phelps

The publisher's blurb for this book advertises it as "perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone," so I went into it expecting a dark, Bardugo-esque fantasy. Initially I was disappointed because that is not [...]

Oh my heart. This book was starred by Booklist, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal for good reason and I am adding my own little personal star here. Set in rural Tennessee and at an elite prep school in Connecticut, [...]

The story of the Titanic is one that we all know, but Stacey Lee gives us a new perspective on that fated voyage with Luck of the Titanic. Valora Luck dreams of escaping London and [...]

First: the cover. This is a gorgeous cover! I'm long past the whole "don't judge a book by its cover" concept - a beautiful cover draws me in and makes me want to read [...]

Mindy McGinnis doesn't pull any punches and I love it. This is a brutal survival story - kind of a grown up Hatchet - and McGinnis explores both the harsh physical realities and the psychological torment [...]

I have read many, many, many books set during World War II. It's rare, though, to find one set just after the war ended; They Went Left captures the chaos and complete disintegration of society that was [...]

I read an interview with Daniel Nayeri before Everything Sad is Untrue was published and I had been eager to read it ever since.  For a whole host of reasons, it took me forever, but I'm [...]

I was intrigued by the idea of this retelling/re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet but I was unprepared for the dark and vibrant world-building, the rich cultural immersion and the intense gore of These Violent Delights. Set [...]

Camila Hassan is used to living in the shadow of her fútbol star brother, Pablo.  But she has a big secret: she too is a fútbol star, known as La Furia on the field. [...]

This is the first in (hopefully) a regular series of blog reviews of books available to LA readers. Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko (published 8/2020, available via CloudLibrary) is an immersive YA fantasy debut with fast action, [...]