Review #717: The Wild Folk by Sylvia Linsteadt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.”

----Alan W. Watts

Sylvia Linsteadt, an American author, has penned an incredibly beguiling fantasy novel, The Wild Folk that centers around an enchanting land filled with the power of magical star-gold that can the divided city prosper with wealth and health, where two young kids accompanied by two young hares, must save their land and its dwellers from getting ruined by the Brothers from the city, who are hell-bound to destroy everything beyond the walls of the city that was once pulled up to save the humans from the wild folks and the diseases. Two kids and two hare embark upon a deadly journey through the villages and forests of the land of wild folk to save it.

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Review #714: I Am Thunder by Muhammad Khan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“These terrorists are the antithesis of Islam. They’re not Muslim. Violence has no place in religion, and the terrorists are responsible for their own crimes, not the religion and not us.”

----Samira Ahmed

Muhammad Khan, a British author, has penned a very intriguing debut YA novel called, I Am Thunder that revolves around a teenage Muslim girl living with her parents in Britain where everyday she wakes up to find a new challenge or bully to overcome with, but her life drastically changes when her family moves to different part of the city and she is admitted to a posh school, and there she meets a charming Muslim boy. Little did she knew that behind that charming smile, a sinister motive is awaiting for her and that would not only ruin her life but would ruin the lives of millions of souls, if not taken care of.

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Review #712: The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”

----Elbert Hubbard


Beth Reekles, a bestselling English author, has penned a sweet and pretty entertaining teenage contemporary fiction called, The Kissing Booth that revolves around a female high school teenager, who with her bestie, plans to run a kissing booth for their school's summer spring carnival, sadly, the girl, who has never been kissed or ever dated anyone, falls a victim to her bestie's older brother's Casanova charms and hence in secret, they begin their summer fling, but what happens when her only best friend for life finds out that she is dating his older brother? A cheesy and cliched rom-com drama is what this book has to offer, one time read, but I guess, the story could have been much better. And certainly, please not a movie on this book! It's a total pain.

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Review #709: Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Take responsibility of your own happiness, never put it in other people’s hands.”

----Roy T. Bennett

Julie Murphy, an American best-selling author, has penned an entertaining and thoroughly inspiring young adult contemporary fiction called, Ramona Blue that surrounds around a confident white 6 foot 3 in' tall blue-haired high school teenager who has forever been sure about being a lesbian but when a childhood friend who has become tall dark and handsome arrives at the seaside town, her feelings act in a rather different way. Blue-haired Ramona has always been taking care of her good-for-nothing dad, pregnant elder sister and her sister's boyfriend, without giving a second glance to her dreams or ambitions. But will love and the arrival of a new baby save her from all the real-life drama?

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Review #708: The Fates Divide (Carve the Mark #2) by Veronica Roth

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“When it comes to life, we spin our own yarn, and where we end up is really, in fact, where we always intended to be.”

----Julia Glass

Veronica Roth, the international bestselling author, is back with a bang and with her new book called, The Fates Divide that marks the end of this fantastic duology named, Carve the Mark. Up in the galaxy of stars and lives, two major planets are at war, and the fates of two teenagers who also happen to be in love with one another, are about to change drastically, that might not only bring war but will also divide them. And when a tyrannical ruler comes back from the dead, everyone in that galaxy is fearing for their lives, but can these two teenagers unite with one another to erase their common enemy before it turns into a bloodbath, despite of what their fates hold for them? This is an immensely power-packed ending to Roth's duology about an inter-spatial drama.

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Review #699: Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“A liar is always lavish of oaths.”

----Pierre Corneille

E. Lockhart, the New York Times bestselling author, has penned an interesting young adult part-thriller and part-contemporary book called, Genuine Fraud that revolves around a teenage orphan girl, who is on the run, and in probably impersonating myriad identities, but why is she on the run? And for that, you need to trust the author as well as the story and not compare with some other book from where the author has found her inspiration. So kindly respect that and let's stop comparing the two and two, and rather talk about this book in particular. Debates can be taken up elsewhere, review is not the right place to talk about it.

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Review #696: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face.”

----Jim Butcher

John Green, the international best-selling author, created yet another masterpiece and this time it is called, Turtles All the Way Down and no trust me, this isn't a book about turtles, so sit tight while reading this book, as it might spiral you down to the soul's and mind's curious world about the existence of your own "self" within you. Sounds philosophical?! Yeah I know, this book is going to hit you hard in the right places and will awaken you from the deep slumber of your ignorance about the very existence of your own "self" with the help of the 16 year old teenage anxiety-stricken, OCDed female protagonist.

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Review #690: The Last Namsara (Iskari, #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves”

----Abraham Lincoln

Kristen Ciccarelli, a Canadian author, has penned a delightful debut YA fantasy novel called, The Last Namsara that is the first book in a duology named, Iskari and this revolves around a king's daughter, who was born with the power to destroy and kill lives, who embarks on a quest to kill the first dragon of her land that took away her mother and left her scarred for life, in order to save herself from getting married to a cruel commandant as per her father's deal, and this is no easy task, when she is the one responsible for destroying and burning down her kingdom when she was a little girl by summoning the first dragon all by herself. And now it is time to pay for her sins.

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Review #642: My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“She is still a prisoner of her childhood; attempting to create a new life, she re-encounters the trauma.”

----Judith Lewis Herman

Gabriel Tallent, a Mexican author, has penned an extremely heart wrenching and horrifying, debut young adult contemporary fiction called, My Absolute Darling that centers around a young teenage girl, living with her crack head father, who teaches her about guns and shooting targets in the morning after her school and rapes her almost every other night, although the young protagonist, is clever and brave enough to get out of this terrifying life of hers, yet her emotions don't let her to, but her life drastically changes, when her grandfather dies suspiciously, her father pulls her out of school, where her teachers are worried about her lifestyle, and her father brings home another young girl.

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Review #641: You Don't Know Me but I Know You by Rebecca Barrow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Anyone who ever wondered how much they could love a child who did not spring from their own loins, know this: it is the same. The feeling of love is so profound, it's incredible and surprising.”

----Nia Vardalos

Rebecca Barrow, an English author, has penned a heart warming and extremely compelling debut teen fiction called, You Don't Know Me but I Know You that is centered around a young high school teenager, who has a loving adoptive family, great friends and a charming and kind musician boyfriend and both are looking forward to their future excitedly, but then this young teenage girl's life changes when she has to make difficult decision that her birth mother made for her a decade ago. This story is all about families, love, friendships, choices, motherhood and ultimately about honesty above everything.

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Review #639: Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“If I got rid of my demons, I’d lose my angels.”

----Tennessee Williams

Heather Maclean, the New York Times bestselling author, has penned a compelling YA fantasy book called, Toward a Secret Sky that centers around a teenage girl, who just lost her mother in an accident, turning her into an orphan girl, as a result she travels to the Scottish Highlands to her paternal grandparents' house, where she meets a strange yet very attractive young man, who unravels the mystery behind her deceased parents' true and real profession of helping the good and fighting darkness in the world, all the while opening a new dimension of universe for the young girl to make her believe.

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Review #630: Wishbones by Virginia Macgregor

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.”

----Laurell K. Hamilton

Virginia Macgregor, an English author, has penned an extremely encouraging and soul stirring young adult contemporary fiction called, Wishbones that explores the life of a teenage girl, who wants to fix her mom and dad's relationship, by helping her obese and depressed mom to feel and get better, but fate have other plans for her, when after a night out, her mother falls sick, and her family is pushed to the edge off the limits. And not to mention, there are lots of things that she doesn't know yet, knowing which will forever change her life. An uplifting YA story about sexuality, eating disorder, depression, relationships and encouragement that is a must read.

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Review #621: Release by Patrick Ness

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


“It might be possible that the world itself is without meaning.”

----Virginia Woolf

Patrick Ness, an award-winning novelist, pens a touching yet enlightening young adult contemporary novel, Release with a touch of magical realism. This book is about a regular gay teenage boy having a very, very bad day one can possibly imagine, from confronting his sexuality to heart breaks to realization to losing someone , whereas on the other hand, it is also about the recent death of a drug addict from the very same town as that of the gay teenager, who has become a ghost and wants revenge on her killer.

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Review #620: The Rat Prince by Bridget Hodder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“If you don't like Cinderella because she seems so "naive" and "weak," listen to this quote from the Walt himself: "She believed in dreams, all right, but she also believed in doing something about them. When Prince Charming didn't come along, she went over to the palace and got him.”

----Walt Disney Company

Bridget Hodder, an American author, pens a delectable and compelling retelling of our favorite fairy tale, Cinderella in her new book, The Rat Prince that revolves around those rats who turned into Cinderella's coach drivers after fairy god mother's magic and also centers around Cinderella herself. The rat prince, who was one of those rats from that magical night, has forever been in love with Cinderella, but the night has a different twist that the fans of Cinderella never knew about, so if you want to know about it, simply grab this book.

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Review #618: Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1) by Susan Dennard

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


“The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.”

----Bob Marley

Susan Dennard, an American bestselling author, has penned a slightly gripping young adult fantasy story, Truthwitch that marks as the series opener for The Witchlands , laced with magic and heroic adventure, teenage friendship goals and cliched and steamy love drama, this book fits the bill for those looking for a thrilling teenage fantasy story, that is high on drama. This book revolves around two teenagers destined to fight with their powers to protect their empire against those who have waged a war upon them, but predictably, these young girls want nothing but freedom and for that, they would go at any lengths to break their ties with their duties and responsibilities and not to mention, they are powerful witches with some magical gifts in their bones.

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Review #614: Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


““I believe in the magic and authority of words.” ”

----René Char

Cath Crowley, an Australian author, pens a terrific and heart touching young adult contemporary fiction, Words in Deep Blue that centers around an Australian high school teenager who before moving away from her hometown, professed her love to the her best friend, whose family owned a second hand traditional bookshop, in a letter tucked away inside a book from that shop, but years later, this teenager is back and now she does not want to face her lost love, not to mention, she has already suffered enough grief in her lifetime when she lost her dear brother.

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Review #613: Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


“To be ill adjusted to a deranged world is not a breakdown.”

----Jeanette Winterson

Francesca Zappia, an American bestselling author, has penned an extremely soul stirring, debut young adult contemporary fiction, Made You Up that revolves around a female high school teenager, suffering from acute mental illness, who manages to hide her hallucinations real well despite of the fact that she is reeling towards a bunch of teenagers who too are facing the wrath of their past and among that group, one boy surprisingly steals the heart of this mentally wrecked teenager, but she is anxious to lead a normal life, as crazy has been her middle name since her own inception.

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Review #608: Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.”

----Maya Angelou

Eric Lindstrom, an American author, has penned a terrific debut young adult contemporary fiction called, Not If I See You First that revolves around a blind teenage girl, who recently lost her father and since then she hasn't cried at all, and she loves to play by her strict rule book, and if anyone breaks those rules, then there is no second chance for that person, but lately, this girl is finding it real hard to stop herself from falling in love with someone who once broke her heart and all her emotions are welling up on the inside upon learning some secrets from the past that she has buried.

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Review #607: Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1) by Renee Ahdieh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.”

----Abraham Lincoln

Renee Ahdieh, an American bestselling author, is back with another enthralling young adult dystopian-cum-fantasy series called, Flame in the Mist and the first book in the series with the same title opens with the life and challenges of a rebellious Japanese teenage heroine, who, when attempted to murder by a group of Robin Hood-styled bandits, escapes both her fate of getting married to her betrothed and her fate of getting slaughtered by a group of men, instead she breaks in into that group of bandits by cross-dressing as a man.

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Review #606: The Deviants by C.J. Skuse

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“You save yourself or you remain unsaved.”

----Alice Sebold

C.J. Skuse, an English author, has penned a tragic yet extremely riveting young adult thriller called, The Deviants that revolves around five high school teenagers whose friendship blossoms up when one of them is bullied badly, also gradually, the secrets of their lives begin spilling up, when one bad event after another challenges them to keep a hold on their friendships or their dark secrets, especially, it becomes a challenge for the couple from this group of teenagers, who seem to be drifting apart in a gradual motion.

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