WillafulB Reviews / B Reviews Category / Book ReviewsAnthology / Young-Adult17 Comments

In my experience, romantic holiday anthologies have good odds of being meh, but this collection of contemporary and fantasy stories included enough great names in Young Adult literature to be worth a try. Technically, it could be considered New Adult, since several of the characters are in college, but most ... more >

November 13, 2014

REVIEW: Jane-Emily by Patricia Clapp

KatiA Reviews / Recommended ReadsEarly 19th Centurty / Gothic / New England / Young-Adult7 Comments

Dear Ms. Clapp: There are times when the midsummer sun strikes cold, and when the leaping flames of a hearthfire give no heat. Times when the chill within us comes not from fears we know, but from fears unknown – and forever unknowable. So begins your brilliant and spooky Jane-Emily. Originally published in ... more >

October 30, 2014

REVIEW: The Only Thing to Fear by Caroline Tung Richmond

JiaC ReviewsAlternate History / biracial heroine / scholastic / World War II / Young-Adult3 Comments

Dear Ms. Richmond, For the benefit of our readers, I’m going to repost the cover copy here. It’s been a while since I’ve read an alternate history, and I’m realizing it’s awfully hard to be concise when describing it! In a stunning reimagining of history, debut author Caroline Tung Richmond ... more >

September 29, 2014

REVIEW: The Bodies We Wear by Jeyn Roberts

JiaC- Reviewsdeath / Drugs / near-future / Penguin Random House / revenge / Science Fiction / Young-Adult1 Comments

Dear Ms. Roberts, My thriller kick continues, this time with one falling into the science fiction genre. I’ll be the first to admit that the science fiction is light in The Bodies We Wear, which is fine with me because I’m not in the mood for a rigorous read. Your ... more >

September 23, 2014

REVIEW: In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

JiaB ReviewsHarper-Teen / post-apocalyptic / survival / Young-Adult2 Comments

Dear Ms. McGinnis, Despite my weariness with the dystopian and post-apocalyptic genre, I liked your previous novel, Not a Drop to Drink. Even more refreshing was the fact that it appeared to be a standalone. It turns out I was wrong — In a Handful of Dust is the companion ... more >

September 15, 2014

REVIEW: The 100 Society by Carla Spradbery

JiaC ReviewsContemporary / Hachette / thriller / Young-AdultComments Off on REVIEW: The 100 Society by Carla Spradbery

Dear Ms. Spradbery, I’m really into YA thrillers as of late. Whether this is a result of my general boredom with YA fantasies these days or a callback to my teenaged love of Christopher Pike, I don’t know. But I can’t seem to get enough of them right now. Your ... more >