.

The mystery of the story was great. I really didn’t know how it would end. With each clue that he found, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but I was happy with the ending.

This is an entertaining YA read.

Review: The Black Witch (The Black Witch Chronicles, #1)

Title: The Black Witch (The Black Witch Chronicles, #1)
Author: Laurie Forest
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Purchased
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A new Black Witch will rise…her powers vast beyond imagining.

Elloren Gardner is the granddaughter of the last prophesied Black Witch, Carnissa Gardner, who drove back the enemy forces and saved the Gardnerian people during the Realm War. But while she is the absolute spitting image of her famous grandmother, Elloren is utterly devoid of power in a society that prizes magical ability above all else.

When she is granted the opportunity to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an apothecary, Elloren joins her brothers at the prestigious Verpax University to embrace a destiny of her own, free from the shadow of her grandmother’s legacy. But she soon realizes that the university, which admits all manner of people—including the fire-wielding, winged Icarals, the sworn enemies of all Gardnerians—is a treacherous place for the granddaughter of the Black Witch.

As evil looms on the horizon and the pressure to live up to her heritage builds, everything Elloren thought she knew will be challenged and torn away. Her best hope of survival may be among the most unlikely band of misfits…if only she can find the courage to trust those she’s been taught to hate and fear.

Review:

I really enjoyed this story!

It may just be me, but I found a lot of similarities between this book and Harry Potter. There weren’t direct references, but there were a few things that reminded me of the series. For example, Elloren doesn’t know much about the rest of the magical world that she enters when she goes to university, just like Harry didn’t know about the magical world before he went to Hogwarts. They even have a teacher who is a Snake Elf, who teaches their science class. He reminded me so much of Snape. I loved the similarities between this book and Harry Potter, since that is one of my favourite series!

Elloren developed as a character throughout the story, as she learned more about the world around her. At the beginning, she was very naive because she was inexperienced. She had never been around different races or species, so she didn’t know what they were like. She took it on herself to try to learn the truth, rather than just follow everyone else’s beliefs.

I thought I figured out the ending, but it turns out I was wrong! I’m curious to see how the story continues in the next book.

Review: The Prince and the Dressmaker

Title: The Prince and the Dressmaker
Author: Jen Wang
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel
Publisher: First Second
Source: Library
Release Date: February 13, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.

Review:

I’m so glad I finally read this graphic novel! I saw everyone raving about it in the spring, and it definitely lived up to the hype!

This is an important story about being yourself. Sebastian and Frances have a unique relationship. Frances puts her own dreams on hold to support Sebastian’s nightly activities of dressing up as Lady Crystallia. They both have to protect his secret identity, but it can only last for so long.

One of the most fascinating things about graphic novels for me is the art. I always wonder how the artists create the story through the different panels. At the end of this story, there are a few pages where Jen Wang talks about her process. I loved reading about this, because it is so different from the work that I do. I would love to make a graphic novel one day, just to see how the entire process works.

I highly recommend this book! It was great!

Review: The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events #3)

Title: The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events #3)
Author: Lemony Snicket
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Library
Release Date: February 25, 2000
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Dear Reader,

If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted; but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and this one may be the worst of them all. If you haven’t got the stomach for a story that includes a hurricane, a signalling device, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, and a doll named Pretty Penny, then this book will probably fill you with despair. I will continue to record these tragic tales, for that is what I do. You, however, should decide for yourself whether you can possibly endure this miserable story.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

Review:

This book is one of my favourites in the series.

I’ve always been a book nerd, so I loved the grammar elements in the story. Their Aunt Josephine is obsessed with grammar, so she is always correcting other people’s language. She is also afraid of everything, from answering the phone to turning a doorknob. She is quite extreme but it makes the story funny.

Even thought I knew how the story ended, I loved reading about the puzzle the kids had to solve at the end. After this book, the puzzles the children have to solve become more complicated.

I can’t wait to continue rereading the series!

Review: Giant Days

Title: Giant Days
Author: Non Pratt
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Amulet Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: August 21, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Based on the hit graphic-novel series from BOOM! Studios, the publisher behind Lumberjanes, Giant Days follows the hilarious and heartfelt misadventures of three university first-years: Daisy, the innocent home-schooled girl; Susan, the sardonic wit; and Esther, the vivacious drama queen. While the girls seem very different, they become fast friends during their first week of university. And it’s a good thing they do, because in the giant adventure that is college, a friend who has your back is key–something Daisy discovers when she gets a little too involved in her extracurricular club, the Yogic Brethren of Zoise. When she starts acting strange and life around campus gets even stranger (missing students, secret handshakes, monogrammed robes everywhere . . .), Esther and Susan decide it’s up to them to investigate the weirdness and save their friend.

Review:

I recently discovered the Giant Days comics, and they are awesome!

I really liked reading about characters that I was already familiar with. I could imagine them perfectly, since I knew what they looked like, but it was also nice to see them do more than what they do in the comics. I found that each chapter was like one volume of the graphic novel. The chapters were fairly long and they covered one topic that they all participated in, such as community service or balancing their schedules.

The story takes place in a university in England. I live in Canada but I attend a university in England remotely, so I could relate to some of the terms that were used in this book. For example, their student council or government is called the student union, and their individual courses are called modules. I learned those terms in my classes, so I could relate to them in this book.

This book was also hilarious. There were drunken moments and romances. Ed Gemmell was still trying to date Esther and Susan was avoiding McGraw… most of the time. These similarities with the graphic novels made me feel a connection with the novel.

I loved this book! I recommend it for fans of the series and new readers!

Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2)

Title: The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2)
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Source: Purchased
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mara Dyer knows she isn’t crazy. She knows that she can kill with her mind, and that Noah can heal with his. Mara also knows that somehow, Jude is not a hallucination. He is alive. Unfortunately, convincing her family and doctors that she’s not unstable and doesn’t need to be hospitalised isn’t easy. The only person who actually believes her is Noah. But being with Noah is dangerous and Mara is in constant fear that she might hurt him. She needs to learn how to control her power, and fast! Together, Mara and Noah must try and figure out exactly how Jude survived when the asylum collapsed, and how he knows so much about her strange ability…before anyone else ends up dead!

Review:

I can’t believe how good these books are! I flew through the first book in the series last month, and I couldn’t put this one down either.

This book has so many twists, that as soon as you think you know what is going on, you learn that you were completely wrong.

This story was less shocking than the first one, but it was still good. I found myself wondering if Mara really was crazy, because it seemed like she could be doing some of the things that she claimed Jude did. I wanted to believe her, but sometimes it was too hard.

I had a lot of questions at the end of the book. There was a connection with Mara’s Indian grandmother that I wish was explained more. I also wonder how Jude found her and what his motives really are. I hope these questions are answered in the next book.

Review: In Real Life

Title: In Real Life
Author: Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Publisher: First Second
Source: Library
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Anda loves Coarsegold Online, the massively-multiplayer role-playing game where she spends most of her free time. It’s a place where she can be a leader, a fighter, a hero. It’s a place where she can meet people from all over the world, and make friends.

But things become a lot more complicated when Anda befriends a gold farmer–a poor Chinese kid whose avatar in the game illegally collects valuable objects and then sells them to players from developed countries with money to burn. This behavior is strictly against the rules in Coarsegold, but Anda soon comes to realize that questions of right and wrong are a lot less straightforward when a real person’s real livelihood is at stake.

From acclaimed teen author (Little Brother, For the Win) and Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow and Koko Be Good creator Jen Wang, In Real Life is a perceptive and high-stakes look at adolescence, gaming, poverty, and culture clash.

Review:

I’ve always loved video games. One of my favourites, World of Warcraft, is similar to the game Coarsegold that Anda plays in this book. This book shows both the positive and negative parts of gaming.

Anda’s mother was worried about Anda playing games online. She didn’t want her to speak to strangers. She told her to only speak to kids her age, but you can’t tell how old someone is online. Her suspicions were validated when she sees strange deposits into her PayPal account, which was from the gold farmers that Anda had stopped in the game.

There are also good sides of gaming. Anda made a good friend from another part of the world, which wouldn’t have been possible without the game. She even helped organize a protest for the gold farmers to get health care provided in their jobs.

The game taught Anda how to be a better person, much to her mother’s surprise. I really enjoyed this book, and I recommend it for kids and adults!

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The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events #4) by Lemony Snicket

The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles #1) by Tony DiTerlizzi, and Holly Black

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Giant Days, Vol. 1 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Whitney Cogar

Truth or Dare by Non Pratt

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We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

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