Review: The Last Namsara

The Last Namsara
by Kristen Ciccarelli


Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: October 3, 2017

THE LAST NAMSARA follows the story of Asha, a dragon slaying princess, disliked by her own people because of the crime she committed as a child that almost destroyed the kingdom. To make up for her mistake, she must kill dragons to protect her people. To top it all off, in order to unite the broken kingdom, she’s being forced to marry a man she hates: Jarek, the cruel commandant. However, the king gives her a choice: she can either marry Jarek or slay the most powerful dragon to gain her freedom. 

Ciccarelli nails it with this fantasy novel. It’s got the perfect amount of our favorite fantasy clichés (sword wielding princesses and fire breathing dragons) but mixes things up with an uncommon romance between a princess and her betrothed's slave. Complex characters, forbidden love, a compelling plot and beautiful writing make THE LAST NAMSARA the perfect fall fantasy read for fans of ERAGON and THRONE OF GLASS. 

Review: Hunted

Hunted
by Meagan Spooner

Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: March 14, 2017

After her father loses their fortune, Yeva aka Beauty and her family are forced to move to a small cabin on the outskirts of town. When her father goes missing while obsessively tracking a Beast, Yeva, the only one he taught to hunt, is obliged to keep her family alive. However, not knowing how to live without her father, she decides to go after him by hunting down the Beast. Soon she encounters the Beast who forces her to hunt down an unknown force to save him.
In HUNTED, Spooner decides to give a whole new appearance to this classic tale. This retelling of Beauty and Beast presents Beauty as no damsel in distress. She’s independent, brave and totally badass, making her the perfect role model for the 21st century girl. In addition, Yeva and the Beast’s relationship is more relatable than other YA novels, where the leads tend to fall in love right away.

Review: Scythe

Scythe
by Neal Shusterman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 22, 2016


Citra and Rowan live in a world that has conquered hungry, disease, war, poverty and, most importantly, death. Humans are immortal. However, with the population constantly rising, Scythes are the only ones allowed and obligated to take lives. After mysterious encounters with a scythe, Citra and Rowan become a scythe’s apprentice-a job neither of them wants. But after their mentor’s mysterious death, Citra and Rowan are pitted against one another and must learn to become effective killers to stay alive.

Don’t be fooled, SCYTHE is not your classic YA dystopian novel. This book is an action-packed, thought-stimulating and intriguing story with a small--and I mean very small--dash of romance. Shusterman tackles the notion of mortality, immortality and suicide with surprising grace and has his audience contemplating whether or not they actually want to live forever. The characters themselves are relatable and complex, especially Citra and Rowan. These two characters connect tremendously to YA readers because, despite being confused teenagers, they are forced to make life-altering decisions and grow up early. Teenagers in high school can relate to that sort of pressure with college applications looming over their heads. Overall, SCYTHE is the perfect read for both boys and girls looking for an out of the box dystopian.

Review: Twenty Questions For Gloria

Twenty Questions For Gloria

By Martyn Bedford

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books

Publication Date: April 12th, 2016

In TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR GLORIA, the funny, confident, and smart Uman transfers to unadventurous Gloria’s school, they are immediately drawn to each other. With Uman’s glum past and Gloria’s new desire for adventure, they start to hang out more often. Then one day, Uman and Gloria decide to run away together. After fifteen days of being missing, Gloria comes back but Uman does not and the entire country is wondering: Where did Gloria go? TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR GLORIA is a spontaneous mystery-thriller with a YA contemporary love twist. Gloria’s naive character and Uman’s love for adventure makes them very relatable to young adults. Bedford’s intricate characters and quirky dialogue draws us in from the very start. This ‘Bonnie and Clyde’-esque book is perfect for teenage fans of GONE GIRL.

Review: Blackhearts

Blackhearts 
by Nicole Castroman

Publication Date: February 9th, 2016

Publisher: Simon Teen 

Before Blackbeard became the notorious pirate he is known as today, he was just a young merchant’s son who dreamed of adventures in faraway lands. Anne Barrett, the daughter of an ex-slave and merchant is left with nothing after the passing of her parents. Forced to work in the Drummond household, she soon acquaints herself with Teach, her master’s son. Drawn together by a mutual longing for freedom, Teach and Anne learn that they might just be what the other was looking for. BLACKHEARTS is not your typical pirate book. In fact, I wouldn’t consider it a pirate book at all. Although, this is the story of one the most famous pirates of all time, it never takes place on a ship. This is truly the story of Blackbeard before he became Blackbeard. Castroman hooks you in by telling the story through the eyes of a young African maid and rich merchant’s son, both feeling like outcasts in the worlds they were born into. This romanticized retelling of Blackbeard’s beginning is great for fans of historical fiction and romance. 

Review: Snow Like Ashes

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Publication date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Sixteen years ago, The Kingdom of Winter was conquered, leaving its citizens as slaves to The Spring Kingdom. Now the Winterians’ only hope is the eight surviving refugees. Among them is Meira, an orphan-soldier, and her best friend and future king, Mather. Meira takes it upon herself to try and help her kingdom, but when a mission doesn't go as planned, Meira comes to realize that her destiny is not, and never has been, her own.

Sara Raasch kills it with her debut novel SNOW LIKE ASHES. It was by far the best fantasy book I read in long time. Raasch reminded me once again why I love reading so much. She captured me within the page of the book and not once did I feel bored. I had a lot of trouble putting this book down, and when I did, I found myself struggling to not reach for it within the next second. SNOW LIKE ASHES is a fresh, new book in the YA fantasy world full of original characters and ideas. I would recommend this book to any fantasy junkie looking for something new and different. Ages 13 and up.

Review: My Last Kiss

My Last Kiss by Bethany Neal
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publishing date: June 10, 2014

MY LAST KISS is the story of Cassidy Haines, a 17 year old ghost who can’t seem to remember how she died. The police ruled it a suicide but Cassidy knows that there has to be more to the story. With only her boyfriend Ethan Keys able to see her, they try to solve the mystery around her death all while trying to keep their love alive. This page turning debut novel by Bethany Neal is a cross between a tragic love story and a murder mystery, perfect for fans of “Pretty Little Liars” and “Thirteen Reasons Why”. Contrary to what the title might have lead you to believe, this story is less about kisses and more about the jealousy and hardships of friendship. Cassidy is often struggling with everyday teenage problems (like forgiving her friends, dealing with her parents divorce and finding herself) making her a very relatable character. Although this book has paranormal aspects, I found that the realistic elements made it a more contemporary novel. MY LAST KISS is filled with twists and turns making it a fun and intriguing novel, great for anyone who enjoys a young adult mystery.

Review: White Space

White Space by Ilsa J. Bick
Publisher: Egmont
Publication date: February 11, 2014

Emma Lindsay, your not-so-ordinary high schooler, finds herself, along with six other kids, trapped in the nightmare of a story she wrote. So what happens when she finds out the story isn't even hers? Most likely designated for hard-core science fiction fans, WHITE SPACE is not a light, easy read. Inspired by the Matrix and Inkheart, this story is a complex and densely written headtrip and takes a lot of patience. Bick throws us into a world with little to no explanation and you will remain confused about this for the majority of the book. But even with its frequent P.O.V. switches and Bick's excessive use of Matrix references, is White Space worth reading? Yes and no. If you are a fan of thought out plots, intricate characters and a lot of gore, then this is a book for you.