Tag: Friendship

Book Review

Immortal Consequences

TheShelfLife

Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie

Publication Date: July 2025 |Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Unique fantasy world filled with memorable characters and survival.

5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Blackwood Academy is located on the outskirts of the afterlife. Students here are living in a purgatory of sorts, helping lost souls find their way to move on. Every decade Blackwood hosts an opportunity for one lucky student to showcase their skills and win the choice to either live among the Ascended with a permanent place in society with full access to magic, or to cross to The Other Side. This year, students become a part of a competition, pitting friends against one another to win the coveted chance to choose their fate. When this celebration becomes a competition, survival becomes paramount and relationships are tested.

My Analysis: Now THIS is a book! Any synopsis of this novel doesn’t do it justice. This is so much more than a book about a competition – that element just adds to what is an amazing story. I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of these characters in a purgatory, and thought that the author did a great job developing this entity. The plot was continually interesting, kept me wondering what was going to happen and wanting to read more. The characters were well-developed and I adored their relationships with one another. This is the first in a series (or perhaps a duology?) and I cannot wait to see what happens next after a cliff hanger ending. If you enjoy a unique fantasy world that combines together friendships, romance and survival…then you need to read this one. I can see a wide audience of YA fantasy readers liking this one. I highly recommend it!

Book Review

The Grove

TheShelfLife

The Grove by Brooks Whitney Phillips

Publication Date: June 2025

Overall Verdict: An intricate yet slow paced look at the socioeconomic status of a family in the 1960’s.

3.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Set in the 1960s, The Grove shares the story of Pip living with her sister and parents on the brink of poverty. Selling oranges and taking care of the grove are a priority in which the girls are pulled into, and the only life they have ever known. Each year when the carnival comes to town, the sisters finally feel a glimpse of the possibility of wonder and something more. This year however, after the carnival leaves, the sisters begin to grow apart. When Pip feels so pushed away, she finds solace in a boy named Silas, who lives and works in the orange grove. Secrets come to light and the people of Pip’s world find themselves in some precarious situations.

My Analysis: I was expecting a slightly different story than the one I got in reading this book, but it didn’t sway my opinion on it overall. This story shares a deep look into a family who is living in poverty, and all of the things that they have to do and consider because of it. It’s interesting to see this through Pip’s eyes, growing up in the grove and not really knowing much different. I thought the insights to the socioeconomic status of the family were researched and well done. I liked Pip’s relationship with Silas and how the author included a strength in him that one may lot have anticipated for someone living as he is. When the sisters begin their separation from one another, I thought Sissy was a bit more harsh to Pip than she needed to be, which made me dislike her a bit. I know there were reasons behind her pushing Pip away, but I didn’t think she needed to be as cruel as she ended up being towards her. I think the author also did a nice job developing the characters overall, even the mother and father were well thought out and you could really see into their actions and motivations. If you like historical fiction, don’t mind a book that is interesting but slow paced, and want something a bit different, give this one a read.

Book Review

Influenced

TheShelfLife

Influenced by Sarah Darer Littman & Cindy Otis

Publication Date: August 2025 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A cautionary tale of the impact of social media from both the perspective of the influencer and those who follow them.  Good choice for younger YA readers who could benefit from seeing the power of influence.

3/5 Stars

Book Summary: Lainey is having a challenging sophomore year, especially now that her twin brother is moving across the country to live with their father.  When she finds it challenging to connect with her friends at school, she reaches out to Bliss, an influencer who is starting to make a name for herself.  Bliss finds herself the center of attention when her wheelchair breaks down and her friends help to push her to their destination.  Capitalizing on going viral, she ends up with a large follower count and with the support of her parents, creates a persona to talk about her disability.  When a concerned Lainey shows up unexpectedly at Bliss’s apartment, things begin to unravel as not is all as it seems.

My Analysis: This is a great depiction of a parasocial relationship between a teenager and a teen influencer.  Something that is very relevant to current times, and would serve well as a cautionary tale of the impact social media and influencers have.  I liked that it not only shares Lainey’s experience with watching and interacting with an influencer, but also Bliss’s perspective as an influencer and how daunting a task it is to become a persona while also balancing your true self and life.  My biggest gripe with this one is that the big event happens so early on, that the rest of the story was a touch mundane.  It was interesting to go back into the past and see how the two main characters got to where they are now, but other than seeing how that played out there’s not much else to wonder about as the story goes on.  Lainey and Bliss are both interesting characters and I did appreciate their individual struggles with their families and friends.  I felt the authors did a decent job of making them realistic, although Lainey bothered me a little bit when it came to her interactions with her family.  Although they may have been part of what drove her to develop the relationship that she did with Bliss, it made it hard for me to want to root for Lainey when she acted the way she did to her friends at school and members of her family.  Overall, this was a decent book and provides a very relevant look at the influence of social media and how teenagers can get so caught up in both being an influencer (or wanting to be) and following those who share the fake personas they have created.

Book Review

The Thrashers

TheShelfLife

The Thrashers by Julie Soto

Publication Date: May 2025

Overall Verdict: Fast-paced and will keep you wanting to read more! A solid thriller about a group of friends and just how far people will go to protect their secrets.  

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Jodi has been friends with Zack Thrasher since they were kids.  Now that they are in high school, she has found herself in a group known as The Thrashers.  The Thrashers are popular, rich and everyone wants to be friends with them.  When Emily, one such hopeful, dies everyone begins to question the group’s involvement.  As the police investigate the apparent suicide, secrets come out and The Thrashers are accused of harassment.  Emily’s journal comes to light, and strange things start to happen that put The Thrashers in danger, and Jodi must decide which secrets she wants to keep.

My Analysis:  I did not want to stop reading this one once I started!  It was very fast-paced, and I really wanted to know what happened and what the characters were going to do next.  Trigger warning: a teen dies by suicide – it is not graphically explained but is often discussed.  There is also a lot of partying throughout the book, and it is very normalized as teens drink heavily and do some drugs.  Because of the amount of partying that happens, this may lend to older YA readers.  Those warnings aside, this was a solid thriller.  Although Jodi could be slightly annoying at times with how she responded to certain things or seemed totally oblivious when it wouldn’t have been likely, I was intrigued by the characters and their relationships toward one another.  The concept of bullying was well done I thought, and you got to see the introspection of the characters in the aftermath of events.  What they did, how they did it and why are all twisted around into some crazy secrets. I feel like I can’t really do this book justice with an analysis without spoiling too much of the plot! If you’re looking for a thriller that revolves around friendship and secrets, I’d definitely recommend this one.

Book Review

Not Quite Dead Yet

TheShelfLife

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson

Publication Date: July 2025| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: An adult novel that still reads like YA.  There is some potential and suspense, but between an awkward writing style and a lack of a genuine main character, this falls flat.

2/5 Stars

Book Summary: 27-year-old Jet has returned home after attempting college, deciding that she would figure out how else to make her mark on the world.  On Halloween night however, she is attacked and sustains a severe head injury.  Doctors inform Jet that she has only seven days left to live, before succumbing to an aneurysm.  Determined to piece together who attempted to murder her and why, she teams up with a childhood friend to track down evidence and suspects.  As her condition deteriorates with each passing day, Jet realizes her family and friends have more secrets than she could have imagined.

My Analysis:  Jackson is attempting to break into adult novels with Not Quite Dead Yet, but this still reads very much like her YA works.  Other than it being a character in her twenties and the fact that there is a bit more profanity scattered throughout, there really isn’t much that would make it stand out as an adult title.  Which may work for some crossover YA readers who could be interested.  Overall, I was disappointed with her writing.  The sentence structure was very abrupt and disjointed and it took away from the narrative.  There is potential with this title and the idea of a woman solving her attempted murder under a time crunch.  I think the best part of the entire novel was Jet’s relationship and reconnection with her childhood friend.  I did find Jet’s character to be very unlikeable.  Which may have partly been intentional, but it made it challenging for me to even be on her side to want to know what happened to her.  I do also think that she was far too glib about the concept of her dying.  She would continually make unnecessary jokes or put off people who wanted to see her when she knew she had a limited window left.  I found that to be a bit disingenuous and it actually bothered me on a personal level.  There were some moments of suspense throughout which were mildly intriguing, but I will admit I did see the “big twists” coming.  If you are a YA reader and a fan of her other novels, you may also enjoy this one.  If you are an adult mystery thriller reader, I’d skip this one.

Book Review

Don’t Let the Forest In

TheShelfLife

Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews

Publication Date: October 2024| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Not a book everyone will love, but those who do will fall deep into the characters and their monsters.

4.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Andrew finds solace in Thomas and his twin sister Dove. They are what get him through days at Wickwood Academy. Andrew finds balance with Thomas’s drawings of the dark and twisty fairytale stories he writes. When arriving back at school, Thomas learns his parents are missing with a bloody mess left behind. As he pulls away from everyone, Andrew realizes that Thomas is not only fighting internal monsters, but actual monsters of his drawings come to life.

My Analysis: This is not a book that everyone will enjoy, you have to be willing to tolerate the slow pace and really getting to know the deeper minds of the characters in order to fully appreciate it. I think this particularly applies to the general YA reader population. The style of writing is very artistic as well, with a TON of imagery throughout. That being said, I thought it was great. I was a little skeptical at first, but once I got into it I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The way the author describes some of Andrews thoughts is truly mesmerizing. The depth of Andrew and Thomas’s relationship toward one another…chef’s kiss. There are some trigger warnings to be aware of, which are also presented at the start: depiction of eating disorders, self-harm, and quite a bit of blood/gore. There is a solid twist towards the end that I did not see coming, but very much appreciated. If you’re looking for something hauntingly beautiful and deep with a touch of psychological thriller, you need to read this one. Side note, it’s a perfect book to read for the fall season.

Book Review

Murder Between Friends

TheShelfLife

Murder Between Friends by Liz Lawson

Publication Date: April 2025| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A classic teens try to solve the crime story, but full of suspense that will make you read through this one quickly!

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Ally, Henry and Grace used to be best friends, until Grace told the police she saw Henry’s brother at the scene of a murder. Their beloved teacher was found murdered, and it’s been two years since Henry’s brother Jake has been in prison for the crime. When Jake ends up being released on a technicality, Grace begins to question what she saw that night. Believing the police are hyper focused on Jake and not looking at anyone else as suspect, the trio band together once again to try and figure out exactly what happened and why.

My Analysis: If you’re accepting of reading the classic mystery trope of a group of teenagers work together to solve a crime, this one is worth the read. I found it to be very suspenseful and the author did a nice job making you question all the characters and their motives. There was also a nice layer of subplot throughout which not only added to the mystery but really helped with character development. The book is divided up into the three friends perspectives, which I wasn’t sure of at first but I warmed to quickly. It did help to be able to see into the brain of each of the three of the friends and get to know them a little better. The one thing that bothered me a little was I was correct with my “whodunnit” guess, which I figured out early on. However, that may not be the case for a YA audience, who I feel would definitely enjoy this one. There was one twist at the very end though that I did NOT see coming, which I appreciated. A solid choice if you want a quick read mystery.

Book Review

The Last Bookstore on Earth

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The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold

Publication Date: January 2025| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A well-written but one dimensional, post-apocalyptic debut novel.

3.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Ever since The Storm devastated civilization, Liz has secluded herself in the bookstore she used to work at. The Storm caused weather-related damage, including body melting acid rain. Liz has gotten used to her time alone since her only companion left to find out what else was left of the world, until she finds herself with an unexpected intruder turned guest. When Maeve comes into Liz’s life, she pushes her beyond her comfort zone as they continue to survive and prepare for yet another coming Storm.

My Analysis: For a debut novel, I really enjoyed the authors writing style. I felt very connected to the main character Liz and her emotions and experiences both past and present. I however did not care for Maeve’s character at all. I found her to be very annoying and I’m not sure what Liz saw in her really other than the fact that she was simply there. I liked the concept of this novel and of course was intrigued by the idea of her being in a bookstore in an end of the world situation. The novel is all from Liz’s perspective, but does share a past timeline as well. There are also some mini journal entries throughout of others peoples stories. I liked how those all came together to share the overall story. I did find the novel to be a bit one dimensional, I wish there was a little more substance or another subplot to compliment the rest of the main story. Maybe more of the romance between Maeve and Liz as well? It all felt very surface level. I am glad though that there’s another new decent YA dystopian out, it is something lacking right now! If you’re into post-apocalyptic scenarios, give this one a try.

Book Review

The Wilde Trials

TheShelfLife

The Wilde Trials by Mackenzie Reed

Publication Date: January 2025| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A little slow to start, but if you enjoy stories about games/competitions, this one is definitely for you.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Every year Chloe’s elite boarding school has a wilderness competition, where those participating are pushed to their physical and mental limits. Not only does the winner get bragging rights as champion, they also get a huge monetary reward. Chloe is determined to win this year, and use the money to help pay for her sisters cancer treatments. When someone begins blackmailing Chloe during the games, she is forced to partner up with her ex, Hayes, who just so happens to be investigating his brothers death which also occurred during the competition years before. Lies, deceit, and sabotage are now a part of the game making the challenges that much harder…and also deadly.

My Analysis: I was a little bit torn on this one and ultimately what to rate it, but I think those true YA audience readers will love it. The pacing was a little slow for my liking, and it really didn’t pick up until about 60% in. I was curious enough to know what was going to happen and what would be revealed to keep reading though. Once it did really get going I found myself very invested. I liked the characters and particularly the relationship between Chloe and her sister. Reed does a nice job of making you question the motives of everyone in the game and was able to share some solid character development even when some characters weren’t always on the page as frequently. The ending wrapped up nicely, although it did seem a bit rushed after everything. If you are into stories that are about games or competitions, you will definitely enjoy this one. Lots of clues and challenges within the Wilde Trials themselves as well as other secrets that are simultaneously uncovered.

Book Review

Under the Surface

TheShelfLife

Under the Surface by Diana Urban

Publication Date: August 2024 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A gripping thriller that will keep you guessing from start to finish. Teens lost and fighting for survival and each other.

5/5 Stars

Book Summary: A group of high school students are on a trip to France. Ruby is an emerging travel vlogger, and is excited to see what the city has to offer. Plus, spending a week in Paris with her best friend and crush sounds like a dream. When Ruby’s friend Val sneaks off to meet a French boy though, Ruby tries to stop her from making a bad choice. However, she and a couple others from the trip get swept up into the idea of an exclusive party in the underground Paris catacombs. As they make their way through the catacombs, it becomes clear that they are never making it to the party. Flooding, cave-ins, and wrong turns aren’t the only things they need to survive from, there is also someone or something chasing them as they continue to try and find the surface.

My Analysis: This is Urban’s best work yet. I’ll admit I’m a bit skeptical because she tends to be very hit (and mostly) miss with me but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It was very suspenseful throughout and she did a nice job of letting you really get to know the characters on a deeper level. The friendships (both current and former) are very well done. It’s a dual POV with Ruby and someone above ground, so you really get to see what is happening on both sides of things which was interesting and makes you really invested. It is a story of survival, friendship, love and the belief of doing what you believe is right. I liked learning about the Paris catacombs from a historical perspective as well, and through this heart pounding story it made them come alive as the reader. I feel like I can’t say much more without giving away too many spoilers, so let’s just say that I didn’t want to stop reading this one. If you like thrillers then you definitely need to give this one a read!