Teen review of "The Look" by Sophia Bennett

The Look by Sophia Bennett is an enchanting setting where two sisters become closer through trials, hope, cancer, and love. The novel is led by protagonist Ted Trout, whose perspective is delightfully hilarious and exuberant; her character is sculpted beautifully by Sophia Bennett. The plot is unexpected and fresh, accompanied by daring turns and caring friends. I totally recommend this book!

-- Lydia

Teen review of "Twenty Boy Summer" by Sarah Ockler

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

When I started reading the book Twenty Boy Summer I did not know what to expect. I really enjoyed reading this book, and could not put it down once I started reading it. This book is a mixture of realistic fiction, and romance. I would recommend this book to teenage girls who like to read heartfelt books that they could relate to. Twenty Boy Summer is a heartfelt book about a teenage girl learning to love and let go.

Anna and Frankie are best friends. What Frankie doesn't know is that Anna has been in love with Frankie's brother Matt since she was ten years old. Their whole lives, Matt, Anna, and Frankie have been really close and really good friends. At Anna's birthday party, Matt and Anna finally share a kiss. After that, they spent many nights sneaking out, and talking under the stars. Anna had made a promise to Matt that she would not tell Frankie about their love, because Matt wanted to tell her himself. When Matt tragically dies in a car crash that the two others survived, Anna is forced to keep that promise forever. A year later, Frankie and Anna are going to spend 20 days in Zanzibar Bay. Frankie is set on making sure Anna has a summer romance. But Anna believes that if she does, she will forget all about Matt.

This book's author, Sarah Ockler, did a very good job in writing this heartfelt, emotional book about love and loss. I could relate to the pain of losing a best friend and that kind of relationship. I would be lying if I said I didn't shed a few tears reading this book. This book explains how it feels to lose someone that is close to you and that is someone you love. I know that there are many people that can relate to that pain. In Twenty Boy Summer, Anna is trying to let go and learn to love again. This is what makes this book inspirational in a way. I would definitely recommend this book, and I loved reading it.

- Julia

Teen review of "Unravel Me" by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

I, like many others, absolutely loved Shatter Me. When Ignite Me came out just a few weeks ago, I knew it was time to dive back into the series. However, I was afraid that had taken too much time in between both books (2 years) and Unravel Me wouldn’t live up to my expectations or I would forget everything that had happened, etc. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I had no trouble remembering events and, overall, Unravel Me surpassed my expectations. The first thing I would like to address is the writing. Why is Tahereh Mafi so amazing? I mean, can her writing not be anymore beautiful and poetic? I just absolutely love the use of strike outs and how the syntax isn’t grammatically correct. The sentences are occasionally fractured, run ons, and formatted like poetry. She uses actual numbers instead of writing them out. And the whole of that is because that is how Juliette thinks and writes. Mafi takes the act of writing in first person to a whole new level.

That being said, I kind of felt that Unravel Me was a different story from Shatter Me (but still as excellent). It’s a continuation of course, but while we see into Juliette’s past in book one and follow her on a journey to discover her powers and potential, book two is more about their preparation for war. We still follow Juliette and see her discoveries of what she can do, but it’s in a whole new setting that we only get a glimpse of at the end of Shatter Me. I feel that she was constantly on the run in the first book, which really held my attention, but book two is much more about character interactions then action. Which, in many ways, I loved. The dialogue and the conversations between the characters were the absolute best part.

Now, on the topic of the love triangle, I don’t know what to think. Reading Shatter Me, I was a strong member of Team Adam. When I started hearing all these things about Warner and seeing the huge amount of supporters he has, I didn’t get it. He was so much of a villain in Shatter Me. But now… I get it. Tahereh Mafi does such an excellent job of crafting each character and showing the good and bad sides of each, and how each of those sides kind of blur together. I really don’t know what to think. Right now, it really could go either way.

Now, let’s take a moment to talk about chapter 62.

I think I was the only one who was actually bored. I’m really not one for romance and it takes a lot for me to really get into scenes like that. (Sweet Evil is the only book so far that has really gotten me to feel those kinds of feels.) So was I skimming a bit through the first half of the chapter? Yup. But the second half? That’s when it got really good.

Overall, Unravel Me was just as addictive as the first book. I ended up binge reading the whole book over a three day weekend, which is not surprising since I ended up binge reading Shatter Me as well. I was a bit hesitant since I haven’t read the novellas, but you really didn’t need to. Those are extra bits that don’t affect the story if you take them out. I’m so glad I don’t have to wait for Ignite Me to be released because I’ll definitely be needing that soon.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog

Teen review of "Etiquette & Espionage" by Gail Carriger

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
RANDALL OAKS TEEN CARRIGER

I really love steampunk, so I’m always looking out for good steampunk YA.When I first saw Etiquette & Espionage, I knew I had to get it. I’ve been wanting to read Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series, and this being a prequel of sorts, I just couldn’t resist. And if the Parasol Protectorate books are anything like Etiquette & Espionage, I’m going to have to read those really soon.

All the steampunk I’ve read so far has been either quite dark or some elements of steampunk are there, but not much. Compared to those other titles, Etiquette & Espionage blows them out of the water. Everything was so whimsical and fantastic! The names were absolutely ridiculous and I just loved reading them (favorite: Lord Dingleproops). The language was just impeccable and unlike anything I’ve ever read. The setting had everything a steampunk novel needs, from giant floating dirigibles, to automatons, to mechanimals. That’s right, our main character befriends a tiny steampunk patchwork dachshund, which she names Bumbersnoot. He was by far my favorite character.

And speaking of characters, I absolutely adored Sophronia. She’s highly intelligent and funny with knack for getting in and out of trouble. Her entrance at the very beginning of the novel is by far one of my favorite beginnings of a book ever. I mean, she comes tumbling out of a dumb-waiter, accidentally launching pudding into the air. It’s just–it’s just great. I also loved the idea for the finishing school. It was just so amusing to me! Girls are learning to become proper ladies, working on curtsies and dancing and other forms of etiquette, while also learning how to become intelligencers. I just found this to be hilarious for some reason.

In order to finish, you have to complete a mission. Of course, one of the older girls, Monique, doesn’t exactly finish, and that’s where Sophronia and her friend Dimity come in. I loved the mystery of it and the lengths that Sophronia went to find this mysterious device that Monique hid, causing her mission to fail. The relationship between those two was infuriating as it was amusing.

All in all, Etiquette & Espionage was one of the most delightful books I have ever read. I was laughing and smiling so much that after a while, my face kind of began to hurt. If you love steampunk and incredible amounts of whimsy, then definitely pick up a copy. You won’t regret it.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "In the Shadow of Blackbirds" by Cat Winters

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters
TEEN WINTERS

I love anything that has to do with ghosts, especially when the story is set near the turn of the last century. The spiritualism movement of the 1900′s is one that always fascinates me, and In the Shadow of Blackbirds sets the perfect backdrop for its story. Not only is it World War I, but the Spanish influenza is in full swing and death is abundant.

The area of spiritualism that the book focuses on is that of spirit photography. People would wait for hours to get their picture taken with the spirit of a deceased loved one.

Now, pretty much all those photos were fake. Photographers would use a technique called double exposure, where they would take a plate with the image of the “ghost” and use it again, creating the transparent figure. You can obviously tell that I find the subject to be fascinating.I loved that the author chose this particular time frame to set it all in. With the war and the flu, people were growing desperate for any kind of comfort that the ones they lost still lived on. And I haven’t really seen many young adult novels tackle this subject before, let alone be set during World War I.

I was surprised at how easily I fell into the pages of the story. Unlike some other historical novels I’ve read, this one didn’t feel too far removed for me to sink into. It also helps that I loved the main character. Mary Shelley was a complex and eclectic character, from her name to her goggles that could “show her the future.” She doesn’t believe in spirits at the beginning, and of course doesn’t believe that spirit photography is a real thing. She’s based in science. But then she falls into circumstances that require her to question if spirits are real, and what can she do to help those who need her to. That’s all I’ll say though. Spoilers!

Cat Winters does an excellent job of capturing that creeping eerie-ness of the spirit realm, and the fear and desperation of those willing to push through to it. There were many scenes that sent chills down my spine, which is high praise coming from someone who reads books like these all the time. And the story had elements of mystery to it that I really enjoyed trying to solve. I just can’t get over how wonderfully creepy and thought-provoking In the Shadow of Blackbirds was. I definitely can’t wait to see what else Cat Winters will write.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog

Teen review of "Divergent" by Veronica Roth: Read the book before the movie!

When I finished re-reading Divergent the other day, I was wondering what made me buy it in the first place: I didn’t know it would become a hyped up movie, or even a bestseller. Regardless, I’m glad I did! This book is for boys and girls, for action lovers and romantics, for teens and adults. Many would say it’s the next “Hunger Games” (especially with a movie franchise on the way), and while both are great dystopias, Divergent is no knock-off. The plot is able to hold its own with well-developed and unique characters.

Divergent is the narrative of a 16-year old girl living in a futuristic Chicago. In this society, there are five different “factions” that hold a high regard for a certain personality trait. For example, the main character, Beatrice, is born into the “Abnegation” who value selflessness. They appear as plain as possible, wearing gray clothes and simple hairstyles, all as an attempt to forget themselves as they focus on helping others. The other factions value traits such as honesty, bravery, peacefulness, and intelligence. When someone reaches their sixteenth birthday, they may decide which faction they would like to be in for the remainder of their lives- a choice that may leave their old faction feeling bitter and betrayed.

And while it seems like life is simple enough, initiation can be incredibly challenging and pushes these teens to their limits. The threat of becoming “factionless” – a fate some call worse than death- looms constantly over the initiate’s heads. As faults in the system become exposed, rebellion lurks beneath the surface of a deceptively organized society. Those who are not easily defined by one of these five traits are called “divergent” and threaten the simplicity of this society. Power hungry leaders will do anything it takes to suppress these independent minds in order to remain in charge.

This book is definitely a page turner, and not too out-there for those wary of sci-fi. The characters are very realistic and have their flaws, as in real life, no one can be defined as only good or only bad. Intricate relationships are formed and sometimes-fatal mistakes are made, all of which make for a compelling tale. Roth seamlessly transitions from light hearted and humorous scenes into tense, edgy ones. The climax is gripping, non-stop, and will leave you wanting more. Luckily, Divergent is part of a trilogy including Insurgent, and the recently released Allegiant. The movie starring Shailene Woodley (soon to star as Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars) will be released March 21st, and I recommend reading the book before seeing it!

Interesting side note: The author, Veronica Roth, 25, grew up in the nearby town of Barrington, and attended the prestigious Northwestern University to study creative writing. She started the book during winter break her senior year, and sold the movie rights before she even graduated.

For more info and trailers on the movie, check out http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1840309/?ref_=nv_sr_1

- E.M.

Teen review of "The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant" by Joanna Wiebe

The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant by Joanna Wiebe
TEEN WIEBE (new)

*This is a review of an Advanced Readers Copy*

Based off of the summary alone, I had no idea what this book was about. It’s very jumbled and confusing. All I got was: creepy boarding school, competition, something mysterious is happening. And frankly, that was enough for me to want to read it. I have a love for stories set in creepy boarding schools… What I didn’t expect was how amazing the story was going to be.

The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant is definitely one of a kind. All we really know at the beginning is that Anne has been sent to this mysterious boarding school on an isolated island. She doesn’t know why she’s there or why everyone is obsessed with competition for the “Big V,” or valedictorian. That’s when things start to get weird. We’re thrown into this mystery involving the students, the faculty, and the competition and nothing feels right. The students are graded on everything they do. I mean everything, not just academics.

I wasn’t really sure where the story was going until all these elements aligned in my brain and I figured it out. All of it. I felt pretty proud of myself since the past few books I’ve read have completely baffled me. (And I didn’t feel that the main character was stupid since she figured it out pretty much after I did.) I really liked Anne as the main character. She was smart, nosy, and was determined to see things through to the end, to find every last detail. And the rest of the characters surprised me as well. Some had outcomes that I didn’t expect to see at all.

I was surprised at how well written the novel was. Like I said before, I didn’t really know what to expect. The whole story had the creepy mystique to it, but was surprisingly hilarious at other times. And the ending… oh my, the ending had the mother of all plot twists. I really wish I could go into detail because so much of the plot was crazy and awesome, but I really don’t want to spoil anything.

Overall, I enjoyed The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant much more than I expected to. I’ve been getting into stand-alones much more lately, but I’m so glad this has a sequel. I really can’t wait to read the rest of the novels and to see what becomes of Anne Merchant. Bravo, Joanna Wiebe. Bravo.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown" by Holly Black

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
TEEN BLACK

It takes a lot for me to get excited about a vampire novel. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was one of those books that just screamed for me to get it. After reading and absolutely loving The Immortal Rules, I was interested to see where Coldtown went with the premise of vampires. From the jacket flaps they sounded quite similar. It took me a little while to fully get into the story, but once it got going, I could not stop reading. (Which was a good thing since I was snowed in and had nothing better to do with my time.)

I was absolutely fascinated at how the vampires were completely integrated into pop culture. Unlike The Immortal Rules where the world falls into dystopia, everything pretty much stays the same, with the only difference being the existence of vampires. There are reality shows about vampires, commercials stating that their chicken nuggets will make you “hungrier than a new born vampire,” feeds of parties broadcasted from inside the Coldtowns. These video feeds being broadcasted from inside the quarantined cities make it seem that being a vampire or living among with them makes life one big party. There are message boards, blogs, and communities for those who want to move to a Coldtown, willingly. We get to see characters, all with different reasons for being in Coldtown. Those who are infected by a vampire, those who want to become creatures of the night, those who already are, and those who were stuck when the walls went up. The latter especially reminds me of the Berlin wall.

This whole concept of vampires becoming celebrities to those outside the Coldtowns really reminded me of how vampires became huge after the Twilight franchise hit the big time. It really amuses me because vampires have become so romanticized in the public eye, through movies, books, etc. Holly Black does an amazing job of exemplifying that fact by almost satirizing those obsessed with the vampire culture, and then turning it around to show how desolate and dangerous the Coldtowns really are. The writing itself was amazing. I was completely mesmerized by the eloquence of it all and how the syntax fit the story and the world completely. I knew Holly Black was a popular author, but I hadn’t really read any of her novels before now. Now I need to read all of them.

Overall, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was one of those works that will stick with me. I absolutely loved that it was a standalone. When it comes to paranormal/supernatural books, they always seem to be in trilogies, which is nice in some cases. But because it is only one book, I felt completely satisfied upon my completion. It was the perfect balance of everything that a story needs.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "The Immortal Rules" by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
TEEN KAGAWA
RO TEEN KAGAWA

I’ve had a bit of a string of books that were not so good and The Immortal Rules made up for all of it. I absolutely loved everything about it. Now, I’m not a huge fan of vampires. They’re okay, but I don’t really see the appeal. It takes a lot for me to really get into a vampire book, and boy, it didn’t really take me long to get into this one. I love Julie Kagawa’s writing and I’m a huge fan of The Iron Fey, but I believe that, not only has this series become my favorite of her’s, but that she can also write anything. If it wasn’t for her name on the cover, I would have never guessed that it was written by Julie Kagawa. The tone is so completely different from The Iron Fey. It’s much darker and morbidly sarcastic then her romps through the land of faerie. But the one thing they have in common: fantastic world building.

The dystopian landscape was just so well imagined and put together. I had no trouble picturing the landscapes. One element that really added to the experience were the rabids. The rabids are pretty much failed vampires that are almost zombie-like. The rabids mixed with the dystopian setting was really what I need to fill the hole that the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead left. And speaking of rabids and other monsters, I thought The Immortal Rules had the best depiction of vampires and vampire life that I have ever read. I feel that vampires are so romanticized in popular culture, and the book does a really excellent job of dispelling that. They may have been human once, but the will never rid themselves of the hunger and the demon inside them.

And speaking of vampires, Allison has to be one of the best heroines ever. I absolutely loved her character and her progression into becoming a vampire. She is such a strong character. She’s grown up pretty much on her own, living on the fringe of this vampire city and is always on the run, trying to survive, and I think that is what makes her an even strong vampire. She knows how to take care of herself and she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty if she has to. I was also quite happy to see that, although there is a romance, there were no love triangles and it wasn’t that prominent. Allison is a loner and her way of life requires her to be. I guess I like my protagonists to be tortured in some way.

Overall, The Immortal Rules was an excellent novel, and was just the thing I needed to help me wrap up the year and get me out of a reading rut. It had twists that I wasn’t expecting and elements in the plot that made me want to *bookshimmy* (Especially when that have to take a detour to a run down, dystopian Chicago. I always love me some dystopian Chicago). And if anything, it has just exemplified my need to read everything by Julie Kagawa. I’m so glad I already have the second book.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "Into the Wild Nerd Yonder" by Julie Halpern

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern
TEEN HALPERN

I don’t read much realistic fiction. It just doesn’t appeal to me. But when I saw this at the library book sale, I just had to get it. I mean, Dungeons & Dragons, nerds, skirt making? Yes please! I was a little wary when starting the novel, but upon completion, I wanted to start over and read it again. This rarely happens.

There were two main factors, other than the awesome nerdyness, that really caused me to love the story. One was the main character. Jessie sews her own skirts (something I would love to do), loves Harry Potter and audiobooks (I always have an audiobook to listen to), and just has a funny, quirky personality. The only thing we don’t have in common is that fact that she loves math. Numbers allude me… The second factor was the fact that the storyline kind of mirrored my senior year. Not the my-best-friend-betrayed-me part, but all the rest of it. Jessie has to expand her horizons and find a new group of friends to be around, and she finds the nerds.

Despite the premise and the title, it’s not super nerdy. If you absolutely nothing about Dungeons & Dragons, you can totally go into the book without any problems. While I’ve never played D & D (I really want to), I knew enough to go on. What’s really at the heart of the novel is the journey one takes to find oneself. Jessie has to go on a quest to find out where she really belongs, and through that she create an alternate personality, her in game character Imalthia. Imalthia takes out all Jessie’s anger and frustration, and by doing that, I think Jessie becomes much happier. That’s one of the reasons why I love RPGs. You can become anyone you want to be and act a certain way that you probably wouldn’t in real life, but then you can go back to real life with none of the consequences.

I’m really sad that the novel is so short. That’s one thing I would’ve liked: more nerddom. Other than that, I think this has earned the spot of Favorite Realistic Fiction. Into the Wild Nerd Yonder was hilarious, well written, and really nailed the stereotypes of high school. And it also made me realise that I need to find friends who play D & D.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Here we are. We’ve reached the end. The end of a series is always a somber occasion, but more so when it’s a series like Divergent. I didn’t know what to expect going into Allegiant. I was excited, nervous, and scared to find out all the secrets we’ve been wanting to know since the first book. Also, the feedback from other readers was making me a little wary to know how it was going to end. But I did it. I read it all. And, oh my, where do I start…

I feel like Allegiant was much more political than Divergent and Insurgent. We get to see what is outside the city and we are faced with a whole new set of problems. I kind of missed them being in the city, but we all want to know what was outside the walls, right? So that kind of evened itself out. The situation they get themselves into, as I said, starts to delve into politics, and morals and ethics. Every character seems to be going through some type of existential crisis through it all. We get to know more of Tobias, with the new POV for half of the chapters. I really liked getting into his head and learning all his thoughts. He very closed off and that leads Tris and Tobias to run into some trouble, relationship wise, which I always like. It makes the relationship and the romance real. I feel that sometimes, especially in YA, the romantic leads have the “perfect” relationship, with outside events trying to tear them apart, and not interpersonal problems.

One thing I love about this trilogy is that it’s not just another dystopian story of survival. We get that aspect of it, but it’s all about the people and how they grow and change. Each faction, and their characters, teach us something. Erudite teaches us about how knowledge and it’s containment can be one of the most powerful weapons. Candor teaches us about honesty and admittance of our crimes. Amity teaches us about how to bring about peace, and that sometimes peace does not mean passivity. Dauntless teaches us the true meaning of bravery, as well as Abnegation. Selflessness and bravery are at the heart of this series and Allegiant in particular. It takes a lot of bravery to be truly selfless.

When it comes to the ending of Allegiant, I have mixed feelings. Upon finishing the novel, I locked myself in the car and cried for about ten minutes. But the more I thought about it, the ending really portrays all the themes that have interwoven in each novel, and I understand why Veronica Roth made the decision to write what she did. I’m okay with it. I’ve made my peace with it. And I guess the fact that I reacted how I did is a testament to the writing and the character creation. I don’t want to let go, but I have to. We all have to move on in the end.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen Review of "Unbreakable" by Kami Garcia

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
*This is a review of an Advanced Readers Copy*

I was quite excited to get a copy of Kami Garcia’s new book. I really like the Caster Chronicles and Beautiful Creatures was one of the first books I read when I just got into the YA universe. I was really interested to see how Kami’s voice differed from that of the Caster Chronicles since she’s a singular author here and not teamed up with Margaret Stohl. And I have to say, I was not disappointed. Unbreakable had a distinct voice from Beautiful Creatures. Most of that of course had to do with the setting and subject matter, but I could tell the difference. But it wasn’t a matter of quality; the writing in both novels are equally as good.

Unbreakable read at a very quick pace, which I really liked. It did not feel like one of those first books that took it’s time setting everything up, and by the time you get to the end,the story is only beginning. It gives us an interesting plot, likeable and intriguing characters, and a main character who is relatable. I really connected with the main character. I found the relationship between her and her mom to be similar to my own and just her overall demeanor to be similar to mine. The relationship between all the characters is really what drives the whole novel, and I think it was very well written.

However, many aspects of the plot were similar to the show Supernatural. It’s probably just because of the subject matter, i.e. hunting down spirits and demons and urban legends. But once I got past my initial questioning of all those similarities, I really enjoyed the plot. The locations they visit are just so creepy and described so well (and I could totally see each location as an episode of Supernatural. Okay, I’ll stop.) I think the storyline is what made it read so quickly. The characters are going on a scavenger hunt of sorts and the constant motion prevented the story from becoming stagnant. But what really got me was the plot twist at the end. IT’S HUGE! Seriously, it changes everything! GAHH!!

Ahem. I’m okay.

That cliffhanger really got me. I did not expect it to happen. The end really sets itself apart from other YA books in ways I can’t really say without spoiling anything. I’m really quite anxious to find out what happens next for the main character, and to see where the rest of this story is going to go.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "Perfect Ruin" by Lauren DeStefano

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
*This is a review of an Advanced Readers Copy*

I had moderately high expectations going into Perfect Ruin. I absolutely loved the Chemical Garden trilogy and since then Lauren DeStefano has become one of my all time favorite authors. So when I had an opportunity to get an ARC of Perfect Ruin, I jumped at it. I have been fangirling over this book before it even had a title. So was I disappointed to any degree upon my completion of the novel? Not at all. There are a few things I absolutely love about Lauren DeStefano’s writing.

Number one: everything is so beautiful and poetic. She has this way of writing that just makes everything sound so lyrical. I especially loved the “excerpts” from a student’s essay at the beginning of each chapter.

Number two: world building. Both Wither and Perfect Ruin start us out in a fully rendered universe and plot that are masterfully crafted. What I loved about the world building in Perfect Ruin was that it was completely different from Wither–almost a complete 180, but you could still see that it was by the same author.

Number three: character creation. Every character she creates has a distinct voice. That can be hard to do. I just marvel at how authors can create so many separate people with different personalities and not falter once. I loved every character in this novel. Really. I did.

I will say it took a little while for everything to get going, but once the ball started rolling, it didn’t stop. There were so many twists in the plot and the story was just so rich and drenched in the made up history of the floating city. The one thing I really loved was the fact that everyone has a betrothed. With Morgan already betrothed to Basil (who I swooned over), it eliminated the whole “mysterious love interest” angle from the plot that so many other YA novels have. I can only take much of those. So instead of having the two of them meet and magically fall in love, they’ve already known each other their whole lives. Instead we get to see them just as their relationship starts to turn into something much more serious.

Perfect Ruin is really something else. It’s wholly original and something I haven’t really seen in YA fiction before. However, I really think this is something that only Lauren DeStefano could have been able to craft, and do so in a way that no one else would be able to attain.

- Caroline

Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "Eyes Like Stars" and "Perchance to Dream" by Lisa Mantchev

 Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (Théâtre Illuminata #1)
*Originally posted in June of 2013*

I've been searching for this book for what seems like ages. A reviewer had given it high praise and I found the premise to be very intriguing. The only problem was, I couldn't find it anywhere. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I stumbled across TWO copies in Half Price Books. I think I may have squealed. So, I did go in with rather high expectations, but I was not let down. At all.

The over all idea for this novel could have turned out to be a disaster if it weren't so incredibly well written. It took me a while to get into the story, but that has been happening a lot with me lately. Once I got well into the story, however, I was absolutely hooked. Every character was so well defined and written. Bertie made for an excellent heroine. She was outlandish and flawed, but she did ultimately have good intentions at heart. The faeries were my absolute favorites. They were absolutely hilarious! I loved every second they were there, which is basically the whole book. And of course, there is a bit of a love triangle, but it's not a suffocating one, of which I was glad.

The setting itself can be character as well. The Théâtre houses the characters from every play ever written, and I just loved how those characters were exploited. Hamlet is a sulky teen, Ophelia shows up every time there is running water, I was just so amused by the author's take on iconic Shakespearean roles. Oh, and let's talk about the cover for a moment, shall we? IT'S FREAKING GORGEOUS. As soon as I saw it, I had to have it.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel to those who like fantasy, theater, faeries, or strong willed heroines, because it definitely has all four. I'm going to have to go on a hunt to find book two now. Who knows how long that will take... it'll be worth it though.

- Caroline

Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev (Théâtre Illuminata #2)

It's not often that I come across a series whose installments I can read back to back or in close proximity to one another. I know several people who have to exist in a certain story or genre for a while, but is I do that I get burnt out. The last time I did that was over a year ago when I went on a dystopia binge. However, I read Eyes Like Stars only a couple months ago and I just had to read the sequel. And it did not at all disappoint. We get a continuation of the story in the first book but outside the theater with new characters and even higher stakes.

The change of scenery in Perchance to Dream gave a story a refreshing change without losing the magic that Eyes Like Stars had. If anything, it might have been even more magical. Some sequences, especially towards the end, I could totally see as a stop-motion film. Everything was so whimsical and well developed, especially the characters. We have the return of the faeries from A Midsummer Night's Dream, who will forever be my favorite characters, as well as some new characters. It's very rare that a book will cause me to laugh out loud, but the faeries' banters about sweets and pies and all around tom-foolery will never fail to make me laugh. And the reason for that is probably because the writing is so well done and so clever. The language is something I just absolutely love. It's this mix of modern and Shakespearean English that is just so delicious to read and really adds to the crafting of the story.

However, this series, like every other young adult series, is not without romance and a love triangle. But, I will defend this one by saying that it was unpredictable, and the outcome at the end of this novel is not one you see very often. And that could apply to the entire book as a whole. The narrative took twists and turns that I didn't expect. It was just so well crafted! One minute I'd be laughing at the faeries, the next moment Bertie would be stuck in some sort of waking dream, and the next moment would be dark and sort of scary. It takes an awful lot of skill to be able to jump ranges like that.

Overall, if you haven't read this series, you definitely need to pick up Eyes Like Stars. It's been a while since I've wanted to completely binge on a series, but this is turning out to be one of those moments. I need to find a copy of book three as soon as possible.

- Caroline

Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "Antigoddess" by Kendare Blake

Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

*This is a review of an Advanced Readers Copy*

Antigoddess was a bit of a wildcard pick for me. I really knew nothing about the story, but I've really been wanting to read Kendare Blake's other novels, Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares. I've heard so many wonderful things about her writing so I jumped on the chance to get a copy. I went in to the story almost completely blind, with only the small amount of knowledge about Greek mythology that I was taught in school. What turned out to be an excellent aspect of the novel was that you don't really have to know anything about Greek mythology. The story is so well crafted that it works and flows together and it all makes sense.

However, the story went at a very slow pace. I had some trouble focusing on what was happening and it took me a while to get through. The problem most likely stems to the amount of characters the novel holds. Jumping between different characters and story lines can be time consuming and so by the time we got to the climax of the plot, the book was over. The lead up took about 17 of the 20 chapters and we only get a taste of the battle that is just beginning. I feel like there was too much time spent talking and not enough time spent doing. That being said, it was incredibly well written. Good writing can make up for so many things, and in this case, it made up for the slow pacing. The writing was very descriptive and especially gory. The author definitely did not shy away from giving us all the details. (A lot of them made me wince while reading.)

Another redeeming aspect was the overall story. It was completely original. We're not getting a retelling of a story or myth. Instead we are getting modernized and dying gods, fighting against each other to ensure their survival. Each god had an affliction that was just so creative and fitting for each iconic figure. And speaking of iconic figures, I absolutely loved that Athena was one of the main protagonists. She is hands down my favorite figure in Greek mythology. She's a goddess of battle, but she's been separated from her original world, as are all the other gods. I thought it gave her more depth and more conflict to her. The idea of setting all these gods in a modern setting and being able to see what they would have become after thousands of years is absolutely fascinating to me. And Kendare Blake did a wonderful job of reimagining each god and the other characters. The only ones I didn't care much for were Cassandra and Aidan, but I got over it. They were essential to the story.

In the end, I enjoyed the overall story and characters. The pacing is something I can look past now that the story is set up and ready for the sequel, which I will most certainly be reading along with the author's other novels. (Her gory and sometimes frightening descriptions in this book have me excited to see what she does with the horror genre.) This series definitely has promise.

- Caroline

Review also available on The Attic blog

Teen review of "Incarnate" by Jodi Meadows

Welcome to our new Teen Reviewer, Caroline! Caroline also blogs at The Attic (YA book reviews) and The Sleuth (a Nancy Drew fan blog). 
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Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Another one of those books that is causing me to ask myself, why did I take so long to read this?! It was always one of those "maybe" books for me since it came out, and I just happened to find it on sale and grabbed a copy. What I was expecting was an interesting story involving reincarnation and dragons. What I wasn't expecting was that it would have excellent world building, characters, and be full of music.

The setting of Incarnate is a character unto itself. Range and the city of Heart are this mix between the present, a fantasy world full of mystical creatures like dragons and centaurs, and futuristic technology (i.e. laser guns.) And it completely worked. To me, there are some genres that are hard to write and get right, and fantasy is one of them. There is so much that could go wrong when crafting a complex universe like the one in Incarnate. I have to applaud the author for not only making it all work together, but for making it a world I want to live in.

And not only is the world building excellent, but so is the character development. I really liked Ana as the main character. She doesn't start out the strong heroine that everyone loves to read about. She had a sheltered and abusive upbringing that causes her to be cautious of everyone and everything, but she evolves throughout the novel. Even though I do enjoy main characters who know what they want and will do anything to get it, I thought Ana was realistic. Most people don't start out like that-- they have to work towards it. And of course, our love interest Sam is the one who gets her to the point of which she can fend for herself. There's kind of an insta-romance between them, but it didn't really bother me that much. It made sense to me later on in the novel, but spoilers! I won't tell you why. You can figure it out.

Overall, Incarnate has a slower pace to it, but I don't really think it took away from the story. I really enjoyed getting to all everyone and getting engrossed in the world of Range. The plot is shrouded in enough mystery that it kept my brain constantly involved in what was going on. And the music. There is so much music woven into the story and I absolutely loved it. So, in the end, once I was done kicking myself for not reading it sooner, I very much enjoyed this novel. Especially the ending. It ended with just enough of a cliff hanger to make me want more, but not too much to make my mind melt. Well done, Jodi Meadows. Well done.

- Caroline

This review is also available on The Attic blog.