YA Novel Done Right with Supernatural Themes
584761
Well researched, well written book. Great characters with development and spunk. I am really looking forward to the next installment of the series.

Libba does a great job developing the scene and the mood of the story, I felt like I was walking down the streets with Memphis, dancing at the parties with Evie and really felt the horror of the victims of this book. She really makes her world come to life.

Creepy enough to have me look twice at some of the shadows late at night when reading it. The fact that the author drew on history helped the creepy quite a bit.

Hopefully there will be more Tarot in the next one :)
4576254
Island of Exiles is a survival focused YA fantasy novel that may appeal to fans of The Hunger Games.

The desert island of Shiara is a harsh world where allegiance to the clan means all. Khya, a young warrior, has ambitions to the council that helps the immortal elders rule the clan. Only one thing can rival Khyas loyalty to the clan her loyalty to her younger brother. So when her brother is endangered, Khya faces a choice that will reshape everything she knows about her world.

When I first saw the summary for Island of Exiles, I thought it was a story Id read before. Warrior girl, survival, younger sibling as motivation, mysterious male love interest shes not sure she can trust, the rules of society are a lie there were a lot of elements that Id encountered in other YA novels. And while Island of Exiles did follow some YA tropes, I thought it was one of the best executed examples I read. Plus, the world building is far and above what Ive encountered in most YA fantasy books.

I loved how casual inclusion of queer characters was built into the world, including nonbinary and asexual characters. Khya herself is bisexual or pansexual, its never presented as a big deal or even particularly noteworthy. Her society includes three different genders, and neopronouns are used regularly throughout the book. The only thing I wasn't clear about is if ebet (the third gender) is something assigned at birth, maybe to intersex individuals, and how the society deals with people whos identity doesnt match what they were assigned.

Khyas clan lives in a city thats partly located underground, a necessity to survive the harsh environment of Shiara. The clan is also extremely hierarchical. Everyone is placed into a caste group partly based on magical ability that will determine the shape of their lives. The naming system felt Japanese influenced, although I could likely be wrong. Regardless, I definitely read the cast as being entirely non-white, so ignore the white chick on the cover. There was also a wonderful backstory to the entire society. I adored it, but Im going to let you discover it for yourself, so lets move on to other matters.

While I loved the world building, I did find the heavy usage of conlang difficult. There was a glossary at the back, but I find those awkward to use for ebook reading. If you have a low threshold for fantasy words and constructed language, this is not the book for you. Im used to dealing with fantasy words, and I found it challenging!

One of the most important aspects of a book is always the protagonist. I don't think Khyas making my list of all time favorite characters or anything, but I did like reading about her. Well written, tough as nails warrior girls are likely to be a win for me. It didn't hurt that Khya also felt like a product of her society. She read like someone who actually grew up in Shiara and its culture, not a modern teen inserted into a fantasy world.

Although Island of Exiles does have some formulaic aspects, I still liked it a lot. Its fast paced, got lots of action, a badass female lead, and some great world building. It easily fulfills my criteria for a fun read, and I wouldnt hesitate to recommend it.

I received an ARC of Island of Exiles from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
1832447
A YA novel about paranormal, pychics, and more supernatural that takes place in the Carolina low country.  The story moves along well, with a satisfying ending that leaves room for a well written sequel, which I hope is coming.  The plot and writing are strong, and the characters are compelling and interesting.  I don't like to give away much of the plot, and other reviewers have given a synopsis that is good.  Well worth the read
515989
Despite being an adult, I still enjoy YA novels from time to time, and when I saw a link to "Children of the Lost Moon" posted on Twitter, I decided to give it a read.  It's a solidly-written, nicely crafted story, with sharply-drawn characters and lots of action to give it drive.  I liked the working-in of mythology -- always a good touch when it's done well, which it is here.  The authors have set themselves up for a potential sequel -- which I hope they are intending, because this has all the hallmarks of an excellent series.  Kudos!
661389
I Liked this one. I found myself settled in and falling headlong into reading this book without much effort. I thought the logical flow of the story was good and I liked the characters. For being a YA novel, I was really surprised by how much depth and quality this book has. There are some typical YA elements in this book, but as it progresses, it becomes very original and intriguing. There are some editing issues that need to be resolved with this book, but I was able to overlook them and enjoy the story anyway. This author had a good grasp of how to create and interesting story that captivates the attention of the reader and makes them stay with the book until it is finished. The only real complaint I have with this book, is that I did not think it was visual enough. I would have liked to have seen more vibrant word choices to enliven the book. With richer descriptions and a little editing, I think this would be a five star worthy book. Very good start to a series i would love to finish reading.
4868712
Arcadia (Cady) and Avalon Day are twin sisters, and their family  although under strain with their parents separation  is a typical American family. The girls face all the usual trials and tribulations one can expect for their age  school, friends, boys. Everything seems on track until Cadys sister dies in a tragic accident, irrevocably throwing the surviving twins life out of kilter.

Not only must Cady deal with the grief, but she finds herself being the strong one in her family when her mother falls into the bleakest of depressions. Added to that is Cadys discovery that she is an empath, which brings with it other, less pleasant developments when she discovers that she is at the mercy of everyone elses emotions in addition to her own.

A new boy at school, Bryan, offers a glimmer of hope  as do Cadys friends  and Cady is not along as she tries to come to terms with how her circumstances have changed. Despite all the difficulties, she comes across as a generally happy and spirited teen, and shes willing to face her challenges despite the hurt.

Arcadias Gift by Jesi Lea Ryan is the first book in what looks like a series. Its slow paced but thorough, and Ryan has used this to good purpose in order to build a solid setting populated by characters who feel authentic, and who have to deal with real issues.

What I especially enjoyed about the story was Ryans understanding of death, and the way the grieving process can cast a pall over a persons life. Also, she approached the supernatural elements in the story in a manner that felt plausible. Actions have consequences, and though I could see where Ryan was headed with certain premises, the execution was nonetheless satisfying, even though it wasn't overly dramatic as in were going to save the world from itself epic. Which is also fine. Sometimes heroes don't need to move mountains, but work quiet miracles among the people they love.

While Arcadias Gift does take a while to get off the ground  and this clearly the author laying groundwork  I nonetheless enjoyed Arcadias Gift. Ryan has a light yet engaging tone, and she writes with a great love for her characters and subject matter, and I can imagine that this story will appeal to those who enjoyed all the obvious bestsellers in the YA paranormal/urban fantasy genres.
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.
3700525
Overall, The Spirit Within, is a good YA book of the supernatural, with a needed warning to young girls/women about abusive relationships. Ms. Parker writes to the YA audience in terms and actions that is a part of their everyday lives. I hope to see more by this author. I was a little disappointed in the ending. Using paranormal brain activity to kill the antagonist is a little harsh of an ending for this, otherwise, age-appropriate book,. I would rather have seen law enforcement step in and have the abusive boyfriend pay for his crimes. I look forward to a sequel and to watch this young writer develop into a seasoned author as her skills and talents mature around her abundant creativity.
3597453
This YA book opens engagingly with the rather unconventional inner monologue of the about-to-be-sixteen-years-old Aza, who has a rare lung ailment (it's even named after her!) and as she puts it, "a history of hospitals". With such a history, her inner voice is tough, with hints of vulnerability as well. There is some vulgar language, but that's about the only non-age-appropriate part of the book. I think an audio version would be particularly appealing, too.

And though Aza addresses the reader directly at times which is a huge pet peeve of mine, the book has a convincing edge to even it's most unbelievable sections. It's a surprisingly emotional read, too. The perspective doesn't stay with Aza, but the style isn't very different between the perspectives, so it could be even more powerful if future books in the series develop the other characters more, especially in those sections. The action gets a little chaotic and muddled at times, the book ends leaving me at least anxious for the sequel! It's an exciting read and really feels original with its blend of modern and magic. I definitely plan on continuing on with the series - I hope that the wait isn't too terrible long! There are plenty pf places to pick up the story and questions left unanswered, and yet the ending is still completely satisfying which is a conclusion with a balance that is hard to manage! It's very well-done!
1450894
"PRETTY SOULS" BY JULIE PARTICKA

This book was exciting with spunky supernatural characters that are the epitome of today's teens. I like the fact that this book even being a YA did not hold back on what teens are REALLY like in today's society, the fact that a few expletives leak out every once in a while was actually refreshing and Julie Particka did not go overboard on the language at all. In fact this book had such a real feel to it that it reminded me of my own high school days... of course minus the supernatural's. If only there had been werewolves and vampires in my school perhaps it would have been less boring!

That being said, I loved this book and would whole-heartedly recommend it to YA readers of all ages. Elle Jameson and Cassidy Wegner find themselves in foster care and over the years have formed a unique bond as not only sisters but best friends. The reason this relationship is so unique is that Elle is a werewolf, while Cass is a vampire. Unwittingly they find themselves joining forces to combat other supernatural elements that threaten to destroy the normality of a life they have tried to fit into.

This story is very humorous, quirky, with just enough snippy teenager comments to make you laugh. I can't wait for the next book and I commend Julie on her realistic take on the young adult scene! Definitely worth picking up!

My rating: 5 Ravens flying high!

Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud / [...]
1133802
Alibi Vernon is a sweet young girl who seemingly has a knack for getting into trouble.  Now, if only her parents would realize that she is not operating under her own power when she does the things that cause them to question her.

When you first meet the main character in this novel, she seems like any other 12 year old girl, with a twist, she gets messages from ghosts.  You see, her mother is a medium, or someone who can commune with the dead.  Alibi gets messages from the same ghosts that her mother is reading for, only they do not always make sense.

As you read through the novel, you find that each one of the ghosts has a different message for her and in her mind, it is a jumbled mess, but she has this feeling that somehow it will all make sense if she can just put the pieces together.  Each message leaves her acting strangely, experiencing different things and going through events that would normally not occur for her.

Then, you meet her best friend who is just a little creeped out by the whole ghost thing and, though she tries to put on a brave face, the whole thing scares her to death!

Alibi's Ghosts will take you on an unforgettable journey and remind you what it was like in those awkward teen years.  It brought me straight back to childhood and age 12 and having things you want to tell people, but being afraid of what they will think.  To me, this story screams of the coming-of-age, finding your place kind of thing that all girls go through in growing up.

As far removed as I am from the target audience (I have a child in the correct age group, though), I found that this was one I could not put down.  There were some very minor typographical errors and the like, but they in no way detract from the story (and my regular readers know that this is a pet-peeve of mine), and I was able to keep reading and was not able to put this one down.

If you are the parent of a young girl (or maybe even a young boy) and are a fan of the paranormal and fantasy genre and want to share that love with your child, this would be an excellent place to start!  We are talking ghosts here, not vampires and werewolves and shapeshifters, so it is a mild introduction without being anything that is going to induce nightmares.

I really enjoyed this story and cannot wait to see what else this author has in store for us.  I was impressed by the level of organization as that is something I have found lacking in books geared toward this age group.  This really is a must read for anyone who loves ghost stories, both the young and the young at heart.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.
3407352
I don't know why I have started reading more YA novels recently, but I am impressed with the quality of many.  This one did not disappoint.  I gave it a try because it was free and now I am willingly going to pay to get the follow-up books.  I thought it was well written and compelling.

It is about a girl who is moved to a new place where she is most definitely the outsider.  Different religion (wiccan), different way of dressing, city girl in the country, and the popular girl hates her.  It should be very cliche, but I came to really like the characters.  I want to find out what happens to them.
1975653
I really liked this book- it reminded me a bit of Amanda Hocking's Trylle Trilogy, but with witches and vampires instead of trolls. The mythology was pretty inventive, and I thought the romance was done well even if it did follow a now familiar YA formula: triangle between a forbidden but compelling immortal boy v. safer, sweeter more acceptable boy. That's part of this book's charm. It takes a solidly conventional YA framework and builds a compelling novel around it that still manages to throw in plot twists, interesting world building, and a strong first person narrator. Fans of YA paranormal romance will enjoy this; I can see why it has been so popular. There were some reviews about formatting issues, poor editing and grammar. I am pleased to say I did not have that experience. The only thing I will caution readers about is that things do become kind of muddled in the last third of the book or so, especially when compared to the rest, but it did not detract from my overall enjoyment. Will I read the second book? Absolutely, and especially for the price. Overall, a surprisingly good read.
271931
Sway, written by Michelle Ham, isn't the genre of YA I normally read as I prefer to see my protagonists surrounded by mystery, magic or horror, so I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying this story about a teen coming of age and finding her first love. In Sway, Saskia wants to cling to the comfort and safety of her after school church group, even as it becomes obvious that her best friend, Eliza, has outgrown it. There's trouble at home, too. Saskia's brother has run away and her little sister begins hanging out with the wrong crowd. Then Jesse, a boy Saskia has gone to school with for years, starts to talk to her on the bus ride home, ending one of the trips with a sudden kiss. Now Saskia is spending all of her time with him, skipping school and listening to the songs that he has written based on his own troubled upbringing and family secrets. When one of Saskia's own family secrets comes to light, it turns her life upside down and forces changes that will take her away from Jesse, and ask her to question everything that she holds dear. Sway is full of relatable characters and situations, some mystery regarding Saskia's brother, and all of the nostalgic fun of growing up in the '90s in Australia. Michelles writing style is clear and the tone of the book perfectly captures the naivety of youth and that time in your teen years when you begin to grow into a young adult.
731359
Alex Kosmitoras is an abnormal guy in a depressingly normal situation: his parents are struggling financially, and there's a bully who seems to have it out for him no matter what. On top of that, he's blind--and, apparently, able to "see" the future. Simmi is the new girl from India, who is not only the friendliest, most accepting person Alex has ever met, but also has powers of her own. Alex is starting to think that this is actually going to be okay--that he has a shot of being friends with Simmi (and maybe more)--when he starts having visions of Simmi dying in various terrible ways and vows to stop it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It paints a lovely tableau of multiculturalism against a small-town background; as someone who lives in a truly tiny town, I can appreciate this. Chand also manages to twine the paranormal element neatly into Alex's everyday issues with school, parents, etc while drawing on mythological elements that made the 13-year-old-me-who-read-Edith-Wharton's-Mythology-obsessively-for-about-a-year incredibly happy. There were points where the pacing seemed a little slow, but there were also times when I literally couldn't put it down. It's definitely a book that I'd recommend to people who are tired of the vampire/werewolves/angels that tend to overpopulate YA paranormals.
2000497
This novel contains elements of numerous YA genres: adventure, alternate history, bildungsroman (coming of age), fantasy, southern gothic and a little steampunk as well. While the Serafina of the title is our main character, Braeden Vanderbilt is very important to the action. So, we have a book that will appeal to nearly everyone. Not a bad recommendation for any first novel and for a school library choice.
Our heroine has never been able to get satisfactory answers from her pa: either about her mother, their past or why she must remain hidden from the Vanderbilts as she lives in the basement of their huge and fascinating Biltmore house. She knows she has amazing senses and strange abilities and an affinity for the night, but not why.
One night on her normal "rounds" in the basement she stumbles upon what seems to be a child abduction, but when Serafina tries to help the girl, she vanishes and Serafina becomes the next prey pursued by the "man in the black cloak."
Although she escapes, Serafina's pa can't or won't believe her and she has no other allies until her desperation leads her to spy on the upstairs people and she is discovered by Braeden, the nephew of the owners of Biltmore.
They share adventures and fight off attacks with the help of Braeden's loyal dog, Gideon. But as things become clear to Serafina, she seems to lose the trust and support of Braeden and she must ultimately face-down her suspected villain alone. In this challenge she learns more about herself, finds an amazing link to her past and ultimately prevails. But, perhaps her biggest triumph is finding a friend who truly sees and values her for herself.
The trailer for this haunting southern young adult fiction can be found at:
http://robert-beatty.com/serafina-book-trailer/
1463543
Capering on Glass Bridges is a heartwarming YA fantasy, told from the point of view of Kaia, the middle daughter of the respectable Stone family. Kaias strict father and loving but flaky mother create a solidly familiar framework for the reader, allowing the author to build her fantasy from a base her audience will immediately recognise. It also provides a good contrast with Kaias uniqueness; alone of her family, she hasn't paired with a canonipom, the physical alter ego that all her people have.

I found that the underlying plot for the book was well-conceived, but the clues in the story line are in places introduced from nowhere (for example, we find out why Kaia is so different a good third of the way into the book, more or less completely unheralded, and its a doozy). Also, the books overwhelming focus on character emotions did occasionally detract from the adventure for me, and while the secondary characters play to friendly and familiar themes, some of them would have benefited from some quirk or oddity to help them avoid being easily stereotyped.

All that said, the world-building is highly imaginative, and the fantasy elements are unique and well done, especially the various races that feature in the story, leading me to say it definitely earned its three stars.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.