Category Archives: Young Adult

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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The Girl at Midnight, by Melissa Grey (audio)

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Thistle

Echo has been raised by Avicen, a race of bird-like creatures living outside human society. Though raised by them, Echo is not fully accepted, since she’s human, and so she’s willing to work to gain their respect. She agrees to … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, 2017, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Emmy & Oliver, by Robin Benway

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Thistle

Emmy and Oliver are next door neighbors and best friends, until the day in second grade when Oliver’s father kidnaps him. Ten years later, Oliver is back at home and his father is on the run. No one quite knows … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , | 5 Comments