Reviews written by Olivia F

"Forest of a Thousand Lanterns" was a slow-building and dark YA fantasy. Xifeng has been raised by her cruel aunt to become Empress, her destiny. Xifeng's training has stressed her beauty and created a true anti-heroine who is at times horrifying and at others completely understandable. Xifeng must embrace her...

"You'd Be Mine" follows two young country music stars on their path to self-discovery, dealing with past family deaths, and romance. Clay Coolidge is a sensation- he seemingly has it all, but he hasn't coped with the deaths of his grandfather or brother, who died as a soldier in Iraq....

"Their Fractured Light" is a satisfying conclusion to the Starbound trilogy. Each book has followed a different couple along a common thread. I do think you need to have read the previous two books (or at least the first one) to understand what is going on in this finale. The...

"Give the Dark My Love" is a dark but engaging YA fantasy. Told in alternating perspectives, we follow two characters- Nedra and Grey. Nedra is leaving home in the pursuit of knowledge, seeking to unite the more progressive medical advances of alchemy with the older 'old wives' tales' medical treatments....

"Ever the Hunted" is an incredible YA fantasy with a touch of romance. The story begins with Britta, starving and alone since her father was killed, hunting (poaching) for something to trade for lodging. As a person who is half Shaerdanian living in Malam, she is already ostracized by the...

"Dear Evan Hansen" is a sad but sweet YA contemporary that addresses anxiety and the power of a small lie. Evan has a lot of anxiety for which he sees a therapist and takes medication. It also prevents him from easily making friends. This school year, he is determined to...

"Fangirl" was a fun and sweet story, similar in tone to Eleanor & Park. Cath and her twin sister have gone to college, and college is quickly becoming a time of independence and discovery. Cath finds herself adrift as her twin begins to separate and party, while Cath deals with...

"These Broken Stars" is an interesting YA sci-fi that follows two young people after a space shuttle crash. Lilac LeRoux is practically royalty. Her father owns a high-profile corporation and her life has been sheltered- she is covered in pretty dresses and has lots of nice things, but she knows...

"This Shattered World" follows Jubilee (Lee) and Flynn, who live on a planet that has failed terraforming, leaving it with a constant smoky sky- they cannot see the sun, moon, or stars. Lee and Flynn are on opposite sides of a brewing war between the military (Lee) and the rebellion...

"The Reader" is an intriguing YA fantasy that follows a girl named Sefia. Her parents hid her in a secret room through the fireplace. Her mother died when she was young. When she finds her father brutally murdered and burned in their house, Sefia knows what to do- she was...

"The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel" is a retelling of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow from the point-of-view of one of the characters (Katrina). Katrina is a young woman of 18 who loves to read and spend time with her best friend Charlotte. Charlotte and her mother are midwives...

"My Soul to Take" is a well-written, fast-paced fantasy/romance about Kaylee, who can predict when someone is going to die. She later learns about why she can do this and the power of her screams. Despite tackling some difficult issues, the book is somewhat light hearted and very entertaining. The...

This collection consists of a novella and two short novels put together in a first "volume." As they are pretty short, this is on par with the length of other YA books. I really enjoyed this first installment. The background for why and how Kaylee is who she is is...

"Blue Lily, Lily Blue" is a captivating, haunting continuation of the Raven Boys series. Here, Blue's mother is missing after leaving a note to say she's gone underground. The four teens are on the search for her and continuing their search for Glendower. This book is darker and more intense...

"The Raven King" is a glorious end to a magnificent series. This series has quickly become one of my all time favorites. It is written poetically and lyrically, absolutely stunning style, but not flowery/boring. This final book is captivating and moves quickly, providing resolutions the reader did not even realize...