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.
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