Reviews written by Ellie, Assistant Promotions Manager

What I Liked: SECRETS OF THE VALHALLA is a fresh take on Norse mythology that's thoroughly engrossing and packed with action and adventure. The story starts with a weatherwoman in danger...but she's not just a weatherwoman. She shares her body with a sleeping goddess named Sunna, who awakens to...

What I Liked: Books about famous rock bands or teen heartthrobs can often feel unrealistic and too over-the-top. FOR THE RECORD never feels like that. Because the reader sees the band's tour through the eyes of Chelsea, a girl who gets hired as a replacement lead signer in the...

What I Liked: REVENGE AND THE WILD is an intriguing blend of the supernatural and the lawless west, all topped with a heart-pounding chase for revenge. Westie is a highly flawed character, which made me like her and feel invested in her story. Her family...

What I Loved: I flew through this book! THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY is so compulsively readable that I just didn't want to put it down! I loved Liza as a character; I saw so much of myself in her! Her friends are her life, so...

What I Loved: I haven't read much magical realism, but I think I'm going to have to change that. THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS captured my heart and my imagination and left me breathless. From the very first page, I was drawn into the mystical and sinister...

What I Liked: I'm a huge mythology fan, so when I saw a YA book featuring Egyptian mythology, I knew it would be right up my alley. The story starts with a bang: the heroine, Lillian Young, runs into a recently reawakened Amon, an Egyptian prince who needs her...

What I Loved: THE MARVELS is one of the most unique books I've ever read. When I first picked it up, I thought the illustrations would be interspersed throughout the novel like I was used to. However, the first part of the story is told entirely through pictures. This...

What I Loved: I'm a big fan of Bracken's THE DARKEST MINDS series; even though she's said PASSENGER is a very different book, it was still one of my most anticipated 2016 releases. PASSENGER is a completely different story, but I loved it just as much. ...

What I Loved: THE HALLOWEEN TREE packs a big punch in only 126 pages. The story takes off right on page one, painting of the picture of a small town and a spirited group of boys who love Halloween. With sparse but poetic language, Bradbury...

What I Loved: The cover is what initially drew me into THE PEDDLER'S ROAD; it's stunning! Somehow, middle grade novels always get the best cover artists! I've never read any retellings of the Pied Piper before, though I'm familiar with the general story, so I was curious to see...

What I Loved: This is the second western novel I've read recently (VENGEANCE ROAD was the other) and I was definitely worried that they would end up being very similar. I need not have worried, though. WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER is a unique novel with a tough...

What I Loved: The author pulls the reader right into the early 20th century from the very first page. There a million little details (like the narrator, Joan, bemoaning a watch that costs nine dollars) that make you feel as though you're in that time period. The settings are...

What I Loved: TRUEST is the quintessential coming-of-age contemporary novel. Westlin's summer is a period of transition. She feels a growing distance with her ever-busy pastor father, her best friend is bonding with someone else, and she meets a brother and sister who she feels instantly close with. And...

What I Loved: THE REVENGE PLAYBOOK is chock-full of girl power, which a guarantee to me that I'll adore it. I loved seeing Liv, Peyton, Melanie Jane, and Ana not only become close friends, but become the kind of friends who support each other through any hardships. All four...

What I Loved: I was not expecting to love Every Last Word as much as I did. I’ve been in a contemporary slump lately where every one I read I enjoy, but I don’t have super strong feelings about them. I found Every Last Word to be a breath...