Tag Archives: Young Adult

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The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (Review by Angela J. ’22)

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The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read The Cruel Prince a couple years ago before the second two books came out and recently returned to the trilogy to get out of a reading slump. The Queen of Nothing was much like the first two: a fun and interesting read, but nothing that stood out as impressive. It’s your standard YA fantasy series: seemingly ordinary heroine, powerful and attractive love interest, adventure and twists along the way.

The Queen of Nothing itself wasn’t a particularly intense culmination of the trilogy and its flow was very similar to the first two books. The plot is very up-down, up-down with an obstacle introduced, resolved, introduced, resolved, rather than a spectacular ending that neatly ties up a huge jumbled mess that doesn’t seem resolvable (my preferred conclusion style). The characters other than the protagonist and her father feel pretty flat and under-developed, especially the love interest, and the romance definitely feels forced.

What stood out in particular was the protagonist’s voice. She was incredibly self-aware and honest with herself about her weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Her self-reflection and narration of why she became who she has become was the main reason why I kept reading, and her dynamic with her father was especially interesting. However, I do think there was wasted potential in possible character development–as complicated of a character she is, she hasn’t changed much since the first book.

Nevertheless, I would suggest this read for anyone who wants a regular fantasy series that you can easily move on from without having to ponder major plot twists or suffer intense emotional turmoil. -Review by Angela J. ’22

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Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Review by Anika F. ’21)

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Gods of Jade and ShadowGods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At this point in my fantasy journey, it’s hard for stand-alones to impress me. Some are too short and don’t allow for enough world building or character development. Others are large tomes (like The Priory of the Orange Tree) that are pretty much a full series condensed into a brick. Similarly, Young Adult fantasy is not something I reach for, since I prefer the depth and nuance of New Adult or Adult novels.

Yet, somehow, Gods of Jade and Shadow, clearly both a decently lengthy stand-alone and a Young Adult fantasy, surprised me. While the characters and plot are interesting, what really drew me to the book was the descriptions and the storytelling. Silvia Moreno Garcia creates these lush settings with hints of magic, crossing the boundaries between our world and mythology.

Even if you’re not a big YA fantasy reader, I still think there’s a lot to gain from this book. It discusses racism and discrimination, feminism and misogyny, and the importance of charting your own path, even when your family holds you back. —Review by Anika F. ’21

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The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba (Review by Maggie Y ’24)

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The Wandering Inn: Volume 1 (The Wandering Inn, #1)The Wandering Inn: Volume 1 by Pirateaba
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first web novel. It is an interesting concept, and it was still being written and updated as I read. The Wandering Inn is set in a video game-esque world, with classes (ex. [Soldier], [King], [Florist], etc.), skills, and levels. Following the view of Erin Solstice, a girl who comes from ‘our’ universe and is suddenly dropped into this one, the story documents her adventures in this world as an innkeeper. There’s the occasional side chapter following other characters in this world, but the main focus is on Erin. The first volume might admittedly be considered lacking by some, but I found it to have a decent start. However, the author noticeably improves in their writing abilities as the book progresses; battles and other character interactions are well-written, and the world building becomes all the more immersive and detailed.

The Wandering Inn is a beautifully crafted story with plenty of developed history and places. There isn’t a lot of emotional conflict, so I think it might be less appealing for people who solely enjoy those types of books. However, this novel felt almost personally tailored to my interests. I value world building so much in a good story, as well as the idea of a video game world. If you do too, be prepared to read it well into the night. —Review by Maggie Y ‘24

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Solitaire by Alice Oseman (review by Hita T. ’23)

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SolitaireSolitaire by Alice Oseman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sixteen-year-old Tori Spring, a cynical and pessimistic teenager, only likes her brothers Charlie and Oliver, her best friend Becky, blogging, and sleeping. Her life, to her, is uninteresting and dull, and as she enters Year 12 at Harvey Greene Grammar School (more commonly known as Higgs), she expects nothing interesting to happen. However, everything changes when Solitaire struck.

Solitaire, an anonymous organization, starts to run pranks in Higgs and what begins as a few minor pranks leads to more large scale events. Tori’s life is suddenly turned upside as she and Michael Holden, an eccentric student who is new to Higgs, tries to find out who is behind Solitaire. However, the answer might be closer than she expects…

Told in the perspective of Tori Spring, Solitaire, a YA novel, captures the life of an English teenager living in today’s era. Solitaire required a second reading from me as it did not exactly engage me the first time, but when I read it the second time around, the plot twists and the mystery had me on tenterhooks until the very end. -Review by Hita T ’23

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We Are The Perfect Girl (review by Ms. Pelman)

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We Are the Perfect GirlWe Are the Perfect Girl by Ariel Kaplan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A charming, fresh, and sharply written retelling of Cyrano De Bergerac where friendship, not romance, is at the heart of the story. Aphra and Bethany are best friends. Bethany is painfully shy—she can’t string 4 words together when attempting to speak to her crush Greg. Aphra is smart, funny, and outgoing, but does not consider herself attractive mainly due to her nose (naturally). In the midst of trying to help Bethany get together with Greg, she inadvertently begins an anonymous relationship with him online, which she then parlays into assuming the Cyrano role, feeding Bethany lines during dates and composing text messages for her. As an overwhelmed Bethany tries to go along with the plan, Aphra falls harder and harder for Greg.
Even readers unfamiliar with the original story will understand both the folly of their plan and the inevitable blowup that will ensue. The trick is making us care. Kaplan accomplishes this feat and more in her deftly constructed novel. With its swift pacing, humor, and fully-realized characters, readers will be swept up. Far from simply zany, the substantive plot makes clear Aphra’s journey through anger and pain, and her awakening to the kinds of love that matter most. While its seeming conventionality may be a turn off for some, readers who don’t mind romantic entanglement mixed in with their strong, intelligent female protagonists will find much to enjoy. -Ms. Pelman


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With The Fire On High (review by Anya W. ’20)

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With the Fire on HighWith the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ever since she got pregnant with babygirl, Emoni’s life has been about deciding right: she knows better than to mess around, because she’s got babygirl to look after and money to save. College, mistakes like boys, and even the new cooking course that could let her pursue her dreams as a chef seem so far beyond her reach.

The snappy dialogue of Emoni’s internal monologue is easily matched by the well-crafted plot and brilliant characterization of the novel. Acevedo spins a fun, thought provoking tale of hope, responsibility, success, and picking yourself back up after you fall down. The romance is better handled in than many other books I have read in the genre, and the author does a stellar job of handling difficult topics. While the novel my be a little more mature than most YA works, it is still accessible enough to resonate with teen readers and honestly better written than many a YA beach reads.

With the Fire on High is a stunning piece, just as good if not better than Acevedo’s earlier work on The Poet X. Her characters are realistic, complex, and likable, and while I can see her writing style developing in some similarities in her protagonists, Acevedo has clearly proven she is not a one trick pony. -Anya W. ’20

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We Were Beautiful by Heather Hepler (review by Hita T. ’23)

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We Were BeautifulWe Were Beautiful by Heather Hepler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There had been traces of alcohol in her bloodstream when she was driving. The deer had just stood there in the middle of the road, and she hit it. Her sister did not come out of the crash alive, and one part of Mia’s face was severely scarred.

Ever since that fateful night, Mia Hopkins has been grieving, struggling to figure out what happened. She doesn’t remember what happened, or why it happened, but she only remembers one thing — she had been driving the car when it crashed; a fact she finds extremely hard to forgive herself for. In the midst of this chaos, her broken family sends her to New York to stay with her grandmother, whom she barely knows. She is forced to work a summer job in a cafe, and makes a series of friends, starting with the blue-haired, energetic Fig. Over the summer, Mia finally pieces together what had happened that painful night, eventually realizing that redemption and forgiveness, although seemingly impossible, is not out of reach.

We Were Beautiful by Heather Hepler is a stunning YA novel revolving around grief, self- acceptance, and forgiveness. Hepler intricately and sensitively draws the reader through Mia’s story and perspective, and it is a must read for anyone looking for a heavy, yet thought inducing novel.
-Hita T. ’23

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Nemesis (review by Sofie K ’20)

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Nemesis (Project Nemesis, #1)Nemesis by Brendan Reichs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Every two years, Min dies.

It’s always the same man, time and time again. He appears sometime on her birthday, kills her, then she wakes up the next day as if nothing happened. She doesn’t know why, or what Noah, subjectively the town’s most attractive (and rich) boy, has to do with it, but it happens. On top of it all, a giant asteroid called the Anvil is threatening to destroy Earth… in like a week.

I really wanted to like this book. I hadn’t seen this premise too often before in books, so it seemed that it would live up to the hype. But it just didn’t make sense. The twists came out of nowhere (they were barely hinted at), so they felt super jarring, and the storyline with the asteroid seemed really separated from the plot. When Reichs tried to tie it all together at the end, it just felt really forced. It’s overall not a terrible plot, it just seemed disappointing compared to what it could have been.

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Emergency Contact (review by Ms. Pelman)

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Emergency ContactEmergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Told in alternating points-of-view: Penny, a college freshman and Sam a drop-out who works at a coffee shop. Penny is navigating her first year away from her mom (it’s just the two of them, and their relationship is close, but rocky), and chasing her dream of becoming a writer. Sam is nursing a broken-heart, while trying to make ends meet. In fact, his life is kind of a mess and he’s just trying to keep it together. The two are introduced by Penny’s roommate because the two have a complicated family history. When Penny finds Sam on the street during an awkward and distressing moment, she helps him out. From then on Penny becomes Sam’s “emergency contact” and their ’round-the-clock text conversations will alter their lives forever.

Funny and heartfelt; engaging and entertaining, Emergency Contact will appeal to readers who enjoy the snappy, witty dialogue found in John Green novels, and the characters you come to love in Rainbow Rowell books.

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Lovely, Dark, and Deep by Justina Chen (review by Anya W. ’20)

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Lovely, Dark, and DeepLovely, Dark, and Deep by Justina Chen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Viola Li has a Plan. After the end of her first trip with her aunt, to Africa, she’s working on several more bake sales to raise money for the causes she’s written about. A few more of her scheduled vacations, and she’ll have just the right resume for acceptance as a journalism major to her dream school in Dubai.
Except, as it turns out, sometimes the malaria vaccine can give you extreme, permanent, photosensitivity. Thanks to her professional disaster manager parents, Viola’s entire life and all her plans for the future are permanently deconstructed within a week. All that’s left now is figuring out how to cope.

Chen’s novel is a good beach read, and typical YA. The romance, while not badly-written, is not particularly epic-it would have had the same impact as a friendship. However, her writing is excellent at evoking empathy within the reader, and breathes life into her main characters.
-Anya W. ’20

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