Young Adult Fantasy

The Other Merlin (Emry Merlin, #1) by Robyn Schneider

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This is a fun YA Fantasy re-telling of Camelot. Arthur is an intelligent bookworm that isn’t much of a fighter. Lancelot is a gay castle guard that was demoted from a page (on track to becoming a knight) after a misunderstanding. Both we content bumbling along until Arthur accidentally pulls the sword from the stone, and now everyone thinks he’s some kind of hero. Emry Merlin poses as her twin brother at court to learn magic and serve Arthur. It’s supposed to be temporary, but nothing goes to plan and she’s there permanently. Princess Guinevere is betrothed to Arthur, but neither wants to marry the other.

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January 8, 2023 0

The Stranded (Stranded #1) by Sarah Daniels

This is a good YA Dystopian Sci/Fi Thriller set on the Arcadia, a luxury liner that set sail 40 years ago after being driven from Europe by an apocalyptic war. Since that time, it’s been a refugee camp anchored off the coast of the Federated States. The story centers on Esther a loyal citizen, working to have the rare chance to live a normal life as a medic on dry land, and Nik, a rebel planning something big to liberate the Arcadia once and for all. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and the oppressors of the refugees acts despicably toward them, requiring the rebels to alter their plans.

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December 29, 2022 0

The Wicked Remain (Grimrose Girls #2) by Laura Pohl

This was a satisfying conclusion to a good YA Fantasy duology. The events pick up a few months after the first book. The girls continue to search for a way to break the curse, but are waylaid by personal issues that distract them from their goal. As they make progress on finding out the origin of the curse, more girls start dying.

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November 9, 2022 0

Blue Shadows Fall (Blue Shadows Fall, #1) by Lenore Stutznegger

This is a very good first book in a new YA Fantasy series. In a dystopian world decades in the future, Blue Haven is a 17 year old who dreams of becoming a warrior. Over 150 years ago the Shadow Elves, humans infected by a zombie apocalypse-like plague, ravaged the world and decimated the population. Blue lives in a small farming community in the Smoky Mountains, where they are the last survivors of their world and not much happens. But Blue’s superhuman sight is showing her troubling images of green-eyed strangers and handsome Shadow Elves. But, that can’t be right because leaders of her village insist the Shadow Elves were all killed and they are safe. As Blue investigates her visions, she discovers the leaders may have lied. About everything.

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October 29, 2022 0

From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash #1) by Jennifer Armentrout

Ok, I know that I’m way behind everyone else in reading this series, so the last thing you want to do is read another review about this book, but WOW! I loved this book. In it’s simplest form, you can call this book a YA Fantasy Romance. And yeah, it is. But it also has a load of fighting, paranormal elements, magic, and court intrigue.

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September 5, 2022 0

The Final Strife (The Final Strike Trilogy #1) by Saara El-Arifi

This is a good first book in a new YA Fantasy African and Arabian-inspired trilogy. The Empire is ruled by four rulers. Every ten years a trial of combat and skill is held to determine the Empire’s new rulers, who will intern with the current rulers until it’s time for them to take over.

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June 30, 2022 1

The Atlas Six (The Atlas Six #1) by Olivie Blake

The Alexandrian Society is a secret society of magicians. Every ten years they pick six of the brightest magicians for initiation, but only five will be selected. The ones that are initiated with gain wealth, power and prestige. The first year is spent together where they are permitted to access the Society’s archives. At the end of the year, they will be judged on their contributions to arcane areas of knowledge and five initiates will be selected for admission.

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June 19, 2022 0

Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater

This is a good YA Fantasy continuing the story of the Disney movie Brave. The book is set several years after the movie and we find Merida traveling the countryside learning new skills and the triplets languishing at home, unchanged and unmotivated. In fact, most of her family seems to be stuck, with little purpose or motivation to change things. Which is the problem.

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May 12, 2022 1

In Every Generation by Kendare Blake

“Into every generation, there is a Chosen One. One girl in all the world. She alone will wield the strength and skill to stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. She is the Slayer.”

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Let me preface this review by saying that I am a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. HUGE. As in I own the entire series on DVD (yeah, remember those old things?) and routinely play them in the background while I’m cleaning, getting ready for the day or to go out, or when I want comfortable coziness. I love all things Buffyverse. Sooooo, when I hear of anything related to Buffy, I leap. That is what I did when I got a chance to read this book. And because I’m such a fan, I will both giddily gush with excitement, and be dramatically picky, about all new things “Buffy” in this review.

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January 20, 2022 0