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Teen & YA Book Reviews
A Remedy for Fate
M. A. Kuzinar, pub. Hodderscape
I fell in love with this book from the opening pages. Prague, 1709, a bridge with a secret doorway opening to a staircase which will take you to the magic quarter, assuming your intentions are pure. What’s not to love?
If you are indeed pure of intent then I am certain you too will fall in love with this book. It isn’t just the magic of the apothecary shop Thea runs for Jasper Stilkskin, it’s the underlying tensions. The question of who Thea actually is, why seven years ago she made a deal to have her memories taken from her, and why she has decided, now, that she will make decisions which go against fate, against all she has been taught. Could it be the charming man who has told her he needs a key to save his sister, who sends her beautiful dresses and treats her with the most attention she’s received in a long time? Could it be that she’s tired of not knowing who she really is or could it be fear of the Magic Hunters who have reemerged and seem to be looking for something, maybe even someone, in the magic quarter? Thea has found family in the Quarter; she has her adorable rabbit and she soon also has a raven she nurses back to health – after all they are the messengers of the Quarter and she is a kind soul even if she’s not sure she has an actual heart.
Thea has power, the apothecary shop she runs, the people she makes potions for, her friends and found family all know it, all see it. We see it too in everything she does, in everything that happens around her. She also has an almost dangerous curiosity, one that takes her to places she knows are potentially deadly and one that causes her to find herself rescued by Jasper more times than she cares to consider. Then there is the book she reads every night, the love story she cares deeply for and wonders about non-stop. All these are clues, if you know where to look. Of course, if you’d rather let M. A. Kuzinar lead you that’s possible too, that’s what I did. I let those threads of magic wrap themselves around me, I lost myself in one of the most evocative and charming historical romances I have had the pleasure of reading for quite some time and I came to the end absolutely enraptured and with my own heart beating a nice, happy rhythm. History, magic and more combine in this spellbinding story which will wrap itself around you.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
Augusta Pine Does Not Exist
Emily Lloyd-Jones, pub. Penguin Books
Initially, I felt that this book was slightly hard for me to get into despite the intriguing title, however I have no regrets for sticking it out past the first couple of chapters. The mystery littered throughout is amazing, truly keeping me integrated in the story.
Through countless backstories seamlessly placed throughout, Augusta’s past is unravelled without exposition, and instead through keeping curiosity high. Ultimately, not all my questions were answered, but that was because they didn’t need to be – Lloyd-Jones knows what needs to be said, and what doesn’t. This carries on to the ambiguity of the ending, the perfect resolution for Augusta’s story.
Augusta herself is a riveting and extremely accurate depiction of a teenage girl, her internal monologue and actions resulting in the exact, natural humour that this book needed. She is an amazing, nuanced character who I truly felt I could have befriended if not for her unfortunate situation! Of course, she is not the only one, and all the characters feel well-rounded, with motivations that make sense for them (even if their appearances are brief) and the world they inhabit. The worldbuilding is flawless, with many links to our current environment and that of the future, making it easy to follow without being removed from the main plot. Though, I would not recommend this book to anyone who fears a surveillance, technology-dependent state! My primary criticism is that some of the plot-twists are rather predictable, which is only countered by the fact that others are not, which did predominantly keep me on my toes. 4/5 stars!
Arianna Campobello
Darker Water
Emma Read, pub. Faber & Faber
Darker Water is a futuristic, Young Adult sci-fi thriller that follows the lives of three teenagers who live under the ocean after a climate disaster. The narrative - which follows the lives of the three protagonists from different walks of life - retains a believable environmental angle with regards to climate change. Humanity lives in domes under the sea as they mine a blue power-generating algae that could save the planet.
Betty is a miner, Maia a newbie engineer, and Audley a biologist. As their friendships develop, it’s clear that their different backgrounds is a positive as they complement each other. In this way, the narrative tackles the class division system and makes a point of the only way forward being for humanity to work together. The main story is intertwined with humour and heartwarming moments, using multiple perspectives helps the reader appreciate the individuality of the characters. Maia and Betty’s connection is further developed when they notice sea creatures becoming feral, much to the bemusement or general disinterest of other characters.
Through slow-burning suspense and conflict, much of the story builds towards fast-paced action sequences which are reserved for key moments of the narrative to convey an extra sense of creepiness. They allow the reader to empathize with the protagonists, especially a scene where the lights go out, leaving Betty in the darkness and consumed by claustrophobia - a feeling with which many readers can associate. What is also refreshing is that unlike many other Young Adult novels that focus on romance with a stereotypical boy-meets-girl narrative, Darker Water instead focuses on friendship. It commands a feeling that friendship is more important than romance, especially with regards to one’s trust and survival in a world more concerned with environmental ethics and societal inequalities.
Darker Water is a must-read story for the summer. A reference map showing the various zones described in the story would have been nice, but the world-building is otherwise immersive and well-written by author Emma Read, whose latest novel offers a refreshing take on a Young Adult thriller about climate change and humanity’s survival.
Chris J Kenworthy
Dragon Cursed
Elise Kova, pub. Hodderscape
As the first book in a duology this one sets the scene, drops us into the world of Isola and her enemy, Lucan. Be warned this is a harsh, cut-throat, brutal world. From the first few chapters we are given a taste of the bloodthirst that the characters are going to present throughout the story, and we are led to firmly believe that any dragon is a cursed creature. This is not a story for the faint of heart, it is one for true lovers of fantasy. The world-building is incredible, so vivid in presenting both people and places that you are instantly transported there. ‘There’ is Vingard. The only city remaining standing, the only human city.
Dragons, then a scourge, have ravaged everything and Vingard is the last defence against them, the last bastion of humanity. At least that is what Isola and all those who live inside the walls are told. They must all live on edge, be prepared for dragon attacks and on the lookout for any who might be dragon cursed. On the verge of her Tribunal, the test all citizens must go through when they reach 18, Isola isn’t certain she will pass and that is not her only worry. She knows that any who are Dragon Cursed will suffer a slow and excruciating transformation – at least that’s what she thinks she knows. Then there is Lucan, the only one who might suspect Isola is hiding a secret.
Lucan is part protector and part tormentor. He wears the robes of one he is not yet permitted to be, yet as the adopted son of the ruler of the city, Vicar Darius has access to much that he shouldn’t, to people and secret groups as we are going to find revealed slowly to us. As much as we know, from the very beginning, that Isola is holding onto a secret we soon learn that Lucan is too. He watches her closely, perhaps too closely, but then he has his own reasons for doing so and he knows something, something very important, something that could tilt the axis of Isola’s, of his own life more than either of them realises.
This is a gripping fantasy. Immediately immersing readers in the dark city of Vinguard, introducing us to the principal characters and planting seeds of the story arc to come this is an outstanding start to a promising duology. Intriguing, exciting, complex the fantasy elements will appeal to fans of the genre and the promise of a complicated romance will lure new readers in. Be prepared for high stakes reading.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
Encore!
Miles Toriko Burks, pub. HarperCollins Children’s Books
Based on the Webtoon sensation, this teen themed, LGBTQ+ romance, a graphic novel follows Clayton Noguchi and Aron Santos as they navigate the changes in their friendship through High School (yes, it’s US based but that won’t be off-putting to readers, it’s just a useful point to note).
Where Clayton and Aron were once inseparable friends their different personal journeys have conspired to create distance between them. In terms of the High School spectrum of students they are now complete opposites, a theatre nerd and a popular jock! Clayton is developing their sense of identity and in a very different way Aron is also undergoing the same questioning of self. Teenagers who might be or might know others who are undergoing a period of questioning around their identity will identify with this story whilst anyone who loves reading an opposites attract; friends romance will also adore it. Why you come to read it matters very little, what you get from it is entirely for you, what can be guaranteed is that you will love every moment. Whilst Clayton’s and Aron’s journeys might have very different outcomes, the story closely follows the two young adults rethinking and then reframing their friendship. This is a joyous read, easy to devour in one sitting, with likeable characters and friend groups that offer a great supporting cast. Centered around a drama class and final show that Aron (traditionally more of an athletic student) has to pass to graduate, the novel follows the course of one term.
Add in the highs and lows of performing and the pressure of High School and this will feel like a remarkably relevant read for many. A definite read for fans of the Webtoon series.
Marianne Degiovanni
The Game of Oaths
S.C. Bandreddi, pub. Walker Books
A Young Adult fantasy, The Game of Oaths is a novel set in the Belle Époque of 1890s France and it follows a teen trapeze artist as she seeks revenge for her sister’s death at the hands of a sadistic ringmaster who greatly enjoys the power he holds in society.
Beneath a hotel in the heart of Paris is the famed le Cirque des Ombres, led by Enchanteur Jean-Pierre. Circus performers are bound by strict magical contracts, which means twelve of them will be selected annually to compete in the Game of Oaths - a bloodthirsty, underground tournament watched by the wealthy elite, in which eleven competitors will die, leaving one winner. After her sister was one of the unlucky eleven in the previous year’s Game of Oaths, Falan Sunkara, now a 17-year-old trapeze artist, finds herself as one of this year’s contestants. She’s not above playing dirty, and enters not just to win the deadly tournament, but also the trust of others as she battles to make Jean-Pierre pay for her sister’s death. In spite of her lust for bloodthirsty revenge against ringmaster Jean-Pierre, flashbacks of Falan’s sister add an emotional depth, which makes Falan feel more human and shows she has a softer side rarely seen by others. Chapters from the perspectives of other characters not only show how they see Falan, but also offer insights into the class divisions between the circus performers themselves, and the upper echelons of society for whom they perform and hold extravagant but deadly parties.
Skilful world-building is where the novel shines, particularly in scenes of gameplay with locations that portray a sense both of beauty and danger. Intriguing twists and turns are well-executed and the tension of these scenes is matched by the pace of the narrative. In The Game of Oaths, author Soumya Bandreddi presents readers with a fantastical circus setting, a dangerous magical competition and a high stakes game that is similar to the Hunger Games novels. Cleverly, the novel mirrors the showmanship of real-life circuses and magic shows, and is therefore a show in itself which will dazzle its readers. While some of the more violent scenes might not be appropriate for readers of all ages, as a summer read it is a great Young Adult novel that’s difficult to put down.
Chris J Kenworthy
Goldenborn
Ama Ofusua Lieb pub. Scholastic
Action packed is an understatement. This debut, novel for those reaching and in their mid-teens, is not for the faint hearted. It’s 2051 and Akoma Addo is a teenage detective who investigates crimes for InterMag, a secret task force within the San Francisco Police Department entitled The International Magical Crime Alliance Group. She detects illegal supernatural activity in a futuristic part of San Francisco called AfricaTown. Her father lies in a coma as a result of a mysterious supernatural occurrence which fuels Akoma’s search for the cause. All this and lots, lots more packaged into rich Ghanaian mythology.
Akoma Addo is an impressively strong central character, a 17-year-old who has an old head on young shoulders. At the centre of it all is Anansi the Ghanaian trickster god, who makes Akoma an impossible offer after a body turns up in a pool of molten gold and ash. He requests help to catch a killer by awakening the ancestral magic buried deep in her blood. In return he will give her a chance to restore her father to consciousness, an offer she cannot refuse. She will have to lie to her friends and accept the power she has tried to deny for so long. Add to this a delicately smouldering romance with Xander, who also has plenty of secrets, and life becomes super complicated.
Numerous characters, both magical and non-magical and subplot after subplot make this a challenging read. For the right person who enjoys mental gymnastics this will be a rewarding book, but less so for a reader who prefers a more straightforward story. Ama Ofusua Lieb’s style is to be applauded along with her extensive vocabulary which enhances the enjoyment of the story despite its length. This paranormal, urban fantasy story asks for a deconstructed sequel within which we would all be a lot wiser and unfazed from the beginning. An ideal read for an enquiring mind along and any hailing from the Ghanaian diaspora.
Liz Negus
Heledd’s Song
Fiona Collins, pub. Honno Welsh Women’s Press
The biggest strength that this book has is Collins’ successfully sharing a piece of her culture to people who may not be aware of it, connecting not just the characters to each other, but also the reader to the characters. The integration of the Welsh language is seamless and comprehensible even to those who do not understand it, and the Welsh history truly shapes this book to elevate the typically silenced voices of the past, specifically the female ones.
Obviously, this is a work of fiction, and the real Heledd’s story is unknown and lost to time, but her history still exists, and I can only thank Fiona Collins for presenting it through this book. The story is creative and unique, with good pacing despite it being on the shorter side, truly making it YA. In addition, the topic of grief is handled well and respectively, and of course age-appropriately. It encompasses the overarching plot without making you feel depressed, but rather linked with the girls. However, while the characters and their actions make sense for teenage girls, it does lean into some stereotypes and cliches, namely when it comes to the bullying plotline. The outcome of this side plot was predictable and commonplace, and while not necessarily executed badly, I didn’t fully understand the point of it.
Yes, Seren’s character was developed, but a modern girl has been told that ‘bullies have problems outside of school’ for years now. I really do believe that something else could have replaced this. In addition, the slang used is not only outdated to the target audience (which can perhaps be chalked up to the setting of the story) but also used entirely incorrectly. I was pulled out of the emotional story just to cringe for a bit before continuing. It would have been a lot more effective to use more timeless or popular phrases correctly than randomly and unironically put the words ‘skibidi ohio’ in writing. Despite this criticism, though, overall, this book has an interesting story that kept me interested throughout, and the ending is well-rounded and sweet. 3/5 stars!
Arianna Campobello
I Feel Your Pain
A.M. Ellis, pub. Penguin Books
A Cyberpunk-style novel set in a futuristic society where mankind is dealing with the aftermath of a global solar flare, and where people are able to transfer diseases to others with higher pain tolerances this book does promise a sequel!
The narrative alternates between the perspectives of Nova, a struggling art student and waitress from a low-income neighbourhood, and Castor, a wealthy heir to the pharmaceutical empire of Dominion Pharmaceuticals. A chance accident sees them form an unlikely connection that crosses the sharp class divisions of Alta Bay, a city on the Northern California coast. Central to the plot is the Freedom System, a technological advancement that allows ‘Pain Givers’ to transfer a parasitic nervous system disease, known as Helical, to ‘Pain Carriers’ via non-invasive, Cyberpunk-style chip implants in both the Giver and the Carrier. As Nova and Castor spend time together, they learn they are matched - Castor as the Giver, and Nova as his Carrier.
A.M. Ellis makes an important point regarding class divisions, which cleverly but subtly mirrors today’s reality. Castor had entered the Freedom System to transfer his pain to a Carrier and continue his surfing career; whereas Nova had only signed up as a Carrier to secure a monthly stipend to help pay off her family’s debts. In fact, they are a narrative device representing systemic exploitation: Castor’s family purposefully marginalizes vulnerable and desperate families like Nova’s, while the highest echelons of society like him thrive without either physical or emotional burdens. Nova and Castor soon learn that not only has Castor’s family been hiding a cure for helical disease, but that they also lied in their research about Carriers not feeling any pain, as Nova can feel every “burn” and “slash” of his disease. As Castor’s shock consumes him, Nova endearingly realizes that not only is she Castor’s safe space, but that they share a mutual vulnerability - one with which the reader can empathize.
I Feel Your Pain is an intriguing novel from A.M. Ellis, but one with commendable world-building and incredible detail. It’s a page-turner that also poses interesting questions to its readers - some of which will hopefully be answered in the sequel, which is due to be released in 2027.
Chris J Kenworthy
If you’d like to know more there is also a Blog featuring an insightful interview reviewer Chris J Kenworthy conducted with A.M. Ellis.
Mystery Guest
Maren Stoffels, pub. Random House USA
This is a genuinely disturbing novel. Reminiscent of popular drama such as Pretty Little Liars, Euphoria and Outer Banks, this novel swirls around Maria - we are not sure if she is a hero or villain but the novel follows events leading up to her death.
Told from different perspectives but mainly from Maria's, we follow her in the weeks and days before she is murdered, meeting characters who both love and hate her. As in all the best crime novels we are given a selection of possible 'killers' to choose from. The reader is led to many conclusions and the plot takes many (often predictable) turns which makes it feel like a ride. The author, I suspect, is deliberately making obvious suggestions throughout the story, which all keep the reader merrily occupied until the final twist which I dd not see coming until it was too late - much like Maria!
Despite using what could be considered quite a formulaic structure, Maren Stoffels manages to turn this on its head and deliver a refreshing new twist to an already twisted genre. Worth reading for upper teens or those happy with mature themes. Trigger warnings for abuse, suicide, rape and mental health concerns.
Marianne Degiovanni
The Once and Future Queen
Paula Lafferty, pub. Hodderscape
In modern-day Glastonbury, Vera is fading into the background, a place she has spent most of her twenty-two years. She remembers occasionally being seen but most ly she remembers, and mourns, her boyfriend. Without him she feels lost again and with her father ill she just needs her daily runs up the Tor and her work in the family hotel. It is there when, on what appears to be a normal day, much like any other, even with the odd, unexplained happenings in one of the supposedly haunted rooms, and the guest who seems to remember her.
There’s a reason for everything Vera has been experiencing and she is about to have it all explained to her, by Merlin, corroborated by her own mother. She finds herself confronted with an almost impossible choice – return to 7th century Camelot where the fate of history is in the balance or stay where she is and find out what will happen when history is forced to change direction. She makes the choice to go with Merlin, to try and keep the fates happy and history on course but will it still change as a result of her actions? After all she is meant to be the Queen, Arthur’s Queen but he seems to hate her, she’s certain she’s cursed and Lancelot seems to be her only friend.
There are so many layers to this book it makes for an absolutely fascinating read. I took it slowly, savouring the storylines and wanting to make sure I was slotting the pieces together in my own mind. After all for many who know the different variations of the story of King Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere and Lancelot, this one adds a new dimension. When Vera goes back in time she goes back to the place, the time, that she belongs to but she takes with her aspects of the modern world she has been in – it’s almost inevitable. There is also the possibility that as she slowly regains her memories history and their story will change since she never actually made it past the point she returns to – at least we are led to believe so.
History is complex, trying to work out what might or might not have happened had people or events been different is a minefield but Paula Lafferty treads it with apparent ease and a story that we can easily lose ourselves in, that our imaginations can latch on to and that give another new life to the ancient legends we all love.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
We Wait for the Stars
Bridget Hamilton, pub. Little Tiger
We Wait for the Stars is a stunning exploration of grief, friendship, love and family dynamics. Bridget Hamilton’s tender YA debut is both as powerful as it is gentle, reflecting the sea and the coast it is centred around. Beautifully written in free verse, which flows as effortlessly as water, it literally lifts and carries the reader from the very first line to the last as we ride the waves of life with Celeste who, at the tender age of 17, has unexpectedly lost her father.
As Celeste’s family do their best to navigate life without him, Celeste finds herself adrift, struggling to understand the ways in which her sister and her mother are dealing with the loss. Her relationship between herself and her two best friends also seems to have come untethered, as she feels they’ve placed a time-limit on her grief, and even her love of the stars which she shared with her father, an astrology professor, and the pathways they had discussed she might follow when she finished sixth form have become unclear, and Celeste begins to question if her plans were her own or his in disguise.
Set in a fictional coastal town in the northeast of England, Hamilton has used the sea and the family’s strong connection to their coastal home, as a constant thread of memories to which they are all tied and which somehow hold them together, though at times it feels the thread may break. As we follow Celeste on her journey we find there is no correct way to grieve, that grief is as individual as we are and that dealing with loss is complex. Two particularly beautifully written verses – If Dad Were Here and If Dad Were Really Here show just how our grief can change the way we see things.
Having lost her own father at a young age, Bridget Hamilton has created in Celeste a beautifully written, flawed, yet relatable and lovable character who faces difficult choices which will impact those around her just as much as theirs’ impact her. Exquisitely written with minimal text, there is room for the readers own thoughts and feelings as it explores with sensitivity the challenges of love, loss and relationships. An absolute must for any secondary school library We Wait for the Stars will not only help those dealing with their own grief but will create empathy in others who may one day need to support someone else. I cannot recommend it highly enough!
Tracey Corner
Winners and Liars
Aleema Omotoni, illus. Jason Cook, pub. Scholastic
To say that this story is captivating and intriguing from the get-go is an understatement.
The idea of competing for a prize is by no means a new one, but the creative use of this plot completely absorbed me until the end. The ending wasn’t overly predictable, however also was not unexpected, with the foreshadowing integrated with precision throughout. Upon re-reading, you start to wonder how you didn’t catch all the hints dropped! The pacing is great, and the switch between the games and the previous year continued to keep me hooked and connected to the characters. Overall, the creativity of the story makes it extremely worth the read based on that alone.
Furthermore, the diversity and inclusivity are wonderfully executed, with fantastic representation from typically underrepresented voices. Black Victorian history is often unfortunately forgotten, so Aleema Omotomi’s use of it felt refreshing and coherent. Though I am a reader who has enjoyed an extensive variety of Victorian history, not only did I feel I learnt things, but I also feel that someone reading this blindly and without the knowledge would feel integrated and fully comprehend the history behind this story. The main character – Derin – is highly relatable, particularly to teenage readers, even if not on all grounds. Her queerness and race, as well as the other manifestations of both of these respectively within the book, truly shape her personality and actions, and she is a character I would love to see more of in literature and media alike; truly, she is a great use of representation.
Black queer voices have to be uplifted, so kudos to Omotomi for doing so in such a great way. I recommend this book on all grounds. 5/5 stars!
Arianna Campobello
