TEEN BOOK REVIEW: Bloodwitch (#1 Maeve'ra Series) by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Goodreads Summary

A gripping tale about loyalty, power, and the quest for freedom
Vance Ehecatl was raised with every luxury he could imagine in a beautiful greenhouse within the powerful empire of Midnight. Vampires are the only guardians Vance has ever known since he was abandoned by his shapeshifter family as a baby quetzal, and he is grateful to them for generously providing for all of his needs. When an act of violence forces Vance from his sheltered home, he is startled to meet Malachi Obsidian, a fellow shapeshifter with conflicting ideas about Midnight and its leader, Mistress Jeshickah.



Malachi claims Vance is a bloodwitch, who Jeshickah and her trainers, Jaguar and Taro, are trying to control. Vance doesn't know anything about the rare and destructive magic Malachi says he possesses, and he can't believe Jeshickah would use it to hurt others. But when his friends begin falling ill, Vance starts to realize his perfect world may not be as flawless as it seems. Now Vance must decide who to trust-the vampires he's always relied upon, or the shapeshifters who despise them.

Teen Review

Bloodwitch is a fantasy that will keep the reader on his/her seat. Vance, the main character is a fourteen year old shapeshifter who can change from human form to Quetzal. A Quetzal is a bird like creature that models for his master and is the keeper of the greenhouse where he lives. Vance's Mistress Jeshickah, is in charge of Midnight, the empire where they live. 

In this fantasy world, there is another twist- the leaders of the town are all vampires. When Vance is forced to leave the safety of the greenhouse because of a tragedy, the story really starts to get interesting. At this point the author does a fantastic job of introducing new characters, with great detail that allows you to picture the characters even when some of them exist only in her imagination and would not appear in the real world. 

The one thing I found difficult about the book was how strange the names where and how hard it was to follow at times.  As the book goes on, the main character Vance learns things about himself that he never knew. He has to choose between the life he knew and a life of unknowns. 

 "I think we'll found out what you are together", Jaguar answered. "As it happens, I remember being your age, and am of the opinion that a young man's full potential is rarely obvious at this point in his life." 


Teen Reviewer: Jillian       

TEEN BOOK REVIEW: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

Goodreads summary

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”


Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

Teen Review

99 Days, by Katie Cotugno is a roller coaster ride. An epic one at that. This romance novel had me hooked from the first chapter, not only in its story but in its brilliant writing as well. Katie Cotugno didn’t once fail to intrigue throughout this entire novel. I was constantly on edge, trying to keep up.

This story is difficult to compare to any other. There are many novels that portray a young couple falling in love, but this one is the only one that perfectly portrays the exhilarating highs and the stomach-dipping lows of falling in love. 

I was excited to read this book as soon as I had picked it up. I had read the synopsis and thoroughly looked over the cover, however, I discovered that the synopsis (though intriguing) did not do the book justice. This romance novel allowed me to feel like I was right beside the main character. I was given a front row seat as she cycled through all of the obstacles that her journey held for her, watching closely as she made the decisions I had been eagerly anticipating.

This truly brilliant romance novel lets us witness the beautiful, ambitious roller coaster ride, that we call love.

Teen Reviewer: Rachel

BOOK REVIEW: The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler

Good Reads Summary:

When Alice's father goes down in a shipwreck, she is sent to live with her uncle Geryon--an uncle she's never heard of and knows nothing about. He lives in an enormous manor with a massive library that is off-limits to Alice. But then she meets a talking cat. And even for a rule-follower, when a talking cat sneaks you into a forbidden library and introduces you to an arrogant boy who dares you to open a book, it's hard to resist. Especially if you're a reader to begin with. Soon Alice finds herself INSIDE the book, and the only way out is to defeat the creature imprisoned within.

It seems her uncle is more than he says he is. But then so is Alice.

Book Review:

The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler is filled with adventure, a little romance and fantasy. Alice, the main character in the book is a studious young lady who after losing her father goes to live with one of her uncles who she has never met. In her new home, a mansion also known as "The Library" she meets Emma, a plain looking girl who is a servant on the estate. As Alice begins to settle in and explore her new home, she starts to question what happened to her father and looks to the others in "The Library" for answers, this is where the book gets interesting.

 

 

Django Wexler does a good job describing Alice and the other characters in the book so that it is easy to build a picture in your mind of what the characters are doing and expressing. The author chose the right number of characters so that the reader would not be confused about where they fit in. There are lots of plot twists that keep you interested. Each twist had lots of detail, and many supporting ideas that helped you feel connected to the novel. The chapters are the right length for reading in the car and the right length for capping over what was happening, enough detail so it was a good story but not too much that you would lose interest. It was an easy book to read and understand. I liked that the author put some images in the book. As the book goes on, Alice's adventures become more extreme. Alice moves into a fantasy world full of fairies, magic, and monsters. One of my favourite quotes from the book is:

 

"Ashes," Alice said, in a tone of extremely strained patience. "Where are we?" He sighed, which was an odd sound to hear from a cat.

"We're inside the book, of course. The one you read; The Swarm." Alice laughed.

"You're not serious."

"Don't ask questions if you don't want to hear the answers," Ashes said. He swished his tail, offended, and started off down one of the corridors. Alice, feeling the first thrills of fear, hurried after him.

"All right, all right," she said. "We're inside the book. How did we get here?"

"You brought us," the cat said. "You have the gift, apparently. You're a reader."

 

If you like fantasy books, action and mysteries, then this would be a great book for you to try to unravel. Once you begin you won't want to put the book down!

By Jillian (Teen Reviewer)

Teen Book Review: The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey

Amazon Summary:

   For fans of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones and Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke & Bone, The Girl at Midnight is the story of a modern girl caught in an ancient war.

     Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

     Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

     Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, though if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

 

Book Review:

    

     Melissa Grey’s “The Girl at Midnight” showcases the exotic and adventurous lives of the ‘Avicen’ people and will leave you on the edge of your seat. This story is narrated similar to a movie; where the characters are vividly expressed through a spectator-like position.  The reader is able to get a full grasp on all that’s happening.

     The story’s brisk plot-line and moderately short chapters allows the tale to flow together with ease making it an easy and enjoyable read. It is an upbeat and fascinating book that showcases the exploration of the legend of the Avicen. Overall, I really enjoyed this book as it has a little something for everyone and kept me engaged throughout every page. If you are a reader of magic, action, adventure, or all of the above, this book is perfect to satisfy your literature needs. This book was very well written and I would definitely recommend it. I would give it 5 out of 5 stars ★★★★★. Next time you step into your local library make sure to give this book a go!

 

Happy reading!

~Jenna (Teen Reviewer)

“One needs only a single match to start a fire”

“Every good fairy tale has a kernel of truth to it.”

~Melissa Grey, The Girl at Midnight