Tag: young adult

Granted (Granted: Book 1) by Michelle Merrill

Granted by [Merrill, Michelle]

Publisher: Future House Publishing

Date Published: June 30th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Granted

Trapped—Book 0.5

Granted—Book 1

Summoned—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads synopsis:

The existence of genies may be the best-kept secret in the history of the world.

After being trapped in the Sahara Desert for her whole life, sixteen-year-old genie Brielle finally gets her first assignment in Tri-Cities, Washington. She eagerly heads out into the human world to grant her first wish so that she can gain her magic. Unfortunately, her assigned human, Addie, stopped believing in wishes years ago and would much rather that everyone just leave her alone.

Complicating everything is Rock, Brielle’s childhood friend turned enemy. Brielle doesn’t need him ruining her first trip out into the human world. Too bad she can’t keep her mind—or her eyes—off him and his annoyingly cute dimples.

To make matters worse, genies in the Tri-Cities area are suspiciously dying. One broken lamp could be an accident, but after three deaths occur, Brielle suspects someone has uncovered the genies’ secret and is slowly killing them off one by one. 

With the Genie Council ignoring the threat, Brielle desperately needs to gain her magic so she can stop the murderer before she—or Rock—is the next genie to die.

I wouldn’t say I liked Brielle’s character in the beginning. But if I was expecting my lamp to be rubbed and told, sorry, it’s in storage, and you have to wait, I’d have acted the same way. Throughout the book, her character did grow on me, though. I loved her interactions with Addie and with Rock. She showed through her friendship with Addie how much she grew in maturity while she was there.

While we are on Rock, he made me want to scream. I didn’t have him figured out during the book. What was his deal? Was he a good djinn, or did he get caught up in something he had no control over? Also, the twist with him in the book was great!!! I didn’t expect what happened to happen.

Now onto Addie. I felt so bad for her. Parts of the book made me want to reach through and hug her. And for the record, I am glad that she and Brielle met. They were good for each other.

The whole storyline of Addie’s parents disappearing made me want to puke. Not going to get into it, but I disliked them. If you want to know more, read the book.

The mystery that Brielle and Rock get involved with did catch my attention. I thought it was very imaginative to have the genies die when their lamps break. It only makes sense because their life force is connected to the lamps. The way the book ended also made a great intro for a 2nd book!!!

3 Things I liked about Granted:

  1. The storyline
  2. Rock
  3. Addie

3 Things I disliked about Granted:

  1. Brielle, at the beginning of the book
  2. Vicky (she rubbed me the wrong way)
  3. The triplets

I would recommend Granted to anyone over 16. There is no sex, minimal violence, and non-graphic language.

If you enjoyed reading Granted, you will enjoy reading these books:

The Ones (The Ones: Book 1) by Daniel Sweren-Becker

The Ones by [Sweren-Becker, Daniel]

Publisher: Imprint

Date of publication: September 6, 2016

Series: The Ones

The Ones—Book 1

The Equals—Book 2

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indigo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cody has always been proud of being a One. She and her boyfriend James were two of the lucky babies from the 1% of the U.S. population that were randomly selected to benefit from genetic engineering. Now, she and the rest of The Ones are excelling. They are healthy, beautiful, and talented. They aren’t otherworldly, just perfect. And to some, that’s not fair. The Equality Movement, capitalizing on the growing fear and jealousy, gains political traction and actually outlaws their existence. Society shows its darker side as The Ones are marginalized. The line between right and wrong blurs in the face of injustice and Cody becomes closer to a group of radical Ones intent on fighting back. James begins to fear just how far she is willing to go for the cause.

3 Things I Liked About The Ones

Cody and James’s romance.
I loved how sweet and innocent their relationship was. The author took the time to let it unfold naturally, and amid a world that’s completely falling apart, their connection felt normal. That contrast made it even more special.

How realistic the plot felt—for the most part.
If you take out the genetically modified kids and drop in current events instead, the story becomes even more unsettling. That realism made the book feel a little too close to home at times.

The family relationships.
The difference between James’s relationship with his family and Cody’s relationship with her mother is stark—and sad. Honestly, I’d rather have a parent who isn’t physically present than one who’s there but emotionally absent.

The Equality Movement.
They genuinely reminded me of Nazis. Their solution to what they believe is a problem is deeply disturbing—and you’ll need to read the book to understand just how far they go. Everything they stand for feels wrong, and what makes it even scarier is how much power they gain.

Kai’s group of friends.
Kai and Taryn rubbed me the wrong way from the moment they appeared. The way they operate didn’t sit right with me at all, and I didn’t believe Kai for a second about specific events. Watching Cody get pulled deeper into their mess just turned into a complete cluster.

The Ones is for readers who enjoy dystopian stories grounded in realism, slow-burn young love, complicated family dynamics, and themes that feel uncomfortably close to our current world.

Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu

Afterward: A Novel by [Mathieu, Jennifer]

Publisher: Roaring Book Press

Date of publication: September 20th, 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Realistic Fiction

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indiebound | Indigo

Goodreads synopsis:

When Caroline’s little brother is kidnapped, his subsequent rescue leads to the discovery of Ethan, a teenager who has been living with the kidnapper since he was a young child himself. In the aftermath, Caroline can’t help but wonder what Ethan knows about everything that happened to her brother, who is not readjusting well to life at home. And although Ethan is desperate for a friend, he can’t see Caroline without experiencing a resurgence of traumatic memories. But after the media circus surrounding the kidnappings departs from their small Texas town, both Caroline and Ethan find that they need a friend–and their best option just might be each other.

3 Things I Liked About Afterward

The characters: Ethan, Caroline, and Dylan.
I loved all three of them, and my heart broke for each in different ways. They all respond to the trauma of the kidnapping differently, which felt incredibly real. We especially see Dylan’s experience through Caroline’s eyes, and that perspective made it hit even harder.

The storyline itself.
Be prepared for tears—starting on page one. This is not an easy book to read, but it pulls you in anyway. The author did an incredible job handling the story with care while still making it emotionally powerful.

The ending.
I won’t give anything away, but the ending couldn’t have been better. It was powerful and hopeful in a quiet, realistic way. It really shows how much healing can happen in the year following a traumatic event.

3 Things I Disliked About Afterward

Caroline’s parents.
Oh my lord. I couldn’t stand them. They blame Caroline for Dylan’s disappearance, completely miss the fact that she’s spiraling, and fail to get Dylan the help he needs after he’s found. I understand that the author intentionally wrote them as a contrast to Ethan’s parents, but they got under my skin in a big way.

Ethan’s flashbacks and anxiety attacks.
These were incredibly hard to read—not because they were poorly written, but because they were so accurate. I cried during his first flashback and ended up sobbing through several others. As someone with moderate anxiety, his panic attacks felt painfully honest. I actually had to pause and do breathing exercises because they started triggering my own anxiety.

When Ethan remembers his abuse.
This is never something you want to read about, but the author handled it with great care. It was alluded to rather than described graphically, which made it no less devastating—but very thoughtfully done.

The author also includes several vital resources in the author’s note, which I really appreciated, including organizations that support missing and exploited children, survivors of sexual assault, and families affected by trauma.

I would recommend Afterward to readers over 18 who are prepared for a deeply emotional, heavy—but ultimately meaningful—story.