The second book in the Red Rising trilogy, Golden Son continues Darrow's quest to tear apart the Society from within. After having succeeded at the Institute, Darrow is now serving as a lancer in the House of Augustus. A Peerless Scarred of the Academy, his goal is to kill off the Bellona family before they kill him, and overthrow ArchGovernor Augustus of Mars. However, when a mishap throws his plan into jeopardy, Darrow finds himself leading a civil war among the Golds. While he's one step closer to overthrowing the tyrannical rule of the Golds, is at worth it at the cost of losing his friends, love, and loyalty?
Just like the first book, I couldn't set this one down once I started reading it! It's action packed and kept me on my toes the entire time, and the sci-fi elements were fantastical and literally out of this world. I like reading about Darrow's growth and how he's come to trust and see friendship in the Golds, and that while he's still fighting for the same purpose, he's opened his heart to the possibility of reforming the Golds rather than destroying them. Overall, the book is a great reference to power struggles and the inequity of class divisions. I loved all the allusions to Greek mythology, and the philosophical quotes and pieces. I can't wait to read book three and see Darrow's dream finally come true!
"Echo" is a fun fantasy book that follows the journey a harmonica takes. It is about the musical people that interact with the harmonica and their journeys, showing how powerful music can be. We meet so many fun people that are going through hard times. We meet Friedrich, a young German boy living in Germany at the beginning of Hitler's career, Mike an orphan who would do anything for his brother, and Ivy, a girl confused by why social concepts are the way they are. The only thing that connects them is the harmonica. The story of the harmonica starts at the very beginning of the book and ends at the very end, making it an underlying second plot/ backstory.
"Echo" is a very fun fantasy/historical fiction book. The beginning intrigued me and was very good at capturing readers. When it gets to the middle parts when we are following different characters it does sort of feel like it is dragging on, but this is made up for with the ending. The ending was beautiful and made me so happy. Pam Muñzo Ryans writing is always so descriptive and it was great at describing music and how it feels in this book. You get to see major historical events' effects on some of the people that it would affect the most. It is a book that makes you think not only about what has happened in the past but also about the small things in life. I liked the backstory about the harmonica, it made the journey that much more special. There were some moments when we were left in the dark, aka cliffhangers and they were full of suspense. The ending as said before was beautiful, it brought everything together and resolved the suspense from the cliffhanger. Overall, this book is great. It has fantastical parts, historical parts, and musical parts, all with great writing.
Dune is a sci-fi series written by Frank Herbert depicting detailed politics with twists and turns. The first one begins with the story of a boy called Paul, the son of a duke. His journey begins on Arrakis, a desert planet filled with a valuable resource called spice. When the duke’s palace is attacked, Paul must flee and find refuge in the desert. This book was entertaining for me, but it goes a little heavy into politics and there are a lot of things you need to pay attention to in order to understand the story. I lost interest in the overall series after the first 4 books as it just gets so weird with mystical stuff in the world. The genre it fits into is not scifi, but a mix between fantasy and scifi.
I was completely enthralled with this book from start to finish. Not only is Schwab's writing style elegant, making it easy to disappear in the book and forget that time exists, but the story: Addie LaRue selling her soul for immortality with the price of forced to be forgotten by everyone who meets her, was every bit as enticing as any other action-packed fantasy novel. And although she is cursed to be forgotten, her life changes when she walks into a ragged bookstore, only to be surprised when a young bookkeeper remembers her. With romance, dark magic, and heartbreaking twists, this book was impossible to put down.
I initially picked this book after seeing all the clout it was getting, as I'm sure many have noticed, it's popularity is unmatched. I walked into reading the story with a raised eyebrow, unsure if it would live up to its hype. It did. The story closely follows the Greek invasion of Troy after Helen is swept away by Paris, and if you have read the Iliad, then I am sure you already understand the plot. What differs from the work of Homer, however, is the pace at which Miller writes and the story she pushes. It is a beautiful rendition of war, love, and heartbreak. Between fighting battles and training with Chiron, Miller shows the sides of these famous heroes we all guessed at but never saw-- from running along a sun-warmed beach to tearing out hair, you will never be as deeply connected to characters as you will while reading this. My favorite part about this book was how beautiful Miller's incredible prose and the scenes that are forever engraved in my head: Thetis touching the chin of Achilles, Patroclus's hands on the gold of well-known armor, and a stone memorial built on the greatest hill, two figures standing side by side nearby it. This is not only one of the top book's I've read this year, but nearly the best book I've read in my entire life.
Junior-11
The Selection by Kiera Cass is a teen-romance novel, following protagonist America Singer. America, along with 34 other girls is chosen to compete in The Selection. The Selection is a chance for these girls, coming from all sorts of social classes to seize a position in royalty. But for Prince Maxon, The Selection is a chance for him to find true love. We join America and the other girls as they journey to the royal palace to meet the Prince and compete for a chance to become future Queen of the kingdom of Ilea.
When I was reading The Selection, it reminded me a lot of the premise of The Bachelor. 35 girls all competing for the hand of a handsome prince? Sounds pretty much like the plot of a reality TV show to me!
And just like a reality TV show, I found myself completely hooked on this series. There was drama, romance, friendships, and even a hint of politics in this first book of the series. And even though some parts of the novel felt very cheesy and overdone, I couldn't help but want more. The Selection is the sort of book that you pick up for some lighthearted fun, just as you would binge a trashy reality TV show. While I definitely wouldn't recommend The Selection if you want something deeply moving, I'd make sure to give it a try if you're looking for something easy and fun to read to get you out of a reading slump.The Selection by Kiera Cass is a teen-romance novel, following protagonist America Singer. America, along with 34 other girls is chosen to compete in The Selection. The Selection is a chance for these girls, coming from all sorts of social classes to seize a position in royalty. But for Prince Maxon, The Selection is a chance for him to find true love. We join America and the other girls as they journey to the royal palace to meet the Prince and compete for a chance to become future Queen of the kingdom of Ilea.
When I was reading The Selection, it reminded me a lot of the premise of The Bachelor. 35 girls all competing for the hand of a handsome prince? Sounds pretty much like the plot of a reality TV show to me!
And just like a reality TV show, I found myself completely hooked on this series. There was drama, romance, friendships, and even a hint of politics in this first book of the series. And even though some parts of the novel felt very cheesy and overdone, I couldn't help but want more. The Selection is the sort of book that you pick up for some lighthearted fun, just as you would binge a trashy reality TV show. While I definitely wouldn't recommend The Selection if you want something deeply moving, I'd make sure to give it a try if you're looking for something easy and fun to read to get you out of a reading slump.
This is a beautiful story that has been waiting years to be told. It is the story of three sisters who are broken apart by an abusive father. They are pulled back together as if by magic. The sisters are so different and the way they experience the story is told so amazingly well. It is not a light read, but it is almost a profound experience when you do sit down to read it. Enjoy!
Howl's Moving Castle is a fantasy novel about the infamous wizard Howl, and a cursed hatmaker named Sophie.
Sophie Hatter is a pretty average girl whose been left to maintain her family's hat shop. However, she gets cursed one day by the Witch of the Waste and is turned into an old woman. Sophie, seeking out an end to her curse, finds her way into Howl's mechanical moving castle, and in it, she meets Calcifer, a snarky fire demon, Michael, Howl's kind apprentice, and of course, Howl. Howl, rumored to be an evil wizard who eats the hearts of young women turns out not to be so harmless after all. Sophie quickly decides to appoint herself as Howl's castle cleaner, and we follow Sophie and Howl through their escapades, rooting for Sophie's curse to be broken.
Howl's Moving Castle is truly a very lovely story, and as I read the story, I found that it was very easy and light to read. I enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of the fairytale-like novel, and each of the characters all held a special place in my heart. I enjoyed how eccentric Howl was, and it was very entertaining to read through his and Sophie's bickering. I've also seen the Studio Ghibli film version of the story, and I think that both the film and book versions were equally as charming. All in all, I highly recommend this novel if you're looking for a light, magical read.
Reviewer Grade: 11
In a teen fiction romance meets Sylvia Plath's Bell Jar, Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer is a very interesting "spin-off" from Plath's breakout novel. We follow our protagonist, Jam, a troubled high-school girl sent to the Wooden Barn, a place to help teens with mental illnesses. Jam, although wary of the Wooden Barn, soon meets an interesting circle of friends, most of them in her Special Topics English class, led by Ms. Q, a quirky and interesting teacher. Special Topics only admits very few students each year, and we soon learn why that is so.
Jam and her friends at Special Topics all suffer from prior trauma, leading each of them to the Wooden Barn. Jam is currently attempting to get over her boyfriend--of 41 days, death. To work through these traumas, Ms. Q hands out special journals to each of the students, but the journals are far from normal, and instead teleport each of the students back into the time before their lives were ruined. But the catch is this: the students are only transported to this dream world when they're writing in the journal--and there's only a limited amount of pages left.
The plot of this novel was interesting enough, however, I found that as I continued to read, I began to not be able to stand Jam. I honestly found her to be a bit self-absorbed and delusional, and maybe Wolitzer did this deliberately, but I found Jam to not be a favorable protagonist. I also really didn't like the cliche stereotypes Wolitzer scattered throughout the novel, and there was a lack of good character building and the arcs built for the side characters all seemed rushed and sloppy. Truth be told, while the plot was creative enough, everything else seemed pretty surface-level, and the huge plot twist at the end really unraveled any scrap of importance that the story had left. I wouldn't say that this novel was the worst book I read, as it was a pretty fast and easy read, but I doubt that I'd ever consider picking this book up again.
Reviewer Grade: 11
Catniss Everdeen is the young girl in District 12 who comes from poverty and hunting. When the Annual Hunger Games start their draft picks, Catniss volunteers as tribute to spare her sister. She has always had talent with a bow and arrow for hunting for food to provide dinner for her family. Catniss uses her skill to win the Hunger Games and eventually eliminate President Snow, the background of the merciless games. I loved the intelligence put into the book of the making of the games. Because of the fighting, there is some violence and gore, but it’s still family-friendly and can be read comfortably. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves quick thinking and thought-out mystery. Hunger Games is intriguing, well-planned, and is an all-time favorite for my family.
Neil Gaiman has written a lot of different books. His writing has been hit-or-miss for me, but nothing that's truly middle-of-the-road average. That was until I listened to Neverwhere. I appreciate how Gaiman narrates most of the audiobooks of his works that I've listened to so far, and Neverwhere was in line with the narration quality I expect from him. However, the content felt so mediocre that I honestly wouldn't have been surprised if it came from any other different British authors like Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams (both of which are talented writers, mind you).
There's a distinct flavor of British comedy that comes through in the absurdist naming of characters and places in Neverwhere. Perhaps it's why I felt this book was so generic. It's your classic "Institutionalized" story where a man has (what seems to him) a stable life, only to have this life upended by a fantastical parallel world introduced by a character he eventually ends up falling in love with. While his interaction with this "London Below" made the main character invisible to his old life, he takes far too long to realize that the status quo he seeks is no longer desirable to him.
Maybe it's that I don't connect with these kinds of stories. They just seem so "meh" with bland characters trying to go back to their bland lives that it's always so obvious to the reader their life would be so much better in this new reality. Of course, I probably wouldn't pursue this fantastical new reality given the choice in my own life, but that's beside the point. Neverwhere contains all the trappings of this type of story, which is certainly entertaining for a bit but gets annoying the longer the main character refuses to change into their new selves.
An average institutionalized story with average British humor, I give Neverwhere 3.5 stars out of 5.
I'm glad Ender Wiggin's crewmates had this side series to explore their identities. While most of these characters were in the background of the Shadow series until now, Shadow of the Giant finally gives them time to shine on their own. After all, after three books focusing on Bean, it's nice to see the geopolitical drama unfold between these young tactical geniuses. I can definitely appreciate the storytelling that fills in the gaps between Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead .
With Achilles being killed off in the previous book, Shadow Puppets , the principal antagonist of the series left a vacuum on the world stage that was inevitably going to be filled by Ender's Jeesh. And while these individuals had aged to the point of young adulthood, I can't deny the clever game they played with entire nations so they could position themselves in stations of power. It's entertaining to read about these military and political maneuvers in a fictional context, mostly because things would probably play out similarly in the real world if the situations presented themselves.
Still, Shadow of the Giant needs to include a side-plot with Bean. There's not much to say here other than it was an adequate stringing along that left room to conclude the series in the next two books. That being said, everything else about this series was so well wrapped up by the end of this volume that I'm sure Shadows in Flight won't have the same feel as the previous entries in this series without including Ender's Jeesh and Peter Wiggin's rule as Hegemon. If you want to stop reading the series here, I wouldn't blame you.
A great wrap-up of global affairs with room to continue Bean's story, I give Shadow of the Giant 4.0 stars out of 5.
"Scary Stories for Young Foxes" is an enchanting fantasy read involving several talking foxes. When two of them are separated from their families and meet each other under odd circumstances, they quickly bond and become good friends. They've both already had their share of scary experiences, so they find comfort in having a friend. That is, until they encounter more spooky sites, such as a monster who lurks in the pond nearby, and a lady who wants to trap them for good. What I enjoyed most about this story was the unpredictable plot twists. It had a fast pace, and never left me bored. The author has a way of smoothly transitioning from event to event without any hiccups or plot holes. I also enjoyed watching the two young foxes bond, fight, and bond again. And watch out for the plot twist at the end! The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars was because I was hoping for a slightly scarier story. At times, the monsters got a little too silly, which made it difficult to put myself in the shoes of the characters. Don't be fooled; this is certainly not a horror novel, and best for ages 11-14.
Reviewer's Grade: 8
Fablehaven is an easy read for a fantasy lover who wants an engaging story but doesn't want a hard read. Fablehaven reverts back to the original fantasy- fairies and giants, witches and demons. The types of creatures aren't hard to follow. therefore making more space for character development. You become rather attached to Kendra, and her reckless brother Seth.
Kendra is the oldest in their family of 4, and Grandma just died. Her last act was to give her parents a free cruise with the rest of the family, NO KIDS ALLOWED. That leaves Dad's side of the family to watch them. And that leaves the grandparents that they have never met. When they leave, Grandpa sets down one rule: Don't go into the woods. Then he leaves them with the rest of the property to explore. But, of course, Kendra's rambunctious brother Seth ONLY wants to go in the woods now. So when he claims to have found a witch after exploring the only forbidden area, they are set on an adventure that changes her perspective of her grandparents forever.
Seth has been given an entire mansion, almost. Nothing here is dangerous. And when Grandpa here bans an entire chunk of his property because of lice, Seth smells a secret. He grabs his survival kit, and goes to explore, despite Kendra's warnings. When he discovers a witch who has some obsession with knots or something, he cant wait to share! But those discovery means far more than he realized, and Grandma and Grandpa are far more than he realized.
Fablehaven is a twisty book with a great plotlines, and an easy to read but still engaging book. I recommend this to someone who just wants to relax and enjoy a book after a long day. Great fantasy novel, and would even work for a read aloud for younger siblings!
Reviewer Grade: 8
I picked this because the plot seemed very captivating, and it turns out it was! I also picked this because it was a different genre than what I normally read. The book kept me very hooked and contained many plot twists. Divergent has easily become one of my favorite books of all time.
The setting is a dystopian setting, in a post-apocalyptic era in Chicago. Society is divided into factions, which members stay in their whole lives after the Choosing Ceremony. Depending on which faction you are in, you abide by different rules. Tris Prior got an unusual result from her aptitude test, a dangerous result called Divergent. This means that she doesn’t belong to one faction. She transfers factions and does her best to keep her Divergence a secret, all the while making friends, and enemies, in her new faction. And then war breaks out, and suddenly, her Divergence comes in handy.
This book is absolutely amazing and kept me hooked the entire time. I was actually disappointed when I finished it because I wanted to keep reading, but it is one of the best books I have ever read.
Reviewer Grade: 8.
In a world where Titans and Olympians exist, Circe is born. Daughter of the sun god Helios and ocean nymph Perse, Circe is not as beautiful as her sister, or as powerful as her brothers. And having an unusual fascination for mortals, Circe is shunned and ignored by her family. After learning she is a witch, Circe is exiled to an unknown island where she will be a prisoner forever. There, Circe learns to hone her witchcraft, finds love, and learns that her divinity doesn't come from her immortality, but her will to live.
This author also wrote The Song of Achilles, and both books are so good! I loved all the references to Greek mythology and Circe's powerful perspective. Circe, of course, is my favorite character, and her growth from a meek push-over to a fiercely independent and resolute person was such a relief. If you like Greek mythology, romance, and coming-of-age, this book is perfect for you!
Anya and the Dragon is a captivating, magical book for any reader looking for a coming-of-age adventure tale. Anya, the only Jewish girl in her Russian village, is being evicted from her home because her family can’t afford to pay the anti-Semitic magistrate’s ridiculous fees. When a family claims they’ll pay her if she captures the last dragon in the region, Anya can’t resist the opportunity to help out her family. But it turns out, an evil Varangian warrior wants to use the dragon for nefarious purposes. I found it to be an incredibly unpredictable book, filled with plot twists and character development. I enjoyed seeing Anya change from a girl trying to make a living to a young woman determined to support her family. Although there were many characters that were difficult to keep track of, overall, this was a phenomenal book that kept me turning to the last page.
Reviewer: 8th Grade
This book has an amazing magical twist on the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. So, before I start this review, I want to warn y'all that it will be harder to catch on without that background knowledge. Now, onto the review!
This book, as above mentioned, has a twist on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. But, this book also touches on some racial issues (all good and supportive), so I would definitely consider this a YA novel. The magic in this is somewhat hard to keep up with but again, stunning and creative. This book touches on the bloodlines of all the knights but there is also magic from other lines.
Bree just got into Early College with her best friend and is trying to escape her hometown - and the grief associated with it. Losing her mother has been harsh, and After Bree is starting to take over. But one chaotic night on her first day switches her college experience-for better or for worse.
Nick stepped into Bree's life as a mentor to help her get her adjusted, but ends up as a strong support system for her-and begins to depend on her for support as well. Nick Is a part of one of the most important bloodlines, but all he wants to do is escape it. Bree helps, but can you ever escape your destiny?
Speaking of Nick, Bre and Nick have a romantic relationship-which I think is kinda cute- but if that makes you uncomfortable then just put that into consideration. It is not excessive, like maybe a 5 out of 10, but it IS important to the plot. This book is stunning and will keep you up till midnight. Gripping, fun, and creative, this is the ideal book for anyone who likes fantasy!
Reviewer Grade: 8
After having recovered all three pieces of a map leading to legendary treasure, Alosa and her crew are leading a fleet and bringing the pirates that kept her captive to justice. But when her previous captor, Vordan, reveals a secret, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race against her father, the feared Pirate King. Calling upon her siren sisters of the sea, and her loyal pirates above on land, Alosa promises to end the tyranny of her father and become the Pirate Queen. Without a doubt, she knows that she will take her father down...she is, after all, the daughter of the Siren Queen.
This sequel to Daughter of the Pirate King didn't disappoint! It's very refreshing reading about a female pirate with a female crew that the best on the sea. Alosa is iconic for her wit, selflessness, and fierceness when defending her crew and those she loves. Her blooming relationship with Riden is neither too fast or too slow, and I liked how Alosa grew as a person more after meeting him. In the end, Alosa gets to keep both parts of herself--her siren side and her human nature--and it's the perfect ending to a new beginning.
To start off, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy and feels like they need something harder than Shadow and Bone, or Legend. (both are great books btw there's reviews for those elsewhere) Slight disclaimer: it is more of a mature book than the two mentioned before. Still great. One of the reasons this book is so highly recommended by me is because I am a hardcore fantasy lover, and Brandon Sanderson has a way of creating fantasy universes in his books and making them intricate and complicated enough to make a good trilogy out of them... one of the best trilogies I have ever read. But enough ranting, onto the review.
The world where Mistborn takes place is known as Luthadel, and the whole realm is controlled by a mysterious figure known as the Lord Ruler. The social rankings are basic. Skaa (slaves, basically), peasants, and Noblemen. The only other possible social group is the Mistborn, who have magical powers... and only occur in noblemen. Mostly. Vin is a skaa who escaped from her plantation and was taken into one of the rebellions. Her brother was an influential character in her life- taught her not to trust anyone by betraying her himself. The one thing keeping her in this band of misfits is her "Luck", and the band leader realizes that things go better when she's around. But when her rebellion gets overthrown and she gets taken in to be trained as a Mistborn, that one rule she lived is becoming harder and harder to follow.
Kelsier's only goal is to overthrow Lord Ruler. He's the strongest Mistborn around... and maybe ever. He's the only known skaa Mistborn, and the entire crew depends on him. He leads his crew around, preaching his vision of freedom to skaa plantations, trying to get them to form his task force to make his dream come true. His crew of Mistings is slowly growing. One day, he runs into a girl who calls herself VIn, who seems to have Mistborn powers as well... without even realizing. Despite her reserved and untrustful exterior, she could, if trained properly, change his life... forever.
As you can see, the story of Mistborn is detailed and complicated, with social classes, characters, powers and so much more. I would highly encourage and recommend this book to any fantasy lover who is willing to embrace a challenge... and fall in love with it.
Reviewer Grade: 8