Review: The Hound of Rowan

The Hound of Rowan
by Henry H. Neff

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 25, 2007

I’d highly recommend the HOUND OF ROWAN, the first in Henry H. Neff’s Tapestry series. The book follows Max McDaniels as magic suddenly invades his life, forcing him to go to Rowan Academy, where he and those like him learn to use their powers. However, don’t let the standard plot structure fool you, as even with my own nostalgia about the book notwithstanding, Neff intricately creates a one-of-a-kind world, unlike anything I’ve ever read. By weaving together myths and legends from all over the world with little bits of technology, Neff is sure to entertain any reader that picks up THE HOUND OF ROWAN.

Review: The Devouring Gray

The Devouring Gray
by Christine Lynn Herman

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: April 2, 2019

While I was initially unsure due to the ridiculous name and the fairly standard cover of the book, THE DEVOURING GRAY by Christine Lynn Herman has impressed me beyond belief. Set in “Four Paths, New York,” the book follows three people from each of the town’s four founding families as they deal with “the Gray” 一a dimension that not only gives the founders their power but also imprisons a terrible monster一 and with a web of secrets and lies that will affect both their families and the entire town. Almost every aspect of the book is superb; the characters, with the exception being the terrifying presence of "the Beast" 一 the unseen creature trapped in the Gray一 all feel human, flawed yet unforgettable. The book's small town setting feels fully fleshed out, and in combination with the plot and the excellent writing, leaves you hungry for more. The writing does this the best of all, however, and the book never once left me bored. On the whole, I can’t recommend THE DEVOURING GRAY enough, and I’m eager to see not only a sequel, but also what Christine Lynn Herman writes after this amazing debut.

Review: Sky Without Stars

Sky Without Stars
by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: March 26, 2019

Set on the planet Laterre, SKY WITHOUT STARS explores the world as revolution begins to spark, in a very “Les Mis in space” way. But whether it was the breathtaking setting, or the deep phenomenal writing, I couldn’t get enough. Although the book does fall into some of the same YA cliches that could hurt a book like this, the interesting direction it takes left me surprised and hungry for more. Overall, I cannot recommend this book enough.

Review: The Girl King

The Girl King
by Mimi Yu

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Publication Date: January 8, 2019

I highly recommend THE GIRL KING. The book draws you in with its fascinating and intriguing worldbuilding, which is perfectly complemented by the gritty and realistic nature of the book’s own characters. You really feel like you’re with the characters as they navigate through a world of magic and political intrigue. Overall, I cannot recommend this book enough!

Review: Furyborn

Furyborn
by Claire Legrand

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 22, 2018

While I was initially confused, I actually enjoyed Claire Legrand’s FURYBORN quite a lot. Switching between the stories of two young women, Rielle Dardenne and bounty hunter Eliana Ferracora, creates an interesting dynamic between the two connecting stories although they are centuries apart. Simultaneously, seeing the sheer difference between the elemental magic-centered world of Rielle, from the civil war-filled world of Eliana is very well done. Overall, it’s a very interesting and captivating read. However, while I highly recommend this book, it is definitely for young adults and older due to some of the book’s darker themes and some scenes in particular.

Review: Runebinder

Runebinder
by Alex R. Kahler

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: November 14, 2017

I really enjoyed reading RUNEBINDER, however while I completely recommend it, as it is a fantastic book, it is truly a dark novel. To give a little background, the world has rediscovered magic, but instead of creating a utopia, the world is plunged into something akin to hell, after "Howls," magical monsters created by draining a living human of their magic, are born into this world in the event known as “The Resurrection.” Now, three years later, Tenn struggles to survive, but between the Howls, and his own special powers, which often seem to have a mind of their own, can he get out of this alive? And if so, at what cost? But, once again, and I cannot stress this enough, the book really does have a very dark plot. So while I do highly recommend you read this book,  please be prepared for a gruesome moment or two, and a couple adult scenes. 

Review: The Cruelty

The Cruelty
by Scott Bergstrom

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: February 7, 2017


Scott Bergstrom’s new book, THE CRUELTY, shines a whole new light on the YA spy genre. I feel that this book’s greatest strength is its realism, something that I feel other YA spy books simply don't have. The book is a series of shocking developments, each leaving you more astonished than the last. So when the main character, Gwendolyn Bloom, is thrown into the midst of spies and criminals just to get her father back, you'd better be ready for a page turner, where each page just leaves you hungry for more.

Review: Fate of Flames

Fate of Flames
by Sarah Raughley

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: November 22, 2016

When I first started reading FATE OF FLAMES, I was skeptical. When looking at it, the cover and (to be perfectly honest) the name just screamed, “HEY! YOU! THIS IS ONE OF THOSE NOT VERY GOOD PERCY JACKSON-ESQUE BOOKS.” But when I started reading the book, I found that I couldn’t stop.

With its great characters, amazing concept, and excellent writing, the author, Sarah Raughley, creates a whole new (but scarily realistic) world filled to the brim with monsters, magic, and just the right amount of butt-kicking action.

Another thing that I found so attractive about the book is its realism, because it truly brings to light how transitioning from a normal life to killing monsters with magical powers would not only not be instant, but also in some aspects psychologically difficult.

This can be seen in all the “Effigies” in the book, with (to not mention any names) one running from the action, to others who have been alluded to have become alcoholics. Others like the main character, Maia, are at first terrified of fighting against Phantoms, the monsters that leave trails of destruction, wherever they appear.

In summary, this book left me hungering for more, which luckily seems to be coming with FATE OF FLAMES being only the first book in the Effigies series. So without further ado, I wholeheartedly recommend you read FATE OF FLAMES by Sarah Raughley.

Review: Boy Robot

Boy Robot
by Simon Curtis

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: November 15, 2016


Although the main characters are robots with special powers, BOY ROBOT is really a book about finding one’s identity. It’s a book packed with drama and action but, more importantly, it forces the reader to think about powerful ideas such as self identity, trust, and what it truly means to be human. One will not forget the relatability of the main character, Isaak, nor the conflicts that he faces as the book progresses; plus, did I mention that the action and sci-fi sequences were, for lack of a better word, AWESOME.

The author’s writing style was enjoyable, with the viewpoint of the book changing between its interesting cast of characters every couple of chapters. This left me hungry for more, and completely surprised that this is Simon Curtis’ first novel. I would highly recommend BOY ROBOT to any lovers of sci-fi, or to anyone who just wants a great book to read.