Reviews written by Samantha Randolph

Tashi has had a rough life. With the power of an inhabitor, someone who bonds with an animal, they have been trained as solider and a spy. Fleeing a battle, Tashi seeks a hideout at a monastery, but when the enemy decides to use the monastery as a hospital, they...

Content Warning: As the author mentions in the forward, there is sexual assault in this book. Disclaimer: I do not identify as Romani, so I cannot speak on the representation of the Romani culture. The author is Romani #ownvoices and has a wonderful note on the...

Dylan may have survived cancer, but surviving his mom is another matter. With a run-down home, his mother bored after taking advantage of his time sick, and unable to register for school, Dylan starts to drive. He finds himself at the home of Arden, the girl he’s been playing World...

Domino is used to living on the streets, fighting to survive alongside a friend. When circumstances take a drastic plunge downward, Domino is left with little choice but to take the strange position the mysterious Madam Karina offers: a place in West Texas for young women with artistic talents. But...

Now working as a private detective/spy, Ang may be living a financially healthier life than her years a steeplejack, but she’s in as much danger as ever. Political parties are clashing, some turning from very conservative to something darker, something much more extreme that puts people like Ang and many...

Shabnam Qureshi is done with high school, ready to move on to college, and start a new chapter in her life. Her final high school weeks are filled with slip ups, mistakes, and lies, and Shabnam is ready to get away from it all. When she finds a job at...

Jane is thrilled for her expedition to the Washington Territory with her little brother and stepmother. Mr. Mercer’s pamphlet about the West seems dreamy, and though she knows it will take a tough constitution and mind, she’s ready for the challenge. Ever since her father died, life has been rough,...

When Stephen’s grandmother dies, his dad decides to move them to New York City to The New Harmonia hotel, where his grandmother worked as the chef. Stephen was used to hearing about his grandmother’s interesting clientele, but when he arrives, he discovers they’re more interesting than he knew; they’re monsters...

Sadie doesn’t enjoy being locked in a tower, but she’s also tired of princes coming (and failing) to rescue her. When brave Amira successfully saves her, Sadie’s world is transformed. The two travel through the kingdom, finding new friends and facing new foes. When a jealous and cruel sorceress tries...

After a rough freshman year, Emma is ready to start sophomore year with a new haircut and a, hopefully, new attitude. When she’s suddenly called to be the assistant stage manager for her school’s production of Hamlet, she’s nervous but excited. However, her long time crush, Brandon, is directing the...

After several failed attempts to arrange a marriage, Ai Ling’s father travels to the palace to fix his reputation, which has been the cause of all the failures. After he doesn’t show up for a long time, Ai Ling sets out to find her father in the Palace of...

Catherine has bipolar disease. While the manic side is no picnic, Cath knows the biggest danger is Zero, the deep, dark depression side that prompted a suicide attempt. While Cath is on medication and says she’s fine, she secretly keeps a stockpile of meds, ready to use when Zero comes...

When Catrina and her family move to get better treatment for her sister, Maya, she isn’t too happy. Cat doesn’t want to leave her friends and home, but their move is necessary. In their new town, Bahía de la Luna, Cat and Maya go exploring and find a neighbor who...

Grimelda is a messy witch who loves her home as it is. However, messiness sometimes makes it hard to find things, like the pickle root she needs for a pickle pie. Armed with rhymes and a good eye, Grimelda does her best to sort through her mess. ...

In the Kingdom of Xia, Skybright is a handmaid to Zhen Ni, the youngest daughter of a wealthy family. Skybright grew up alongside Zhen Ni, and the two are as close as sisters. When Skybright is 16, she changes in a way she can’t even tell her best friend about;...