Tag Archives: YA

War of the Seasons: The Human

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War of the Seasons: The Human

Sad and lonely after the deaths of her father and younger siblings, Story finds herself visiting one of her childhood romps, a cave she used to visit with her family. In a headstrong moment, she forgets the cardinal rules of spelunking and falls down into a deep chasm. Finding a way out, she finds herself in Ailionara, a world in which elves, gnomes, faeries, and dryads are real…and humans are myth.

Janine K. Spendlove’s War of the Seasons: The Human brings a lovely blend of Celtic lore and YA fantasy while full of beautiful Celtic names. The reluctant heroine provides a nice change to traditional masculine leads in the genre, with a romance that is only a tertiary line, as opposed to love struck girl mooning over a mythological man. While a bit flat at first, Story’s character grows as the book gains momentum, driving the reader to the finish. If you like books such as Inheritance Cycle (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance) and Progeny: The Children of the White Lions, you won’t want to miss checking out this up-and-coming author who only promises to be better with the next book in the series.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided by the author.

For more information about War of the Seasons or the author, check out Ailionara.

Beyond the Grave

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Beyond the Grave (Past Midnight, #3)

It’s hard to have a normal life when your parents are paranormal investigators. Charlotte’s mother is in a coma after a previous encounter with The Watcher. Her father and sister are struggling to live, the business if falling apart, and Charlotte is left floundering, trying to hold it together and spend time with her boyfriend who is becoming more secretive each day.

Mara Purnhagen’s Beyond the Grave is the third and final book in her Past Midnight series. The book is strong enough to stand alone for those of us who haven’t read her earlier novels, but the characters seem a bit flat and the build up and discovery drags. Luckily, the action at the end mostly makes up for the slow clues.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

Catch and Release

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Catch and Release

Polly Furnas had a plan. Graduate highschool. Marry her sweetheart. Go to college, and have children. MSRA was not in the plan. Neither was spending weeks in the hospital and loosing her eye. Somehow, out of everyone in her hometown who survived the infection, she survived, along with a fellow highschooler, Odd. Now she has a choice. She can lie around wallowing in self-pity or take Odd’s offer for a fishing trip. She can choose to fight to live or slowly die inside her new body. Plans change.

Blythe Woolston’s Catch & Release is interesting, a bit disturbing, and just perfect for analyzing our views and anger. With writing and a story line that gets under your skin, Woolston wraps it up with Odd’s letters to his grandmother, effectively putting a balm on the infected story. A new book with merit for discussing what we make of life and those around us, Catch & Release is certain to find its own among teens looking for something out of the ordinary.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher.