Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton (Reviewed by Anya W. '20)

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A cleverly built, intricately weaved world sets the stage for our peek into the life of a desperate gunslinger in a world that has no patience for women with minds like hers, and no future for people born in places like her homeland. Hamilton seamlessly accomplished what must have been an incredibly difficult narrative feat: creating a character coldhearted enough to survive the vicious sands of her homeland, but also one human enough to still create interest and sympathy within readers. While quite a few cliche YA twists could be seen coming from a mile (or a couple chapters) away, Hamilton manages to overcome them in a page turner rife with themes not quite so common in her genre, from the fact that family isn't always there for you, to the limits of humanity, and that kindness is not always the keystone to living.

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Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust (review by Sofie K. '20)

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"If they love you for anything, it will be for your beauty."

One kingdom, completely immersed in ice, the cruel outcome of an age-old curse. Two stories intertwined, each pivotal to the other. In one: a girl from the outside comes to power beside a widowed king, her glass heart colder than the eternal winter around her. In the other: a girl born and raised within the castle's walls, created out of snow in the image of the late queen. Her only maternal influence has been her outspoken yet stoic stepmother.

And only one can be queen.

But Lynet doesn't want the crown. Far from it, actually. She simply wants to find her own path instead of turning into the queen her father wants her to be. Besides, why would she want to take the crown away from Mina, who so desperately wants to rule over the warm, curse-free South she was raised in? Mina has everything: looks, power, composure. She makes a much better queen than the little girl who spends her free time climbing trees and stalking the new surgeon.

But life is never that simple, is it?

Girls Made of Snow and Glass takes the classic tale of Snow White and spins it in a completely new direction. For one, there are no dwarves, and Bashardoust gives Snow White--usually portrayed as a helpless child--a sense of empowerment that princesses in old fairy tales just weren't given. It's a fast-paced, emotional journey of self-reflection and learning what it truly means to love. - Sophie K. '20

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Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (review by Fiona W. '21)

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Richard Mayhew is an average young man who lives in modern-day London with an average life and and average job. One day, he finds a ragged and bloodied girl dying on the side of the road that nobody seems to notice but him. He takes it upon himself to help her and learns that two assassins are chasing her, and a whole city resides underneath London that he never even knew about.

As I have been a fan of many of Neil Gaiman's books, I hoped this book would not disappoint. And it didn't. The character development of all the main characters was unique and fulfilling. The imagery of each scene made me feel like I was right alongside Richard. And the ending still had me in tears.

Gaiman mentions in the introduction that while he is not one to write a sequel, he would love to revisit the world of this book again one day. (And I hope he does, too). As someone who dislikes fantasy novels, this book changed my mind about the genre and I hope it may impact you, dear reader, as well. – Fiona W. ‘21


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Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier (review by Amelia H. '19)

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Daughter of the Forest, a retelling of a classic fairytale, is set in the ancient British Isles. The beginning of the book follows a girl named Sorcha as she grows into a teenager and has to protect her father’s lands from invaders. She is thwarted when an evil sorceress turns her brothers into swans and she has to find a way to change them back. The setup of the book was fascinating, but Sorcha’s character arc is so conventional that I knew how the story would end when I was less than halfway through the book. Marillier’s world-building draws on folk tales and mythology and creates a vivid landscape, but the plot quickly descends into predictability. The story has promise, but anyone even vaguely familiar with fantasy tropes might as well close the book a third of the way through and fill in the rest themselves. - Amelia H. '19

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A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (review by Angela C. '21)

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are four Londons - Grey London, Red London, White London, and Black London. Kell, a Traveler, is one of the few who can move between the cities. Unfortunately, one of his hobbies lands him into a difficult predicament and he has to jump from city to city to fix the problem. He's joined on his adventures by Delilah Bard. "Lila" is a great thief - quick on her feet, has fast, light hands, and notorious in Grey London. All of this changes when she accidentally steals the wrong stone from the wrong man.

Add in a charming prince, a towering castle, a handful of kings and queens, an Enthusiast named Neil, and several royal guards and there’s a perfect story for almost anyone!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about magic and needs some entertainment during the school year! - Angela C. '21

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Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh (review by Anya W. '20)

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The destiny of a samurai's daughter is to marry well to bring honor to the family. Even 17-year-old Mariko is no exception, never mind the fact that she's smart enough to be a step or two ahead of most everyone she meets. But when her convoy to meet the betrothed her father selected for her is attacked and only Mariko survives, she knows that the only way to protect her family's honor is to destroy the ones who attacked her. So, with no way to contact her twin brother, she sets off dressed as a boy in order to infiltrate her only lead: a bandit group called the Black Clan. The thing is... what Mariko finds is a lot closer to family. The novel definitely had some strong elements, from the premise of the plot to more realistic character reactions then some YA novels. However, the author's attempts at creating chemistry between the protagonist and her love interest, while (refreshingly) present, were oft clumsy. Furthermore, the ending of the book, even with the clear set-up for a sequel, feels a bit rushed it would have been nice to have more time with various character and their reactions to recent plot developments. - Anya W. '20

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Dawnthief: Chronicle of the Raven by James Barclay (review by Amelia H. '19)

Dawnthief: Chronicles of the Raven: Book One by James Barclay
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Dawnthief is a fantasy novel centered around a group of warriors called the Raven, who are tasked with helping a mage save the kingdom from evil creatures called the Wytch Lords, who are assisting barbaric tribes in invading the kingdom. The characters on the whole seem to be motivated solely by what will drive the plot forward. The Raven is joined along the way by a notable cast of characters including numerous people who turn evil for no discernible reason, feuding barons whose conflicts are given more paragraphs than they deserve, and women whose importance to the plot depends on their relationships with men. Indeed, the only woman particularly central to the plot is relegated to being a healer even though she has the same warrior capabilities as the men in the Raven, and it is vaguely mentioned that she will have amazingly powerful children, which is why she is important. There are elves, indistinguishable from humans except for being able to see in the dark and being referred to as elves. Additionally, the prose is clunky, with awkward phrasing that disrupts the flow of the writing, inconsistent dialogue, and inaccurate wording. Dawnthief is an interesting concept, carried out very poorly. - Amelia H. '19

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Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts (review by Anya W. '20)

Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Princess Lyriana herself decides to sit down at the Bastard's table at a feast thrown by Tilla's father, Tilla (herself a bastard) knows that it won't be any ordinary night- but even she didn't expect it to be so monumental. When a certain group of misbegotten teenagers witnesses a crime they most definitely were not supposed to, it sets off a chain of events that will make or break a kingdom and change the tide of a war. A novel detailing a journey in a medieval realm, with a magical undertone, Royal Bastards is a fun read. While I wish the male characters had been fleshed out with more vivid personalities, the characters and their relationships were believable and somewhat relatable. The world building was also pretty good, especially for what is apparently Shvarts' first novel. While the end of the book leaves us with some unanswered questions and heavy foreshadowing of the future, indicating that there will at least be a sequel, if not an entire series to come, I believe this book is probably going to be best as a standalone. - Anya W. '20

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Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (review by Amelia H. '19)

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Crooked Kingdom picks up the story where Six of Crows left off. The fight between the heroes and villains of Six of Crows finally culminates in an explosive finale. A fast-paced plot full of twists takes the reader on a whirlwind of a ride, moving at a breathless speed that makes every action and line of dialogue seem as if it’s happening in that moment for the first time. So much is packed in that the reader might feel daunted at the end of the first section, but everything links together into one cohesive narrative that ties up every loose thread it creates. The ending is as unforeseeable as it is thrilling, keeping the fast pace up till the last. This book was a perfect wrap-up to the Six of Crows duology. - Amelia H. '19

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (review by Amelia H. '19)

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Six of Crows is a fantasy heist story, with a cast of characters who practically spring off the page into real life and a world fleshed out to the tiniest detail. Bardugo’s gift for writing scenes and characters leaves readers feeling as if they themselves have followed the characters on their journeys step by step. Although the author spent considerable time setting up the main plot initially, after finishing the book, I could think of no unnecessary scenes or chapters. Everything came together in the final chapters of the book, which offered just enough closure to satisfy the reader but left enough unsolved that the reader has continue on to the sequel. If you like to immerse yourself in richly detailed fantasy worlds and carefully planned heists, this book is for you. Perfect for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora. - Amelia H. '19

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The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (review by Anya W. '20)

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There's a witch in the woods. Her name is Xan. Every year, in the same spot just outside of that town soaked in sorrow, a mother abandons her baby. The witch doesn't know why, but every year she takes that baby across the bog to the Free cities where a loving family adopts it. Except one year, when instead of milk from starlight, Xan accidentally feeds the baby girl with stars in her eyes the moon, enmagiking her. Enmagicked children are a bit hard for normal humans to raise so, she decides to keep her and name her Luna.

There's a madwoman in the tower. Many years ago during the day of sacrifice, she did something no one else has ever done-she tried to keep her baby with the starry eyes, the one chosen for sacrifice on that terrible day, when the townspeople do what they must to keep the Witch away. The woman has never been the same since.

Caught up in the story are also Antain, the nephew of the village's Grand Elder, Fyrian, a pocket sized Simply Enormous Dragon, and the creature that is "the Bog, the Poet, and the World," Glerk. And let's not forget the (slightly trouble making) tween girl with stars in her eyes. The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a poignant story of magic, madness, good intentions, friendship and sorrow--with an ancient witch or two sprinkled in. Barnhill weaves an alluring, complex tale that is well worth a read. - Anya W. '20

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling (review by Anika B. '18)

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

By the operationalization of the star rating system, five stars means Harry Potter. Although this book, or play rather, was faced with high expectations, it was everything I hoped it to be and more. This story takes place 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts, and it follows the adventures of Harry and Ginny’s son, Albus, and Draco Malfoy’s son Scorpius. Plagued by troubled relationships with their respective fathers, Albus and Scorpius use a stolen time turner to prevent the death of Cedric Diggory, leading to huge complications.

Due to its structure as a play, the book lacked J.K. Rowling’s signature descriptions, but the dialogue was very smooth and well written. The plot was brilliantly delivered, and there was never a dull moment. The new characters were well developed and the dynamic relationships held the perfect degree of depth. Finally, by taking readers back in time, the book referred to moments from the earlier Harry Potter books in ways that would have made any Potter fan feel nostalgic.

Once I picked up the book, I could not put it down. Although Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was not a traditional Harry Potter book, it did not disappoint.

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Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (review by Mr. Hurshman, Teacher)

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The action of this lengthy bestseller takes place in the first twenty years of the 19th century, when the two titular characters attempt a revival of magic in the British Isles. After several hundred years of dormancy, "practical magic" is making a comeback—just in time to serve England's interests in the Napoleonic Wars—but will the resurgence prove a blessing or a curse?

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is the only novel of its kind that I've ever encountered—a work at once of fantasy and of historical fiction that nevertheless seeks to replicate the realist style and comic sensibility of authors of the century in which it's set (think Austen or Thackeray or Dickens). In combining these elements, Clarke carries out a daring experiment that doesn’t really seem as if it should work. But the result is an unexpected alchemical triumph.

I would recommend Clarke’s novel to lovers of fantasy and lovers of 19th-century literature alike, but its ideal audience consists of those who love both. Its greatest pleasures depend on an acquaintance with the historical context that forms its backdrop and with the literary tradition that Clarke mimics and gently parodies.

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The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (review by Andrew R. '17)

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The premise of The Golem and the Jinni has an irresistible sort of cosmic balance to it: when a female homunculus named Chava and a male fire spirit named Ahmad collide in nineteenth-century New York, earth meets fire, the mythology of the West means that of the East, the Judeo-Christian tradition collides with one far older, and the ancient past meets the modern era. If only this novel could shed its affected writing, its chronically flat characters, and about a hundred and fifty pages, it might be able to meet this impressive potential. Wecker makes the unfortunate decision to relay the entire story in a faux-historical voice, weighing her sentences down with unwieldy vocabulary and convoluted syntax in a misguided effort (like so many other writers of historical fiction) to stay true to the literary style of the time she portrays. Uninspired prose might be excusable, but, in my view, weak characters are not; populating a fantasy world as Wecker does with transparent characters, single-minded and invariably “good at heart,” is a cardinal sin in any sort of fiction. I have to give the author credit for the alluring symmetry of her premise, but her execution is unremarkable and doesn’t nearly deserve the 500 pages it takes up.

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The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (review by Emily C. '18)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At the beginning of each November, riders on the tiny island of Thisby attempt to capture and gain control of spirited water horses in a deadly contest: the Scorpio Races. From this fierce battle of horsemanship and grudges two particular individuals emerge–Sean Kendrick and Puck Connolly. Though they ride for different reasons, when their paths cross an unlikely bond is formed. However, the issues Sean and Puck face are not limited to survival in this perilous competition; Stiefvater weaves a web of emotional and practical intricacies that range from sexism to finance to hostile and dangerous schemes. Maggie Stiefvater outdoes herself once again with a singular legend-inspired plot, well-developed characters, and touches of heartwarming loyalty and devotion.

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An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (review by Andrew R. '17)

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

The Hunger Games. Eragon. Star Wars. Odds are you’re already perfectly familiar with these stories, in which case there is no reason for you to pick up Sabaa Tahir’s new novel. For me, An Ember in the Ashes reads like a half-hearted cut-and-paste of all the fantasy/sci-fi books that came before it, an unapologetic catalog of tired genre clichés—romantic tension! teenagers fighting to the death! orphaned protagonists! unimaginative fantasy names! faceless demonic warlords!—without a single page of original material. Faced with such an apparent lack of inspiration, the author repeats her ideas and plot points thirty times throughout the book. That’s standard practice with many YA authors, unfortunately, when it comes to romance (“Does he love me or doesn’t he?”), but it gets downright tiresome when we have to hear this sentence repeated ad nauseam: “As my grandmother always told me, ‘Where there’s life there’s hope.’” According to the American Library Association, there are approximately 5,000 YA books published per year, and I can safely list (without much exaggeration) about 4,999 new books that are more worth your time than this one. I was not a fan.

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Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (review by Kaitlyn N. '18)

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Aveyard skillfully combines a dystopian society with the world of fantasy in Red Queen, which addresses segregation and the conflict between different social classes. In the genetically modified future, humans are divided into two castes: those with silver blood (Silvers), and those with red (Reds). Those with silver blood enjoy a wealthier lifestyle and magical abilities, while people with red blood work as peasants and slaves. Even so, Mare, a Red, discovers that she straddles the border between the Reds and Silvers, and she is forced to become a princess under the watchful eye of the despotic king and her newly betrothed, the prince. Her plans for a rebellion go unnoticed, but Mare also faces internal struggles within her lovestruck heart and in her decision to sacrifice hundreds of innocent people for the sake of her cause. Aveyard’s unique plot and her taut writing from Mare's perspective build suspense until the end. However, the lack of description and detail may easily confuse the reader. Fans of fantasy, adventure and strong female leads would certainly enjoy Red Queen.

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The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black (review by Andrew R. '17)

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The tiny town of Fairfold teeters right on the border between the human and faerie worlds, and its inhabitants know it. On one side of this border are the local public high school, the general store, the partying teenagers, the clueless tourists; on the other side are vicious monsters made of twigs and dirt, goblins who bathe in human blood, and a horned prince lying dormant in the middle of the woods. Not your typical story-book creatures, these faeries, but, as long as they’re not provoked, they’re willing to live in a fragile balance with their human neighbors—until local teenager Hazel and her brother Ben, wishful monster hunters extraordinaire, upset that balance beyond repair. Holly Black’s masterful world-building is on display in the court of the faerie king (modeled off the legendary German Erlkönig) and on the ominous small-town streets of Fairfold, but the novel’s real creativity lies in the intersection between the two worlds. The border separating the humans and faeries, it becomes clear, is frighteningly porous, and the influence of faerie magic in Fairfold is stronger than its inhabitants would like to admit... Black never relinquishes nuance in her characters in favor of plot, and as a result the novel feels neither simplistic nor rushed. Here is YA fantasy at its best: a world that seems as real as, or realer than, our own.

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Bitterblue by Kristine Cashore (review by Catherine H. '17)

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
< After letting her advisers rule the kingdom for eight years, eighteen year old Bitterblue decides to begin ruling Monsea herself. She realizes that she is too high up to see down to the commoners and then sneaks out at night, posing as a commoner girl. Her escapades only bring more confusion, trouble, and secrets to her attention and she must battle the fog left in the minds of the people by her sadistic father. The third installment in Kristin Cashore's Graceling Realm series, I found Bitterblue enthralling. There is so much character development and so many secrets revealed, it left me wanting more when I finished. - Catherine H. '17

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Delirium by Lauren Oliver (review by Catherine H. '17)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When love, or amor deliria nervosa, is seen as a disease, scientists develop a cure. However, the cure can only be administered when the patient is eighteen, otherwise it is unsafe. Lena Haloway, now Lena Tiddle, is eager to be cured so that she can't become like her mother and sister, both previously infected. She's worried about her friend Hana, who is beautiful and has recently begun riding the edge between loyal citizen and sympathizer. She forgets about this when her evaluations go horribly wrong and she meets a Cured named Alex. She falls in love and finally wakes up to reality, that love is not a disease, and that she must escape. Delirium had an interesting idea, and some nice romance, but I felt that the plot didn't move smoothly throughout the book. - Catherine H. '17

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