Young Adult Book Reviews

Review: Brainwalker by Robyn Mundell & Stephan Lacast

★★★★ Brainwalker

“Getting inside someone’s head” tends to be a figurative idea, or turn of phrase, but in Brainwalker, the boundlessly creative new novel from Robyn Mundell and Stephan Lacast, the concept is taken quite literally. This fast-paced novel takes readers deep into the actual human brain – and beyond.

Bernard is a typical YA literature protagonist – an unusual teen with some personality quirks who is suddenly thrown into an extraordinary situation. For Bernard, that situation arises when his curiosity gets the best of him in his father’s lab, who happens to be a particle physicist. After fiddling like […]

Stainer by Iolanthe Woulff

Stainer by Iolanthe WoulffStainer by Iolanthe Woulff follows the life of Ben Steiner, a precocious but terminally uncool college student living in 1970’s New York City. Beginning on his 21st birthday, he meets the girl of his dreams, as well as the dynamic P.T. Deighland who’s a magnetic presence but doesn’t always have Ben’s interests at heart. As Ben awakens to new experiences, and struggles with breaking free from his conservative upbringing, his desire for acceptance may just end up being his downfall.

Though the cover might suggest that this is a political novel, this is a true coming of age novel – […]

2019-01-22T04:36:18+02:00July 6th, 2017|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

Review: Come As You Are by Steven Ramirez

★★★★ Come As You Are by Steven Ramirez

If anyone discovers a source of mysterious power that can help solve all their problems, it is probably too good to be true. That is certainly the case in Come As You Are, a chilling YA horror novella from author Steven Ramirez.

When Ivan, an often-bullied seventh grader, finds a magical notebook in an old locker at school, he thinks that his middle-school years might be salvageable after all. The list that this notebook contains doesn’t necessarily make sense, but Ivan knows that he must complete the list if he wants to unlock the full potential of this […]

Print In The Snow: Anna’s Adventure In The Wyssun World by E.V. Svetova

Print In The Snow: Anna's Adventure In The Wyssun World by E.V. SvetovaAnna hates New York. She especially hates her new life, her new home, and her new stepfather, and if it weren’t for still being able to ski, Anna probably wouldn’t be able to handle it at all. When a chance encounter with another young skier leads fourteen-year-old Anna into another world – one of elves, sorcerers, monsters, and more – maybe New York isn’t so bad after all…

Winner of Gold medal for Juvenile Fiction E-Book in the 2012 Independent Publishers Book Awards, Print in the Snow is E.V. Svetova’s first published work, and it is a truly remarkable one. […]

2017-05-26T06:20:38+02:00May 26th, 2017|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

Review: Firebrand by Sarah MacTavish

★★★★½ Firebrand by Sarah MacTavish

Firebrand by Sarah MacTavish is an historical young adult novel centered around the American abolition of slavery in the mid 19th century. Saoirse Callahan emigrated from Ireland with her family and ended up in Texas, where their fortunes may not be any better. When a series of fires crop up all over the state, it’s thought to be the result of a slave rebellion, which may only be rumor, and Saoirse wants to get to the bottom of what’s happening, which may just put her in danger.

In a parallel story, Westleigh Kavanagh, a Pennsylvania abolitionist, is sheltering a […]

2019-05-14T09:58:56+02:00May 15th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Ravenwood Risen by W.C. Maher

★★★★ Ravenwood Risen by W.C. Maher

Being wrenched from a life of pastoral normalcy and forced into a destiny fraught with sacrifice and struggle is a common foundation for many fantasy novels, but in Ravenwood Risen, author W. C. Maher takes a new angle on this classic theme. Although the rumors swirl and dangers appear to be creeping in at the edges of Aman, the small region of Colore seems relatively untouched. Ephraim and Jules Ravenwood unwittingly go about their daily lives, ignorant – but not unprepared – for what the world will soon demand of them.

In the same vein as the Shannara […]

Review: Ephaidria by Jim Grieco

★★★★ Ephaidria by Jim Grieco

Most fantasy or sci-fi novels center on a single “surreal” element, such as the presence of alien life, supernatural abilities, terrible dark forces or a bridge to the spiritual world. Ephaidria by Jim Grieco ambitiously tackles all of these concepts, and more, without stumbling over itself or trying to take on too much “strangeness.” From the very start, the novel is packed with mystery, rich descriptions and an unpredictable plot line that stretches the boundaries of readers’ imaginations.

The story starts off simply enough, with the gradual introduction of the four main characters, who are just beginning to discover […]

Review: Evening Star (Moonless Night Book 3) by Floriminda Edar Reid

★★★★ Evening Star by Floriminda Edar Reid (Book 3 of Moonless Night)

When catastrophe struck young lovers Alana and Christian, there remained nobody who could look after them but themselves. Christian, an immortal, always feared his strange world of magic and the unknown would hurt his mortal lover, and together they decide it’s finally time they left behind their troubles for the open sea. But their troubles are far from over, as the seas hide even greater troubles than they have faced so far.

Evening Star is the third book of the Moonless Night series by Floriminda Edar Reid, and the direct sequel to Elusive Dreams. The series follows teen-come-young-adult […]

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