Category Archives: Young Adult

Shadow Scale, by Rachel Hartman

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Thistle

War is about to break out between humans and dragons, and Seraphina, as a half-dragon, is in a unique position to help stop the conflict. Let me start by saying that I don’t really want to review this book. It … Continue reading →

Posted in 2016, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Thistle

For nearly forty years, there has been tentative peace between humans and dragons. That peace doesn’t stop prejudice from both human and dragon, and tension builds as the treaty anniversary nears. Seraphina is stuck between two worlds, a half-dragon who … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012, 2016, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

My True Love Gave to Me, by Multiple Authors

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Thistle

My True Love Gave to Me is a collection of twelve holiday short stories by different YA authors, including several of my favorites. Five of the authors were ones I’d read before, the rest new-to-me.  This was my experience: This … Continue reading →

Posted in 2016, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Raven’s Prophecy Tarot, by Maggie Stiefvater

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Thistle

Subtitled: Illuminating the Prophecy [Before starting this review, let me clear up a few misconceptions about tarot. Tarot is not magic. It does not tell the future. It is not anti-Christian or some form of devilry. It is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

This is What Happy Looks Like, by Jennifer Smith

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Thistle

An email goes awry, and two teens from opposite sides of the country begin to converse. Over months of correspondence, they get close – but not close enough to reveal some pretty important secrets about themselves. When they finally meet … Continue reading →

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Winter, by Marissa Meyer

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Thistle

And finally, the Lunar Chronicles conclude. Happily, they conclude without the series falling apart (as too often happens), and I love them even more now that they’re all written and published and read. I imagine sitting down with the entire … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Thistle

Six underworld criminal-types attempt a near-impossible heist for an outrageous sum of money that will help them escape their underworld lives (if they should so wish). What follows: love-hate relationships, constant betrayals, impossible feats, lots of violence, and the setup … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, 2016, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Thistle

It starts with Fangirl. In Fangirl, Cath is just starting college, and she’s more comfortable in her online world. She writes Simon Snow slash fanfiction. Simon Snow is like a Harry Potter stand-in, except in a world where Harry Potter … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Walk on Earth a Stranger, by Rae Carson

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Thistle

Leah Westfall is happy with her family on their claim in Georgia. Her father may be sick, her family may be poor, and she may be saddled with most of the farm’s chores, but her parents love her, and she … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Honor Girl, by Maggie Thrash

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Thistle

This is a graphic memoir recounting Maggie Thrash’s time at a Christian girls’ summer camp in Kentucky. She was fifteen and had never suspected she might be a lesbian. Then an encounter with a camp counselor that summer causes infatuation … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Visual, Young Adult | Tagged , | Leave a comment