Tag Archives: Young Adult

Wish by Jenni Balch

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: Wish
Author: Jenni Balch
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Space, Young adult
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

This short story is a bit of a twist on the whole “genie in the lamp” kind of story. It has a lot of the same principals, but there is a bit more flexibility and variety to it. That, and the guy in the lamp somehow ends up in space trying to grant a wish that I just wasn’t expecting.

I loved the nature of Adriadne’s wish. I mean, I was expecting something that was either going to be catastrophic for the space ship, seriously selfish or typically immature. Instead, it was something that I could completely understand and get on board with. Plus, it is not something that impacts anyone else. Plus, the way that Balch reveals her wish and also manages to world build at the same time… freaking brilliant.

At the end of this story, instead of going back into the lamp and waiting for the next wish, the ‘genie’ decides to stick around. My romantic heart likes to think that they manage to make a great relationship (friendship or otherwise) out of this arrangement. One that helps them stand the travels through space… but that could just be my own wishful thinking and romantic nature. Regardless, that’s how I’m imagining the ending of this story…after the current ending that is.

<- Dream and DareThe Weight ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Weight by Dhonielle Clayton

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: The Weight
Author: Dhonielle Clayton
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Romance, Science fiction, Young adult
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

For a short story that didn’t have a lot of action, I loved this to a ridiculous level. It was just… thought provoking. And kind of sweet. It made me wonder, if I could find out more about my lover’s “heart”, then would I do it? Would I risk our happiness to get some concrete answers? I don’t know that I would… but then the temptation of knowledge shouldn’t be underestimated…

Although there are comments about what Grace and Marcus’ hearts contain, there is no way to know which heart belongs to whom. And, what kind of love is being discussed. You get the feeling at the end that they’ve realised they want happiness together, but it’s still really open ended. Which, is how it should be. Love and relationships are not a happily ever after and finished kind of story – they are open ended in real life.

As someone who has been with their significant other since they were quite young (almost half of my life), I get how difficult it is to grow together. It’s interesting that some of these challenges are highlighted. How love might not ever be lost, but does growth, change and curiosity alter the stakes? How do you know when it’s worth continuing with the known and when you should strike out to a new future? For me, these questions might not have been that difficult, but I also completely understand why both Grace and Marcus find themselves asking them…

<- WishUnmoor ->

Image source: Goodreads

Habibi by Tochi Onyebuchi

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: Habibi
Author: Tochi Onyebuchi
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Race, Young adult
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

This was one of those shorts stories with a very open-to-interpretation endings. Or at least, because I kind of want to envision a bit of a happy ending, I chose to take it that way. However, realistically, it feels like the final words of this story were just the final words of the person in general. It definitely had me thinking and hurting through every moment of this tale.

I loved that this is a slightly unconventional tale in that it was letters between two young, teenage boys. Both of whom are incarcerated and both of whom are facing some pretty overwhelming challenges. The letters might have been received in a less than conventional manner, one which hints at magic. But, honestly, I never really questioned the why of this. I just spent the whole time I was reading having all of the feelings.

The two boys from this help to highlight the contrasts between Palestinians and African Americans – the differences and the similarities. It talks about some pretty hefty issues such as hunger strikes and racism. But also has a whole lot of hope, in the way that only the young can generally feel.

<- Longer Than the Threads of TimeA Universe of Wishes Collection ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Coldest Spot in the Universe by Samira Ahmed

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: The Coldest Spot in the Universe
Author: Samira Ahmed
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dystopia, Paranormal fantasy, Young adult
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

This was not a good short story to read when being pregnant and about to give birth. Mostly because it’s dystopian and about the end of life as we know it. And there’s death, and children. And honestly, just writing this review makes me incredibly sad. But that also shows you just how good this story is.

One of the aspects if this that really hit is that, according to this story, the end of days isn’t far away. Rather, it is only in 8 years. And it’s terrifying because I really don’t think it’s that far-fetched of an idea. The way and the how might be vague, but that very vagueness just makes it all that much more terrifying.

I did love this short story, even though it made me cry. I love that it’s about two girls, existing 100 years apart. One telling the story of her life, the other discovering it. And, although it’s not necessarily a happy story, it does highlight the hope and beauty of humanity. Whilst also reminding us of the dangers of our greed and pride.

<- UnmoorThe Beginning of Monsters ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Beginning of Monsters by Tessa Gratton

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: The Beginning of Monsters
Author: Tessa Gratton
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Monsters, Paranormal fantasy, Young adult
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

I absolutely loved this short story. it was absolutely freaking brilliant, and totally unexpected. Every time I thought that the story line would go in one direction, it flipped and went in another. Not always the polar opposite to what I expected, but definitely not in a trajectory that I had anticipated. And I think that it did this about three or four times in not very many pages.

The unpredictableness of this tale is one of the things that I loved. Another aspect was that this was set in a non-binary culture. Instead of there just being two genders (and yes, I recognise that there are many more, but others don’t, and that’s not the rabbit hole to go down today), this story was set in a world that had four genders. Or at least, there were four that I picked up on. It felt a little like there could be a whole lot more flexibility than just those four to be honest.

It might have taken me a little while to get used to the different terms of an and az as gender terms. Actually, the first few times I thought that it was a typo. Which just goes to show how damn ingrained him and her are in our society, and how much work I have to remove my own binary understandings. But, having different terms like in this story is a great way to expand on that idea. A very inclusive and wonderful way to introduce to a new generation that genders and identity are a lot more flexible than some would have you believe.

Gender discussions aside (and I am one who will talk about this all day long), the main story line is about two questions… ‘what is a human?’ and ‘where is the line?’. I love that you start off thinking one group of people and their ideas are the monsters… but by the end of it, you’re really not sure. And even writing this review and seriously thinking about it… I don’t know whether the main character ended up on the side of good, or the side of monsters.

<- The Coldest Spot in the UniverseLonger Than the Threads of Time ->

Image source: Goodreads

A Universe of Wishes edited by Dhonielle Clayton

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Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: A Universe of Wishes
Author: Dhonielle Clayton, Tara Sim, Natalie C. Parker, Libba Bray, Anna-Marie McLemore, Kwame Mbalia, V.E. Schwab, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nic Stone, Jenni Balch, Mark Oshiro, Samira Ahmed, Tessa Gratton, Zoraida Cordova & Tochi Onyebuchi
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: LGBTQI, Short story collections, Young adult
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

A Universe of Wishes is a fantastic and brilliant anthology. One I really, really enjoyed. And one that introduced me to a whole lot more authors that I plan to add to my shelves. It was a fun and unique collection that gave the reader a whole lot of diversity, not only in tales and styles, but also in lead characters.

I loved that this is an #OwnVoices collection, and now I’m going to add more such collections to my shelves. I love having non-white leads in my stories. And this has given me a taste of a whole range of new authors and cultures. Something that I really love when reading – discovering the unknown.

This anthology runs the gambit of genres and styles. The only thing all of the stories have in common is that they are thoroughly enjoyable and I loved them. I look forward to reading this anthology again and again and again in the future.

<- HabibiA Universe of Wishes ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Takeback Tango by Rebecca Roanhorse

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: The Takeback Tango
Author: Rebecca Roanhorse
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Race, Young adult
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

I seriously love the idea of a pirate taking back what is historically hers. It’s a reminder of the horrors of colonisation and how there is a lot to atone for. The fact that the lead voice in this has lost family not once, but twice to the empire and is constantly fighting to survive… a wonderful, albeit sad, story line.

There is a great meet cute and potential for romance in this story. Although it is subtle and not overt, there is so much potential at the end of this tale. I almost wish that it was a prequel to a greater series. I love the idea of the two characters getting to know one another and also just… stealing back things from the empire.

Two displaced youths fighting to regain their identities and what was taken for them is a good story in and of itself. The humour and banter just adds to the enjoyment of the whole story. As does the open-ended ending – so much potential for the future.

<- A Royal AffairDream and Dare ->

Image source: Goodreads

A Royal Affair by V.E. Schwab

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: A Royal Affair
Author: V.E. Schwab
Series: Shades of Magic #0.5
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Magic, Medieval fantasy, Young adult
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

I’ve heard heaps about the Shades of Magic series, and it’s even been on my wishlist for a while. But I just haven’t gotten around to actually digging into it. Which, of course, made this a great short story and teaser to make me want to dig into this series, and author (since I’ve never read anything by Schwab before). A Darker Shade of Magic is definitely another book that is now sitting on top of my TBR.

Even though you know that there isn’t going to be a happy ending at the end of this story – there’s just a not-happy tone to the whole tale, it’s still a great read. And honestly, the ending was actually a whole lot sadder than what I was anticipating. It also made me ridiculously mad at Alucard’s family. I mean, wow, I’ve read some horrible families. But I think that this one actually took the cake. It physically hurt my heart in some moments to read about how horrifyingly they treat their own kin.

Although it was Alucard that I really felt the connection to (because it’s all told from his point of view), Rhy was still an intriguing and wonderful character. I honestly can’t get the image of gold dust out of my mind, even a day or so after reading this story. There is something about him and the naïve hope that was about that makes me want to find out that this couple gets a good ending…

<- LiberiaThe Takeback Tango ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Crown of Ptolemy by Rick Riordan

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview

Title: The Crown of Ptolemy
Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson and the Kane Chronicles Crossover #3, Camp Half-Blood Chronicles #8
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Egyptian mythology, Greek mythology, Mythology, Young adult
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2015

Thoughts

This was a nice way to end the Demigods and Magicians trilogy. It was a fun and kind of epic battle. A quick read. Something that I just found all around enjoyable. Plus, a quick read, which sometimes I just need to keep my brain firing happily.

I like that although this was a good, kind of epic battle, it still wasn’t intense and insane. It was just the perfect level of intensity to suit the length and tone of these novellas that I’ve been reading.

I love the voice of Percy Jackson, I always have in Riordan’s writing. The fact that he refers to the villain as a Elvis impersonator was just brilliant. It also somehow helps to diminish the scariness of the villains in Riordan’s writing that could otherwise be really scary.

<- The Staff of SerapisThe Lost Hero ->

amazon.com.au/Crown-Ptolemy-Demigods-Magicians-Book-ebook/dp/B00RUSH6SO

The Staff of Serapis by Rick Riordan

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview

Title: The Staff of Serapis
Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson and the Kane Chronicles Crossover #2, Camp Half-Blood Chronicles #7
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Egyptian mythology, Greek mythology, Mythology, Young adult
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2014

Thoughts

I thought that Carter and Percy teaming up in The Son of Sobek was a wonderful moment that I thoroughly enjoyed. But I didn’t account for how amazing the teamwork of Annabeth and Sadie would be. Particularly their dialogue and interactions with one another. I mean, both are fiercely intelligent and independent young women, so their sass, wit and awesomeness left me feeling ridiculously happy.

This was a fantastic novella (aren’t they all by Riordan?) that made me want to dive right back into my collection all over again. I have that many other books to read at the moment that I probably shouldn’t… but man it is tempting after reading yet another wonderful story by this master craftsman.

I love that both The Staff of Serapis and The Son of Sobek are about the two counterparts of the duos meeting and fighting together. But it is ultimately about the great battle that we are about to enjoy in The Crown of Ptolemy. This mixing of Egyptian and Greek mythology alone is wonderful, but the fact that it’s about to end in an epic battle? I’m very, very excited.

<- The Son of SobekThe Crown of Ptolemy ->

Image source: Penguin Books Australia