Some of you may be wondering about my absence from the blog (since my last review was a month and a half ago), but I am back! In a limited capacity, but back nonetheless. My first year at college has taken up quite a bit of time, and I was sick enough in February to be briefly hospitalized (though I'm fine now, and almost caught up with all of my schoolwork); however, I still want to continue blogging.
In December, I came home for Christmas break to the giant stack of books I was supposed to review for 2016. For most of them, I'll be reviewing the next book in the series this year, but some of them are standalones (and some of them are the final book in the series). So, I'll be doing a series of posts to highlight several of those books. There was a fantastic crop of historical fiction YA novels in 2016, so I'll be doing a post just on those. Additionally, I'll be doing a series of posts on finished series, for those of you who prefer to binge-read entire series at once. Of course, I'll be resuming my regular reviews of 2017 releases as well (and hopefully avoid getting behind on my reviews the way I did last year). I also want to (eventually) finish the series of posts about my trip to England, though that may still take a while. I finish this semester in early May, so you can expect more frequent posts (and the announcement of a summer reading challenge) then.
While I was sick, I did have the opportunity to read some books I'd been looking forward to reading for a while now:
I reviewed The Storyspinner back in 2015, and The Skylighter proved to be an excellent sequel (and the perfect ending to the duology, although Becky Wallace has stated that she may return to back to the world of Santarem in the future). Even with a fever-addled brain, I was able to read both books in a day and eagerly follow the complexly interlaced plotlines to the very end.
To be entirely honest, I only knew about the existence of the Hollow Earth series because my local independent bookstore, Once Upon A Time, hosted John Barrowman (and his sister Carole E. Barrowman) for a signing of the series, and as a huge Doctor Who fan, I immediately bought the books ahead of time to ensure my place in the signing line. The Hollow Earth books are a fun but well-plotted series following the adventures of the Calder twins, who possess the ability to magically animate themselves into any painting - or bring their own drawings to life, as they are swept up in a centuries-long battle over the imprisonment of mythical beasts. Weaving together fantasy, history, legends, and even time travel for a delightful read, the Hollow Earth series is sure to please fans of middle-grade fantasy.
I haven't made it to The Cursed Queen yet, but I'm already excited to review it after rereading its predecessor (which I reviewed last year). The mix between fantasy and dystopia, as well as heavy political intrigue, makes for an intriguing read. If this series is any indication, 2017 is going to be another stellar year for YA fiction.
I also read a sizable selection of historical fiction, but am saving that for a dedicated post that you can look forward to in the coming weeks!
Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays.