Eight Will Fall, by Sarah Harian ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Dark Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to Edelweiss and Henry Holt for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

352 Pages

Synopsis: In a land where magic is outlawed, eight criminals led by seventeen-year-old Larkin, are sent on a mission to kill an ancient evil that plagues their kingdom. Descending into an underground realm filled with unspeakable horrors, Larkin and her party must use their forbidden magic to survive what lies in wait, teeth sharp and jaws deadly.

As she fights for her life, Larkin finds a light in Amias, a fellow outlaw with a notorious past. Soon Larkin and Amias realize their fates are entwined. The eight of them were chosen for a reason.

But as the dangers multiply and her band of felons are picked off one by one, Larkin must confront a terrible truth: they were never meant to return.

I need to start by saying Eight Will Fall will not be to everyone’s taste. To say that it’s dark is putting it mildly. I consider myself pretty hardened against blood and gore, but some of the scenes here had me cringing. Without giving way too many spoilers, let me just say that several instances of flaying are involved. Blech! Just thinking about it gives me the heebie jeebies! That said, the goriness isn’t gratuitous and it’s all part of the story. Which leads me to the phenomenal world building which is one of the most creative and original I’ve come across in recent memory. While the idea of “magic users” being ostracized by their society isn’t new, the entire magic system involving empaths isn’t something I’ve seen before. And, as Larkin and her team make their way deeper into the underground realm, I felt this growing sense of claustrophobia and outright dread that went beyond the monsters they encountered. Eek! Just thinking about it as I write this review is sending chills up my spine, and I read this book a week ago!

Larkin and her team are the type of flawed characters that I love. They start off perhaps not making the best decisions, but as the dangers they face increase, so does their friendship and trust among one another. Unfortunately, this makes it even more heartbreaking when some of them die. The romance between Larkin and Amias isn’t a major part of the story, but it was sweet and added to my constant state of anxiety as the author made it clear almost from the beginning that no one was safe.

The story itself grabbed me immediately and never let go. It’s action-packed and the fast pace is aided by a few surprising twists. I did think that although the bittersweet ending wrapped everything up nicely, it felt a little rushed. I read somewhere that this was originally planned as a duology before being scaled back to a standalone, so perhaps that explains why.

Overall, Eight Will Fall is a near perfect hybrid of dark fantasy and horror. Because of the more gory scenes I discussed earlier, I do not recommend this to anyone younger than sixteen. Otherwise, for those who like these two genres and have strong stomachs, I encourage you to try this. I guarantee it will be a memorable read.

 

 

Chosen (Slayer #2), by Kiersten White ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

LGBTQ, Supernatural, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 7th, 2020

368 Pages

Synopsis: Now that Nina’s has turned the Watcher’s Castle into a utopia for hurt and lonely demons, she’s still waiting for the utopia part to kick in. With her sister Artemis gone and only a few people remaining at the castle—including her still distant mother—Nina has her hands full. Plus, though she gained back her Slayer powers from Leo, they’re not feeling quite right after being held by the seriously evil succubus Eve a.k.a. fake Watcher’s Council member and Leo’s mom.

And while Nina is dealing with the darkness inside, there’s also a new threat on the outside, portended by an odd triangle symbol that seems to be popping up everywhere, in connection with Sean’s demon drug ring as well as someone a bit closer to home. Because one near-apocalypse just isn’t enough, right?

The darkness always finds you. And once again it’s coming for the Slayer.

Being a Buffy fan there was no doubt I was going to have to read Kiersten White’s take on the vampire slayer universe. While Chosen got off to a somewhat slow start, overall it was an enjoyable follow up to Slayer.

Nina grows quite a bit as she struggles not only with her new Slayer role and all the responsibilities that come with it, but also with her personal relationships. She is someone worth rooting for. In addition to Nina and the other original characters, White also seamlessly includes a few cameos from Buffy fan favorites that will thrill devotees of the tv series.

The plot itself, after the first few chapters, picks up its pace and is helped along by some thrilling fight scenes. There’s also some levity now and then to lighten things up. The ending however, left me with mixed feelings. This will be a *SPOILER* because there’s no way to no other way to discuss it, so be warned! I was under the impression that this was going to be at least a trilogy. And right up until the epilogue, I still thought this. Well, apparently this is now a duology, and I personally feel a bit let down. It’s not that the ending was unsatisfying, not really. It’s just that I think White could have taken her characters farther. But, it is a writer’s prerogative to do what they wish with their stories, so I suppose I can’t quibble too much.

Overall, Chosen is a satisfying conclusion to the Slayer duology and both books should be must reads for any Buffy fan. It’s obvious the love that Kiersten White has for the original tv series and she’s done a wonderful job building upon that world, mythology, and characters.

 

 

 

 

Day Zero (Day Zero Duology #1), by Kelly deVos ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Dystopian Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 12th, 2019

432 Pages

Synopsis: If you’re going through hell…keep going.

Seventeen-year-old coder Jinx Marshall grew up drilling weekend with her paranoid dad for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. Her big plans include making it to level 99 in her MMORPG and spending the weekend with her new hunky stepbrother, Toby.

But all that disaster training comes in handy when an explosion traps her in a burning building. Stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, MacKenna, and her precocious little brother, Charles, out to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos.

In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings find Toby and make a break for Mexico. With seemingly the whole world working against them, they’ve got to get along and search for the truth about the attacks—and about each other. But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?

The whole collapsing of civilization and heroic teenagers are the only ones who save everyone, is pretty much the underlying theme of almost every YA dystopian novel out there. Whether the fall of mankind is brought about by alien invasions, zombie apocalypses, AI run amok, sinister scientists, or as it is in this case—a tawdry tale of governmental corruption, dishonesty, greed, arrogance and stupidity—it’s always interesting to see how the next generation will turn things around. I’m happy to say that Day Zero is an exciting and original addition to the dystopian genre that’s certain to appeal to a wide audience. It’s dystopian, yet because of its political and social infrastructure, also manages to be contemporarily relevant.

Jinx, is an utterly relatable and sympathetic character, who as the daughter of a well-known doomsday prepper, hasn’t had the most traditional upbringing. When her world is further upended, she doesn’t suddenly take on superhuman heroic qualities. She’s unsure of herself and makes mistakes. Yes she has some pretty mad skills including Krav Maga, but her self-doubt at times gets her into trouble as does her bickering with her stepsister, MacKenna. Speaking of which, one of my favorite parts about this story is how despite their differences, Jinx and MacKenna are equally protective of Jinx’s precocious younger brother Charles, who is diabetic and sometimes needs to be saved from himself. Charles is also my favorite person in the story because he’s just so darn sweet and adorable, and knows just about everything there is to know about botany. I swear, every scene he was in I just wanted to reach in and hug him!

The story itself thoughtfully explores how in a two-party system, neither side ever gets it absolutely right. I also liked how the idea of doomsday preppers all being crazy is completely upended, although even at the end I don’t think Jinx’s dad should win any Father of the Year awards. There are many twists here, but the biggest comes at the end, and completely had me floored. It also perfectly sets things up for the final book in this duology, Day One, which is set for release in 2020.

As is usually the case in these types of books, some of the scenarios as they play out are a little far fetched, but overall Day Zero successfully combines compelling characters, plenty of action and suspense, mystery, and thoughtful social commentary. One cautionary note though: There’s quite a bit of violence and that combined with the sophistication of the plot itself, definitely makes this geared more for older teens. Otherwise, I highly recommend this to fans of dystopian fiction.

 

 

 

 

Of Curses and Kisses (St. Rosetta’s Academy #1), by Sandhya Menon ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Diversity, Fairytale Retellings, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: February 18th, 2020

384 Pages

Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of “When Dimple Met Rishi,” comes the first novel in a brand-news series set at an elite boarding school, that’s a contemporary spin of Beauty and the Beast.

Will the princess save the beast?

For princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out that she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?

His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse from a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed when he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s led an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…

As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.

I love contemporary retellings of classic fairytales so when I saw Of Curses and Kisses, by Sandhya Menon on NetGalley, I just had to request it. Except for a couple of issues, this modernization of Beauty and the Beast kept me thoroughly entertained.

I’m not afraid to admit it. I’m a sucker fo fairytale retellings. And you probably won’t be surprised that one of my favorite fairytales is Beauty and the Beast. So when I saw Of Curses and Kisses on NetGalley I knew I had to request it even though I wasn’t thrilled with the title (love the cover though!) 

After a somewhat slow start during the first 40 pages or so, I found myself completely captivated by this modern day version of the beloved classic. I’ve seen other reviewers complain about Jaya, saying she’s cold and standoffish. Which to be honest, she is, at least at first. But I completely understood why. This is the oldest daughter of an Indian royal family, and as such, has had numerous weighty expectations on her shoulders all of her life. But balancing this is her close relationship with her younger sister Isha, and her protectiveness toward her is both irritating and touching. And speaking of Isha, she’s actually my favorite character in this story. At fifteen-years-old, she’s been shamed in Indian society and the media for a mysterious incident that isn’t actually revealed until you’re several chapters in. Unsurprisingly, the “scandal” is completely overblown, and the fact that Isha is a sweet, innocent girl with a sunny disposition, makes this even more hurtful. I also love her determination to become an engineer despite her family and just about everyone else frowning upon this. Grey is also a wonderful character whose backstory will tug at your heartstrings. In addition to the curse hanging over his head, he’s been neglected his entire life by an uncaring father who irrationally blames him for his mother dying in childbirth. The relationship between him and Jaya starts out rocky, but it progressively develops into a lovely romance.

The story itself, despite being a retelling, is creative and original. For example, Menon turns the rose that slowly loses its petals into an exquisite rose-shaped pendant whose rubies begin to fall out one by one as Grey’s eighteenth birthday approaches. Yes there are nods to the original fairytale as well as the Disney adaptation, but there are many unique twists and although I was pretty certain Jaya and Grey would attain their happy ending, I was kept guessing as to how things would unfold.

I HIGHLY recommend Of Curses and Kisses to anyone who loves imaginative fairytales retellings with plenty of diversity and complex characters. I have no idea what the next book in the St. Rosetta’s Academy series will entail, but after this magical beginning I can’t wait to find out!

 

 

 

The God Game, by Danny Tobey ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Physical Abuse, Politics, Social Issues, Substance Abuse, Techno-Thrillers, Theology, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 7th, 2020

496 Pages

Synopsis:

You are invited!

Come inside and play with G.O.D.

Bring your friends!

It’s fun!

But remember the rules. Win and ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE. Lose, you die!

With those words, Charlie and his friends enter the G.O.D. Game, a video game run by underground hackers and controlled by a mysterious AI that believes it’s God. Through their phone screens and high-tech glasses, the teens’ realities blur with a virtual world of creeping vines, smoldering torches, runes, glyphs, gods, and mythical creatures. When they accomplish a mission the game rewards them with expensive tech, revenge on high-school tormentors, and cash flowing from ATMs. Slaying a hydra and drawing a bloody pentagram as payment to a Greek god seems fun at first. Harmless even.

But then the threatening messages start. “Worship me. Obey me.” Complete a mission, however cruel, or the game reveals their secrets and crushes their dreams. Tasks that seemed harmless at first take on deadly consequences. Mysterious packages show up at their homes. Shadowy figures start following them, appearing around corners, attacking them in parking garages. Who else is playing this game and how far will they go to win?

And what of the game’s first promise: win, win big, lose, you die. Dying in a virtual world doesn’t mean you die in real life—does it?

As Charlie and his friends try to find a way out of the game, they realize they’ve been manipulated into a bigger web they can’t escape: an AI that learned its cruelty from watching us. God is always watching, and He says when the game is done.

The God Game, first caught my eye because of many early reviews comparing it to Stranger Things and Ready Player One. I personally think it bears more a resemblance to the latter rather than the former, but comparisons don’t really matter because what this IS, is a high octane crazy thrill ride that I found impossible to put down. I’m not exaggerating. I started this after supper Sunday night and wound up staying awake until almost 3:00 a.m. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter,” but nope. That didn’t work out.

Often times with books that have so much action, character development falls by the wayside. Not here though. There are quite a few characters in this story and you get almost all of their perspectives. This makes it so much easier to become emotionally invested in them. Every single one of them have things going on in their lives that will draw on your empathy, even the bullies. There are quite a few social themes that could be triggers for some readers. These include: death of a parent, death of a sibling, physical abuse, substance abuse, and bullying. There are scenes that are very dark, but they’re not overwhelming. Instead it made me understand how a “game” like this could appeal to so many.

The plot is creative and despite previous books like Ready Player One, manages to stand completely on its own. As I said, the pacing is just NUTS, and if you get this when it comes out in January, good luck putting it down once you’ve started reading!

The God Game is an intriguing and frightening look at the proliferation of AI in our society. It also explores theology, sociology, and politics as seen through the eyes of teenagers. It has so many anxiety-inducing twists that the only thing I could be sure of is to expect the unexpected, especially at the end. There are a couple of things that aren’t fully explained, but these are so minor (plus, given the lateness of the hour, I might have just missed them), that I’m not taking any points off. With the advances in AI technology, I’m not even going to say this is science fiction. Rather, it falls under the sub-genre of techno-thriller, so if you’re a fan of that, I highly recommend this. And, although this technically falls under the heading of YA, don’t let that stop you. Some of the perspectives are told from the adults in the story, so I can see this having wide appeal for teens and adults. Now who do I talk to about making this into a movie?

The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1), Kiersten White ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Historical Fiction, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 5th, 2019

352 Pages

Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot.

There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution—send Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife…and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name—and her true identity—is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old—including Arthur’s family—demand things continue as they have been, and the new—those drawn by the dream of Camelot—fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to defeat any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust, even yourself?

*THE FIRST BOOK IN THE CAMELOT RISING TRILOGY*

Isn’t that a lovely cover? I’m leading with something positive because for the second time this year an Arthurian retelling has left me underwhelmed. And this time it’s by Kiersten White who so brilliantly gender-reversed Vlad the Impaler in her The Conquerors Saga trilogy, which I LOVED! Unfortunately, in The Guinevere Deception, the first book in White’s Camelot Rising trilogy, Guinevere isn’t nearly as interesting as I expected, especially given the premise. She spends much of the book in confusion and indecision which grew quite wearisome after a while. And the saint-like Arthur depicted here, left me wondering how on earth he managed to inspire the devotion of so many, because while his ideals were as admirable as they are in any other retelling, his personality suffered from a dearth of charisma. In fact, none of the characters broke free of the one-dimensional mold they came from. There is an interesting twist with Lancelot, but it’s not fully developed, at least not by the end of this first book.

The story itself is filled with politics, which is unsurprising, however it doesn’t add enough to the promising world building, and it slows the pace down to a tortoise-like crawl for a majority of the story. The action does pick up near the latter half though, and the ending leaves me hopeful for the next book.

While The Guinevere Deception left me disappointed, this is the first book by Kiersten White that has let me down. It probably seems like I hated it, but I didn’t. There’s some welcome diversity and the twists on the Arthurian legend are creative and original. The actual story and characters just never quite lived up to the imaginative premise and after reading White’s previous books, I expect more. There are readers who enjoyed this, so as usual I encourage you to read some of the reviews on Goodreads. As for me, even though this wasn’t a win for me, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that White returns to fighting form in the sequel.

The Lucky Ones, by Liz Lawson ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Coming-of age, LGBTQ, Mass shootings, Mental Illness, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 7th, 2020

352 Pages

Synopsis: For fans of “Thirteen Reasons Why,” “This Is How It Ends,” and “All the Bright Places,” comes a new novel about life after. How do you put yourself back together when it seems like you’ve lost it all?

May is a survivor. But she doesn’t feel like one. She feels angry. And lost. And alone. Eleven months after the school shooting, that killed her twin brother, May still doesn’t know why she was the only one to walk out of the band room that day. No one gets what she went through—no one saw and heard what she did. No one can possibly understand how it feels to be her.

Zach lost his old life when his mother decided to defend the shooter. His girlfriend dumped him, his friends bailed, and now he spends his time hanging out with his little sister…and the one faithful friend who stuck around. His best friend is needy and demanding, but he won’t let Zack disappear into himself. Which is how Zach ends up at band practice that night. The same night May goes with her best friend to audition for a new band.

Which is how May meets Zach. And how Zach meets May. And how both might figure out that surviving could be an option after all.

After reading The Lucky Ones last night over a two hour period I feel comfortable in saying this will be one of the most talked about books of 2020.

Told in alternating perspectives from May, the only survivor of a school shooting and Zach, whose mother has taken on the case of the shooter, the story explores the aftermath, when the cameras have left and the media’s and country’s attention has moved on to the next calamity-driven news cycle. May, who lost her twin brother is not only angry but is also suffering from survivor’s guilt and PTSD. Her fury and anguish are so palpable and just tore my heart in two. And Zach, a sweet awkward boy, has gone from having a normal social life, to dealing with being ostracized simply for being the son of the lawyer defending the shooter. That these two should meet and actually start healing each other shouldn’t have worked, yet it does. Their relationship has its ups and downs, but it develops in an utterly believable way. It’s messy, and tension-filled, and at times even humorous, but what remains constant is the need for these two lost souls to beat the odds and stay together. They each have a support system in place with their small group of friends, and thank goodness for that because the adult/parental disconnect is prevalent. By the end of the book though there’s hope for a strengthening in the bond between May and her mother, and Zach and his parents.

The Lucky Ones is an impressive debut for Liz Lawson, and I have a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot more from her. I’m not going to lie. This is an emotional, gut-wrenching tale, and I recommend that you have a box of tissues handy. It’s also a book that I feel privileged to have been granted an early copy and it’s one that I highly recommend for teens, parents, and any adult who cares about what kids are having to deal with today, things that we didn’t have to. The story doesn’t get political or wade into the gun control debate, although I recommend you read the author’s afterward where she discusses why she wrote this. Instead, it puts a human face to what life is like after a mass shooting. If there is going to be one book that I nag everyone to mark their calendars (4/7/20) and read, it’s The Lucky Ones. This is a book that every high school and public library should have on its shelves, so if you can, please put in requests to purchase to your libraries now. 

Deadly Little Scandals (Debutantes #2), by Jennifer Lynn Barnes ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Dysfunctional Families, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Freeform for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 5th, 2019

352 Pages

Synopsis: “Think of the White Gloves like the Junior League—by way of Skull and Bones…”

Reluctant debutante Sawyer Taft joined Southern high society for one reason and one reason alone: to identify and locate her biological father. But the answers Sawyer found during her debutante year only left her with more questions and one potentially life-ruining secret. When her cousin Lily ropes her into pledging a mysterious, elite and all-female secret society called the White Gloves, Sawyer soon discovers that someone in the group’s ranks may have the answers she’s looking for. Things are looking up…until Sawyer and the White Gloves make a disturbing discovery near the family’s summer home—and uncover a twisted secret, decades in the making. No one is quite who they seem to be in this twisty, soapy, gasp-inducing sequel to Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ unputdownable Little White Lies.

Deadly Little Scandals is the sequel to Dirty Little Secrets, and the spellbinding conclusion to Barnes’ Debutantes duology. While I didn’t like these quite as much as her The Fixer duology, (I’m still longing for a third book), Debutantes is filled with all the excitement, humor, suspense and quirky characters the author is known for. What prevented me from giving this a perfect 5 star rating is that Barnes throws a little too much into the mix, giving this a confusing frenetic quality, especially in the second half of the book. I found myself having to re-read certain passages detailing the myriad of convoluted secret family ties, because I just couldn’t keep everyone straight. That said, I absolutely loved the characters, and because of this I was on tenterhooks to find out what happens, right up until the satisfying conclusion. Barnes can always be counted on for providing shocking twists, and she did not disappoint here. There were quite a few surprises which completely blew me away. Overall, Deadly Little Scandals is a slightly messy, yet still enjoyable thrill ride that I recommend to anyone looking for a unputdownable book in the same vein as Pretty Little Liars. You definitely need to read the previous book first though because otherwise you will be left floundering.

The Last to Die, by Kelly Garrett ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 5th, 2019

205 Pages

Synopsis: It all started out as a game.

Just a way to have fun. We figured as long as we had rules, it wouldn’t be a problem.

 Rule #1: Only break into one another’s houses.

Rule #2: Only take stuff that can be replaced.

It worked for a while. Whoever’s turn it was to break in got a rush, and the rest of us got a laugh over the trophies they brought back. But then someone went too far. Lives got ruined. Someone is dead.

And I might be next.

The Last to Die is one of those books that I dread reviewing because while it’s not a stellar read, neither is it so horrible that I can vent by ranting. No, it falls somewhere in the middle and has me feeling a bit frustrated.

My first issue is with the characters who I couldn’t relate to at all. I know what you’re thinking. “But Kim. These are teens and aren’t you in your 50s?” Okay. First, thanks for the reminder of my advancing years. Second, as most of you know I read and review a fair few of YA novels and there have been plenty where I related to the characters. With this story I tried. I really, really, REALLY tried. But alas, despite my best efforts I couldn’t sum up any strong feelings toward these teens except for extreme dislike. Harper and the others are cookie cutter characters who display the worst personality traits that many adults attribute to teenagers. While I don’t have to like a character(s) to enjoy a book, these are completely bland and shallow with no intriguing layers or depths to them. There is one exception and that’s Harper’s younger sister Maggie, who’s deaf. I loved her, but unfortunately she’s a minor character. 

I did find the plot interesting, which is what saved the book for me. The mystery is a tad predictable, as is the final outcome, but I still enjoyed the way events unfolded. The pacing is consistently fast and this coupled with the book’s short length, makes this an easy and quick read.

Overall, I don’t think The Last to Die quite lived up to its potential. However, this is the debut by author Kelly Garrett, and I did enjoy it enough that I will most likely check out her next book.

 

Suggested Reading, by David Connis ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Attempted Suicide, Book Banning, Homophobia, LGBTQ, Mental Health, YA Fiction

Thanks to Edelweiss and Katherine Tegan Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 17th, 2019

304 Pages

Synopsis: In this hilarious and thought-provoking contemporary teen standalone that’s perfect for fans of Moxie, a bookworm finds a way to fight back when her school bans dozens of classic and meaningful books.

Clara Evans is horrified when she discovers her principal’s “prohibited media” hit list. The iconic books on the list have been pulled from the library and aren’t allowed anywhere on the school’s premises. Students caught with the contraband will be sternly punished.

Many of these stories have changed Clara’s life, so she’s not just going to sit back and watch while her draconian principal abuses his power. She’s going to strike back.

So Clara starts an underground library in her locker, doing a shady trade in titles like “Speak” and “The Chocolate War.” But when one of the books she loves most is connected to a tragedy she never saw coming, Clara is forced to face her role in it.

Will she be able to make peace with her conflicting feelings, or is fighting for this noble cause too tough for her to bear?

I finished Suggested Reading a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve been saving my review for this week, because a story about fighting against the banning of books is obviously perfect for Banned Books Week. 

Clara is a complex character who both annoyed me and made me want to hug her. She’s a rabid reader, so that in itself earns her major points. She’s also very focused and determined to stand up to injustice. However, at times these same qualities can get her into trouble, especially in regards to making assumptions about other people. After a near tragedy occurs, the Clara that emerges at the end of the book is much wiser and likable than the somewhat immature and self-absorbed teen that’s introduced in the beginning. The other characters, from Clara’s best friend LiQui, to some of the smaller characters, are well-rounded and relatable. 

What I love the most about this book though are the multiple themes that run through it that present perfect opportunities for discussion. First and foremost of course is what impact books have on our lives and how they can inspire us and make us think, but in addition to this there are other topics explored such as: not being so quick to judge others, mental health, and homophobia. 

While not perfect, Suggested Reading is a quick moving read with a relatable heroine and intriguing narrative. It’s a book that I believe should be in every public and high school library and it’s perfect for classroom discussion. With censorship continuing to rear its ugly head not only in this country but around the world, we need to share timely stories such as this.