YA – Page 10 – Looking For a Good Book

April 23, 2021

THIEF’S MAGIC – Trudi Canavan

I once thought that I enjoyed reading epic fantasies – you know books with characters (like sorcerer, priests, and thieves) and storylines that could be pulled from a game of Dungeons and Dragons. But the more I read the more I find them seeming all too much the same, as if they were, well, characters… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

3 Stars, SF/Fantasy, YA

April 14, 2021

ROMULUS BUCKLE & THE ENGINES OF WAR – Richard Ellis Preston, Jr.

Swashbuckling steampunk. That’s Romulus Buckle. Romulus Buckle is the captain of a zeppelin which is soaring over the frozen wasteland known as Southern California, where warring clans battle one another for precious supplies. Buckle has worked hard to bring about an alliance between the clans in order put an end to the fighter. But that… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

4 stars, science fiction, YA

April 2, 2021

VULTURES – Chuck Wendig

How do you write a review of a Chuck Wendig novel? Answer: write a review as you normally would but periodically, after a description, add “with vengeance.” For instance: In Vultures, the sixth book in Chuck Wendig’s Miriam Black series, we find Miriam pregnant and that the The Trespasser has the ability to inhabit both… Continue reading

MYSTERY, SF/FANTASY, YA

5 Stars, Mystery, YA

March 29, 2021

CITY OF VILLAINS – Estelle Laure

In addition to being a high school senior, with all that entails, Mary Elizabeth Heart is also an intern at the Monarch City Police Department. She delights in meeting all the detectives as they check in and rush off to help clean up the city. For years there has been a deep divide between the… Continue reading

ENTERTAINMENT, YA

3 Stars, Entertainment, YA

March 22, 2021

THE STARS OF WHISTLING RIDGE – Cindy Baldwin

Ivy Mae Bloom’s goal is to find her ‘forever home.’ At thirteen (well, almost thirteen), Ivy wishes the magic of a place to settle on her and her mom so that they can stop the constant moving. Ivy’s mother is a fallen star who travels the globe to fix the magic that surrounds everything. Even… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, SF/FANTASY, YA

5 Stars, Children’s Books, Middle Grade, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult

March 15, 2021

LUCY IN THE SKY – graphic novel

I was not sure what to make of this book – going back and forth from liking the book, to not liking the book, and back to liking it again. The book is a coming-of-age story of Lucy, a middle school student. Like middle school students all over the world, she’s going through a lot… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized, YA

Children’s Books, Graphic Novels, Music, YA

March 12, 2021

CRANK PALACE – James Dashner

The Maze Runner. Since the days of the ‘boy wizard’ books and films geared toward a young adult audience have flourished, but only a couple have had real success and one of those is James Dashner’s “Maze Runner” series. I’ve only seen the first film and I’ve only read one of the books but when… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, YA

4 stars, SF/Fantasy, YA

March 5, 2021

BOARD STIFF – Piers Anthony

I’ve never before read a Xanth novel. As a regular reader of fantasy and science fiction I have been aware of this series. How could I not … this is the 38th book in the series. Thirty-eight! That’s a remarkable accomplishment. So when this was available I decided now was as good a time as… Continue reading

HUMOR, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

3 Stars, Humor, SF/Fantasy, YA

January 25, 2021

A TEST OF COURAGE – Justina Ireland

I am all in favor of anything that will get school-aged kids to read. Books based on a popular television or movie franchise are a great way to get kids reading, and is there any better franchise out there right now than the Disney-owned Star Wars series? There’s a new space station about to be… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, SF/FANTASY, YA

Children’s Books, Entertainment, science fiction, YA

December 21, 2020

THE HARP OF KINGS – Juliet Marillier

Liobhan is an eighteen-year-old singer and whistle player. She is highly skilled and such skill runs in the family as her brother, Brocc, has a meltingly beautiful singing voice and unusually adept skills on the harp. But Liobhan wants more than the life of a performing artist. She wants to be a warrior. She and… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult

December 18, 2020

INTO THE DARK – Claudia Gray

Padawan Reath Silas has a lot to learn, and he’d really prefer to stay at the Jedi temple on Coruscant to keep studying, but as a padawan, he’s at the mercy of the Jedi and they’ve determined that he has to visit an un-(or under-)developed area farther out. But the trip goes awry when a galactic-wide… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult

December 7, 2020

THE WALLED CITY – Ryan Graudin

Jin and her sister, Mei Yee, were taken and sold and then sent to the lawless Walled City to serve as prostitutes or slaves to anyone willing to pay. Jin managed to escape her captivity, but not the Walled City and she now lurks about, disguised as a boy and is trying to track down… Continue reading

HISTORICAL FICTION, Uncategorized, YA

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Reviews, Young Adult