This was a fascinating book that took various facets of the archetypal witch of medieval and early modern Europe and made a compelling argument about how these qualities are still used to demonize women today.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for review.

The Cherished by Patricia Sarrafian Ward

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.

While the premise of THE CHERISHED was interesting, I just couldn't get into it. The first third of the book is extremely slow, and not much has happened -- and reading other reviews, it sounds like pacing continues to be an issue. There is a lot of exposition and backstory, which bogged the story down a lot.

I also didn't like any of the characters, which isn't a problem in and of itself; the bigger issue is that none of them were interesting. Jo, the main character, has spent most of the book to this point either complaining about her mother (Abigail) and stepfather, or ruminating on family history. I think Jo has potential to be interesting, as one of the early chapters has her manipulating Abigail into taking her to the house. It would've been nice to see some more of that spark from Jo.

Thank you HarperTeen for providing a review copy.

Content Warnings

Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I've inhaled many a YA mystery in the last couple years, and MISSING CLARISSA is a fresh take on the genre. Like SADIE, it's framed as a podcast, with excerpts interspersed throughout the book. What I loved was how the process of researching Clarissa's disappearance and creating the podcast was also a means to critique the true crime genre, whether through Cam and Blair thinking through what their motivations for telling Clarissa's story were, or secondary characters explicitly sharing their issues with true crime on the page. This critique was woven in with a well-plotted mystery, as well as Cam and Blair's character development. Overall, MISSING CLARISSA is a strong addition to the YA mystery fold.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing a copy for review.

Content Warnings

Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

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challenging emotional inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Content Warnings

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

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emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

All of Rebecca Ross's books have incredibly immersive world building, and DIVINE RIVALS was no exception. From the first page, I was drawn into the 1910s-esque world, from the city of Oath to the countryside to the literal trenches of a war between two gods and their armies. And the characters -- I loved them and my heart ached for all of them. I especially loved how much Iris and Attie and Marisol all came to care for each other, forming their own family and looking out for each other. I was so worried about them -- and Roman! -- sometimes that it stressed me out, but on the other hand, the fact that I cared that much about the characters is another point in the book's favor.

Content-wise, there's some war violence (not graphic) and non-explicit romantic content. This book does read a little older to me, so it might be better placed in a high school. The war setting and the development of the romance reminded me a lot of Allison Saft's DOWN COMES THE NIGHT.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an ARC for my review.

Content Warnings

Alone by Megan E. Freeman

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challenging hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A compelling survival story that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Content Warnings

Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space by Zoraida Córdova

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

RECLAIM THE STARS had an excellent selection of stories, with equally excellent writing. I adored how each writer infused their story with their cultural backgrounds; it made reading each of these stories feel like reading a warm hug (even the truly terrifying ones). I will gladly recommend this anthology to my students!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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sallenreads's reviews 97 reviews

sallenreads's reviews
97 reviews