Tag Archives: YA

September 20, 2013 · 6:30 am

The Woodlands

The-Woodlands-CoverTitle: The Woodlands
Author: Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Source: from publisher for Juniper Grove book tour
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review Summary: Although it includes many cliched dystopian elements, this book has a flavor all it’s own and gets lots of points for avoiding the more annoying cliches.

The dictatorial rulers of The Woodlands, known as The Superiors, believe that diversity is the enemy of peace. Disobedience is punished swiftly and violently. Day by day The Superiors are usurping more control over the lives of the citizens, dictating the careers they can have; how many children they are allowed; and who they can marry. Rosa has always been different and her uniqueness will eventually land her in trouble she might not be able to get out of.

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Filed under Dystopian, Fiction, Young Adult

Tagged as , , , dystopian, , indie, , , YA fiction

September 1, 2013 · 8:45 am

Soundbites About The Scorpio Races

10858437Title: The Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Narrators: Fiona Hardingham, Steve West
Rating (Story): ★★★★★
Rating (Narration):★★★★☆

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen. (synopsis from goodreads). Continue reading →

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Filed under Fantasy, Fiction, Soundbites, Young Adult

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August 30, 2013 · 7:47 am

The Dashwood Sisters’ Secrets of Love

147866Title: The Dashwood Sisters’ Secrets of Love
Author: Rosie Rushton
Source: library
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review Summary: Although nothing to write home about, this modernization of Sense and Sensibility was a cute, fun read.

Like the book, this review is going to be a quick, easy read. The plot is almost exactly that of Sense and Sensibility, just a modernized version. My first reaction was disappointment that the author didn’t even try to copy Austen’s beautiful prose or understated humor. Once I got past that, I was better able to enjoy the book for what it was. Elinor and Marianne were both updated very nicely. Like the actions of Austen’s characters, the update wasn’t predictable but just felt right. Of course Elinor would be good at academics! Of course Marianne would act! I was also impressed by the way the update translated events with no modern equivalent. For instance, some of the social constraints on the original characters’ actions have no longer exist, but the author managed to come up with suitable substitutes. Continue reading →

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Filed under Fiction, Re-telling, Young Adult

Tagged as , , , contemporary, , , , , , , ,

July 15, 2013 · 10:15 pm

Thorn – A Fairy Tale Re-telling

14059999Title: Thorn
Author: Intisar Khanani
Source: from author for review
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: This book was darker and more violent than I expected from the pretty cover, but I was pleasantly surprised when the main character turned out to be a strong heroine you could really root for.

As I mentioned in my previous review of a Goose Girl retelling, the basic gist of both this book and the original fairy tale is as follows. A princess is sent to marry a prince in a foreign land and on the journey, her maid uses some form of magic to take on the princess’s identity. Once they reach the foreign capital, the princess becomes a goose girl and must decide if and how she wants to regain her place as a princess.

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Filed under Fiction, Re-telling

Tagged as , books book review, fairy tale, fairy tale retelling, fairy tale retellings, , Intisar Khanani, , , the goose girl, thorn, , , young adult fiction

July 14, 2013 · 9:48 pm

Bookends About The Goose Girl

179064Title: The Goose Girl
Author: Shannon Hale
Source: library
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: I really liked how true this book was to the style of a fairy tale and how well it fleshed out the original story.

I picked up this version of The Goose Girl planning on using it as an original to read before another re-telling. Further research suggests you’d need a children’s book (or the wikipedia page) to get the most original story, since the original is far too short for a book. The basic gist of both this book and the original fairy tale is as follows. A princess is sent to marry a prince in a foreign land and on the journey, her maid uses some form of magic to take on the princess’s identity. Once they reach the foreign capital, the princess becomes a goose girl and must decide if and how she wants to regain her place as a princess. Continue reading →

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Filed under Fiction, Re-telling, Young Adult

Tagged as , books book review, fairy tale, fairy tale retelling, fairy tale retellings, , middle grade, , , shannon hale, the goose girl, , , young adult fiction

June 30, 2013 · 6:48 pm

Bookends About Fragments

13170596Title: Fragments
Author: Dan Wells
Source: library
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review Summary: I still loved the writing and the characters, but the plot suffered from some serious middle-of-a-trilogy lag.

In the first book of this series, Kira discovered that a race of manufactured super humans called the Partials contain the cure to the disease that has been ravaging the human race. Unfortunately, the Partials are facing their own imminent demise, fueling suspicion and prejudices that are pushing humans and Partials closer to another war. In order to bring the sides together, Kira needs to learn more about why they were designed the way they are. She also desperately wants to know what her unique blend of human and partial characteristics make her. Continue reading →

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Filed under Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction

Tagged as , , , dan wells, dystopian, fragments, partials, sci fi,

June 12, 2013 · 6:14 am

The Registry

theregistryTitle: The Registry
Author: Shannon Stoker
Source: from publisher for TLC book tour
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review Summary: A respectable addition to the dystopian craze, well written with an interesting premise and great character development.

In a dystopian America, women are listed in the registry where they are auctioned off as brides when they turn 18. Boys are considered worthless and often thrown out to survive on their own between school and mandatory military service. Unsurprisingly, not all the men produced by this brutal system are men a girl would want to be married to, as Mia finds out from her married older sister. Sheltered as Mia is, escape will be difficult even with the help of a better educated friend and a boy working as a farm hand. Especially once the ruthless man who wanted to buy her discovers she’s run away. Continue reading →

5 Comments

Filed under Dystopian, Fiction, Uncategorized, Young Adult

Tagged as arc, , , , book tour, , dystopian, , new adult, , YA fiction