death | Young Adult Book Reviews

Posts Tagged 'death'

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Published September 20, 2013 Uncategorized 1 Comment
Tags: Cinderella, cyborg, death, family, kingdom, loss, plague

Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction

# of Pages: 390

RAC: Yes

Iowa Teen Award Winner 2013-2014

Cinder is a cyborg living in squalor with her stepmother and two stepsisters. She works everyday as a mechanic while her family does nothing and spends all the money. A terrible plague is striking their kingdom and Prince Kai is trying desperately to find a cure. He has lost his mother to this disease and now his father has contracted it. When Prince Kai comes to Cinder for help with his broken cyborg she conceals the fact that she is a cyborg because many people look down on cyborgs as less than human. The plague soon strikes Cinder’s house and she is blamed for bringing it to the family. Her stepmother sends her away to “volunteer” to be a test subject in the royal labs in order to find a cure. When Cinder arrives at the testing facility they end up learning much more about her past than she could even imagine. Who is she? Who were her parents? How did she come to be a cyborg?

This retelling of Cinderella is new and fresh as Cinder has a robotic foot which causes her stress throughout the story. The kingdom is in peril both from the plague and from an evil outside ruler trying to take over during their time of need. Fans of futuristic novels, such as Divergent, will enjoy this title for its unique twist on an old tale and will eagerly grab the sequel to see what happens next.

Crazy by Han Nolan

Published September 6, 2013 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: counseling, death, friendship, illness, loss, mental health

Genre: Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 348

RAC: Yes

Iowa Teen Award Winner 2013-2014

Jason tries to blend in at school and not draw anyone’s notice because he doesn’t want anyone to know how bad his home life is. His father has always had some mental issues, but when his mother suddenly dies he finds it is up to him to take care of his father and everything else. When he tries to rebel against some of the rules in class, however, he ends up having to meet with other troubled teens in a counseling session every week. Soon, he comes to find that others have difficult issues to deal with as well and begins to open up a bit. Will his new friends help him keep his secret even after they see his deplorable living conditions and the fact that he is solely responsible for his father’s survival?

This is a powerful story about a group of young kids who deal with more than most students can probably imagine in a single day. Loss of parents, illness, infidelity, divorce, mental illness, and substance abuse are all discussed as these high school students try to help each other cope. The counseling sessions do help Jason come to terms with the fact that he is not alone and he can reach out to people. Reading this book could help high school students to be more understanding of each other and hopefully not as superficial.

One Moment by Kristina McBride

Published February 13, 2013 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
Tags: accident, cheating, dating, death, trust

Genre: Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 261

RAC: Yes

Maggie and her boyfriend climbed a gorge in order to jump hand in hand into the water below, but something went terribly wrong and Maggie woke up at the top with no memory of what happened. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, Joey, floated in the water below dead. Afterward, Maggie and her friends must face life without Joey, while also overcoming the guilt they feel for having gone to that place at all. Adam, one of their best friends, seems to be holding something back and has been steadily withdrawing since the accident. Is there something Maggie doesn’t know about Joey? Will she ever remember what happened at the top of that gorge?

Fans of realistic fiction will enjoy this title. This story is engaging right from the beginning and the individual characteristics of the group are detailed well so that the reader can truly distinguish between each member. There are a few key elements that the reader will pick up on before Maggie, but the big reveal seems satisfying nonetheless. The book deals with grief, the aftermath of death, and even the ability to see the flaws as well as the strengths in someone who is gone in a manner that anyone can relate to who has experience with losing a loved one.

Reached by Ally Condie

Published December 10, 2012 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance 3 Comments
Tags: cure, death, matched, plague, revolution, society, uprising

Genre: Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 512

RAC: Book

In the final installment of the series, Cassia is back with the Society working as a sorter when the Rising takes control and produces a cure for a mysterious plague that the Society was trying to keep quiet within city limits. Xander is working in the clinic as a physhic and was well aware of the plague and is thrilled when the Rising takes over simply because he was always on their side and now they can cure these people. Ky, meanwhile, is working as a pilot for the Rising and his job is to deliver the cure to different locations. They all end up coming together, but the virus mutates and threatens to wipe out the entire civilization. Will Cassia choose Xander or Ky? Will they all even survive the plague? How will the Rising govern better than the Society did?

This ending was satisfying, but slow and a bit underwhelming. The first book in this series was so interesting and raised so many questions about society in general and what is considered “normal.” It seems like the second two books in the series lost their way a bit and struggled to recapture that spark the first one had. It’s not bad, but just not as good as Matched. Die hard fans will enjoy seeing what happens, but many readers will find this book tedious and cumbersome. There are still some unanswered questions as well and the ending, although satisfying, is definitely realistic which hopefully readers will appreciate.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Published September 10, 2012 Historical Fiction , RAC , Romance Leave a Comment
Tags: assassin, battle, death, kingdom, murder, traitor

Genre: Romance/Historical Fiction

# of Pages: 549

RAC: Yes

Ismae was born with terrible scars on her back because her father is Death and her mother tried to have her killed before she was born. Later, Ismae’s stepfather sells her into a terrible arranged marriage. Once her new husband sees her scars he believes Ismae to be cursed and starts to beat her. She is rescued and sent to a convent where everyone works for Death. Ismae comes to find she has talents for working as an assassin whenever Death shows her the mark that someone should die. She is sent on a mission to help a man named Gavriel to protect a young girl who has recently taken power over a big nation. Ismae knows there is a traitor amongst the duchess’s advisors, but is not as prepared for the task as she thought she would be. Can Ismae find the traitor who threatens to put an entire kingdom in jeopardy before it is overtaken by enemies? Can she trust Gavriel as her convent believes or is he in fact hiding any secrets of his own?

This book is getting a lot of attention because it is engaging right from the beginning. Any reader naturally wants to know more about Ismae’s skills as well as who is betraying the young duchess. The characters are all memorable, which is important in a book with so many characters any of which could be the traitor. The ending is satisfying and readers will want to see more of this character to find out what she is capable of. Fans of Graceling and Star Crossed will enjoy this title as well.

You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

Published September 5, 2012 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction , Uncategorized 1 Comment
Tags: dating, death, hit and run, parent

Genre: Realistic Fiction/Mystery

# of Pages: 289

RAC: Yes

Luna and her family are struggling to deal with the unexpected death of her mother. A year after she was hit and killed by a taxi, Luna goes to her mother’s studio and finds her cell phone with seven unheard messages. As Luna slowly listens to the messages she begins to learn things she never suspected about her mother. Could it be possible that her mother’s death was not an accident? Is there information her father is not sharing with her?

The book lives up to its title in that there is information to be learned from the seven messages, but Luna does not linger too long on them and instead moves on to finding out more. The relationship with her neighbor seems a bit tiresome at times, but Luna’s relationship with her father and brother are rich and help establish their home life before their mother’s death. The ending is satisfying, but there is no surprise that the reader won’t predict early on. Fans of Lipstick Apology will enjoy this title.

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published March 12, 2012 Fantasy , RAC , Romance 5 Comments
Tags: angel, danger, death, friendship, revenge, Romance, trust

Genre: Fantasy

# of Pages: 391

RAC: Yes

Nora is paired with Patch in science class and always feels a bit uncomfortable around him, especially since he seems to turn up wherever she is. The more time she spends with him, however, the more drawn she feels to him. Her best friend and the school counselor warn her he is dangerous and shouldn’t be trusted, but she cannot help but feel like she is in fact safe with him. Meanwhile, another new boy has come to her school, Elliot, and he is determined to befriend her. While Nora’s best friend thinks Elliot is wonderful Nora cannot help feel like something is a bit sinister with him. After a series of bizarre events in which Nora either hallucinated or someone is purposefully messing with her, she must decide which boy would be taunting her with dangerous situations. Is her life actually in danger and why?

This story is yet another fallen angel romance, but somehow still finds a way to be unique and interesting. Patch and Elliot both have reasons to hurt Nora, yet they both seem genuine at times when they want to befriend her. While Nora’s mother is absent for an enormous part of the book and her best friend seems to make the worst choices ever, Nora seems to take things in stride despite the fact that she finds herself in severe danger over and over. The ending provides some answers, but there is still a lot readers will want to know as this fantasy romance unfolds. Fans of Unearthly, Fallen, and Halo will enjoy this title as well.

Princess of Las Pulgas by C.Lee McKenzie

Published February 15, 2012 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
Tags: bullying, Cancer, death, loss, nickname

Genre: Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 348

RAC: Yes

Carlie, her mother, and her brother must move from their home after the death of their father/husband due to the mounting medical bills. Not only must they leave their home, school, friends, and neighborhood, but they must move to a rough part of town that is the rival of their old school. When they begin their new life they are all still dealing with the loss of their father/husband and therefore appear disengaged from their daily activities. Carlie in particular is targeted as being standoffish and is criticized for believing she is better than everyone else. Can she ever find a place for herself in this new school? Will she ever find a way to cope with the loss of her father?

This story shows how the death of a loved one can and often does affect every aspect of a teenager’s life. Carlie’s mother is clearly struggling with the loss of her husband, but at the same time is having a difficult time helping her children come to terms with the loss of their father. Carlie’s brother, Keith, and herself handle their new surroundings differently, but the reasons behind their actions are very much the same. Carlie’s perception at her new school clouds her experience and makes her easy fodder for bullies. All in all, a good story about a family coping with death and transition after death.

Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

Published November 3, 2011 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance 3 Comments
Tags: dating, death, friendship, Pregnancy, regret, secrets, suicide

Genre: Realistic Fiction/Romance

# of Pages: 349

RAC Book: Yes

Carmen, Tibby, Bridget, and Lena are back ten years after the last installment of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Now they are all approaching the age of 30 and they have struggled to keep their friendship alive. Tibby moved to Australia with Bryan, Bridget lives with Eric in San Francisco, Lena lives alone in New York and works as an art professor, and Carmen lives with her horrible fiance in New York where she works as an actress. Tibby has especially fallen out of touch with her friends, which is why they are all so surprised when she invites them to Greece for a reunion. When the three girls arrive, Tibby is not there to greet them. By nightfall they know something is wrong and by morning their worst fears are confirmed. The way each woman handles this tragedy is to run away from each other, which seems a bit surprising considering how long they have been friends. Can they ever recover from their loss? Can they ever find their way in this world without wandering aimlessly forever?

Most of this book centers on Bridget, Lena, and Carmen coping with Tibby’s apparent suicide. During this time the three women rarely speak to each other and choose to throw themselves into various other activities. It seems sad they have been a bit lost these last ten years and it took a tragedy to wake them up. It’s difficult to take characters who became famous in young adult novels and make them realistic adults. In many ways, these characters were still the same immature girls who traded pants. The ending was satisfying, but the journey was a bit frustrating as the characters repeatedly made decisions that seemed unrealistic for thirty-year-olds who have been friends since birth.

The Vision by Jen Nadol

Published October 27, 2011 Fantasy , RAC , Romance Leave a Comment
Tags: death, mark, supernatural, teenage romance

**Special Review**

Genre: Fantasy

# of Pages: 229

RAC Book: Yes

In this sequel to The Mark, Cassie is now living in a new place with a roommate and trying to make it on her own. She has the ability to see marks that mean a person is going to die soon. She has found that if she intervenes it can save a person’s life, but she does not know if it has any negative affects and decides to find out more about her gift. One way she studies death is by working at a funeral home and studying the different ways people handle death. When her roommate informs her of a girl at a nearby mental ward, Cassie begins to wonder if they in fact share the same gift. When she goes to meet with the girl she sees a mysterious boy from her class and begins to wonder about his intentions and motivations. As the two get closer she learns that he may have more to teach her than she thought. Can she trust this mysterious boy, Zander? Are there others out there like her?

Cassie’s gift creates an interesting premise for a book and there are many worthwhile situations that help her better understand how her gift can affect people. One great example is when the father of a classmate dies. There are a few mentions of her past from the first book that may confuse some readers if they have not read it, but the new characters in this book prove to be engaging. The relationship dynamic between Cassie and Zander changes with every revelation they learn about each other, but it is still unclear what their ultimate relationship will be like. Fans of supernatural and fantasy will enjoy the story, but will probably want to start with the first in the series.

Between by Jessica Warman

Published October 12, 2011 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction 2 Comments
Tags: betrayal, blackmail, death, lies, loss, Romance, teenage

Genre: Realistic Fiction/Mystery

# of Pages: 454

RAC Book: Yes

Elizabeth Valchar wakes up to find her own dead body, but she can’t remember anything before she died. As she watches her friends and family move on from the tragedy she realizes that her life was not as perfect as everyone thought it was. She had already suffered the loss of her mother at a very young age, and of her father’s hasty remarriage afterward. She did truly love her boyfriend, Richie, which is why it’s so hard to see him suffer after her death. She has a ghostly companion in Alex, a boy in her high school who died a year before Elizabeth. He was very unpopular and people did not react to his death the way they do hers, which makes for an uncomfortable situation. Can Elizabeth find out what happened to her so that she can be free?

This story grabs readers right from the beginning because there is so much that Elizabeth does not know. The more she remembers about the months before she died the more confusing it gets. She is surrounded by a bunch of questionable characters who could either be on her side or working against her. Her circle of friends is particularly mysterious as they appear vapid, but some of them know more than they are saying. Fans of The Everafter, Elsewhere, and Thirteen Reasons Why will enjoy this book, but there are some heavy issues discussed.

Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci

Published February 23, 2011 RAC , Realistic Fiction 1 Comment
Tags: bio terrorism, death, hacker, loss of parents, terrorism, threat, water supply

Genre: Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 424

RAC Book: Yes

A computer hacker in Pakistan finds some mysterious threats directed toward the U.S. and he alerts the proper authorities. The threats are examined, but there is no evidence found of any bio threats. Then, in the U.S. two women who live on the same street die of mysterious aneurysms on the same night. The daughter of one woman and the two sons of the other try to find out what happened to their mothers even as they start exhibiting similar symptoms. Meanwhile, the computer hacker is moved to the U.S. where authorities hope he will be able to pinpoint a location and identification of the culprits behind the attack on a neighborhood water supply.

This bio-thriller moves at a brisk pace for the beginning and end of the story, but the middle lags a bit as the characters try to put the pieces together for why they are all getting sick. The idea behind the attack is clever and well-executed which forces the reader to think about how easily any of us could be influenced by a terrorist attack. The steps authorities take to locate and extinguish the threat seem realistic and make the officials seem very knowledgeable and credible. The characters are interesting, but a few have some habits of using bad language on a regular basis. For students who enjoy spy and terrorist books this is a must.

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

Published October 18, 2010 Adventure , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
Tags: death, family, fighting, gladiator

Genre: Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 324

RAC Book: Yes

Lyn does not want to follow in her mother’s footsteps as a gladiator wife, but when her seventh gladiator father falls in the arena she worries about the future of her family. The gladiator association has rules that her mother can never marry again and due to an illegal disqualification of her stepfather, her family loses all benefits and assets. His opponent picked up the bracelet she had given her father for luck and keeps it as a prize, but this means that by the rules of the arena she must marry him. Lyn cannot bear to marry the man her murdered her father, but her only other choice would be to face him in the arena herself…

Fans of The Hunger Games series will find this interesting, but not as appealing as that trilogy. There is some gore and violence, but most of the story deals with Lyn and her family coping with the loss of everything after the death of Tommy, her mother’s seventh husband. Lyn’s brother has some mental disabilities, but is also able to make predictions. These predictions give the story an interesting twist as his predictions grow more and more surprising. The premise behind this story is a bit more exciting than the actual execution of it, but readers of this type of fiction will enjoy it.

Numbers by Rachel Ward

Published October 8, 2010 RAC , Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: death, teen relationships, terrorism

Genre: Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 325

RAC Book: No

Jem has always seen numbers when she looks directly into people’s eyes, but she never knew what they meant. When her mother overdoses and dies, Jem realizes that the numbers she sees spell out the day a person will die. Naturally, Jem tries not to get close to anyone or look directly into their eyes because she cannot bear knowing such important information. A boy named Spider tries to befriend her anyway, and Jem finds herself wanting to spend time with him, even though she knows his death day is mere weeks away. Can she change his fate?

This story has an interesting premise, but drags in places and many readers will struggle to get through it. The ending is fast paced and interesting, but the journey to get there may lose some readers along the way. Jem’s character seems flat and uninteresting until the end when she accepts her role in life. This was a clever idea, but only somewhat realized through the story.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Young Adult Book Reviews

Posts Tagged 'death'

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Crazy by Han Nolan

One Moment by Kristina McBride

Reached by Ally Condie

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Princess of Las Pulgas by C.Lee McKenzie

Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

The Vision by Jen Nadol

Between by Jessica Warman

Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

Numbers by Rachel Ward

Categories

Archives

Recent Posts

Click on Icon to Subscribe