Last fall I read the most peculiar and quirky book that I had ever picked up and it was just calling to me for a reread this year. Author, Ransom Riggs created a world in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children that is just utterly fascinating. A well-written narrative combined with spectacular photography, this is a book that creates the most unique reading experience for readers of all ages. There’s a curious boy who longs to learn about his family’s past, a girl who holds in some incredible and dark secrets, and a caretaker who would do anything to protect her children. Get ready to binge the whole series, you are not going to want to put them down!
- Kaitlyn
I was adamantly enthralled by Sky in the Deep the entire time! Both of the feuding clans are complex and the characters will continue to surprise you as the events in the story unfold. Eelyn is a warrior: fierce, unforgiving, brave, and ruthlessly loyal. She is flawed, yet adaptable as she overcomes adversity and fights for more than just herself. Adrienne Young's world will enchant and inspire you. This book explores the idea of the constraints that a society can have and how people can defy those molds that they are placed in. An intense page-turner, this book will have you waiting for more!
- Kaitlyn
Watch my interview with Adrienne Young here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr7-CJSt0UY
"It has been a long time since I have felt so empowered while reading a book. My journey reading this mirrors Ruby's, as she navigates a volatile and oppressive society. Alexandra Bracken's writing is so powerful and captivating. What's even more special about this story is not just the incredible and dark world, but the side characters, Ruby's accomplices that make this book shine. I have read this book 3 times since 2014! A must-read before the movie releases this summer!" -Kaitlyn
Watch my interview with Alexandra Bracken here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxnNiJaqNGw
Alexandra Bracken at Mysterious Galaxy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLZ6PLSUwSk
As someone who has visited Prague before, Laini Taylor’s reimagination of this beautiful city is truly spectacular. Her writing style is poetic and descriptive, and this young adult fantasy sweeps you off your feet between the real and the unreal. When I first read this book, the image I had of Prague was a magical and surreal city. Taylor’s take on this city was true to its beauty, and I cannot express enough how much this book opened my eyes to the world, both real and fictionally. - Kaitlyn
Watch my DOSAB tour of Prague here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wlbxhYqkeE
"I can simply describe this book as: the video game Olympics. This was one of my favorite books of 2017, hands down. Warcross is a worldwide game where players compete in a world of virtual reality. This story was so captivating, I honestly felt like I was in the stands watching these characters compete. It was so action-packed and vibrant, this is definitely a read that I hope you fly-through as quickly as I did!" - Kaitlyn
Watch my video review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qEzjdd_vlQ
Marie Lu at Mysterious Galaxy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kOZHfatwMw
Adam Silvera teaches us to live life to the fullest, for Rufus and Mateo do just that as they experience their last day alive. In this society, people know when they are going to die, but they don't know how or when, just that they have at most 24 hours to live. This book was enlightening, with a dark, witty humor that was a joy to read!
Watch my video review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPypt6342sg
Holly Black knows how to write faeries. This book is so well-written, for it is dark and entertaining. You will be just as enchanted as our main character Jude is by the mysterious Princes and political intrigue. A must-read for fantasy lovers
~Kaitlyn
If you could bring a loved one back from the dead, would you? Odessa is a necromancer, so bringing back people from the dead is her job. However, there is a risk every time someone's soul is brought back from the Deadlands, they must be covered from head to toe so that they may not be seen by another person, or risk becoming a deadly monster known as a Shade. Odessa is a strong and relatable character, and this story is thrilling and enticing, it will grab you from the very start. This story focuses a lot on not just romantic relationships, but friendships as well. Reign of the Fallen is definitely a memorable journey you want to be a part of!
Watch my video review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ0rEnHa9C0
Choose your side. Renegade or Anarchist? Good or bad? Marissa Meyer explores these boundaries and everything in between in this action-packed sci-fi dystopian novel. She made me question which side I'm on, just as the characters do. It was vibrant and exciting, and I loved these new characters Meyer brought us!
Wonder Woman is everything you would expect from this iconic character and Leigh Bardugo, for it's an action-packed mythological adventure following Diana's progression to becoming an Amazonian. She is a strong, complex, and diligent character who navigates Themyscira and the World of Man with some unlikely companions. Our Warbringer, Alia, has a great character arc as she joins Diana on this adventure to change not only her destiny, but the world around her.
Watch my video review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lnyrf8mwZU
Cassandra Clare takes readers on another epic adventure through beautiful Los Angeles, California with this next installment in her Dark Artifices trilogy. Prepare for more heartbreak, happiness, and fun as we follow Emma, Julian, Mark, and the rest of the Blackthorn family after the events of Lady Midnight. This book will take you by surprise as Clare alters the future of the Shadowhunter World forever. This book was so complex and intriguing, and sometimes feels like a giant puzzle, for the readers discover the secrets and events right along with the characters. We meet many new characters and revisit some old ones. Cassandra Clare also pleasantly sets up the next two spin-off series, The Last Hours and the Wicked Powers, in Lord of Shadows, so this is a must-read for fans of the Shadowhunter Chronicles!
Spoiler-free review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmXJIzZPGoE
There's not enough words for me to describe this book! It was enticing, thrilling, and beautiful - everything you would expect from an Adam Silvera book. The characters were so well-developed, for they were all so realistic and lively and just an overall joy to read about! History Is All You Left Me follows a boy named Griffin who just lost the love of his life in a tragic accident, and the only other person who understands his grief, is Jackson, the one person he doesn't want to associate himself with. It was so interesting following Griffin's downward spiral, yet his recovery lies in confronting his past and determining his future.
Interview with Adam Silvera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugdYS0RtTho
A powerful story exploring the limits of fiction versus reality, We Are The Ants, follows the life of Hentry Denton as he navigates the horrors of high school. This book was raw and emotional, and a real eye-opener. Henry has 144 days to decide on whether he is going to save the world, or let it end. Not knowing whether the world is worth saving, Henry speaks to our inner demons and the struggles of high school many adolescents endure.
Pirate-mayhem, magic, and mystery. Song of the Current brings readers on the journey of a girl who has lived her life on the water, and a boy who has secrets that threaten to unfold. Caroline Oresteia embarks on a dangerous adventure to prove her worth to her father, other wherrymen, and the river god, as she seals her fate. Caught in political intrigue and trouble with pirates, Caro learns more about herself, her skills, and her future to save those she loves. Join Caro as she escapes danger, faces pirates, and protects her family, despite the costs she may face. This story is exciting and adventurous as readers embark on this journey themselves.
“Death follows indecision, like a twisted shadow. Fall forward. Keep moving. Even if you must pick yourself up first.” Flame in the Mist is a stunning and intriguing mashup of Mulan and 47 Ronin. The story follows a young woman named Mariko as she struggles to find her place in society, often undermined by many of the male influences in her life. After narrowly escaping an ambush, she decides to create an alter ego, to join the clan that was sent to kill her. Mariko discovers secrets about herself, her family, and her world as she experiences a whole new aspect of life. She’s strong, independent, and a relatable character that captivates readers from the very first page.
A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas, is a Beauty and the Best retelling, but with a unique twist. In this world, the continent is split in half by a large wall- humans on one side, and faeries on the other, who are powerful and terrifying creatures known to savagely harm humans. After a young huntress named Feyre, shoots and kills a lone wolf in the woods, she is doomed to a lifetime in the lands of the Fae. Learning the dark, secrets of this world, she realizes that an evil force has been plotting and looming over the continent, threatening both the Fae and humans. This is a twisted tale full of deceptions, magic, and monsters. Join Feyre on this adventure as she unravels the secrets of her world, for everything is not as it seems.
Watch my video review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX7GYglnsqE
A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J. Maas, is the very anticipated sequel to the Beauty and the Beast retelling, A Court of Thorns and Roses.This sequel takes on a more Hades and Persephone inspired story, as Maas explores more of the human and faerie realm, altering the characters' lives forever. A must-read for fans of fantasy and retellings! This sequel definitely doesn't disappoint!
Watch my video review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6OX4fzDMrQ
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak is hands down one of my favorite books of ALL-TIME! It's heartbreaking, yet beautiful as a young girl named Liesel discovers the beauty and comfort that books can bring her in a devasting time. This novel is truly life-changing, for it will stick with you long after you finish it!
Want to know why I reread this book every year? Watch my video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjaZP0NYz28
The Crown's Game, by Evelyn Skye, is a spell-binding novel following the lives of two enchanters, Vika and Nikolai, as their paths cross when they participate in an ancient duel, a battle of life or death. This book is truly enchanting and romantic as readers are transported into this fantasy-Russian world unlike anything I've ever read before!
A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge is one of those fantasy books that changes the way you see yourself and the world around you. In this society, children have to be taught facial expressions. which creates an unfaithful and unreliable environment, as social interactions are poised and often forced. Enter this dark and distrustful world for yourself...
Watch my video review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-vCvrIDFJE
This is one of the most unique reading experiences I've ever had! There's two girls and two ways to read this book. The story is mysterious and suspenseful, but once you put it down, you'll be dying to re-read it!
-Kaitlyn
Despite not knowing who she is or what mystery lies ahead, a powerful, yet unsettling heroine faces unimaginable odds. A compelling puzzle of a plot hooked me from the very first page. Join savage and discover the secrets of humanity.
Watch my interview with Scott Sigler here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TtWuXmJpqo