Book Reviews by Genre: Fantasy

The Hunger Games is a very descriptive novel that I am really fascinated by. Sometimes I like to think about the odds of a government similar to the Capital forming and what district I would be divided into would be. I think that it is kind of interesting that Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12 because not only is it the last district it isn’t really anything special it’s just the coal district.

The Hunger Games, a dystopian novel by Suzanne Collins, follows a young women named Katniss Everdeen and her fight to survive the tragic Hunger Games. It’s Election Day at the start of the book And Katniss’ sister,Prim, just turned of age when her name is put into the drawing for the Hunger
Games. When it came time for a girl to be elected for the Hunger Games despite the odds Prim’s name was drawn but Katniss wouldn’t let her go to the hunger games where she would meet her death so she volunteered. The Hunger Games is a televised event where two people from each of the twelve
districts are sent into an arena and fight to the death until there is only one person remaining. The last person standing is named the Victor. The Hunger Games acts as a reminder to the districts to never rebel against the Capital.

I think that the Hunger Games is an example of what happens when government takes “control freak” to the next level, they send people into an arena to die just because they want the district to know they can. I wonder why the districts haven’t rebelled, it’s not like their lives could get much worse if they did.

The Percy Jackson series is one of my favorite series’ because it combines two topics that I really like, Greek mythology and action/adventure. Greek gods and legends are typically very epic and exaggerated so combining that with a very relatable boy creates an amazing result that I think only Rick Riordan could have come up with and developed.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians; The Lightning Thief, a fictional novel by Rick Riordan, follows the journey of a boy and his relationships and encounters with Greek legends and myths. Percy Jackson is at first what some might call a “loser” and often gets picked on at school and has trouble concentrating on academics. Percy’s whole life changes when he discovers that his dad, which he hadn’t known before, was the all-powerful Poseidon making him a demigod. After Percy finds out who his dad id he is sent to Camp-Half Blood, a cleverly named camp for demigods, because his home is no longer safe for him. In Camp Half-Blood Percy makes himself at home I makes new friends by impressing people with his powers which he didn’t even know he had. The fun and games is quickly over when learns that someone has stolen the lightning rod from Zeus, the king of the gods, and the top suspect is none other than Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. On Percy’s journey to prove to Zeus that he is not the thief he is accompanied by his two best friends Annabeth and Grover.

I personally think that it was quite a genius idea to have the main character be just an average boy that gets bullied and picked on at school because it makes him relatable. I think that in one way or another everyone has been bullied before and it makes Percy a very relatable character and I also think it kind of acts as inspiration for us.

After the tragic, premature death of Violet’s older sister Rosie, Violet and her mother move back to her mother’s home town in the sleepy little town of Four Paths, NY. But Four Paths has more going on than originally meets the eye: it’s secretly the prison of a nefarious beast. Captured by the founders of the Four Paths, the beast lives in a shadow world on top of the regular world, called the Gray. As more and more people get pulled into the Gray and are violently, Violet and her new friends are called to use their newfound magical powers to stop the beast at any cost.

The book is being marketed as “Stranger Things” meets “The Raven Boys”, and I would say that is a pretty spot on comparison. The Gray is not unlike The Upside Down or Cabeswater. The difference, really, is that this book is lacking in a few areas where Stranger Things and The Raven Boys succeed: detailed characterization, nuanced worldbuilding, and extremely good writing. The characters in this one were one dimensional; Violet and Harper, two of our four main characters, were fairly interchangeable to me. The book fluctuates between following the children of the four main founders, and as a result, we only get to know a few of them really well. They are still interesting – they all have to deal with quite a bit of pressure from their parents and the town, but I wish they had each been developed more.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding at first, but then a few details were introduced that clearly just served as plot devices. For example, if the children of the founders date each other, they will lose any magical abilities they may have inherited – there’s no need for this aside from generating romantic tension that could have been generated in a number of other ways. There were a few other plot points (like the rituals) that were never explained in a satisfying way. That said, I raced through the book. As I got closer to the end and realized there would be a sequel, I got a little less interested (this did not need to be a duology).


TLDR: While it’s not quite as good, folks who enjoyed Stranger Things or The Raven Boys will find a lot to like here too. Despite its many problems, it was a creative, compelling read, and I did end up enjoying it! 3 stars. I liked it. I’d read another book by this author.


Thanks to Titan Books and Netgalley for the advance electronic copy which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. The Devouring Gray will be available for purchase on 02 April, but you can put your copy on hold today!

Everless is a very interesting read with a concept similar to that of the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard. This book follows a girl in a kingdom where your life-blood is currency. She is thrown back into the royal goings of the royal family to be able to care for her father but learns much more about herself than she thought. Overall, I really enjoyed this book because it's an interesting concept and I enjoy the sort of fantastical kingdom type books. Some parts of this book were confusing in terms of what exactly the characters were feeling and their intentions but I thought this was a very good book. I would recommend this book for lovers of the Red Queen series and books of similar concepts.

The Hazel Wood is an interesting mix of modern perspective and fairy tale magic. This book took a Grimm's fairy tale turn in it's dark and twisting paths. The main character has always been followed by bad luck and when she goes back to her dead grandmother's estate, she finds out why. I really enjoyed this book as a fan of fairy tales and darker ideas. I would recommend this book for fairy tale lovers and people who have a love for the darker side of the world.

Ace of Shades a spectacular read. This book is set in a town ruled by gangs and gambling. The main character is trying to find her mother and get through the city without it ruining her, but she finds that she is made more of this city than she thought. I really enjoyed learning all about the city and the workings of the gangs within it. Ace of Shades has a special magic for drawing the reader in and keeping you wanting more. I would suggest this book for people who enjoy mystery, fantasy, and a little bit of Las Vegas.

The final installment of the Red Queen series, War Storm was an interesting conclusion. This book is the conclusion of the war between Cal, Mavis, and Mare. For a conclusion, I thought the author took a bit of the easy route by not wrapping it all up and leaving an open ending. After reading the whole series I felt like this wasn't the best ending to the series but it was an interesting way for the author to tie it up. For readers of the series, definitely read this book because it's still very good, just not my favourite of all of the them.

This book follows ex-convict Shadow, once he is released from prison and enters into a new job as the assistant to Mr. Wednesday (more commonly known as Odin). Shadow doesn’t believe the fact that he is surrounded by gods, until Mr. Wednesday introduces him to god and god and shows him undeniable evidence. Mr. Wednesday is using Shadow as a mean of amassing the older, more forgotten gods into an army ready to retaliate against the new gods of the modern era. Technology, for example, is depicted as a god, but a socially removed and young god. This has been one of my absolute favorite books to read because of how it explores the change in worshiping from ancient gods and folklore into technology, media, and trends. The book is so complicated because it brings together ancient gods of cultures from around the world.

Each have different origins and purposes, and the role Shadow plays as the representation of humanity only intensifies the surreal feeling of the book.
I liked how I was able to relate to Shadow, as bring subject to the controlling factors of society, whether they be demanding gods or media outlets. I appreciated how well-researched the cultures written about were, and how there isn't a page in the book that doesn’t bring about another point to think about, something like morality or control. The book is also very entertaining and a fascinating storyline, and I would highly recommend it to any reader. I would give it five out of five stars.

This books follows Elliot Schafer as he leaves behind the modern England and travels instead into a magical land where he enrolls in a sort of a school.

Students, called cadets at the camp/school, can choose between war training and council training, meaning fighting or diplomacy. He befriends Luke Sunborn, the fan favorite of the camp and a promising soldier, through a truce that they made regarding the third member of their group, Serene, the only elf who joined the human army and who they both try to help by offering extra lessons. Elliot’s mission slowly becomes peace in the Borderlands, the name of the magical place he now lives in, because he doesn’t like their dependency on war as a means of existence. The book then follows the three friends as they navigate treaties and violence and meet many magical creatures. This is by far the best book I’ve read this year. There is a sense of empathy for all the characters, realistic romances, delicate friendships, and other harsh realities that rarely appear in young adult literature, not to mention the reverse gender stereotypes and raging pacifism that become center points of the plot. I loved the detail in the story and how everything in the story in interconnected. I could barely put it down, and would highly recommend it. I would give it five stars out of five.

Pittacus Lore has written another masterpiece with The Fall of Five. In The Fall of Five, new characters are introduced and old friends return to fight. The Garde finally find their last member and work to train as a team.

However, the Mogadorians are working just as hard and become more desperate to kill all of the Loric. In this novel, the fun and dramatic adventure started in I am Number Four continue and the characters are further developed. However, The Fall of Five is full of additional thrills and a plot twist that will shock you.

I liked this book because it was very suspenseful. This book was unpredictable and I found that part particularly enjoyable. I picked this book because it is from a very good series. I can relate to Will because he is not easily spooked. However, when he is spooked, it is really, really bad.
This is one of the best books I have read this year.

Reviewer Grade: 9

In the sixth book of the Ranger’s Apprentice, Will, the protagonist, is a full fledged ranger. He is tasked with infiltrating Macindaw and finding who is leading a coup on the lord there. The book is kinda slow to build up the story and events. However, it is worth continuing to read because it gets really good. I liked this book because it leaves you on your toes once you get into it. This book is hard to predict but it is possible to guess what is going to happen. One of the best books I have read this year.

Reviewer Grade: 9

In the fourth novel of the series The Ranger's Apprentice, The Battle for Skandia, Will, the protagonist, finds himself stuck in Skandia. Will must help the Skandians repel an invasion. I liked this book because it leaves you wondering, who is going to win. This was a book that was very unpredictable, which I find very enjoyable. I picked this book because it is the fourth book in a really good series. I can relate to Will because he finds himself being required to help those who do not want help. This is by far the best book I have read all year so far. I would recommend this series to anyone who prefers speed and intelligence over raw strength.

Reviewer Grade: 9

In the third novel of Ranger’s Apprentice, The Icebound Land, Will, the protagonist, finds himself a captive of the Skandians. The Skandians are a group of people who raid coastal cities. He is bound to become a slave of the Skandians. The reason I liked this book is because it was very unpredictable. I can relate to the character Will because he is intelligent and thinks outside the box. The best part of this book is the beginning because it makes the reader excited to read the rest of the book to find out what is going to happen. I picked this book because the first and second books were very good.

In the sequel to the Ruins of Gorlon, the Burning Bridge, Will, the protagonist, discovers a secret bridge from the mountains to his homeland. He decides to burn the bridge to prevent those on the other side from getting to his homeland. If the people on the other side got to his homeland there would be war. I liked this book because it was very intense and stayed interesting for the entire book. Also, I could relate to the character Will because he is witty. Sometimes this book is very misleading and unexpected. However, it was still a very good book. If fact, this was one of the best books I have read this year. The reason I picked this book is because I really liked the first
book of the series.

Reviewer Grade: 9

Book three in the I am Number Four Series is just as thrilling as the first two. As more members of the Garde are introduced and the Loric race to defeat Setrakus Ra, the Rise of Nine is packed with adventure. The Loric develop new Legacies and their powers are strengthened as they come together to battle the Mogadorians. Pittacus Lore is a master of imagery that immerses you in The Rise of Nine. The Rise of Nine is a page-turner and you will not be able to put it down until you have finished it. The Rise of Nine is full of fun, action, and adventure and is a great fantasy/sci-fi novel for any middle or high schooler.

Nadya might be her country's last hope. She is one of the last clerics - folks who can talk to the gods . And while most clerics only can talk to one god, Nadya can speak with all of them. While honing her skills and powers at a monastery, the monastery is unexpectedly attacked by a neighboring country, and Nadya must go on the run. Not long after fleeing the palace, she meets up with a rag-tag group of rebels, who only want to stop the war. Nadya joins them as their plot starts with murdering the neighboring country's king.

Clearly, Emily Duncan has read and enjoyed some Leigh Bardugo. As a fellow Leigh Bardugo fan, I was not mad about how much this series was obviously inspired by the Grishaverse. Its got the same Russian inspired atmosphere, and its more than a little evil. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. I didn't even mind the love interest, even though it was instalove, predictable and often angsty. I raced through this to get to the conclusion, and really loved how bloody it was. The bits where Nadya was talking to the gods and struggling with her religion were fun to read and thought-provoking at times. That said, this book is pretty clearly a debut. The writing gets a bit purple at time, twists are telegraphed early, and you read all that stuff I just said about the romance, right? Nonetheless, the book is fast paced, and while I skimmed parts, I ultimately enjoyed it.

If you are looking for a fun, if occasionally cliche YA fantasy, you'll devour this one. Otherwise, give this one to teens who can't get enough of Leigh Bardugo. They'll immediately want the sequel. 3.5 stars - I liked it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday books for the advance copy, which I received in exchange for an honest review. Wicked Saints will be available for purchase on 02 April, or you can put your copy on hold today!

Hesina’s father, the King of Yan, was found dead. Murdered. And Hesina, now the queen, wants answers. After talking with a sooth, a person with magic who can see the future, Hesina knows how to get answers. She needs a trial, and a prisoner from the dungeon must be released to act as her legal representative. But in Yan society, sooths are executed when discovered, and so even talking to one has put Hesina’s own life in jeopardy. But she doesn’t care, because the truth is out there. And no matter what it takes, she’ll find it.

That description might not make a ton of sense because there are so many things happening in this book that it’s hard to focus on just one of the plotlines. There were three main plotlines: solving the murder, getting justice for the sooths and a brewing rebellion with a nearby kingdom. The last seemed completely unnecessary to me until it wasn’t, but there were several subplots happening as well, and I would occasionally get pulled out of the story by trying to remember who was involved in what. It was a little much. With that said, though, this is one of the best fantasy books I’ve read so far this year.

This book felt really unique to me. It stands out from a very crowded YA fantasy field in that it really hones in on political/court intrigue. Is the oppressed-magical-peoples plotline a bit hackneyed? Sure, but what the author does with it is really cool. Hesina doesn’t automatically do what she thinks is right (save the magical peoples), she actually considers what is best for her kingdom, and what her people need and want. This is a very thoughtful book – our main character spends a lot of time considering her options and hatching plots. Because of this, she’s a really likable character. The book spends a decent amount of time at various trials, and legal settings in fantasy, at least for me, are a bit of a rarity that I really enjoyed. It’s also very twisty. While I figured out who the villain was, I was way off on the murderer. And action lovers, don’t despair – there are fights aplenty here for you and there’s even a touch of romance as well.

TLDR: While perhaps a bit overstuffed, The Descendant of the Crane is an exceptional YA fantasy that is not to be missed. Readers who like their books with a healthy dose of mystery and court/political intrigue will really enjoy this one. For fans of Game of Thrones and Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince. 4 stars – I really liked it.

Thanks to the Albert Whitman Company and Netgalley for the advance copy, which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. The Descendant of the Crane will be available for purchase on 09 April, but you can put your copy on hold today!

This book is amazing! It’s intense, sisters in arms fighting for what they believe in! Through thick and thin, the amazing story behind these seafaring beauties is one of a kind!

It took me a good long time to read this book. I started reading it and I
would stop, then I’d try to start it again. Then I decided to just buckle
down and read the book. I have to say it was a pretty darn good book.

I wasn’t expecting it to be the first in a series, but as I started coming
closer and closer to the end, I realized that it may well be part of a series
– and I was right, it is. The book takes you on a journey of what happens
in a medieval style world when someone comes home from war and realizes that
a new war is brewing and it’s starting in his own city. The book is rather
slow to start and at times doesn’t make sense, but anything that doesn’t
make sense at the time will be clarified later in the book.

This particular novel is written memoir style – the narrator refers to his
having written things which is an interesting concept. Usually you don’t
see novels written as memoirs with the narrator stating that he or she had
written something earlier. I fully expect that if this series were to become
movies, that you’d find an old, wizened man at the end closing a notebook
in which he’d written the entire sordid tale.

The book was well written and I have to admit, although it isn’t normally
my type of book, I was into it. The characters were developed as much as they
needed to be and the ones that aren’t, well, there’s a reason for it.
Some of them don’t need it, some of them don’t need it right now. Read
the book and you’ll see.