The Traitor's Game
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: February 26, 2018
In the newest fantasy novel by Jennifer A. Nielsen, Kestra Dallisor has been in exile for three years from the kingdom where her father serves as the king’s second in command. But as she is on the journey to come home, she is stopped by a band of rebels who blackmail her into finding the Olden Blade, the one thing that could kill the seemingly immortal king and change the kingdom forever. As she goes on this mission, filled with ulterior motives and mysterious secrets, Kestra now must decide if the regime she once protected is really worth it, and if she can do what it takes to save her kingdom.
I really enjoyed this book! Filled with magic and warring families, the author was able to build up a wonderful world for the reader to be immersed in. For one thing, this book had some of the best character development I have ever read! Starting as a strict loyalist, then becoming an amazing heroine, the character of Kestra changed so much as the book went on, making her feel real and fleshed out. The side characters as well were like this as the author did not miss a single chance to make each character shine.
Another aspect of this book that was enjoyable was the world itself. Filled with just the right amount of magic, it never felt like it was too crazy. I could easily see myself reading more of this series because it is just so immersive and makes you constantly want to further explore the world.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who loves royal intrigue mixed with magic. Despite the novel sometimes doing things that seem stereotypical at the start, the author keeps you hooked with secrets and plot twists that you will never see coming.
Hooper
by Geoff Herbach
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: February 20, 2018
HOOPER by Geoff Herbach is about a Polish teen named Adam Reed. In Poland his mom died and his dad left him. He was adopted and moved to Minnesota. He loves playing basketball more than anything else in his life. When trouble arises he has to keep a level head or lose everything.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a real page turner, at times I couldn't put the book down. The plot was fast, moving, and interesting. There were many layers and I thought the writing style was interesting.
When Light Left Us
by Leah Thomas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: February 13, 2018
WHEN LIGHT LEFT US by Leah Thomas is a thrilling, contemporary novel that is incredibly hard to put down. When the father of Milo, Ana, and Hank Vasquez inexplicably deserted his family, the three siblings were suddenly left with a gaping hole in their lives. But in the darkness of their backyard one summer night, that hole was filled. A foreign, shimmering light entered into the three bodies of the Vasquez children and slowly took control of their actions. After doing irreversible damage on the three children, this light abandons them, much like their father. When the light left them, the children were forced them to embrace the things that made them human and learn to live again without the alien presence that they had become so familiar with.
WHEN LIGHT LEFT US took my breath away. Leah Thomas brilliantly captured the separate thoughts and personalities of three very different children while characterizing them in such a way that I forgot they weren’t actually real. The setting was designed in a way that made me feel like I too was in rural New Mexico. At its heart, WHEN LIGHT LEFT US is not an alien book, it is a coming-of-age story about how an alien presence forever changed the perspectives of a family. In the end, this is an utterly engrossing story that I never wanted to end.
Honor Among Thieves
by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: February 13, 2018
One hundred years after the Leviathans, living alien ships, came to Earth to help humanity, Zara is selected for a year long trip aboard one of them. Zara, not used to trusting anyone, is unsure of how to proceed or if she can trust the Leviathans. The trip is to ideally prepare Zara for the Journey, which no one seems to know much about and is surrounded by mystery throughout the book. It is interesting to read from the perspective of an alien ship, and how this book explores communication between Leviathans and Humans: Leviathans have basic telepathy but sometimes have trouble ‘translating’ their thoughts into something understood by the humans. I also found it interesting how Leviathans are biologically able to do what they do. They are biological, yet they are able to be upgraded and modified by technology and are aware of what goes on inside themselves. There is a lot of mystery surrounding what exactly the purpose of the trip is, and Zara does not appreciate how little she is informed.
HONOR AMONG THIEVES heavily draws elements from DIVERGENT, LEGEND, THE HUNGER GAMES, and DOCTOR WHO. While at times the similarities can be annoying, I mostly enjoyed how it takes many familiar ideas and puts them into one story.
American Panda
by Gloria Chao
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
AMERICAN PANDA is about Mei Lu and her family. Mei Lu should be in her senior year of high school, but is instead a freshman at MIT. Her family insists that she live by the set of Golden Lu Rules: be a Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, become a doctor, marry a Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, have Taiwanese future Ivy Leaguer children. (Sons are preferred.) Don’t date anyone from any other culture. Don’t fail classes or get bad grades. Don’t lie. Dance. But not too much. Mei breaks some rules and begins to understand others in her quest to define herself and find her own path.
I really loved this book. On behalf of all non-Taiwanese people who don’t go to MIT everywhere, I must say, this book is highly educational on the perspectives of both Taiwanese people and MIT students. I’m not joking. I now know more about MIT and its weird traditions than Mei did when she first got there. (Thanks, Gloria!) I know that this book doesn’t reflect every Taiwanese experience; the author said this herself in the Author’s Note. But it is the beginning of a necessary education on racial sympathy, which is highly timely in the age of Mr. Trump - and it will continue being timely after his reign ends. I felt the tone of this book very strongly. It was cinematic. Lots of twists and near misses and uncomfortable falls from grace (literally and figuratively). The romance did not feel tiring or cliched or anti-feminist in any way. It actually felt very open, empowering, realistic, and very fresh. Overall, even without thinking solely about the difference in racial experiences and refreshing romance, AMERICAN PANDA is quite simply a fine, well-written piece of teen-age literature.
The Last to Let Go
by Amber Smith
Publisher: Margaret K McElderry Books
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
When 16-year-old Brooke Winter arrives home from school one day to see her abusive father dead and her mother holding the murder weapon, she cannot begin to fathom all the ways her life is about to spiral out of control. Over the next year, she struggles to come to terms with her father’s death and her mother’s involvement in it. But she must also deal with all the problems, big and small, that characterize the life of your average 16-year-old: first kisses, first loves, breakups, schoolwork, friends. But she is not, and will never be, your average 16-year-old. For how long can she keep up the charade?
Despite the dark subject matter, THE LAST TO LET GO is not a depressing read. It is funny, sweet, and ultimately hopeful. The author, Amber Smith, ensures the plot is not overshadowed by violence and despair. Brooke is a well-drawn character, complicated and multidimensional. She makes decisions that are so frustrating you will find it hard to keep reading, but you’ll also be so invested in her that you’ll force yourself to turn the pages. Smith’s prose flows easily. THE LAST TO LET GO is a completely worthwhile read.
All We Can Do Is Wait
by Richard Lawson
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
ALL WE CAN DO IS WAIT by Richard Lawson follows the different perspectives of a group of teenagers in the aftermath of a horrible tragedy. In a hospital waiting room in Boston, five strangers wait to hear news of their loved ones, and find solace in each other. Though taking course over a single night, their diverse pasts are explored, leading to realizations and breakthroughs on behalf of the characters. More than just a disaster story, ALL WE CAN DO IS WAIT sheds a light on the effect of the relationships we have with others and the idea of unity in the face of catastrophe.
Lawson brings energy and excitement into each page, yet is able to keep the narrative grounded in reality. Each character is vastly different and allows for a multitude of experiences to be shown, and are all relatable in their own ways. The revelations that occur throughout the story are done in the most realistic and effective ways, creating dimensional portrayals of characters rather than used simply for dramatic effect. However, all the events are merely a backdrop to the connections they create with each other, the real star of the story. I loved this book and the way it conveyed emotions and relationships, and would highly recommend it!
The Queen's Rising
by Rebecca Ross
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
In this fantastic debut by author Rebecca Ross, Brienna is a girl whose only wish is to master her passion of knowledge and to be chosen by a patron. But after years of studying her passion--just one of five including art, music, dramatics, wit and knowledge--she is left without one. But when strange memories begin to appear and a secretive man offers her patronage, she knows that nothing good could come of it, especially when he takes her along to overthrow the king of a rival kingdom and restore the queen.
Wow, was the writing in this book amazing! Filled with eloquent sentences and immersive scenes, it was a constant struggle to put the book down. Everything that the author wrote felt fleshed out and real, making me truly feel like I was in the book with the characters. Her amazing world building went along great with this as she created neighboring kingdoms with one at the brink of civil war. Despite this being a fairly common setting, Ross found a way to breathe new life into it with hints of magic and great history that felt complete and very much real.
Another aspect of this novel that I really enjoyed was the plot. Despite it being one that is often replicated (a girl with faint ties to royalty finds out that she is key to taking down the corrupted government) the author still finds a way to put in several twists that will take readers by surprise. For example, her unique idea of passions brought a new dimension to the book as the main character struggles to master something that comes easily to most, a thing not often seen in books about royalty where the main characters are often naturally gifted at everything.
Not only that, but Ross also finds a way to differentiate the characters of her story from those in similar books! Going along with her familiar plot with a new twist, her characters were a new take on the typical cast of fantasy characters. The menacing second-in-command to the king is no longer one-minded, the passionate tutor is no longer the absent-minded teacher, the main character who doesn’t fit in doesn’t brood all day about her life and the rising queen is not obsessed with her looks more than her people. I loved each of these twists on the typical characters because it made the story feel so much more real as the characters no longer had flat and basic ambitions and goals. Instead, it made the reader constantly question what the characters might do next as they were unpredictable yet easy to follow through the tale.
I would recommend this book to fantasy lovers looking for a new twist on a familiar tale. For those looking for amazing world building and royal deceit, you will not be disappointed with this book. Fans of immersive writing like Sarah J. Maas' will be instantly in love with Rebecca Ross’s storytelling abilities as she spins a tale that you will not be able to put down.
When My Heart Joins the Thousand
by A.J. Steiger
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
WHEN MY HEART JOINS THE THOUSAND by A.J. Steiger is a beautiful story following Alvie on her journey to finding herself and honestly trying to just make it to her 18th birthday in one piece. She’s never fit in, and she really doesn’t care. She’s scared to care. Her only friend is a bird at the zoo she works at, Chance. But, when she meets a boy, her world is different. HE is different.
As she gets closer to him and hears about his estranged past, she must decide if it's worth it to her to have him in her life. I thought this was beautifully written and although it was sad, it was easy to relate to and truly feel like you are in the story with these heart wrenching positions they find themselves in.
The Belles
by Dhonielle Clayton
Publisher: Freeform Books
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
This book is set in a cursed society where beauty is of the utmost importance; social status is expressed by who has the latest trends on everything from skin tone to waist size. Clayton’s THE BELLES tells the story of Camellia, a Belle with the power to turn the people of New Orleans beautiful. After Camellia is chosen as the royal Belle, she slowly discovers the dark secrets of the Belle world and the royal family. This book was full of plot twists and exciting surprises that had me thoroughly engaged in Camellia’s world.
Overall, I quite enjoyed reading this and I thought the undertones of social commentary on the impossible beauty standards of today’s society are especially impactful for young adult readers.
The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza
by Shaun David Hutchinson
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
THE APOCALYPSE OF ELENA MENDOZA by Shaun David Hutchinson provides a story that deals with the rights of one to choose one’s own fate. The main character, Elena Mendoza, is a product of a virgin birth and, as the story begins, she finds that she has the power to heal by touch. The catch is that everytime she heals someone, alien forces that appear to her as voices from inanimate objects are able to “rapture” people in beams of light to who knows where. Elena struggles with the decision to save the lives of those in pain who seek her “miracles” or let them suffer and prevent any more people from being taken. The aliens claim that they are saving people from the end of the world, but there is no way for Elena to know where the people really go.
Throughout the entire book Elena hesitates to take any sort of action. Despite advice from her best friend, the girl she likes, and her mom, she can’t make a definite choice. If the voices are right, then not healing anyone is dooming them all, but if the voices lie, then she's allowing the aliens to take innocent people without consent. Elena is frustrated that she is forced to make choices for people she doesn’t even know. Stuck in this perfectly crafted trap it seems there is no way for her to resolve this impossible problem.
Hutchinson presents an interesting book that, despite its surface level plot, focuses on emotions more than action. Emotions such as the weight of responsibility, indecision and uncertainty (both with her situation and her love life), and the pain of not being able to help someone in need. Even with such a difficult problem, Hutchinson wraps up the story nicely and leaves the reader satisfied.
The Martian
by Andy Weir
Publisher: Broadway Books
Publication Date: August 28, 2014
In a near future when humans have already traveled to Mars and back, the crew of the Ares 3 recently landed on Mars. When a storm interferes with their mission, they are forced to abort and return to Earth. However, struggling to make it back to their ship, Mark Watney is hit and knocked out. This forces the crew, thinking he is dead, to leave the planet with Mark still on it. But Mark did not die in the storm, making him the only human on mars with no means of communication, little food, and a small tent trying to survive on his own.
THE MARTIAN is one of my favorite books. We get a botanist/mechanical engineer as the protagonist trying to science his way to survival, who knows he may never see another human again. The book is a constant battle of “Man vs. Nature”, where whenever Mark finally gets a bit of good luck, something almost always eventually goes wrong. We are greeted with explanations for many of Mark's scientific solutions to problems he encounters, going into enough detail that it makes sense, but not too much detail that it makes the story confusing.
Rosemarked
by Livia Blackburne
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: November 7, 2017
In the magic-less world of ROSEMARKED, healer Zivah falls prey to the deadly Rose plague, leaving her with only years to live and isolating her from society. At the same time, soldier Dineas finally escapes from the clutches of the Amparan Empire with a renewed passion to free his tribe from its rule before it is too late. Thrust together with nothing left to lose, Zivah and Dineas must complete a deadly mission to spy on the capital so they can fulfill their wishes and save their loved ones from dying at the hands of an enemy kingdom filled with secrets and risk.
This book had so many amazing aspects, for one: the research. If you want to read a book that an author clearly put a lot of effort into, this book is definitely for you. I loved how Blackburne found a way to put descriptive detail into everything without making it seem like too much. From the descriptions of various tribes to herbal remedies and military campaigns, when I was reading this book I didn’t feel like I was reading, but living. So many books these days have half-baked ideas and cheap attempts at descriptions and Blackburne definitely blew those books all out of the water with the amount of research that she put into this. Which leads me to the next fabulous thing about this book: the plot.
Wow, was this a story to remember. Based in a world much like the medieval era and filled with walled cities and suffering villages, it was both a refreshing fictional world and clear of any sort of magic. I really enjoyed this because so many books written in this sort of setting include magic. While ROSEMARKED doesn’t have a hint of magic, it is still immersive and captivating, leaving me glued to each word. This uniqueness was clear throughout the plot as characters steered clear of common romance tropes, leaving room for character development. This makes it so every move that they make is a surprise. I loved the plot for this very reason. So many books are set with clear and straight-forward story lines while this one was able to navigate its world of disease and corrupt military in a new way. When I first began to read this book, I was sure of what way the story would take me...and boy was I wrong.
I would recommend this book for fans of THE QUEEN'S THIEF series because of the similarity to its world. Fantasy lovers will also love this book because of its well written and immersive storytelling and world building. If you are looking for characters that grow off of typical YA tropes and defy your expectations with every word, you will not be let down. I think that it is safe to say that I am more than excited for the next book in this series.
