Category: Young Adult

Title: Thunderhead
Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: January 9, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds, in the second novel of the chilling New York Times bestselling series from Neal Shusterman, author of the Unwind dystology.

Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Literally. In the year since Winter Conclave, he has gone off-grid, and has been striking out against corrupt scythes—not only in MidMerica, but across the entire continent. He is a dark folk hero now—“Scythe Lucifer”—a vigilante taking down corrupt scythes in flames.

Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order” scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and risks being “deadish” so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?

Review:

I’m so glad I had the privilege of reading this ARC.

This is a highly anticipated sequel to Scythe, and it did not disappoint. There weren’t quite as many twists as in the first one, though there were many unpredictable surprises.

The Thunderhead is the primary focus of this book. The Thunderhead is the future of “the Cloud” in the way that it holds all of our information. It is constantly monitoring the world and can make decisions, but it can’t communicate with the Scythedom.

I really liked that parts of the world other than the scythes were explored in this book. There is a new character, named Greyson, who is an ordinary boy, but then he becomes an unsavory (a group of criminals who behave in unsavory ways). I enjoyed seeing more of the scythe world that surrounds Citra and Rowan.

One of the great things about the scythe world is that there are many more possible plots for future books. There could be more books around these current scythes, but it would also be interesting to see what happened at the end of the Age of Mortality (aka our modern world) and how the scythedom was formed. I hope there’s a third book on the way!

Title: Renegades
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: Purchased
Release Date: November 7, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone…except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

Review:

Marissa Meyer has done it again! This book is so awesome. I loved this superhero story.

The characters have a lot of depth and history. Adrian and Nova have both suffered and learned from some of their mistakes.

The world building was great in this story too. I kept imagining Gatlon City as New York City. Especially with the big parade that opens the story.

One thing that I didn’t like was the long fight scenes. They took up multiple chapters. The one at the beginning was so confusing since I wasn’t familiar with the characters. I had to keep flipping back to see who did what. I wish that more characters were introduced before that.

I don’t know how I’m going to wait until next November to read the sequel! It’s going to be a long year.

Title: The Year They Burned the Books
Author: Nancy Garden
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: September 5, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of Annie on My Mind comes an unflinching novel about prejudice, censorship, and homophobia in a New England town.

As the editor in chief of the Wilson High Telegraph, senior Jamie Crawford is supposed to weigh in on the cutting-edge issues that will interest students in her school. But when she writes an opinion piece in support of the new health curriculum—which includes safe-sex education and making condoms available to students—she has no idea how much of a controversy she’s stepped into.

A conservative school board member has started a war against the new curriculum, and now—thanks to Jamie’s editorial—against the newspaper as well. As Jamie deals with the fallout and comes to terms with her own sexuality, the school and town become a battleground for clashing opinions. Now, Jamie and the students at Wilson need to find another way to express their beliefs before prejudice, homophobia, and violence define their small town.

Review:

After receiving this book on NetGalley, I was surprised to see that it was originally published in 1999. The story is still relevant today, so I can see why it was rereleased.

I loved the story. Even though it takes place in the 90s, it seems very contemporary. The only difference is they use typewriters to write their school articles and comment that certain people have a printer and computer at home.

Jamie was a great character. Jamie and her best friend Terry call themselves “Maybes” because they think they might be gay but they aren’t sure. Both of them have to come to terms with their sexuality, and have to become confident enough to share their true selves.

Though Jamie and Terry are learning how to express themselves, other characters, such as Ernie, hide behind what they think others want them to be like, instead of being themselves. This was sad but it’s something that still happens today.

The school newspaper was a great way for the characters to express their feelings. There was a lot of drama in the newspaper team that kept the story exciting.

I really enjoyed this story. Though it is almost 20 years old, it is still so relevant today!

Title: Queens of Geek
Author: Jen Wilde
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Source: Purchased
Release Date: March 14, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Three friends, two love stories, one convention: this fun, feminist love letter to geek culture is all about fandom, friendship, and finding the courage to be yourself.

Charlie likes to stand out. She’s a vlogger and actress promoting her first movie at SupaCon, and this is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star Reese Ryan. When internet-famous cool-girl actress Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.

Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with her best guy friend Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about a fan contest for her favorite fandom, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde, chosen by readers like you for Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads, is an empowering novel for anyone who has ever felt that fandom is family.

Review:

I am so excited about this book. There are so many great aspects of it.

I loved the diversity in the book. Charlie is Asian-Australian and bisexual. Taylor has social anxiety and is on the autism spectrum. These aspects of the characters were discussed but they weren’t their whole identities. They seemed like real people.

The two love stories were very cute. I loved Charlie and Alyssa! They make such a cute couple! And through the whole book I wanted Taylor and Jamie to get together! I was rooting for both couples (and I really didn’t like Reese!)

I loved the SupaCon. It sounds like so much fun! It reminded me of the only fan convention I’ve been to, which is Fan Expo in Toronto. It’s like a ComicCon and I went a few years ago. It also got me thinking about my upcoming trip to BookCon which I’m super excited for!!

Another great aspect of this book is the way it was published. Swoon Reads accepts manuscripts from writers, and then puts them online for readers to vote for which ones get published. It’s a great way to see your favourite indie writers get published.

I loved this book! I think I’ll be recommending it for the rest of the year!

Title: Depth of Field
Author: Chantel Guertin
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: ECW Press
Source: Purchased
Release Date: August 12, 2014
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two weeks in New York City should be the time of Pippa’s life: she’s attending the prestigious Tisch Photography Camp, her boyfriend, Dylan McCutter (two months and counting!) is coming with her, and their parents are 500 miles away. Talk about lights, camera, (swoony, unchaperoned) action! But what should be 14 unforgettable days of bliss turns into chaos when her one and only nemesis, Ben Baxter, proves to be surprisingly more complex than she could’ve ever imagined, and her Tisch mentor, a renowned photographer, seems to have a lot more to do with her parents’ past than anyone wants her to know. Is Pippa out of her depth?

Picking up where she left off in The Rule of Thirds, Pippa Greene returns in Depth of Field, in a story full of the same heart, comedic touches, and romance that made readers fall in love with Chantel Guertin’s charming YA series.

Review:

Here’s another great book in the Pippa Greene series!

I loved that this story took place in New York. It gives a different side to Pippa, since she is out of her high school. The dynamic of her, Dylan and Ben continues since they all go to New York. And their love triangle also carries on. These characters are realistic and relatable.

I like the backdrop of photography in these stories. I have learned so much about photography, which I wouldn’t have known otherwise. Pippa made me want to pick up a camera and enter some photography contests!

There were some surprising twists in this story. An important part of Pippa’s family history was revealed, which was shocking! I couldn’t have guessed what was going to happen.

I’m so excited to read the next book in the series!

Title: Scythe
Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Purchased
Release Date: November 22, 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Review:

I loved this story!

I got into the world of the Scythes right away. It takes place in the distant future, when people no longer die natural deaths. There are no more diseases or accidents. Scythes must choose who dies and “glean” them. Considering how much technology has advanced over the past centuries, it almost seems possible. Many diseases are now curable and everyday activities are no longer dangerous, so perhaps one day we will have healing genes so that we can’t die naturally.

I really felt immersed in this world. There were so many twists from the beginning to end, and I couldn’t predict what would happen. I also liked that there were only a few main characters, so they were much more developed. Many contemporary YA fantasy novels have ensemble casts, so there are a lot of people to keep track of. But this one focused on a few main ones.

I just loved this book. I’m so glad that I won’t have to wait long to read the sequel. Thunderhead comes out in a couple of weeks, and I will be reviewing it then!

Title: Siege and Storm
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Source: Purchased
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

Review:

This is another great book in the Grisha Verse!

I love the way that Leigh Bardugo has built a world, but she doesn’t explain it too much. We are just thrown into it and have to learn our way around. But it feels so much more real this way.

Alina’s story moved very quickly in this book. It takes place in a short amount of time, compared to the first novel. She really changes and develops as a character.

The Darkling is such a mysterious character. He’s strange and hard to understand, but I want to learn more about him. Hopefully more will come to light in the next story.

I can’t wait to keep reading through all of Bardugo’s books!

Title: Chasing Odysseus
Author: S.D. Gentill
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Pantera Press
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: February 28, 2011
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

1 girl, 3 brothers… 4 daring young heroes…

Treachery, transformations and a deadly quest.

A thrilling adventure of ancient myth, monsters, gods, sorcerers, sirens, magic and many evils…the fall of Troy and a desperate chase across the seas in a magical Phaeacian ship…

Hero and her three brothers, Mac, Cad and Lycon, go on this exciting and dangerous quest to prove their murdered father’s honour, the betrayal by King Odysseus and the loyalty of their own people to the conquered city of Troy.

Review:

I love Greek mythology! I’m always looking for retellings or adaptations.

This story is a great continuation of The Odyssey. It has a logical place in the storyline. It tells the perspective of the herders and the effects the Trojan War had on them.

The theme of an odyssey is very present in the story. The four siblings go on their own odyssey by chasing Odysseus to find out why the Trojans are mad at them. The gods are also important to the story, because Hero is very pious and always praying.

One problem with this story is that since it relies so heavily on The Odyssey, I think readers would struggle if they hadn’t read it. This could be problematic since it’s aimed at a young adult audience and they may not have been exposed to Homer’s epic poems yet. I did not read them until university, so I wouldn’t have understood the story when I was a teen.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this story. Fans of The Odyssey should definitely check it out.