Young Adult Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Jacob’s Ghetto by Travis Peagler

Rising above adversity is the powerful theme in Jacob’s Ghetto, the emotionally-charged story written by Travis Peagler for middle-grade and young adult readers.

Ten-year-old Jacob Kingsman was born with the cards of life definitely stacked against him. Living in the notoriously tough south side ghetto of Chicago, Jacob’s mother is a junkie who does nothing to provide the daily necessities for him, forcing Jacob to ask the owner of the corner market for a banana every day so that he has something to eat at night.

He and his best friend, Kenny, are harassed by Ja’heve, second in command […]

Review: The Journey to Oclesedor (The Legacy of King Jasteroth Vol. 2) by S. L. Wyllie

The second installment of S. L. Wyllie’s Legacy of King Jasteroth series, The Journey to Oclesedor is a high-fantasy feast for the senses and a thrilling adventure to boot. Following on strong from Volume 1, Princess Ariella and other familiar faces are back with an epic quest before them, a desperate bid to outrun the insidious evil of King Jasteroth and live to fight another day. Overflowing with descriptive passages, vivid battle scenes, mythical monsters and innovative magic, this sophomore release from Wyllie delivers a classic, but visceral thrill.

The first part of the King Jasteroth saga set a wonderful […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-11-05T04:00:48+02:00October 10th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, YA Fantasy Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Dreadmarrow Thief (The Conjurer Fellstone Book 1) by Marjory Kaptanoglu

Given the barrage of young adult fantasy novels in recent years, it can be difficult to find one that truly stands out. Dreadmarrow Thief is a stellar entry into the genre of YA fantasy, and an exciting first installment of one such new series. Author Marjory Kaptanoglu has cultivated a vibrant and enthralling new world for fans of high fantasy to explore.

The spunky protagonist at the center of this wonderful adventure is Tessa Skye, an apprentice with a dangerous secret: a magical object that allows her to transform into a bird and soar over the forest – a forbidden […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-06-19T13:49:23+02:00June 17th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, YA Fantasy Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: The Coordinate by Marc Jacobs

The idea that there are hidden secrets about humanity’s past will continually fascinate readers, and it is done to great effect in The Coordinate. In this YA thriller by Marc Jacobs, two high school students are thrown into the adventure of a lifetime when a school project turns out to be the first step in a mysterious journey into the past.

When Logan is paired up with Emma James for a school project researching an archaeological site in Honduras, he is far more excited by the prospect of getting closer to his long-time crush than he is about solving […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-06-28T04:02:11+02:00May 26th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Action and Adventure Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Paladin (Firebrand Book 2) by Sarah MacTavish

Secrets are at the heart of Paladin, Sarah MacTavish’s inspirational work of historical fiction for young adults, and the second book in the Firebrand series.

It’s the spring of eighteen sixty-one. The country’s torn in half by those in the South who don’t want slavery to end and those in the north who find the concept despicable – so when Lincoln calls men to arms, four friends from Dove Hollow, Pennsylvania rise to the call.

Jack, Westleigh and Allison have their own reasons for joining, but collectively they’ve made a pact to protect the fourth member of their group. […]

Marta Cheng2019-06-07T11:12:44+02:00May 16th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Sophia’s Storm by Cara Skinner

The past meets the present in Sophia’s Storm, a gripping historical novel written for young adults by Cara Skinner.

It’s fourth of July week during the summer of 79. Sixteen-year-old Sophie Reiter and her extended family have assembled at her grandparents’ Galveston beach house for their annual week-long get together, but this year’s gathering is bittersweet, due to the passing of Sophie’s beloved Great Aunt Sophia last November at the age of eighty-nine. Her great aunt had died before she could tell Sophie about the most terrible time in their family’s history: a time when Galveston was nearly destroyed […]

Marta Cheng2019-04-18T12:27:55+02:00March 22nd, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Dakota Son by Mary Ramsey

Unshakable faith and determination are sometimes more powerful than any drug – such is the message in Dakota Son, an inspiring work of young adult fiction by Mary Ramsey.

Fifteen-year-old Sean Foster’s gymnastic career is sidelined by a severe infection induced by his cystic fibrosis, which lands him in the hospital. At his side are his mother and devoted sister, Sara, a brilliant science nerd and his best friend. Sara shows up at the hospital one day with a surprise visitor, the lovely Jen Quinto. She and Sean have something in common: Sean is constantly fighting for his life […]

Marta Cheng2019-04-05T09:20:49+02:00March 11th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

The Beginner’s Guide to Winning an Election by Michael R. French

The Beginner’s Guide to Winning an Election by Michael R. French is a biting and prescient YA satire about big money influencing a local high school election.

It’s 2025 at a typical American high school, Hawthorn High, 120 miles from Bloomington, Indiana. Senior “Science Brain” Britain Kitridge signs up to volunteer for a fellow student’s campaign, and yes, maybe she has a little crush on him, but who doesn’t? Matthew Boltanski is near perfect: athletic, handsome, self-confident, impervious, and as Britain determines, very well funded, but by who and why? She starts asking too many questions and is ‘disciplined’ in […]

SPR2019-02-14T10:36:30+02:00February 13th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|