Tag: YA

Book Review

Witty In Pink

TheShelfLife

Witty In Pink by Erica George

Publication Date: August 2024 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Fans of regency era romance will fall for these characters.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: After an embarrassing incident that occurred when they were children, Blythe has actively avoided Briggs Goswick. When she spends the summer at her Uncles home next door to the Goswick estate, they encounter each other once more. Each needing to do something to save their family, they end up reluctantly striking a bargain. Briggs will introduce her to potential investors for her budding bee business, and in return Blythe will help Briggs win the heart of a cold woman with a large dowry. While working together, they realize there may be more to their witty banter than resentment.

My Analysis: If you are a fan of regency era settings, I recommend you pick this one up. It focuses more on those individuals that live outside the ton and gives a slightly different perspective than binging Bridgerton. You should know going into this that it is a romance novel, and that the plot very much revolves around that and the experiences of those characters. That being said, the characters are highly intriguing and even the secondary characters are well-developed. I liked Blythe’s independent and business natured mindset, even if she could also be insufferable at times. The romance was nicely done as characters skirted around one another. Historically speaking, I’m not exactly sure how accurate this is as a representation of the time period. It felt like there were several times where things didn’t historically make sense. If that’s not something that you would get bothered by though, it is worth the read for the entertaining story.

Book Review

I Wish You Would

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I Wish You Would by Eva Des Lauriers, Narrated by Max Meyers & Victoria Villarreal

Publication Date: May 2024 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC | Audiobook Version

Overall Verdict: A little cliche in its story, but readers really get to know some fascinating characters deeply in a short amount of time.

4/5 Stars – Novel

4/5 Stars – Narrators

Book Summary: Kicking off their last year of High School at Senior Sunrise, a group of teens find out more than they bargained for about themselves and their fellow classmates. The Seniors follow a tradition of writing private letters describing what they would do if they were braver. When Natalia second guesses what she wrote and attempts to take it back, some of the secrets are scattered in the wind along the beach. Drama ensues, secrets revealed, connections made and romances ignite.

My Analysis: This is a cute realistic fiction story, seeped in friendship and romance drama. I liked that this whole book takes place within two days, and even with the short time frame you’re really able to see character growth. Even the secondary characters are well thought out and have depth. Basically the entire story is a miscommunication plot, so if you aren’t into that sort of thing I’d avoid this one. For the most part I didn’t mind it, but sometimes it did get a little old. There were also a lot of cliche moments, but if you can be accepting of them it was ultimately a nice coming of age novel with a heavy dose of romance. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this. The narrator for Natalia was spectacular. I was less impressed by the narrator for Ethan. His voice was a little aged for the character and his intonation of female characters I found to be a bit grating. If you are looking for a cute summer read with some friendship drama and romance, I recommend this one.

Book Review

Grief in The Fourth Dimension

TheShelfLife

Grief in the Fourth Dimension by Jennifer Yu

Publication Date: July 2024 |Thanks Netgalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Speculative fiction that dives deep into grief and the process of healing from a loved ones death.

3/5 Stars

Book Summary: After their deaths, Kenny and Caroline find themselves together in a mysterious white room. They come to realize that they are able to view their families and friends as they work through the process of grieving their losses. In addition, there are small ways in which Kenny and Caroline can influence the events that are currently happening to others back home. As the two connect further in the room, they realize their connection to one another and their deaths extended beyond coincidence.

My Analysis: The uniqueness of this plot made me want to pick this one up instantly. There are a lot of heavy themes within this one- content warnings for discussions of death and suicide. Yu does a nice job of making the topics of death and grief and their impact very accessible. If it weren’t for the depth of the topics, I would almost say this reads a little younger. The characters are interesting and I liked the connections that were made both in and out of the white room. The depictions of Kenny’s family restaurant were my favorite scenes. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I’ll just say that I’m not entirely on board with how things wrapped up for this one. I get where the author was coming from in how she had some characters react to certain situations, but I’m not sure if I totally agreed with some of it morally. That though is definitely something that could be subjective, based on the opinions of the reader. I was also able to figure out one of the bigger twists early on (which was a good one but I wish I hadn’t seen it coming) and another which I had not and was interestingly revealed. If you’re into speculative fiction and want an introspective look into grief, give this one a try.

Book Review

The Bitter End

TheShelfLife

The Bitter End by Alexa Donne

Publication Date: October 2024 |Thanks Netgalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A closed circle mystery that is not at all plausible or strongly written, but provides an entertaining series of events that make you question each character.

3/5 Stars

Book Summary: Eight teens get stuck with a last minute change to their Senior trip, and find themselves in a remote ski cabin for a long weekend. With the intend of being a ‘digital detox’ retreat, they are cut-off from the outside world, and when a blizzard strikes they become even more isolated. Survival becomes paramount when not only are they trapped, but people start dying. With secrets revealed and constant betrayals, everyone becomes suspect.

My Analysis: I enjoy a closed circle mystery, and wanted to give this one a try. The premise of teens trapped in a snow storm always has merit. This book is based on Agatha Christies And Then There Were None, which was interesting and overall it does keep you guessing on who is responsible. It is told in dual time lines and multiple POV’s which can get a bit tricky to understand but still works. And ultimately is very necessary to the plot. You can definitely tell though that this is an adult writing what they think teens talk and act like. I didn’t find it to be very realistic, based on my experiences. I do think Donne is getting stronger with her writing, but to me she’s just not quite there yet. If you can look past that though it is a decent thriller. There is casual alcohol and drug use throughout, in case you need to be aware of that. Ultimately it’s a quick thriller that I can see some YA readers get into if they enjoy a murder/survival story.

Book Review

Better Left Buried

TheShelfLife

Better Left Buried by Mary E. Roach

Publication Date: August 2024 |Thanks Netgalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A cool premise that falls short. The secrets long buried don’t make up for the journey to discover them.

1/5 Stars

Book Summary: Lucy’s spring break takes a drastic detour when her private investigator mother brings her along to one of her cases. When they come across a body at the abandoned amusement park, she knows they’re going to be staying awhile. What Lucy doesn’t expect however is the connection her mother has to this town and just how many secrets are buried. Swept up in the investigation herself, Lucy partners with Audrey, a local with a personal vendetta, to figure out what exactly is going on in this creepy small town.

My Analysis: I feel like I have been hit with letdowns lately when it comes to ARC’s. I wanted to like this one based on the premise, but it fell woefully short. I thought this was going to be more about the mom/daughter relationship, but the mom barely confides anything in her daughter and they’re at odds for the most part. The whole novel is this huge build up to a secret that her mother can’t bring herself to talk about, while also investigating a murder that you’re trying to unfold the details of. The ENTIRE thing is build up. And the conclusion was a let down. Honestly the only thing that kept me going was thinking I was going to find out something crazy, but I personally didn’t think it made up for powering through the book. The relationship between Lucy and Audrey is cute, almost a little too cute, but they offer each other a nice balance. That being said, this book is dual POV of the two of them, and for characters that are supposed to be so different, I sometimes forgot whose perspective I was in the middle of reading. I think it would have been better served all from Lucy’s perspective or even having a dual POV with Lucy and her mother. I unfortunately don’t have much positive to say about this one other than the cover is awesome.

Book Review

Heiress Takes All

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Heiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Overall Verdict: An over the top and unbelievable story, but one that has some entertaining characters.

3/5 Stars

Book Summary: Olivia Owens is not thrilled about very wealthy father getting re-married, yet again. Especially when he had cheated on her mom, kicked them out of the house and took away her inheritance. Now all she wants is revenge, and plans to take advantage of a busy wedding to make it happen. Putting together a detailed plan for a heist and recruiting those who can aid in her purpose, Olivia seeks to break into her fathers safe to steal the codes necessary to transfer funds to her and her crew.

My Analysis: If you know going in that this one is going to be way over the top and have events that are way too unbelievable or convenient to be realistic, then you can get some enjoyment out of this book. The best part about it is the characters. I really liked her mis-matched crew and the relationships they develop throughout. It is a quick and easy thriller and the author does put in a lot of road blocks to the heist that make you curious to see how things will come together in the end. Ultimately though there were just too many questions I had about the plot that made it hard to buy into. If you like heist stories this one is worth checking out, but beyond that you can probably skip it.

Book Review

A Family of Killers

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A Family of Killers by Bryce Moore

Publication Date: August 2024 |Thanks Edelweiss for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Sometimes tedious, this is an interesting take on a combination of historical fiction and horror. May be better suited for older YA audiences.

2/5 Stars

Book Summary: Warren has been growing increasingly concerned about the voice in his head that is urging him to be violent. At the same time, a number of people have gone missing in Kansas. When Warren’s father goes to investigate but doesn’t return, Warren sets out to prove to himself and his family that he is stronger than his impulses. As he makes his way through Kansas, he stumbles upon the Bender family. Warren becomes suspicious of them and believes they may be responsible for the missing people. Torn between becoming the person he wants to be and avenging those he holds dear, Warren must choose whether or not to give into the voice in his head.

My Analysis: This book was…odd. I’m honestly not even quite sure how to describe it. It was nothing like I was anticipating, but after finishing it and going back to the summary, it all matches up. I liked that this is based on the true story of the Bender family. Included at the start of each chapter is a real quote. It is important to note that this all takes place within the 1800s, which I had not realized going in. It does make for a very intriguing setting however. It took me a lot to get through the first half, the super slow build up took far too long. Halfway through though things pick up and I was interested in Warrens interactions with the Benders and others he encountered on his journey. I wish that there had been a focus on another character in addition to Warren. Although it was interesting to get his perspective, it got tedious after awhile. Also, I feel like the whole violent voices in his head thing was totally contradictory to his actions. He has a voice telling him to commit these heinous acts, yet when faced with even the smallest incidents of violence he gets nauseous at the thought. That didn’t really make sense to me. It’s one thing to want to fight the urges, but to have such opposing thoughts and actions was weird. In the beginning it also seemed like Warren may have OCD, but that was never really touched on again. I think I would have appreciated seeing more of the Benders perspective to break up Warren’s story. This may be better suited for older YA audiences, and not just because of the inter dispersed gore. I’m not sure some YA readers would be pulled in enough to make it through. Overall it was an interesting combination of historical fiction and horror. Readers just need to be aware that it may be a little harder to get through at some points.

Book Review

The Prisoner’s Throne

TheShelfLife

The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black

Publication Date: March 2024

Overall Verdict: A satisfying end to the duology, full of everything fans of Holly Black love about her work.

4.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Prince Oak is imprisoned for his betrayal to the new Queen Suren. High King Cardan and High Queen Jude will do whatever is necessary to retrieve Oak, even if that means war. Faced with impossible circumstances Oak must decide where his loyalties lie while also using his charm and wit to prevent catastrophe.

My Analysis: This was a very satisfying end to the duology, and I liked how things wrapped up. She also left things open plot-wise for her to continue with another supplemental series if she wishes. I’ll admit it did take me until about halfway through to really get into this one, it was a little slow moving to start with. But I really love the characters Oak and Wren and their relationship with one another, and that alone was enough to keep going. Once things started picking up though, there were some interesting twists and turns! Fans of the Folk of the Air original series will appreciate the appearances of Jude and Cardan throughout this one. Overall, if you love this world Holly Black has created, you need to read this one as well.

Book Review

Dead Girls Talking

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Dead Girls Talking by Megan Cooley Peterson

Publication Date: June 2024 |Thanks Netgalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A fast-paced thriller with an interesting crime solving duo, but that may not leave readers fully satisfied.

3/5

Book Summary: Bettina has grown up in the spotlight, since her father was convicted of murdering her mother. The town of Wolf Ridge gets turned upside down however, when years later more murders that match too many similarities to her mothers case begin happening. Bett is forced to question her fathers innocence with these additional murders. Teaming up with an unlikely ally, the morticians daughter Eugenia, they work towards discovering the truth and questioning the motives of people that live in their small town.

My Analysis: This novel definitely moves quickly, with a fast-paced narrative. A little mystery and a little thriller with some (perhaps unsurprising to some) twists I can see YA readers going for this one. I did NOT care for Bert’s attitude a majority of the time- like, I get it she’s a teenager with past issues- but come on. It was a little annoying to read sometimes. I liked the relationship that was built between Bett and Eugenia, however. The unlikely friendship angle worked for this novel and I appreciated their banter. Suspending disbelief that these two are working on solving a crime outside the police, I still found it a little too convenient sometimes what they were able to uncover. That aspect aside, it was interesting enough to keep me wondering what the truth was going to be. I did find the overall wrap up a little unsatisfying, but that could be me just being a little overly critical and wanting more out of the story. If you’re looking for a quick YA thriller, check this one out.

Book Review

Break To You

TheShelfLife

Break To You by Neal Shusterman, Debra Young, Michelle Knowlden

Publication Date: July 2024 |Thanks Netgalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A surface level look into the experiences of a teenage detention center, which may appeal to younger YA readers.

2.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Adriana is sentenced to seven months at the Compass Juvenile Detention Center. As she adjusts to this new life, she continues to write in her journal, the one way she is able to fully express her emotions. One day though, she can’t locate her journal. Adriana discovers is some time later only to realize that someone else has written back to her. A boy, who she is not allowed to see on the girls-only side of the center. Adriana and Jon (who has been at Compass for a long time) begin a correspondence to help them work through their time there. Giving them hope in a challenging circumstance.

My Analysis: I am a HUGE Shusterman fan, so when I saw this coming out I jumped on it immediately. But I was disappointed in this one. It really didn’t feel like his voice was in the story at all. I suppose that is what happens when you have three minds working together to author a novel. I think this is a much needed look into the teen experience of a juvenile detention center. I wish it has dived in deeper though. I feel like I didn’t really get to know all of the characters as well as I would have liked to. And I’ll admit- I found it hard to root for Adriana. I much preferred reading about Jon. The focus was much more on a budding romance than anything else, and I would have appreciated more depth. Something else that stood out to me in this one were the glaring inconsistencies. I know this is an ARC and that a final copy may have these things adjusted (I hope!), but they were noticeable. I did like how the story wrapped up and the ending was satisfying. Overall I think this may appeal more to younger YA readers.