Genre: Young Adult

Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J Maas | Review

Posted September 26, 2016 in Reviews / 11 Comments

The world will be saved and remade by the dreamers. I had the chance to meet Sarah J Maas this spring at her book signing at Kepler’s, and she was the funniest, sassiest, most unapologetic author I’ve seen speak. She was on tour promoting ACOMAF, but in just a few short months Empire of Storms was set to release, so it’s safe to say it was a HUGE year for her fans and everyone in the audience was simultaneously giddy and awestruck. It was in that moment that I realized she had truly and deeply solidified herself as one of […]

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout | Review

Posted September 5, 2016 in Reviews / 5 Comments

This was the most different book by Jennifer L. Arementrout that I’ve read. Having read all of her Lux series and her stand along thriller Don’t Look Back, I enjoyed her books but I thought her writing voice, and formulas, could be a bit predictable at times. Going into The Problem with Forever, I was a little skeptical because I wasn’t sure Armentrout’s trademark sarcastic humor and hot guy formula were going to work with the topics at hand. I was pleasantly surprised to find The Problem with Forever a book with a quiet yet intense romance that had a […]

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab | ARC Review

Posted August 29, 2016 in Boyfriend Book Reviews, Reviews / 1 Comment

Boyfriend Book Reviews is a feature where my book-loving boyfriend, Max, reads and reviews YA that I either haven’t yet read or is outside of my current TBR. If you want a thorough and thoughtful perspective on a guy’s take on YA, keep reading! “ ‘And you?’ asked Kate, “Your brother is righteous, your sister is scattered. What does that make you?’ When August answered the word was small, almost too quiet to hear. ‘Lost.’ He exhaled, and it seemed to take more than air out of him. ‘I’m what happens when a kid is so afraid of the world […]

With Malice by Eileen Cook | Review

Posted July 18, 2016 in Reviews / 7 Comments

Thrillers are perhaps the hardest genre to read and write, because readers are going in with a very specific set of expectations: plot twists, unreliable narrators, dangerous secrets, edge of your seat pacing, and a satisfying conclusion. I’m not sure if this complicated recipe for a good thriller is why they don’t seem to be super common in the YA market, but I’ve noticed a lack of them, which is why With Malice caught my eye. The stunning cover made it impossible for it to escape my notice, and the premise had me clicking “buy” without a second thought, curbing […]

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes | Review

Posted July 11, 2016 in Reviews / 10 Comments

The Fixer was one of those books that I glossed over SO many times in the course of the past year because the cover does nothing to grab me. I definitely fell victim to judging a book by a cover for this novel, because when my aunt was kind enough to purchase it for me at this summer’s scholastic warehouse sale, I dove in mildly curious and ended up finishing it in less than three days, during a very jam packed vacation. The Fixer brought me back to my earlier reading days when I used to devour political and historical […]

Third Time’s the Charm

Posted July 8, 2016 in Reviews / 14 Comments

“Phones are distracting. The internet is distracting.The way he looked at you? He wasn’t distracted. He was consumed.” By the time I read Anna and the French Kiss, I was pretty much the last book blogger I knew to start Stephanie Perkin’s adorable companion series, and at that time everyone was anxiously awaiting the arrival of Isla. Over the past two years I’ve slowly made my way through the series, savoring each book yet being disappointed that I hadn’t quite found that magic that everyone else seems to see in them. I love the lush settings, the captivating characters, but […]

Book Buddies Review: Summer Days and Summer Nights

Posted July 6, 2016 in Book Buddies Reviews, Reviews / 8 Comments

Cristina & Lauren Read: Book Buddies is a discussion style review I participate in every other month with my friend Lauren who runs the blog Bookmarklit. We choose a themed book for the month, read it, and the have a discussion where we both discuss themes and aspects that really stood out to us. Book Buddy Reviews are posted during the last week of the month.You can see our review in a Q&A format with half posted here, and half on Lauren’s blog! Since there were twelve stories, Lauren and I will be alternating the reviews between both of our […]

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes | Review

Posted June 27, 2016 in Reviews / 10 Comments

“Belief shouldn’t be compatible with lies, but is.” Every so often there are books you come across that are unpleasant, that fill your stomach with a sense of dread at the knowledge of the subject matter, but that you soldier through reading anyways because they are so damn important. The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes is one of those books. From just the synopsis, it’s clear that the novel is going to deal with not one, but several unsavory topics: a cult, a botched amputation, and the juvenile detention system. However, despite dealing with so many intense […]

My Lady Jane | When History Goes Out the Window

Posted June 20, 2016 in Reviews / 16 Comments

Well. That certainly was NOT what I was expecting. I am a huge Tudor history buff, and I used to read about them like nobody’s business (Philippa Gregory was a high school staple for me). So when the lovely ladies at the EpicReads tent at YALLWest were hosting a signing for My Lady Jane ARCs, I was like I absolutely need one. While this novel is quite unlike any other historical fiction book that I’ve read, it’s uniqueness is not one that I’ll ever forget. While at times it’s absurdity became a bit much for me, I’m thrilled that it’s […]

Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynne Weingarten | Review

Posted June 13, 2016 in Reviews / 4 Comments

“The world is only as fair as you make it.” *Please note this review may contain some spoilers, both in and out of spoiler tags. You’ve been warned! Sometimes I’m in a mood where nothing will appease my reading palate but a really good thriller. I’ve been on an ebook reading streak recently, and all of those books have happened to be heavier in their content and story lines. I decided to continue the streak with Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls as soon as I saw it become available on Overdrive, as the cover has always struck me as being […]