The nitty-gritty: Danielle Valentine’s latest will most likely be a hit with YA lovers, but for me it lacked depth and interesting characters. I’d call this one “slasher light,” so if you’re looking for something edgier, you might be disappointed as well. I never would have picked up this book if it hadn’t been for […]
The nitty-gritty: A supernatural revenge story revolving around a dangerous game is the focus of Melissa Albert’s latest, a beautifully written, dark tale with a compelling mystery. “That’s why they were here, eating crap coffee and bad sweets at a rest stop perched like a concrete spider over the highway. So Becca could see what […]
The nitty-gritty: Darcy Coates takes the serial killer story and gives it a unique twist in this creepy and unsettling tale. “Doubtful, Illinois was a glue trap. People sometimes came in, but they very rarely left…The longer you spent in the town, the more you felt trapped there. As though there wasn’t any space for […]
The nitty-gritty: The mysteries pile up in this solid sequel to The Luminaries, with even more impressive world building. “You either trust the forest or you don’t.” Please note: spoilers ahead for the first book in the series I struggled a bit with The Luminaries, but I’m happy to say I ended up enjoying The […]
The nitty-gritty: Atmospheric and eerie, All the Dead Lie Down is a nice mix of horror, coming-of-age and family secrets. It was the creepy, evocative cover of All the Dead Lie Down that caught my attention, and I have to say Kyrie McCauley’s story matches the cover perfectly. This was such an atmospheric story with […]
The nitty-gritty: Can a story about teen cannibals be fun? Why yes it can, in Kayla Cottingham’s latest, a fast-paced horror tale with humor and heart. “When my parents asked if I wanted a Mini Cooper for graduation, I didn’t think ahead to whether or not it would have enough trunk space to accommodate my […]
The nitty-gritty: The gang is back in this second book in Kendare Blake’s Buffy-inspired series, with plenty of action, laughs and monsters. I love when the second book in a series hits its stride and improves on the first book, and that was my experience with One Girl in All the World. I’ll admit I […]
The nitty-gritty: Imaginative world-building and an intriguing premise make The Luminaries a solid series opener. The Luminaries was a fun opening book in Susan Dennard’s new fantasy series, and although it didn’t fully work for me, I’m definitely curious enough to continue with the series. This is Young Adult through and through, with plenty of […]
The nitty-gritty: A cleverly constructed thriller with plenty of high school drama makes this a perfect summer read for teens. Despite my reluctance to read YA these days, I have to admit I had a blast with We Made It All Up. And yes, the book has the usual YA shenanigans like relationship drama, bullying, […]
The nitty-gritty: A fast-paced survival story with engaging characters, Gone Dark was a lot of fun and a solid YA thriller. “Don’t cry, Zara. Crying is a waste of water.” I don’t read YA very often these days, but I wanted to take a chance on Gone Dark because it sounded like a pretty good […]