The Selection by Kiera Cass My rating: 3 of 5 stars YA, dystopian This is actually a review for the first three books in the The Selection series. America, a nothing 5 in the caste system of Illya, puts her name in for the selection, a competition to marry the next Prince of Illya. She… Continue reading Book Review: The Selection Series by Kiera Cass
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein My rating: 4 of 5 stars Publisher: Hyperion 2012 YA, historical fiction A female spy (code name: Verity) during World War II is captured in France and held, interrogated, and tortured in a hotel-turned-prison. The first part of the book is her written confession of how she came to… Continue reading Book Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang My rating: 4 of 5 stars Publisher: First Second Books 2006 YA, graphic novel Second-generation child to Chinese immigrants, Jin wants to fit in at school. He perms his hair to look more like the blond curly-haired boys in his class. While Jin’s story is playing out, another… Continue reading Book Review: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough My rating: 3 of 5 stars Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books ya, fantasy, magical realism Henry and Flora. Chosen at birth to be players in an ill-fated game by Love and Death. Worlds apart in Depression-era Seattle, Flora is an African American jazz singer and pilot.… Continue reading Book Review: The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough
When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds My rating: 3 of 5 stars publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers YA, realistic fiction Ali is a good kid living on a rough block. He stays out of the bad stuff, helping his mom who works 2 jobs with his younger sister and being trained to… Continue reading Book Review: When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp My rating: 3 of 5 stars Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire To Be Published Date: January 2016 young adult The plot of this story takes place in less than an hour. At 10am the principal finishes her speech to the entire student body in the auditorium. As everyone gets… Continue reading Book Review: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
What Goes Around: Cracked Up to Be / Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers publisher: St. Martin’s Press YA Man, being a teenager is hard. Reading these brings back so many memories. Luckily I didn’t experience some of the things these girls experienced. Flailing, feeling like what your peers think is the most important thing… Continue reading Book Review: What Goes Around: Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Lumberjanes #1 by Noelle Stevenson My rating: 4 of 5 stars Publisher: Boom Box!, imprint of Boom Studios graphic novel, YA Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five friends at a summer camp for Hardcore Lady Types. They do the things one does at summer scout camp: learn about plants, earn badges… and fight… Continue reading Book Review: Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan My rating: 4 of 5 stars Publisher: Knopf YA realistic fiction Paul is a sophomore at a high school in a very unusual town. The quarterback of the football team used to be a guy named Daryl… but now he prefers the name Infinite Darlene. The cheerleaders ride Harleys.… Continue reading Book Review: Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
Lair of Dreams: A Diviners Novel by Libba Bray My rating: 4 of 5 stars Bray’s follow up to The Diviners continues following Evie and friends in the turmoil that followed the Pentacle Killer. After Evie reveals her powers to the press, being a Diviner is the latest trend. Evie becomes known as The Sweetheart… Continue reading Book Review: Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray
