First in a new fantasy series for teens
923428
Kaylee has the unfortunate ability to see when a person is about to die, and then an almost uncontrollable urge to scream. But Nash, a heartthrob from school, seems to have a calming affect on her. When several young girls just drop dead without a visible cause, Kaylee believes that the deaths may have something to do with her.  The last thing Kaylee wants is for everyone to think she's crazy, so choosing who to trust will be dangerous in more ways than one.

Vincent has created a unique and captivating world for the Soul Screamer series. Kaylee is a likeable and sympathetic character. The mystery that surrounds her heritage is fascinating. The story kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing. I don't want to get into too much detail and give away any spoilers. But the character of a young reaper was especially inspired.

With a surprising twist, the climactic ending was one of the highlights of the book. Teens and adults alike should enjoy this urban fantasy with romance, suspense, mystery, and more. I can't recommend this series debut enough.  Fast-paced and fun, it's novels like this that keep me reading YA, even as an adult.
2168818
Alyssa McCarthy is a young teenager that finds the existence of a magical world and is fed up with living with her uncle and uncle, who keeps her secluded from the real world. In the beginning, you cant help but find it too similar to Harry Potter books. The author would gain a lot if she could distance herself from it as it feels forced. As if she is writing a book with a formula she already knows it works.
Fortunately, the author finds her own way as soon as Alyssa starts her own adventures, running away from an evil sorcerer who kidnaps her and traps her on an enchanted island. Alyssa goes on her own set of quests to set herself free and find her way out of there.
There are some minor problems with how the characters evolve and how the story is presented. I found it a bit too light on details and maybe thats because Im older than the YA to whom the book is targeted. It was quite entertaining and I enjoyed it, so I will be reading the second one.
180302
this is a good novel  especially for those who like this type of fantasy and for young teens
1988546
In the world of fantasy comes another series targeted towards youth. First published in 2002, the Pendragon Series totaled ten books; the last one published March of last year (2009).

Story overview:
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14-year-old Bobby Pendragon is one of those boys who is skilled in sports, outgoing, and known well among his peers. His life is what some would call a boy's dream. Not only is he the top star of his school's basketball team, but he recently received a kiss from the beautiful Courtney Chetwynde.

Mark Dimond on the other hand is on the opposite end of the spectrum. He's nerdy and gets picked on, but remains one of Bobby's best and closest friends. A friendship that gets put to the test when one day, Bobby disappears. Not only did Bobby miss the basketball semi-finals, but his entire family vanished. Including his house and family pet.

Mark receives a mysterious ring which teleports a journal, written by Bobby, from an entirely different world. It entails Bobby's adventure into this world with his uncle, Press. Bobby tells Mark that he has to help his uncle escape the clutched of a traveler named Saint Dane, who captured the man and sentenced him to die. In the process Bobby learns that he too is a traveler and with the help of some unlikely allies, the boy seeks to save both his uncle and the territory which is threatened with war.

My thoughts:
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There is a good balance of humor, action, and originality. I particularly liked the modern and realistic way the main character thinks; nothing seemed forced or out of place. The way the author bounced back and forth with POV (First person and Third person) was interesting too. I recommend reading this one if you get a chance.

Things to consider:
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There are no sexual situations or cursing. There is some action violence with a few gory descriptions, but nothing overly offensive. There was a comment about David killing Goliath as being, "just a story," but keep in mind that is coming from the head of the main character; which is just how he thinks. There is also mention of something called Halla (sounds like a play on the name Allah), which is supposedly the power behind all life. Not sure where the author intends to go with this, but keep in mind, I only read the first book in the series of ten. I would suggest this for teens; both boys and girls.

James D. Maxon
Author of Traphis: A Wizard's Tale
3514055
Not sure if this book is targeted at the young adult crowd or not, being that its primary character is a teen. But I have to say, even though I am actually only a few chapters into the first book in this series, its excellent.

A nice new take on the fantasy arena.

Having now finished the book (some time ago actually but just ordered a hardcover copy so its on my mind) I want to say this was really a standout book - and even though probably targeted at a younger audience, I enjoyed it immensely as an adult reader. Have not yet been able to read any of the later books in the series (how many are there?) but thoroughly enjoyed this one.
1764574
An interesting introduction to a well thought out magical realm that includes new words, foods and customs and is a great start to a compelling new fantasy series.
2378619
This was a fantastic start to the Cape High series, the characters were engaging, the plot rapid, and the world intriguing. A bit shorter than books normally in this category, but the author uses the shorter length effectively. I would guess targeted at early teens, but interesting enough for your outside of this range, and mild enough to be suitable for younger readers.

I would recommend this book for fans of Percy Jackson, School of Good and Evil or the movie Sky High.
2924054
In my opinion this is a great start to what looks to be an intriguing fantasy series.
The world the author has created is vast and offers multiple possibilities.  Although the story so far only touches on certain races mentioned in the book there is the opportunity for more to be introduced.
Also the characters really drew me in.  I kept wanting to read more to see what made Hurruq and Qurrah tick.  For the main part of the book they are the villains. The author gives the reader the opportunity to see what made them the way they are.  He also lets us see where their thoughts are while they are creating havoc.  I was drawn in, watching as they develop and start to grow apart, yet still struggling to keep the ties that bind them.
I didn't have any real issues with the book, and definitely enjoyed it and want to pick up the rest of the series.  I will say however that the book IS dark.  Not everything is bloodshed and gore, but a lot of it is.  Harruq and Qurrah do some very cruel and evil things.  Dalglish doesn't glorify it,  but he doesn't shy away from it either.  I can see where some scenes could definitely be disturbing to younger readers and I wouldn't recommend this one to any age group but adults.
This is classic fantasy and I hope to get a chance to read more in the near future.
327642
This is a YA paranormal/urban fantasy novel by a first-time author about which begins with a teenager Katrina Summer, grieving over the death of her mother. She moves in with her grandmother whom she doesnt know all the while having strange dreams and occurrences which she thinks are caused by grief. But there are secrets and answers waiting to be discovered by Katrina. Its a mixture of magic and mystery for a solid first effort by author K. K. Allen. I would love to read her next novel to find out what happens and how the author is growing with her writing craft.
3135106
Switched starts off with a murderous mother and a scene that can't help but grab the reader's attention. I was immediately hooked. Occasionally, the book leans on overdone premises and cliches, but it also has a fresh idea in creating a world of trolls that are beautiful and powerful. Frankly, I was relieved to read a teen book that didn't involve vampires. The storytelling wasn't always riveting, but it was good. The characters and the romantic tension drive this story more than the plot itself. A massive battle towards the end, however, had me holding my breath. If the second and third books were already out, I'd be picking up the next one immediately. I'll definitely be recommending this one to my daughter, but I doubt my son would care for it. He would say it doesn't have enough action and has too much romance. He'd be right. But, for teenage girls, this is definitely a winner. I'm sure it will be a very popular trilogy. In fact, it already has a following from the self-published e-books that first drew the attention of publishers. I enjoyed the read very much. It should be noted that some bad language and sexual situations might make it inappropriate for younger teens. But older teens and young adults who enjoy fantasy and romance will love it.

In compliance with FTC guidelines, please note that I received this book for free through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
1640499
Shadowguard is a story that introduces an intriguing world of powers and problems. Our hero is caught between worlds, born to a fisherman but recently raised to become the ward of a noble, and he has much to learn  and thats only his mortal side. Much of the beginning focuses on Jez trying to come to understanding of the world as he prepares to and joins a magic academy. The second he starts to better understand what he is, and decide what he will do given his unique circumstance. Given Jezs lack of knowledge of the world we are discovering much of it as he is, giving us a great chance to learn and understand the world. However since much of Jezs life is hidden, his initial personality and actions are innocent, reactive, and a bit bland. This allows a reader a wide canvas with which to impress on him, but as more becomes clear to reader and Jez we understand both why, and who he truly is.

An interesting concept, but I believe the pacing is more geared for the teens this recommends. Some of the beats felt repetitive, in that as a reader I thought I discerned the point, but then a character would reinforce this. The story builds cleverly to the point where the direction is abundantly clear, allowing the reader to slip into Jez and enjoy. This lent itself to a speedier read, making this a fun quick read, especially towards the end as several elements crash together. There are some formatting and copy concerns which do break you out a bit, but the story will pick up and pull you along.
4262991
First in Alyssa Rose Ivy's Afterglow trilogy, Beckoning Light evokes The Secret Garden, Narnia, and other young adult fantasies. Brother and sister Charlotte and Kevin follow a well-worn path of parentless teens when they return to South Carolina from Alaska. Their mother was lost in a car accident a while ago, and their father's gone travelling. So the teens return home to their uncle just a few days before school begins.

The story's told in first person through Kevin and Charlotte's eyes. Different view-points on the same events and conversations create a pleasing sense of real-world teenagers. Kevin's confident and over-protective, but his athletic skills mean other players might lose their place on school teams so he's not over-popular. 15-year-old Charlotte's quiet and shy but her friends have moved on and she struggles with loneliness and an excessive desire to please. Meanwhile there's a glow at the bottom of the garden where Charlotte and Kevin's mother used to stand. The locked gate beckons.

That Charlotte will find another world behind the gate is almost a given. The author creates a nicely imagined middle-ages civilization with magic and politics, devious plotters and honest helpers betrayed. The clash between good and evil becomes a question of choices and some surprising decisions are made.

The story's clearly incomplete, and it's intriguing enough to make me want to read more. I liked the switching view-points and I'm curious which of many love interests will finally get the girl. I guess I'm hoping Charlotte will learn to make better choices in her own life as the series progresses too, as her real-world sense of self-preservation is still running on Alaska time.

Disclosure: I received a free ecopy from Enchanted book promotions in exchange for my honest review.
3479120
Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows is the first book in her new YA fantasy Fallen Isles Trilogy. Mira Minkoba, our young heroine, is the face of the Mira Treaty; someone whom the people believe in and trust, even if she is only a teenager.  In reality, Mira doesnt really understand the political aspects of her role and is only a chosen spokesperson that is given a script to read to the public.  Mira spends most of her time with her guard and friend, as they help train and take care of Dragons, who are protected, as part of the treaty.  Mira adores her two little dragons, LaLa and Crystal.

Mira accidently learns some truths about the Dragons that seem to be disappearing, and is thrown into prison (Pit), which is the lowest depth of  humanity.  Mira has always had anxiety, and when she sits in her prison, trying to understand what is happening, she begins to hyper ventilate when the lights go out.  Mira must find her courage, and learn to make friends with her co-prisoners to find a way out.  After a month in the worst conditions, Mira is unexpectedly released to one of the Fallen Isles leaders, and taken to another area where they want to her talk to the people.  Mira learns more, seeing some of the dragons killed and used for illegal trafficking; she surprises the leaders and warns the people that they are being lied to.  Mira will with the help of her guard and friend, manage to escape, but she is determined to help save the inmate friends who she met and helped her.

What follows is an exciting and interesting adventure, where Mira will rise up and learn that she has powers she never knew existed, and with her friends they will fight an all out battle for survival to escape the prison.  I really liked Mira, as she was a simple girl, who followed what was expected of her; but had her own flaws (anxiety), and insecurity.  It was nice to see her grow in maturity and strength during the course of their adventure.  The secondary characters, her guard, friend, inmates, including the villains were well written.  As in most first books of fantasy, there are some slow parts, which is necessary to allow us to learn the new world and meet the main characters.  Early on, I was not enamored with the flipping around between many time elements, which did cause some confusion.  I did like the Dragon storyline, but would have liked a lot more.

Meadows has done an excellent job of creating this world, and I look forward to what she has in store for us in the future books.  The ending, which did have a few twists, is not truly a cliffhanger, but it is left open for continuation of the story.  Before She Ignites was a good start to this series, with an excellent leading character, good secondary characters, exciting, bad villains and dragons. If you enjoy fantasy in a different world, I suggest you give Before She Ignites a try.
2901456
This is a YA/NA fantasy read. As a new fan of Ker Dukey, this was a huge surprise for me. Empathy was my first book, which is completely in its on category.

I'm not a huge fan of these types of books, but it was a pretty good story. I loved Shamar and Liam!!  Leah was a lot of fun to read -- Simone's spunky friend.

It ends with the possibility of a sequel, which could be pretty interesting!

Teens that love fantasy stories - Heaven vs. Hell, Angels vs Demons -- I think would definitely be a fan of this one!
3736111
There ought to be a special sub-genre of YA Fantasy called, Teenager Discovers Unknown Powers. I make no claim to originality; so many stories use this basic plot device, there probably already is one. With a catchier name to boot.

In any case, The Gifted Ones is a great example of this genre. The book is exactly what the title suggests: the story of a girl who discovers that she is a member of a secret society of genetically gifted people, with enemies who want to steal her and use her powers for their own nefarious deeds. No need to describe the plotline to those familiar with the genre: the original close call, the flight, the rescue, the idyllic hidden base, the wonderful characters with their individual gifts; we love them all.

There is an acceptable level of stereotyping  it is YA and Fantasy, after all  but the main character, Elodie, is fully developed, empathetic and realistic. All her female fans want to be like her, all her male readers want to fall in love with her. Part of the enjoyment of the story is watching her develop, and learning about the interesting people close to her, who do some developing on their own. I was particularly struck by the level of character development in the antagonists.
The plot moves quickly and there is tight suspense, relieved by quick and well-detailed action sequences. Except for some rather disorienting point-of-view changes, the writing flows smoothly.

Recommended for fans of the  Teenager Discovers Unknown Powers genre.

PS: I confess I find the title rather confusing. The Gifted Ones: a Novel would be a pretty standard subtitle, but a Reader, in my experience, is an elementary school literature text. Of course, it means something completely different, as you will find out when you read the book. Why confuse us?
4178317
This book begins interestingly enough and progresses rather quickly into a tale of magic, mystery and fantasy much like the Pern series. If I had to guess, I would say that the author loosely modeled this book after the Pern books, as many of the elements were similar.

I liked the main character very much. Micah is the type of character that doesn't start out as the strongest person in the book, but you get the opportunity to watch him grow and become something incredible along the way, which I thought added credibility to his character.

There were a few points in this book where I felt there was an overabundance of information that could have been thinned out a little to make the story flow a bit better. The story itself is really good and enchanted me enough to keep reading.

I was a bit surprised by the amount of violence and gore in this novel. From the cover I had assumed this was for younger audiences, at perhaps a mid grade YA level. I would definitely not recommend this book for the younger end of the YA audience.

The secondary characters were okay. I did get the opinion on a few occasions that they were a bit flat and black and white. What you see is what you get. There really was not a lot of character profiling going on for the reader, they were either evil or they were good with little explanation.

For the most part, this book kept me entertained and was interesting and well written enough that I would be curious to see how the other books play out.

If you are looking for a fantasy novel that will invite you into a new world, this may be just the thing.

This review is based on a digital ARC from Netgalley and the publisher, Open Road Media.
3639227
Excellent spin on a hidden world of magic that relates to the high school age teen, that allows for the raise of a dark hero seeking retribution