YA Review: Spin the Sky by Jill MacKenzie

Spin the Sky by Jill MacKenzie
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)


Summary (from Amazon):
Magnolia Woodson wants nothing more than to get her and her sister, Rose, out of the pitifully small, clamming-obsessed Oregon town that hates them—she just doesn't know how. Forced to put up with the snide comments and hateful looks the townspeople throw at them, Mags thinks she's destined to pay for the horrible, awful things her mom did—and that she's left her and Rose to deal with—until the day she dies.

But when a nationwide televised dance competition posts tryouts in nearby Portland, Mags's best friend, George, says they have to go and audition. Not only have they spent the past fourteen years of their lives dancing side-by-side, dreaming of a day just like this, but also it could be Mags's chance of a lifetime—a chance to win the grand-prize money and get her and Rose out of Summerland, a chance to do the thing she loves most with everyone watching, a chance to show the town that she's not—and never has been—a "no-good Woodson girl," like her mother. But will the competition prove too steep? And will Mags be able to retain her friendship with George as they go head-to-head in tryouts? Mags will have to learn that following her dreams may mean changing her life forever.

Review:
Magnolia's tired of everyone in their small town judging her and her sister because of their mother's actions. They didn't have anything to do with the death of the mayor's daughter, but no matter how much Magnolia wants to start over and move somewhere where no one knows the Woodson family, she's constantly reminded that they're stuck. So when Magnolia learns about a televised dance competition she begins to hope and dream again. She loves dancing, and being able to dance in front of thousands of people is a dream come true, and not to mention the prize money, which would give Magnolia and her sister a fresh start. But the competition is much more challenging than Magnolia expected and the once in a lifetime opportunity puts a strain on Magnolia's friendship with George, her best friend. Will she be able to persevere and prove everyone wrong or will she finally realize that winning the competition isn't everything?

Jill MacKenzie's writing drew me in from the first page, because her writing's so raw and beautiful. For example, "My hands reach up to move stars, rearrange space." Her words are poetic but I never once thought they were too flowery or distracting. I also enjoyed the plot of the novel. I always love reading about dance, and I definitely give every author props for writing about it because it's difficult to consistently describe dance in a way that a non-dancer, such as me, will be able to understand. I thought the author did a great job with this. I was never confused, and I was genuinely interested in Magnolia's dancing as well as the dance competition. I also appreciated that the author also centered the story around difficult topics—drugs and death. Although Magnolia and her sister had nothing to do with the death of the mayor's daughter (their mother did), I thought it was realistic that there were still repercussions for Magnolia. On a daily basis she had to deal with gossip and mean looks, and I thought she handled herself very well. It was also interesting seeing Magnolia grow throughout the novel and come to realizations about herself as well as about her family. But at the same time, it was a little frustrating that Magnolia constantly let others' opinions get to her. I would have liked her to be slightly stronger in that regard, but I completely understand why she was the way she was because of her past. Although I enjoyed many aspects of this novel, my favorite part was probably the friendship between Magnolia and George. There was so much love and encouragement between them and I smiled whenever they were together.

Overall, I would recommend Spin the Sky to anyone looking for a young adult novel featuring dance.

Rating: 

YA Review: You Don't Know My Name by Kristen Orlando

You Don't Know My Name by Kristen Orlando
Publication Date: January 10, 2017
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Miss Print's ARC Adoption


Summary (from Amazon):
Fighter, Faker, Student, Spy.

Seventeen-year-old Reagan Elizabeth Hillis is used to changing identities overnight, lying to every friend she's ever had, and pushing away anyone who gets too close. Trained in mortal combat and weaponry her entire life, Reagan is expected to follow in her parents' footsteps and join the ranks of the most powerful top-secret agency in the world, the Black Angels. Falling in love with the boy next door was never part of the plan.

Now Reagan has to decide: Will she use her incredible talents and lead the dangerous life she was born into, or throw it all away to follow her heart and embrace the normal life she's always wanted? And does she even have a choice at all?

Find out if you are ready to join the Black Angels in the captivating and emotion page-turner, You Don't Know My Name, from debut novelist Kristen Orlando!

Review:
Reagan has never fit in anywhere. She doesn't have any close friends and the friends she does have, she lies to because she knows she'll have to move at any second. Her parents are spies for a top-secret agency, The Black Angels, and Reagan is expected to someday become one too. She's been trained since she was a child to fulfill her parent's legacy, and even though Reagan's great at combat, she doesn't know if she wants her parent's lifestyle. When they have to move after a dangerous criminal breaks into their house, she meets other students that for once in her life she feels connected to. As a spy's daughter, Reagan's never felt like she could be herself, except around Luke. He's more than Reagan's best friend, but Reagan knows she can't get too close to him or allow herself to fall in love because he might be the one person that could make Reagan wish for something more.

From page one, I was pulled into You Don't Know My Name because of the high action plot and interesting heroine. The whole plot of the novel is that Reagan's training to become a top-secret spy, and in the first chapter you get to see her moves and intelligence when it comes to combat. The novel begins with their house being broken into by a criminal and because their privacy is compromised, they have to move yet again. Moving frequently doesn't bother Reagan, because she's so used to it, but once she becomes close friends with Luke, the boy she secretly has a crush on, she begins to see that life isn't all about combat and the Dark Angels. The romance between Reagan and Luke was definitely my favorite part of the story. Their chemistry was apparent from the first page and it was heartwarming seeing how much they both cared about each other, but neither acting on it. Reagan doesn't want to let herself fall in love with Luke because she knows she'll be moving again and doesn't want to hurt him, and Luke isn't sure about Reagan's feelings for him. But once they figure it out, wow was it hot. When the two of them were together, it felt like they were going to burst into flames. I loved seeing Luke and Reagan's relationship transform and then Reagan's dilemma with becoming a spy. Since You Don't Know My Name is about spies, there's obviously a lot of action and suspense, which I thought the author wrote extremely well. And I'm so happy that there's going to be a sequel because I want to read about Reagan and Luke forever.

Overall, I would definitely recommend You Don't Know My Name to any readers looking for a novel about a teenage spy with a hot and sweet romance.

Rating: 

YA Review: Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill
Publication Date: December 27, 2016
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)


Summary (from Amazon):
Seventeen-year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, a legendary bounty hunter—that is, until her father is murdered. The alleged killer is none other than Cohen Mackay, her father's former apprentice. The only friend she's ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart.

She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a force to be reckoned with. 

Review:
In a divided kingdom at war, Britta's father, a famous bounty hunter, taught her everything he knew alongside Cohen MacKay, his apprentice. Working with each other, Britta and Cohen soon became close friends until Britta began developing feelings for him. Even after Cohen moved to the kingdom to work as a bounty hunter, Britta believed that he would come back to her like he promised. But after her father is murdered and there's no sign of Cohen, Britta begins to lose hope. She's alone and starving, and when she's caught illegally poaching in the king's land, she assumes she'll be killed. But to Britta's surprise, the king doesn't want to kill her because he knows of her tracking skills and wants her to find Cohen, who he believes killed her father. This comes to a surprise to Britta because she thought she knew Cohen, but when all the facts point toward a guilty Cohen she makes it her mission to find her father's murderer. Unfortunately the facts aren't always what they seem and Britta's journey turns into a mission to not only find her father's murderer, but also answers about herself.

I added Ever the Hunted to my Amazon wishlist as soon as I read the summary because it sounded similar to The Hunger Games, and since I loved The Hunger Games I knew I had to pick this one up. As soon as I sat down to read Ever the Hunted I was pulled into Britta's world. The book itself is sort of a medieval urban fantasy and features characters with supernatural abilities. And much of the story takes place in the forest, which is one of my favorite settings because it allows the characters to show off their intelligence and skills. Britta is a great character and the author used the forest in order to play up her strong characteristics. She also comes across as relatable since she isn't perfect or completely confident with herself.

And even though I enjoyed Britta as a character, the romance between Britta and Cohen was probably my favorite thing about the book. The story begins with Britta poaching in the woods because she's starving and left with few other options. At this point her father was already murdered and Cohen has already been gone for months. So the resentment and disappointment that Britta feels toward Cohen is definitely there, and it grows even more when the king tells her Cohen was the one who murdered her father. And even though Britta views Cohen more as a villain at this point in the novel, there was still definite chemistry between them. And it was the best type of chemistry as well. Britta doesn't know where she stands with Cohen and vice versa. And because their relationship is so strained, it takes Britta much of the novel to figure out her feelings. Cohen is also purposely kept in a mysterious light throughout the novel, which made his character and the relationship more interesting.

While I loved many things about Ever the Hunted, one thing I couldn't get past was the fact that it was too similar to The Hunger Games. Britta reminded me of Katniss and the plots of both novels were often similar since they both revolved around the corrupt society that the heroines lived in and them trying to survive in such a society. While I would have liked to see this novel stand on it's own, I wasn't able to completely separate it from The Hunger Games because of these similarities. But even with that being said, I did genuinely enjoy Ever the Hunted until the last page and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series (especially after the book ended on a cliffhanger).

Overall, I would definitely recommend Ever the Hunted to any fans of The Hunger Games or to any readers who are fans of young adult novels that take place in the forest and feature love/hate (enemies to lovers) relationships.

Rating:

YA Review: Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs

Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs
Publication Date: September 3, 2016
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Giveaway


Summary (from Amazon):
A companion to the New York Times bestselling Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, now a major motion picture directed by Tim Burton.

Before Miss Peregrine gave them a home, the story of peculiars was written in the tales.

Wealthy cannibals who dine on the discarded limbs of peculiars. A fork-tongued princess. These are but a few of the truly brilliant stories in Tales of the Peculiar—the collection of fairy tales known to hide information about the peculiar world, including clues to the locations of time loops—first introduced by Ransom Riggs in his #1 bestselling Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.

Riggs now invites you to share his secrets of peculiar history, with a collection of original stories in this deluxe volume of Tales of the Peculiar, as collected and annotated by Millard Nullings, ward of Miss Peregrine and scholar of all things peculiar. Featuring stunning illustrations from world-renowned woodcut artist Andrew Davidson this compelling and truly peculiar anthology is the perfect gift for not only fans, but for all booklovers. 

A perfect gift, reminiscent of classic bookmarking, this beautifully packaged volume features full-page woodcut illustration, gold foil stamping, a ribbon, and removable back sticker. 

Review:
Tales of the Peculiar is a set of ten short stories about peculiars. Each story features new characters and a new story. The first story, The Splendid Cannibals, is about peculiars that can regrow limbs. The second story, The Fork-Tongued Princess, is about a princess with physical disfigurements including a fork tongue and scales. The third story, The First Ymbryne, is about a bird that can turn into a human and who is also the first peculiar to create time loops. The fourth story, The Woman Who Befriended Ghosts, is about a girl that can see and interact with ghosts. The fifth story, Cocobolo, is about a man who slowly turns into an island. The sixth story, The Pigeon's of Saint Paul's, is about a fight for the sky between pigeons and humans. The seventh story, The Girl Who Could Tame Nightmares, is about a girl that can take nightmares out of people's heads. The eighth story, The Locust, is about a boy who takes the form of whatever shows the most love towards him. The ninth story, The Boy Who Could Hold Back the Sea, is about a boy who can control the current. And the tenth story, The Tale of Cuthbert, is about a giant that sinks and gets stuck. Each story is creative, fun to read, and has an endearing moral. And the hardcover edition features a beautiful gold-foiled cover, a bookmark ribbon, and full page illustrations that correlate with each story.

I've never been a big fan of short stories because it takes me a few pages to get into a story, so when I read short stories, by the time I'm interested, the story is already over. Tales of the Peculiar isn't a story that kept me reading late into the night, but a book that I read little by little each night. I enjoyed reading each story and getting pulled into Riggs' characters and worlds. My favorite story was The First Ymbryne because it was interesting getting to see how the first peculiar created time loops. Some stories were more interesting than others, such as The First Ymbryne, but I found each one to be enjoyable, and if nothing else, I wanted to see how each story would end. Tales of the Peculiar is much like Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children. The stories are witty, quirky and fun, but there's also an added horror element such as in the story The Girl Who Could Tame Nightmares, which centers around a murder.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Tales of the Peculiar for any fans of Ransom Riggs looking to read more about peculiars in a short story format. I also recommend you splurge on the hardcover edition because it's downright gorgeous and will be something you'll want to come back to more than once.


Rating: 

YA Review: What's A Soulmate? by Lindsey Ouimet

What's a Soulmate? by Lindsey Ouimet
Publication Date: October 26, 2016
Publisher: Overnight Teen
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: NetGalley (in exchange for an honest review)


Summary (from Amazon):
Libby Carmichael has just met her Soulmate. It's just too bad he's behind bars.

When you only see the world in black and white until you meet yours, it's pretty easy to figure out when you've found your Soulmate. What Libby can't figure out is why fate, destiny, or the powers that be have decided that Andrew McCormack is her one, true match. Libby is smart, organized, and alway has a plan for what's coming next. So when she sees Andrew for the first time and her world is instantly filled with color, she's thrown for a loop.

Namely because he's in a dingy grey jumpsuit. And handcuffs. And being booked into a juvenile detention facility.

Surely a boy who's been convicted of a headline-making, violent crime isn't who she's meant to be with. There's no way she belongs with someone like that...right?

Review:
Libby isn't a hopeless romantic. She understands the odds are not in her favor, that only sixty percent of people find their soulmates, and even if you happen to find your soulmate, it doesn't mean you'll live happily ever after. So she's more than surprised when she's at the juvenile detention facility that her father works at and sees her soulmate, the boy that fills her life with color. She's not only surprised by the fact she finds her soulmate, but also by the fact that her soulmate happens to be in handcuffs. Can this really be the person the universe chose for her? But no matter how much Libby wants to ignore the fact that her life has officially changed, she needs answers. So she pretends to be a youth leader to visit Andrew so she can get to know him better. He's quiet and serious and he can also see color, which means she's his soulmate, too. But when Libby finds out what Andrew did and he continues to push her away, she wonders if she should just give up. But some things are complicated, and if Andrew is her soulmate, it must be for a good reason...right?

As soon as I read the summary for What's a Soulmate? on NetGalley, I instantly requested it. The premise is so unique compared to all the other young adult novels I've read since the world that Libby lives in is black and white. No one can see color until they see their soulmate for the first time. And even if you find your soulmate, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll live happily ever after, which is an intriguing concept. Some people can have a soulmate, but their soulmate may have a different soulmate, so there's different complications that can arise from this system, which made the story even more interesting. Libby is a great heroine—she's realistic and doesn't like to jump to conclusions. I liked that she tried to get to know Andrew better before she wrote him off and even after Andrew pushed her away time and time again, she came back to him. Andrew on the other hand was very quiet and it was hard to even get a good read on his character until half way through the story. But the added mystery that surrounded him made the relationship between Andrew and Libby even more interesting and dynamic. The only problem I had with the novel was that Andrew was a little one dimensional and therefore the romance lacked slightly, but other than that I absolutely loved the story.

I would definitely recommend What's a Soulmate? to anyone looking for a young adult romance with a unique premise. Although What's a Soulmate? is a young adult novel without any graphic sexual content, the characters and the story are gritty, so I would recommend it to older readers.

Rating: 

YA Review: Forget Me Always by Sara Wolf

Forget Me Always by Sara Wolf
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Publisher: Entangled
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
Previously published as Savage Delight, this fully revised and updated edition is full of hilarity, drama, and heartbreak.

It's been three years, twenty-five weeks, and five days since Isis Blake fell in love, and if she has it her way, it'll stretch into infinity. Since then, she's punched Jack Hunter—her nemesis-turned-maybe-something-more—in the face, survived a brutal attack by her mom's abusive ex thanks to Jack's heroics, and then promptly forgotten all about him.

The one bright spot for Isis is Sophia, the ephemeral girl who shares Isis's hospital stay as well as a murky past with Jack. But as Isis's memories return, she finds it harder and harder to resist what she felt for Jack, and Jack finds it impossible to stay away from the only girl who's ever melted the ice around his heart.

As the dark secrets surrounding Sophia emerge, Isis realizes Jack isn't who she thought he was. He's dangerous. But when Isis starts receiving terrifying emails from an anonymous source, that danger might be the only thing protecting her from something far more threatening.

Her past. 

Review:
After Isis is attacked by her mother's abusive ex-boyfriend, she has to stay in the hospital to recover both physically and mentally. Her friend Sophia, who has been in the hospital for years, helps to pass the time but with all the therapy sessions, Isis can't help but wonder who Jack really is to her. After the accident Isis lost her memory of Jack completely, but Sophia seems to have a connection to Jack, too. Jack and Sophia are both keeping secrets from Isis and Isis can't help but dig into their pasts to uncover secrets that might devastate all three of them. Can Isis move past her memory loss and give Jack another chance or is there just too much history to start over?

This is the sequel to Sara Wolf's Love Me Never and the story begins with Isis in the hospital, trying to recuperate after her head trauma. Jack used to date Sophia, who Isis has a strong friendship with now that she's been in the hospital for so long. Sophia also suffers from medical problems because her mom used drugs when she was still in the womb. Sophia knows she won't live long but both Isis and Jack refuse to believe that and will do whatever it takes to get her better. From the beginning of Forget Me Always, the story is bittersweet. Sweet that Sophia and Isis find companionship in each other, but bitter because of Isis's memory loss and the fact that Jack is still troubled and trying to get rid of his guilt by taking care of Sophia. The relationship between Isis and Jack is more complicated now that Sophia's in the picture because Sophia still loves Jack while Jack it trying to move on with Isis. There's just too much complication for a happy ending, which was disappointing but also realistic. I love Sara Wolf's raw writing and her realistic characters. This book does leave off with a cliffhanger but the third and final book will be published in the beginning of 2017.

Overall, I would recommend Forget Me Always but I also recommend you read the first book in the series, Love Me Never, first.

Rating: 

YA Review: Love Me Never by Sara Wolf

Love Me Never by Sara Wolf
Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Entangled
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
Previously published as Lovely Vicious, this fully revised and updated edition is full of romance, intrigue, and laugh-out-loud moments.

Don't love your enemy. Declare war on him.

Seventeen-year-old Isis Blake hasn't fallen in love in three years, nine weeks, and five days, and after what happened last time, she intends to keep it that way. Since then she's lost eighty-five pounds, gotten four streaks of purple in her hair, and moved to Buttcrack-of-Nowhere, Ohio, to help her mom escape a bad relationship.

All the girls in her new school want one thing—Jack Hunter, the Ice Prince of East Summit High. Hot as an Armani ad, smart enough to get into Yale, and colder than the Arctic, Jack Hunter's never gone out with anyone. Sure, people have seen him downtown with beautiful women, but he's never given high school girls the time of day. Until Isis punches him in the face.

Jack's met his match. Suddenly everything is a game.

The goal: Make the other beg for mercy.
The game board: East Summit High.
The reward: Something neither of them expected.

Review:
Isis Blake fell in love with the wrong guy, who used her insecurities against her. She was told she was ugly and fat and that no one would ever love her. After Isis loses weight and moves, she finally feels she can start over. But then at a party she watches as Jack makes a girl cry and it reminds Isis of the time she let a boy do the same to her. So she punches him and spreads a rumor about him, because it's what he deserves. Jack is empty inside. He doesn't feel anything and is angry at the world and sick of girls declaring their love for him. And then Isis punches him in the face and declares a war. Pretty soon they're trying to one up each other but their battle of wills turns into something more. Can Isis put her past behind her and move forward and can Jack admit he has feelings, or is it too late for both of them?

Although this novel takes place in high school, the prose reads much older and the problems that the characters face throughout the novel make the book feel more mature. While there isn't any explicit sex scenes or violence, there are other darker themes throughout the novel that would make it a better read for older teens or even adults. I was pleasantly surprised by Love Me Never and I know I'll have to read the rest of the series (there are three total) to see where Isis and Jack end up. Isis is a great heroine. She's snarky and doesn't let anyone walk over her, but she also has insecurities that she's trying to work through. She's not perfect, which makes her relatable. Jack on the other hand is cold and harsh and at times very mean to Isis. He has a hard time feeling anything because of his past and the fact that Isis makes him feel things angers him, so he takes it out on her. I loved the relationship because it felt so real. It wasn't even close to perfect but it was raw and powerful, and something I won't be able to forget about anytime soon.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Love Me Never to anyone looking for a young adult novel with an enemies to lovers storyline. But if you aren't in the mood for a depressing or raw read, I would recommend staying away from this one.

Rating: 

YA Review: The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia

The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Imprint
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Giveaway


Summary (from Amazon):
Seventeen year-old Frankie Devereux would do anything to forget the past. Haunted by the memory of her boyfriend's death, she lives her life by one dangerous rule: nothing matters. At least, that's what Frankie tells herself after a reckless mistake forces her to leave her privileged life in the Heights to move in with her dad—an undercover cop. She transfers to public school in the Downs, where fistfights in the halls don't faze anyone and illegal street racing is more popular than football.

Marco Leone is the fastest street racer in the Downs. Tough, sexy, and hypnotic, he makes it impossible for Frankie to ignore him...and how he makes her feel. But the risks Marco takes for his family could have devastating consequences for them both. When Frankie discovers his secret, she has to make a choice. Will she let the pain of the past determine her future? Or will she risk what little she has left to follow her heart?

Review:
After Frankie watches her boyfriend die, she begins to live life dangerously. But it soon catches up with her when she's caught driving drunk and gets transferred to live with her undercover cop father in the Downs. Changing schools sucks, but it also gives Frankie the chance to start over—even if starting over happens to be at a school with daily crime and dangerous people, including Marco, an illegal street racer. Frankie's attracted to Marco the first time she spies him in the parking lot, but she doesn't know if she's over her ex-boyfriend enough to move onto someone else, even if Marco makes her feel alive for the first time since the devastating accident. Will Frankie be able to work past her memory loss and put her boyfriend's death behind her and embrace Marco, or are they just too different?

Frankie was a great character. She wasn't the typical shy heroine that let people walk all over her. Instead, she stood up for herself and what she believed in, which I appreciated. She also had a sarcastic attitude, which set her character apart from other characters in the novel and made the story more interesting as a whole. Marco was also a good character, but I didn't feel the connection between Frankie and Marco as much as I would have liked. I felt like the relationship was too rushed and unrealistic. They fell in love too quickly, which made it hard to root for them as a couple, especially because Marco did illegal things that could ruin Frankie. The novel wasn't just about romance, though, but also about Frankie trying to get over the death of her boyfriend. She was traumatized, which is shown throughout the novel with fainting spells and flashbacks, and I thought the author took care of that devastation well, which made Frankie more relatable.

Overall, I recommend The Lovely Reckless to anyone looking for a contemporary young adult novel with a bad boy hero.

Rating: