Category: Young Adult

Title: Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles #4.5)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: Purchased
Release Date: February 2, 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The enchantment continues….

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

—
The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.
Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….
The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.
The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.
After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.
The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess
The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.
Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century…

Review:

Since I finished the Lunar Chronicles a couple of years ago, I’ve been missing the stories! This collection of stories was a great way to get back into the series.

The stories begin before the events of the Lunar Chronicles and ends with a story about the characters after the Lunar Chronicles. The stories come full circle by beginning and ending in the same location.

I love that these stories give more detailed backgrounds to the main characters. The series has characters based on Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White. There is also a short story based on the tale “The Little Mermaid” which is called “The Little Android.” My favourite story was the first one, “The Keeper,” which is about Cinder. It answered a lot of questions that I had about how she came to Earth.

I loved this book! I’m so glad the story is continuing in the graphic novel series, Wires and Nerve.

Here are my reviews for Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter.

Title: The Hate U Give
Author: Angie Thomas
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Purchased
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Review:

I have FINALLY read this book and wow! It was so amazing. I kept putting it off because it’s fairly long, but I flew through it.

I loved Starr’s voice in the narrative. She was so real! Each of the characters had depth so they seemed very realistic too. Especially Mav. He was one of my favourites, because he worked hard for what he had. He started out in a gang and went to prison, but he worked hard to turn is life around so his kids would have a better lifestyle. He was very inspirational.

I have seen many riots on TV, like the ones described in this book. I could never imagine being close to something like that. What was amazing about this book is that puts you right in the middle of the action. You get to see exactly what Starr and her family and friends are going through. That’s the side of the story that they don’t show on the news.

On a happier note, I loved the Harry Potter references in the story. It gave me such a warm feeling to see her relating to Harry, because those books are an important part of my life. My favourite part was when Mav compares the Hogwarts houses to gangs. It was hilarious because it actually makes sense! Though I don’t have much in common with Starr personally, I could relate to her love of Harry Potter and pop culture. This brought me right into the book and made me love it even more!

Title: The Queen’s Rising
Author: Rebecca Ross
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Release Date: February 6, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.

Growing up in the southern Kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her for such a life. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, despite all her preparations, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true—the solstice does not go according to plan and she is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, and with no other choices, she accepts. But there is much more to his story, and Brienna soon discovers that he has sought her out for his own vengeful gain. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the archrival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

With war brewing between the two lands, Brienna must choose whose side she will remain loyal to—passion or blood. Because a queen is destined to rise and lead the battle to reclaim the crown. The ultimate decision Brienna must determine is: Who will be that queen?

Review:

I got this book in two subscription boxes for February: Uppercase Box and Litjoy Crate. I was a little disappointed that I got the same book, but I was also excited to read it because it must be good if it was in two boxes.

I loved this book! It is a different take on the YA fantasy story. Rather than the main character having to find love throughout the story, she becomes involved in a plot to raise the rightful queen to the throne. There was some romance, but it wasn’t the most important part of the story.

Breanna was a very strong character. She took chances to save the ones who she cared about. She had many conflicting choices to make, but she made intelligent decisions based on her instincts and intelligence.

I loved the twists at the end of the story! I felt like I was holding my breath through the last third of the story. There was loads of tension. Though the story was slightly predictable, I loved all of it! The only thing I’m wondering about is what will happen in the next book in the trilogy, but I can’t wait to read it!

Title: The Wicked Deep
Author: Shea Ernshaw
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

Review:

This is a great, original story.

I liked the way that the myth of the Swan sisters was incorporated into the story. Parts of their story was told between the chapters of Penny’s narrative. It was an interesting myth that came to life each year in their small town.

The story had good pacing. It moved along very quickly. There was a lot that happened in a short amount of time, which kept the story moving.

I couldn’t predict who the Swan sisters would turn out to be, which made it more exciting. I was looking for a logical explanation for the whole event, but I couldn’t find one. Bo was also a curious character, since he came out of nowhere and blended in on Penny’s island so well. I was surprised at the ending, but I liked it!

This story is a great blend of fantasy and real life. It’s a thrilling seaside adventure for YA lovers!

Title: One of Us Is Lying
Author: Karen M. McManus
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Gift
Release Date: May 30, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?
Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

Review:

When I read the description of this book, I was so excited to read it. Most of the reviews I read for this book either loved it or hated it, which made me even more curious about it. I can understand why after reading it, and luckily I loved it!

I figured out the ending by about a third of the way into the book. But I was still glad to read till the end to find out if I was right. It was a clever ending. I think I’ve read so many mysteries and thrillers now that I’m getting better at solving them. I’m usually wrong, so I was glad that I was right this time!

I really liked the characters. I liked the way that this mystery brought them together even though they had such different backgrounds. And there were so many secrets! The secrets were revealed slowly throughout the book, to keep the mystery going.

I really enjoyed this story!

Title: Reign of the Fallen
Author: Sarah Glenn Marsh
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Purchased
Release Date: January 23, 2018
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Odessa is one of Karthia’s master necromancers, catering to the kingdom’s ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it’s Odessa’s job to raise them by retrieving their souls from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised–the Dead must remain shrouded, or risk transforming into zombie-like monsters known as Shades. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, the grotesque transformation will begin.

A dramatic uptick in Shade attacks raises suspicions and fears among Odessa’s necromancer community. Soon a crushing loss of one of their own reveals a disturbing conspiracy: someone is intentionally creating Shades by tearing shrouds from the Dead–and training them to attack. Odessa is faced with a terrifying question: What if her necromancer’s magic is the weapon that brings Karthia to its knees?

Review:

This was a different story, but it had some flaws.

I liked the general plot. I was able to predict most things that happened at the end, but I still enjoyed it. One thing about this author: she isn’t afraid to kill her characters!

Now one of the problems in this story has been addressed in many other reviews, but I have to mention it here. There is a scene with non-consensual sex. The woman in the scene says “no” as the man starts kissing her, but he continues. This really has no place in any story these days, unless it is addressing the issue of sexual assault. The worst thing was that the part where she says “no” could have been removed from the scene and it wouldn’t change the story at all! I was so disappointed when I read that, and it really gave me a bad feeling about the story.

The background of this world was also a little strange. I was so curious about the shrouds that the dead had to wear after being brought back to life. I have no idea how you could tell the dead apart when they had to be dressed the same way after being brought back to life. I also didn’t understand why the dead would turn into a monster if someone saw the dead person’s skin. It was very strange, and I don’t know why that happened.

Overall, I was disappointed about some parts of the story.

Title: The Final Six
Author: Alexandra Monir
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Leo, an Italian championship swimmer, and Naomi, a science genius from California, are two of the twenty-four teens drafted into the International Space Training Camp, their lives are forever altered. After erratic climate change has made Earth a dangerous place to live, the fate of the population rests on the shoulders of the final six who will be scouting a new planet. Intense training, global scrutiny, and cutthroat opponents are only a few of the hurdles the contestants must endure in this competition.

For Leo, the prospect of traveling to Europa—Jupiter’s moon—to help resettle humankind is just the sense of purpose he’s been yearning for since losing his entire family in the flooding of Rome. Naomi, after learning of a similar space mission that mysteriously failed, suspects the ISTC isn’t being up front with them about what’s at risk.

As the race to the final six advances, the tests get more challenging—even deadly. With pressure mounting, Naomi finds an unexpected friend in Leo, and the two grow closer with each mind-boggling experience they encounter. But it’s only when the finalists become fewer and their destinies grow nearer that the two can fathom the full weight of everything at stake: the world, the stars, and their lives.

Review:

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t put it down!

The story was great! It had a teen competition, almost like The Hunger Games. But the prize was to go into space and settle a new place for humans to live.

I loved the romance between Naomi and Leo. They took so many risks with each other and with finding out the truth behind the mission, that I kept holding my breath while I was reading.

I was never very good at science, so I’m not sure how accurate everything was. But it was good enough to convince me that everything could happen in real life. Some readers who are particular about getting the facts right may be bothered by any flaws in the science, but I didn’t see anything wrong with it in terms of the story.

I really hope there’s a sequel to this story soon. I was surprised at the ending, and it ended way too soon for me! I’ll be looking forward to reading more.

About the Author:

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Title: Illuminae
Author: Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Knopf Books
Source: Purchased
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

Review:

Wow, this book was amazing!

This story is told in an unconventional format. It consists of a series of files: transcripts, emails, and memos. All of these files come together to tell the story of how a planet was attacked and the people were evacuated to spaceships, sparking a space war.

The beginning of the story was a little confusing because of the unique format, and the many characters. But after about the first quarter of the story, I was hooked!

The graphics in this book were incredible! They were very detailed. A lot of work went into the design and layout of this book, as well as the writing.

Part of what makes this story so addicting is the blending of genres. It’s definitely a fantasy and science fiction story since it takes place in space. But there’s a lot of romance and thrilling suspense.

This is now one of my favourite books! I can’t wait to read Gemina!

Title: This Tiny Perfect World
Author: Lauren Gibaldi
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss
Release Date: February 27, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Penny loves her small-town Florida life, and she has her future mapped out. She’s going to community college after graduation to stay close to home and her best friend, Faye. She’ll take over the family diner that her dad has been managing since her mother died. And one day, she’ll marry her high school sweetheart, Logan.

But when she unexpectedly lands a scholarship to a prestigious summer theater camp, she is thrust into a world of competition and self-doubt. And suddenly, her future gets a little hazy. As she meets new friends, including Chase, a talented young actor with big-city dreams, she begins to realize that maybe the life everyone (including her) expects her to lead is not the one she was meant to have.

Review:

I really liked this story!

I loved the drama program that Penny attended. It was described very well, and sounded fascinating. Acting is completely new to me. I’ve always been shy, and I was never interested in drama classes, though I did dance. I found this part of the story very interesting, since it is something that I’ve never experienced.

The characters in the story were great. They were well developed, and seemed like real people. I liked that Penny was conflicted in many ways, from her future career to her friends/boyfriend. It added tension to the story. I also loved the twist at the end. I didn’t see it coming at all, so I was surprised.

If you like contemporary Young Adult stories, you’ll love this one!

About the Author:

 

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