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Young Adult Book Reviews

Review: Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller

Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller

A surprisingly deep musing on trust, power, truth, and friendship, Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller is a unique and suspenseful YA thrill. Exploring personal boundaries, and perhaps even finding the edge, this super-powered debut novel takes adolescent exploration to an inventive new level.

Kelly has grown up in the shadow of what’s “wrong” with her, and while age has taught her discretion, her superhuman strength is starting to show, just as it did a decade earlier, when her only friend Chris discovered her dangerous secret. After a lifetime of hiding, Kelly may finally be forced to come into the […]

2021-09-29T02:51:26+02:00August 17th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |
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Review: “B” is for Baylee by Kay M. Bates

B is for Baylee by Kay M. Bates

Author Kay M. Bates has crafted a hard but hopeful YA novel in “B” is for Baylee, a story that shines a light on life’s unpredictability and celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.

After taking a line drive head-on during her softball game, young Baylee Harker’s life is changed forever, as there is no promise that her vision will ever return to normal. Beginning a new year at Stoutland Middle School as a legally blind student means a constant cycle of struggles to adapt and persevere, while also managing the emotional and psychological turmoil of being an “official […]

2021-07-29T08:42:21+02:00July 15th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |
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Review: The Lost Princess of Story by Suzanne de Planque

The Lost Princess of Story by Suzanne de Planque

Author Suzanne de Planque weaves a marvelous new world for fairy tale and high-fantasy lovers alike in The Lost Princess of Story (The Chronicles of Story: Volume One). Blurring the lines between the hard and charming streets of Brooklyn and the mythology of Story, the place where all our fairy tales are true, this endlessly creative novel is an immersive new chapter to the tales we’ve known for generations.

Following a youthful band of unsuspecting heroes as they discover what a true adventure means, the Doors to Story begin to open, and these unsuspecting children are pulled back into […]

2022-03-16T04:31:59+02:00July 5th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , , |
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Review: Summer of Haint Blue by Jimmie Martinez

Summer of Haint Blue by Jimmie Martinez

Author Jimmie Martinez captures the raw, beautiful, and painful truths of both the rural and urban South during the 1960s in his YA novel, Summer of Haint Blue. A long-form narrative study on race relations and a deep dive into that tumultuous decade, this novel is draped with Spanish moss and bayou personality, which help to top-dress the strong and compelling plot.

Told through the eyes of Justin Couvillion, a teenage boy coming to terms with his own family history and their Cajun roots, while also trying to understand the racism so embedded in Louisiana, even in his own […]

2021-06-14T07:58:33+02:00June 13th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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Sheltered: When a Boy Becomes a Legend by Jacob Paul Patchen

Sheltered: When a Boy Becomes a Legend by Jacob Paul Patchen Jacob Paul Patchen transports readers to a smoky and unexpected American battlefield in Sheltered: When a Boy Becomes a Legend, a bold YA American dystopia.

After the attack came the invasion, when the men, women and teens were scooped up by black-fatigued men and shipped off to prison camps. The children left behind, however, have found a way to survive, and a leader to follow. Young James is not only an excellent storyteller, but also a fierce warrior, a natural survivor, and a pretty good leader, especially because he never expected to be at war as a 12-year-old in […]

2021-02-15T09:55:50+02:00February 15th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |
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Headless 1776 by Tom Schneider

Headless 1776 by Tom Schneider A haunting origin story, Headless 1776 by Tom Schneider is a wildly imaginative YA novel for those who love a good mix of fact and fiction.

A young boy named Elijah loses his last real connection to family on the way to a new life during the early years of the Revolutionary War. What he encounters in his new home leads to a riveting and unexpectedly good ghost story. This occasionally gory and fast-paced piece of historical fiction is engaging from the first page, as readers are introduced to a savage mercenary who has since become a headless legend, thanks […]

2021-02-10T08:03:52+02:00February 10th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , , |
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Review: This Was Always About Basketball by Craig Leener

This Was Always About Basketball by Craig Leener

Author Craig Leener hits nothing but net in the third and final installment of his Zeke Archer Trilogy with This Was Always About Basketball. Perfectly balancing young adult drama with time-traveling fantasy, this novel is a thrilling, heartwrenching, and mind-bending read.

Diving back into the strange science of the 7th Dimension, and with help from his unusual and darkly humorous sidekick Lawrence, Zeke Archer once again finds himself facing impossible odds. After his archenemy Brock Decker finds a way to travel back in time and change the history of basketball, Zeke must tap into sacred geometry and the secrets […]

2021-02-23T06:39:06+02:00January 19th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , , , |
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Review: The Pebble Champion by Alan David Pritchard

The Pebble Champion by Alan David Pritchard

Author Alan David Pritchard delves deep into trauma and loss, as well as identity and self-discovery in his new novel, The Pebble Champion, a stirring tale of sadness and self-discovery.

After the tragic loss of his mother, 15-year-old Chris Elliot finds his world turned upside-down, and his sense of home torn asunder. This novel traces his path forward, and details the nuances of teenage life and development with remarkably clear and agonizing accuracy. Not only is the story touching, but also widely relatable; though no reader will have experienced exactly the same struggles, the humanity on display as Chris […]

2024-02-26T13:57:33+02:00December 18th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |
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