Title: Vengeance Road Author: Erin Bowman Published by: HMH Books for Young Readers Publication date: September 1, 2015 Pages: 336 Genres: Historical Fiction, Western Summary from Goodreads: Revenge is worth its weight in gold. When her father is murdered for a journal revealing the location of a hidden gold mine, eighteen-year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers—and justice. What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal. I’m not overly fond of revenge stories, but I’ve been looking forward to this western for months. I anticipated a rough landscape and a determined heroine with similarities to True Grit. I mean, look at that cover! While Kate Thompson sounds a little like a broken-revenge-record at times, her vengeance rides on the back of her grief as she launches into this journey hours after she buries her father. The Colton brothers, when they first meet, take to calling her deaf, because she has a red haze around her, out for nothing but blood. Expect violence and a stonehearted girl, who makes her first kill in the first chapter of the book: “That sounds real nice, boy,” he says. “Now for the love of God, lower that damn pistol.” The Colton brothers, Jesse and Will, bring some lightheartedness to the story. They’re taken in by Kate’s disguise as a boy, and decide to follow her as a promise to their father to watch out for the Thompson kid. However, as the mission of revenge against the Rose Riders turns towards the promise of gold, even the Colton boys can’t resist the temptation of quick wealth and comfort. In Vengeance Road, the bad guys are really bad, and the good guys are pulled by revenge and greed. While Kate’s thirst for revenge doesn’t dampen (but justifiably grows), she begins to process her grief and remember the sweetness of companionship. She doesn’t want to be alone, and finally recognizes the danger of wallowing in hate. “I want him to burn for eternity. I should carve a damn rose in his forehead first so he knows just how rotten he is. It’s a book about revenge and it’s a book about healing, about learning to lean on others—not letting hate fester. I really enjoyed Vengeance Road. The grammatically incorrect language might be exhausting for some, but I adjusted quickly and it didn’t distract me from the story. Would I let my teen read this book? Vengeance Road has dark themes more appropriate for older teens. There’s some language, talk about “poking whores,” remains of burned children, and a lot of shoot-outs. Liluye’s Apache character introduces themes about judgment, stereotypes, spirituality, culture differences, and how respect garners respect. These topics along with revenge, forgiveness, greed, God, and community make for some great thought-provoking ideas. With the knowledge above and below, I’d recommend this book for everyone 16 and up. Age recommendation: 16 Language – Moderate, including the use of Jesus Christ as an expletive. Drugs & Alcohol— Characters drink alcohol in the saloon as appropriate to the time Sex – References to whores working; sex referred to as a “poke,” a common, encouraged activity; a few kissing scenes Violence – Lots of characters get shot; burned family in a carriage; two characters are hanged; several characters hit with shovels My Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5 stars Buy Vengeance Road on Amazon.com
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Title: The Wrath and the Dawn Author: Renée Ahdieh Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers Publication date: May 12, 2015 Pages: 416 Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction Summary from Goodreads: Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all. “You have never understood Khalid. It is not about strength. It is about substance. What follows will destroy all that remains of his, leaving behind a husk—a shadow of what he once was.” For our heroine, Shahrzad (Shazi)—who is strong, passionate, and quick minded—to fall in love with a murderer caliph (king), there has to be more to this story. Everything is not as it seems. This mystery is what drives the book and acts as the linchpin to the success or failure of Shazi and Khalid’s relationship. Even when we discover the truth, it’s rife with complexity. I liked the complexity. I’m glad it wasn’t wrapped up in a neat explanation, and Khalid was not quite the villain, but also not really a hero. I also like that Renée Ahdieh wrote Shahrzad’s journey without taking away her strong spirit. When she makes her final decision about either revenging her friend or loving Khalid, it didn’t feel like a departure from her character. In fact, I think her decision magnified her strength. Meanwhile, others in Shazi’s life take dramatic strides toward war with the caliph (over the injustice of all his dead wives). Among them, Shazi’s father and her first love, Tariq: both are desperate to assert love and protection. Desperation leads one down a dark path of magic. Though the ending was a little ambiguous, I loved this book. Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights (or Arabian Nights) The Wrath and the Dawn has a rich Arabian setting, with bright descriptions and a LOT of Mediterranean food…um, yum. I probably took more joy in reading about what Shazi ate than she fictionally enjoyed it. I also loved the glimpse into a cultural past probably unfamiliar to many teens and adults. It certainly ignited my curiosity about the time. Caliph? What’s that? Why are these suffixes added to the end of names and what do they mean? What is a shamla? Thankfully, Ahdieh includes a glossary for all these questions. Would I let my teen read this book? It’s refreshing to read about a fantastical place that mimics a real time in history, especially when you know little about the culture. If you’re teen enjoys fantasy, than they’re sure to like this story, and it might lead to some cultural research! Death lingers and dark magic plays a role. If these things don’t bother you, than I think you’ll really enjoy unwinding this mystery and discussing the complexity of these characters and the decisions they make. There are some violent and sexual themes, and for those reasons I recommend this book for people 16 and up. Age recommendation: 16 Language –mild Drugs & Alcohol— Characters casually drink wine with meals Sex – Married couple has sex three times–Not graphic, with few details, the first two times is more the knowledge of it–that Khalid came to his wife, Shahrzad, at night; the characters get “lost in kisses”; We also know that other characters are sexually active outside of marriage. Violence – Some violence, most not graphic and in self-defense. Khalid’s wives are being strangled to death; The magic in the book is blood magic, which requires death sacrifices—there is some brief violence to animals. My Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5 stars Buy The Wrath and the Dawn on Amazon.com Title: Snow Like Ashes Author: Sara Raasch Published by: Balzer + Bray Publication date: October 14, 2014 Pages: 432 Genres: Fantasy, Romance Summary from Goodreads: Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since. Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again. So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own. Snow Like Ashes is compared to Game of Thrones, and though I don’t know too much about GOT, I do know that it has many kingdoms, and everyone is fighting for ultimate authority. Snow is just that, and Meira is determined to be important to the cause—rescuing Winter’s people from slavery and restoring Winter’s kingdom. I liked Meira’s determination. As often as she’s told she’s not good enough, she never wavers in her resolve. The Winterians seem like a hopeless cause; most of the population enslaved by Spring, only Meira and seven others escaped and survived to live as fugitive refugees. They also have no magic, which puts them at a major disadvantage. However, it’s partly Meira’s fortitude (and a well-kept secret) that changes the fate of her people. There are many things I appreciated about Sara Raasch’s story. I thought she designed a creative world and a compelling story. Using the seasons as kingdoms immediately created innate identities, easy to understand and remember among a large cast of players. I also really enjoyed the pace of the story. There’s a battle in the middle of the book, which could have been a final act in a slower version of the story. I’m so glad it wasn’t. I reveled in the excitement and anticipated the next discovery. Though Raasch’s story was a little predictable, I still enjoyed the journey. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll be brief. Another thing I liked–the romance! The triangle, which I usually can’t stand, was tolerable and short lived (hopefully?). Thankfully, we also don’t have to wait long for the sequel; Ice Like Fire comes out this October. (Update: March 9, 2016 - read my review for Ice Like Fire) Would I let my teen read this book? This is a great option for teens who like fantasy. Sometimes it’s hard to find books like this that aren’t graphically violent. There is violence, but it doesn’t get drawn out in detail. When dark magic is mentioned, you never know how dark it’s going to be. Snow Like Ashes has dark magic on what I call the surface level–dark because it’s literally a dark cloud and it can encourage people to do bad things. I recommend this book for kids 14 and up, and even for mature middle schoolers. Age recommendation: 14 Language – mild Drugs & Alcohol— none Sex – One kiss; (and some admiration of bare chests) Violence – War-related violence; sword and weapons combat; throats slit; guts stabbed; boy gets whipped; two characters are tortured by getting ribs broken and healed multiple times in a row My Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5 stars Buy: Snow Like Ashes 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 Title: An Ember in the Ashes Author: Sabaa Tahir Published by: April 28, 2015 Publication date: Razorbill Pages: 453 Genres: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Romance Summary from Goodreads: Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself. “This life is not always what we think it will be,” Cain says. “You are an ember in the ashes, Elias Veturius. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it.” “You are full, Laia. Full of life and dark and strength and spirit. You are in our dreams. You will burn, for you are an ember in the ashes. That is your destiny.” I was really looking forward to this book, and I wasn’t disappointed (much). It’s been on my reading list since the beginning of the year after it was already getting media buzz. Paramount has also already bought the movie rights. So, I wanted to discover what the hubbub was all about. An Ember in the Ashes is gripping while being surprisingly slow-paced. I guess there hasn’t been word of a sequel to the book yet. If it’s a stand-alone, readers will be sorely disappointed. If it becomes a series, Ember… is one thrilling launching pad to the story. It was one of those books I couldn’t put down. I stayed up way to late to finish it. I have few complaints, except for a complicated love quadrangle? I get tired just thinking about it… The Martial Empire is a dark place—threat of death, rape, and severe beatings are real, which makes the story that more urgent and compelling. When Laia is sneaking around Blackcliff Military Academy, I was continually gripped with horror at the consequences if she is caught. Neither of our main characters walk away unscathed. I liked both characters, but I particularly enjoyed Laia’s development. She comes into herself towards the end of the book, gaining confidence and control over her desires. They’re from different social worlds, but Elias and Laia both long for their freedom. Elias wants to escape his future of dealing death and swearing fealty to an unjust Empire. Laia wants freedom for her imprisoned brother. Their journeys are wrought with difficulties and they will be tested to their breaking points, but through each other they might find deliverance. Would I let my teen read this book? Some of the themes of this book reminded me of Hunger Games—war and rebellion and fighting to the death. Martial Empire is worse than the Capital though. Children are beaten in the military academy, and the Masks (who graduate from the academy) are expected to rape and kill without remorse. Though you feel this threat, especially for the women of this story, there is no graphic sexual violence. The Commandant is a cold, frightening character that dishes much of the abuse. She’s ruthless, tyrant of the academy. There are some sexual references, but no sex scenes. There are two kissing scenes with some mention of longing, but are relatively short. The soldiers especially talk about sleeping with women and whores. And several times Elias thinks about his love interests without clothing and in intimate embraces. Magic also has a part in this story, which plays out as devilry and is associated with dark figures. An Ember in the Ashes is a more mature young adult book. I’d save this one until high school, at least. I wouldn’t recommend it for kids younger than 14. Age recommendation: 16 Language— No common swearing Drugs & Alcohol-- References to getting drunk Sex--2 kissing scenes; Women slaves are treated as property to be used; Whore is regularly mentioned, along with references to the brothel; References to the soldiers having multiple sexual affairs. Laia is threatened with rape twice Violence--Sword and hand-to-hand combat; Character’s are stabbed in battle; Throats are slit; A ten-year-old boy is whipped to death for deserting; Commandant physically maims slaves as punishments; Laia is nearly beaten to death My Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5 stars Buy: An Ember in the Ashes 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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