Review of Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha, book 1)

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, book 1)

Author: Tomi Adeyemi

Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 2018

    Eleven years ago, magic vanished from Orïsha. In what would be named as the Raid, the monarchy killed all divîners old enough to be maji, leaving shattered children and families and a caste-divided kingdom. Zélie lost her mother during the Raid. She scrapes by with her father and brother Tzain in Ilorin, a small town literally on the sea. When divîner taxes are raised yet again, she heads inland to make a sale that should provide for her family for the next year. Instead, she is found by none other than Amari, Orïsha’s princess. Amari has fled from her brother Inan, her mother, and King Saran, and has stolen the only thing that can bring magic back. The princess should be a natural enemy of the divîner and her brother, but they are forced together - because it turns out they only have one moon to bring magic back, and Inan is leading the chase for the three fugitives. In the midst of the chase, romances bloom among the four, further complicating an already improbable alliance.

    Children of Blood and Bone is fast-paced and beautifully written. Alternation between the perspectives of Zélie, Amari, and eventually Inan conveys the emotional intensities and complexities that define and bind the characters. Through the disparate perspectives the kingdom itself is also revealed to us, as we become privy to the very different ways that each character sees their homeland. Adeyemi hooks readers from the first sentence and doesn’t release them even once the story closes. The cliffhanger ending makes a sequel both certain and compelling, but does not cheat the reader by leaving the story feeling incomplete. Children of Blood and Bone isn’t a story for readers who want a quick and easy read where details of character and place are secondary to the plot. It is a story for readers who want to feel Orïsha’s soil underfoot, see gods reawakened, and share the desperate determination of an oppressed people. I highly recommend this book for YA fantasy readers who want to inhabit their stories and evolve with their characters.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of The Girl from Far Away

The Girl from Far Away

Author: Jennifer Austin

Publisher: Far Away Stories

Publication Date: July 2020

    Jessica “Jess” Durand, a seventeen year old on Earth, hates her life. Her preferred escape is her dreams. But her dreams are not normal. She dreams of Ella Day, a seventeen year old girl on the world of Biack. If Ella was real, Jess would know her better than anyone else. Sensibly, Jess assumes that her dreams are just that, until she blacks out at school and wakes up trapped on Biack. At first, neither she nor the people there can believe that the other exists. The place that has been Jess’ escape is suddenly the one place she wants to escape from. Then she finds Ella, and realizes that she can’t go back to Earth yet. Because Biack needs her.

    The Girl from Far Away is a coming of age story with elements of fantasy, mystery, romance, and a little science fiction. The twisting, exciting plot is paired well with characters that grow into themselves through the story. The dialogue is witty and engaging, with a realistic mix of seriousness and teenage flippancy. Occasionally added to the mix is some comedic differentiation between British and English vocabulary. Some of the content is a little adult, but neither explicitly nor a distraction from the story. The dramatic ending sets the book up nicely for a sequel. I would recommend The Girl from Far Away for YA and adult readers who enjoy fast-paced novels with arresting plots and characters and a striking patchwork of genres.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451

Author: Ray Bradbury

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: October 1953

    Guy Montag is a fireman. In this case, that means a man who makes fire. A man who breaks into houses in the middle of the night, armed with a hose filled with kerosene instead of water, and burns books. This is a future in which books are illegal and society has traded technology and entertainment for vitality and liberty. Montag thrills in destruction, in the smell of kerosene and the crackle of flames. He is drawn to to secretly save an occasional book, but the action is more of an impulse than a deliberate one. Then he encounters a woman who refuses to leave her house when he comes to burn her books, and a girl whose passion and curiosity kindles Montag’s own. That is when his doubt begins - doubt about himself and his society. His impulsive thefts become purposeful, and he comes ever closer to being hunted by the same society he has brutally defended.

    Despite being written almost 70 years ago, Fahrenheit 451 feels hauntingly current and even disturbingly familiar. The characters’ behavior may seem strange - Montag and his wife cannot remember where they met, “friends” only gather around screens, and the government has systematically attempted to erase the true past. People are fed a diet of pills and propaganda, of entertainment instead of education. Many listen to “ear-thimbles” instead of one another and confuse “family” and “friends” with entertainers. The reflection of ourselves in this narrative is perhaps far clearer now than when Bradbury wrote this book. Bradbury’s future looks entirely too much like our present.

    From the opening pages, there is a steady, building, almost relentless tension to the story that is maintained even during lengthy philosophical dialogue. The multiple supporting static characters emphasize the importance and singularity of the dynamic main character. The technology in the story is disturbingly recognizable. Writing nearly three quarters of a century ago, Bradbury crafted a story that today presents a plausible future - and a relevant warning. Fahrenheit 451 was and remains a book that can make us think, feel, and fear. It is a terrific choice for YA and adult science fiction readers, but the passage of time and a single genre do not confine or define this story.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird

Author: Harper Lee

Publisher: J. B. Lippincott & Co.

Publication Date: July 1960

    There is arguably no better time to read this book than now. Then again, that might be true of every year since this book was published more than half a century ago. While To Kill A Mockingbird is set in a town far removed from our place and time, the themes it addresses and the choices made by its characters seem all too familiar. The setting is sleepy Maycomb, Alabama, in the Depression era 1930s. The fact that many of Maycomb’s inhabitants are segregated, racist, and hypocritical is neither unusual nor unexpected. Nor is the central horror of the book - the brutal persecution of a black man, Tom Robinson. Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, who is five years old when the story begins, is the narrator. She grows up with her father, a white widowed lawyer named Atticus, her brother Jem, four years her senior, and her friend, Dill who visits during summers. Everything changes for Scout’s family when Atticus agrees to defend Tom, who is accused of raping a white woman.

    Lee’s choice of Scout as narrator allows us to discover Maycomb through the keyhole perspective of a precocious child. Scout awakens to the harsh realities of Maycomb - to racism and class conflict, to insensible hatred and to the cruelest falsehoods in the name of virtue. Our perception of Scout’s world grows with hers. There is no shortage of good stories about the complexities and terrible consequences of prejudice and hate. Why does a 60-year-old story remain not only relevant, but compelling? Maybe because it makes you not just furious, but sad. Deeply, profoundly sad. Fury is powerful, but often without constructive direction. Sadness makes us care and empathize, makes us not just want to destroy what’s wrong, but make things right.

    To Kill A Mockingbird is also just a well-told story. The dialogue of the main characters fits and evokes the time period. Their vivid, unorthodox personalities help us feel a deeper connection with them as well as the whole of Maycomb. The experiences of Scout and Atticus certainly don’t promise us a better future, but they do show us why we must hope and try. I recommend this book to mature middle grade readers and up. 

- D. K. Nuray

Review of Olive the Lionheart

Olive the Lionheart

Author: Brad Ricca

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publication Date: August 11, 2020

    You’ve never heard of Olive Macleod. And you still wouldn’t have if she hadn’t left behind secret diaries, and if Brad Ricca hadn’t opened them to us in this remarkable story. A Scottish aristocrat, Olive was 30 years old when her fiance, the famous naturalist Boyd Alexander, went missing in Africa. So she did the natural thing for a female aristocrat in 1910 - she went after him. Her story is true - this book was written after her secret diaries and letters to Boyd were found in a Scottish castle that happened to be one of her family homes. The stunning African setting, unconventional protagonist, and elements of romance, adventure, and mystery lead the story on a novel’s path. Olive’s diary entries and letters are woven in neatly, contributing to the plot while immersing the reader in her experience, perspective, and time period. Little details and sentences such as “‘a woman… is always capable of doing what she wanted to’” further contribute to the reader’s understanding of who Olive was.

    Finely tuned details do not just shade the portrait of a remarkable character. We learn early on in the story that Olive kept a daily diary, no matter where she was camped or how exhausted she was. You know, just the sort of thing you would do when you’re looking for your lost fiance in Africa. Her diligence and observations lead the reader on a fascinating journey through time, unveiling a broad picture of colonial Africa. Olive accomplished feats that no man, let alone a woman, had done before. If she wanted to learn how to shoot, hear a tribal story told, or see the 250 secluded wives of a chief, she would find a way to do it. Ricca not only brings to light the untold and unforgettable story of a fearless woman, he brings to life the history of a continent that made humans who and what we are.

    Olive the Lionheart is riveting - for its writing, for its detail, for the portrayal of the meeting of cultures and societies, and for the real emotions that lift Olive’s voice out of the pages. Rich details can sometimes slow the narrative and make the story hard to digest, but it is worth slowing down to digest them. Also, for roughly the first 40 pages, already-introduced characters’ last names are included when they appear, and Olive’s name is included more often than necessary. This is perhaps meant as an aid to the reader but instead is a disruptive formality. Overall, this book is captivating, insightful, and well put together. I would recommend it for YA readers and up who enjoy biographies, history novels, strong female protagonists, and a rich setting and plot.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of Skyward (Skyward series, book 1)

Skyward

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Date: November 2018

    "Claim the stars." That's what Spensa’s dad, a pilot, told her all the time - until he was killed in battle. He fought for the Defiant, who are the last remainder of the human race. They are constantly fighting the Krell, enemy aliens about whom little is known, beyond their goal of exterminating humanity. The Defiant are forced to live in caves, restricted from seeing the sky or even venturing far outside their home caverns, to avoid Krell detection. Pilots, who live above the surface and fight for humanity’s survival, are regarded as heroes, almost to the point of sainthood. Spensa’s dad was regarded as a hero - until he broke ranks in battle, was shot down, and branded a coward. Spensa’s lifelong dream has been to become a pilot and clear her father’s name, but in the course of making her dream come true, she must come to realize that true history isn’t always written in the textbooks.

    In Skyward, Sanderson uses the dialogue and well-crafted development of characters to convey messages such as “‘Be who you are’” and the complications of feelings of duty and destiny. Unfortunately, the quality of writing is sometimes less than the quality of the messages, with points where the language feels oversimplified even for a youthful audience. The plot has balanced moments of comedic relief and heavy reveal, along with unexpected twists. Skyward ends on a cliffhanger leading straight into its sequel, Starsight. I would recommend this book to middle grade to YA readers who enjoy a blend of mystery, fantasy, and science fiction without getting hung up on occasional variations in writing level. 

- D. K. Nuray

Review of The Kingdom of Back

The Kingdom of Back

Author: Marie Lu

Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 2020

    Nannerl Mozart is the older sister of Wolfgang “Woferl” Mozart. She too was born with a gift for music. At age eight, her playing on the clavier is already worthy of royal performances. There are three things holding her back from the future for which she should be destined. First, there is her tyrannical father, who has made it clear that he will only instruct her and permit her to perform until she becomes an adult. There is also her gender, as there are no female composers or performers in eighteenth century Austria. And then there is Nannerl’s brother. A prodigy as well, Woferl begins to outshine his sister, playing and composing at the tender age of seven, even teaching himself the violin. It seems that Nannerl will have no chance to be remembered for her gifts, until a stranger appears to her in a dream. In a magical land, which she later comes to call the Kingdom of Back, he offers her a chance to be remembered by the world, but the cost may be giving up her world as she knows it.

    The Kingdom of Back is an arresting story of the bond between the Mozart siblings, and the strain on that bond when they are forced to compete for fame. There are enough facts and historically accurate characters to infer that Lu took the time to carefully blend the Mozarts’ fictional story with known facts. The Kingdom of Back is smoothly interleaved with pieces of the Mozarts’ known, real life. The Kingdom comes to feel more like a final puzzle piece in the Mozarts’ story rather than simply an author’s imaginative idea. This is a fantastic read for YA or adult readers who enjoy historical fiction infused with mystery and magic, but also containing themes applicable to real life, including the deep bond between siblings and the difficulty of choices.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of The Left Hand of Darkness

The Left Hand of Darkness

Author: Ursula K. Le Guin

Publisher: Ace Books

Publication Date: March 1969

    “Light is the left hand of darkness | and darkness the right hand of light. | Two are one, life and death, lying | together like lovers in kemmer | like hands joined together, | like the end and the way.” The Left Hand of Darkness questions how far outside the surroundings of Earth and our social realities we will have to go to find the borders of who and what we are. Set on Gethen, a planet of permanent winter, a Terran (human to readers) envoy named Genly Ai interacts with aliens who would be identical to Terrans if not for the fact that the aliens have no set gender, changing from neutral to male or female during each mating cycle. In other words, Gethenians are fundamentally different. In a chronicle of Ai’s attempts to convince the societies on Gethen to join the Ekumen, the society of known worlds, Le Guin explores the complexities and frailties of different forms of government, the extent to which social interaction is controlled by gender, and who and how we might be if this elemental aspect of our nature were altered.

    As much as the book is about how we govern ourselves and how gender governs us, it is also about connection - about what binds us together when we remove the limitations of conventional social norms. Le Guin wove a delicate combination of otherworldly adventure, familiar human politics, and philosophy. Her story is dense and eloquent, requiring and capturing the reader’s full attention from the first page. Gethenian myths and beliefs add another layer of distinctions between Gethenians and Terrans. If I might fault The Left Hand of Darkness for anything, it would be for having a little too much social observation and critique packed into one read. While the underlying story is compelling, loading a narrative with what feels like a profound contemplation of the nature of humanity sometimes burdens the momentum of the story itself. But this is a complaint about what is a gripping, intimate, and intelligently sensitive novel.

    A half-century ago, the concepts that The Left Hand of Darkness addressed were progressive and thought-provoking. Le Guin’s vision was so powerful that they remain progressive and thought-provoking now. The questions Le Guin raises in the story are neither simple to pose in a novel nor easy to answer, so I would recommend this book to more mature YA readers and adults who enjoy thoughtful science fiction. 

- D. K. Nuray

Review of What If It’s Us

What If It’s Us

Authors: Becky Albertalli and Adam Silveria

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: October 2018

    Arthur is in New York City for one summer. His internship at his mom’s law firm comes with two less than welcoming female coworkers. All Arthur wants to do is go back to Georgia and see his two best friends again, especially after recently coming out. Being in New York is a dream come true, but a reminder that dreams and reality don’t always reconcile perfectly. Ben is a lifelong New Yorker. His Puerto Rican background has affected much of his life, but then again, so has being gay. A recent breakup - Ben’s first - sends him to the post office with a tightly sealed box holding tightly sealed memories, but that task ends up being more of an adventure than he could have anticipated. Ben and Arthur should never have met. Tall versus short, summer school student versus Yale hopeful, Georgia versus New York, but one coincidental moment brings them together. They don’t get each other’s numbers, they barely get each other’s names, but the moment is enough for a connection. Arthur and Ben have just one summer. They have three months for friendship, discord, understanding, and hopefully, love.

    What If It’s Us is a modern-day Cinderella. Instead of a glass slipper, there’s Instagram. Instead of a prince and a princess, there’s two princes. Their happily ever after might be diferent than a conventional fairytale. However, the elements of rapidly dwindling time and love found unexpectedly are familiar. The colorful language at parts is unnecessary, but also conveys the strident personalities and attitudes of most New Yorkers. What If It’s Us is fairytale fanfiction. Part of what makes it such an energetic, enticing book is that the fairytale themes of unexpected intensity, vulnerability, and the strength of a genuine bond are relatable. The tender hope of Arthur and Ben and the drama and imperfection of the characters infuses the capricious, fast-paced plot. The story is also written from the alternating perspectives of the main characters’, a format that lends itself well to the dual authorship. The language can be unrefined, the characters interactions with one another unfiltered and occasionally a touch too gritty, but I would highly recommend this story to young adult readers who enjoy romance and the allure of a findable destiny.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun (original script publication)

Author: Lorraine Hansberry

Publisher: Vintage Books

Publication date: March 1959

    A Raisin in the Sun was written as a play about a black family, the Youngers, who are about to move into an all-white neighborhood in post-WWII southside Chicago. Despite being written as a script, it reads with a novel’s completeness and narrative continuity. The main characters are Mama, the matriarchal grandmother, her two children Walter Lee and Beneatha, Walter’s wife Ruth and their son Travis. Big Walter, the late grandfather, is also key in the development of the story. Each character’s personality, family role, and dreams are revealed in their conversations with one another. This dialogue sensitizes the reader to who each person wants to be and what conflicts their dreams have with segregation and the perspectives and dreams of their fellow family members.

    The family itself is relatable. The siblings get into silly fights, Mama does everything she can to support her children, and everyone is trying to make a way for themselves. The story is also rich in symbolism and metaphor, some of it obvious, but some subtle and requiring an understanding of the characters and their perspectives. Similarly, much of the superficially ragtag dialogue is rich with metaphor and symbolism. The Youngers’ daily conversations carry both a passion for life and a permeating sadness at its hardship.

    A Raisin in the Sun isn’t exactly new - it’s been out for six decades. Yet it is still read and analyzed as part of school curriculum. In a simple plot, Hansberry vividly captured setting, tangible emotions, characters that the reader can sympathize with if not empathize with, and an acute sense of the influence of segregation on the lives of black citizens when this story was published. A Raisin in the Sun is a dense, savorable read for middle grade all the way up to adult readers who enjoy rich historical fiction. Adults may be able to read much deeper into the story, particularly those with personal memories of this time in history, but it is a valuable story for any reader.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, Book 3)

The Toll

Author: Neal Shusterman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: November 2019

    The Toll is Neal Shusterman’s third novel in the Arc of a Scythe series. With Endura gone, the world is changing under the ever-tightening hand of Scythe Goddard. Citra and Rowan have seemingly disappeared forever. Relationships between scythes and Tonists have quickly escalated to extreme violence. The Toll has emerged as their pacifier. The world is no longer under the jurisdiction of the Thunderhead. It is up to the world, in all of its splendor and ugliness, to decide in which direction it wants to go. There are those who will greedily surge towards power and those who will claim it without planning to do so. Scythe Goddard is the first kind and The Toll is the second. In a new world torn apart by greed, uncertainty, and religion, who will prevail? Will humanity ever return to its previous state, or is the future careening in an unalterable direction?

    The Toll is an unquestionably grand finale to the Arc of a Scythe series. Neal Shusterman’s diction is admirable, his characters are dynamic, and the plot flow from Thunderhead toThe Toll is inventive despite being a tiny bit predictable. The plot also leads to the question of what makes a society righteous, and what lines should or should not be crossed to improve society. What undermines The Toll is the way it is written. In Scythe and Thunderhead, Shusterman tossed readers puzzle pieces of the plot. The pieces were well-timed and well-rationed, and their purpose became apparent within a reasonable amount of time. In The Toll, the puzzle pieces are still being tossed, but the length of time before they make sense deters the reader, and a few pieces seem to have no real purpose at all. Readers and authors both know how hard it is to finish a series with the same vigor, promise, and skill as it began. Those who delighted in Scythe and Thunderhead may find The Toll a bit disappointing, but still enjoyable.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of The Selection

The Selection (Book 1)

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: April 2012

    Illéa has withstood three world wars, a dictatorship, and currently, a caste system. But don’t worry, this isn’t a depressing history book. The absolute monarchy of Illéa that keeps the caste systems in place has an interesting way of picking a princess when a prince is born, something they call The Selection. From each province, a girl is chosen at random via a lottery. Sent to the palace, they each compete for the prince’s hand. America Singer, who entered the lottery because of a bribe, is chosen to compete for Prince Maxon Schreave. America is a Five. Her only permitted way of making a living is to be an artist, but she loves singing and playing the violin. However, she has to keep her romance with a Six a secret. She never intends The Selection to be a love story. In fact, the only thing America wants to do is go home - at first. When her emotions overcome her will, America must come to terms with not just her heart but her changing world.

    The Selection, while following the path of a fairy tale romance, is a politically dystopian novel. That element separates the story from most other current dystopian novels, which tend to center around environmental collapse rather than cultural or political collapse. The caste systems are explained in detail without deviating from the plot and the pros and cons of an absolute monarchy are highlighted in bits and pieces. The plot is not the only cleverly detailed part of this story. The main characters develop significantly in a matter of months, transitioning from flighty and unsure of who they want to be to brazen, thoughtful young men and women. Unfortunately, one noticeable weakness is that while the story is obviously set in the future, the description of technology does not match. The use of medieval-esc architecture and lack of modern technology to enforce the idea of a culturally regressed society feels forced. Nonetheless, this book is a worthwhile read. If you enjoy it, there are four more books in the series. For readers on the younger side of the YA genre, this book is a topical yet emotional read. For older YA readers and adults, this book can be read as purely entertainment or a pondering prediction of the political future of America (the country, not the girl).

- D. K. Nuray

Review of The Calculating Stars

The Calculating Stars

Author: Mary Robinette Kowal

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication Date: July 2018

    “In the early hours of the morning a meteorite struck just outside the capital of the United States of America with a force greater than the bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” In the 1952 of Mary Robinette Kowal’s The Calculating Stars, a meteorite the size of the one that wiped out the dinosaurs fell on the east coast of the United States, obliterating everything within a 50 mile radius. As they were for the dinosaurs, the effects are catastrophic worldwide. Elma York, former WASP (Women's Airforce Service Pilot) is now a “computer” for the International Aerospace Coalition and her husband, Nathaniel York, is the organization’s lead engineer. As the devastating implications of the meteor strike become clear, the IAC becomes determined to colonize space in order to ensure humanity’s survival. Elma and Nathaniel are helping to lead the space program, but all of its astronauts and head administrators are male. Elma determines to recruit women astronauts. A combination of gender stereotyping and her own anxiety are set against Elma’s hard-earned skills and perseverance as she ventures into the world of news and television to promote her mission. Space is Elma’s dream, and she will not be held down by either the prejudices of men or the physics of her planet.

    The Calculating Stars is a remarkably written piece of historical fiction, conveying the drive and desperation of women held back by society while also exploring an event that could be the future of humanity, not just a fictional past. The math and science-infused plot is a treat for STEM-inclined young readers. Unfortunately, the number of intimate scenes seems a little gratuitous and disruptive to the story. The book might also be a bit more appropriate for older readers because the mathematical and scientific terms are many and can be challenging to decipher. 

- D. K. Nuray

Review of This Savage Song

This Savage Song

Author: Victoria Schwab

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Publication Date: June 2016

    This Savage Song is a tale of monsters and men, love and anger, peace and war. August Flynn is a monster, born from crimes. Able to steal souls with a song, August is a force to be reckoned with, but all he wants to be is human. He lives in Verity, also known as V-City, one of Earth’s Ten Territories. Unfortunately, V-City is divided between the Flynns and the Harkers. Kate Harker, the daughter of Callum Harker, was not born a monster, but human. Her father rules his half of V-City, including its monsters, and all she wants to be is as ruthless as him. That may prove harder than it seems when Kate and August begin attending the same school in a “safe” part of V-City. The two form an unlikely friendship, forged out of happenstance rather than intent, and begin to see each other’s perspective on what it means to be a monster. As the truce between the Flynns and the Harkers begins to break, Kate and August must decide whether they are willing to risk their lives for peace, and whether they are fighting against the heroes or the villains of V-City. Victoria Schwab’s dystopian New York Times Bestseller has a plot that will startle and compel readers through the story. The writing switches between the perspectives of Kate and August, balancing dialogue, intrigue, mayhem, and an exploration of what it means to be human in a monstrous world. This Savage Song is a terrific read for YA and adult fans of dystopian mysteries. 

D. K. Nuray

Review of Speak

Speak

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Publication date: October 1999

    Speak is the brutally realistic narrative of one girl and her challenge to rise whole from her traumatized life. Melinda Sordino is a black girl in ninth grade. Her friends are now her enemies, and all her parents do is fight. The events of summer haunt her and she cannot even find the confidence to be herself in art class, let alone tell anyone what happened or how scared and scarred she is. But opening the door to her memories may grant her the courage to move on.            

    Speak is harrowing but triumphant - a story about overcoming shame and fear, both of yourself and others. The concepts addressed and descriptive content make this a book suited for mature young adult or adult readers. The story itself is well-crafted, with a tenacious grip on the struggles of high school and issues that women often feel they must suffer through alone. Melinda perfectly fits the story, submissive enough to make her thoughts and pain believable yet passionate enough to yank both herself and the reader through her roiling emotions. There is a reason this book was a National Book Award finalist. While Speak is a tough, gritty, emotional read, it should be high on the lists of mature YA and above readers who enjoy realistic fiction. 

- D. K. Nuray

Review of Sawkill Girls

Sawkill Girls

Author: Claire Legrand

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication date: October 2018

    First, there’s Marion, whose mother calls her “the grave little mountain”. With her father dead, her mother collapsing from grief, and her older sister longing for freedom, she is the one holding her family together. Marion’s only just arrived on Sawkill Island, and she doesn’t even have time for dreams.

    Then comes Zoey, hair the orange color of fire and temper just as hot. Her father is Sawkill’s police chief, but she’s afraid he’s hiding something important. She just hasn’t figured out what that something is. 

    Last but certainly not least is Val Mortimer. Born into a family of survivors, women who deal with the Devil to save their lives, Val’s will has never been her own. Sawkill Island legend tells of the Collector. To most people, he’s the bogeyman. To Val, he’s her master.

    Zoey is suspicious of Val. Sawkill girls go missing, and Val is best friends with each one. Marion, new to the island, doesn’t see a monster. She sees a golden-haired goddess who could never do anything wrong. That changes when her own sister is the next missing girl. The woods of Sawkill hide evil, and Zoey, Marion, and Val are the only ones who even have a chance to stop it.

    Sawkill Girls is an intense story that hinges on the dynamic tensions of friendship, love, and courage. Unfortunately, this book also has its own tensions that can be difficult for a reader to reconcile. While the beginning gave a strong image and sense of the island and was crowded with impending emotion, it was slow. And when the plot did pick up, it became almost too rushed. The story was anchored by the three main characters. They touched me, because they aren’t perfect. They struggle to cope with their problems, they get into girl fights, and they are suspicious of one another. But they are beautiful because when they need to put aside all their differences and fight side by side, they do. The writing describing the girls and the story was sharp and clear, but at points was almost too detailed, leaving little room for the reader’s interpretation and interrupting engagement with the flow of events.

    Sawkill Girls is a dense yet frantic story of the struggles and triumphs of three very different girls. It packs a powerful message to any woman or girl wrestling with sexism, confidence, and emotional turbulence - that we are strong, and though sometimes we need another hand to help lift our burdens, we can triumph. I definitely recommend this book to young adult readers rather than middle grade, not just because of the density of the story but also because of the frequent profanity and brief romantic scenes. Adults, especially women, will enjoy this story, and might take away deeper messages than kids will.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of Starters

Starters

Author: Lissa Price

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication date: March 2012

    Fast-paced, relentlessly unexpected, and delightfully scary, Starters will leave you craving the sequel. Sixteen-year-old Callie lives with her seven-year-old brother Tyler and her friend Michael in an abandoned building. After the Spore Wars killed her parents a year ago, only Starters, kids and teens younger than 20, and Enders, anyone above age 60, are left. In this new world, Starters will do anything to survive while the Enders bask indifferently in their wealth. In desperate need for money, Callie finds Prime Destinations, where teenagers rent their bodies to the over-privileged Enders who can afford to experience being young again. When Callie submits herself to the company, a chip is placed in her head to connect her to her renter. She falls asleep, expecting to wake up when her rental is over, but the chip malfunctions, and Callie wakes up in the life of the Ender who was using her body. As she begins to uncover dangerous secrets about the people surrounding her, she finds herself wondering if the money she will earn for renting out her body is worth risking the life she will go back to - if she survives.

    There is almost no spot in Starters where the urgency and uncertainty of the next page will allow you to put this book down. Seriously, please leave a comment if you find an easy stopping point past chapter 3! The plot twists in this book are complicated enough to keep you interested but not so confusing that they interrupt engagement with the story and characters. The main characters are interesting, but the haunting and detailed story is what propels you through the book, from the alluring cover art right through to the cliffhanger ending. This novel is a wonderful pick for middle grade and young adult readers who enjoy fiction that speculates about just how much humans are capable of destructively warping our society and ourselves. The mix of witty banter, glancing blows from social and moral issues, and snowballing plot make it a potential pick for adults as well.

- D. K. Nuray

Review of Aurora Rising (Aurora Cycle, book 1)

Aurora Rising (Aurora Cycle, book 1)

Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Publication date: May 2019

Date of review: August 2019

    Alpha Tyler Jones - the top-ranked graduating cadet at the Aurora Academy, trained to do whatever missions the people (human or otherwise) of the Milky Way need.

    Legionnaire Scarlett Jones - a saucy diplomat who happens to be Tyler’s twin sister.

    Legionnaire Cat Brannock - the best pilot in the academy who’s only scared of her own emotions.

    Legionnaires Zila Madran, Kal Gilwraeth, and Finian de Karran de Seel - the misfits of Aurora Academy who somehow landed in Tyler’s squad.

    Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley - the rescued mystery girl who has been asleep for 200 years. 

    Meet squad 312. After Tyler rescues Aurora, the girl who was thought to be dead two centuries ago, what begins as an ordinary supply mission turns dark. The squad discovers that Aurora has escaped quarantine and snuck aboard their ship. She has powers that she is unable to control and soon she has the squad fleeing from aliens and stealing relics of a species said to have gone extinct long before the oldest known species still around began recording history. The squad begins to discover what and who they can trust as a galactic war that began a million years ago rekindles.

    Fans of Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner’s Unearthed will enjoy the bold, sassy heroines of Aurora Rising. The story itself has some mature elements more suitable for young adult than middle grade readers. The characters are diverse (in both personality and species), and so relatable to a wide audience. Adults might also enjoy Aurora Rising. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different member of squad 312, helping you get to know each one a little better. I highly recommend this story to YA readers who enjoy science fiction set in a future where humanity is not alone in the galaxy and must adjust to fundamentally different cultures, customs, and concerns. 

- D. K. Nuray