Not just contemporary YA, it's LITERARY YA
924963
My original review is here: [...]

I. Does it represent/portray and do it well?

One of the protagonists and some minor characters are characters of color. Another character is heavily immersed in her culture. Grief/suicide/mental health is covered throughout the series, and done well. Elderly issues are explored.

II. Does it teach me something or make me think?

It definitely inspires reflection. Its the kind of book that makes you analyze yourself.

III. Does it perpetuate healthy ideals?

Absolutely! Carmen, Lena, and Bridget all struggled with overcoming their past unhealthinesses (yup, thats the word Im using). Tibby struggled in the area the most, but even she was attempting to shed past ideals and behaviors. This book FOCUSED on the development of health.

IV. How was the writing itself? (Style, plot, characters, ease of reading, pace, world-building.)

Brilliant. There is not a single unnecessary sentence. The characters are relateable and likable and their struggles are reflections of our lives. The ease of reading is perfect, especially because I consider this YA literary fiction. I cannot praise the writing style and the chosen words enough. I also love that Brashares is tackling  typically final book issues in the middle of a series!

V. Did I enjoy reading it?

I struggled to get into it because it hits with emotional intensity from the get-go, but once I got into it, I read until completion.
2303329
I love YA fiction even though I'm well past being a YA, but for a few years now it's been hard to find one that is not full of typos, wince-worthy cheesy dialogue and romance, winey contradictory characters, and plots that are seriously all over the place. I was initially hesitant to read Ink and Bone because the protagonist is a male. I like to read about kick ass female leaders, but lately I've been disappointed so many times with so many YA books, that I was like what the hell, and picked this one up. Wow, I'm glad I did.
Finally, you can read this book without wincing. You can escape and not be jarred back out in reality because of some idiotic plot device or conversation. It just flows. It's dark and horrific what happens to these kids, but Caine manages to include some humor. The protagonist is perceptive, confident but not to a fault. He's humble all the way through. You can really feel him grow, along with the rest of the characters, in response to the plot. Sometimes as important as it is to have strong female protagonists in YA, it's just as important to have strong, sensitive male protagonists.
Caine takes on a lot of heavy topics, but somehow it doesn't seem contrite or overdone. The characters stay with you. The dialogue and narration are actually quite thought provoking and philosophical. The plot (though relatively standard - evil hegemonic power in a dystopian future) remains unique because of what fills it (the environment, the characters, etc.). There is a bit of romance, and itself is a little complicated, and becomes more important toward the end, but not in a suffocating way. I suppose the interaction starts out a little insta-romance like, but given these are 16 year olds, and its laid out pretty simply - he's just attracted to her. Well, that definitely happens in real life.
Anyway, it's great. I'm hoping the sequel comes out soon, but I'd rather Caine take the time to write it well, and I suspect she will.
2940268
Deeply written. In another writer's hands this could come across as preachy, pushing an agenda, or even just having characters that whine too much in the face of such serious obstacles- but the characters are genuinely contemplative of their choices, and earnest. They grow, which keeps them from being typecast as stereotypes or thrust into predictable roles. They become much more than typical ya foddee.

The giant ox of a warrior is both gentle hearted and vicious. The captured love interest pursues her own path away from the main character with her captor, with whom she shares similar goals. A proto-psychopathic braggart learns to work as a team, not caring who gets the credit for victory. These are just a few examples, there are many more.

It's not a perfect book, but the story is incredibly absorbing. It could have been just a hybrid of hunger games, maze runner, divergent, and various apocalyptic fictions, but it fuses into something more solid than I expected. And as I said before, the bones of this story could make for an epic movie series!
3973254
I don't read much young adult fiction, largely because I'm a not-so-young adult. My students and colleagues remind me that YA fiction is an important and often under-appreciated genre, so I'm always happy when I find a young adult book I really like. Out of Breath is one of those books.

It's about a runaway runner named Kat Jones, who returns to the town where her mother died to escape her past in Texas. She finds a job in a running store, starts running again, and eventually encounters some vampires, a murder, romance, and the athletic challenge of her life. It's a fast-paced, clever story with a protagonist who is both tough and sympathetic and with equal measures of the paranormal and the ecological (I won't spoil the plot twist).

Did I mention that Out of Breath is set in the southern Oregon town of Lithia, which has a Shakespeare festival, running store, food coop, and lots of nice restaurants and shops, and something called Manzanita Park. Part of the fun was of the book was the locale--which includes not just the quaint town but the running tails and surrounding forest. (It also made me think that someone should do a series in which all stage actors are a secretly vampires, hmm.)

Written under the pen name of Blair Richmond, Out of Breath is the first of a planned trilogy. I'll be waiting for the next installment, breathlessly.
Ed Battistella, from LITERARY ASHLAND
934627
I don't normally write reviews, so the fact I am writing one for this book says something.  This is a beautifully written book that handles some tough issues and circumstances and I continue to think about it after finishing it.  If you are looking for a light, teen romance, this isn't the book for you.  The writing comes across more literary than romance (not a surprise considering the title) and it's not particularly fast-paced, but it will give you the full range of feels from laughing to crying and back again, all within a few chapters.  These are not one-dimensional characters, and I'm glad I spent the time in their world.
4296749
This book is not what you might think based on the cover, which makes it look like a romance novel. It is not. Instead, "The Awakening of Ren Crown" is a fresh book that turns supernatural academy tropes on their head. It is a YA adventure, featuring a smart, resourceful girl who must figure out how to fight for herself, her brother and the friends she makes against enemies she never new existed.

Awakening grabbed me from the start, with smart details, surprising directions, fun magic and wry humor. At times there was some conflict between some dark passages and almost farcical magical misdeeds, and yet I was hooked. I was constantly impressed Anne Zoelle's attention to detail and ingenuity. And, for once, we have a YA book that hints of potential romance, but isn't bogged down by it. I didn't know where awaking was going to go but I always enjoyed the journey. Highly recommend.

Lest people think I gush over every author I read, you can check my reviews to see that I'm more than willing to criticize books even by authors I normally like. The *last* YA novel I read was disappointing, and missed the mark by a wide margin, featuring the lazy, stereotypical world building, 2 dimensional characters, lack of real conflict or consequences for the protagonist, giving him to much power too easily with too few consequences. In contrast, **The Awakening** is a wonderful,  refreshing antidote to sloppy YA writing. It features brilliant world building, characters who seem real, enemies and situations that seem genuinely threatening, all balanced with humor and a growing sense of camaraderie. Although Awakening could have been a bit shorter, my only real complaint about the book is that there is no sequel. And happily it turns out to be wrong, there is a sequel, and I bought it as soon as I found out about it,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Protection-of-Ren-Crown/dp/B00K90J84A/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Protection of Ren Crown</a>. I can't wait to read it :)

Enjoy The Awakening of Ren Crown and tell your friends. This book deserves attention. It is a standout in the field. A smart, fun book I can't beleive I didn't hear about when it came out.

Other Indy good Fantasy/SciFi authors: Andrea K Hst, Lindsay Buroker, B. Justin Shier, Anthony Ryan, Zachary Rawlins.

Good YA authors who feature strong female leads: Patricia Wrede, Tamora Pierce, Maria V. Snyder, Richelle Mead (her books are a bit more romancy than I need, but she is a good writer), Robin McKinley, Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Side note:

I hope the packaging will be fixed in future. The title and cover make "The Awakening of Ren Crown" seem like a romance novel stead of a supernatural academy novel. I think a lot of fans will miss out on the book based on the cover. EDIT: Ha! The fixed the covers :-)
3859420
This YA dystopia is pretty different from the rest of its subgenre, in a good way.

Frenchie is on the run. His parents and brother have already been taken, grabbed by government agents, shoved in a white van, and driven off to the schools. After years of ecological devastation, a new disaster struck: the majority of the population became unable to dream with terrible results. The only ones who can still dream are Native Americans, and their bone marrow holds the cure for the dreamless. And so the Canadian government authorizes their unwilling sacrifice, turning people into parts to be harvested. Frenchies survived, but survival is always in doubt. Hes found a group of other Indigenous people, all on the run from the recruiters. Each of them has their own story of loss, but their futures are not without hope.

The Marrow Thieves has an unconventional structure. While the main story is Frenchie and his found family trekking through the woods, The Marrow Thieves also contains stories within stories, detailing the pasts of different group members. Theres Miig, a man whose husband was kidnapped by recruiters. Wab, who has been victim to some brutal violence. Minerva, the eldest member of their group. Also unlike the majority of YA dystopian novels, its not action packed. It was interesting to read something of this genre with a slower, more reflective pace. It just goes to show how it can be good to break the mold.

The Marrow Thieves shows the importance of the characters specific connections to their Native heritage and legacy of survival. Frenchie and his family might be living in a hellish dystopia, but his peoples pasts have been dystopic too. Thus, the horrors of The Marrow Thieves are grounded in a long history of racial and cultural violence and the inequities of our present.

I wasn't a huge fan of the romantic subplot, which is with a girl named Rose. Look, it takes a lot to sell me on a romantic subplot, and this one doesnt cut it. I found it hard to buy into the connection between Frenchie and Rose, since it sort of felt like the reason he was interested in her was because she was the only girl his age. I can see it as a crush, but not much more than that. Then again, the overhyped drama of a first crush is probably accurate for a lot of teenagers. Its just not my cup of tea.

I occasionally found the writing style clunky. Some other reviewers have mentioned how The Marrow Thieves forshadows by outright telling you something important is about to happen. Multiple times. Yeah, I noticed that as well, and while it did make me wonder what was going to happen, it also threw me out of the story.

The Marrow Thieves is a dark, intelligent novel and an important addition to young adult literature. At the same time, Im not sure Id be interested in reading any possible sequels. While I liked how it departed from some genre tropes, why did it have to keep the half baked romance sub-plot? Oh, well. It may not have appealed to me as a reader, but Im sure itll find its fans.

Originally posted on <a href=https://theillustratedpage.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/review-of-the-marrow-thieves-by-cherie-dimaline/>The Illustrated Page.</a>
4560972
This amazing novel follows three vibrant teenagers, all connected loosely through a local band. Each character is on their own grief journey, that guides them all together.

Woodfolks prose is lovely and easy to read, beautiful and poignant when it needs to be. Music was my life as a teenager, so the lifeline that it serves for all these characters was a world I know well, and don't see often enough in YA.

I especially loved how each of the characters dealt with their own grief and their own struggles in such different ways. It paints grief as the unique experience it is.

Woodfolks voice is so unique in YA, and I cant wait to read her next book.
3341875
This book is classed as a YA title, but I don't think it is going to appeal to the majority of YA readers; I would class Diary of a Parent Trainer as a Middle Grade or Middle School read. It was a fun, very cute book, but it was definitely a bit on the juvenile side. I loved the Brit humor and the characters were just great. They were very real and the story, written as a series of diary entries, disguised as a "how to" for dealing with adults, was really funny, insightful, and much deeper than the synopsis and title imply. This book is more of a coming of teenage (it's a bit too young to be a "coming of age" novel) story that deals with not only what it's like to be a middle school aged girl, but one who is dealing with her mother dating someone after the death of her father. It has a really positive message that is masked with humor and wit, which is exactly how this type of book needs to be written if readers are going to get anything from from it. Tweens and teens don't want to be preached to, and this book never comes off that way; readers will absorb the message without ever realizing that it was there, and I LOVE that. Honestly, kids will have such a great time relating to all of the funny, very true, things that the protagonist observes about grown-ups, that they will never catch on that they are learning valuable life lessons at the same time. That said, there are a few mentions of "snogging" (the setting is in England), a spattering of language here and there, and some allusions toward sex (although no outright mentions), so some parents might not want their middle grade child reading this, and that is where I am struggling... Although I liked this book, I can't really say that it has a very wide audience, which is a shame. The average reader over the age of about 13 is going to think this is a kid's book, and they wouldn't be wrong. Because of this, my rating is reflective of what I would think if I were reading it as a person of the audience it is best suited (girls, ages 9-13).  As an adult reader, I would probably give it more like 3 stars.

My Rating: 4 stars

Grade Level Recommendation: As I mentioned above, this is a book best suited for upper middle grades (4th or 5th) through about 7th grade.
4219975
I pre-ordered Hurricane Child from Amazon (.co.uk, rather than .com) a little while ago and it finally arrived yesterday (things often take longer this side of the pond). I zoomed through the book and finished it today. Wow. I don't even typically read Middle Grade or YA but this is going onto the list of my favourite books. I wish to death I'd had something like this as a child. I would've felt so affirmed and validated. To know that ornery, sullen dark-skinned queer girls have a place in literature? What a gift.

The prose is beautiful, haunting, and evocative. I so wish I could find other books geared towards young readers with such stunning writing. The voice was strong, and by the end of the first chapter I understood the protagonist, Caroline, so well. I felt for her as an outsider, but also felt like I was her. I remember so many of her conflicts from my own childhood, and while there were many mature themes in here, I thought they were handled sensitively and in a way that young readers would not struggle with. I often wanted weightier material to read as a late elementary school and middle school student, and so I moved on to adult material. This book provides a perfect compromise. It presents harsh realities but there is also a sweetness to it you do not find in adult or even YA books.

Despite being very philosophical, it also has a snappy plot. There's a mystery at the heart of it that you're pulled through quickly. The language, the social dynamics, the details of the setting - all of this made for such a rich reading experience.

I love this book. I can't wait until my three-year-old is old enough for us to read it together.
2682668
The Truth About Us presents readers with several important social issues which were dealt with in a realistic manner. If you follow my blog at all, you may know that I love contemporary YA. I don't make any secret of that. I also prefer to read a lighter story, so this book was a great choice for me because it wasn't a heavy handed 'issues' book.

 Jess was just an okay character to me. I did appreciate that she grew throughout the book, and she learned to take responsibility for her actions. She was pretty shallow at first, so I was glad she was able to change. Flynn seemed almost too perfect, and I really liked him up to a certain point. But then I just couldn't figure out the reasons for some of his actions and his likability went down for me. What really saved this book for me were 2 secondary characters that I enjoyed very much - Kyle and Wilf. You'll have to read the book to find out why I liked them so much!

 The Truth About Us takes a hard and honest look at friendship and family, and taking responsibility for your actions. I thought it had wonderful writing and a varied cast of characters. This was the first book I have read from Janet Gurtler, but it won't be the last
2870098
When I think about all of the YA I've read recently it shouldn't surprise me that the theme of so many of the fantasy books is "where am I, who am I, and what's happening?".  I mean, almost in a literal sense isn't that a typical YA reader's daily mantra? This book treads that metaphorical ground and it does it very well.

This is not a paranormal story in vampire/werewolf terms. It's not an "I am the gatekeeper and you are the keymaster book". This is one of those tales in which an amnesiac heroine wakes up in a strange, scary, creepy place, (not high school), and has to figure things out. She has allies and enemies. There are monstrous antagonists. The atmosphere is dark, the rules are confusing, and there is menace, (human and supernatural), and danger.

Sometimes these worlds are variants of or improvisations on Wonderland or Neverland or some mythical realm or a dark city. Here, the author is more ambitious and starts her story in a place created from scratch and entirely of her own devising.  We have a certain logic to what is happening, but a great deal of mystery. Thankfully, the author does not drag out the confusion and weirdness until we get frustrated or bored. Our heroine makes friends and begins to figure out what's going on early enough to get us involved and keep us engaged. This is a well plotted book and the author sets us on a clear trail early on, so it's not all ambiguity and head scratching.

Along with a compelling plot we also get a number of well rounded and interesting characters. Everyone isn't a type, our heroine isn't just a one-note, and many characters are unpredictable and hard to pin down. That keeps the interest level up and makes the payoff at the end more rewarding. There is a romantic element that is written with great restraint and is the more satisfying because it is present but a bit underplayed. It's not pulse pounding or hearts-and-violins all of the time, but Ms. Diemer knows how to turn up the volume at just the right times. It's hard to pace romance and action and suspense so that they complement each other instead of getting in each other's way, and the author does a nice job with that here.

So, the upshot for me was that this book was intriguing, engaging and satisfying, and struck me as well crafted and tightly written. That works.

Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
4527574
Just finished 99 Days, and like Cotugno's other book (How to Love), it's full of engaging characters in complicated, wholly realistic/modern YA situations.  The writing is very accessible, and it's easy to identify with Cotugno's female narrators.  I honestly didn't know which couple to "root" for in this interesting triangle, so the ending was not easy to predict.  I especially enjoyed the subplots with the resort owners and the exploration of YA female friendships.  No cliches or flat characters here; it's smart YA fiction that'll make you think: about family dynamics, about the risks and rewards of young romance, and what it takes to navigate today's morally challenging landscape.
4576245
I read this book because a friend recommended it to me. I didn't expect it to be nearly as good as it was, looking at the back of the book and reading the reviews on here. It has solid characters and nice character development (particularly Todd's character development), and villains that actually creeped me out, which is very rare in a YA series. This is a great read as far as dystopian fiction goes, especially in the YA genre, which is bogged down with frustrating reads such as The Forest of Hands and Teeth and an abundance of romance-centered novels (the Matched series, for example). For those who prefer an action series with serious and dark themes to an emotionally-charged love story, this is the book for you.

This is sometimes considered too violent or too mature for the YA genre because of all the violence and the adult themes, but that may just be the reason that young adults should read it. The premise of the story is that a boy is coming into adulthood (in a dystopian society where all men can hear each other's thoughts and the women have all died) and must learn what it means to be a man. As such, there are a lot of hard lessons and mature themes that the boy has to face. It wouldn't be as strong a story if it were toned down for children, and it wouldn't make a statement. This book is meaningful. It expresses the journey from boyhood to manhood quite well, even though the setting is much different from today's world. It's all presented in a package that feels like you're really in the story, with colloquial language and plenty of grammar and spelling errors that one would expect from a relatively uneducated boy.
724204
This book really opened my eyes as to what YA fiction can be.  It's meaty.  It's well-told.  It's well-researched (both in the techniques and concerns of being a visual artist, and in what it's like to be part of the music scene), smart, and extremely human.  Leveen does a good job with the female protagonist, who is compelling and a little flawed, and the voice of the whole thing is a lot of fun.  Although not central to the storyline, body image issues are dealt with positively here.  Definitely read this book.
2337076
Getting ME Back is an unusual book because of its uncanny reflection of a Texas high school crowd.  It's not often that a book about teenagers presents cars dragging the main streets and rural parties with such convincing atmosphere.  Telling such a story as it happens is not an easy thing. The hurdle that MG Villesca clears is in portraying the flirtation and intense feelings that teenagers really have while rounding out these characters over the chapters.

Linda doesn't tell us that she is the kind of girl guys want.  She's more concerned with her own conversation when it comes to boys and especially the one she is ecstatic to date.  When Linda falls in with a group of guys, their actions and dialogue tell Linda's ensuing dilemma. While she tries to maintain a cool head, she juggles her friend relationships with that of her well-off boyfriend.  His possessiveness is told with suspense, how it ricochets into her daily life and ultimately, affects an entire town.  The author has also done a juggling act here, depicting how an irresistible love destroys people in his way, people who care about Linda.  Woven in are the nuances of longterm relationships that prove the fiber of friendship and love.

Besides giving an almost panoramic picture of a Texas town, its car culture beginning at a carwash, and Linda's inner struggles, the author has provided a book that will undoubtedly capture YA readers.  The prose is beautifully consistent and it handles teenage thoughts and dialogue with startling accuracy.  Linda's experience with abuse and her felt obligations construct a plot that succeeded to keep me with every paragraph until the end.  This is a moving novel.
758896
The story starts with Calista,a teenage girl who isn't happy she has to move, isn't thrilled with a new town, new house, new school, new friends. It's all a little overwhelming, and being deaf only complicates things further.

I love that this heroine is deaf. The YA genre is loaded with strong female characters, beyond strong, often imbued to physical ability and powers beyond the norm. To  read a story where that is turned around and the main character has a disability is wonderfully refreshing. Feminine strength comes in many forms, and it was a pleasure getting to know Calista. She's smart and capable, and often snarky. And her deafness wasn't something mentioned a few times and discarded. Calista has moments of anger and doubt and frustration, but I loved that. She's very much a whole character.

Calista discovers her new home has a tragic history and one of it's old occupants is still hanging around. John,a young man who finds a clever way to communicate with Calista. I loved that, but it might be considered a spoiler and I don't want to detract from anyone's enjoyment.

The two form a friendship that turns into affection. But as the romance blossoms,  a darkness within the house also begins to manifest. The story is told in 1st person, but it switches between characters. That was nice, because I was able to get a feel for both Calista and John. I liked the supporting characters - Calista and her brother Mike cracked me up. I enjoy sibling interaction, especially between opposite sex siblings. There little arguments, especially, were very well done. Little things, like Mike covering his mouth so she can't read his lips, that is EXACTLY what a brother would do. :)

The only thing I would've preferred is more dialogue. There's a good amount, but I'm a dialogue junkie and if I go through more than a page without it, I start to get withdrawal. 4/5 stars, recommended for those who like unique characters, sweet romance, or ghost stories.