Review: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Links with an asterisk (*) are Ad: Affiliate Links, which means if you make a purchase through them, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Published: 4th August | Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books | Source: Bought
Aiden Thomas’ Website

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave. From The StoryGraph.

Purchase from Bookshop.org*
The StoryGraph | Goodreads

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features blood, reference to drug use, unintentional ableist language: lame, transphobia, deadnaming, misgendering, reference to deportation, xenophobia, racism, forced burning, and child abuse.

Continue reading Review: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Review: Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (#Ad)

I was sent an ARC of the First Anniversary Edition for free by Usborne for the purposes of providing an honest review.

Links with an asterisk (*) are Ad: Affiliate Links, which means if you make a purchase through them, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Published: Original Edition: 10th June 2021 , First Anniversary Eition: 9th June 2022 | Publisher: Usborne | Source: Gift / Publisher
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s Website

A compelling, incendiary, and unputdownable thriller with a shocking twist, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism with this compulsive debut.

Hello, Niveus High. It's me. Who am I? That's not important. All you need to know is...I'm here to divide and conquer. - Aces

Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students' dark secrets to light.

Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can't escape the spotlight when his private photos go public.

Head girl Chiamaka isn't afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power.

Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they're planning much more than a high-school game... From The StoryGraph.

Purchase from Bookshop.org*
The StoryGraph | Goodreads

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features anxiety and panic attacks, blood, reference to drug use and drug dealing, bullying, poverty, off-page sex scene, outing of a queer character, suicide ideation, non-consensual pornography, implied sexual assault, stalking, a fire building on fire, reference to police brutality, gun threat, a hit and run, homophobia, and instutionalised racism.

Continue reading Review: Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (#Ad)

Review: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (#Ad)

I was sent this proof for free by Bloomsbury for the purposes of providing an honest review.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Published: 26th February 2019 | Publisher: Bloomsbury | Source: Publisher
Samantha Shannon on Twitter

A world divided.
A queendom without an heir.
An ancient enemy awakens.

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep. From Goodreads.

Trigger Warnings: Death by earthquake, infertility, suicide ideation, dead bodies, discussion of suicide, and miscarriage.

Continue reading Review: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (#Ad)

Review: Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy (#Ad)

I was sent this proof for free by Rock the Boat for the purposes of providing an honest review.

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy

Published: 26th March 2019 | Publisher: Rock the Boat | Source: Publisher
Amy Rose Capetta's Website | Cori McCarthy's Website

I’ve been chased my whole life. As a fugitive refugee in the territory controlled by the tyrannical Mercer corporation, I’ve always had to hide who I am. Until I found Excalibur.

Now I’m done hiding.

My name is Ari Helix. I have a magic sword, a cranky wizard, and a revolution to start.

When Ari crash-lands on Old Earth and pulls a magic sword from its ancient resting place, she is revealed to be the newest reincarnation of King Arthur. Then she meets Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and together they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back. Their quest? Defeat the cruel, oppressive government and bring peace and equality to all humankind.

No pressure. From Goodreads.

Trigger Warning: This book features genocide and murder.

Continue reading Review: Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy (#Ad)

Review: This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher (#Ad)

I received this eProof for free from Simon & Schuster Children's Books via NetGalley for the puposes of providing an honest review.

This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher (eProof)

Published: 27th December 2018 | Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books  | Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Chelsea Pitcher's Website

Tell the truth. Or face the consequences.

Clue meets Riverdale in this page-turning thriller that exposes the lies five teens tell about a deadly night one year ago.

One year ago, there was a party.
At the party, someone died.
Five teens each played a part and up until now, no one has told the truth.

But tonight, the five survivors arrive at an isolated mansion in the hills, expecting to compete in a contest with a $50,000 grand prize. Of course…some things are too good to be true. They were each so desperate for the prize, they didn’t question the odd, rather exclusive invitation until it was too late.

Now, they realize they’ve been lured together by a person bent on revenge, a person who will stop at nothing to uncover what actually happened on that deadly night, one year ago.

Five arrived, but not all can leave. Will the truth set them free?
Or will their lies destroy them all? From Goodreads.

Goodreads

Trigger Warning: This book features child abuse: domestic violence; an abusive relationship: controlling, manipulating, gaslighting and stalking; bullying, violence, discussion of suicide, and suicide ideation.

Continue reading Review: This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher (#Ad)

Mental Illness in YA Month Review: The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller

The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller (Bought) - Matt hasn’t eaten in days.

His stomach stabs and twists inside, pleading for a meal. But Matt won’t give in. The hunger clears his mind, keeps him sharp—and he needs to be as sharp as possible if he’s going to find out just how Tariq and his band of high school bullies drove his sister, Maya, away.

Matt’s hardworking mom keeps the kitchen crammed with food, but Matt can resist the siren call of casseroles and cookies because he has discovered something: the less he eats the more he seems to have . . . powers. The ability to see things he shouldn’t be able to see. The knack of tuning in to thoughts right out of people’s heads. Maybe even the authority to bend time and space.

So what is lunch, really, compared to the secrets of the universe?

Matt decides to infiltrate Tariq’s life, then use his powers to uncover what happened to Maya. All he needs to do is keep the hunger and longing at bay. No problem. But Matt doesn’t realize there are many kinds of hunger… and he isn’t in control of all of them.

A darkly funny, moving story of body image, addiction, friendship, and love, Sam J. Miller’s debut novel will resonate with any reader who’s ever craved the power that comes with self-acceptance. From Goodreads.

Trigger Warning: This book features suicidal ideation, self-harm and homophobia.

Continue reading Mental Illness in YA Month Review: The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller

Mental Illness in YA Month Review: Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa (eProof) - A captivating and profound debut novel about complicated love and the friendships that have the power to transform you forever, perfect for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Mira is starting over at Saint Francis Prep. She promised her parents she would at least try to pretend that she could act like a functioning human this time, not a girl who can’t get out of bed for days on end, who only feels awake when she’s with Sebby.

Jeremy is the painfully shy art nerd at Saint Francis who’s been in self-imposed isolation after an incident that ruined his last year of school. When he sees Sebby for the first time across the school lawn, it’s as if he’s been expecting this blond, lanky boy with mischief glinting in his eye.

Sebby, Mira’s gay best friend, is a boy who seems to carry sunlight around with him. Even as life in his foster home starts to take its toll, Sebby and Mira together craft a world of magic rituals and impromptu road trips, designed to fix the broken parts of their lives.

As Jeremy finds himself drawn into Sebby and Mira’s world, he begins to understand the secrets that they hide in order to protect themselves, to keep each other safe from those who don’t understand their quest to live for the impossible. From Goodreads.

I received this eProof for free from Macmillan Children's Books via NetGalley for the purposes of providing an honest review.

Trigger warning: This book features homophobia, and attempted suicide.

Continue reading Mental Illness in YA Month Review: Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

Review: One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus (#Ad)

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

I received this eProof for free from Penguin via NetGalley for the purposes of providing an honest review.

Yale hopeful Bronwyn has never publicly broken a rule.

Sports star Cooper only knows what he's doing in the baseball diamond.

Bad body Nate is one misstep away from a life of crime.

Prom queen Addy is holding together the cracks in her perfect life.

And outsider Simon, creator of the notorious gossip app at Bayview High, won't ever talk about any of them again.

He dies 24 hours before he could post their deepest secrets online. Investigators conclude it's no accident. All of them are suspects.

Everyone has secrets, right?

What really matters is how far you'll go to protect them. From Goodreads.

Continue reading Review: One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus (#Ad)

Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (Bought) - WARNING! I cannot review this book without spoiling the others in the series. Read no further if you're planning on reading this series and don't want it spoilt for you.

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel. From Goodreads.

Disclaimer: Since writing my review, I have discovered that Maggie Stiefvater is a problematic author - you can find more info here. Because of this, I can no longer promote her books in good conscience. I'm leaving my review here as it is for the sake of transparency.

Continue reading Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Review: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (Bought) - WARNING! I cannot review this book without spoiling the others in the series. Read no further if you're planning on reading this series and don't want it spoilt for you.

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after… From Goodreads.

Disclaimer: Since writing my review, I have discovered that Maggie Stiefvater is a problematic author - you can find more info here. Because of this, I can no longer promote her books in good conscience. I'm leaving my review here as it is for the sake of transparency.

Continue reading Review: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Review: The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu (gifted) - Everyone knows Alice slept with two guys at one party. But did you know Alice was sexting Brandon when he crashed his car? It's true. Ask ANYBODY.

Rumor has it Alice Franklin is a slut. It's written all over the bathroom stall at Healy High for everyone to see. And after star quarterback Brandon Fitzsimmons dies in a car accident, the rumors start to spiral out of control.

In this remarkable debut novel, four Healy High students - the girl who had the infamous party, the car accident survivor, the former best friend, and the boy next door - tell all they know.

But what exactly is the truth about Alice? From the blurb.

Continue reading Review: The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

Review: History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (reading copy) - You’re still alive in alternate universes, Theo, but I live in the real world where this morning you’re having an open casket funeral. I know you’re out there, listening. And you should know I’m really pissed because you swore you would never die and yet here we are. It hurts even more because this isn’t the first promise you’ve broken.

OCD-afflicted seventeen-year-old, Griffin, has just lost his first love – his best friend, ex-boyfriend and the boy he believed to be his ultimate life partner – in a drowning accident. In a desperate attempt to hold onto every last piece of the past, a broken Griffin forges a friendship with Theo’s new college boyfriend, Jackson. And Griffin will stop at nothing to learn every detail of Theo’s new college life, and ultimate death. But as the grieving pair grow closer, readers will question Griffin's own version of the truth – both in terms of what he’s willing to hide, and what true love ultimately means... From Goodreads.

Continue reading Review: History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

Review: As I Descended by Robin Talley

As I Descended by Robin Talley (Review Copy) - Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten are their school’s ultimate power couple—even if no one knows it but them.

Only one thing stands between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey.

Golden child Delilah is a legend at the exclusive Acheron Academy, and the presumptive winner of the distinguished Cawdor Kingsley Prize. She runs the school, and if she chose, she could blow up Maria and Lily’s whole world with a pointed look, or a carefully placed word.

But what Delilah doesn’t know is that Lily and Maria are willing to do anything—absolutely anything—to make their dreams come true. And the first step is unseating Delilah for the Kingsley Prize. The full scholarship, awarded to Maria, will lock in her attendance at Stanford―and four more years in a shared dorm room with Lily.

Maria and Lily will stop at nothing to ensure their victory—including harnessing the dark power long rumored to be present on the former plantation that houses their school.

But when feuds turn to fatalities, and madness begins to blur the distinction between what’s real and what is imagined, the girls must decide where they draw the line.

From acclaimed author Robin Talley comes a Shakespeare-inspired story of revenge and redemption, where fair is foul, and foul is fair. From Goodreads.

Continue reading Review: As I Descended by Robin Talley

Review: Highly Illogical Behaviour by John Corey Whaley

Highly Illogical Behaviour by John Corey Whaley (Proof) - Sixteen year old Solomon has agoraphobia. He hasn't left his house in three years, which is fine by him. At home, he is the master of his own kingdom--even if his kingdom doesn't extend outside of the house.

Ambitious Lisa desperately wants to go to a top tier psychiatry program. She'll do anything to get in.

When Lisa finds out about Solomon's solitary existence, she comes up with a plan sure to net her a scholarship: befriend Solomon. Treat his condition. And write a paper on her findings. To earn Solomon's trust, Lisa begins letting him into her life, introducing him to her boyfriend Clark, and telling him her secrets. Soon, Solomon begins to open up and expand his universe. But all three teens have grown uncomfortably close, and when their facades fall down, their friendships threaten to collapse as well. From Goodreads.

Continue reading Review: Highly Illogical Behaviour by John Corey Whaley

Review: You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan (reading copy) - Who knows you well? Your best friend? Your boyfriend or girlfriend? A stranger you meet on a crazy night? No one, really?

Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.

That is until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.

When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other -- and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more. From Goodreads.

Continue reading Review: You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan

Review: When Everything Feels Like the Movies by Raziel Reid

When Everything Feels Like the Movies by Raziel Reid (proof) - School is just like a film set: there's The Crew, who make things happen, The Extras who fill the empty desks, and The Movie Stars, whom everyone wants tagged in their Facebook photos. But Jude doesn't fit in. He's not part of The Crew because he isn't about to do anything unless it's court-appointed; he's not an Extra because nothing about him is anonymous; and he's not a Movie Star because even though everyone know his name like an A-lister, he isn't invited to the cool parties. As the director calls action, Jude is the flamer that lights the set on fire.

Before everything turns to ashes from the resulting inferno, Jude drags his best friend Angela off the casting couch and into enough melodrama to incite the paparazzi, all while trying to fend off the haters and win the heart of his favourite co-star Luke Morris. It's a total train wreck!

But train wrecks always make the front page. From Goodreads.

Continue reading Review: When Everything Feels Like the Movies by Raziel Reid

Review: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera - In the months after his father's suicide, it's been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again--but he's still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he's slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.

When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron's crew notices, and they're not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can't deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

Why does happiness have to be so hard? From Goodreads.

Trigger Warning: Suicide.

Continue reading Review: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

Review: Losing It, edited by Keith Gray

Losing It, edited by Keith Gray (review copy) - A collection of fiction short stories by leading teen writers about losing your virginity

Including Melvin Burgess, Keith Gray, Patrick Ness, Sophie McKenzie, Bali Rai, Jenny Valentine, and Mary Hooper, some of today's leading writers for teens are gathered here in a wonderful collection of original stories—some funny, some moving, some haunting, but all revolving around the same subject—having sex for the first time! You never forget your first time and you'll never forget this book! From Goodreads

Continue reading Review: Losing It, edited by Keith Gray

Review: The Baby by Lisa Drakeford

The Baby by Lisa Drakeford (proof) - When Olivia opens the bathroom door, the last thing she expects to see is her best friend Nicola giving birth on the floor – and to say Nicola is surprised is an understatement. She’s not ready to be a mum, and she needs Olivia’s help. But Olivia has her own problems – specifically her bullying boyfriend, Jonty, and keeping an eye on younger sister Alice. And then there’s Nicola’s friend Ben, who’s struggling with secrets of his own … From Goodreads.

Continue reading Review: The Baby by Lisa Drakeford

Review: Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (#Ad)

Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

I was sent this review copy for free by Penguin for the purpose of providing an honest review.

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon's junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met. From Goodreads

Continue reading Review: Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (#Ad)