Reviews written by Elisha Jachetti, Staff Reviewer

A THOUSAND BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS is a collection of fifteen short stories, edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman. All of the tales are retellings of popular Asian myths and legends, written by well-known Asian authors. The writers take old texts, such as THE MAHABHARATA and THE CHASA BONPULI, spin...

EDEN CONQUERED by Joelle Charbonneau is the second book in a duology about royal twins competing for the throne. When their father and brother are ruthlessly killed, both Carys and Andreus are thrust into the Trials of Virtuous Succession by the scheming Elders. This second book begins with Carys regrouping...

ZENITH: THE ANDROMA SAGA by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings is a young adult science fiction novel that follows the Marauders, a group of all female space pirates, who must do whatever it takes to stay alive. Despite being wanted in multiple solar systems, Andi, the crew’s captain, has been...

When I heard about the book THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU’RE 30 by Jessica Misener, I knew I had to read it. I’m about to enter my late twenties in a few shorts months, and amongst all my friends, there is a collective feeling that we’re not doing enough. That...

PRETTY DEAD GIRLS by Monica Murphy is a YA thriller in which all the popular senior girls at Cape Bonita are slowly being killed off one by one. Penelope, president of the Larks, a super selective group for the most intelligent, athletic, and attractive girls in high school, is terrified...

FIRE AND BONE by Rachel A. Marks is the beginning of a new young adult fantasy series. In many ways, it is similar to the Shadowhunter books by Cassandra Clare, but instead of New York City, FIRE AND BONE is set in Los Angeles. Marks replaces the grit of the...

THE MIND VIRUS by Donna Freitas is the third and final installment of the UNPLUGGED series. The story opens with a new character, Ree, watching her friend die a virtual death, something that had previously been considered impossible. Not wanting the word to spread, the virtual government imprisons Ree for...

THE BODY MARKET by Donna Freitas is the sequel to the young adult dystopian novel, UNPLUGGED, released in summer 2016. The sophomore book picks up where the first left off, and this time there is multi P.O.V. Not only do we have insight into Skylar’s brain, we also get a...

THE TOMBS by Deborah Schaumberg is a young adult novel that blends the historical fiction and fantasy genres. Set in New York City in 1882, Avery Kohl is still reeling from her new life. Once a young socialite, she now lives in the slums with her father, has dropped out...

IN SIGHT OF STARS is Gae Polisner’s latest young adult novel. It’s a contemporary story that tackles mental health in the wake of trauma and loss. The protagonist, Klee, hurts himself in the opening pages of the book and gets shipped off to the Ape Can, as he calls it....

THE EDGE OF FOREVER by Melissa E. Hurst is the first book of a duology set in 2146. It’s a YA sci-fi novel that involves time travel, suspense, mystery, murder, and romance. The inciting incident occurs when Bridger is on a mission for school and sees his father, who’s supposed...

THE WOLF HOUR by Sara Lewis Holmes is both a fairytale retelling and something new entirely. The book focuses on Magia, a young girl who wants to be a woodcutter like her father. Unfortunately for her, the forest is a dangerous place that has wolves and Stories, and once anyone...

GENUINE FRAUD by E. Lockhart is a character-driven thriller that is told in reverse chronological order. In essence, the book starts at the end of the story and then works its way backwards, slowly revealing the truth about the protagonist, Jule. Whether this approach is original or not, it works...

Selection fans get excited! THE SELECTION COLORING BOOK, based on the series by Kiera Cass, is getting ready to celebrate its year anniversary of being in print and it would make the perfect holiday gift! The beautiful illustrations by Sandra Suy are separated into sections for each of the five...

When I first found out that THE MEMORY OF THINGS by Gae Polisner was set in the immediate days following 9/11, I thought I was in for a very bleak, depressing story. I was certain the protagonist’s parents or friends were going to die in some way related to the...