Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses Author: Sarah J. Maas Published by: Bloomsbury USA Childrens Publication date: May 5, 2015 Pages: 432 Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retelling, Romance Summary from Goodreads: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever. This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which is my favorite Disney movie. Tamlin doesn’t feel like a real beast, though. He’s a shape-shifting Fae. Although Tamlin and his court are cursed with masks covering their faces, Feyre knows he’s a beautiful man, which feels a little un-beast-like. Feyre might hate him because he’s Fae, but could anyone avoid falling in love with a kindhearted, handsome MAN? Doubtful. Feyre is a self-taught hunter and all-around regular Bear Grylls—you get the feeling she could survive anywhere. Awesome. Ah, but Feyre is not one-sided; she loves beautiful things too. She dreams of capturing beauty on paper, and studies Tamlin’s Fae paintings for pleasure. Sarah J. Maas writes beautifully. She has a way of drawing you into a new world with interesting characters. Details about paintings and scenery could have become monotonous, but Maas kept my attention. I think Maas also writes great action sequences, I just wish there were more in this book! The book’s cover totally raised my expectations for an exciting, action-pact story. The majority of the 432 pages is relationship building between Feyre and Tamlin. We don’t even learn too much about Tamlin’s world because some details must be kept from Feyre (Though the second book in the series will probably be enlightening). One of the most exciting parts of the book is in the last 100 or so pages, which made for a great conclusion with twists, new relationships, and a set up for the next book in the series. Would I let my teen read this book? Maas is a popular YA author. Her Throne of Glass series, about a teenage assassin fighting for her freedom, won her many fans. However, I would not let my teen read this book. I think it’s more appropriate in the New Adult or Adult category. Unsurprisingly, this was a sensual book. It’s represented that way in some of its descriptions, and books about Fae tend to lean in that direction. I was disappointed when the sex veered toward an adult paperback romance. This was a sort of sexual relationship I don’t think teens need to be reading. Because Tamlin is a beast underneath his skin, these characteristics come out in their intimate scenes, like biting, and his claws digging into her hips when they have sex… There’s some violence, and the villain is a dark, evil woman. These things combined with the sexual content really confused me about the Young Adult categorization. Here’s some of the details below. Age recommendation: 18 Language – mild Drugs & Alcohol— Feyre gets drunk on fairy wine Sex –Feyre imagines what it would feel like to kiss Tamlin, and what it would feel like to have him touch her in intimate ways, for example: his fingers brushing her breasts; There’s a sexual ritual that transfers Tamlin’s magic back to the earth (or something) – he’s in some sort of primal sexual haze when he finds Feyre afterwards, tells her he looked for her, but when he couldn’t find her he took another woman who asked him to not be gentle, he then bites Feyre’s neck in a sort of warning and marking of territory (YIKES!); There are 2 sex scenes with some graphic details. Violence – The dark Fae are really bad. There are threats of skin being peeled off, rape, and other forms of torture and horrific death; One character finds a severed head on a stake in the garden; A young girl is tortured (unseen) and displayed after she dies as a warning by the villain; Feyre suffers great injuries at the hands of the villain, too. My Goodreads rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars Buy: A Court of Thorns and Roses on Amazon.com
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Title: Red Queen Author: Victoria Aveyard Published by: HarperTeen Publication date: February 10, 2015 Pages: 400 Genres: Fantasy, Romance Summary from Goodreads: The poverty-stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. Mare finds herself working in the Silver palace, at the center of those she hates most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win? I avoided this book for a while despite all the hype. Frankly, the cover frightened me! However, when I noticed it on the library shelf, I decided to dive in to discover what the excitement is about. I was pleased to find that the cover is more horrific than the story. Silvers have silver blood and Reds have red blood, hence the red blood dripping off the crown. Red Queen mimics a Hunger Games government, but instead of a president, there’s a king, and instead of wealth alone separating the masses, it’s special powers. Sort of like what the world might look like if Magneto accomplished his mission to rule the world in X-Men. “Mutants” have the power, so they dominate the throne. Supposedly, in Red Queen, the Silvers descended from gods or angels, but we never get more of a history lesson than that, which left me with questions. Who are the Silvers? Why do they have these powers? And why is there a new mutation in the Reds? If the Silvers descended from or are gods, then it seems like a higher power is in play here, but there’s no hint to the background of the two races. Take the following quote, for example: In school, we learned about the world before ours, about the angels and gods that lived in the sky, ruling the earth with kind and loving hands. Some say those are just stories, but I don’t believe that. Compelling, no? Super compelling! Yet, that’s the extent of an explanation. Disappointing. I was entertained by Victoria Aveyard’s book, but I didn’t understand all the hype. I’m pretty sure I’ve read about similar characters in a similar setting before. Granted, the powers are fun. And who doesn’t enjoy rooting for the underdog or dream about waking up with superpowers? But I predicted the twist at the end early in the book. It was anticlimactic. While Aveyard could’ve written so much more about the depth of this world and gone into more detail about the revolution, she mostly used the romantic entanglements to move the story, which stinks, because I really didn’t care much about Maven or Cal. Would I let my teen read this book? Despite the lack of depth, the book deals with themes like trust, faithfulness, repentance, and justice. Mare goes through a painful coming of age, but she admits her mistakes and weaknesses, and fights fiercely for what she thinks is right—the deliverance of her family and her people (Reds). The publisher recommends Red Queen for 9th grade and up. I agree. See the details below. Age recommendation: 14 Language – mild (shit and hell are used two or three times total) Drugs & Alcohol – Mare has a drink at a party, which is assumed to be some kind of alcohol. Sex – 2-3 kisses Violence – Some combat and supernatural violence. None of the violence is very graphic. Characters get stabbed, cut, burned, and drowned. Some characters are made to do violent things under the influence of mind control - one character gets his head cut off by another unwilling character. My Goodreads rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars Buy: Red Queen on Amazon.com Title: Everything Everything Author: Nicola Yoon Published by: Delacorte Press Publication date: September 1, 2015 Pages: 307 Genres: Romance, Contemporary *ARC provided by Random House Children through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* Summary from Goodreads: My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. Madeline, our heroine of Everything, Everything has SCID—in short, the bubble-boy disease. She’s allergic to everything and can’t leave her house. The only human interaction she has is with her mother (also her best friend and doctor), her nurse, and one or two of her school tutors. She lives in a whitewashed, plastic environment and wears jeans and a white t-shirt every day. The only way she experiences the world is through books and movies. This all changes when Olly moves in next door. Their relationship begins with a suicidal, indestructible Bundt cake and grows through instant messages, emails, and eventually face-to-face meetings. But Maddy’s budding relationship with Olly teaches her to want; nothing frightens Maddy more than becoming unsatisfied with her lot in life. She didn’t mind living in Kansas until she experienced life in Technicolor. “One thing I’m certain of: wanting just leads to more wanting. There’s no end to desire.” I loved this book. It’s full of questions about risk, love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Can you give up on someone you love? Is living in quarantine really living? Maddy and Olly’s relationship is so sweet and fun, and full of heart-pulling angst because of Maddy’s illness. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that the ending is equally tragic and joyful. Another thing I loved about Everything, Everything is how Yoon utilizes diagrams, illustrations, diary entries, and instant messaging formats to tell this story. It gives the reader a more intimate understanding of Maddy and gives the book an almost whimsical quality. Would I let my teen read this book? There are some great themes here, and Madeline and Olly are admirably both smart and witty. However, I do think this book is for mature teens. Olly is dealing with an abusive father. There’s some language, and a sex scene. See my details below. Age recommendation: 16 Language – Olly regularly uses “jesus” and “goddamn” as curses Drugs & Alcohol – Olly’s teenage sister is a smoker and his Dad is a drunk Sex – several kisses; one sex scene – not particularly graphic but mentions some details Violence – No graphic violence, mention of Olly’s Dad hitting his Mom. My Goodreads rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Buy: Everything, Everything on Amazon.com Title: The Season Author: Sarah MacLean Published by: Orchard Books Publication date: June 1, 2010 Pages: 352 Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction Summary from Goodreads: Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued -- in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet. When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? If you love Jane Austen, then you’ll enjoy The Season by Sarah MacLean. Set in the early 1800s, Season follows three friends as their forced into the London season to find husbands. But these smart, independent friends aren’t won over to the traditional view of marriage easily. Unlike most of the ton, Vivi is encouraged to marry for love, Ella prefers spinsterhood as a writer to the marriage mart, and Alex wants to be known for her intelligence instead of her pretty face. Though the book is a romance, its story is also about this band of faithful friends, who love and encourage and trust one another. Gavin, the Earl of Blackmoor, is Alex’s brothers’ closest childhood friend. Alex and Gavin share a close friendship, but as Alex begins her first season and enters society as a woman, both are surprised by a blossoming attraction. To be clear, espionage and murder set this story apart from Austen’s heritage, so don’t expect many comparisons. If you’re looking for a lighthearted regency romance, you’ll probably enjoy The Season. Would I let my teen read this book? I picked up this book because I hadn’t read much (if any) young adult, regency-era literature. It was a nice change of pace from all the dark, dystopian novels I’ve recently read. It’s fun, clean, and features independent girls who want more out of life than what society demands. I think this novel could even be a nice introduction to Austen if your daughter hasn’t discovered her yet. If your teen already loves Austen, she’s sure to enjoy The Season. * Warning note: I looked up Sarah MacLean’s other books to see if she had any more like The Season. She has plenty of regency romance novels, but they are adult romances. It looks like The Season is the stand-alone young adult novel in MacLean’s library. Age recommendation: 14 Sex – 2-3 kisses Violence – The antagonist briefly threatens Alex with a weapon My Goodreads rating: 3 out of 5 stars Buy: The Season on Amazon.com Title: Across a Star-Swept Sea Author: Diana Peterfreund Published by: October 15, 2013 Publication date: Balzer + Bray Pages: 464 Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy Summary from Goodreads: Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy. On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever. Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect. I love a good secret identity story, and Persis Blake plays this role well. She’s very intelligent, not to mention beautiful, which gives her an advantage in subterfuge. Persis’ world is incredibly technologically advanced, but resembles our late 1700s. Society is in an upheaval, much like the French Revolution (1789-1799). Women hold positions of power, but society continues to operate under the impression that women cannot rule alone. None of this stops Persis and her league of the Wild Poppy. They take society’s salvation into their own hands and imagine a world of peaceful justice and equality. The romance between Persis and Justen is sweet and rocky. Neither knows if the other is trustworthy, and Justen is so convinced of Persis’ flakey identity, he can’t imagine her opinions are worth hearing, or that she cares for anything except silk and feathers. Slowly, they learn the truth about one another. The book has some resolution to their relationship, but this is actually my only complaint—the very end of the book is a scene between these two, but it feels like an unfinished thought! I wish we could’ve had a few more pages, or a short epilogue to wrap up the story more completely. Across a Star-Swept Sea is set in the same world as Diana Peterfreund’s other book in the series - For Darkness Shows the Stars. The main characters in the first book do make an appearance, but the main stories are unrelated. If you want to start with the first book, I do recommend it. Both books have admirable female leads and sweet romances. Peterfreund bases her stories on literary classics: For Darkness Shows…= Persuasion by Jane Austen; Across a Star-Swept…= The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emma Orczy. I love that about Peterfreund. She’s introducing the Young Adult world to stories they might not pick up otherwise, and it’s a nice departure from the currently every-popular fairy tail retellings. If you want an intro to Persis and her world, check out this free prequel, short story for Kindle on Amazon--The First Star to Fall. Would I let my teen read this book? Diana Peterfreund’s books are imaginative with lovely settings, descriptions, and characters. Her heroines are smart and strong. I recommend these books for girls age 13 and up. Age recommendation: 13 Sex – 2 kisses (not overly passionate, but also not chaste) Violence – There’s a little hand-to-hand combat My Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5 stars Buy: Across a Star Swept-Sea on Amazon.com |
Lindsey Learn
I read a lot. I'm a Mom. I'm officially in my 30s, but strangers often don't believe I'm old enough to drink. I love Young Adult fiction, and thought it was worthwhile to help teens and adults find age-appropriate options. Categories
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