Tag: young adult

The Bridge of Little Jeremy by Indrajit Garai

The Bridge of Little Jeremy by [GARAI, Indrajit]

4 Stars

Publisher: Self Published

Date of publication: March 18th, 2019

Genre: General Fiction, Young Adult

Where you can find The Bridge of Little Jeremy: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Jeremy’s mother is about to go to prison for their debt to the State. He is trying everything within his means to save her, but his options are running out fast. 

Then Jeremy discovers a treasure under Paris. 

This discovery may save his mother, but it doesn’t come for free. And he has to ride over several obstacles for his plan to work. 

Meanwhile, something else is limiting his time…

First Line:

The noise in the attic wakes me again.

The Bridge of Little Jeremy by Indrajit Garai

My Review:

The Bridge of Little Jeremy is one of those books that stick with you long after you’ve read it. After I finished it, I found myself thinking hard about what happened. This book struck me. As the mother of an 11 and 13-year-old, I could imagine my son or daughter having the adventures that Jeremy did.

The characters in The Bridge of Little Jeremy were wonderfully written; they were multi-layered. Each time a layer was exposed, there was another one underneath. Even towards the end of the book, when everything was wrapping up, the characters were still surprising me.

I enjoyed that The Bridge of Little Jeremy touched upon many issues that affect people present day. I liked seeing that good and the bad that came out of it. Some of the issues that were touched upon were single parenthood, health care, inheritance tax, the pros and cons of using social media, and unearthing family secrets. All those made this book a fantastic read.

Jeremy was an interesting character to read. He tried to help his mother with the inheritance tax. His heart condition limited how much he could help and get around. So, when he found that painting, he thought that it could help. It had been damaged by water and Jeremy thought he could restore it. His main focus from the middle of the book on was helping his mother. It became an obsession with him.

The end of The Bridge of Little Jeremy took me by surprise. I was not expecting what happened to happen. There was some foreshadowing but still, did not expect it. The very last chapter gave me chills.

I would give The Bridge of Little Jeremy an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is mild language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Bridge of Little Jeremy. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

TEN: Part 1 by Sin Ribbon

TEN: Part 1 by [Ribbon, Sin]

5 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publisher: February 12th, 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBTQIA

Where you can find TEN Part 1: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Is fate a shield against the agony of choice or a force that suffocates free will?

From diverse walks of life and different corners of the globe, ten strangers are being brought together. Prejudice, fallen dreams, loss, and trauma have plagued each of their lives . . . until they find each other, and for once it seems serendipity may heal their collective pain.

But what lurks behind these fated meetings is something far more sinister.

Terrible and elusive forces have endowed the ten with supernatural abilities. Far from a gift however, some are drowning in these overwhelming new powers to the point of possession.

What does fate permit us to do? Are we a product of choice or design? In this urban fantasy adventure, the ten must resist the will of destiny if they wish to carve their own paths. Armed only with camaraderie, they will discover if the strength of their choice is enough to prevent the looming, catastrophic future thrust upon them.

The battle for free will begins here.

Review here:

TEN: Part 1 is one of those books that will blow you away. I went into reading this book thinking that it would be OK. I figured that 10 main characters would overwhelm the book. Man, was I proven wrong. TEN: Part 1 was a fantastic read with a great plotline and characters that blew my socks off.

The plotline for TEN: Part 1 was interesting. Ten individuals, from all walks of life and cultures, are drawn to each other. All ten individuals have powers that are starting to awaken. These individuals soon find out that they are chosen to play a game by the Fates. A game that holds the fate of humanity in its balance. It fascinated me. I couldn’t wait to find out why these ten individuals were chosen and what their powers were.

The plotline drew me in from the beginning. The author did a fantastic job of introducing the main characters. While each chapter was short, she got right to the point. If there was a change to a different character, it was labelled. I also liked that there were zero dropped plotlines or a lag in the plotlines.

I am not going to go into each character individually. There are ten of them and my review would be long if I did that. I did like that the author was able to make each character their own person. Which I consider a huge feat because well, ten main characters. I was expected some overlapping with their personalities.

I also liked how diverse everyone was. There were White, Black, Hispanic, Indian and Chinese featured. I loved that the author had a bisexual character and transgender character. It made the book so much more interesting to read.

I did like how the author had certain people pair off. I wasn’t expecting Orion and Allister, though. That pairing took me by surprise. I also couldn’t make up my mind about Siya and Thane. There was something there. The author kept it vague enough to make me wonder.

I will say that the powers that the author had Orion, Allister, Thane, and Qiu manifest were scary. What made them even more scarier was what happened when they got “possessed“. The explanation that was given at the end of the book made sense. I couldn’t understand why they had different powers than the others. Again, the end of the book explained a lot (not everything).

The end of the book was interesting. The plotlines were not resolved. Which is what I was expecting. I mean, this is Part 1. I did like how Siya explained Orion, Allister, Thane, and Qiu’s powers. I also liked how she explained what Riya, Sebastian, Madison, and Olivia’s roles in the game would be. I am curious about how she and Isaac figure into everything. So, yes, I can’t wait to read Part 2!!

Oh and before I forget, I was thrilled that the author had a character sheet link attached to her Goodreads page. I can’t even begin to tell everyone how much I loved that. It was a huge help when looking up names and getting backgrounds. If only other authors would do the same thing, I would be in heaven!!

I would give TEN: Part 1 an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is mild language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread TEN: Part 1. I would reccomend this book to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review TEN: Part 1

Have you read TEN: Part 1?

What are your thoughts on it?

Let me know!!

Journey to Territory U (Extinction of All Children: Book 3) by L.J. Epps

Journey To Territory U (Extinction Of All Children, Book 3) by [Epps, L.J.]

3.5 Stars

Publisher: L.J. Epps

Date of publication: November 9th, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Series: Extinction of All Children

Extinction of all Children—Book 1 (review here)

Journey to Territory M—Book 2 (review here)

Journey to Territory U—Book 3

Where you can find Journey to Territory U: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Emma Whisperer’s journey continues in the third and final book in the Extinction series. Emma Whisperer and her friends are given ten days by President Esther to get their petitions signed to see if the people of Territory U agree with the walls being torn down. They can freely walk through the territory and talk to people.

What is life like in Territory U? Will the people of Territory U be accepting of their message?

Emma and her friends—old and new—explore Territory U and find the rich aren’t always as happy as they seem. They come upon some strange things happening in the territory and also underneath it. Friendships will be tested. Will Emma and her friends come out of it alive?

Emma has already accomplished so much—getting President Esther to let them walk freely through Territory U. Will Emma find and save Abigail? Will she save the people of Territory L? Or, will certain truths destroy her spunky spirit and good heart? Emma’s final journey brings about new challenges and revelations. Will these new discoveries weaken her or make her stronger?

President Esther has more in store for Emma than she could ever imagine. Will Rich get his revenge against Emma? Will President Esther win in the end? See how Emma and her friends handle the misery and destruction the president puts them through.

Take a ride with Emma as she makes some horrifying discoveries and finds the strength to continue on and finish the quest she started.

My Review:

I was a little hesitant to read Journey to Territory U. I didn’t have my hopes up too high after reading Journey to Territory M. But, I was surprised. Journey to Territory U was an enjoyable read.

There are triggers in Journey to Territory U. They are the same triggers as the other books. I would recommend not reading the book if you are triggered by infanticide.

Journey to Territory U’s plotline is different than the other books. Emma got the President to let her gather signatures for a petition. The petition is to merge the classes, bring down the wall, and stop the baby killing. Emma and her friends have a ten-day free pass to gather those signatures. Then Rich will have free reign to do what he wants. Top of his list, kill Emma.

I enjoyed reading this book. The plotline flowed. I was able to reconnect with Emma. Her crusade to find Abigail and to knock down the walls was reaching a fever pitch.

I also liked seeing how different Territory U was on the surface. The deeper Emma dug, the more similar it was to M and L. The people in U were governed by the same fear that kept M and L in compliance. They had more fear because the President could strip them of their U status and send them to live in L. It must have been a terrifying place to live.

There were a few twists in the plotline. The one which involved Emma, President Esther, and Henry, I saw coming a mile away. I figured it out while reading Journey to Territory M. The one with Rich didn’t surprise me. He was an unhinged individual who blamed his problems on a girl who had nothing to do with them. But, I didn’t see the other two twists. Both took me by surprise. Both made me go “No way.” I couldn’t believe what I was reading.

Emma surprised me in this book. The author made up for her stagnating in Journey to Territory M. Her character growth seemed like it was on steroids. I was amazed. I still found her annoying, but I liked her for the first time in the series. She was dealt some severe blows in this book. Secrets that her parents kept came back to bite her in the butt. Plus, she had to deal with Rich.

Rich’s issues with Emma were revealed in this book. I underestimated his character. The level of hate he had for Emma was insane. I didn’t understand why the President kept him around until Rich confessed to another guard. That’s when the lightbulb went on in my head. I’ll say this: I didn’t doubt his loyalty to President Esther. He lost his mind in this book.

This book was more focused on Emma’s relationships with her friends and family. I liked that. It showed that Emma valued her friends and family. It also taught me that Emma had a good reason for doing what she did. Oh, I do want to mention that Emma beating down Nathan was one of the best scenes in the book. Jerk deserved it!!

President Esther morphed from a President with issues to a dictator in this last book. I was horrified by what she was doing. She did get what was coming to her at the end. Now, I say that, but I also felt terrible for her. What happened to her should have never happened. It made me wonder if things were different, would she have mellowed out? Or would she still be the evil person that she became?

I do want to warn: Do not get attached to any of the characters. They are all expendable. I was taken by surprised at who the author killed off. So, don’t get attached!!

As with the other books, Journey to Territory U fit in with the dystopia and young adult genres. I had no issue believing that something like this could happen in the future. It is happening in a way now (with the abortion rulings’ in several states). I would recommend keeping an open line of communication if a teenager does read this book. There are some severe issues discussed throughout the book.

There was no sex in Journey to Territory U (thank God!!). As I stated in my review of Journey to Territory M, the whole Emma/Eric/Samuel wanna be love triangle didn’t work for me. It shouldn’t have even been touched.

The end of Journey to Territory U had me in turmoil. So much happened at once that I had issues processing it. I will say that President Esther got what was coming to her. I didn’t like the 180 that one character did. That person showed their true colors in Journey to Territory M. It was hard for me to believe that they could change. The epilogue was great but not believable. Change happens but not that fast.

I would give Journey to Territory U an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Journey to Territory U. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Journey to Territory U.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Journey to Territory U?

What are your thoughts on it?

Let me know!!

Journey to Territory M (Extinction of All Children: Book 2) by L.J. Epps

Journey To Territory M (Extinction Of All Children, Book 2) by [Epps, L.J.]

3 Stars

Publisher: L.J. Epps

Date of publication: November 8th, 2018

Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult

Series: Extinction of All Children

Extinction of All Children—review here

Journey to Territory M

Journey to Territory U

Where you can find Journey to Territory M: Amazon | Barnes and Noble| BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Emma Whisperer’s journey continues in this sequel to the Extinction series. Emma, the last eighteen-year–old in Territory L, finally escapes Territory L and makes it into Territory M. She tries to find her niece, Abigail, and searches for the leader of Territory M to see if the walls can come down. She brings two friends with her on her journey to finish what she started back in Territory L.

Emma hides out, trying not to get caught. Who can she trust? Will they find Abigail? Is she still alive? Will they find the newbie camp? Will they find out who the leader of Territory M is? Will the leader help them bring the walls down?

Emma thought escaping from Territory L would solve all of her problems. She soon finds out that escaping to Territory M is not all she envisioned it would be. President Esther, Rich, and the leader of Territory M have more in store for Emma than she bargains for.

Take a ride with them as their adventure begins in an abandoned college where they meet up with some unruly characters. Will these people, known as the runaways, be friends or foes?

Emma and her friends—old and new—find themselves searching for places to hide out from President Esther and her henchman Rich, all the while trying to find the leader of Territory M.

Take a ride with Emma as she finds some much-needed answers.

My review:

I was excited to read Journey to Territory M. I had enjoyed reading the Extinction of All Children. I was curious to see how Emma’s journey through Territory M would be. I was interested in knowing if she would free Abigail. I was curious to see if she would meet the mystery ruler of Territory M. Yeah, well, that excitement was misplaced. I hate to say it, but I was thrilled when this book was over.

Again, there is a trigger warning. It is the same as in the Extinction of All Children. The difference is that the author went into detail about how the babies and children were killed. The guards’ discussion made me sick. I have a daughter the age of the little girl featured in that scene. I ended up putting the Kindle down, walking over and hugging her tight. I also cried. So my trigger warning is the same. Don’t read this book if you are triggered by infanticide and graphic discussion of killing babies/children.

There was one major plotline in Journey to Territory M. That plotline is Emma and her friends’ mission to get to the mansion and talk to the mystery ruler of the Territory.

I found the plotline boring once the first couple of chapters were over. I had figured out who the mysterious leader of Territory M was way before that person was revealed. I also figured out that the newbie camp was as evil as it sounded. Even Rich’s abuse of Emma got boring. By the end of the book, I wasn’t surprised it went the way it did. I wasn’t surprised by Emma’s choice. I was not surprised by anything that was revealed.

I do want to point out that Territory M is for the middle-class. These people had the same rules as the lower-class, except they were were laxer. They could have children. But, they had to show that they were worthy of keeping them by working hard. If they didn’t live up to what Territory M’s ruler thought was hard, they got their children taken away. So, it wasn’t much better than Territory L.

Emma had zero character growth in Journey to Territory M. Her character acted like a child. There were points in the book where I wanted to shake her and say “Act like the revolutionary that you want to be.” She annoyed me too. Those eyerolls were more suitable for a 12-year-old than an 18-year-old. Plus, she couldn’t keep her mouth shut to save her life. I wanted to duct tape her mouth shut at one point. I do admire that she never forgot that she was searching for her niece. I also liked that she wanted those walls down and that she wasn’t afraid to tell President Esther where to stick it.

The secondary characters surpassed Emma in character growth, which is impressive because it is usually the main character who changes with the book. Not in this case. Emma was stuck in her rut while her companions grew. While I did like it, I thought that it showcased how immature Emma was.

I did figure out who the mysterious leader of Territory M was. I figured it out early in the book, and I wasn’t surprised when it was revealed. I didn’t like or trust this person. The whole newbie camp only underscored my dislike of that person. Actions speak louder than words, and this person’s actions spoke volumes.

Journey to Territory M did fit in with the dystopia genre. The author did a great job of portraying what the middle-class of this country was put through. They had it more comfortable than the lower-class but more stringent than the upper-class. I couldn’t imagine living like that!! Journey to Territory M was also an excellent fit for the young adult genre.

I was a little put off that there was even a hint of a love triangle. I didn’t feel that it had a place in the book. I had a “meh” reaction whenever Emma and Samuel/Eric had romantic interactions. I will say that I was happy that the author didn’t give and made her have sex with either of them.

The end of Journey to Territory M made me go “WTH am I reading?” I couldn’t believe that the President was allowing Rich to call all the shots. With Rich’s blatant hatred of Emma, it shouldn’t have been around. Also, what happened at the very end of the book. I couldn’t believe the author did what she did to some of the characters. Again, another “WTH am I reading reaction.” I want to know how everything will be resolved. I also want to understand why the President is so soft on Emma. I have a feeling I know. As much as Journey to Territory M left a bad taste in my mouth, I am going to read Journey to Territory U and finish the series.

I am going to give Journey to Territory M an Older Teen rating. There is no sex (there are a couple of kissing scenes). There is violence (including a graphic scene where guards talk about killing babies and a 6 year old). There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Journey to Territory M. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Journey to Territory M.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Journey to Territory M?

What are your thoughts?

Dystopias? Like to read them? Yes or No.

Let me know!!

Extinction Of All Children (Extinction Of All Children: Book 1) by L.J. Epps

Extinction Of All Children (Book 1) by [Epps, L.J.]

4 Stars

Publisher: L.J. Epps

Date of publication: June 3rd 2016

Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult

Series: Extinction Of All Children

Extinction Of All Children—Book 1

Journey to Territory M—Book 2

Journey to Territory U—Book 3

Where you can find Extinction Of All Children: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

A young adult, fantasy novel about a teenager who is the last eighteen-year-old in her territory. There will never be another child; every baby born after her has been taken away. Everyone wonders why she survived.

Emma Whisperer was born in 2080, in the small futuristic world of Craigluy. President Esther, in charge for the last twenty-two years, has divided their world into three territories, separated by classes—the rich, the working class, and the poor—because she believes the poor should not mingle with the others. And, the poor are no longer allowed to have children, since they do not have the means to take care of them.

Any babies born, accidentally or willfully, are killed. Emma is the last eighteen-year-old in her territory; every baby born after her has died. Somehow, she survived this fate.

During the president’s Monday night speech, she announces a party will be held to honor the last child in the territory, Emma Whisperer. Emma must read a speech, expressing how happy she is to be the last eighteen-year-old.

Emma doesn’t like the rules; she doesn’t believe in them. So, she feels she must rebel against them. Her family doesn’t agree with her rebellion, since they are hiding a big secret. If this secret gets out, it will be disastrous, and deadly, for her family.

During Emma’s journey, she meets—and becomes friends with—Eric. He is one of the guards for the president. She also befriends Samuel, another guard for the president, who is summoned to watch over her. As Emma meets new people, she doesn’t know who she can trust. Yet, she finds herself falling for a guy, something which has never happened before.

After doing what she feels is right, Emma finds herself in imminent danger. In the end, she must make one gut-wrenching decision, a decision that may be disastrous for them all.

My Review:

Again, another review where I have to post a trigger warning. In this world, the babies born to the people in Territory L are killed. It is not mentioned in what manner they were killed. The author left enough unsaid for my imagination to go overboard. So, it is safe to say that if you are triggered by infanticide, then do not read the book or the review.

When I saw this series turn up in NetGalley’s Read Now email, I was immediately intrigued. A world where society was divided up by classes? A world where the lower class was not allowed to have children? A heroine who was upset at the restrictions that were in place. Who was willing to do whatever it takes to make sure those sanctions were lifted? Yeah, you could say that my interest was caught.

Emma Whisperer was the last child born in Territory L. All babies born after her were killed. Why she was spared that fate, she didn’t know. She knew that President Esther was wrong in not letting the people in Territory L keep their children. So, the night of the party celebrating her 18th birthday, Emma took a stand. That stand ended up landing her in jail. But, it is in prison where she makes her most dangerous decisions and discoveries. Is standing for what she believes in the right thing? What will be the consequences for her actions? What did she discover?

Like I mentioned above, the plotline caught my interest. How could it not have been? I was a massive fan of the Mockingjay and Divergent series. I figured that the Extinction of All Children would be the same. In a way it was. But it was also different. Emma wanted to change things, and she didn’t let anyone stop her. She made her case in the Extinction of All Children at the beginning of the book. She kept making it every time she got a chance.

I did like Emma. She stood up for what she thought was right. She did try me nuts, though. Even though she was 18, she acted like she was so much younger at points in the book. Her eyes rolled so much in this book; it wasn’t funny.

Let’s talk about President Esther. She made my skin crawl. I couldn’t understand how one bitter woman could decide that a class of people didn’t deserve to have their children. I got why she felt that way. Growing up poor will leave scars. But to punish people for what her mother went through. That screamed deeper issues. How deep, though, wasn’t revealed until the end of the book.

The Extinction of All Children fit in well with the dystopia genre. The author did a fantastic job of building up a world where a country was divided into classes and walls.

This book also fits in well in the Young Adult genre. If the characters had been older, the book wouldn’t have worked. It needed young people. It required that energy that Emma had and projected.

The end of the Extinction of All Children left me with more questions than answers.. I wondered why certain people had grudges. I wondered who the head of Territory M was. It was well written, but nothing was ended. The storylines were not completed. Which is fine because that is a lead in to book 2.

I would give Extinction of All Children an Older Teen rating. There is no sex (there is a threat of rape). There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Extinction of All Children. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Extinction of All Children.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Hemlock Girl by C.L. Heckman

The Hemlock Girl by [Heckman, C. L.]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 29th, 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Where you can find The Hemlock Girl: Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Junior year was supposed to be calm. I was going to lay low and stay out of the limelight, exactly where I liked to be. My plans were right on track. I was getting straight A’s, helping with the school play, and getting home way before curfew. Well, I was … until I met Jasper. 

I swear the earth stopped spinning that first time we made eye contact. His sky blues paralyzed my brain, and I had zero control left over the rest of my body. What was I doing? Jasper was too young, too immature, and too freaking beautiful. My biggest mistake was allowing him to get in the car with me after practice that night. It was too easy to lean in and smell his cologne, and way too easy to get swept up in the whole idea of us. 

Trying to protect myself from him, I put up walls – walls that he knocked down every single chance he got. He was getting to me and whether I liked it or not, he was going to eventually win. Finally giving in to temptation, I allowed myself to get swept off my feet and became part of his world. I never realized that to be part of it, I had to be part of them. At a bonfire on a beach the summer after my junior year my life changed forever… I became a Hemlock girl. 

I wasn’t expecting to like The Hemlock Girl as much as I did. To be honest, I thought that there was going to be no plot and the drama was going to be flying everywhere. I was right on the drama part. As for the plot, I was surprised. There was depth to the plot.

The plot of The Hemlock Girl is about Karissa and Jasper. Karissa is a junior in high school. Her plans for her junior year was to stay under the radar and keep doing what she was doing. Then she meets Jaspar and gets to know him. Falling for him, Karissa keeps Jasper in the friendzone. Until the day where she couldn’t and their relationship went beyond friendship. When a tragedy happens that affects everyone, what will happen to their relationship? Can it withstand what happens?

Let’s talk about the characters at first. I will admit that I found Karissa, Missy, Dakota, Paul, Jasper to be immature and annoying. But, they were supposed to be. They were teenagers. It was refreshing that a young adult book actually portrayed teenagers as teenagers.

I liked how the author took her time getting around to Karissa and Jasper’s relationship. I like how Karissa had to overcome her issues to agree to go out with Jasper. I didn’t like how she see-sawed for the majority of the book. In a way, she was messing with Jasper’s head. But, he was doing the same thing. I mean, he was dating Missy. Who I couldn’t stand.

I thought that the author handled Jasper’s attempted suicide with tact. She showed the effect that it had on the people around him and how they reacted to it. I was a little surprised that Karissa took so long to visit him when he was in recovery. I was also surprised at how angry Jasper’s mother was with her. But if my kid was in a fragile mental state and his on again/off again girlfriend showed up, I would have acted the same way. What I wasn’t prepared for was what happened at that visit. It broke my heart into little pieces.

The end of the book didn’t surprise me. I figured it would happen. I expected it sooner than later. The author did a great job at explaining what had happened in that gap. She also did a fantastic job of wrapping up the storylines. There were none left hanging, which is a huge pet peeve of mine when reading a book

I would give The Hemlock Girl an Young Adult rating. There are sexual situations. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would read The Hemlock Girl. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Hemlock Girl.

All opinions stated in this review of The Hemlock Girl are mine.

Have you read The Hemlock Girl?

What were your thoughts?

Young Adult books? Like them or not?

Let me know!!

The Queen’s Opal (Stone Bearers: Book 1) by Jacque Stevens

The Queen's Opal: A Stone Bearers Novel (Book One) by [Stevens, Jacque]

4 Stars

Publisher: sjacquebooks

Date of publication: December 5th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Stone Bearers

The Stone Bearers—Book 0 (review here)

The Frog’s Princess—Book 0.5

The Queen’s Opal—Book 1

The Queen’s Gift—Book 2

The Queen’s Heir—Book 3

The Queen’s Bane—Book 4

Where you can find The Queen’s Opal: Amazon | BookBub

Synopsis:

Elves never use magic or leave the forest.

They aren’t supposed to get sick either, but Drynn’s mother just died from a mysterious illness, which has targeted the elven queens for generations. With no female heir left, the symbol of the curse—a green stone called the Queen’s Opal—passes to Drynn. Unwilling to lose another family member, Drynn’s impulsive and overprotective brother drags him out of the forest to search for a cure. And the oft-diseased humans seem the most likely place to start.

But the opal isn’t all that it seems. Once outside the forest, it shows Drynn visions of the first queen—a time when the mortal avatars of the lost gods walked the earth and the humans and elves lived in peace. Much has changed in the human lands since then. It’s a darker world, ruled by power-hungry wizards who covet any kind of magic. Magic like the opal. Magic like the natural energy the wizards can see inside the elves.

More than healing one illness, Drynn’s visions call for him to restore the world’s former peace, but if the wrong wizard learns about the elves’ innate gifts, even the forest will no longer be safe. 

Family bonds will be tested. Friends will become foes. With two kingdoms spiraling into chaos, can a shy bookworm conquer his fears to bring peace to the realm?

The Queen’s Opal is book one in a new high fantasy adventure series set in the same magical and exotic world as The Stone Bearers (2016).

This coming of age story will appeal to teen and young adult fans of the TV show Avatar: The Last Airbender, Cinda Willams Chima (The Demon King), Christopher Paolini (Eragon), and other works of epic sword and sorcery.

Clean Read. Fantasy violence and a few darker themes. Recommended for young adults and teens twelve and up.

Stone Bearers:
0. The Stone Bearers (2016)
0.5. The Frog’s Princess (2016)
1. The Queen’s Opal (2017)
2. The Queen’s Gift (2018)
3. The Queen’s Heir (2018)
4. The Queen’s Bane (Coming 2018)
5. The Queen’s Rite (Coming 2019)

Please Note: The Queen’s Opal is Book One. The Stone Bearers is a standalone novel that can be read before or after the full series.

The short story, The Frog’s Princess, can also be read in any order. Find it in The Fantastic Worlds Anthology (2016) or have a free digital copy delivered to you after signing up for my email list at sjacquebooks.com. Those on my email list will receive monthly emails with updates on deals, review opportunities for new releases, and other exclusive content.

Fairy Ring:
1. Fairy Ring: Shards of Janderelle (2017)
2. Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle (Coming 2018)
3. Fairy Ring: Prince of Janderelle (Coming 2019)

Others: 
Winter Falls: A Tale of the Snow Queen (2017)
Depths: A Tale of the Little Mermaid (Coming 2018)

My Review:

The Queen’s Opal is the story of Drynn and his journey into the human world. It is also the story of Tayvin and the reason why he wanted to leave the forest. Finally, it is the story of Kol, his secret and his hatred of the robes. What happens when Kol meets Drynn? What happens to Drynn in the human world? Will Tayvin find what he is looking for? Can Kol overcome his hatred for the “robes“? Or will that hatred be his downfall?

Drynn (Aldrayndallen-Falberain): I liked Drynn. The main character in The Queen’s Opal, he was my favorite. I did feel bad for him. His mother dies, his brother forces him on a trip out of the forest and he gets kidnapped. On top of that, he starts to have these strange dreams about the first Queen and her life. He had a lousy couple of months. There was a point in the book where I wondered if he would ever be free of those people. I also was kinda hoping that Tayvin would find him first. I wanted to see a couple of those thieves get drop-kicked into next Monday (Picc and Cain mainly).

Tayvin (Tayvinaldrill-Falberain): I understood why he wanted to go to the human world. He wanted to save his brother. He couldn’t deal with losing another family member. He was impulsive and hot-headed at the beginning of the book. But, that tempered as the book went on. By the end of the book, he showed a lot of restraint. Even when Drynn told him what happened to him. I was half expecting him to go off and avenge Drynn.

Kol: I wanted to shake Kol during certain parts of the book. The way he treated Drynn at first. He wasn’t exactly nice. He was also afraid of the robes (wizards). That fear was understandable. He watched his mother burn to death, protecting him from his father. But to act the way he did after Xavien got guardianship over him was jerky. He refused to heed the advice that the dragonet gave him until it was almost too late.

The Queen’s Opal as a great read. The author did a great job with world building. She took what was a flat 2d world and built it up. I can’t wait to see what this world is going to look like in the other books.

She also did a great job with character building. Drynn, Tayvin, and Kol were complex characters with many layers. They were as realistic as two elves and a halfbreed can be.

Any issues that I had with The Queen’s Opal were minor ones. I wished that more went into how the stone chose its bearer. During Drynn’s dreams, Saylee was called to the temple. But how? I also wanted to know why someone so young? With my luck, it will be answered in the next book.

The Queen’s Opal can definitely be read by kids as young as 12. The only thing that I could even see being traumatic for anyone younger are the beatings that Drynn and Kol endured. They were somewhat graphic. There are also scenes where Drynn was chained in a cart and a scene where Drynn was drugged. Other than that, this book is a great starter book for someone starting to read fantasy.

The end of The Queen’s Opal was intriguing. Some storylines were wrapped up. Other’s were started and other’s were left open. It made me want to read book 2 and see where everyone ends up. Also, I loved the epilogue. It was a different way to do things.

I would give The Queen’s Opal a Young Teen rating. There is no sex (only one kiss). There is violence. There is mild language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 13 read this book.

I would reread The Queen’s Opal. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Queen’s Opal.

All opinions stated in this review of The Queen’s Opal are mine

Have you read The Queen’s Opal?

Love it?

Hate it?

Let me know

Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy: Book 3) by Katherine Arden

The Winter of the Witch: A Novel (Winternight Trilogy Book 3) by [Arden, Katherine]

4.5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: January 8th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Winternight Trilogy

The Bear and the Nightingale—Book 1 (review here)

The Girl in the Tower—Book 2 (review here)

The Winter of the Witch—Book 3

Where you can find The Winter of the Witch: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookbub

Synopsis:

Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen.

Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.

My review:

I had a mix of emotion when I started reading The Winter of the Witch. I was happy because this book was out. I was apprehensive because of the blurb. I was sad because the trilogy was ending. My feelings were validated for The Winter of the Witch. I never get emotional reading a book. But I did for this one.

Vasya was one of my favorite people in The Winter of the Witch. Even when pushed to her limits, she was one of the strongest people in the book. What she endured in this book would have killed lesser people. Instead, it made her a stronger person. It fueled her desire to bind Bear. I was worried about what was going to happen to her after Bear was bound. I was worried that the story was going to flounder.

Morozko is one of my favorite characters to date. He stole every single scene that he was in. The fight scene with Bear, his twin, was one of the best supernatural fight scenes that I have read to date. His scenes with Vasya after that were touching. I mean, he did follow her to summer. If that doesn’t tell anyone how he felt, that I don’t know what would. My only complaint is that he refused to get involved in the war. But I understood why.

Vasya’s rise to power in this book was amazing to read. I knew that something was going to happen when she was thrust into Midnight. I was thrown for a surprise when it was revealed who her grandmother was. I remember shaking my head and saying “Well, that explains a lot”. I liked how Vasya was able to keep her promise to the chyerti. There were points in the book, after her journey to Midnight, where I thought that she was failed. I have never been more happy to be proved wrong!!

There were several deaths in The Winter of the Witch. The death of Solovey, at the beginning of the book, broke my heart. Vasya never recovered from it. There was one death where I cheered. The other notable death was at the end of the book. I was crushed at that person’s death. Freaking crushed. I did cry. No shame here in admitting that.

The end of The Winter of the Witch was an emotional read for me. I am not going to give away spoilers but I was thrilled with how it ended. I was also thrilled with the other thing that happened. That came out of left field for me. I was happy. I might have done a fist pump and say “Yes!!“.

I want to add that the Author’s Note was a welcome surprise. I liked that the author used an actual battle as the backdrop of the one that took place at the end of the book. The Grand Prince and Sasha were actual people. She admitted to tweaking parts of the battle (which I expected). She pointed out something interesting about Russia that ended with the Revolution. Made me go “Hmmmm“. As was her fitting reference about the guardians of Russia.

What I loved was that she included a glossary. She also included a note on Russian names. Both were helpful!!

I would give The Winter of the Witch an Older Teen rating. There are mentions of sex (not graphic). There is no language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread The Winter of the Witch. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Winter of the Witch.

All opinions stated in this review of The Winter of the Witch are mine.

The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves: Book 1) by Roshani Chokshi

The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves, #1)

5 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: January 19th, 2019

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult

Where you can find The Gilded Wolves: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Set in a darkly glamorous world, The Gilded Wolves is full of mystery, decadence, and dangerous but thrilling adventure.

Paris, 1889: The world is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In this city, no one keeps tabs on secrets better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. But when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To find the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin will need help from a band of experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian who can’t yet go home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in all but blood, who might care too much.

Together, they’ll have to use their wits and knowledge to hunt the artifact through the dark and glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the world, but only if they can stay alive.

My review:

Severin is a wealthy hotelier in 1889 Paris. He seems to have it all but looks can be deceiving. Severin is a treasure hunter with an agenda. He wants his House reinstated back into the mysterious Order of Babel. He wants to be acknowledged as the blood heir to the house. The only way for that to happen is to hunt down and retrieve a ring stolen from the Matriarch of one of the two houses that are left. He also needs to prevent an ancient artifact from coming to life and destroying the world. It is not going to be easy. Severin needs the help of his team. Can Severin and his team hunt down the ring and prevent the artifact from coming to life? Or will they be too late?

The Gilded Wolves showed up on my radar a few months back. When I read the blurb, I had a “meh” reaction and almost didn’t accept the review request from the publisher. At the time, my reading/review schedule was busy. Even though the book was due to be published in January, I didn’t think I was going to be able to read it. Then I reread the blurb and my “meh” reaction turned into a “Hmmm“. Since I had a few books scheduled for review in January, I decided to accept the review request. Let me tell you, I am so glad that I did. This has to be one of the best books I have read this year.

This was a beautifully written book. The author took her time building up the characters backstories while progressing with the main storylines. Any other book would have me sitting here and complaining about it. But not here. It worked. The author separated the backstories by having them in italics. What I liked also is that there was no confusion when that happened either. That alone made this book an enjoyable read for me.

I liked that the main characters were fleshed out and they were diverse. Enrique was from the Philippines and was mixed race. He was Filipino/Spanish. Laila was from India. Zofia was Jewish and from Poland. Hypnos was White and Black. Severin was Middle Eastern and White.  I enjoyed reading how each culture was different and how everyone meshed together.

I also liked how the author chose to bring up sexuality in the book. The century that the book is set in wasn’t known for being tolerant of homosexuality or bisexuality. So to have Enrique be bisexual was awesome. His attraction to both Hypnos and Zofia was written beautifully. He wasn’t ashamed at being attracted to both men and women. Which was fantastic. 

I didn’t like Severin when he was first introduced in the book. He came across as cocky and careless. As the book went on, I did start to like him. All he wanted was to bring his House back and to be its Patriarch. Which is why I was surprised when he did what he did at the end of the book.

I liked Laila. She was the heart and soul of the group. The relationships that she forged with everyone was prevalent throughout the book. I was surprised and intrigued by her backstory. I am wondering what is going to happen to her when she turns 19. Her hidden ability was amazing.

Zofia was odd but I liked her. She was brilliant. Her nickname of “the phoenix” fit her. I wanted to cry when she was remembering her years at the university. The way she was treated by both her classmates and teachers was horrible. I don’t blame her for doing what she did (even though it was by accident).

Enrique was one of my favorite characters in the book. For the reasons, I stated above. Also because he told it like it was to Severin. He was also brilliant. The history he knew blew me away.

Tristan touched my heart. From the beginning of the book, I could tell there was something wrong. The abuse that he suffered by Wrath broke him. He reminded me of a small child at points in the book. Because of that, I thought he job as a poisoner was odd. But he was brilliant. He was also obsessed with spiders. He devotion to Goliath was touching. Creepy, but touching.

The plotline with Severin and his quest to get his House back was fascinating. I liked that Egyptian mythology was used in the book. At times, the book reminded me of an Indiana Jones movie. I love it when a plotline keeps me guessing and this one definitely did.

The secondary plotlines enriched the main plotline. They added more depth to the book that was needed.

The end of The Gilded Wolves surprised me. It also broke my heart. The author did a fantastic job at wrapping up some storylines and leaving other ones wide open. The cliffhanger at the end of the book did its job. I am going to have to read book 2 when it comes out. 

I gave The Gilded Wolves a 5-star rating. This is a beautifully written book. It has a diverse cast of characters and plotlines that kept me reading. 

I would give The Gilded Wolves an Older Teen rating. There is no sex (there is mention of sex and several kissing scenes). There is no language. There is violence. There are trigger warnings. They would be child abuse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread The Gilded Wolves. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Gilded Wolves.

All opinions stated in this review of The Gilded Wolves are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read The Glided Wolves?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

You Are The Everything by Karen Rivers

You Are The Everything

3 Stars

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Date of publication: October 30th, 2018

Genre: Young Adult

Where you can find You Are The Every Thing: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Can you want something—or someone—so badly that you change your destiny? Elyse Schmidt never would have believed it, until it happened to her. When Elyse and her not-so-secret crush, Josh Harris, are the sole survivors of a plane crash, tragedy binds them together. It’s as if their love story is meant to be. Everything is perfect, or as perfect as it can be when you’ve literally fallen out of the sky and landed hard on the side of a mountain—until suddenly it isn’t. And when the pieces of Elyse’s life stop fitting together, what is left?

My review: 

Elyse Schmidt is flying home from a band trip to Paris. Having argued with her best friend, Kath, Elyse is sitting next to her crush, Josh Harris. The unthinkable happens when their plane crashes into the side of a mountain. Elyse and Josh are the sole survivors of the crash. A year after the crash, Elyse and Josh are living in Wyoming, dating, and trying to forget the crash that changed their lives. Elyse starts to notice that her perfect world isn’t as perfect as she thought. There are inconsistencies that she keeps noticing. What is happening to her world? Will Elyse figure it out?

You Are The Every Thing is an odd book. First off, it is written in 2nd person. That is something that I am not used to. I have read only one other book where it was written in 2nd person and like this one, I had a hard time following it.

The other thing that I didn’t like about this book was that Elyse insisted on calling Josh by his full name. Josh Harris. Even to his face. It was cute the first few times that it happened. After that, it got repetitive and boring. And it went the same way with Josh calling Elyse by her last name. I wanted to go into the book and yell “Just call him by his and her by their first name, darn it“. I know, overreaction for a book. But man, it drove me nuts.

I didn’t care for Elyse. I couldn’t connect with her at all. Her actions at the beginning of the book started the ball rolling with that. I couldn’t bring myself to like her after that. I can’t say why I didn’t like her but I didn’t.

There were things that I did like about the book. I thought it was very well written. I loved the storyline. The author did a great job at creating a world around Josh and Elyse that I didn’t question. And let’s not forget the ending.

Speaking of the end, I was not ready for it. I should have known what was going to happen because of the hints dropped in the book. Talk about a mind screw.

I gave You Are The Everything a 3-star review. I thought that the book was well written with a great storyline. But, I couldn’t get past that the book was written in 2nd person. I also didn’t care for Elyse. I also didn’t care that she called Josh by his full name….all the flipping time.

I would give You Are The Everything an Older Teen rating. There is sex (not graphic but is mentioned a few times). There is mild language. There is violence. There are no triggers. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread You Are The Everything. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review You Are The Everything.

All opinions stated in the review of You Are The Everything are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read You Are The Everything?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!