Categotry Archives: Reviews
The Best Kind of Magic (Windy City Magic, Book 1)
Windy City Magic, Book 1
Juvenile Fiction
Disney-Hyperion
May 16, 2017
336
Amber Sand is not a witch. The Sand family Wicca gene somehow leapfrogged over her. But she did get one highly specific magical talent: she can see true love. As a matchmaker, Amber's pretty far down the sorcery food chain (even birthday party magicians rank higher), but after five seconds of eye contact, she can envision anyone's soul mate. Amber works at her mother's magic shop--Windy City Magic--in downtown Chicago, and she's confident she's seen every kind of happy ending there is: except for one--her own. (The Fates are tricky jerks that way.) So when Charlie Blitzman, the mayor's son and most-desired boy in school, comes to her for help finding his father's missing girlfriend, she's distressed to find herself falling for him. Because while she can't see her own match, she can see his--and it's not Amber. How can she, an honest peddler of true love, pursue a boy she knows full well isn't her match? The Best Kind of Magic is set in urban Chicago and will appeal to readers who long for magic in the real world. With a sharp-witted and sassy heroine, a quirky cast of mystical beings, and a heady dose of adventure, this novel will have you laughing out loud and questioning your belief in happy endings.
Review:
“The Best Kind of Magic” is a promising start to the new “Windy City Magic” series. It has just the right blend of magical realism, suspense, the supernatural, and romance to make for a fun, light read. It flows well and the sass of Amber kept me laughing. It’s the perfect book for when you need a break from reality. Good for grades 7 through adults. Highly recommended!
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Violence
The List
Juvenile Fiction
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
August 1, 2017
384
Farenheit 451 meets The Giver in this gripping story about the power of words and the dangers of censorship In the city of Ark, speech is constrained to five hundred sanctioned words. Speak outside the approved lexicon and face banishment. The exceptions are the Wordsmith and his apprentice Letta, the keepers and archivists of all language in their post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval world.On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith, charged with collecting and saving words. But when she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and rob Ark's citizens of their power of speech, she realizes that it's up to her to save not only words, but culture itself.
Review:
“The List” is a middle grade dystopia with a good premise: words are dangerous and by limiting them you can control how people spread ideas. The city of Ark has 250 approved words, and it is up to Letta to keep the meanings of the others. The problem is that the narrative is muddled and slow because so many other issues are tackled but not given any depth. Everything from religion to the environment to prisoner’s rights are thrown in and it keeps the story from flowing well. I would stick with “The Giver” when it comes to middle graders.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Violence
Emma in the Night
Fiction
August 8, 2017
320
"Both twisted and twisty, this smart psychological thriller sets a new standard for unreliable narrators." –Booklist, Starred Review One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn't add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister's return might just be the beginning of the crime.
Review:
“Emma in the Night” is a taut psychological thriller that kept me reading from start to finish without putting it down. Not only did I keep second-guessing my theories, I kept feeling ill-at-ease in my own home. It’s difficult to say much more than the book synopsis because to spoil it even a little would take away from the fun. If you like thriller mysteries, you will probably enjoy this.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Mask of Shadows
Young Adult Fiction
Sourcebooks Fire
September 1, 2017
384
Perfect for fantasy fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo, the first book in this new duology features a compelling gender fluid main character, impressive worldbuilding, and fast-paced action. Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class—and the nobles who destroyed their home. When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand—the Queen's personal assassins, named after the rings she wears—Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.
Review:
“Mask of Shadows” is another diverse book in the young adult category, and I am thrilled to see more representation. Sal, the main character, is gender fluid. Unfortunately, the book seemed to drag in quite a few places. The plot is good. It is the execution I found lacking. That being said, it will still appeal to many readers and there is a lot of promise that the next book in the series will improve. I have my fingers crossed.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Violence
How to Make a Wish
Hmh Books for Young Readers
May 2, 2017
336
Grace, tough and wise, has nearly given up on wishes, thanks to a childhood spent with her unpredictable, larger-than-life mother. But this summer, Grace meets Eva, a girl who believes in dreams, despite her own difficult circumstances. One fateful evening, Eva climbs through a window in Grace's room, setting off a chain of stolen nights on the beach. When Eva tells Grace that she likes girls, Grace's world opens up and she begins to believe in happiness again. How to Make a Wish is an emotionally charged portrait of a mother and daughter's relationship and a heartfelt story about two girls who find each other at the exact right time.
Review:
“How to Make a Wish” is the rare sort of young adult romance that tackles the difficulties of growing up in a dysfunctional family and first love without being melodramatic. The situations feel awful and real, but not hopeless. It also has a beautifully executed romance between two girls that places it in the top-tier of books featuring lgbt main characters. Recommended!
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Violence
Park Bench
Comics & Graphic Novels
Gallery 13
September 19, 2017
336
With his masterful illustration style, bestselling French creator-storyteller Chabouté (Alone, Moby-Dick) explores community through a common, often ignored object: the park bench. From its creation, to its witness to the fresh ardor of lovers, the drudgery of businessmen, the various hopes of the many who enter its orbit, the park bench weathers all seasons. Strangers meet at it for the first time. Paramours carve their initials into it. Old friends sit and chat upon it for hours. Others ignore the bench, or (attempt to) sleep on it at night, or simply anchor themselves on it and absorb the ebb and flow of the area and its people. Christophe Chabouté’s mastery of the visual medium turns this simple object into a thought-provoking and gorgeously wrought meditation on time, desire, and the life of communities all across the planet. This could be a bench in my hometown or yours—the people in this little drama are very much those we already recognize.
Review:
With the only words in “Park Bench” being book titles and scribbles on the bench, it is the purest form of a graphic novel. I can’t even begin to describe how beautiful this book is. No words could do it justice. I laughed and I cried and I felt despair for the human race and hope for the human race and etc. I can’t recommend this enough. It is truly something you will never forget. If only there were 100 star ratings.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Zero Repeat Forever (Nahx Invasions, Book 1)
Nahx Invasions, Book 1
Young Adult Fiction
Simon and Schuster
August 29, 2017
496
Sixteen year-old Raven, injured and still grieving over her boyfriend's death by the invading Nahx, crosses paths with Eighth, a Nyx warrior who has deserted his unit and abandoned his directives, and as the world falls apart around them, the two learn to trust each other in order to survive.
Review:
I really wanted to like “Zero Repeat Forever.” It has so much that I love: aliens, survivalism, nightmare-inducing scenarios. Unfortunately, it fell very flat. The chapters featuring Raven seemed to drag on in an effort to make the “forever” in the title seem literal. I also did not find her character likable at all. The only redeeming parts of the book were Eighth and diversity. I can’t recommend it to even the biggest of alien invasion fans.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Violence, Underage Drug and Alcohol Use
Omega (Infinity Division, Book 2)
Infinity Division, Book 2
Young Adult Fiction
Entangled Teen
August 1, 2017
Paperback
320
One mistake can change everything. Ashlyn Calvert finds that out the hard way when a bad decision leads to the death of her best friend, Noah Anderson.
Only Noah isn’t really gone. Thanks to his parents’ company, the Infinity Division, there is a version of him skipping from one dimension to another, set on revenge for the death of his sister, Kori. When a chance encounter brings him face-to-face with Ash, he’s determined to resist the magnetic pull he’s felt for her time and time again. Because falling for Ash puts his mission in danger.
But there’s more going on in Ash’s alternate universe than either of them knows: a mysterious project called Omega. A conspiracy spanning multiple Earths and revolving around none other than Ash. Its creators would do anything to keep Omega secret…
Anything.
Review:
“Omega” is a fun follow-up to “Infinity.” It expands nicely upon the science fiction aspect and adds more depth to the original characters. It also introduced new characters and points-of-view that were entertaining and expanded the universe a great deal. If you enjoyed “Infinity”, then you are most likely going to love “Omega.”
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Violence
No Good Deed
Young Adult Fiction
Delacorte Press
2017
352
"Ellie is USA's best shot at Olympic gold in archery, but one wrong turn in Nottingham on her day off from the trials and she's somehow been transported back to the Middle Ages. Amidst an evil sheriff who wants to lock her up, a knight who might not be who he says he is, and an assassination plot, she must not only find her way back to the present, but fight to survive and not change history"--
Review:
“No Good Deed” is a fairy-tale/legend retelling that served as a good palate cleanser for me in the middle of quite a few heavier reads. The plot is fast-paced and the characters are just the right amount of snarky and developed for a light read. The content is mild, and the writing easy enough to read, that even the youngest of the ya group should find it enjoyable. Recommended!
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Very Mild Sexual Content, Violence
Little Monsters
Young Adult Fiction
Delacorte Press
2017
336
When Kacey moves in with her estranged father and his new family, her new friend goes missing and Kacey finds herself at the center of the investigation.
Review:
“Little Monsters” is a young adult thriller that will satisfy both the ya audience and adult readers. The mystery is well-written and keeps the reader guessing throughout. Even when you think you know the bad guy, you keep second-guessing yourself. A very enjoyable read that I recommend to any fan of the mystery and thriller genres.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Violence
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