The Boaters' Club by Deanne Baker

The Boaters' Club is a middle grade mythology book that was sent to me by the author. One day, Russian teen Matt and his friends run into Rusalka, a water zombie. Initially they hope it was just a hallucination- but when a house start catches fire and friends of theirs start losing their lives, it becomes clear that Rusalka and the monstrous mythical lizards must be stopped. Not by the police- but by Matt and his friends, Amy, Joe, and Tyler.

I enjoyed the foreshadowing, and while I could predict most of the events, it was awesome when something unexpected happened. I enjoyed learning about the Ruslka and other Russian mythology and culture, which made The Boaters' Club unique and fascinating to read. I also loved the frightening imagery of the creatures! The story was certainly terrifying at times and was very fun!

I love how each main character had extremely distinct personalities. Amy is my favorite character in the story, mostly because of Amy's involvement in commanding a scene and being a leader. She is an inspirational character and I enjoyed following her brilliant personality and her humorous, proactive approaches to troubling situations. Baba, the supernatural woman, was creepy and mystifying. I loved the wide range of emotions and character types in the story. For Matt, I was disappointed with the how his Synesthesia did not hold immense significance to the plot, and while it provided him with some internal conflict, he seemed much duller than all the other characters. However, him being the narrator with a calmer, constant temperament held the story together and allowed for more extraordinary scenes.

I recommend you read this book!

Title: The Boaters' Club
Author: Deanne Baker
Publisher: Sunbury Press
Pages: 205
Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars

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Dream Chasers (Screamcatcher Book 2) by Christy J. Breedlove

Dream Chasers is the second book in a YA fantasy series sent to me by the author. After Jory and her friends escape her dreamcatcher, the group of teens decide to create The Badlands Paranormal Society, so those in their neighborhood who also have evil spirits inside their dreamcatcher can receive help. So into another dreamcatcher they go to save those trapped inside and banish another evil spirit.

This one is super creepy and much more intense than the last! Simply reading the horrific giant insects eating them alive surrounded by snakes made me feel as if I was in a nightmare and sent shivers down my spine. The added boost of skillful imagery certainly makes this read perfect for a spooky campfire story or Halloween. It's like a voluntary, fantasy, less-evil version of Lord of the Flies- not that I'm complaining. Similarly, I appreciated the increase in violent tendencies from the characters and the darkening of the boy's personalities.

These main characters are insane for signing up for going back into another dream catcher after last time. Even if I was Jory and had a special heritage connection to these, I would have run away as fast as possible. These teens went though pure agony and never gave up. They are absolutely incredible characters. The diversity in the characters' personalities is enjoyable to say the least. Choice is the fun, comical relief from the madness, and Darcy contributed scientific facts that made the book more fascinating.

I highly recommend this book! The next book will be released in summer 2020, according to the last page of the book.

Read my review of the previous book in this series, Screamcatcher: Web World

Title: Dream Chasers (Screamcatcher Book 2)
Author: Christy J. Breedlove
Publisher: Melange Books, Fire & Ice
Pages: 240
Series: Yes, Book 2
Rating: 5 Stars
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A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier

I figured with the global coronavirus outbreak, this YA historical fiction read on the 1918 Spanish Flu couldn't be more timely! Teen Cleo Berry of Portland, Oregon sneaks out of her quarantined school and joins the Red Cross as a volunteer nurse, going door-to-door to save her neighbors. Experiencing first-hand the severity of the illness, Cleo sacrifices her well-being to save strangers.

Cleo is such an inspiration to humanity and I pray that there are more girls like her in the world right now. Her passion for helping people and doing the right thing no matter consequence to herself is enormous. I was so nervous for Cleo near the end! There is also surprisingly a lot of depth to Cleo, who ends up dealing with her traumatic past. Besides Cleo, it was the relationships that made this story extraordinary. The friendships and bonds that these volunteers made and the courage they gained together created the inspirational tone. Edmond is such a sweet guy, and I love the gradual increase in romantic intensity.

The amount of research and dedication the author spent on this is obvious, as the exact horrific details of the illness are described- I actually learned a ton about viruses reading A Death-Struck Year and I found it fascinating. The imagery of these people dying was astonishing and startling. I loved how this book managed to be very descriptive, but not too gory. One lesson I've learned from reading this book is knowing that viruses like the Spanish Flu and the Coronavirus pandemics are not the end of the world, despite how it may seem that way in the overwhelming moment.

I highly recommend you read this book!

Title: A Death-Struck Year
Author: Makiia Lucier
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 288
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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Gray Heart (Dark Irregular Book 3) by Kaitlyn Legaspi

Gray Heart is the final book in the YA fantasy Dark Irregular series that was sent to me by the author. Gray Heart is released today! Kanna has lost her voice and her ability to feel emotion after sealing two of the Irregulars inside her body. But she has more obstacles ahead of her with the importance of sealing all four inside her. As the third nearly destroys her, Kanna must face the truth about who she really is and regain control of her own destiny before people she cares about get hurt.

The main character, Kanna, is what makes this trilogy unique, beyond writing quality, fantastic setting, or plot development. I love Kanna's passion for helping others, her sense of morality, as well as her selflessness. Her strong stance for humane treatment of everyone, including irregulars is an inspiration to all. It is understood why she is a princess- but she is also a fierce warrior to be admired. I love her bravery to continue to fulfill her legacy regardless of those limitations.

I adore how accurate the cover is to a main theme of the book, restoring Kanna's red and vibrant soul previously tainted by the Irregulars inside of her. A recurring obstacle is simply getting Kanna to wear the color anymore, and I enjoyed watching her vast internal conflict on how to still be herself despite losing her emotions and voice. When she truly unraveled and those emotions and darkness burst, it made a breathtaking climax. The series was wrapped up nicely and I am satisfied!

I highly recommend you read this series!

Click here to read my review of the previous book, White Blossom.
Click here to read my review of the first book, Dark Irregular. 

Title: Gray Heart (Dark Irregular Book 3)
Author: Kaitlyn Legaspi
Publisher: Kaitlyn Legaspi
Pages: 270
Series: Yes, Book 3 of 3
Rating: 5 Stars
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Voyagers: The Third Ghost by Yvonne Ventresca

Voyagers: The Third Ghost is a collection of 10 diverse historical fantasy short stories that was sent to me by the publisher. Voyagers will be released on May 5th, 2020!

This book is an interesting concept because not only does it introduce 10 emerging authors in a skillful publicity angle, but contains unique stories that redefine traditional historical fiction by including magical elements from time travel to talking trees. Voyagers was super fun to read and I hope that you read it, too when this book is released next month!

1. The Third Ghost by Yvonne Ventresca
This story was suspenseful and epic! I loved the twist at the end and the careful foreshadowing. Now I can't wait to read her first book, Pandemic!

2. The Ghosts of Pompeii by Sherry Ellis
This is based on Ellis' main book, Bubba and Squirt's Big Dig to China. This story was very unique in the fact that it was not only historical fiction, but mixed in elements from fantasy and scifi novels, like ghosts and time travel. Part of it was also really funny!

3. The Blind Ship by Bish Denham

I appreciate the morals of the young boy, viewing African Americans as humans and not slaves. The story is inspirational and highlights some of the terrors of slavery. This was a bizarre, wonderful story with the Opthalimia dilemma. The Blind Ship was very suspenseful and fun! 

4. Dare, Double Dare by Louise MacBeath Barbour

The genetic aspect of the magical ability to time travel was intriguing. I enjoyed the diversity with French being frequently spoken. Dare, Double Dare is also educational, as before I did not know about the Habitation at Port-Royal.

5. Return to Cahokia by L.T. Ward
The plot was super creative! I loved imagining the children creating weather and changing lives. It sounds like such a giant responsibility, being Weather Gods, and I enjoyed the abundance of painful emotion, but also hope and happiness from the characters. Return to Cahokia stands out with its Native American heritage of the Cahokia tribe and their Nahuatl language. The village is thought to have demised due to extreme weather (https://www.pnas.org/content/116/12/5461), so I love the mixing of mythology and historical fiction.

6. Feathered Fire by Ronald Clarke
Feathered Fire is my favorite story of them all. The mythical legend of the Zharptica (firebird) partnered with a powerful, inspirational female heroine in the middle of a war zone made this story epic! I loved the symbolism of the firebird and the central idea of being "reborn" from the flames, free and safe after this war.

7. The Orchard by Beth Anderson Schuck
The Orchard is the most beautiful story, a calming bliss that nature can provide. In the story, Nels is a girl who has a unique connection with nature, who can hear the trees speak to her. I found the idea lovely.

8. Simon Grey and the Yamamba by Charles Kowalski 
I read Kowalski's Simon Grey and the March of a Thousand Ghosts, so I was very excited to read a sequel of sorts! I was not disappointed. It had the perfect balance between creepy and funny. This short story was cute, satisfying, and educational in Japanese folklore.

9. A World of Trouble by Rebecca Douglass
I didn't necessarily enjoy this one as much as the previous stories, as it sent conflicting messages- on one hand, it is bad to sneak out of your house and travel without your parents at such a young age, but on the other hand without these kids, this disaster would have been a whole lot worse. However the dilemma of saving themselves and their homes from drowning was interesting to read about- I was definitely holding my breath by the end!

10. Winter Days by Katharina Gerlach
While taking place in Germany, the concept is still very relatable with border conflicts. I enjoyed the themes of family and the ideals of having the brightness in humanity inside everyone. I loved the description of almost freezing to death- I almost felt as if I was!

Title: Voyagers: The Third Ghost
Author(s):  Yvonne Ventresca, Sherry Ellis, Bish Denham, Charles Kowalski, Katharina Gerlach, Roland Clarke, Rebecca M. Douglass, Beth Anderson Schuck, Louise MacBeath Barbour, and L.T. Ward
Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press
Pages: 168
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads
Website

Boon on the Moon by John Huddles

Boon on the Moon is a middle grade science fiction story that is perfect for younger readers who have an interest in space with a big imagination! This book was sent to me by the author. ten-year-old Byron, nicknamed "Boon" is always getting into trouble on Earth. From his wacky inventions to running away to explore caves, he is a handful to say the least. But when his family gets the chance to travel to a colony on the moon, Byron has the chance to redeem himself by using his creativity to save the world from a White Wormhole.

If you enjoyed Frozen Secrets, you'll love this read! The hypothetical scenario of this White Worm (wormhole theory, or formally known as the Einstein-Rosen bridge theory), was super fun to read about! I enjoy that despite how complicated the idea actually is, Huddles shaped this theory into a circumstance that actually seemed straightforward and rather simple to understand. Honestly, the pages explaining the creation of the White Worm should be on Wikipedia or Kids Britannica. This approach is also impressive and unexpected considering Huddles' track record with his recent film, The Philosophers, being a R-rated thriller. But that background was particularly useful for having an immense amount of suspense and excitement.

Boon on the Moon is a fun, creative read that can encourage curiosity and enthusiasm for science. Some of the plot was extremely unexpected and I enjoyed some of the similarities to The Martian. I enjoyed the conclusion of the book and how it summed up future generations nicely. Even if one is not a 10-year-old boy, I still liked the story with its heavy involvement in science. However, one complaint I have is that the emphasis of Bryon's overactive imagination sometimes made it slightly confusing for me to distinguish between reality and daydream.

I recommend that you read this book!

Title: Boon on the Moon
Author: John Huddles
Publisher: Notable Kids Publishing
Pages: 216
Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
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Website

Death by Midnight (The Secret Life of Anna Goode Book 1) by Nicole Nadeau

Death by Midnight is a YA realistic fiction mystery book that I received from the author. Anna Goode is a teenage genius and secretly uses her intelligence to build gadgets and other miscleansious inventions. When Russian terrorists kidnap her parents, they make a demand- Anna and her best friend Jake must build a bioweapon and outsmart the CIA- or else her parents die.

Jake is the best friend one could ask for. He's one of the most loyal characters I have ever read, and I love his strive to save Anna no matter the mortal danger to himself. Anna is truly remarkable, not just for her genius IQ and invention skills, but for her moral drive to save her parents and her vastly creative critical thinking skills. Her courage is extraordinary and I admire her ability to stay calm and logical in extreme situations. Everybody's moral compass is a little off, and I enjoyed the internal conflict on Anna's part of doing the right thing or getting her family back. In the coming books, I hope a romance between Anna and Jake can be explored.

Death by Midnight is quite a Goode, (see what I did there) fun read! This book is also very relevant today with the Covid-19 outbreak. It is extremely action-packed with plenty of gripping fight scenes. The fights are very detailed and are thrilling in its fast pace. My only complaint is that some of them seem a little unbelievable. I love the suspense and anxiety of the time limit and guessing the mysterious parts along the way. The writing is clean and descriptive. Death by Midnight is a story I will totally read again!

I recommend that you read this book!

Title: Death by Midnight (The Secret Life of Anna Goode Book 1)
Author: Nicole Nadeau
Publisher: Nicole Nadeau
Pages: 303
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
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Dust by J.R. Devoe

Dust is the first post-apocalyptic fairy tale book I received from the author. Dust is released today! In the future when Earth is mostly dead and humans mostly extinct, intergalactic pixies arrive through a magic gateway to prepare the planet for new settlers. Alien Nya, with the power to harness sonic vibrational frequencies to turn things to dust, discovers that humans still remain on Earth, and befriends a human boy, Dexa. After reporting their existence, she hopes that her kind will leave. But instead, antagonist Jexa sets to kill them. Nya decides to follow in her mother's footsteps and lead a giant rebellion against Jexa to save what is left of humanity.

Nya is courageous and one of the bravest protagonists I have ever encountered. Her drive to help humanity and do the right thing despite the serious danger of losing her life was incredible to read. I loved the inspiring message of being the spark of light in the dark and being kind to those who are different than you- something we should follow today in these dark times.

I loved Dexa's drive to save his own people, as well as Nya. I enjoyed the hint of romance between the two that I predict will be explored further in the coming installation. I enjoyed how their complex relationship did not hinder or distract from the plot development. The future scenario of a destroyed environment will quite frankly a possibility, and I enjoyed how while the book was very fantasy, there were hints of reality embedded.

Growing up, I have been obsessed with fairies and magic, so Dust was super fun for me to read. The cover is absolutely stunning and I love the magic glow surrounding Nya. Speaking of magic, the imagery surrounding her powers, especially near the end, was terrific and I enjoyed the increase of her ability and confidence in herself by the end. I loved the ending being filled with happiness and anxiousness and sadness all at the same time. I enjoy that there was a firm conclusion to keep readers satisfied, but also a gateway (no pun intended) to a huge problem with exciting promise for another story.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Dust
Author: J.R. Devoe
Publisher: Evening Star Publishing
Pages: 217
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
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Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Signs You’re a Teen Book Lover

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. If you want to participate, click here. This week's theme is Ten Signs You're a Book Lover. This one was super fun to think of and write! Let me know in the comments what you think or have anything to add!

                                             1. You Can be Found in the Library

This one is super obvious and straightforward, but I felt I had to include it! Also, walking out of the library with books in your arms!

2. You Pay Attention in English Class

Chances are that students who choose to pay attention care about the book. Mostly students who actively participate in class discussions about the assigned book (ESPECIALLY when it's Shakespeare!) and offer valid insights took the time to read it and perhaps enjoyed it. 

3. You Insert Similes/Allusions of Literature Into Everyday Conversation

Here's an example- my friend and I were arguing/talking about violence in schools and I immediately brought up Anger is a Gift. Frequently inserting in conversations "Oh, yea, like in [book]..." or quoting from your favorite author is a sure sign! Also is when you MUST vent to your best friend about the ending of a book you just read!

4. You are Constantly Recommending Books

This ties into #3, but If you hear someone talking, for example, how they are interested in social advocacy and women's rights, do you immediately jump up and tell them to read Audacity, like I do? Or, do you constantly give book recommendations to your friends, or even teachers?

5. Your Favorite Gift is a Book (or Gift Card to Buy One)

For your birthday, or Christmas or Hanukkah, do you ask for a new book instead of a new video game or clothes? Do you search for the perfect book to give an important person in your life?

6. You are Very Upset when a Character Dies
When reading a book and a character dies, do you become very sad and maybe cry, despite them not being real? Are you very upset and feel personally impacted when an author dies? Actually, in general, do you ever have intense feelings while reading and ever become passionate or invested in a character? If so, then you are a book lover!

7. You Have Book-related Museums on Your Bucket List

If your dream vacation is going to the Library of Congress, the American Writers Museum, The National Steinbeck Center or Emerson's house, you are totally a book lover!

8. You Have Book-Related Holidays Written on Your Calendar
Do you have it written on your calendar or memorized that January 2nd is National Science Fiction Day, or that Februray 14th is Library Lovers Day or how March 1st is Read Across America Day or how December 10th is Dewey Decimal System Day? If you are excited when it is your favorite author's birthday then you are TOTALLY a book lover! (P.S.: https://bookriot.com/2018/08/29/book-holidays/)

9.  The Book is ALWAYS Better Than the Movie

If you prefer the Maze Runner or the Hunger Games or Divergent to the movie versions, no question, or refuse to even watch the movie because you know you will be disappointed, you are totally a book lover!

10. You Have Books... Everywhere!
If you can be seen carrying a book (or two) everywhere you go, chances are you are a book lover. Is your room taken up by books EVERYWHERE in huge piles?

The Lost Princess of Aevilen (Kingdom of Aevilen Book 1) by D.C. Payson

The Lost Princess of Aevilen is a YA fantasy book that will be released on May 12th. This book was sent to me by the publisher. Today is the Cover Reveal- and I must say, it is gorgeous! After seventeen-year-old Julia's home in California is destroyed by a wildfire, she must move in with her grandmother, who escaped a war-torn world with her life decades ago. When Julia finds a beautiful necklace in an old trunk, it transports her to the land of Aevilen, where her grandmother was a princess. Now, she must join a rebellion and help free her people.

The power of the necklace is mesmerizing, and I loved the imagery of its warmth and guidance; it felt truly alive, a character nonetheless. Speaking of characters, I admired Julia's strength to fight for a world that is not her own. The amount of fear and sadness felt very realistic and expected given the circumstance. I loved the contrast between her emotions near the beginning and when she is powerful and strong with its power. Thezdan’s bravery to risk his life for Julia was astonishing, and not many men would have the kindness he shows.

I liked the relevant issue of the California wildfires, and how even though this is a fantasy book, there are still themes of reality, such as ever-present social inequality. I also enjoyed how the setting was still partial to the main world, only outside modern reality. That opens a hypothetical premise of being more to the universe than we could have imagined. the imagery of the forestry was beautiful and calming. The ending was sharp and unexpected, and I cannot wait to read the next book sometime in the coming years and find out what happens to Julia!

I recommend this book! (And no, I did not only enjoy the book since the main character shares my name- that's just an added bonus.)

Title: The Lost Princess of Aevilen
Author: D.C. Payson
Publisher: Month9Books
Pages: 302
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads