Category Young Adult Books

Mar 14 2014
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Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Series: Throne of Glass #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.  The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass–and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Throne of glass

 The Review:

I had Throne of Glass recommended to me at least a dozen times on the blogosphere, and once one of my favorite go-to girls for book recommends started raving about it I knew I couldn’t wait any longer to read it. And I’m really glad I did – I was hooked from the very beginning! It reminded me right a way of Maria Snyder’s Poison Study, and I actually found I liked it a little better (although I will admit I have not read beyond book one of either series, so the jury is still out on which one I’ll end up liking more).

While I enjoyed Throne of Glass thoroughly, it did have a couple of flaws, most of which center around characterization. The heroine, Celaena, was blatantly inconsistent throughout the novel and I never really felt emotionally connected to her. For one thing, she is supposedly an exceptional assassin but not once during the entire novel that she ever show off those skills. She also never dealt with the emotional fallout that I imagine a normal person would go through after enduring a year at a prisoner mining camp.

While a bit odd, those two elements didn’t bother me too much while I was reading. What did bother me was that Celaena’s actions often didn’t match up with her thoughts. During her POVs, she would think and feel certain things but would never show them. It made her come across as impartial during scenes that I felt were supposed to be the most emotionally evoking. She was just too casual about things that would ruin my whole day if they were happening to me. The thing is, I wish I knew why. I got a little insight to the inner workings of her mind, but never quite enough to see reasonings behind some of her behavior. This more than anything else kept me from feeling totally invested in her story. All I have to say is, thank goodness for the love interests because without their POVs, the novel wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable.

Despite the inconsistencies, there were still a few things I liked about the main heroine. She was confident without being cocky, highly skilled without being infallible, and sharp without being brilliant (she did, after all, have a difficult time watching what she said). I also really loved her progression through the competition to become the king’s assassin. It was a cool way to see the characters behave under pressure, and was really fun to read about. Those of you who follow my blog regularly know how much of a sucker I am for a good competition and this was one of the best ones I’ve read in years.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading both Crown of Midnight and The Assassin’s Blade within the next couple of months. I imagine the few issues I had with this first book will work themselves out as the series continues (hopefully).

Recommended Reading: I feel as though this is the start of what could be a killer series and would recommend it to any fan of teen fantasy. Despite its flaws, it promises to only get better from here.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Feb 27 2014
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Book Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic_HC_JKT_des4.inddTitle: Panic

Author: Lauren Oliver

Series: N/A

Genre: Teen Fiction

Release Date: March 4, 2014

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do. Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought. Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn’t know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for. For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

panic

The Review:

Panic was such a cool book. While outside of my normal genre (all things make-believe) it had the one element that will make me read practically anything:

Competition.

I’m serious. Someone could write a narrative about weeds encroaching on their front lawn and I probably pick it up because I want to see who wins. Luckily, the competition in Panic was a lot more interesting. Every year, high school graduates of this small town have the option to compete in a series of dangerous challenges in the hopes of earning a life-changing pot of money. For some of the graduates, the money is their ticket out of some pretty deplorable circumstances. I loved digging into the lives of a couple of the contestants to find out what motivated them to compete in this somewhat deadly game.

The competition ended up being a lot more personal to these characters than I would’ve guessed. The character development throughout the story, specifically that of Heather, one of the main POVs, was actually my favorite element of the story. The types of situation she finds herself in, and the inner strength she pulls from to get through them was inspiring. The other characters were great, too, but Heather is the one that will stick with me the longest.

This is the second book I’ve read by Lauren Oliver, and I can confidently say I’m a fan of her writing. Not only does she know how to create great atmosphere, but her writing style and voice are both lovely and evoking. I always get drawn into her books from the first page and have a difficult time finding good stopping places. In Panic, Oliver managed to portray exactly how it felt to be an angsty teen (of the non-annoying variety), reminding me of all the sweet, awkward, embarrassing, uncomfortable, and stupid things we go through at that age. It was nostalgic to say the least, and I kind of wish I’d been able to read this book when I was a teen because it offered a sort of reassurance that I wasn’t alone.

Overall, this was a fantastic novel from an author I am becoming quite fond of. I am certain I will be picking up anything she decides to write in the future (as soon as I devour all the books she’s already written). If you haven’t read her before, Panic is a great place to start.

Recommended Reading: this is going to be an easy book to recommend because it has love, adventure, drama and just a touch of mystery all wrapped into a nifty little package. I am glad to have something to recommend to readers who aren’t in the mood for fantasy or paranormal.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Feb 13 2014
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Book Review: Death Sworn by Leah Cypess

deathTitle: Death Sworn

Author: Leah Cypess

Series: Death Sworn #2

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Release Date: March 4, 2014

Rating: 2.5 stars

The Overview: When Ileni lost her magic, she lost everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two tutors had died under mysterious circumstances. But beneath the assassins’ caves, Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world.

death 2

The Review:

When I first started Death Sworn, I had some mixed feelings about it. On one hand, the concept (a young sorceress is sent to a secret training facility for assassins where she is supposed to survive long enough to teach them magic) intrigued me because I thought it was a really cool idea for a story. On the other hand, it wasn’t presented quite as well as I was hoping it would be.

For one thing, I was at least 100 pages in before I realized Death Sworn was supposed to be a Young Adult novel. Everything about the writing style up to that point screamed middle grade, but what finally clued me in was the rather more mature subject matter. In any case, it never really fit comfortably in either category.

What started out as a thin plot developed into something I enjoyed reading about. It was a mite more complex than the initial chapters would have you believe. Although this wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read, I still found it engaging and a light, fun read. I will most likely be picking up the sequel.

Recommended Reading: This is a difficult one to recommend because of the conflicting subject matter versus writing style (YA or middle grade). I have a difficult time hand selling this one unless the customer already had their eye on it (the gorgeous cover doesn’t hurt).

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Feb 6 2014
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DNF Review: Dangerous by Shannon Hale

DangerousTitle: Dangerous

Author: Shannon Hale

Series: Dangerous #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Release Date: March 4, 2014

The Overview: Maisie Danger Brown just wanted to get away from home for a bit, see something new. She never intended to fall in love. And she never imagined stumbling into a frightening plot that kills her friends and just might kill her, too. A plot that is already changing life on Earth as we know it. There’s no going back. She is the only thing standing between danger and annihilation.

Dangerous 2

The Review:

Having read (and loved) Goose Girl by Shannon Hale, I was really excited to see how she would take on a futuristic YA novel. I was a little concerned that her voice wouldn’t transfer over to the genre, but as it turns out the writing style was the only redeeming quality to the book.

That might sound a little harsh, so let me explain why I feel this way:

When I first read the basic concept of the book, I was sold right away. I loved the idea of teens competing for a chance to go to space and was really looking forward to the series of trials they’d have to face to get there. With that initial promise of what was to come, the first page of my post notes were pure geeked-out excitement. But by halfway through the book, none of those promises had been delivered on. The entire competition (which could have been epically amazing had it been done well) was summarized into a couple of paragraphs. In fact, many others cool ideas were skimmed over this fashion, giving the pacing and oddly rushed feeling. The only thing she took time to develop was the love story.

Indeed, romance seemed to be Hale’s only priority and the only thing she was willing to slow down and highlight… and it wasn’t even that great of a love story. I don’t mind instaloves, I really don’t, but I have to be able to see what’s drawing the characters together right from the start. In this case, the boy was outright rude to her, treating her as if he only wanted to get into her pants. I will never understand how a boy who behaves like he’s only interested in sex and treats the protagonists poorly can be considered a love interest. Evidently, I have really high standards for whom my book heroines should be dating. It was disappointing to say the least.

Overall, because I was so on board with the initial concept and original idea for the story, I feel like this novel was an opportunity wasted. However, because my objections are almost all centered around plot decisions, I will probably read this author in the future even though this book was a bust. I’ve seen her create magical worlds and sweet love stories in the past and I look forward to more of that in the future.

Recommended Reading: I will likely not be recommending Dangerous to other readers.

Other books you might like better:

by Niki Hawkes

Jan 6 2014
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Book Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

these broken starsTitle: These Broken Stars

Authors: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Series: Starbound #1

Genre: Teen Science Fiction

Rating: 2.5 stars

The Overview: It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

these broken stars 2

The Review:

I requested These Broken Stars from Netgalley a week or so before its publication date (it had been available for months) for two main reasons: I finally figured out it was a teen sci-fi (which is a new trend I’m loving) and because almost all the book bloggers I follow were raving about it. Usually, word in the book blogosphere is fairly reliable because most of the bloggers are incredibly well read in their chosen genres. Even so, it’s always dangerous to pick up something with high expectations and, for this novel, blown away I was not.

Keep in mind that my taste for books extend beyond the teen genre and I have read and loved many adult science fiction novels – many of which involved humans trying to survive in alien-infested hostile worlds. I think I went into it expecting a world at least somewhat different from our own… and instead was given a landscape practically indistinguishable from any wooded area in the Western United States, and very minuscule alien interactions. The technology was at least futuristic, but nothing truly groundbreaking.

You can see how certain expectations going into a book can really affect your enjoyment of it. If I had gone in wanting a teen love story with a slight science-fiction influence (as I’m sure most readers did) I think I would’ve liked it a lot more. Expectations aside, however, I noted a few other things that could have made the story stronger. For example, the authors spend an exorbitant amount of time having the protagonists bicker at one another. At first, it added a little extra drama to the story, but then the ship crashed (making survival, in my opinion, a much more important conflict) and yet the faux dislike act between Lilac and Tarver continued to be the main arc through most of the book. It came across a bit silly and superficial considering the circumstances and I think it could’ve been toned down considerably without losing any impact.

At least there were some things I really enjoyed about These Broken Stars, the writing style the most prominent of them. It was written in a highly engaging manner that made you want to drop everything and find out what happened next. Once I knew what to expect, I allowed it to take me where it would and really appreciated how seamlessly the story unfolded. I also enjoyed the connection between the two characters (after they finally stopped bickering) and thought their true personalities and relationship was the strongest part of the novel. Each perspective was evoking, allowing you to really put yourself in their shoes and feel what they were feeling.

Overall, I am pretty sure I am mostly alone in my slightly underwhelming appraisal of this book, so if you’re planning on reading it, take my review with a grain of salt. I’ve read at least half a dozen other reviews from people who absolutely loved it – many of whom included it as one of their top ten books of the year.

Recommended Reading: I would hand this book to someone who wants an epic love story; someone who also likes teen books with a bit of action/adventure. For me, it didn’t really capture that sci-fi feel that other teen books like Alienated or even Zenn Scarlett have done, so I would not emphasize that as a selling point.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Sep 19 2013
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Book Review: Wild Born by Brandon Mull

September 10, 2013

September 10, 2013

Title: Wild Born

Author: Brandon Mull

Series: Spirits Animals #1

Genre: Middle Grade

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: Four children separated by vast distances all undergo the same ritual, watched by cloaked strangers. Four flashes of light erupt, and from them emerge the unmistakable shapes of incredible beasts – a wolf, a leopard, a panda, a falcon. Suddenly the paths of these children – and the world – have been changed for ever. Enter the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must discover if they have a spirit animal, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both. A dark force has risen from distant and long-forgotten lands, and has begun an onslaught that will ravage the world. Now the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers …and on you.

9:10 mull

The Review:

I want to start off by saying I love this author. He perfectly encapsulates the wonders of fantasy while reminding us how much fun it was to be a kid. He manages to do both of these things without sacrificing the quality of his writing (which keeps adult readers engaged and gives a healthy challenge to the younger ones). I am a huge sucker for fantasy books involving animals – after all, it was the Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate and the Redwall series by Brian Jacques that initially sparked my love of reading. So the idea of having my favorite kids author (aside from JK Rowling) tackle an animal story was the best news ever.

I was anticipating a robust, full-length novel… what I got was something slightly different. Turns out, it’s the first installment of a multi-platform series, sort of like The 39 Clues and The Infinity Ring. Brandon Mull wrote this first book and outlined the next five books, but other authors will tell those tales. While cool in its own right, it’s not exactly what I had in mind.

Even though it was different than I’d hoped, it was still a dang good (albeit quick) read. I especially loved the diverse range of characters – there was someone for everyone to root for, giving it a sort of global appeal. All the characters had compelling individual stories but also played really well off of one another – they were my favorite components in the book, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where their journey take them next.

The magic system was also a strong point – I love the magic involved with getting a spirit animal and the benefits that came from having one. The concept was just plain fun. Because it’s a multi platform book, you can read it then go join the adventure online – earning a Spirit Animal for yourself as you help recover the hidden talismans. Sounds like fun, right? I’m probably going to sign in just to see what my animal would be…

Overall, Wild Born was a great adventure that started out with a bang and didn’t let up the entire way through.

Recommended Reading: for those looking for fantasy adventure, excitement, and a whole lot of animal awesomeness! And, of course, for fans of Brandon Mull.

by Niki Hawkes

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