YA Friday Book review: Starflight

Starflight
by Melissa Landers
Audience: Young Adult
Disney-Hyperion (February 2, 2016)
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:

"Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he's been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe..."

Carolyn's thoughts on the book:

Starflight is pure fun, a YA rom-com set in Firefly-esque world - light but by no means fluff, with plenty of plausible adventure within a fantastic sci-fi setting. Solara Brooks is a classic teenage delinquent, with an arrest record tattooed across her knuckles for all to see, and just desperate enough to reach the lawless outer realms that she becomes a slave to her worst enemy. But in a hilarious plot twist, Solara takes advantage of the situation (and Doran's temporary memory loss) to switch roles with Doran, becoming his employer. What seems like the perfect set-up for a hilarious romantic comedy quickly becomes a fast-paced and fascinating tale of space pirates, politics, outlaws, government experiments, secret relatives, a princess in disguise, hidden planets, and adventure.

Aboard the Banshee, a ship of dubious legality, the reader is introduced to a host of original and entertaining characters - each with a unique backstory. The story of Cassia, one such crew member, will be explored in the next book in the series, Starfall, which I can't wait to read!

Readers can look forward to a universe similar to Firefly and the Lunar Chronicles. The lush setting of a futuristic, inter-planetary world isn't simply a backdrop for the action, but rather functions as an essential part of the story - deep world-building that creates and shapes the plot. Lander's attention to detail doesn't stop at setting, however; Starflight is brimming with all sorts of action and adventure. Landers achieves a bounty of plot points quickly and effectively, but the pacing was a little fast for me (to be fair, I read an ARC of Starflight that I received last June, a full eight months before the book came out, so I can't attest to the published version's pacing). Readers must make an effort to absorb all of the minutiae of the plot points, because Landers deftly intertwines everything together and you may get lost if you're the type to frantically read under the bedcovers at 2:00 AM (the lack of sleep doesn't help, either).  

Starflight is a treat for fans of romance and sci-fi alike, and I look forward to whatever Landers has planned next.

Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays. 

YA Friday Book Review: Assassin's Heart

Assassin's Heart
by Sarah Ahiers
Audience: Young Adult
HarperTeen (February 2, 2016)
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:

"In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.

Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay."

Carolyn's thoughts on the book:

Assassin's Heart reimagines the kingdoms of renaissance Italy as feuding families of assassins, adding a darker form of intrigue to the familiar tale of star-crossed lovers from opposing families. But what if Romeo betrayed Juliet? Assassin's Heart is the tale of Lea's journey towards revenge after she flees in the wake of the slaughter of her family. Alone and unprotected by the code of Assassins, Lea finds herself in a strange town - the same town her disgraced uncle was banished to. To exact her revenge, Lea must discover the root of their feud, which only her uncle can explain. But when she meets her uncle's apprentice, she finds an unlikely (and untrained) ally loyal to her and her cause. Together, they plot to take down the Da Vias and rebuild the Saldana family.

The book's success stems from the lush world within the novel, allowing the reader to accept that assassination is a legal, everyday occurrence. Assassination is not only accepted but honored, because in the kingdom of Lovero, everyone worships Safraella - the goddess of death. The polytheistic faith in the novel, while certainly different than the Catholicism of renaissance Italy, mimics the patron saint system of Catholicism mixed with the deities of the Roman Empire and adds a depth to the world-building. The assassin families' worship of the goddess isn't the only supernatural part of the book - ghosts run wild outside of the gates of Lovero (and the protection of Safraella). But religion isn't the only interesting facet of the setting. Everything, from the monarchy's relationship to the Families, to the code of honor of the assassins, to the elaborate customs and costumes of each Family, serves to add another intricate piece of the puzzle. The reader is immersed in this fantastical world to enhance and add depth to the plot.

Assassin's Heart is a great read for fans of intrigue and suspense. I can't wait to read Sarah Ahiers' next book, whatever it may be!

Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays.  

YA Friday Book Review: Revenge and the Wild

Revenge and the Wild 
by Michelle Modesto
Audience: Young Adult
Balzar + Bray (February 2, 2016)
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:

"The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto."

Carolyn's thoughts on the book:
Revenge and the Wild is fast, complex, rollicking tale of revenge and redemption set in a steampunk Wild West. Set in an alternate, magical, steampunk 19th century filled with vampires, zombies, elves, werewolves, and cannibals, the novel is a reimagining of the classic Western revenge story. After losing her family and her arm in a brutal cannibal attack, Westie lives a less-than-normal life as the adoptive daughter of Nigel, a famed inventor. In a town filled with magical creatures, it should be easy to fit in, but between the prosthetic arm, her unwillingness to conform to social conventions, and her thirst for revenge, Westie remains an outsider among the town. But the town has other concerns - namely, how to preserve the protective shield that surrounds the town as the local magic of the Native Americans fades, or, in Nigel's case, how to find investors for his project to fix the shield. Of course, the investors Nigel  draws just so happen to be the very same cannibals that killed Westie's family - but of course, Westie, along with Alistair, is the only one who knows and believes their true identities. Trapped by the town, Westie must expose the investors for who they are and finally exact her revenge for her family. The book is packed full of excitement and adventure, with never a dull or predictable moment. The pacing is measured, though, providing the reader enough time to take everything in.

The characters are fantastic and unique, shying away from tropes. One of the things I love the most about Westie is that she's a YA protagonist whose disability isn't used to just dramatize the plot and provide the reader with a sense of inspiration at the end of the book. Yes, Westie's trauma acts as the driving force behind her quest for justice, but it doesn't consume or eclipse her identity - she lost her arm, and her family, and while that affects her everyday life and does shape her, she isn't held up to some ideal simply because she 'got through' life after what happened. She's flawed, and brash, and looking for revenge, and is never minimized or idealized because of her disability. I also liked how Alistair's physical deformity (missing part of his face) cleverly inverted the trope of the tragic disability: it's tragic when women lose their beauty, but it's only tragic for men when they lose functionality because of their disability. By making Alistair the scarred one and Westie the one who lost function, this trope is completely turned on its side. I felt like the book did a very nuanced job of dealing with disability (though I am speaking from a place of privilege as an abled person). 

The only thing I would caution readers against is that the book does contain some gore (as to be expected, when dealing with cannibalism), so I would recommend reading not while eating, and if you have a weak stomach, this book may not be for you.  

Overall, Revenge and the Wild is a fantastic read, perfect for fans of fantasy, steampunk, and historical fiction alike.

Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays. 

YA Friday Book Review: The Impostor Queen

The Impostor Queen
by Sarah Fine
Audience: Young Adult
Margaret K. McElderry Books (January 5, 2016)
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
"Sixteen-year-old Elli was only a child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic in service of her people. The only life Elli has known has been in the temple, surrounded by luxury, tutored by magic-wielding priests, preparing for the day when the queen perishes—and the ice and fire find a new home in Elli, who is prophesied to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between her love for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must choose the right side before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed."

Carolyn's thoughts on the book: 
While YA is filled with chosen-ones and empresses-in-training, The Impostor Queen's Elli is far different. She was chosen, by the Elders of Kupari, to inherit the position of the Valtia (the empress/magical warrior-guardian of the Kupari), but when the time comes to inherit the position of Valtia (after the previous one dies a horrific, bloody death saving their country)...nothing happens. As someone told for the entirety of her life that she was chosen and special, to suddenly fail everyone is a crushing blow to Elli, who flees from the increasingly paranoid Elders after they subject her to torture in an attempt to elicit the magic. Faced with the task of discovering her true power, Elli seeks refuge with a group of criminals, where she begins to break free of the incessant indoctrination of the Elders - no easy feat considering that they (and their values) run contrary to everything she's been taught (which, according to the Elders, is all in the best interest of the people). But as Elli begins to realize that the Elders are predatory and cultish, she still has a deep sense of responsibility towards her people, even if she is not their queen. Meanwhile, her attraction to Oskar, an outlaw, is complicated by his opposition to the Elders and his own powerful ice magic that threatens to overwhelm him. As a novel, the Impostor Queen is unique - it combines powerful fantasy with an almost dystopian-level of indoctrination and control, making for a fascinating journey for our heroine - usually the narrative is the person who thinks they're normal turning out to have great power, but that trope is inverted in this novel by tying the chosen status to the oppressive regime and thus centering the heroine's character development around her loss of status and subsequent growth. While the magic in the Kupari isn't explained in depth, other than the fire/ice duality and copper being the source of the magic, this is because Elli herself was kept so isolated while the Elders held all the power and knowledge. Hopefully the magic - as well as Elli's unique abilities will be explored further in next books. 

The Impostor Queen is a great read for fans of dystopia and fantasy alike.  

Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays. 

YA Friday Book Review: Black Widow: Forever Red

Black Widow: Forever Red
by Margaret Stohl
Audience: Young Adult
Marvel Press (October 13, 2015)
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:

"Enter the world of the Avengers’ iconic master spy…

Natasha Romanoff is one of the world’s most lethal assassins. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the title of Black Widow by Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room, Moscow’s infamous academy for operatives.

Ava Orlova is just trying to fit in as an average Brooklyn teenager, but her life has been anything but average.The daughter of a missing Russian quantum physicist, Ava was once subjected to a series of ruthless military experiments—until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection. Ava has always longed to reconnect with her mysterious savior, but Black Widow isn’t really the big sister type.

Until now.

When children all over Eastern Europe begin to go missing, and rumors of smuggled Red Room tech light up the dark net, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned—and that Ava Orlova might be the only one who can stop him. To defeat the madman who threatens their future, Natasha and Ava must unravel their pasts. Only then will they discover the truth about the dark-eyed boy with an hourglass tattoo who haunts Ava’s dreams…

Black Widow: Forever Red features all the heart-pounding adventure readers expect from Marvel, written by #1 New York Times best-selling author Margaret Stohl. Uncover a new side of the Marvel Universe that will thrill loyal fans and newcomers alike, as Stohl reveals the untold story of Black Widow for the very first time."

Carolyn's thoughts on the book:

I'm a pretty big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and so I was thrilled when I stumbled upon an ARC of a Black Widow novel by Margaret Stohl when I was at the ALA annual conference. I wasn't sure what to expect - while I'm very familiar with the MCU, I haven't read any Marvel comics, so I didn't know if I would understand or enjoy the novel. But all my fears were put to rest as soon as I opened the book. While the novel is definitely set within the MCU, the story introduces original characters and plot lines that make the book wholly unique. The story jumps throughout time, making great use of flashbacks, but the structure of the book — each chapter is starts with a present-day S.H.I.E.L.D. file — grounds the plot line and provides a (slightly ominous) frame of reference for the novel, setting the tone for the story from the very beginning. The book delves into the backstory of Black Widow, as well as that of the two new characters (Ava and Alex) — though in true Marvel fashion, readers may be left with more questions than before. Between the time jumps, changes of point-of-view, and multiple plot lines, the novel easily could have devolved into confusion, but Stohl's deft writing expertly maintains the tense tone while drawing the reader in, towards the shocking revelations the book holds. Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of Black Widow is fantastic, and Stohl's writing gives a depth to the character previously unseen (first person narration and finally being the focus of her own story also can be credited in this regard). The story also shines a different angle on S.H.I.E.L.D., with Ava's interactions with the agency categorically different from the widespread corruption by Hydra (as seen on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Show and in Captain America: Winter Soldier) or the bright-eyed, idealistic-but-scarred operative narrative seen on the show — rather, the sin of bureaucracy and the failure of government to protect the most vulnerable. The book thus not only juggles characters and their plot lines, but their resulting thematic ideas as well (some of which challenge the narratives and ideas previously put forth by the MCU); this makes for a refreshing and different read.

Black Widow: Forever Red  is a fantastic read for Marvel fans, and I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. 

Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays.