The Night Spinner / Addie Thorley

4/5

The Night Spinner is about Enebish the Destroyer, a general with the power to control darkness who was shamed when she lost control and killed innocents. Enebish is trying to get back into the good graces of her older sister and the emperor, so that she might regain some semblance of the power and freedom that she once had. Her chance to prove herself is to help her sister, the top general, crush a rising rebellion. 

What made me give The Night Spinner a strong rating was the amount of betrayal that Enebish faced. Just one after the other! I loved it. It kept me guessing. The constant deception taught Enebish to trust herself, adding in elements that make this novel a coming-of-age story as well. I liked that it picked up where most YA novels usually end-- most are about protagonists discovering his/her power and rising in the ranks, but this is about Enebish's story after she's fallen from grace. 

Addie Thorley wrote Enebish's voice full of vulnerability, longing, and determination. I could feel how badly she belonged with the night and I rooted for her the whole way. I would recommend this novel for readers looking for a less politically-heavy Grave Mercy.

House of Earth and Blood / Sarah J Maas

4.5/5

Sarah J. Maas's first in a new series, House of Earth and Blood, is full of plot twists and interesting characters. It starts off with some overwhelming info-dump, but if you stick through that rough beginning, the story is well worth your time. I'll tell you the downsides upfront: the characters can be a little cliche (a seemingly slutty party girl, a tortured angel, a pretty Fae prince) but at the same time the book was also packed full of intriguing side characters (particularly Jesiba) whose personalities and side plots I all wanted to explore.

The novel is of typical Maas length, which is to say it's quite long, but the length is justified considering the impact and intensity of events covered. Though I felt frustrated with Bryce's character at times, I enjoyed watching the slow unveiling of her character throughout the entire novel. I also appreciated the continual twists that always had me guessing at each character's true intentions and personality. The best part of the novel was the climax-- I can't name the last book that had an ultimate battle that long and intense, and I loved it. My eyes may have even watered a little. 

If you're a fan of Maas's other novels, I would highly recommend picking this up. It's amazing for me to see that she's shed the shame that was ACOTAR and is returning a bit towards the tougher Throne of Glass atmosphere.

2020 So I Suddenly Come Into a Lot of Reading Time

3/5

I picked up this 2002 duology because I was looking for a enemies-to-lovers story that was more or less similar to The Cruel Prince. It was pretty much what I expected, starting off with a pair of capable siblings defending their land from the tyrant king. But as the novel progressed, the protagonist grew more and more stupid. She was aware of her ignorance and stupidity and yet did nothing to improve it. She would feel ashamed of her ignorant actions, but then be too afraid to apologize and confront them, so instead we spend the novel burdened by her incompetence. Other than that, the plot and characters are interesting, and I was moved enough by our underdogs to be sympathetic to their plight. 

1/5

I was drawn in from the very first page with McLemore's beautiful writing. She captured the magical atmosphere perfectly, similar to the way Erin Morgenstern captured the magic of her Night Circus. The novel is also gender identity conscious, which would be a big plus for those looking for more representation in YA novels. But the biggest drawback and the reason why I didn't finish is because the novel was boring. The plot didn't move fast enough, which may have been in part due to the beautiful writing slowing the author down. 

3.5/5

This 2005 novel is another that I found in my search for something similar to The Cruel Prince. The high-stakes, poison-happy plot of the book and enemies-to-lover relationship make it a closer match to Cruel Prince than Crown Duel. The main character is very smart and the multiple twists in the plot both make this a strong read, but the aspect that truly stood out to me was Snyder's handling of past trauma. Snyder's slow reveal of our protagonist's trauma gives it the weight it deserves. She truly shows us the emotional impact of past events, rather than blandly using them to add motives or false stakes. A small downside of the novel would be that it also contains the trope of a protagonist finding out that she actually has magical powers, but that took a small role in this novel and actually played well into the rest of the plot. Overall, I would recommend.

2020 Beginnings

3/5

An enemies-to-lovers story. I finished it a little confused, because I had expected more in terms of plot and also in terms of developing the love interests' relationship. I would have preferred more scenes furthering their relationship because they fell in love a little too easily, and more scenes focusing on the actual plot. But overall, both the characters and world were well-written and interesting. Also, I believe this novel falls under "New Adult" rather than "Young Adult," in case that influences your decision to read it.

3/5

An original world, but not original enough, especially toward the end. But still enjoyable throughout. 

1/5

I couldn't finish this. By the length and simplicity of the sentences, you'd think Dealing in Dreams was written for a first-grader. I read some reviews which encouraged readers to stick through the boring beginning because the action would eventually pick up, but I just couldn't make it through.

1.5/5

I picked up this modernized version of Beauty and the Beast because I was in the mood for a quick and light feel-good story. Turns out, all of the characters were trite (I know it's a retelling but that doesn't make freshness impossible) and the way each of Jaya's, the protagonist, relationships ended was predictable and handled so poorly that the endings felt absurdly unrealistic. If this had been released ~15 years ago, I think the old-fashioned, mild feminism and cliches might be more understandable, but this was released this year! Somehow the book managed to make me feel almost foolish for expecting better. 

2019, The End of a Decade

Fall'19, things I read while I was abroad. I chose to reread a lot of Leigh Bardugo, devoured Holly Black's Queen of Nothing, started and enjoyed The Great Library series, and ended with a sweet chick lit.

4.5/5                                     4/5

The Great Library series has wonderful world-building, complex characters, and a badass protagonist. I love Jess, the protagonist, for his background, family, and drive; I am always rooting for him. The series has a total of five heavy novels, but don't let that scare you off. Even if you only read the first one, it's still well worth your time.

4/5 

The Folk of the Air has made it to my list of all time favorites, and it's a been while since I've added anything to that list. The closing book wasn't as strong as the first two but it wasn't a letdown either. Though I felt that it could have been longer, I was satisfied that it didn't break my heart. It felt so good to see Jude and Cardan and Madoc again. The series isn't for the faint of heart-- it's cruel, power hungry, and lonely. But it's also an extremely well-written tale about carving your own place in the world of your choosing. 

4.5/5

I read this in a lovely, bookish cafe in Vienna. I'd been craving a chick lit reminiscent of Morgan Matson's Since You Been Gone, and Ashley Elston delivered. 

2019 "Haul" Part II

4/5

Cutthroat women, a high stakes plot, and a strong protagonist. The heist style kept me on my toes as did the complex relationships between all of the characters. It had similarities to To Kill a Kingdom in that they had a similar brutal tone and were both set on the ocean-- it's a good thing and I would recommend both novels. Will be reading the sequel.

3.5/5

Different from the YA fantasy that I usually read, probably because this is not in the YA genre. The sarcasm and humor were fun and could be found in YA, but Beat the Reaper definitely had more explicit violence and sex scenes. I enjoyed the medical talk; at times it felt a bit like an anatomy lesson but I didn't mind. This novel is gory and dark, but also fun and engaging. I would recommend it to older audiences (18+) who aren't squeamish and like danger.

4/5

It's been a while since I read To Best the Boys. I don't remember the details but the impression it left on me was that it wasn't a bad read. The labyrinth added some intensity and the novel had the feminist themes that I adored, but the novel as a whole was not particularly original. The plot of a woman pretending to be a man is one that I enjoy, but can also be found in Spin the Dawn and We Hunt the Flame (both are also in this post) and AC Gaughen's Scarlet (a good read).

3.5/5

Figured it was about time I finally read one of the biggest YA novels of our time. It was as good as the hype, and I would highly recommend fans of YA science to fiction to read Ready Player One if they haven't already. It's the OG. The ending was not unsuspected, but the intense journey was incredibly fun. Ernest Cline's voice as Wade Watts is candid and clear. I loved the world's design and Wade's determination to face the great challenge both of finding the eggs and protecting the OASIS. 

3.5/5

Unlike any other YA sci-fi I've read before. Dayton chooses a vignette style displaying politics and technology at different points in time. I loved being able to see the larger story through different stories and people; each one was unique but also tied by a common theme. I would recommend fans of sci-fi and those interested in the ethical line between science and playing god to check out Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful. 

3/5

A pretty standard chick lit. Made for younger audiences (maybe ages 12+?). Daphne's behavior is beyond inappropriate in how she oversteps her boundaries. I liked the little twist when the novel reveals how different one person's interpretation of events/identity can be so different from other people's interpretation. There were also some sweet moments. I'd recommend this for those looking for a fun, light read that doesn't take too much thought.

2.5/5

As I mentioned earlier, I'm a bit of a sucker for plot lines where a woman pretends to be a man. That, along with the promise of a competition between two strong protagonists, made me want to read We Hunt the Flame. Also, the cover is gorgeous. While the novel isn't absolutely horrible, it was disappointing. My biggest problem was that most of the reveals and characterizations are common throughout YA fantasy novels; neither the characters or plot had originality or depth. Towards the end, the plot became sloppy and poorly done. I would suggest We Hunt the Flame if you have nothing else to read and to first properly adjust your expectations.

3.5/5

A good, fun coming-of-age novel. It lacks a cohesive plot and Scarlett can be a immature, but ultimately she has a bright voice that kept the read engaging. I appreciated Ruth's character and Scarlett's relationship with her, although Ruth's story definitely felt trite.

3/5

Another novel where the female protagonist disguises herself as a man to participate in a contest. I gave Spin the Dawn a lower rating than I probably would have otherwise because the novel was different from how it was sold. I was under the impression that it would be a competition to become the king's tailor; that competition ended maybe a fourth of the way into the novel, and then Maia is sent with the king's mysterious magician/jester/advisor (?) on a completely separate mission that takes up the remainder of the novel. The entire story has a much more romantic tone that I had expected it would, and overall I felt that Elizabeth Lim couldn't decide what she wanted her story to be. A tailor's competition, a magical trial, or a djinn story? She tried to shift between all three, and it made for a weak YA fantasy. The only cohesive thread throughout would probably be the romantic atmosphere, so if you enter the novel only looking for that then I think it will be more enjoyable. Overall, an enjoyable but not a strong read.