Category Teen Books

Oct 28 2012

Book Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Title: Firelight

Author: Sophie Jordan

Series: Firelight #1

Genre: Teen Paranormal Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki, a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will’s dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away;if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She’ll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

The Review:

“Firelight” really was your typical paranormal teen love story – I’ve read at least a dozen other books with the exact same relationship setup in the last year alone. What made this novel stand out was the originality of all the other aspects of the plot. Jacinda and her sister are from a secret society of dragon-shifters. To avoid certain political arrangements within this society, their mother takes them to live in the human world. Stuck in the deserts of the southwest, Jacinda meets a cute boy who just so happens to belong to a family of dragon hunters… all adding up to a fun fusion of fantasy and teen romance. I love anything to do with dragons, and the author does a great job at building their culture, even going as far as introducing different types of dragon shifters (which was my favorite creative element to the story).

Overall, while the love story is the same old format, it worked well in this story. I thought the whole thing was really sweet. While it seems like most books in this genre are only appropriate for older teens, I am happy to report that “Firelight” is great for even the youngest teen readers.

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

Oct 11 2012
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Book Review: Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Title: Touch of Frost

Author: Jennifer Estep

Series: Mythos Academy #1

Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy; a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody’s head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest. But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I’m determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why; especially since I should have been the one who died…

The Review:

I came across this series while doing research on Estep’s “Elemental Assasin’s” books, picking it up completely on a whim. Well, $15.00 (for all 3 books) and two hours later, I found myself glued to my chair totally immersed in the story. It took everything I loved about the “House of Night” novels and combined it with well-researched mythology much like in the “Percy Jackson” series. It was an awesome combination that really added up to a fantastic book!

Estep has a great first-person writing style that’s fun to read. While a definite master of her craft, she’s not afraid to throw in a bit of common slang to spice up the story. This also helps readers get to know the main character, making her much more relatable and endearing. While the side characters were well-done, the main character really stole the show. I appreciated her self-depreciating manner and general outlook on life, and found her downright charming.

Overall, it was a great find, and I will definitely be reading the sequel before the month is out!

Recommendations: There is a prequel to this series called “First Frost” and it adds a bit of backstory, but nothing that isn’t covered in the first book. The good news is, if you’re not sure whether or not you’ll like the series, you can download a certain sample ebook FREE from BN.com that allows you to read the entire prequel plus a few chapters of book #1. Be on the lookout for book #4 out December 24th!

By Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

  • “Marked” by P.C. and Kristen Cast
  • “The Lightening Thief” by Rick Riordan
  • “The Glass House” by Rachel Caine
  • “Vampire Academy” by Richelle Mead
  • “Spider’s Bite” by Jennifer Estep
Oct 3 2012

Book Review: Grave Mercy by: Robin LaFevers

Title: Grave Mercy

Author: Robin LaFevers

Series: His Fair Assassin

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

The Review:

Aside from the striking cover and catching tagline, it was the basic premise of the book that first grabbed my attention: Lucky to escape from a brutal life, Ismae finds herself in the convent of St. Mortian, where she trains to become a handmaiden of death. Along the way, she learns the skills of an assassin, the art of seduction, and the finer points of intrigue. Chosen for her first assignment, Ismae is eager to fulfill her vows to the God of Death, but soon finds herself in way over her head.

“Grave Mercy” had my attention right from the start. At times, it was a little more dark and risque than most teen novels, but still tasteful enough to be appropriate for its target audience. I actually really liked the extra edge, and thought the dynamic of an assassin/seductress made for a fascinating read. Add that to the fact that she is young, inexperience, and practically terrified of men, then throw in a romantic interest on top of it, and you have yourself an incredibly entertaining story. The author is a major history buff, and she does a great job incorporating her knowledge of the time period into the story. Her background comes out in her descriptions and world-building, really bringing the story to life.

Overall, I think this was a strong debut for LaFevers, and I look forward to the next book in the series… I might even read it right away.

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

  • “Graceling” by Kristin Cashore
  • “Vampire Academy” by Richelle Mead
  • “Song of the Lioness” Quartet by Tamora Pierce
  • “Warrior Heir” by Cinda Williams Chima
  • “Matched” by Ally Condie
Sep 21 2012
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Book Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Title: Graceling

Author: Kristin Cashore

Series: Graceling Realm #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

My Overview: The gorgeous cover and the overall concept of “Graceling” grabbed my attention right away. In the Seven Kingdoms, a few people are “graced” with special abilities (sort of like in the show Heroes). Those with useful graces like sight, fighting, or tracking live privileged lives in the service of their king. Katsa’s grace is killing, and she is recognized and feared across the land for her abilities.

 The Review:

It’s interesting how much I loved this book the first time I picked it up – so much so that I rated it in my top 3 favorite books of all time. I was totally mesmerized by the story, thought the characters were flawless, and knew the plot was well-developed and amazing. Ten years later, it’s still in my top 20, but it’s no longer anywhere near the top 3. I suspect that is due to my age (alas, I’m no longer a wistful teen), the list of truly amazing books I’ve read since, and my continual development as a writer. Now more than ever I demand more from what I read.

That said, I still think the overall concepts and storyline are interesting and well-told. The main character, despite having such a harsh grace, is strong and relatable, and I enjoyed seeing her development throughout the story.  I also liked that this book has a really sweet love story. I found it incredibly romantic, even in the re-read. I think anyone who likes the teen genre will also really enjoy it.

Recommendations: The next book by Cashore, “Fire,” is a companion novel rather than a sequel. I liked it, but not near as much as “Graceling,” as there were some major pacing issues and a few confusing concepts. It is still worth reading, however, as you gain some good back-history on a few characters. The true sequel is called “Bitterblue” and although I’m not very far along, it’s looking very promising.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Sep 9 2012
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Book Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

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Title: Bloodlines

Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines #1

Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets – and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she’s still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir – the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir – is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill’s guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty – a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning..

The Review:

First I want to preface this review by stating that Richelle Mead is definitely in my top 10 favorite authors of all time. I’ve read everything she’s ever published, and have yet to be disappointed in her works. Her characters are always rich and vibrant, her story lines are interesting and compelling, and her writing style is engaging and fun. Bloodlines is no exception.

Creating memorable characters is one of Mead’s greatest strengths, and she never fails to produce a leading lady that manages to be both kick-ass and totally relatable. This book is the first in a series and focuses a lot on developing the main characters. Although it is not as action-packed as some of her other works, have no fear! She has a way of building an incredible momentum that make for some of the most breath-catching scenes I’ve ever read. Bloodlines is a strong first installment in what promises to be an excellent series!

Recommendations: I highly recommend you read the “Vampire Academy” series before this one, as this story follows chronologically as a spinoff. You wont be disappointed!

Other books you might like:

  • “The Glass House” by Rachel Caine
  • “Marked” by P.C and Kristin Cast (MA)
  • “Wings” by Aprilynne Pike
  • “Succubus Blues” by Richelle Mead (MA)

by Niki Hawkes