Review: Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak

Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak
by Adi Alsaid

Publisher: Inkyard Press
Publication Date: April 30, 2019

BRIEF CHRONICLE OF ANOTHER STUPID HEARTBREAK tells the tale of Lu, a teen writer who is struggling with writer's block after being dumped by her senior boyfriend. When she finds a couple she may be able to write about, it makes her question the meaning of her own relationships and what might be worth saving. This book was very cute, and it was exciting to be on Lu’s journey alongside her.

Review: Imagine Us Happy

Imagine Us Happy
by Jennifer Yu

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 23, 2018

IMAGINE US HAPPY by Jennifer Yu tells the heartbreaking story of a teenage girl in high school as she battles depression, fighting parents, and her first true love. As she gets deeper and deeper into her relationship and learns more about him and herself, Stella must figure out how to win the internal battle with what she knows is right while trying to figure out what it is she deserves. From crazy house parties with her BFFs to scary fights to pained therapy sessions, this is not an easy topic to read about, but it is written beautifully and I could not put it down! The way the author flashed forward to the future and back to present throughout the story helped grasp the intricate backstory of Stella and her world, and the language was amazing. I loved this book and would definitely recommend it.

Review: The Fragile Ordinary

The Fragile Ordinary
by Samantha Young

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: June 26, 2018

When I picked up THE FRAGILE ORDINARY by Samantha Young, I expected to read a light, fluffy romance without much substance (I'm definitely a sucker for those). But I was wrong. Though I probably would have been satisfied with a plot where main characters had met, fallen instantly in love, and then lived happily ever after, after finishing the novel, I appreciated that Young took a more thoughtful, realistic tone. Though the novel is first and foremost a romance, it also deals with heavier topics such as neglect, gang culture, and privilege. Even after I put the book down, I continued to think about the complicated relationships between characters. The one thing that felt a little off about the novel was the pacing; a consequential event happens in the last 30 pages in the novel and I wish that Young had spent more time unpacking it. Despite this, I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a romance that will make them think. Because of sexual content and substance abuse, this book is probably best suited to older teens.

Review: Ace of Shades

Ace of Shades
by Amanda Foody

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: April 10, 2018

Arriving in the city of New Reynes, the so-called city of sin, prim and proper Enne Salta only cares for one thing: finding her missing mother before it’s too late. Alone and unprepared for the city’s dark corners, she searches for the only clue given to her, the name of Levi Glaisyer. But Levi is as far from a gentleman as you can get as he is a notorious street lord and con man. But being only one payment away from the end of an unraveling scam, he agrees to help Enne in the promise of a payout of his dreams. Yet the search for Enne’s mother is not how she expected, bringing her through the darkest depths of the city of sin. And as traps snare around them and secrets are unveiled, it becomes clear that neither of them will be able to make it out without losing something, or someone, dear to them. With lives as the prize and souls the betting tokens, the game of death is one that they must play until the end.

From the very first words, I was addicted to this book. Written in a descriptive style that seems to bring the words off of the page, I was in love with every word. Foody has a way of writing each and every detail in such a way that the words seem to come alive. Every detail in the book seemed purposely placed, every word adding to the meaning, and every gesture one of hidden meanings. In a book such of this with a smoky city of mystery and suspense, this only made me question what I thought would happen next. This type of writing goes greatly with another aspect of ACE OF SHADES, the world building.

Even within the first few pages of this book, I can already tell that the author is a queen of building new worlds. When I first read through her opening scene of Enne entering through the city and being asked about her family, I was confused. But then the author quickly explained the reason for it: each family has a particular inherited talent and while it is sometimes something like dance (like the main character) or math, it could also be something like fire or electricity, it could be magic. When I first discovered this I literally mumbled to myself ‘oh my god she’s doing this’. It’s safe to say that I was incredible impressed with this. I know that this is something often done in fantasy books and an element like this should not be something so unexpected for me; but I still found it so incredibly unique that it almost felt like the perfect fantasy element for me, if authors could create things for specific readers. Besides this, the author created this great universe with an amazing backdrop and history that went well with the setting. Foody clearly knows how to outline a story.

The next aspect of the book that I really liked was the character development. So many books nowadays have books with plain beginning to end character arcs where minimal character development is achieved. But in ACE OF SHADES, Foody clearly put in time and effort to make each character perfect. One example of this is Enne, who started out as a prim and proper young lady who I just could not stop despising. It wasn’t just who she was that bugged me, but her personality. But throughout the book, I actually began to like her and I felt like she truly was a main character that I can enjoy. While her personality did not change so much that she felt like a different person, it did change enough that it was clear that she grew with the story. Another character who did this was Levi whose entire moral standard changed through the book. This type of character growth is hard to come by in books and even though it is often attempted, it frequently comes off half-baked. 

Another thing that I enjoyed about the characters was that Foody made sure to stay away from the stereotypes that they could easily be associated with. Levi was not your typical street lord baddy whose only thirst is for guts and gold. Enne is not your typical graceful dancer who seeks grace and cleanliness over survival. Foody paid special attention to her characters to make sure that they don’t become their stereotypes and instead stay as their own personalities. And just because Foody spent so much effort on her main characters, does not mean that she spent any less on her side ones. I truly cannot imagine better written side characters. She clearly did not waste any effort with them as each grew into their own spots in the book and left it feeling like the book would be incomplete without them. Each of them were well written and incredibly entertaining leaving me to laugh, smile, and cry beside them.

Lastly, I really enjoyed the plot. With hidden agendas and unexpected betrayal at every turn, Foody keeps the reader constantly entertained throughout the book. I was so entertained that I even stayed up all night to finish it. The author also made sure not to only have one main plot as she created numerous subplots that all intertwined at some point. Reading ACE OF SHADES felt like I was in a giant maze and with each page, I got closer to the middle. Though one aspect of the book was a bit obvious, it was still minor and so much of the book still shocked me with each chapter.

I would recommend this book for fans of SIX OF CROWS because ACE OF SHADES has a familiar atmosphere to it. This book is best suited for readers thirteen and up. If you a seeking a book that will grip you tight and won’t let you go until the last page, this one is for you. 

Review: The Diminished

The Diminished
by Kaitlyn Sage Patterson

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: April 10, 2018

After the Gods destroyed the Earth and split the moon, everyone is born with a twin, save a few every generation. Those who are unfortunate enough to have their twin die become Diminished, doomed to have their grief overtake them in a violent rage. The few who are Singleborn are destined to rise to the Throne and rule Alskad. Vi, a diminished, is just trying to survive unnoticed, despite the fact that she has been without her twin since birth and has never succumbed to her grief. Bo is Singleborn, heir to the throne of Alskad. 

I really liked THE DIMINISHED. It is interesting to see how the mythology of the world has shaped, and it seems intentionally unclear whether the myths are true (like in Percy Jackson), or if they are just religious beliefs that almost everyone believes. While a good story, the plot twist was extremely predictable, but this does not make the book unenjoyable. The created world is rich with mythology, lore, and conspiracy, both politically and religiously!

Review: Say You'll Remember Me

Say You'll Remember Me
by Katie McGarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: January 29, 2018

Elle has spent her entire life being perfect. Her parents are well-off and successful, her father is the governor, and she has had everything in life handed to her. There’s a lot of pressure not to screw up when you’re born with so many advantages—especially because she is very much in the public eye, and her father’s reputation is at stake. Drix, on the other hand, has already come dangerously close to destroying his life. He’s ready to put his (wrongful) arrest behind him, but the only way to do that is to be the governor’s example for his new Second Chance Program. As much as he’d like to disappear from the spotlight, he can’t. When Elle and Drix meet by chance, their chemistry is overwhelming. But they both know their young love will have to withstand pressures from all directions. 

Katie McGarry’s easy, conversational writing style draws readers in. Her characters are definitely “types,” but she avoids making them clichés. I found the way she allowed the romance to build slowly—building suspense—to be refreshing. I also liked that she didn’t allow romance to completely dominate her novel; the characters are interesting beyond who they are in relation to each other. SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME is ultimately light-hearted and fun, but it doesn’t shy away from heavier issues.

Review: Zenith

Zenith
by Sasha Alsberg & Lindsay Cummings

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: January 16, 2018

Androma Racella, also known as the Bloody Baroness, is one of the most feared mercenaries in the Mirabel Galaxy. But when a routine mission goes awry, she and her ship’s all-girl crew are put to the test. Paired with a ruthless bounty hunter from Andi's past, they must complete a dangerous mission or face being locked up for good. Yet as they embark on this journey, across the galaxy toils the queen of Xen Ptera who will stop at nothing to exact revenge to those who have destroyed her people.

This book can easily be one of my favorites of 2018, and the year has barely begun. So many aspects of this story influenced my decision, so I would first like to begin with the characters. While you begin the book feeling like several characters are just straightforward and one dimensional, there is so much growth and character development all through the book. Andi is not your typical statistical badass, Dex is not your typical bounty hunter, the queen seeking revenge does not do so without an understandable cause, and the loyal pilot Lira doesn’t just follow orders. I loved that the authors took these characters and made them into something new. Not only did this enhance the story, but it made reading it so much more fun because you never knew when someone will do something or something will happen!

Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the plot. Starting out like SIX OF CROWS, but in space, it changed from what I thought would be a copy of another tale into something much better. The authors purposely hid origin stories and dispersed them throughout the book, giving them to us bit by bit as we learn more about our characters. And during several parts of this book, I constantly found my mind wandering towards where I though the plot would go or towards what I thought would happen. Yet almost every time this happened, I was proven wrong. I loved this aspect of ZENITH, because the authors were always giving you the unexpected plot twists.

Lastly, the universe that ZENITH was set in was also amazing. Filled with galaxies and  alien worlds and beautiful technology: the authors succeeded so well in their world building. I loved how everything felt so complete as the authors made sure that every fact was backed up with more content as they created religions and other characteristics for each of the peoples discussed. They stayed away from our regular images of beauty as each race has different skin tones, attributes, and quirks, creating a truly diverse world. For example, Andi is riddled with barely-hidden metal implants across her body, something that so many would find ugly; yet in ZENITH she is called beautiful.

Overall, I would recommend this book to sci-fi and fantasy lovers alike as this book includes everything from magic to high-speed space travel. Fans of books like SIX OF CROWS and NEVERNIGHT will enjoy this book.

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: When It's Real

When It's Real
by Erin Watt

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: May 30, 2017

WHEN IT'S REAL, written by Jen Frederick and Elle Kennedy under the pseudonym Erin Watt, is a light, fun romance, perfect for a casual summer read. The story alternates between the perspectives of Vaughn Bennett, a completely normal teenage girl trying to make ends meet, and Oakley Ford, a privileged teenage megastar. Normally, their paths wouldn’t cross, but when Oakley’s illegal antics get him landed in tabloids again and again, his press team decides that he needs to rehabilitate his image. So they hire Vaughn as his fake girlfriend and the two are thrust into an elaborate charade. As they spend more time together, they begin to realize that they have a lot more in common than they’d initially thought. For me, this book was definitely a guilty pleasure read. It has very little literary value, but it is thoroughly entertaining and the budding romance between the two characters is very charming. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun beach read, but if you’re seeking a more substantial novel, look elsewhere.

Review: Talon

Talon by Julie Kagawa 
Publication date: October 28, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

TALON is a young adult fantasy novel set in a world of mythical creatures, bordered by a false sense of normalcy. The human society in which this story is based gives the book a relatable edge, but still provides the escapism of a wonderfully created alternate world filled with dragons. I love the story sculpted by Julie Kagawa. It brings the glory and impressive nature of dragons to a world that we can relate to and enjoy. The mystery and excitement of the characters and relationships in the world of TALON make it irresistible to put down. I love reading books such as Eragon, and other novels with fantastic worlds that really capture your attention, and this book really does that. It takes a teen dragon out into society for the first time to discover that the world is not exactly as she expected.