Young Adult

Review: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

Title: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Albertalli
Genre: Contemporary, GLBT, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin Books (7th April 2015)
Blurb:

Simon Spier is sixteen and trying to work out who he is – and what he’s looking for.

But when one of his emails to the very distracting Blue falls into the wrong hands, things get all kinds of complicated.

Because, for Simon, falling for Blue is a big deal . . .

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

SIMON vs. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli is a standalone young adult novel that tells the story of sixteen-year-old Simon Spier. When the book starts Simon is exchanging emails anonymously with someone named Blue, who he forms a connection with. After he forgets to log out of his email account at school these emails fall into the wrong hands and life gets complicated for Simon.

Continue reading →

Review: The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

/ beckireads / 1 Comment

The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium, 2)
Authors: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Corgi Books (3rd September 2015)
Blurb:

WHAT IF YOUR SOUL WAS NOT YOUR OWN?
WHAT IF YOU KNEW YOU WERE DESTINED FOR EVIL?

Callum Hunt has returned from the Magisterium victorious. He is now a mage in his own right – a Copper Year student. He has friends; feels at home in the winding tunnels of the mysterious magical school.

But Call hides a terrible secret.

His soul is not his own. His body is a vessel for a powerful evil mage, wielder of chaos magic . . . murderer.

Salvation would like in the Alkahest, a mysterious copper gauntlet. But it is a dangerous object, with a violent history. It could destory everything Call knows and loves . . .

And release the evil within him.

THINK YOU  KNOW MAGIC? THINK AGAIN.
ENTER THE BREATHTAKING WORLD OF THE MAGISTERIUM.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

THE COPPER GAUNTLET is the second book in The Magisterium series by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. The book continues the story of Callum Hunt who having completed his first year at the Magisterium, is about to start his second but this time he knows a terrible secret that could have terrible consequences. Despite this Call wants to return to the Magisterium and his friends.

Continue reading →

Review: Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

/ beckireads / 1 Comment

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Title: Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, 1)
Author: Ryan Graudin
Genre: Alternative History, Historical Novel, Young Adult
Source: Illumicrate, box 1
Publisher: Indigo (5th November 2015)
Blurb:

Once upon a different time, there was a girl who lived in a kingdom of death. Wolves howled up her arm. A whole pack of them – made of tattoo ink and pain, memory and loss. It was the only thing about her that stayed the same.

Germany, 1956. Over ten years since the Nazis won the war.

Seventeen-year-old Yael is part of the resistance, and she has just one mission: to kill Hitler.

But first she’s got to get close enough to him to do it.

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

WOLF BY WOLF by Ryan Graudin tells the story of Yael who lives in a world where the Nazis won the Second World War, and she is part of the resistance. A decade after their victory, when Yael is seventeen she is given the mission to kill Hitler.

Continue reading →

Review: The It Girl by Katy Birchall

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

The It Girl by Katy Birchall

Title: The It Girl (The It Girl, 1)
Author: Katy Birchall
Genre: Contemporary,  Young Adult
Source: Secret Santa
Publisher: Egmont (7th May 2015)
Blurb:

Anna Huntley’s aims in life:
1. To recerate famous film scenes with Dog (her pet Labrador) such as the lift from The Lion King during that ‘Circle of Life’ song.

2. To NOT accidentally set Deputy Queen Bee Josie Graham’s HAIR on FIRE (again).

3. To keep her very first and only two school friends by NOT doing anything in usual manner of socially inept DORK and OUTCAST.

4. To find out whether points 1 and 2 constitute being socially inept – or outcastish.

5. To find a cupboard to hide in with Dog (preferably for life) after her dad gets engaged to one of the most famous actresses ever, the PAPARAZZI move in and the WHOLE WORD is on the brink of discovering why no one wants to be friends with Anna . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

THE IT GIRL by Katy Birchall is the first book in a new series. They story follows Anna Huntley who finds herself moving from invisible new girl, to hanging with the popular crowd at school when her dad gets engaged to a famous actress.

Continue reading →

Review: Jackaby by William Ritter

/ beckireads / 6 Comments

Jackaby by William Ritter

Title: Jackaby (Jackaby #1)
Author: William Ritter
Genre: Historical, Mystery, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers (16th September 2014)
Blurb:

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary – including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing the ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villian, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities – with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane – seem adamant to deny.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

JACKABY by William Ritter is the first book in the Jackaby series. It tells the story of newly arrived English immigrant Abigail Rook, who arrives in New Fiddleham, New England at the start of the book. Whilst looking for a place to work, Abigail comes across an ad for an assistant. Having no luck anywhere else, Abigail decides to try her luck with R. F. Jackaby, investigator of the unexplained.

Continue reading →

Review: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

/ beckireads / 1 Comment

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas (UK edition)

Title: Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, 4)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury (1st September 2015)
Blurb:

NO MASTERS.

NO LIMITS.

NO REGRETS.

Celaena Sardothien is cloaked in her assassin’s hood once more. She is back in Rifthold, but this time she’s no one’s slave. She must delve into her most painful memories and fight for her survival, while resisting a smouldering passion that might very well consume her heart. And she will face her former master, the King of Assassins, again – to wreak revenge for a decade of pain . . .

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Mass is the fourth book in the young adult fantasy series Throne of Glass. Celaena Sardothien knows who she is and has returned to Rifthold, in order to collect the debts she is owed. Starting with her former master, the King of Assassins.

Continue reading →

Review: Mortal Gods by Kendare Blake

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

Mortal Gods by Kendare Blake

Title: Mortal Gods (The Goddess War, 2)
Author: Kendare Blake
Genre: Mythology, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Tor Teen (8th September 2015)
Blurb:

ARES, GOD OF WAR, is leading the other dying gods into battle. Which is just fine with Athena. She’s ready to wage a war of her own, and she’s never liked him anyway. If Athena is lucky, the winning gods will have their immortality restored. If not, at least she’ll have killed a bloody lot of them, and she and Hermes can die in peace.

Cassandra Weaver is a weapon of fate. The girl who kills gods. But all she wants is for the god she loved and lost to return to life. If she can’t have that, then the other gods will burn, starting with his murderer, Aphrodite.

The alliance between Cassandra and Athena is fragile. Cassandra suspects Athena lacks the will to truly kill her own family. And Athena fears that Cassandra’s hate will get them all killed.

The war takes them across the globe, searching for lost gods, old enemies, and Achilles, the greatest warrior the world has ever seen. As the struggle escalates, Athena and Cassandra must find a way to work together. Because if they can’t, fates far worse than death await.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

MORTAL GODS by Kendare Blake is the second book in The Goddess War trilogy. The book continues the stories of Cassandra and Athena from ANTIGODDESS (review). The old Greek gods are slowly dying; fading ignobly in agony. Cassandra and Athena face the oncoming battles with a fragile alliance stretched between them. And Cassandra is the girl who kills gods.

Continue reading →

Review: Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow by Rainbow Rowell

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Fantasy, Sword and Scorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Macmillan (8th October 2015)
Blurb:

SIMON SNOW ID THE WORST CHOSEN ONE WHO’S EVER BEEN CHOSEN.

That’s what his roomate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here – it’s their last year at Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is a ghost story, a love story, and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story – but far, far more monsters.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

CARRY ON: THE RISE AND FALL OF SIMON SNOW by Rainbow Rowell is a standalone novel, which is linked to her young adult novel FANGIRL (review). CARRY ON tells the final part of the Simon Snow series which readers of FANGIRL will be familiar with, as the Simon Snow series is the fandom that Cath, the main character of the novel, is immersed in. Rowell gives readers a glimpse into the world they’ve only heard about through Cath, and her love of it.

Continue reading →

Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

/ beckireads / 3 Comments

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Title: Uprooted
Author: Naomi Novik
Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Macmillan (21st May 2015)
Blurb:

Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what the stories tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travellers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true; he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our father’s would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, ambitious wizard known only as the Dragon, to keep the Wood’s powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman must be handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as being lost to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows – everyone knows – that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia – all the things Agnieszka isn’t – and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But no can predict how or why the Dragon chooses a girl. And when he comes, it is not Kasia he will take with him.

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

UPROOTED by Naomi Novik is a standalone young adult fantasy novel. The novel is heavily influenced by fairy tales and tells the story of Agnieszka who lives in a small village that is protected by the Dragon. Next to this village is the Wood, which casts a dark shadow. The book begins just before Dragon picks the next young woman to serve him.

Continue reading →

Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

/ beckireads / 1 Comment

The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Iron Trial (Magisterium, 1)
Authors: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fantasy, Swords and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Corgi Books (2nd July 2015)
Blurb:

Call has no idea what he’ll come up against in THE IRON TRIAL but he knows that if he passes the test, he’ll become a student of magic at the Magisterium.

Only, all his life, Call’s been warned to stay away from magic, so he tries his best to do his worst – but he fails at failing.

Now he must enter the Magisterium, and it’s even more sensational and sinister than he could ever have imagined . . .

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

THE IRON TRIAL is the first book in a new series – Magisterium – by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. Callum Hunt has been warned, by his dad, about the dangers of magic his whole life. So when he’s forced to take part in a series of tests that could mean he becomes a student of magic at the Magisterium, Call is determined to fail. Only, Call ends up passing the tests somehow.

Continue reading →