The House in Poplar Wood by K.E. Ormsbee Chronicle Books - August 28, 2018 I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. As soon as I read the teaser for this book, I was excited! It was hailed as a “Stranger Things meets The Haunted Mansion middle grade fantasy,” and ended up being the perfect mix of mystery and intrigue with a few unusual characters. This book centers around twin brothers Felix and Lee. They live with their parents, Vince and Judith, in a quiet house nestled in the Poplar Wood. Here’s the catch, their family has an Agreement in which Lee and his mother are apprentices to Memory and Felix and his father are apprentices to Death. Yes, both Memory and Death are capitalized because they are very much alive and “human” throughout the book. Memory and Death, along with Passion, are Shades, that through their apprentices are able to influence and interact with the people in their town. The Agreement between the family does have a dark side. Death and Memory are enemies and, because of this, have separated the house into two parts. I won’t give away all the nuances of the Agreement, but it is definitely not ideal for this family. Lee is allowed to go to school and have a normal life, while Felix is only allowed into town once a year on Halloween when Death takes a break. On Halloween, another important character, Gretchen, enters the fray. Gretchen’s family are Summoners, making them the enemy of the Shades’ apprentices. Gretchen desperately wants the help of Lee and Felix to solve the recent murder of Essie Hastings, the apprentice of Passion. Lee and Felix reluctantly get caught up in the investigation, only to discover that they might find something that will change their lives forever. What I loved most about this book was the characters. Each and every one of them was so believable and engaging. I have a special place in my heart for the cheeky, industrious, and very mischievous Gretchen, who isn’t willing to give up. The brothers, Felix and Lee, are super relatable and their sibling issues will resonate with readers of all ages. The story moves quickly and is told from the perspectives of these three main characters, which gives the story more depth and complexity, and in my opinion, makes it more fun to read. I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers and up. It would be great for fans of Neil Gaiman and those who like stories that have a little dark humor to them. I am so impressed with this book and cannot wait to share it with my middle school readers!
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The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas Delacorte Press - July 31, 2018 I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Sometimes you just need a dark, gritty crime story and The Cheerleaders is that book! I was excited to receive an advanced digital copy of this title after reading that it was reminiscent of Riverdale and Veronica Mars (two of my favorites!). It did not disappoint and is one that I have already been talking to my young adult library friends about. The Cheerleaders follows the life of Monica five years after her sister’s death and the death of four other cheerleaders in her quaint, quiet town. The first two cheerleaders died in a car accident, the next two were brutally murdered, and the last cheerleader, Monica’s sister, committed suicide. After these deaths, the cheerleading squad was disbanded and the cases surrounding the deaths closed. As the fifth anniversary of the deaths nears, Monica uncovers new evidence and people connected to the deaths that may shed some light on what really happened all those years ago. This was a page turner for sure and it kept me reading long into the night. There were so many twists and turns, and every time I thought I had it figured out, a new curveball was thrown. This story was deliciously dark and appealing, making it one of the most well-written YA thrillers I’ve read in a long time! I loved how the action moved quickly, you never knew what to expect, and that the ending totally changed my perspective on the characters. I cannot say enough great things about this book. I was so pleasantly surprised and will be recommending and sharing it with all the young adult librarians I know. It does contain mature content including references to abortion, murder, and drugs. I would highly recommend this book for young adult collections in school and public libraries where mystery/thriller/crime stories are well circulated. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody Harlequin Teen - April 10, 2018 “…She’d made a dangerous mistake in thinking she could brave the City of Sin. If the stories were true, she was a schoolgirl who had just wandered into the city of the wolves.” Ace of Shades is a wonderful young adult fantasy novel from Amanda Foody full of casinos, card games, magic, danger, and action. Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for a chance to read an advanced copy of this book. I really loved this book! Foody does an incredible job of world-building the city of New Reynes. The grimy, crime-ridden, gang-controlled North Side where the story takes place is incredibly vivid. From the people walking the streets to the opulent casinos to the smells, tastes, and sounds of the city, everything is detailed, well-described, and provides an engaging backdrop for the story. The characters are equally as detailed. The Lords of the gangs are seedy, traitorous, and down right bad; the Dons and Donnas of the casino families are corrupt and vile; and our main characters, Enne and Levi, are just fantastic. In the world of Ace of Shades, every person has a talent inherited from their parents. Even though the variety of talents is incredibly diverse, they are all unique and fully believable within the story. Ace of Shades follows the journey of Enne, who is studying to be a lady at a finishing school in the much more civilized city of Bellamy across the sea, and Levi, the Iron Lord, card dealer, and leader of a street gang. Enne’s mother disappears while working in the city and she travels to New Reynes to find her. Her mother had told her to seek out Levi if she ever disappeared, so that is exactly what she does, landing her in the middle of an incredibly dangerous, high stakes world. As they search for Enne’s missing mother, the story switches perspectives between Enne and Levi. I really enjoyed being able to see the story through both their eyes, providing more depth to their motives, feelings, and actions. The relationship between Enne and Levi is also well played, with moments of anger and mistrust, mixed with moments full of hope, redemption, and, of course, a little slow-burning romance. One of my favorite things about this book was the depth of the characters. Enne, for example, changes so much over the course of the book. She goes from a damsel in distress to a brave, confident, and self-assured young woman. I love a great tough-girl character, who can keep up with the boys (even outdo them sometimes) and take care of herself! I also loved the glimpses into Levi’s past and how he became who he was. He also changes dramatically over the course of the story, realizing what is really important and forming an incredibly strong bond with Enne. Another thing I loved was the Shadow Game, a dark and ominous card game that no one escapes. Receiving an invitation to the game is a death sentence; no one makes it out alive. This book was just fantastic! It was action packed, full of twists and turns, and kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending left me hopeful and yearning for another book, which is sure to follow. If you liked Caraval and Six of Crows, you will love this book. I highly recommend this fantastic young adult fantasy novel! Legendary by Stephanie Garber Flatiron Books - May 29, 2018 I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I was so beyond excited when I received my approval for an advanced copy of this gem! I loved, loved, loved Caraval, and have been anxiously awaiting its sequel, Legendary, since I found out about it last year. Huge shout out to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read this book before its release. First, I have to be honest. I loved Caraval, but was not a huge fan of Donatella "Tella" Dragna at the end of that book. I was worried that I wasn’t going to enjoy this story as much since she is the main character of Legendary. Boy, am I glad that I was wrong! I actually think I may like Tella more than Scarlett now (gasp!). The characters in this story are just so well written and engaging. Every single character is vividly characterized and, as a reader, I was genuinely invested in the outcome of each of their storylines. The plot of this book is so stunning, as well. It is full of magic, adventure, good, evil, and romance. I love how Garber is able to create such an astonishingly magical, yet realistic world. Everything from the setting, to the costumes, to the characters is so well thought out and described, that it makes the world within the story come alive. It is an emotional roller coaster that deftly looks into Tella and Scarlett’s past and fills in some of the gaps left from the first book. This book had it all for me, and is one that I can’t wait to share and recommend. It felt like being on the adventure myself, searching for clues to ultimately win Caraval. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and judging from the ending, there has to be another book to follow. This is a wonderful addition to the Caraval series and, once again, highlights what a fantastic writer Stephanie Garber is. I highly recommend this book! For Every One by Jason Reynolds Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books - April 10, 2018 I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Again; Jason Reynolds does it again. What writer can effortlessly move between genres and still maintain a level of consistency with which readers can identify no matter their background and life experiences?! This book is a shining example of why Jason Reynolds is, and always will be, one of my favorite authors. This book is a letter written in poetry to “The Dreamers.” Jason Reynolds begins the book by giving the background of this piece, then immediately diving into an approximately 100 page poem that plays with spacing, format, and font. It is a love letter written by someone chasing their dreams, encouraging others to do the same. It is beautifully written, with such vivid imagery that I felt like I could see my own dreams running ahead of me, calling to me to be chased. For Every One reminded me of my own dreams, hopes, and fears, and left me inspired “jump anyway.” Here is just one of my favorite poems from this title: “Dreams don’t have timelines, Deadlines, And aren’t always in Straight lines.” This was a very quick and empowering read. It would make a fantastic inspirational gift for a graduation, new baby, or just for a friend who needs a pick-me-up. It is perfect for school and public libraries, and I plan to add several copies to my own shelves as soon as it is released. I was incredibly lucky to pre-read this book through an eARC provided by NetGalley. It will officially be released on April 10, 2018. |
AuthorMy name is Mrs. Scott and I'm a secondary Media Resource Specialist (librarian) in Texas. This blog was created as part of my graduate coursework at Texas Woman's University. All reviews and opinions are my own.
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